Chapter 10: Mission Accomplished
2409
04:19
“…What was that number again, t’Nalah?”
“Eight hundred sixty-five, sir.”
“Ah yes. So that brings us to… let’s say four thousand. The Elachi will take their pick of the rest. Mandukar should be making her broadcast shortly, and if the ground teams are on schedule, we’ll be ready to depart at the six hour mark. Just as I promised, Admiral.”
“See that you are, Major. We have a schedule to keep. Lokaev out.”
05:36
“Attention all colonial ships, this is Commander-”
“Mandukar…”
“What happened? Who was that?”
“It just cut out. Not one of ours, Major.”
“Get it back! Now!”
“She’s not responding, sir. I have the second ship on sensors, just out of visual range. Looks like… one of the colonial ships. An old T’Varo…”
“They’re no threat to a D’Deridex. What is she waiting for?”
“They’ve moved in close now, I can barely… Major! We’ve lost the Okhala! The T’Varo is gone too!”
“Impossible! How-… Fvadt ungrateful Colonials must have rammed them!”
“Sir… your orders…?”
“Send to the rest of the fleet: No survivors.”
It’s all quiet now. There’s a serene sort of quality to it; The slow, effortless tumbling of the debris; The low droning of crewmembers at work; The rhythmic hum of the great ship’s power generators. The aliens have gone, taking a third of Jouret’s inhabitants with them. Their fate will be no better than those taken aboard the Imperial vessels. The dead are the fortunate.
Okhala floats, crippled and burning. K’haeth decides to forego rescue and recovery in favor of keeping his timetable. Ishae has gone, with Areinnye, Fraire, and Koval, to join a fleet near Virinat. Ground teams have returned to Irix. She sits in wait with her two Mogai escorts. As the mission clock ticks 06:00, they streak into warp.
“Mission Accomplished, Admiral.”
(( Another perspective: Mandukar: A Shadow Over Jouret IV ))