The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 85.

The last of the refugees’ ships had been dispatched. Within an hour Wickede and the Ick Fleet would jump out of light speed and join the battle that already raged as the Federation tried to overwhelm Duke Ramboe's forces. Snoodgrass had headed back to his quarters, hoping to have half an hour’s peace. He had been on the go for two days as he organised the dispersal of his people. As soon as he entered the room his communicator came to life.
“Commander Snoodgrass, there's a problem with the Ick navigation systems. We're getting reports from the refugee ships that all are experiencing a massive deviation and are locked out of manual controls.”
“What of the fleet?” asked Snoodgrass, suddenly all thoughts of rest gone.
If the fleet’s navigation suffered the same problem travelling at light speed, the consequences could be disastrous.

Snoodgrass felt more than heard movement behind him, and spun around to be confronted with a tall figure dressed in black. A small pistol was aimed at him. He knew instantly that he faced an assassin from the Coffee Houses, and knew which one it would be.
“Geurick Tackful, I presume,” he said, knowing that there was nothing he could do to prevent what was about to happen.
The figure nodded before firing once knocking the Ick commander off his feet. Snoodgrass felt no pain as he slumped to the floor and looking down saw a spreading red stain on his chest. Geurick walked over to stand above him and aimed the pistol again.
“Wickede and your fleet are doomed. There was nothing you could have done to save them.” He fired a second time before turning and walking out of the room, leaving the body of the dead Ick commander. As he left, he heard the voice over the intercom sounding panicked.
“Commander Snoodgrass, the fleet has veered off course and is accelerating. It's heading straight towards dead space, and the monks of Ick have gone crazy. They say the Book is empty.”
A security team burst into Snoodgrass’s room a minute later. They had just enough time to inform the central control room that the Ick commander had been assassinated before an explosion ripped apart the Ick control centre.

To be continued.
All images are mine.