An unexpected arrival Part 5

Over the course of the following days, Miller and his resurrected crew worked their way from one end of the crippled wreck to the other. Every piece of cargo was taken and every bit of useful equipment unbolted and disassembled.

"Who were these people, Captain?" Lt. Smith asked as he and Miller walked the darkened halls of the ship.

Miller crouched next to one of the white armor-clad figures. The soldier had discarded his helmet and weapon, gouged his eyes and tongue out, and subsequently bled to death.

"I have no idea, Smitty. No idea... All I do know is that they shoot first and ask questions later," Miller said.

"Well, they're clearly more technologically advanced than us," Smith said and picked up the dead soldier's weapon. "This is a man-portable, particle beam weapon. We have nothing like this."

"Lucky for us, they don't seem to have a defense against...," Miller trailed off.

"Hell? No, I suppose they don't," Smith said and then let out a long sigh. "What is your endgame, anyway? What are we doing all this for?"

Miller didn't answer.

Just then, the com-link in his pocket chirped. He snatched it and immediately held it to his mouth. "This is Miller."

"Captain," it was Captain Kilpack. "I believe we've pulled everything we can from this hulk. Repairs are progressing. But I'd like to take my team back to help out, if that's alright?"

"Ofcourse. We'll be joining you shortly," Miller replied.

The two ships were tethered with a pair of steel cables. Without shuttles, it was the only way to get from one to the other.

"You never answered my question," Smith's voice crackled through the comm of Miller's suit as the two pulled themselves hand-over-hand along the cables.

"What do you want from me Smitty?" Miller asked.

"An answer, Captain. Just an answer. To know what I'm working towards. I know you're not planning to destroy the ship. You've had plenty of opportunity to just fly it into the sun. Besides, you'd be killing all of us again. And I don't think you're quite ready to do that. So, what are you going to do with it?" Smith asked.

"I don't know. Maybe find some good to use it for...," Miller finally said.

"Redemption?" Smith asked.

"Maybe," Miller said.