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H.O.M.E. 3
by Fin
finslandofgayart.blogspot.com
The journey to The Quarantine Zone took Franklin and James Blade the better part of 3 weeks, and the retired admiral had needed to call in several favors to ensure that his son was not listed as AWOL during this time.
If however the pair managed to accomplish what they truly had in mind, no amount of leverage would save either from being executed summarily as traitors. It was not a thought either wanted to dwell on.
Sam was counting on them. And he had been waiting 10 long years on the other side of The Rift for a rescue. They would not fail him again.
In the intervening years since the accident, James had thrown himself into his career, much like his brother had done before him. Much like his father before that.
But rising quickly through the ranks of the Galactic Fleet had come at a cost. This time in transit was the longest the Lieutenant had ever been away from duty since enlisting, and certainly the most amount of time he had been able to spend with his father since he was a boy.
James had initially tried to fill the time with casual chat. But the withering stare he had received from his old man when trying to mention the weather on the moons of Raxis, silenced the younger man immediately. When next the younger Blade wanted to discuss the civilian elections, Franklin finally was compelled to speak.
"Son, The Blades may be many things," said the retired admiral with a sigh. "But conversationalists we are not."
"You could at least try, Dad," responded his boy.
Another withering stare.
James decided it might be best to look out the window at the passing stars for the rest of their trip.
The pair arrived on schedule at fleet cruiser Home Shield, the battleship assigned to guard and protect The Quarantine Zone from any that might seek to transverse The Rift... from either direction.
It had not taken Franklin long to find what he was looking for next. Of course, Space Command had several other Icaruses ready in case the need arose. It was a matter of universal security!
The craft would be ready for flight at a moments notice, well maintained by a staff of round the clock mechanics to launch within seconds of when the order was received.
They would also be under heavy guard, restricted from access from even Franklin's weighty influence. And that was where their plan became a little less clear.
"It's the only way James," spoke Franklin with authority. "It's not like we are going to kill them or anything, Son."
But James Blade was still unsure if he could attack another fleet officer in cold violence.
"We better make it to the other side, Dad. They won't look kindly on this," the younger man said as he swallowed his hesitations forcefully.
So the course of attack had been decided.
Franklin would distract the assigned security detail. It should not be difficult for the famous war veteran to awe the guards with tales of his heroics on Sentinus IV. He had been doing it nearly his whole life.
Meanwhile James, quicker and stronger than his old man, would take the moment to disarm and incapacitate the guards.
And with any luck, the duo would be launching in an Icarus craft of their own, before Space Command knew any the wiser.
However as soon as The Blades reached the security booth, their plan went immediately awry.
Stationed inside, were guards of the female kind.
"Dad, I can't hit a woman!"
"It's for your brother, James!"
The Lieutenant peered around the corner of the cruiser's hallway once more, then turned back to face his father.
"No way Dad. Not going to happen."
"Fine," sighed the older Blade, holding his head in his hands, briefly wondering whose child this actually was. "We will do it a different way then."
So it was the younger Blade that would be to distract the security detail, in the end. And it would be with his charming demeanor, and dashing good looks, that the younger man planned to accomplish this feat.
With his short brown hair styled in a crew cut above his handsome, yet boyish features, James Blade, like all the men his family, was quite the looker. And so the Lieutenant smiled his pearly whites as he approached the Icarus hangar security booth.
"Hello ladies," he beamed.
BAM!
BAM! BAM!
Franklin knocked the women out cold, in several swift, quick punches to the back of their skulls, having snuck around behind them while James had been busy getting himself ready.
"DAD!" yelled the Lieutenant at his father. "You said you were going to hack the console!"
"I lied," answered Franklin blankly as he grabbed their sidearms, giving one to his son.
"Hurry now, boy, there's no time to lose!"
Darting into the hangar bay, the older and younger Blades found the Icarus crafts exactly where they should be. Choosing the closest to the bay exit, the pair climbed inside.
The Icarus II was to be their rescue chariot.
Flipping on the control switches, power surged to the vehicle, lights blinking to life all around them.
The transuniversal craft had been to designed to be manned by a crew of 3. However, Sam's unofficial rescue detail was exactly one short of that number.
So James volunteered to staff both the ship's exterior sensors, as well as it's internal monitors, while his father took the controls at the helm. He was by far better at it.
There had never been a pilot like Franklin Blade. And maybe never would be again.
What the young officer had managed to survive on Sentinus IV, so many years ago, was nothing short of a miracle.
One craft against an entire battallion.
Yet Franklin Blade had flown into the history books that day. Juking and careening through a hailstorm of laser fire so thick that there had been more energy than void in the path ahead of his tiny craft.
The flight of The Icarus II however would be nothing, if not more, death defying.
The alarms of Home Shield blared into existence.
The Blades had been discovered.
"It's time to leave, Son," said Franklin as The Icarus II rose to hover above the flight deck.
"Ready when you are Dad!" yelled out James as he dashed back and forth between his stations.
When the armed soldiers arrived in the hangar, lasers already firing, they were met by the intense blaze of The Icarus II's engines as it roared out of the flight bay, and into open space beyond!
The pair only had a few moments to make their escape, before hundreds of other craft blossomed from Home Shield in hot pursuit.
Their orders were obvious.
Terminate The Icarus II at all cost!
Under no circumstance should the craft be allowed to breach The Rift.
The entire Home Universe was at stake!
The chase was on!
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