Interstellar War (The Pike Chronicles Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

system and attacked the battleship.”
    “Are you saying you initiated an unprovoked attack on an alien race? In a first contact situation?”
    “Yes, Sir. But it wasn’t unprovoked. The Kemmar are slavers. They were going to enslave the human colony. I couldn’t allow that.”
    “But they’re criminals,” said Lewis.
    “They’re human,” said Jon. “I didn’t join Space Force to stand by and watch aliens enslave humans.”
    “You’re out of control, Pike,” said Lewis.
    “What happened after you fired on the Kemmar,” said Krasnik, ignoring Lewis’s remark.
    “The Kemmar battleship dwarfed the Hermes, and we lost the engagement. After taking heavy damage we were forced to retreat. We jumped away and conducted emergency repairs. When we returned to the system, the Kemmar and the humans were gone. After some investigation, we confirmed that the Kemmar had taken the humans prisoner and had crossed through the gate back into Kemmar space. So we went after them.”
    “You crossed into Kemmar space?”
    “Yes, Sir. During the battle we gained access to a Kemmar database, leading us to believe that the humans were being taken to a prison planet, where they would be turned into slaves, and later sold on the Kemmar slave market.”
    “Let me get this straight. After losing to the Kemmar battleship, you decided to engage it a second time?”
    “No, Sir. We felt that attempting to rescue the humans from the battleship would be too risky.”
    Admiral Krasnik looked relieved to hear Jon’s answer.
    “Instead we chose to attack the prison planet.”
    “You did what?!”
    “We waited for the battleship to deliver the humans to the planet and leave. Then we launched a planetary assault to rescue the humans.”
    Admiral Krasnik shook his head. “You attacked an alien planet?”
    “Yes, Sir,” said Jon, remembering the failed operation. “I did.”
    “Did you at least succeed in rescuing the humans?”
    “No, Sir. Unfortunately, we encountered heavier resistance than originally anticipated. The Hermes sustained heavy damage after entering the planet’s atmosphere.”
    “Why didn’t you just stay in orbit?”
    “There was interference that disrupted our communications, and targeting systems. Entering the atmosphere was the only way to provide support for our Marines on the ground. Once in the atmosphere we were attacked by planetary aircraft. After sustaining heavy damage, we crash landed on the surface. Kemmar soldiers charged the Hermes, threatening to capture it, which I couldn’t allow. So I performed an emergency blind jump. That landed us in the middle of a populated Kemmar system. Several Kemmar warships moved to intercept. The Hermes was in no condition to fight, so I ordered the crew to abandon ship, and initiated the self destruct sequence.”
    “Captain, I don’t know whether you should be on trial for treason, or incompetence. What happened to your crew?”
    “Security Chief St. Clair and his Marines were captured by the Kemmar on the prison planet. The rest of the crew abandoned the Hermes. Their life boats scattered to avoid capture.”
    “Is this the same St. Clair that we have in custody?”
    “That’s right. He escaped from the prison planet with his Marines, which is where the real story begins.”
    “The real story?”
    “Yes. The one that ends with me sitting here answering your questions.”
    “We’re all ears, Captain.”
    Jon nodded. “Chief St. Clair and his Marines managed to escape from their cells, but couldn’t get off the planet, until the Chaanisar helped them.”
    “What Chaanisar?”
    “The one you just arrested. Colonel Bast. He commanded the Juttari heavy cruiser that attacked the Hermes after its first jump.”
    “What the hell are you talking about, Captain?” said Krasnik, visibly frustrated.
    “As we all know, the Juttari control the Chaanisar through their brain chips. Well, something happened on that cruiser that disrupted the Juttari’s mind control