Fatal Containment

Fatal Containment - Chapter 30

"Launch sequence initiated," the computer voice announced.

Cheryl wasted no time. She hit the throttle, and the shuttle lifted off, leaving the battered XO and troubled captain behind.

* * *

The abandoned mining station echoed with the sound of the accelerating shuttle, the engine's ion exhaust casting long, distorted shadows on the rough-hewn walls. Captain Owen Cantrell and Commander Connor stood facing each other, the tension between them palpable.

"You don't understand, Commander!" Cantrell's voice echoed through the cavernous space, his face twisted with pain and anger. "You don't know what it's like to lose everything you care about!"

Connor's face hardened as he turned to scream at the sky. "And whose fault is that, captain?" he retorted. "You've made it abundantly clear that I'm not worthy of your trust or respect. You have no idea what it's like to be treated as a second-class citizen every day of your life," he shot back. "To be looked down upon, to be ridiculed and belittled, just because of where you were born."

Owen's face twisted in anger. "You think this is about you? I've lost everything! My command is in ruins the second Lieutenant Kinson steps foot on the Dominion. I've lied, abused my power, and even killed to find who it was that destroyed the woman I loved more than life itself.

"This is about my wife! She was a brilliant scientist, someone a person like you wouldn't have even—!"

Owen stopped, shaking as he realized he was about to insult his first officer again. Instead, he pointed his finger at the other officer.

"But the empire, the same empire you so proudly serve, took everything from her and me. They stole her work, discredited her, and drove her to her death. They took everything!"

Connor's anger flared. "And you think that justifies your actions? You think that gives you the right to sell out your crew, your ship, for... for revenge?"

For a moment, the two men stood in silence, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Then, slowly, the anger seemed to drain out of Owen. His shoulders slumped, and he looked at Connor with a weary, defeated expression.

"Maybe you're right," he said quietly. "Maybe we're not so different after all."

Connor looked at Owen, his own shock and anger slowly fading. "We've both been hurt, sir. We've both lost part of our life unfairly. But we can't let our pain define us. We can't let it turn us into monsters who do the very atrocities the empire is supposed to protect us from."

Owen nodded, seeing the pain in his first officer for the first time. He took a moment to take in the situation he now found himself in, a grim determination settling over his features. "You're right, Connor. We need to fix this. We need to repair the damage that's been done."

Owen sat down on the nearest rock structure. "Will you hand me your com tablet?" the older man asked.

Connor retrieved his tablet and walked over to where Owen was sitting, handing the tablet to him before sitting gingerly on the rock next to him. Owen looked over at his number one.

"We need to get you to sickbay where we can address that gash," Owen said. Connor waved a hand dismissively to indicate that he was not mortally wounded.

Owen tapped the comm mode and called his marines.

"Corporal Mossler here, are you okay, sir?" answered the marine.

Owen continued to look at where Connor was dripping blood from his wound. "You were supposed to arrest the XO," Owen stated flatly. "Why am I looking at him now?"

Connor gave a slight shrug, and Owen returned his gaze to his tablet.

"Yes, sir, about that, sir," the marine started to form an excuse.

"The XO is no longer under arrest," Owen stated.

"Sir?" the marine queried.

"Go get your sergeant and bring shuttle one to the north landing field. Make it snappy, corporal," Owen said flatly as he disconnected the signal and handed the tablet back to Connor, who wasted no time in contacting the Dominion.

"Larson here, sir. Everything okay?"

Connor looked at Owen, who gave his own shrug.

"I need to ensure Lieutenant Kinsen returned to the ship with the scientist Tyrell Sanders," he said.

"Sir? Lieutenant Kinsen hasn't returned."

Both men looked at each other. Owen spoke first.

"Do you have shuttle two on scanners, Larson?" he asked.

"No, sir. The scopes are clear," Larson said.

"Begin search and rescue for shuttle two. Set condition Yankee."

"Right away, sir," Larson said as she began to pass the order along.

Connor closed the channel and handed the tablet back to Owen, who signaled his marines once more.

"Corporal Mossler, where are you?" Cantrell asked with a note of impatience.

"We are preparing to launch the shuttle and come to your location," Mossler said.

Owen stole a glance at Connor.

"Get here in two minutes, or we're leavingyou here," Owen said and closed the channel.