Ep.#1 - "Escalation" (The Frontiers Saga: Rogue Castes) by Ryk Brown Page B

those listening. “ Identify yourself, and state your intentions. ”
    “What the…”
    “This is the commercial transport ship, Seiiki,” Captain Tuplo replied over the comms. “We are carrying cargo and passengers bound for the Assengil spaceport from Ladila in the Paradar system. We are unarmed.”
    “Captain, more contacts,” Josh warned. “Coming from those ships.” He looked at the captain. “I think they’re launching interceptors.”
    “ Seiiki, you are ordered to rendezvous with the Jar-Dortayo and land on her starboard flight deck. ”
    “On whose authority?” Captain Tuplo inquired.
    “ By order of Lord Dusahn, ruler of the Pentaurus cluster. ”
    “Who the fuck is Lord Dusahn?” Josh wondered.
    “I never heard of him,” the captain replied.
    “A Takaran noble?”
    “I don’t recognize the name.”
    Josh looked down at the sensor display again. “Those contacts are closing on us fast, Cap’n.”
    “We humbly request permission to land at the Assengil spaceport and offload our passengers and cargo,” Captain Tuplo responded, “after which we will depart your territory, never to return.”
    “ You will follow our instructions, or you will be destroyed. ”
    “What the…” Josh exclaimed. “Half the contacts just…”
    Six jump flashes suddenly appeared directly in front of them, revealing menacing, black-hulled fighters trimmed in crimson and gold. The lead fighter fired his energy cannon, sending a stream of red energy bolts streaking directly over the top of the Seiiki’s cockpit.
    The fighters streaked past them, two on each side, and one above and below, all of them passing dangerously close to the Seiiki.
    Josh’s eyes widened as he watched the fighters speed past. He looked at his captain. “Those are Jung fighters, Cap’n.”
    “Are you sure?” Captain Tuplo asked in disbelief.
    “Trust me on this,” Josh insisted. “I’ve seen a lot of Jung fighters in my day.”
    “But I thought the Jung didn’t have jump drive technology?”
    “Apparently, things have changed,” Josh replied. “I’m going to manual,” he added, pressing the auto-flight disengage button on the flight control yoke.
    “ Seiiki, this is your last warning, ” the voice said.
    “Good idea,” Captain Tuplo agreed. He looked out the windows as the fighters swarmed up to escort them. Two on each side, and two in front.
    “ Seiiki, Seiiki! Jotakh Leader! ” another voice called impatiently. This one had a heavy accent, one that Captain Tuplo could not quite place. “ Follow us to Jar-Dortayo. Make no attempt to deviate, or destroy you we must. Are you to understand? ”
    “Yup, they’re Jung, all right,” Josh commented. “Same bad Angla.”
    Captain Tuplo watched as the fighters on either side fell back.
    “They’re surrounding us,” Josh warned.
    “ Are you to understand? ” the lead fighter pilot repeated.
    “Can you get us out of here?” Captain Tuplo asked, looking at Josh.
    “Watch me,” Josh replied.
    “ Seiiki! Respond! ”
    “Fuck off,” Captain Tuplo replied flatly over the comms.
    Josh pushed the control stick forward and brought the main engines to full power. There was a thud, and the ship rocked slightly, as their shields turned an opaque yellow.
    “What the hell was that?” Captain Tuplo asked.
    “I had to push one of those fighters out of the way,” Josh explained as he twisted the control stick to the right and pulled back slightly, putting the Seiiki into a diving right, rolling turn.
    “You what?”
    “Don’t worry, Cap, the shields protected us.”
    Captain Tuplo glanced at the sensor display, as the icon representing the Jung fighter they had just nudged out of their way, disappeared. “Holy shit, Josh! You just destroyed one of their fighters!”
    “Oops. I guess they don’t have shields.”
    “Jesus,” Captain Tuplo exclaimed as he looked to his left out the side windows.
    “ Captain! ” Marcus called over the comm-set. “ What the hell is