Nico immediately sent the drones that were observing the bridge of the Cruisers forward to place a vibration probe against the windows so that they could communicate directly.

As long as there was enough of an atmosphere on the other side, the probe could use the window as a speaker and microphone to communicate with those inside, a very convenient feature during orbital rescue missions.

[Holy Truth Admiral, this is Tarith Nico of the Terminus Trading Company. We have a request from your boarding pilot to begin surrender negotiations. Should they be successful, your crew will be spared, and a trial will be held regarding restitution for the incident involving Holy Truth Ships firing upon a Reaver vessel.] Nico informed both ships at the same time.

[You bitch, do you know what you have done? None can survive the wrath of the Holy One. You will not be spared for this.] The man known as Blue shouted at them.

The cameras showed that his crew was all looking embarrassed, and the crew of the other ship, who were treated to his response, thanks to the linked drones, were all shaking their heads in annoyance.

[Heretic, are you listening to me? Return power to my vessel, or we will annihilate you and your pathetic Trade Alliance.] Blue demanded.

[Yes, I hear your demands, and I have considered them very thoroughly.] Nico responded in a calm monotone that Max knew very well.

[Well? I am waiting.] Blue shouted.

[Power to bridge doors restored. Opening security locks.] Nico replied as a pulse of energy passed between the drone and the blast doors, sealing the team in the bridge.

The meter-thick doors silently slid open on their tracks, revealing an overjoyed Klux special forces team with prybars in their hands.

[Cardinal Red. Mister Blue has been taken into custody by the Klux Special Forces, as he declined the offer to surrender to the Reavers. You have been silent so far. What is the verdict of your crew?] Nico asked.

Max could see that the Commander of the first vessel to arrive was looking in horror toward the other vessel, where twenty burly soldiers were viciously beating the command staff of the other Cruiser.

[Lady Tarith, we request to discuss terms. As per Reaver law, we wish to ensure that our crew is not harmed until a council of Captains has tried us.] Cardinal Red requested.

Max signaled to Lord Joseph, who sent the order for his men to capture the remaining crew on Cardinal Red’s Cruiser peacefully. With no power on the ship, they wouldn’t know what was going on, so some would likely still fight, but being office staff, the chances were that most of them would not willingly get themselves shot.

[Mecha Squadrons, what is the situation with the prisoners?] Max asked the teams that were guarding the hallways on the Crusiers.

[No problems to report, Commander. Once the shouting and shooting started, they became especially well-behaved and even reported to our stations without requiring Klux forces to escort them.] The leader of the first team reported.

[Same here, Commander. They did warn us that their leader was a stubborn and prideful sort that might not accept being captured though.] The second team leader declared.

[Yes, we noticed. Nico unlocked the blast doors and let the Special Forces onto the bridge to give him an attitude adjustment. I think he will see things our way very soon.] Max replied, then began scanning through the Mecha cameras to verify the information that he had received.

It seemed to be correct, most of them didn’t have any signs of rough handling on them, and they certainly weren’t active-duty soldiers. Those who weren’t far too old to be on active combat duty could never have passed a physical examination.

There also weren’t many of them, barely enough to call it a skeleton crew. Only the second vessel had sent an attack team, and the numbers suggested that the first ship didn’t even have the personnel.

After a few minutes, Max saw the Special Forces bringing the Command Staff to the Mecha checkpoint, dragging the ones that couldn’t walk while the others applied white numbing cream from a first aid kit to their faces and ribs.

Even as badly beaten as they were, they did not look at all repentant. In fact, the sight of their peacefully captured crew was only making them more upset, and Max suspected that they were in for a second round of attitude adjustment in only a few minutes at the rate they were going.

Cardinal Red and his command staff had opened the blast doors and were being escorted to the Mecha teams as well, ready to be taken off their vessels as prisoners of the Terminus Trading Company.

[Shuttles, please prepare to depart for the captured Cruisers. The crew will be detained here aboard Terminus for the time being.] Max informed the hangars.

“We will turn them over to the transporter that I have called to come to get the new ships. I have no intention of waiting here for a gathering of five Captains to hold a council, so they can just go to Rae 5 instead.” Max told Lord Joseph, who could only sigh in disappointment that he wouldn’t get to deal with the crews under Klux law.

“You certainly have the space for them. I will give you that much. They would have looked good swinging from the courthouse gallows, though.” The Justice Minister told Max with a resigned look on his face.

They didn’t win many of these encounters with their hostile neighbor, so it would have been a huge public relations victory for them.

“I would say that you’ll get a chance next time, but I suspect that there will be no next time unless it is in the next few days. After that, you will have Cygnus as a neighbor, and it won’t be long before they are also a Trade Alliance Member, so you won’t have to worry about these sorts of things again.” Max consoled the Minister, hoping to get this all done and over with smoothly.