GalaxyBillies

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

On the edge of the galaxy is a solar system with a yellow star. The third planet from the star is a small, cozy, blue world inhabited by a race of sentient beings* (*Arguably)⁠ known as humans.

A few short weeks ago, if you had asked any being on the street if they had heard of humanity, they would have given you a blank look and said the local equivalent of “Huh?” Today, there are few in the Galactic Federation who don’t know about Earth and its inhabitants.

That is because the Vice Chancellor of the Galactic Federation was taking the Galactic Fleet to Earth to exterminate all life on that planet. Only MegaDan Scholes had the gonads to speak up and expose Vice Chancellor Greklor for the fraud he was.

MegaDan was able to raise a small fleet of his own, comprised entirely of notorious Space Cycle gangs. That fleet would have been destroyed had it not been for the timely arrival of another fleet. This one was commanded by none other than the Chairman of The Corporation.

The battle was fierce but Greklor was defeated. Earth and its citizens are safe.

Or are they? Even now, Vice Chancellor Greklor speeds undetected toward Earth in an escape pod. He has vowed vengeance against the humans. What could he possibly have planned?

***

Sheanna’Ree stood watching the chaos of the battle on the asteroid’s main screen. It was obvious to her that the Galactic Fleet was losing badly. When the Space Cyclists began boarding the Vice Chancellor’s ship she started jumping and clapping her hands in girlish glee.

“We’ve won! We’ve won the battle! Humanity is saved.”

Her father, the Chairman remained calm beside her. “That remains to be seen, Daughter. The Vice Chancellor could still elude us.”

She turned to face him, putting her hands on her hips, a small frown on her pretty face. “Oh, Father. Why do you have to be so negative? The ships in the Vice Chancellor’s fleet are either running, surrendering or destroyed and those Space Cyclists have boarded his ship. He has nowhere to go. We’ve won.”

The Chairman’s response was to simply shake his head with a sad smile. “I thought I had taught you better than that. Do not celebrate a victory until you have the prize in your hand. If I know Greklor, he will try to do something…” The Chairman stopped speaking and looked pointedly at the screen. “And, just as I expected, he is still trying to win.”

On the screen, the flagship suddenly vomited forth a cloud of escape pods. The small vessels sped off in all directions.

The Chairman quickly opened a communications channel. “Attention all Corporation ships. Please attend to the Galactic Flagship escape pods immediately. Put all occupants into custody until further notice but do not harm any of them. Chairman out.”

Sheanna’Ree’s voice was much more subdued when she spoke again. “Will our ships be able to capture them all?”

Her father stared at the screen. “Doubtful. There are simply too many of them. And knowing Greklor, he won’t be making it easy for us to find him.”

“So what do we do?”

The Chairmen straightened up and faced his daughter with a smile. “We continue. Greklor’s power is all but broken now. I will use my influence to clean up what corruption remains.” He blinked. “Which reminds me.”

With a staccato rattling of keys, The Chairman opened a comm channel. “Gumbo Feet. I have an assignment for you.”

The bounty hunter’s reply came back within seconds. “Yes, Chairman? How may I help you?”