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Chapter 11 Epilogue

to Bell the Belle - Chapter 12

Time: Day 14
Location: Andromeda Ascendant - Winnipeg Drift

"We're here to take your prisoners into custody," said the FTA representative.

The FTA official was, to Dylan's eyes, the epitome of a corporate predator. He had completely ignored Rommie's greeting at the hanger bay and when she led him to Dylan and Beka, who had been waiting for him on the observation deck, his eyes had passed over Beka as if she wasn't standing before him and had ignored Dylan's outstretched hand as well. He had cut straight to the chase without any sort of pleasantries or thanks for stopping the pirates. He was accompanied by a squad of K-MAC soldiers who looked like they would rather be anywhere but where they were.

"They're in cargo hold number ten," said Dylan as he withdrew his hand refusing to meet rudeness with rudeness.

"Why aren't they in the brig?" the official asked. His tone of voice conveying the fact that he thought that the Andromeda crew was remiss for putting the prisoners in the cargo hold.

"I thought it would make transfer from the Andromeda to your vessel easier," explained Beka. Unlike Dylan she hadn't expected anything resembling manners from the FTA negotiator.

"Take me to them," demanded the representative.

Beka took the lead ,Dylan and the FTA representative behind her, and the K-Mac squad taking up the rear. Cargo hold ten was one of the outermost compartments on the Andromeda. Designed to facilitate movement of goods during ship to ship supply transfers it was essentially a large airlock.

"This seems extremely awkward to me," complained the FTA official. "It would have been easier to have had the prisoners waiting for me in the hanger bay. Open the door."

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a little while before we can open the door, sir," said Beka. She then turned to the nearby viewscreen, "Do it, Andromeda."

There was an audible clicking sound as the interior door to the cargo hold locked and then the air pressure indicator light beside the door changed from green to red. The exterior door to the compartment had been opened. Whoever had been in the cargo hold had just been spaced.


Forty six hours earlier the K-MAC forces had positively identified Richard Bellamy, and the Belle and the Guild vessels, along with their escorts, resumed their way to Winnipeg Drift.. The K-MAC forces had insisted that they be allowed to put locks on Andromeda and the Guild ships' weapon systems, Dylan and Andromeda had been equally adamant that the locks weren't going to be installed. A compromise was eventually reached where the Andromeda and her flock would take station one light hour from the drift. Communication would be slow with a two hour time delay between parties but the distance would allow each side warning should the other side decided to initiate hostilities. Initial negotiations completed the Andromeda and her flotilla had begun limping insystem towards Winnipeg Drift. Limping because thanks to battle damage to the Puffer and the Karudo the max speed of the Guild ships had been reduced to .1c .

Once they had reached the agreed safety distance from the drift serious negotiating began. Dylan had demanded that the FTA return control of the Drift back to the inhabitants of the drift and that the decree of outlawry and the bounty the FTA had placed on all members and ships of the Salvagers' Guild be dropped immediately bolstering his argument with the fact that the Guild had killed Bellamy and destroyed his pirate operation. He also stated that the Systems Commonwealth would not to let private corporations many of which had operations on Systems Commonwealth planets act as their own government.

The FTA was not inclined to negotiate feeling that they were in a position of strength. In addition th the ships that had met the Andromeda when she had emerged from slipstream the K-MAC had another Consuming Fury destroyer, two conventional armed troop transport and one assault transport on station as well as the drifts fighter contingent. The FTA argued in turn that it had an obligation to protect its members, and that the best way to do so was to bring the drift under control of the FTA since the inhabitants of the drift were allowing pirates to freely operate out of their facilities. They further argued that as the attacks had occurred in areas not controlled by the Systems Commonwealth and Winnipeg Drift was not a member of the Systems Commonwealth, the Systems Commonwealth had no jurisdiction over the current situation on the drift.

Things had remained at an impasse until Major Lawford got her chance to meet Tyr. Her chance occurred when the sensors on the drift detected a slipstream even and multiple contacts heading towards the drift at point 4c. Dylan had sent Tyr with a message to Mobius requesting reinforcements while the Guild was in the Herrick's World system. The calvary had arrived.

The K-MAC commanding officer reminded the FTA that they had been retained to assist in suppressing a pirate operation not to engage in combat with the Systems Commonwealth. The pirates had been repressed and ordering them to engage in hostilities with the Commonwealth would invoke the contingency clauses of their contract and require the FTA a pay K-MAC a large unplanned combat bonus. They further pointed out that under the laws of armed conflict governing mercenary forces as the drift had surrendered to the K-MAC forces without resistance, K-MAC and by extension the FTA was now responsible for the safety of the citizens of the drift. And that if the K-MAC forces engaged in a battle with the Commonwealth forces any missiles that missed their target would home in on the drift, which given the nature of the vessels involved and the fact that the drift was what was known in military circles as an LST,  large stationary target, the drift would receive substantial, if not catastrophic collateral damage which the FTA would be forced to pay for no matter which side won the battle.

The FTA officials, deciding that giving up the drift and trying to take it over later was better than inheriting a ruined one, agreed to return control of the drift back to its rightful owners, but demand that the prisoners be turned over to them for execution.

Dylan's initial reaction was to refuse stating that the prisoners deserved a trial, but FTA held firm saying that the pirates had been tried and convicted in absentia. It was Beka and Harper's arguments that finally convinced him to turn the prisoners over to the FTA. The two of them arguing that the pirates been captured only after they had initiated hostilities against the Guild ships which by itself could be considered a piratical act, but that under current laws the FTA actually did have the best claim on the prisoners and that if they were taken to Sinti or Mobius they would simply be handed over to the FTA anyway. Rather reluctantly Dylan accepted the FTA's demands and agreed to turn over the prisoners.


There was a moment of stunned silence as the party realized what Beka had done then Dylan turned on Beka shock and outrage in his eyes, but before he could speak Beka said "Andromeda show Dylan the educational program concerning the penalty for piracy that the FTA was showing on the drift."

The viewscreen on the opposite side of the corridor illuminated to show a man. He was spread eagled suspended in mid air by chains attached to his ankles and wrists. The chins themselves were connected to winches. From the expression on his face he was in great pain. Dylan watched in horrified fascination as the winches began to turn drawing in the chains. The mans mouth opened in silent screams as over the next ten minutes his limbs were literally pulled from his body.

"Would you like me to play it again, Captain?" asked Andromeda's core self. "This time with sound and and at normal speed? I sped up the first showing by a factor of 10."

"No thank you, Andromeda," said Dylan trying to keep his stomach under control. "Once was quite sufficient. I think our guest is ready to leave now. Have one of your Maria's escort him back to the hanger. He and his associates can pick up their trash as they leave the drift."

Chapter 11 Epilogue