"You WILL tell us how to undo this ship's lock-outs!" / 5...
"You know we'll find your crewmates before too long an FORCE them to tell us if you don't!" / 4...
"Playing ignorant Human??" / 3...
"What... why are you counting down like that?" / 2...
Good night.
(Immense amounts of gasses flood the system, no one, pirate or human, is left awake.) -- Anon Guest
[AN: This prompt was edited for better brevity shorter prompts are better for me]
There's an ancient -and very Deathworlder- Human saying. It goes: "Shoot them all and let God sort them out." This was... the most merciful alternative.
The crew of the cruiser Wandering Star had their livesuits on when they entered the locked space. All the better to sort friend from foe. They were on the delicate side for Havenworlders, so they needed devices to move the inert bodies.
They removed Human Zeev first. It would be easier to re-gas the invaders if they showed signs of shaking off the somnolent vapours. The Ship's Human was the only one to get the antidote in medical. The pirates, on the other hand, were welcome to experience their hangovers when they woke up in the brig.
The real trick was the knockout gas. Something to induce torpor without endangering health regardless of what was breathing it... that had been an issue among members of the Galactic Alliance. In this case, it had certainly helped that these space pirates were all Humans. All Zeev had to do was crack a cannister of chloroform and wait.
It was after all the cleanup was done that had to be the interesting part. Finding out where they came from. If their polity was recognised as part of the Human Fellowship. And if they were not, what extant treaties might declare what to do with rogues like them. Once the legalities were sorted, they would be dealt with accordingly.
It was easier that way.
Nobody knew war like the Humans, who had spent thousands of years in their eternal war with their everlasting enemy - other Humans. They almost fought each other like it was a species-wide hobby. It baffled many other cogniscents.
Nevertheless, they were very very good at making sure they could win.
This time, it was Human Zeev. Next time, it could easily be the pirates. They all understood that. Which was why they always made sure Zeev knew they were appreciated.
[Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash]
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