The Alienbutt Saga, Book 1. War of the Coffee Bean. Part 28.

CHAPTER 11
Things go Pear Shaped.

INTERSTELLAR NEWS CHANNEL 9 NEWS FLASH

Reports are coming in that the charismatic leader of the Ick Empire has been assassinated. Fears are mounting as there is no heir to the Imperial Throne, and unless the Ick council can unite behind one candidate, a civil war could break out within the empire, further destabilising the universal peace. The already overstretched E.D.F. will not be able to take over the policing of the Outer Systems without the Ick Navy’s support. Calls for a full standing army have been renewed in the Federation Senate as a matter of urgency as all Ick fleets have been recalled to their bases until the leadership matter is resolved.

The news spread like a wild fire; the Ick leader was dead, murdered by unknown assassins, and he had died without an heir. Already the Ick high council was divided as three possible successors came forward, all distant cousins with few brains but powerful and ambitious supporters behind them. By the time Snoodgrass had got back to the Ick home world, one of the three was already dead, along with a number of his supporters. Snoodgrass gave his report to the Ick High Council and was removed from his office pending a full investigation. Under armed escort, he was allowed to collect his personal effects from his official offices.
Once inside his offices and with the door closed, he was secretly transported aboard Grommet’s dreadnought and was out of orbit before a bomb ripped apart his rooms; elements of the High Council were already making an attempt to remove him from the politics game for good. Ick politics could be very cutthroat when a leader died without naming an heir. When it wasn't a cut throat, it moved on up to guns and bombs. The last time it had happened, a civil war had broken out lasting thirty years, this time all knew that that wasn’t an option, as a war with an outside force was imminent. So subtlety went out of the highest window, just like the first of the three possible successors. It would come down to which side could keep their heir alive long enough to buy enough High Council votes, now it was a two horse race. A new regime would want new advisors, as they would have paid a lot of money out to get those positions, so the old regime’s advisors needed to be removed fast.

Blackarachnia and Nifty were relaxing in the Celestial pleasure system in Rigal 51 when the news came through. Instantly Blackarachnia ordered the ship prepared for immediate departure. After a brief exchange between the two where Nifty pulled out her vid-screen to recite a section from the Book of Ick, a coded message was sent to Piestoff, and the two set off for a new destination, unknown to everyone. A minute after Blackarachnia’s dreadnought jumped to light speed a fleet of battle cruisers turned up and reduced the Celestial pleasure system to ash. They opened fire a split second after jumping from light speed so didn’t realise they had just missed their intended target.

Alienbutt's frigate manoeuvred up to the edge of dead space. The plan was simple; they would send in a couple of torpedoes to the secret base and then destroy anything that came out in an aggressive manner. Just as they got into position the message came in from Snoodgrass. Wickede was dead. Piestoff sat in the pilot’s chair and for a while didn’t move. All the crew sat silently waiting. An anger began to build up inside Alienbutt, his head pounding worse than any hangover as his mind raced with thoughts of violence. Finally he regained control of his runaway brain. Standing he turned to Thrumbar and Ruck who stood just behind him. The look of pure murder still in Alienbutt's eyes made Ruck take a step back.
“Mr. Thrumbar I want every weapon we have trained on that rock and when you stop firing I don’t want to see it there.” With that he walked off to his quarters.
After he had left the bridge Ruck turned to Thrumbar. “You can’t do this!” he pleaded. “You have to give them a chance to surrender. There are rules that you have to follow or you’re no better than those you hunt.”
“You saw the look on his face. There’s no way I’m gonna go against him just now. Just be thankful it’s just a rock with a few pirates in it.” Thrumbar nodded to the weapons officer, the frigate opened fire and a five minute barrage reduced the asteroid to dust.
Thrumbar turned back to Ruck and the guide was shocked at the look of sadness in the Ick officer’s eyes. “We are now at war, and the rules just changed for everyone.”
“And you just let Alienbutt take the first step down a dark path. When he gets over his grief how will the fact that he ordered the murder of Sung knows how many sit with him?” asked Ruck.
He turned and left the bridge, heading for the rooms where he had been staying while aboard Alienbutt's ship to collect his things.
Alienbutt sat in his office. Three empty bottles of whiskey sat on his desk but he was still stone cold sober. He reread the personal message from Nifty that had arrived ten minutes ago. Before him was the message left to Nifty in the book of Ick and news that both Blackarachnia and Nifty had gone into hiding as a result of the prophet’s words. With the removal of Wickede, the assassins would now turn their attention to his closest companions.
Snoodgrass had also been targeted and the Fo’c’sle had taken on responsibility for his safety. Piestoff stood up and walked back out onto the bridge. He looked around and noticed that Ruck was not there.
“Ruck thought it best he take his wages and head back home. He didn’t fancy staying on an Ick ship during war time, though he may get conscripted or something,” Thrumbar said to the unasked question.
“We need to find where Snoodgrass is holed up. I need to know what happened. If events are going the way that Snoodgrass feared because of something happening to Wickede, then the High Council is in turmoil, so find the Fo’c’sle. The enemy will strike while the Ick are divided.” Piestoff said as he paced the flight deck.
Thrumbar gave the order for a coded message to be sent to the Fo’c’sle while watching the still pacing Alienbutt. “What are your orders, Alienbutt? I agree with you about the turmoil there’s bound to be at the Ick Council; we need fast action if we are to prevent the Ick falling apart. Snoodgrass will need support from the admirals. If we get a new leader, only the combined voice of the admirals can force Snoodgrass to be appointed as his security chief.” Thrumbar walked over to where Piestoff had stopped and was staring at the view screen.
After a moment lost in thought, Piestoff shrugged his shoulders.
“Plot a course towards the inner systems and Ick space, sub light speed. I want us listening out for any transmissions until we find out where Snoodgrass is, then all speed to there. I want the ship on full alert until then, and ready to jump to light speed at a moment’s notice.”
“Always a good idea to be expecting trouble,” said Thrumbar with approval. “I get the feeling that from now on we’re going to have to watch our backs.”

Grommit and Snoodgrass walked into the medical bay aboard Kali’s ship. Two guards stood ready for anything outside the door. Inside, two more were stationed. In the only occupied bed lay Commander Kali. Healing droids surrounded her and a large Medi-heal console covered her torso. The ship’s doctor stood off to one side checking a computer screen. As the two entered, he nodded once and returned his attention to the screen and his patient. A worried-looking security chief stepped forward and intercepted them, saluting.
“What the hell happened?” demanded Grommit, looking over to where Kali lay, her voice low and dangerous.
“We don’t have a clue. The best we can work out is Captain Julius came aboard, walked up to the Commander and shot her in the chest before blowing his own head off,” replied the security chief clearly shocked and worried.
“The best you can work out!” screamed Grommit in his face. “I want to see full security recordings and everyone who saw Julius since he came aboard, and please tell me you’re holding his crew until we work out if they were part of this.”
Her anger was barely controlled and the unfortunate security officer nodded in terror. “Captain Cyborgpirate and Killashandra are conducting interviews with them now, Sir.”
“Keep your voices down captain or get the hell out of my sick bay,” demanded the doctor as he walked over. Grommit was ready for an angry response until Snoodgrass laid a hand on her arm. As she looked over to the Ick councillor he gave a slight shake of his head. “How is the Commander?” he asked, heading off another outburst from Grommit.
“Her condition is critical. If she hadn’t been aboard the ship where we could treat her so quickly, she would be dead already. As it is her chances are fifty fifty.”
Again Snoodgrass cut across Grommit before she could speak. “Thank you Doctor, we will take the security officer here outside and continue our discussion.” He steered the angry Captain towards the door with the security officer trailing.
Once outside he quickly signalled Grommit to stay quiet a while longer and turned to the security officer. “Are you still here? I thought you had orders from Captain Grommit to complete.”
The officer saluted and ran for it. Walking down the corridor a little way he indicated for Grommit to follow. “How many Captains can you trust beyond a shadow of doubt?” he asked in a hushed voice.
Grommit sagged as she got control of her anger. “This morning I would have put Julius in that bracket. He’s been with us for years, Snoodgrass. I don’t know what to think. When did the universe get so untrustworthy?”
“It always has been this way Grommit, it’s just you haven’t experienced it first hand before. Now I haven’t time to mess around. You’re now commander of the Fo’c’sle. Find two you trust as your seconds and you report directly to me, not the Ick High Council.”
Grommit nodded at the instruction. She had known that Kali had reported to Wickede and then Snoodgrass, so with the death of Wickede, reporting to Snoodgrass made sense.
“As soon as Kali is fit to travel she’s to be moved to a safe location, I’ll tell you where. I need Julius’s file. Let’s see if we can work out why, that’s my area of expertise. You organise the fleet, and get a message to Alienbutt that we need him as soon as he can get his fat arse moving,” Snoodgrass pressed on as they began to walk towards Kali’s office.
“What about Blackarachnia? Will we not need him and his new wife? I saw her fly and she’s deadly; we're gonna need pilots like her.”
“Blackarachnia is unavailable.” Snoodgrass’s tone was final and Grommit let it drop. She knew something had happened there but unless it affected her directly, she didn’t have time to care.

To be continued.
Thanks for reading, all images are mine.