FREESPACE 2
MASQUERADE
SEASON TWO
EPISODE THREE

CHAPTER ONE

 The GTD Vengeance encroached upon the Excalibur’s position, the Hecate class vessels’ lights flickered in the night as it slowly pulled towards the Excalibur’s side.

 An Elysium transport flew out from the Vengeance’s fighterbay, and slowly drifted to a docking port on the side of the Excalibur’s forward hull.

 Captain Stashef and Colonel Morrison were both waiting silently behind a docking ring, in a matter of moments the ring slowly slid open and out stepped Admiral Weathers and his entourage of ensigns and security guards.

 “It’s good to finally meet you, Captain,” the Admiral said as a smile peered through his white beard and wrinkled face.

 “The honor is mine,” the Captain replied autonomously, turning towards the Admiral’s side as he slowly began walking towards the bridge.

 “Thirty two years ago,” the Admiral began, not even facing Stashef but still walking forward,” The Galactic Terran Intelligence rebelled against the GTA.”

 Stashef then turned to face the Admiral, who then continued after stopping and turning about as well,” The GTVI is afraid that Japak is part of a larger scheme, which rumor has it is connected to a major contractor of the alliance, Baranec Acquisitions.”

 The Admiral then turned once more, and walked towards one of the many lifts on the vessel, he stepped into it followed by Stashef and the Colonel, he quickly muttered,” bridge” to the compiler and the lift began to move.

 Stashef then replied,” Baranec Acquisitions is a small conglomerate, though it’s founder and president David Baranec is a supporter of the Neo-Terran Front’s ideology in many ways… he is not one for outright rebellion.”

 “I’ll make it simple,” the Admiral responded,” SOC is suspicious of Japak’s communications with members of Baranec Acquisitions, and from your scan data it appears the modified Aeolus matches metal processing which is generally the… style… used by Baranec Acquisitions. Also Captain, you should not question orders on the subject of traitors to the alliance… I’ve looked over your record… and you’ve been hesitant in the past during NTF engagements.”

 “Are you questioning my loyalties, Admiral?” Stashef replied.

 The Admiral then turned to face him, almost sneering,” No… I am simply stating that you should watch your tongue and not to question the orders that you are about to be given.”

 The lift’s doors then opened, the Colonel thought in her mind that they reached the bridge at an almost too convenient moment in the conversation.

 Captain Stashef then stepped onto the bridge, followed by Admiral Weathers who then continued,” Command has overviewed the recent encounter, no other reports have come in from other vessels about encountering other Shivan craft, so we are hoping that it was a fluke incident. However the Vengeance will be sent into Gamma Draconis to investigate, fortunately for you, the reasons for this are not classified. Scans have detected an unstable jump point, which will collapse in approximately twelve days, other scans picked anomalous activity in the outer reaches of the system, but later scans showed nothing. The Vengeance will be deployed at the unstable point to guard against possible further Shivan incursion, we would go through the point other than the fact that scans have shown it too unstable for a vessel the magnitude of the Vengeance to traverse. All dealings of our two vessels, this unstable node, and the Shivan attack are classified level Zeta.”

 “Captain,” the Admiral then said,” I hope you and your crew will be able to keep this operation under complete silence, we cannot risk what would happen if the civil populace knew.”

 “Very well…,” the Captain then said after he swallowed,” What is the Excalibur’s assignment?”

 “You are to return to Capella, where a shipment of Baranec Acquisition goods will be arriving at the GTI Samardge. We believe that this corporation developed the nano-virus in cooperation with the NTF, the company is most likely assisting in shipping it to allied worlds. You are to retrieve the contents of this cargo… no matter the costs.”

 “What about our assignment in Polaris?” Stashef asked.

 “I have spoke with Admiral Barrett, and you have been given this mission as a priority over it,” Weathers responded.

 “Alright Admiral,” Stashef stated after taking a deep breath,” As soon as the Vengeance departs, we will set course towards the Samardge.”

 The Admiral nodded,” If Baranec Acquisitions is as adamant about their dealings with the NTF as we believe, you’ll need all of the luck… you can get.”

CHAPTER TWO

 The Vengeance and Excalibur both parted into separate paths, soon each jumped into subspace. 
 
 Colonel Morrison was within the briefing room, she glanced at all of the squadron commanders as they entered and took their seats.

 A large display appeared and activated behind the Colonel, it displayed the subspace node network as well as the present position of the Excalibur.

 “You know why you’re all here,” she began,” So let’s get down to business.”

 “The conglomerate, Baranec Acquisitions has a cargo shipment headed towards the GTI Samardge, we need to intercept this cargo which we believe contains the same nano-virus that destroyed the GTI Yosemite and Manda colony. We need to capture the shipment, as well as a sample of the virus and it’s container, if we know how it’s contained, R&D on board believes they can finish a vaccine.”

 She then slowly began pacing the briefing room,” We need to scan all ships coming in and out of this system for the EM signature of the virus’ container, we must find the transport in question before it can arrive at the Samardge. All squadrons will be divided between different tactical locations including subspace nodes, cargo depots, civilian freightlines, and the installation itself.”

 Paula then slowly stepped away from the front of the room, and all of the individual squadron commanders began speaking to one another over the assignment, arranging flights and mission overviews.

* * *
 Captain Stashef was within his quarters, the lights were dimmed and he was clearly speaking to the automated log,” Zeta wing from the 92nd Hellcats squadron intercepted a Poseidon class transport, it’s tactical sized cargo contained the electromagnetic signature identical to the experiments conducted in R&D to contain the nano-virus. I decided to break protocol… though I would be at serious risk of court martial if my… hunch… was incorrect, but we tested the prototype vaccine and environmental containment systems in opening the container. My hunch was correct, the container was infact empty… something about Admiral Weathers and his apparent interest in the virus and… Japak I believe might have been what lead my gut into believing this… I’m fortunate as hell my hunch was right… but yet now there are new questions that don’t make any sense, what is the connection between Weathers and Japak? Why were they trying to frame Baranec Acquisitions? And most of all… is this connected with the NTF? I hope to get these answers from Weathers himself, we are setting course at full speed towards Gamma Draconis, I only hope that he will cooperate once in custody…”

* * *

 A subspace vortex opened within the lifeless Gamma Draconis system, out of it spouted the GTXD Excalibur.

 Micheal Stashef starred out of the Excalibur’s bridge, he saw the dim sun of Gamma Draconis and slowly turned toward his thoughts, however this was interrupted by an officer addressing him,” Sir, ninety percent of our scans near the last location of the GTD Vengeance are being refracted, optical sensors detect nothing, and we are too far for EM scanners to detect anything.”

 “Refracted?” Paula Morrison who was near the navigation hologram within the bridge asked.

 “Yes ma’am,” the officer who spoke before replied,” I can deduce by these… sporadic… readings that there are a large amount of smaller objects orbiting a larger core, but most scans pass through whatever it is, if it wasn’t for the few scans being refracted… it would seem as if the Vengeance… vanished.”

 “How long until our subspace drive is recharged?” Stashef asked.

 “Ten seconds until we can jump to the location of the scans and the node,” the navigation officer replied.

 “Sir,” the officer who spoke before once again said,” Whatever our scans were detecting… is gone… but I’m reading a massive subspace fluctuation near it, it seems to have jumped through the point.”

 “If it’s as big as you’re saying,” the Colonel responded,” it wouldn’t survive the jump…”

 The Captain took a deep breath,” Helm, engage subspace drive.”

 As he spoke, a subspace node opened, the Excalibur quickly passed through it into a subspace corridor, the navigation officer then said,” ETA to truespace, 40 seconds.”

 In a matter of moments after the officer spoke, the Excalibur then silently passed from subspace into normal space, where Captain Stashef noticed absolutely no vessels were present.

 “Where’s the Vengeance?” the Captain asked.

 “I’d guess our little sensor blip took care of Weathers for us…” Paula Morrison replied.

 Stashef then took a deep breath,” It seems so. Helm, deploy a probe and have it’s gathered data sent to the GTI Samardge, and set course for… Polaris.”
 “Sir?” the Colonel asked.

 “I believe it’s about time… we finish our mission,” Stashef reluctantly responded as he walked out of the bridge.

CHAPTER THREE

 The Captain was within the rec room, the place was bustling with sound and activity, though he simply starred out of the clearplast window panes at the stars.

 Over the intercomm system a voice boomed,” Captain Stashef, incoming communiqué.”

 “I’ll take it at the bridge,” he responded, while swiftly walking out of the rec room and making his way towards a lift.

 In a matter of minutes, he reached the bridge, it was crowded with the officers doing their various tasks and assignments, and the navigation hologram was replaced with a rotating compass rose with a still sword vertically aimed within it, below this logo was the flashing text “incoming communiqué.” 

 The Captain stood infront of the holographic projector, he then said,” Compiler, display” and a face of the likeness of Senator Michelle Talvart appeared.

 “Captain, I have heard about Japak and Weather’s betrayal, investigation is underway and we believe that this is not tied with the NTF, but rather a struggle for the Erinyes project’s contract. However, your standing orders in the Polaris system have been altered, Admiral Barrett will take command of the Excalibur and I will advise the situation. You will be second in command of the vessel and Colonel Morrison will be relieved of bridge duties pending immediately.”

 “Senator?” the Colonel responded with a confused and outraged look upon her face.

 “Our transport will be at your present position in two standard hours GST, you have your orders,” Talvart said before her image faded from the holographic projector.

 “I’m sorry,” the Captain said as he turned to face the Colonel.

 Paula then took a deep breath and sternly stated,” At least I won’t be transferred.”

 “Paula,” Stashef began,” I wouldn’t have been able to keep this ship together without you, you’ve… you’ve… been a good friend… and I owe you.”

 A smile slowly began to crack through her stern face, and her eyes connected with Stashef’s, followed by a kind smile upon his face as well.

* * *

 Lieutenant Commander Hale Taluet sneered from within his harnessed seat in the Elysium class transport he shared with Admiral Barrett and Senator Talvart.

 “Now Admiral… you know why I need the Excalibur in Polaris, and why we cannot afford to risk any more vessels in the vicinity of Capella and Epsilon Pegasi,” the Senator said to Barrett who sat directly across from her.

 “Yes… yes… we have gone over this for the hundredth time…” he responded tensely.

 “There is no room for error, Admiral,” she unemotionally responded at the moment the transport exited subspace in the vicinity of the Excalibur.

 Over the intercomm a muffled voice spoke to the transport’s navigator,” This is the GTXD-01 Excalibur, you are cleared for docking.”

 “Admiral,” Taluet grimly stated as the transport slowly maneuvered into the Excalibur’s docking bay,” I would… recommend… my immediate transfer to the Delta Serpentis spaceyards… unless you want our backup plan to fail, I must ready the Colossus… now.”

 “Very well…” Barrett replied coldly,” As soon as we leave the transport, you may depart in it towards the spaceyard.”

 A loud clang and sharp movement of the entirety of the transport interrupted the conversation on the verge of being an argument, this notified the occupants that the transport was gripped by the loading arms, and was being carried onto the flight deck.

* * *

 Captain Stashef stood on the flightdeck on the lift, which was currently at the pad where the Admiral’s transport was being landed. As soon as the transport landed, it’s hatch opened and out stepped Senator Talvart and Admiral Barrett, as soon as they were clear of the transport, a loading arm picked up the Elysium after it’s hatch once again shut and it was carried out of the flight deck back into the launch tube.

 “Michelle,” Stashef said with a nod as the Senator walked towards him.

 “Micheal,” she replied with almost no emotion.

 “Captain, as you know, I am now in command of this vessel,” Admiral Barrett began,” We will continue on course for Polaris.”

 “Yes… sir,” Stashef replied hesitantly.

* * *

 Stashef was within his quarters, dead silent in thought until a ring sounded in the room,” come” he replied, only to see the door slide open and light flood in as well as a slender figure.

 The figure was that of Paula Morrison, which he could see after the door shut behind her.

 “Though my… bridge duties… have been revoked… I found something interesting,” she said to him.

 “Please… elaborate,” Stashef replied.

 “Well, I believe it is counted as a little… odd that your old girlfriend just happens to have had subspace pulses emanate from her quarters in an orderly fashion at 08:20 hours for the past two nights since she has been aboard.

 “Subspace pulses?” Stashef asked, his hands clasped infront of his face.

 “Yes, subspace pulses,” she replied,” So weak that it was happenstance that they were found, Vladmir was running a diagnostic of the anti-matter assemblies, and the scans for that diagnostic are ran throughout the ship and also are very sensitive to subspace disturbances, infact the scan is based on the myerson scanners used to detect natural nodes.”

 “Hmm…” Stashef said while standing up,” Subspace pulses? What could it mean?”

 “I’m not sure,” Paula replied,” But I will send a comm to you next time one is detected since I’ve convinced Vladmir to continuously run that diagnostic in the deck her quarters are on, I hope that maybe a security detail could be sent to find out what is… going on since the order of the pulses definitely seems to be some form of communication or data transfer.”

 She then began to step out of his quarters, but Stashef then replied,” Paula, I know I hate Barrett’s commandeering this more than you do… I just hope this isn’t based on any attempts to justify your mistrust…”

 She then turned to face him, and her eyes narrowed,” It is not, believe me… it is not.”

 As soon as she finished speaking, the doors to his quarters were fast shut.