FREESPACE 2
MASQUERADE
SEASON ONE
EPISODE TWO

CHAPTER ONE

 Senator Michelle Talvart quickly saw Stashef, and her face was filled with a wide smile,” It has been a long time, and I’m sure Admiral Barrett has filled you in on why you have been chosen for this.”

 Stashef calmly stood at ease, and Talvart continued,” But I am here to let you know what your mission in itself is.”

 The Captain nodded, and the XO without even introducing herself walked away towards the control consoles to assist in the Excalibur’s final maintenance.

 The senator began,” As you know, Admiral Aken Bosch of the GTVA space forces went rogue nearly 18 months ago. Admiral Bosch seized power in Polaris by exploiting the social unrest and political turmoil that was growing in that system. Following Bosch's coup, the governments in Regulus and Sirius collapsed, and we found ourselves with a full-scale insurgency on our hands. This was immediately followed by Admiral Bosch denouncing his commission in the GTVA and the formation of the Neo-Terran Front or NTF. This was further inflamed with his declaration of war upon the Vasudan government.”

 Stashef nodded and spoke,” I have heard of all of these events, but Bosch was commander of the first vessel I was a crewmember of after the academy. I know that he would not take on actions like these without good reason.”

 Not even paying attention to what Stashef stated, the senator continued,” After a thorough psychological study we have determined that Bosch is clearly mentally unstable, though the reason for his mental collapse is as of yet unknown. The senate for several months now has been forced to contain the NTF with blockades, however this is proving costly and opinions on a full scale war with the NTF are rising. If we do enter a full scale war, the death toll would be devastating and the very GTVA itself would be torn from within and without.”

 Talvart paused for a moment, but then spoke once again,” Now, I know that countless times in your career you have taken your duty and mission as highest priorities and have been strictly ‘by the book.’ The NTF rebellion is spreading like wildfire, if this continues the alliance may crumble and we cannot afford such a risk if the Shivan threat still exists. Your mission will be to stop the rebellion swiftly and decisively. Allied intelligence has proven that this can be most effectively done by cutting the head off of the snake, eradicating Polaris V and with it Aken Bosch and the NTF’s command.”  

 The Captain cleared his throat,” Respectfully, the amount of civilian lives lost would be… catastrophic if we eradicate the planet…”

 “Killing several million to save billions of lives that would perish if a war does ensue?” Talvart asked,” I did not ask for you to like these orders, but to execute them.”

 “I must know if these orders have been cleared by the senate,” Stashef sternly stated.

 Admiral Barrett stepped forward and spoke eye to eye with the Captain,” I assure you, they have been cleared with the senate, they are legal orders.”

 The senator then sternly stated,” Admiral, this is a difficult decision for the Captain. A difficult choice of moralities and loyalties, but I assure you we have decided upon the right man, correct Captain?”

 Stashef then looked straight into Talvart’s eyes and coldly replied,” Yes ma’am.”
 The Captain was about to turn around and walk out of the bridge, however he then spoke again,” I was interested about this vessel’s history, and immediately after I was given this assignment I did some research on this ship.”

 The Senator looked at Stashef coldly,” Go on Captain.”

 “Why was the search for Admiral Joshua Raeligh canceled? He was definitely as asset to the GTVA, his experience during the great war as well as his distinguished record have to stand for some initiative to continue a search…” Stashef asked.

 “Captain,” Talvart began,” The GTVA senate abandoned the mariner project years before Raeligh took an assignment aboard the GTSC Rosetta; the fact that every operation to survey and explore new systems in hope of finding a node to Sol was becoming too costly and the results were negative. We needed to allocate our resources into rebuilding the fleet.”

 “A project like mariner needs time, you can’t just pull the plug on a search for Earth! It takes lifetimes for things like this to have results, but if we don’t undertake them then we can never benefit from what they have to offer, and in this case if we don’t undertake it we will never be able to return home,” Stashef replied sternly.

 “As I was saying, Captain,” Talvart responded,” What was found of the Rosetta proved that there is a threat beyond Gamma Draconis, and any attempt to look for survivors of the ship would be illogical since the chances of an escape pod surviving the type of attack which destroyed the Rosetta is minimal. Any chance of resuming the search is out of the question because three years have passed since the Rosetta vanished.”

 “You can’t give up hope, the region is still uncharted and there could be some Terran class worlds like Manda in the Epsilon Pegasi system,” Stashef replied.

 “Captain, I suggest that you end the subject,” Admiral Barrett interrupted,” There are other matters that concern Senator Talvart at the moment, I suggest that you depart from the bridge for the time being and aquaint yourself with the other crew members of this vessel. That is an order.”

 Stashef coldly replied,” Yes sir.”

CHAPTER TWO

 Captain Stashef shortly after his meeting with Senator Talvart was lost within the labyrinth of corridors within the Excalibur attempting to find his way to his quarters. The directions he was given were clearly inadequate since he was walking in loops and circles across the decks and corridors.

 After wandering for almost a half hour, he quite literally bumped into an officer who when turned around had a small patch on his arm which had ‘officer of the day’ written upon it.

 Stashef cleared his throat and spoke to the officer,” You are the officer of the day, correct?”

 The young freckled man quickly replied,” Um.. yes sir, captain sir.”

 Stashef’s licked the gums of the inside of his mouth quickly while letting out a brief but deep sigh, he then said,” What did you earn the award for?”

 “Sir,” the officer replied,” I managed to resynchronize the air scrubbers to add two percent more efficiency when scrubbing CO2 levels.”

 The Captain barely held a cough in, but then replied,” Do you know the way to the captain’s quarters?”

 “Yes sir, but you’re not..” the officer then glanced at the Captain’s arm patch,” Follow me sir to your quarters, sir…”

 Stashef rolled his eyes, but followed the officer.

* * *

 Upon arriving at his quarters, the Captain quickly dismissed the officer of the day, and then moved over to the keypad by the door, to type in the unlocking code so that he could enter the quarters and then set the ship’s compiler for voice recognition access of the room.

 He was only halfway done typing in the code when the doors slid open, he saw the woman on the bridge who was the executive officer within the room, she was surprised seeing Stashef at the doorway.

 “I don’t think that I properly introduced myself to you when we met on the bridge, I am Colonel Paula Morrison, executive officer of this ship,” the woman stated.

 Stashef had a puzzled look on his face,” Are you related to a Samuel Morrison?”

 “On the record, no” she replied.
 
 The Captain knew from the expression upon her face that there was more to her story,” and what about off of the record?”

 “He…” she swallowed,” was my father, but I almost know nothing of him, he died when I was less than a year old…”

 Stashef was silent, but she continued,” My mother nearly always talked about him… and I wish that I had met him…”

 “If he’s your father than why deny it on the record?” Stashef asked.

 Paula shuddered for a moment but then responded, “I know that the GTI tried to remove him from all records, and even 31 years later there are some people that still want to be sure that no one has heard his name, especially because of some second Vasudan prophecy by Ma’tang Cho’rono that has resurfaced.”

 The Captain replied,” I’m sorry to ask but… what are you doing in my quarters, Colonel?”

 “Making sure that the final arrangements were done on the voice activation,” she replied after taking a deep breath,” Don’t worry, it’s setup for your voice and works fine.”

 She then stepped out of the room, but quickly turned about and after a moment’s pause spoke again," Also Captain, the command staff would like to meet you in the rec room in approximately half an hour or so.”

 “I’ll be there,” Stashef replied as she turned and walked down the corrdior.  
 The Captain then entered his quarters, the door shut behind him and then he settled into a long cushioned couch that was in front of a large paneled clearplast window that looked outside of the ship into a massive starscape which was obscured by pylons, construction drones, and other vessels within the spaceyard.

 He then closed his eyes and spoke,” Compiler, music… just... some music…” 

 As soon as he spoke, the room was filled with a slow tune which quickly lulled the Captain into a shallow sleep.

CHAPTER THREE

 Stashef awoke from his slumber only to glance at the watch on his wrist to notice that he slept for thirty five minutes, he was late for his appointment in the rec room.

 He hastily left the quarters, and just as he emerged to the corridor Senator Talvart ran up to him,” Micheal I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier, but I needed t get the point across about how serious this truly is.”

 The Captain swiftly turned about and looked at her straight in the eyes,” You don’t have to apologize, but I am running late for an appointment in the rec room.”

 Talvart then put on a smirk on her face,” Mind if I tag along, Captain?”

 “I don’t believe that there will be any problem if you show up, it’s just a meeting of the command staff so I can meet the faces I suppose,” he replied.

 “Then I will go with you,” she stated and they both set off down the corridor towards a lift which would take them to the rec room.

 They entered a lift, and it quickly skimmed through it’s lift tube towards the deck where the rec room was located, it then came to an abrupt halt and it’s doors slid open to it’s deck.

 “The rec room,” Talvart stated.

 “After you…,” Stashef replied, and she then stepped out of the lift towards a door that had written upon it ‘recreation room 1,3e’ and as soon as she was in front of it the door slid open.

 It opened to a room which on the side opposite of the entrance had a massive clearplast window which slightly curved outward in the middle so that a person standing in front of it would gain more of a view of the surrounding stars.

 To the right of the door, on it’s same wall, was a large bartender table which had the traditional shape of that type of table including the stools in front of it. Behind the table was a large array of shelves which each shelf contained a glass, and on the far right wall was a food synthesizer. 

 The entire rec room was full of pilots and crew members, most of which seated in the round tables surrounded by chairs which littered the room. Voices filled the air as well as the sound of food, it overall had a welcoming feeling to those entering it and the sounds of occasional laughter muffled through the bodies within the room.

 As Stashef entered the rec room, he recognized the familiar faces of Commodore Smith and Paula Morrison, both of them were standing in front of the vast clearplast window beside several other people.
 “I hope I’m not late,” the Captain stated as he walked up to them.

 “Not as late as everyone else who were supposed to be here…” Omega paused as he checked his watch which was on his wrist,” five, no.. ten minutes ago?…”

 Stashef let out a deep breath,” Well… I would say that I’ll see what the local drinks are while waiting for them, anyone else want something?”

 “No thank you,” Michelle Talvart replied with a smile.

 “Well, suit yourself…” Stashef replied as he waded through the crowds of people towards the bartender.

 Once he arrived at the table, the Captain quickly flagged the bartender’s attention,” Bartender, what are the drinks served around here more or less?”

 The bartender quickly replied,” Well sir, we serve Altary Punch, Altairian Brandy, also known as “Boom Boom” by several pilots, Sword on the Rocks, and we also serve some actual drinks, non-synthesized that is.”

 Stashef rubbed his chin, and then replied,” Well, do you have any specialty non-synthesized drinks?”

 The Captain did not notice at that moment the Commodore and Executive Officer walking up behind him with Senator Talvart, the Commodore had a smirk on his face as they stepped forward beside Stashef.

 “Well a specialty on this fine ship, that you won’t find anywhere save Vasuda Prime, is Ha’pastal Delight,” the bartender replied.

 The Captain took a deep breath and replied,” I’ll have one of those,” he then turned to Senator Talvart,” Want anything Michelle?”

 “Again; no thank you,” she replied.

 Omega was nearly choking from holding in laughter, and then the Captain said,” Is there anything wrong with him?”

 The X.O. jabbed Omega with her elbow and then replied,” No, I think he’s just had a few too many drinks…”

 “Here you go sir,” the bartender replied while pushing forward a cylindrical clear glass filled with a murky gray non-textured fluid.

 The Captain grasped the glass in his hand, brought it up to his nose, and sniffed, he then set down the glass on the table and stated,” Bartender, are you sure that this is the correct drink?”

 “I’m as sure as the Shivans were when they pulled the plug on Vasuda, that’s the right drink,” the bartender replied.

 Stashef then grasped the cup again, brought it to his mouth, and then chugged the liquid into his throat, he nearly gagged upon it, but closed his mouth tightly while swallowing it down his throat which was repeated by Omega breaking out into hysterical laughter.

 The Captain wiped his mouth of the drops of liquid which spilled out from his brief gagging, and then replied and he set down the empty glass,” I do not believe I will have another one.”

 Omega calmed down from his laughter,” I don’t think I’ve seen someone get one of those since the academy!”

 Stashef turned to the Commodore and gave him a bitter look,” I would expect a squadron commander to act with better… conduct…”

 The X.O. gave a smirk and replied,” Please lighten up a little, we’re in the rec room after all, at least take a break and let out the stress.”

 “I take out my stress firing a vessel’s main guns; and all of the stress in the world will seem to be relieved because of what will happen in this assignment,” Stashef sternly stated while glaring at Talvart.

 Talvart sighed as she turned around, and then slipped through the crowd within the rec room out of sight, the Captain then was silent.

 All of the sudden there was a loud clashing sound and all sound in the room was silent, the silence was broken from a man screaming,” Damn you bastard! Why in the hell are you trying to steal my fiancé?”
 On the ground there was a man, a pilot the shoulder badge of his uniform stained by the blood pouring from his lip indicated, the man then touched his lip looking at the crimson fluid and then stated,” All I did was joke around…” the man then chuckled,” Come on… you can’t really be this mad over a joke…”

 He was then grabbed by the throat by the first man who spoke his eyes narrowed and he spat out of his mouth the following words,” I have known her for three god damn years, and she didn’t think you were simply joking…”

 The Commodore then stepped in and then grabbed the man who was strangling the pilot by the shoulder and calmly said,” Alright, just calm down…”

 The man replied coldly,” No… not until this is settled.” His grip tightened around the pilot’s throat, and the pilot gasped for air.

 Then Omega swiftly grabbed the forehead and stomach of the man who was strangling the pilot, and then pushed him back with s surprising amount of force, enough to knock him off of his feet and send him clashing into the table that was behind him.

 The Commodore then turned to the bleeding pilot, who rubbed his sore neck gasping for air,” Now rookie, you better not go around acting like a damned cock anymore trying to joke around with the ladies, the next time something like this happens, you ain’t getting any help from old grand pappy Omega, you roj?”

 The man who was now flat on the floor sneered at the Commodore, but he continued,” Now there is a reason why the cockpit is called that, you can act cocky in there, but not out here, and you better learn that fast before you wind up getting strangled again.”

 The Commodore then turned to the sneering man who was still on the ground,” Now for you lieutenant, you better not threaten another crew member again, or I’ll have you strapped to an old MX-50 I have hidden in the closet with your name on it.”

 Captain Stashef then walked up to the two men that were previously fighting,” Commodore, I do not believe that we need to give a lecture, but only a warning that we won’t tolerate this type of behavior in the future. Now apologize and let’s get this over with.”

 The man that was sneering at the Commodore then stood up, brushed off his uniform and then stiffly walked out of the rec room, pushing aside those in the crowd between him and a direct path to the door.   

 “I think that I still haven’t yet lost my touch,” Omega replied with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

CHAPTER FOUR

 Senator Michelle Talvart was aboard the GTI Serpentis starring out the large clearplast window typical of executive class quarter which she was within. 

 In the view of the stars, she saw the Excalibur, contained within pylons until she saw a flash of light and several new stars emerging from the ship’s engines gliding the vessel away through the space dock.

 As she sipped a coup of coffee starring at the vessel slowly accelerating and slipping out of view, she then was forced to set down the mug she was holding onto a desk as a loud chirping sound filled her quarters.

 On the same desk that she set her coffee mug onto, there was a large old oaken box, her hands grasped it’s surface and she slowly raised it’s lid, revealing an interior glowing a dull green with a green spherical shape within it that once the lid was open, floated to eye level and then unraveled to a sheet which then floated to cover her eyes.

 Then the room rattled as a voice emanated from the box,” Do you have the blueprints?”

 “No my lord,” she replied,” I discovered she does not have access to them, however I hope more resources will be allocated to my methods.”

 The voice spoke again,” That will be decided upon by your outcome, there is no faith presently to your method, and you will have none unless you acquire the data we demand.”

 “I shall,” she replied,” I shall succeed since we do not suffer from their fallibilities.”

 “You squandered resources when he was lost, Barrett is fallible, you cannot rely upon him,” the voice responded.

 “Barrett, is pacified,” she responded confidently.

 “You have 362 hours to complete your task, based from your previous data Ti’ka’an gateway designated Knossos will be activated at that time and our forces will arrive in Terran space, if we do not have results and the blueprints, your method will be eradicated,” the voice stated as the green slip parted from her eyes and foiled once again into a spherical shape which then silently slipped back into the empty box.

 Talvart shuddered as she closed the lid to the box, and then looked solemnly towards the stars. She knew that it had begun, it would only be a matter of time before the Terrans were eliminated.