When they opened the hatch, the crew of the Galaxy Flyer was ready for them and opened fire. Two went down in the first volley of fire and the rest surrendered. The intruders herded the seven survivors into the mess hall.
The space suit clad men surrounded the men of the Flyer with weapons leveled, while one went around with binders, securing them.
The leader of the intruders addressed the crew. "We are the Ladro Military Protectorate. We are commandeering this ship to assist in our efforts to resist the Galactic Republic and their tyrranic hold on the galaxy.
"If you cooperate, we'll drop you off at a location of our choosing unharmed. Resist and you will be executed."
He paused for a moment, looking at each prisoner and letting those words sink in before continuing, "Who is in command here?"
"I'm the Captain. Look, we're just a temp crew hired to take the ship to it's new owners. We don't really want any trouble."
"I don't care what you want. I need to know what happened to your ship so we can get it moving again," the leader demanded.
A prisoner from the back spoke up, "Don't tell him anything Cap. I've heard of the LMP. They're nothing but terrorists."
The leader casually drew his blaster and placed an energy bolt directly into the man's forehead. "Anyone else have a comment?"
The Captain of the prisoners spoke, "Look, we're not exactly sure what happened. We didn't have time to check it out, but according to the ships computer, the manuevering thrusters overloaded while taking evasive action."
"Very well," he said and turned to one of his crew. "Fox 2, take 3 and 4 to the engine room and see what you can do about repairs. Fox 5 and 6, sweep the starboard side of the ship and sweep the quarters. Make sure there's no one else on board. Be thorough. 7 and 8, you do the same on the port side. 9, stay here and guard the prisoners. 10, you're with me. Move out!"
The LMP moved out of the mess hall on their assigned duties, when suddenly there was a crash from somewhere on board the Flyer. The lights flickered and went out, leaving them all in darkness.
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"All units, report!" Fox Leader barked into his comm. He listened as each team reported in. Each team had time to report in before the emergency lighting kicked in. They were flickering, giving everything a slow, arythmic strobe effect.
"Fox 5 and 7, finish your sweeps, then rendevous in the mess hall, then have 6 see if he can figure out what happened. 10 and I will be on the bridge. Fox Leader out."
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"All right. I'll take point. 3, you take rear, and let's get to the engine room and get this bitch fixed," Fox 2 said to his cohorts.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Fox 4 commented.
They moved on in silence, weapons at the ready. Suddenly there was a faint knock somewhere ahead of them down the corridor.
"You guys see anything down there?" 2 asked.
"Not me, these lights are screwing with my vision," 4 remarked, squinting to get a better look in the flickering darkness ahead.
"How about you, Fox 3?" Fox 2 asked.
"Fox 3?"
Fox 2 and 4 turned around to look at Fox 3, but there was no one there.
"What the fuck?" Fox 2 turned on his comm. "Fox 3, come in. What's your location?"
Static returned over the comm.
"Fox 3, where are you?"
They retraced their path several meters, checking each compartment as they passed it, but found each one empty.
"He was just here," Fox 4 commented.
Fox 2 commed Fox Leader, "Sir, Fox 3 is gone."
"Are you meeting resistance? Was he killed?"
"No sir, he's just gone."
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