Colonel Ivanov McNaugthan stood straight, his uniform jacket a tight fit for his massive physique, and his face expressionless as he watched a small irate man behind a desk too big for him. He restrained a smile as he pictured a chihuahua barking at an intruder. He’d love nothing better than to stretch his arm across the table and slap some sense into the fool. Instead, he had to stand there and take it. The Konrad family wasn’t one he could afford to offend and etiquette demanded he respect the station’s governor, such as he was.

  “What the hell was that? Explain yourself!” Friedrich KFonrad demanded in a shrill voice.

  “A void dragon, sir!”

  “Obviously! But what was it doing here?”

  “I don’t understand the question, sir! Surely you do know that we are at war—”

  “Stow it. You know perfectly well what I’m talking about. You show up in this sector with a Wyrm-hunting fleet, and less than a day later, we have the first dragon attack in three decades. Are you going to pretend it’s a coincidence? How stupid do you think I am?”

  Were he at liberty to speak his mind, Ivanov might have provided a rather undiplomatic answer to that rhetorical question. Liberty wasn’t on the menu, however. He glanced at the room’s third occupant. The man wore a three-piece gray suit adorned with a single silver brooch in the shape of a planet. Terra Corp, Executive Branch.

  “Governor Konrad, you are asking about matters pertaining to the confidential interests of Terra Corp. I’m sure you can forgive the Colonel for not disclosing mission sensitive information.”

  The governor considered for a moment. He would never go against corporate interests, of course, but if he allowed these men to brush him off now, what authority did he have?

  “Nevertheless, this station was nearly destroyed, along with the 5.3 million lives under my responsibility as a station governor, and I must therefore insist, pursuant to clause 19 on the disclosure of military operations in a Station Space of—”

  The gray suit sighed.

  “Very well. Colonel Ivanov, please share what you can. I also have a few questions of my own. Perhaps you could put both of our minds at ease.”

  Friedrich relaxed in his seat. Having the support of a Terra Executive meant answers. Withholding information from local government was one thing the military excelled at. A Terra Corp Exec, on the other hand...

  “Very well, sir. The following is confidential of course, so I trust in your absolute discretion.” Ivanov’s eyes were set firmly on the governor as if peering through the scope of a sniper ray-gun. “If you must know, our unit conducted a recon into Sector Five’s central dungeon, deep into enemy territory.”

  “What? But I thought—”

  “No questions, Governor. I’ll tell you exactly what I can tell you about our mission and nothing more. Be happy I’m telling you anything at all.” Ivanov snapped back. “We recovered a number of artifacts while the enemy was engaged in a larger battle with the main fleet. Unfortunately one of the dragons returned earlier than expected and managed to track us on our way out of this sector. Our mandate is to return to Central, which we will do as soon as our refuel and refit is done...,” he paused to look at his info bracer, “at 0600.”

  Governor Konrad sat back in his chair, thinking. He was oddly calm for a bureaucrat who just learned they had brought a dragon to his doorstep. More of a man than he gave him credit for.

  “At 0600 you say? My reports say your ships will be ready at 1 am. What’s with the delay?”

  “We still have to recover artifacts from the wrecks. I lost seven units in the battle, so we have to wait for their life supports to fail completely before recovery.”

  “What!? Are you mad?” Consternation twisted the face of the normally impassive Political Officer.

  “It’s a shame for the men, but standard procedure, you know that. Don’t want to deal with mutiny—”

  “Not that you feckless dolt! I sent clean-up crews after your ships hours ago! Your precious artifacts are dust as soon as they get there!”

  “But... you don’t have clean-up crews on this station! I checked—”

  “And how do you suppose we clean orbit? We have a garbage crew equipped with a C-29348 compactor/re-processor and a barge. Leftover from the station construction. It’s a relic but they can shred through structural armored beams like nothing—”

  “Stop them! Stop them NOW!” Ivanov slammed his humongous fist on the desk and shoved the comm towards the Governor.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Friedrich took the comm and placed it on the desk with a smirk.

  “Don’t be foolish. Do you think I have a direct comm to a garbage barge? Or anyone else on the station for that matter?”

  “Then try the open bands. Do something. We have to stop them. It’s worth more than your fucking station!” Ivanov blustered out, visibly shaken.

  Collins Gommery paled as the impossible thought whirled the gears of his Corpo mind. Greed came naturally to him and nothing was that valuable in a dungeon. Nothing except...

  “You... you didn’t get a—”

  “Yes, we did. Now, you get on the fucking comm right now!”

  He shoved the Comm to Friedrich who fumbled with the settings. Ivanov ripped the Comm back from his hands and switched to traffic control on the open band himself. Bloody incompetent nitwit!

  The Comm crackled to life. A civilian voice blurted out of the Comm.

  “...bringing in a salvaged Terran Class battleship. Crew appears to be alive, but might be in need of medical assistance. Requesting permission to dock urgently.”

  The colonel checked the transmitting ship metadata and relief flooded over him. The garbage barge was running rescue. The blessedly naive idiots thought they were on a rescue mission!

  “Tell Control to open priority berth for them. Now.”

  He handed the Comm back to the governor with a smile.

  “Hold on! I don’t have the budget for that many men. This is—”

  “—irrelevant.” Collins completed enthusiastically. “Use them for station security for all I care. If we pull this off, it’s our ticket out of this shithole. Isn’t that right, Colonel?”

  Ivanov had no plan to share the glory, but there was no way around it. He needed them. Him and his big mouth! He nodded in agreement.

  “Sure, whatever. If we’re ready to leave at 0600 with everything, your contributions will be officially recorded on the mission brief. You have my word.” He saluted sharply, fist over chest.

  Collins returned his salute with a military precision one wouldn’t expect from a gray suit. Ivanov chuckled inside. A combat-trained Terra Corp. Executive Class “Political Officer” could only mean one thing. This day had started poorly, but it was getting better by the minute.

  He glanced at the befuddled governor. Poor man was in over his head.

  “Don’t worry. This is good for you too.”

  “How so? What do we do if dragons come back after you leave?”

  “This dragon won’t be back anytime soon, I can guarantee that.”

  “Didn’t you say it escaped?”

  “All the same. It’ll be months, maybe even years, before its scales grow back. Work with me and I’ll make sure you get reassigned to Central before that happens.”

  “And the station?”

  “What of it? It could always be attacked at any time. Only difference is that you’ve seen a fight up close, for once.” Ivanov chuckled. “Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s make the best of the situation. You must have a couple refuelling ships, right?”

  Governor Konrad nodded. He hated stripping his station of the few resources it had, but dragons changed everything and the Colonel’s assurances were worth about the same as the recycled air coming out of his square jaws.

  However staying here was suicidal, and he was anything but.

  “I also need that C-29348 and a foundry ship. We took damage that’ll need fixing. It’s a long way back, you know?”

  Collins nodded vigorously. He’d be going with the Colonel in the morning, of course. Friedrich Konrad watched both men. He still had no idea what Colonel Ivanov found, but there could be no doubt it was big. Collins wouldn't be that excited over nothing. Staying here meant death. Going... that could be the opportunity of a lifetime. He took a deep breath, cleared his throat and declared:

  “Of course. We have two foundry ships at your disposal. Also, my fleet and myself will accompany you back to Central. You’ve lost too many ships in the battle and it would be irresponsible of me to let you carry such a precious cargo without reinforcements. Anything you need on this station is yours.”

  Konrad punctuated his declaration with a pathetic attempt at a military salute and a genuine smile—his fleet would be the largest and lots could happen from Meridot to Central!

  “Excellent decision, Governor! Prepare for departure at 0600 sharp. Tell your officers to get in touch with our logistics section.”

  If he had to share his prize, he might as well strip the station bare!

  “Executive Gommery, please arrange for the retrieval of the remaining battleships. Make sure your men retrieve the Orcas and Neptune Class transports. I’ll see personally to the Myriad class by the jump point. Rendezvous at the dock as soon as you’re ready.”

  He turned around and walked towards the door without waiting for a reply. None was needed. He was in charge now.

  Collin’s voice reached him as he passed the doorstep:

  “Don’t forget to get rid of that garbage crew. I don’t want civilians involved.”

  Ivanov nodded noncommittally. What a vindictive bastard! Sending the barge was Collin’s very own cock-up and those civilians’ stupidity the only thing that saved the day... and they were also the only witnesses to said cock-up. Maybe he should keep them at hand. A bit of leverage, just in case. Better watch his back with that snake around... Anything could happen on the way to Central!