Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Frontiers Saga Part 2: Rogue Castes

Episode #8: Sanctuary

Copyright © 2018 by Ryk Brown All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

CHAPTER ONE

Nathan stood at the window, staring at the man being interrogated by General Telles and Lieutenant Siddens. In three days, the young marine’s story had yet to change. Every detail had matched against previous sessions. Physical and emotional pressures had yielded no deviations. Not even the Ghatazhak’s mental trickery, impressive as it was, caused the sergeant to deviate from his recounting of the days around the assassination of Nathan’s family and the seizing of power by Admiral Michael Galiardi.

Nevertheless, Nathan stood there, sometimes for hours on end, staring at the sergeant’s face, on occasion locking eyes with him. There was guilt in the young man’s eyes, of that there was no doubt, just as there was anger in Nathan’s. Had it not been for his responsibilities as captain of the Aurora and leader of the Karuzari rebellion, Nathan would have stood there, unmoving, for every minute of every single interrogation.

“The latest signals intelligence from Sol are in,” Jessica told him as she entered the observation room. She waited for a response but was not surprised when none came. “So far, his story lines up with what we’re picking up from the news nets,” she continued. “The entire Sol sector is under martial law right now, and Galiardi has launched a preemptive, jump-KKV strike against the Jung’s battle platforms.”

“How many?” Nathan asked, his eyes still locked on Krispin.

“I’m sure he targeted all of them,” Jessica replied.

“How many did he destroy?” Nathan added.

“We don’t know for sure,” Jessica admitted. “From the news, it sounds like they destroyed all that were targeted, but we have no way to confirm that yet. Not without sending one of our own recon ships back to check for ourselves.”

“We wouldn’t know where to look,” Nathan commented, his gaze unwavering.

“No, we wouldn’t.” Jessica stood silent for a moment, standing beside her friend, watching, as well. “How is Miri?” she asked, hoping to distract his focus from the interrogation.

“Stable; no change,” he replied in a surprisingly unemotional fashion.

“Have you decided whether or not to wake her children?”

“Not until we have a more definite prognosis,” Nathan replied. “No need to put them through such agony.”

“They might be stronger than you think,” Jessica said. “They are Scotts, after all.”

Nathan finally took his eyes off Krispin, looking at Jessica. “They just lost everyone they care about, short of their mother, whom they still might lose.” He sighed, his eyes returning to the sergeant. “They would feel lost and abandoned, with no world to call home.”

“They would have you.”

“An uncle they thought long dead,” Nathan commented. “One who hasn’t the time to care for them.”

“My parents would gladly care for them,” Jessica assured him.

“I appreciate your concern, Jess, but I’ve made my decision. They stay in stasis for the time being.”

Jessica said nothing, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “What are we going to do?” she finally asked.

“About what?”

“About Earth.”

“Nothing we can do,” Nathan replied. “We have our own war to fight.”

“But Galiardi is starting a war, Nathan,” she reminded him. “One that he may not win.”

For the first time since Nathan had entered the observation room hours earlier, he turned his entire body away from the window. Nathan had a look in his eyes that Jessica had never seen before. “Michael Galiardi will answer for his actions,” he declared in a confident tone, “and he will answer to me.”

Jessica said nothing as her captain turned and left the compartment.

* * *

“It will take time, but we can convert the Jundalee transfer station into a shipyard,” General Erron suggested.

“How much time?” Lord Dusahn asked, looking unhappy, as usual.

“Several months, at least,” the general replied. “And it will only accommodate two vessels.”

“It will take years to get another ship built under the current circumstances,” General Gorray pointed out. “The Jundalee will be nothing more than a repair station, no matter how much we do to it. We must build a new facility, one equipped to build Dreadnought-class battleships.”

“That will take years,” General Pol argued, “and that’s just to get the station online, let alone building the first ship.”

“We must do both, simultaneously,” General Hesson insisted. “We have built ships without assembly facilities before, using troop carriers as staging platforms.”

“We need those ships in order to move our legions to where they are needed,” General Erron countered.

“Use captured cargo ships,” Lord Dusahn ordered.

“Those ships are needed to maintain the flow of goods between worlds and sustain the economies of all the worlds in the cluster,” General Hesson reminded his leader.

“We will find others to take their place,” Lord Dusahn said. “Have our forces move beyond the cluster and commandeer anything large enough to help.”

“We will be spreading our forces too thin, my lord,” General Hesson warned.

“Have our gunships harass the Rogen system,” Lord Dusahn instructed. “That will keep the Aurora busy defending their would-be allies while we take what we need from others. This is the way of the Jung and the way of the Dusahn.” Lord Dusahn turned to look out the windows at the gardens in the courtyard below, as he often did when thinking. After a moment, he spoke. “Something on your mind?”

“Permission to speak freely, my lord?” General Hesson inquired.

“Do I have a choice?”

“It is my duty to offer advice, my lord.”

Lord Dusahn sighed. “Do not dance with me, Hesson. I have not the patience.”

“Your efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people of the Pentaurus cluster, while both noble and logical, have failed.”

Lord Dusahn turned to glare at his subordinate.

“If only because of the loss of the Teyentah and the shipyards,” the general wisely added. “Losing the Teyentah would have been bad enough, but losing both…”

“The people whisper about the Karuzari and this Na-Tan behind our backs,” Lord Dusahn muttered in disgust. “One damned ship. One.”

“The people now question our strength,” the general warned.

Lord Dusahn sighed. “These people were once a proud empire,” he said.

“Because they had a strong leader,” General Hesson commented. “One who was not afraid to be ruthless, when needed.”

“Are you questioning my own strength?” Lord Dusahn wondered, one eyebrow raised.

“Never, my lord. I only wish to remind you that, sometimes, brute strength is all that matters.”

“You wish me to glass another world,” Lord Dusahn realized.

“The destruction of Ybara was a brutal, yet, tactically brilliant move, my lord. Because of it, all of Takara fell in line, as did every other world in the cluster. Perhaps it is time to demonstrate your resolve to those outside the cluster. Specifically, those who dare challenge the Dusahn Empire.”

“A moment ago, you warned against spreading our forces too thin,” Lord Dusahn questioned. “Now you advise me to send the bulk of our fleet three sectors away?”

“Not the bulk of our fleet,” General Hesson corrected. “Send our forces from Orswella to deal with the Rogen system.”

Lord Dusahn dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “The bulk of our forces in Orswella are made up of Dennigan and Orswellan vessels. Their jump range is limited, and it will take weeks for them to reach us. Besides, there are but three Dusahn ships among them. What message will that send to the people of Takara?”

“The Dennigan and Orswellan ships are controlled by us, my lord.”

“They don’t know that,” Lord Dusahn argued. “To them, it will appear as if we called for help from our allies.”

“Then bring them here and have the Dennigan and Orswellan ships lie in wait just outside the system, while our three ships maintain a visible presence within the Takar and Darvano systems.”

Lord Dusahn tapped his chin repeatedly, intrigued by the idea. “And what of the Orswellan shipyards? We cannot afford to lose them, as well.”

“Leave one of the Dennigan heavy cruisers behind to keep the Orswellans in line.”

Lord Dusahn paced the length of his office, contemplating his advisor’s suggestions. “If we play this correctly, we could set up an ambush,” he finally said.

“My lord?”

“Surely, the Karuzari have tallied our forces by now.”

“They would be foolish not to,” General Hesson agreed. “And we have spotted their recon drones, on numerous occasions, popping in and out of the systems we control in the cluster.”

“But they do not know of our ships in the Orswella system,” Lord Dusahn explained. “If they believe we are moving the bulk of our fleet to destroy the Rogen system, say, as retribution for their attack on Takara, they may be tempted to attack Takara, yet again.”

“If they believe all our ships are away, what in the Takara system would be an important enough target for them to leave their allies undefended?” General Hesson wondered.

Lord Dusahn smiled. “Me.”

* * *

Josh lay on his back under the systems console on the Seiiki’s bridge, his hands buried in the wiring above him. “It’s gotta be hard, though. I mean, cheese and crackers, his whole family.”

“Did you just say cheese and crackers?” Loki wondered.

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“I’m trying to cut down on my swearing.”

“Again, why?”

“You heard Kaylah’s back, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, she never liked how much I swear.”

“I always did like her,” Loki commented wryly. “Never did understand what she saw in you, though.”

“Thanks.”

“Listen, I’m all for you cleaning up your language, especially since I have a child now, but why cheese and crackers?”

“I heard it in some old, Earth movie the other day.”

“Movie?”

“That’s what they called vid-plays on Earth a thousand years ago. The Aurora’s entertainment database has millions of them. Some of them are even only 2D! Can you imagine that?”

“But cheese and crackers?” Loki wondered, his face cringing. “Surely there’s something better than that.”

“Fudge nuggets?” Josh suggested. “Son of a mother trucker? Pluck it? Shitake mushrooms? There’s a million of them.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I’d prefer that you just continued swearing, to be honest.”

Josh stopped working, surprised. “You don’t want me to better myself?”

“I’m all for you bettering yourself, Josh,” Loki insisted, “but have you even spoken with Kaylah, yet? Is she even interested in getting back together with you?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Josh wondered, continuing his work.

“Like I said, I never figured out why she began dating you in the first place. Look, if you want to clean up your foul mouth, I don’t think replacing the questionable words with ones that sound similar is the right way to go about it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re not really changing anything,” Loki insisted.

“Sure, I am,” Josh argued. “I’m not swearing.”

“Not technically, but anyone with half a brain will figure out what you really mean, and isn’t that the same thing?”

“I gotta start somewhere, don’t I?” Josh said. “Now, get the yuck back to work, will ya?”

“You see, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s obvious you mean ‘fuck’.”

“Watch your mouth, Lok,” Josh laughed.

Loki sighed. “Why do I even bother?”

“Like I was saying, it’s gotta be hard on him,” Josh said, continuing with their original topic.

“Nathan’s a strong man,” Loki insisted. “He can handle it.”

“He’s not as strong as you think,” Josh insisted. “I’ve seen him lose it…on more than one occasion, I might add. And now, he’s got Connor’s memories in there, as well, and all the pressure of leadership. Egad, I’d hate to be in his shoes.”

“You really need to stop now, Josh,” Loki insisted. “Please…for me.”

“For you,” Josh replied. “Fuck.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

After activating the door buzzer three times, General Telles decided to grant himself access to Captain Scott’s quarters. “Captain?” he called as he cautiously pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit and had not been cleaned in several days. The captain’s uniform jacket lay on the chair to the right, and there were several dirty dishes on the table near the kitchenette area.

As he continued to swing the door open, he spotted Nathan sitting on the couch. “Captain,” he said, stepping into the room, and closing the door behind him. “I apologize for the intrusion, but you were not answering your hails,” he explained as he moved into the room. The general picked up the captain’s jacket, draping it across the back of the chair as he sat. “As captain of the ship, one would expect you to answer.”

“If they had been important, I would have,” Nathan replied.

“If you do not answer them, how would you know if they were important or not?”

“When it’s important, red lights tend to turn on, and warning klaxons usually go off,” Nathan remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Kind of hard to miss, really.”

“A ship needs a captain,” General Telles stated. “Just as a cause needs a leader.”

Nathan glared at him. “Even a leader needs a break now and then.”

“True enough,” General Telles agreed. “And admittedly, you deserve some time to yourself more than anyone. Unfortunately, as the leader of this resistance, you do not have the luxury of refusing to answer when those whom you lead call on you for that very leadership.”

“I never wanted to lead.”

“Neither did I,” General Telles admitted.

Nathan’s glare turned to disbelief.

“It is true. When I joined, I only wanted to be the best Ghatazhak possible.”

“Then why do you lead?”

“Because it is what I am good at,” General Telles explained. “Same as you.” The general paused a moment. “Albeit, somewhat better.”

Nathan pointed at the general, who was already breaking a smile. “Ghatazhak humor.” He smiled himself. “It still catches me off guard.”

“Humor is often necessary to prepare someone for words they do not wish to hear.”

Nathan’s smile faded. “Are you going to tell me to cowboy up?”

General Telles’s eyebrow raised slightly. “I am unfamiliar with that expression.”

“It means ‘toughen up’,” Nathan explained.

“I see. Then, yes.”

Nathan leaned his head back against the couch, sighing.

“This brooding demeanor of yours, while understandable, is having a negative effect on the morale of your officers and crew,” the general warned. “If not arrested, in time, it will affect the entire fleet.”

“You think I like feeling this way?” Nathan said.

General Telles looked down a moment, then back up at Nathan. “I am sorry for your loss, Nathan. I truly am. I wish you could be afforded the time to grieve properly. Unfortunately, that is not the case. War often does not allow time for those involved to lick their wounds and recover. It is an ongoing assault against our physical and emotional state. Those who survive do so by putting their pain and suffering aside and doing what is needed. Those who are victorious understand this and use it to their advantage.”

Nathan picked his head up and looked at the general. “Are you suggesting that we attack?”

“No, that time passed two days ago, but I do like the way you are thinking.”

Nathan stared at the Ghatazhak general. The man was only a decade older than Nathan’s true age, yet he had the wisdom of one three times his age. “How do you do it?” he asked. “How do you choose not to feel?”

“I feel,” General Telles replied. “The same as any man. I simply choose how my feelings will affect my performance.”

“How do you do that?” Nathan wondered.

“By being aware of my feelings and the effect they have on me, both positive and negative.”

“I don’t understand,” Nathan admitted.

General Telles thought for a moment. “Emotions are a powerful force,” he explained. “They can give us incredible strength, and they can have a powerful effect on those around us. They can even be as infectious as the most virulent pathogen. In short, emotions can be as dangerous as any weapon. It’s all in how one chooses to use them.”

“You still haven’t told me how,” Nathan pointed out.

“I wish I could give you an easy explanation, Nathan,” the general replied. “The truth is, it takes considerable study and practice to do so. It is a never-ending process. It is like putting on additional clothing when you are cold or taking them off when you are warm. It is a constant adjustment.”

“How do I get to your level of control?” Nathan begged.

“Proper analysis and application of emotional control and channeling cannot be achieved without the full understanding of, at the very least, the fields of psychology and its underlying physiologies, as well as the neurosciences. One must understand the processes occurring within one’s own body and mind before one can begin to control one’s reaction to such things.”

Nathan shook his head. “Do you always talk that way?”

“To what way are you referring?”

“So proper.”

“I am merely attempting to communicate my thoughts to you in the most accurate fashion.”

“Maybe you should study the art of conversation,” Nathan suggested.

“I have,” the general assured him. “I am able to converse with you in a more informal manner if you desire.”

“It’s fine,” Nathan said with a wave of his hand. “I’m probably just deflecting.”

“I see,” the general replied. “I can recommend a course of study if you’d like. With your newly acquired mental capabilities, you may be able to considerably reduce the time required to master the necessary skills.”

“How long did it take you?” Nathan wondered.

“As I said, it is a never-ending process.”

“And you’ve been at it for, what, twenty years?”

“Thirty-two of your years, to be exact.”

“You don’t look that old.”

“Ghatazhak begin their training just before puberty,” the general explained.

“So, you’ve been working on this emotional control thing since you were a teenager?”

“It is one of the first things the Ghatazhak training addresses, at a time in a young man’s life when his emotions are the most unpredictable.”

“Seems like a rough way to start out,” Nathan decided.

“Perhaps that was the intent,” General Telles replied. “Control of one’s emotions is the basis of a Ghatazhak’s abilities. The didactic and physical training would not be possible without it.”

After thinking a moment, Nathan asked, “Why did you decide to become a Ghatazhak?”

“Because it was the greatest contribution a man could make to humanity.”

Nathan looked puzzled. “No offense, General, but you guys were Caius’s goon squad. Your job was to create complete obedience through fear and intimidation.”

“That metamorphosis occurred long after my training was completed and was mostly due to the Ybaran Legions,” General Telles explained.

“Just how old are you?” Nathan wondered.

“When Caius assumed the throne, his first act was to put the Ghatazhak into stasis until he could be certain of our loyalty. In our absence, he used Ghatazhak masters to train the Ybaran Legions. However, for expediency’s sake, he chose to eschew the emotional and didactic components of our training. Combined with the naturally aggressive nature of Ybaran society, the results were legions of fearsome, brutish soldiers as deadly as any traditionally trained Ghatazhak, but without the discipline and intelligence required to use that lethality properly.”

“Is that why they started programming them to be loyal?” Nathan wondered.

“Correct,” the general confirmed. “The empire quickly realized they were creating a force which could easily turn against them. The Ybarans, after all, had been marginalized and exploited by Takaran society for centuries. With the addition of the loyalty imprinting—what you call programming—he had the perfect shock troops. Brutal, deadly, and efficient warriors who actually enjoyed killing.”

“So, how long were you in stasis?”

“Seventy-four Takaran years,” the general replied. “Being far less mentally disciplined, the Ybarans were much more receptive to the loyalty imprinting. Eventually, the technology became advanced enough to overcome a true Ghatazhak’s training and mental conditioning, at which point Caius began using us, as well.”

“Then, you served Caius for a while,” Nathan surmised.

“I did,” the general admitted. “It is not something I am proud of, but I take solace in the fact that I had no free will of my own at the time.”

“I didn’t mean to imply anything,” Nathan apologized.

“As I said, I am at peace with it.”

“Is that why your programming had to be refreshed periodically?” Nathan wondered.

“Yes, despite the improvements in the imprinting technology, it was never able to fully overcome the Ghatazhak mental conditioning.”

Nathan sat quietly for a moment. “What are you going to do?”

“About?”

“You’ve lost more than half your forces in the last six weeks,” Nathan reminded him.

“No, I have lost more than half of my brothers,” the general corrected. “Those men are my family. I have trained and fought alongside them my entire adult life. I would die for them, and they for me. Every one of their deaths affects me the same as the loss of your sisters and father affects you. The only difference is that I don’t hide in my quarters and avoid my responsibilities. I mourn, but in my own way, and on my own time. Granted, there is very little of it available these days. But there will come a time when their losses will be appropriately felt. They would expect nothing less of me, and I shall not fail them by brooding in the dark. I shall honor them by continuing the fight, so they will not have died in vain.”

Nathan chuckled. “You’re telling me to cowboy up again, aren’t you?”

“I thought I was being subtle about it,” the general replied.

“Not so much,” Nathan said. “You still haven’t answered my question, though.”

“If I am to keep my men alive, we will have to take fewer risks,” General Telles lamented. “However, shying away from risk purely for the sake of survival is not the Ghatazhak way, and I doubt that a single one of my men would stand for it. As their leader, I, too, cannot stand for it.”

“You once told me that humanity needs me and people like me,” Nathan said. “The same could be said about the Ghatazhak, and more rightfully so, I might add. If the Ghatazhak were intended to be a force to ensure the peace and stability of human civilization, then your survival is paramount to that goal, just as the Aurora is; just as I am.”

“He who takes no risk,” General Telles said.

“There are always ways to mitigate risk,” Nathan insisted. “I failed to do so during our last engagement.”

“It was a bold and far-reaching plan,” General Telles agreed. “But it was a necessary risk.”

“No, it was not.”

“We needed to rescue the Corinari,” General Telles insisted. “We needed to show all those who support our cause, and all those who will someday support it, that we value their lives, and that we are willing to die to protect them.”

“But we didn’t need to try to take the Teyentah, as well,” Nathan insisted. “Sabotaging her and blowing her up in port would have been sufficient and would not have cost us a good man.”

“We lost many good men, Nathan,” General Telles insisted.

“You know what I mean.”

“Captain Navarro took the mission of his own accord. He would have found a way to do so with or without our help.”

“If we had been focused on the Darvano system instead of jumping around…”

“The Corinari would be dead,” General Telles insisted, interrupting him. “The bulk of the Dusahn forces would have jumped to Corinair.”

“Your men should have had an out,” Nathan said.

“In a perfect world, yes,” General Telles agreed. “We do what we can with what we have.”

“That’s the problem,” Nathan insisted. “I should have protected your men, first.”

“My men do not expect to be protected from danger,” General Telles told him. “My men run toward danger. It is what we train for. It is how we wish to die…protecting others. There is no higher honor befitting a Ghatazhak.”

“But you are down to a hundred men, Lucius,” Nathan exclaimed. “The Ghatazhak are on the verge of extinction, and we have neither the time nor the resources to train replacements.”

General Telles paused a moment, taking a breath. “There is much we can still do to avoid extinction. Better intel, better mission prep, better mission selection. To be honest, from this point forward, this war is going to be more about hit-and-run tactics, precision strikes, and covert ops. It is time for the Ghatazhak to become that which they were intended to be. Small, elite teams that move quickly, kill with great efficiency, and then disappear before the enemy can respond in force.”

“Agreed,” Nathan replied. “Where do we start?”

General Telles glanced around Nathan’s quarters, a look of disapproval on his face. “Perhaps you should start by cleaning this place up a bit.”

* * *

“You’re joking, right?” Doctor Sato looked at Nathan. “You’re not joking, are you?”

“No, I’m not,” Nathan assured her.

“Captain, I agreed to attempt to clone you… One man. Not one hundred men.”

“One hundred and twenty-seven, to be exact,” Nathan corrected.

“You’re not funny,” she warned. “Do you realize the resources that would be required for such an undertaking?” she added with a laugh.

“The Ghatazhak cannot be easily replaced,” Nathan explained. “Their training takes decades. How can I risk losing such an invaluable resource?”

“Isn’t death the ultimate cost of war?” Doctor Sato stated. “Isn’t that what makes war something to be avoided? Besides, I don’t think you realize what you’re asking of me,” Michi told him. “I left my world—my people—because I believed that your life was worth saving. Not the lives of a hundred men whose only purpose is to take life…”

“I know…”

“…I’m sure the Ghatazhak are very honorable, Captain, but human cloning is not something to be taken lightly. Our people turned to cloning to survive, not to be constantly reborn so they could cheat death and fight wars.”

“I’m not asking for that,” Nathan explained.

“That’s exactly what you’re asking,” Doctor Sato argued. “Knowing that one will not die makes one appreciate life less.”

“It also enables one to spend countless lifetimes in the pursuit of worthwhile goals,” Nathan pointed out. “Be they in fields of science, art, philosophy, religion…or the defense of the weak and the innocent. Your cloning technology could ensure that the Ghatazhak would survive this war and be able to someday rebuild their ranks,” Nathan explained.

“Captain, immortality through cloning carries great responsibility,” Doctor Sato warned. “In the hands of the wrong people, there is no telling how it might be perverted.”

“I’m not asking you to make them immortal,” Nathan argued. “I’m only asking that you collect their genetic data and keep a backup of their consciousness and memories. That way, if they do not survive this war, at least a few of them might be revived later, so they could teach others to carry on their traditions.”

“You’re forgetting one thing, Captain,” Michi reminded him. “Nifelmian cloning technology is not designed to work on non-Nifelmians.”

“It worked on me,” Nathan argued.

“Only after five years of experimentation and multiple host bodies,” she replied. “The success of which is still undecided, if you get my meaning.”

“The point is, it worked, so there is hope that you can make it work again,” Nathan argued.

Doctor Sato sighed. “Turi warned me this would happen,” she finally said. She looked at Nathan.

“I’m not asking you to create a clone army, Doc. In fact, I’m not even asking you to create any clones. At least not yet.”

“That’s good, because we don’t have a single cloning vat, let alone a digital transfer system.”

“But you have the schematics for one, don’t you?”

“Yes, but…”

“Then we can build one,” Nathan pointed out.

“A DTS? Yes, but it will take time,” Doctor Sato warned.

“I realize that.”

“Manufacture, assembly, testing, retesting…”

“I understand.”

“And without Turi, it’s going to be a lot more difficult.”

“Can’t Deliza help?” Nathan wondered.

“Yes, but as brilliant as she is, she does not have Turi’s experience or expertise.” Doctor Sato looked at Nathan. “Captain, for this to work properly, I would have to create generations of clones in order to complete the genetic modifications necessary to guarantee successful consciousness transfers.”

“How many generations?” Nathan wondered.

“If done properly, at least sixteen cloning cycles.”

“But you did mine in five, right?”

“Yes, but I took a lot of shortcuts,” she confessed. “Many of which would not have been considered acceptable by my people. Besides, your brain structure was unique. It was closer to that of a modern-day Nifelmian’s than most non-Nifelmians.”

“Maybe some of the Ghatazhak are, as well,” Nathan suggested.

“I suppose that’s possible…” Doctor Sato admitted. “But even if they are, it will take decades to get through enough cloning cycles to guarantee an acceptable success rate.”

“But you completed all of mine in five years,” Nathan said.

“Shortcuts, remember?” she replied. “And that was for one host, not one hundred of them.”

Nathan sighed, thinking a moment. “How long are you able to store the consciousness and memories of a person once they are scanned?”

“With the proper equipment, a few years. After that, there is a risk of data loss, beginning with long-term memories. That’s why we chose to store your memories in your first clone, Connor, as sort of a backup.”

“Is there any way to extend that limitation?” Nathan wondered.

“Doctor Megel was working on that very problem during your first cloning cycle,” Doctor Sato admitted, “just in case your first clone did not accept the transfer properly, which was the case.”

“Did he find a solution?” Nathan wondered.

“He believed he did, but we never got a chance to test it. It involved algorithms meant to continuously monitor the stored patterns for changes, and then correct those changes based on data from backup sets. The idea was that each backup would buy additional time before data decay set in.”

“How long would it take to build a transfer and storage system similar to the one we used to bring my consciousness from Nor-Patri?”

“That’s the easy part,” Doctor Sato admitted. “Including testing, a couple weeks I suppose, assuming you have nano-scale replication facilities.”

“We do,” Nathan assured her.

“You must understand, Captain, there is no guarantee that any of this will work,” Doctor Sato warned. “To be honest, I’m surprised it worked as well as it did with you.”

“Really?” Nathan said, surprised.

“Really,” she replied. “I was certain it was going to fail. At the very least, I expected it to take a few decades to achieve any measure of success. As I said, though, your brain structure is unique.”

“All I’m asking for is a chance,” Nathan said. “The Ghatazhak are prepared to die for this cause. But they don’t deserve to become extinct.”

Doctor Sato sighed, looking at Nathan. “They’re a paramilitary organization, Captain, not a species.”

“You once told me you believed that eventually, Nifelmian cloning technology would have to be shared with the rest of humanity. You said that once Pandora’s box was opened, there was no turning back. You also said you believed the Nifelmians’ refusal to develop the technology so it could be used safely on non-Nifelmians was foolish because it could help so many people.”

“Yes, I did,” Doctor Sato admitted. “But I can be a foolish idealist at times.”

“Perhaps this is the beginning,” Nathan suggested.

“The beginning of what?” she wondered. “That’s the question.”

“I’m only asking that you give the Ghatazhak a chance,” Nathan begged. “You thought I deserved a second chance for my sacrifice. Don’t you think the Ghatazhak deserve a second chance for theirs?”

Doctor Sato sighed again. After a moment, she looked sternly at Nathan. “Do not ask me to take shortcuts again.”

“I didn’t ask you to take them the first time,” he replied.

“Just don’t ask,” she reiterated.

“I won’t, I swear,” Nathan promised.

“I say when the hosts are ready,” Doctor Sato insisted. “And I have the final say on whether or not it is safe to attempt to transfer any consciousness into a new, host body.”

“The entire project will be under your control and yours alone,” Nathan assured her. “And who knows, with any luck, enough of them will survive so that cloning them won’t even be necessary.”

“And you understand that, even if it does work, it will take decades to get the hosts ready, if not longer?”

“I understand,” Nathan assured her.

Doctor Sato studied him closely for several moments. She saw in his eyes that he truly believed in what he was asking her to do. Although she had already violated Nifelmian cloning laws, as well as her own ethics, by cloning Nathan, that had been a small step over the line compared to what he was now asking. But he was right. The time would come when cloning technology would be shared with all of humanity. And the idea of completing the work of her deceased friend did appeal to her.

After several moments, she finally acquiesced to the young captain’s charming smile and pleading eyes. “I will give the DTS schematics to your people for fabrication, and I will give Doctor Megel’s experimental algorithms to Deliza.”

“She may not have much time to work on them,” Nathan said.

“Well, she’s got a few years before any stored scans start deteriorating,” Doctor Sato said as she turned to depart. “That’s the best I can do.”

“Thank you, Doctor Sato,” Nathan said.

Michi paused in her tracks, turning back toward Nathan. “I have one more requirement.”

“Anything,” Nathan assured her.

“No one can know about this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean no one,” Doctor Sato repeated. “Not even the Ghatazhak.”

“Don’t you think they’re going to get suspicious when we begin taking scans and collecting their genetic data?” Nathan stated. “They’re not stupid, you know. In fact, they’re probably the smartest people we have.”

“Okay, they can know, but no one else,” Doctor Sato agreed. “And you must make sure they realize that the odds of success are quite abysmal.”

“Agreed.”

“Very well, then,” she said, turning to leave again.

“Doc?” Nathan called after her. “Do you really think it’s that big of a long shot?”

“I do,” she replied as she walked away, “but so were you.”

* * *

“Terig!” Colm yelled from down the hallway.

Terig stopped in his tracks, frozen with fear. A moment later, he recognized the voice calling him, and his fear subsided. “Don’t scare me like that!” he chided his coworker.

“Don’t be so jumpy,” Colm told him as he approached.

“How can you not be?” Terig wondered as the two men continued walking down the hallway toward the communications support center of House Mahtize. “The streets are crawling with Dusahn soldiers.”

“The streets are always crawling with Dusahn soldiers,” Colm insisted, seemingly unbothered.

“Not like this,” Terig insisted. “There are checkpoints on every other corner. I was stopped at least a dozen times between the tram station and here. I was even patted down…twice.”

“I guess they just like you,” Colm joked.

“Not funny.”

“Is that why you’ve been late every day this week?”

“Haven’t you?”

“I leave early. Ever since the Teyentah incident, it’s the only way to get anywhere on time. You should do the same.”

“I was thinking of taking vacation time, to be honest.”

“You just had a vacation,” Colm teased.

“Yeah, I need a vacation from that vacation,” Terig insisted.

“Well, you may get one,” Colm warned. “Mahtize wants to see you.”

“Lord Mahtize?”

“His Majesty, himself,” Colm joked, looking around to make sure none of his supervisors were within earshot. “You must’ve screwed up bad, my friend.”

Terig felt weak and pale. “I don’t remember doing anything wrong,” he lied. The fact was, he had done plenty, most of which could get him fired, arrested, and even executed. He suddenly felt nauseated, as well.

“You don’t look good,” Colm said.

“I don’t feel good, either,” Terig admitted. “Maybe I should take a sick day.”

“Before or after you speak to Mahtize?” Colm reminded him.

“Preferably, before.”

“Did you already check in?” Colm asked.

“At the terminal in the break room,” Terig replied, realizing that it was too late.

“Too bad,” Colm said, slapping Terig on the back. “It’s been nice knowing you,” he joked as he walked away. “Let me know if you need a reference!” he added as he rounded the corner.

Or a good attorney, Terig thought. He stood there a moment, trying to get his stomach to stop fluttering and his hands to quit shaking. In more than a decade working for House Mahtize, he had never once been called into a superior’s office for anything other than his annual review. And he had never been called to speak to Lord Mahtize directly. In fact, the closest he had ever come were a few electronic communiqués. No one from his level was ever sent to Lord Mahtize’s office. Even if he wasn’t in trouble, his supervisor would not be happy that Terig had spoken directly with Lord Mahtize without him present. Such a thing was unheard-of.

A million scenarios ran through his head; none of them good. He was sure he had not seen any Dusahn soldiers within the house or anywhere on the grounds, but then again, if he were about to be arrested, it was doubtful that they would result to such measures. They would simply storm in and take him.

Terig contemplated his options. If he reported to Lord Mahtize as ordered, it was possible that he would be walking into a trap. If he left, and somehow managed to get off House Mahtize grounds without being captured—which seemed unlikely—he might actually be able to evade the Dusahn, at least for a while.

Then he remembered why he had been late: the Dusahn soldiers on every corner. Even if they hadn’t been there, his wife would likely have already been arrested, and he couldn’t bear the thought.

Unfortunately, there was only one way to learn his fate. Terig summoned up all his strength and willpower, and headed for the office of his employer.

* * *

Nathan sat quietly, half-eating, half-picking at his dinner. On the other three sides of the captain’s table sat his three closest friends, each of whom also sat quietly, half-eating and half-picking at their food.

Except for Vladimir, whose plate had very little left on it.

“You guys can talk, you know,” Nathan said.

“Is there enough for seconds?” Vladimir asked as he stuffed the last of his food into his mouth.

Nathan smiled. “I invited you, didn’t I?”

Cameron exchanged a concerned glance with Jessica, then looked at Nathan.

“What?” Nathan wondered, noticing her expression. “Can’t a guy invite his friends over for dinner?”

“Of course,” Cameron replied.

“Telles must have talked to him,” Jessica decided.

Cameron looked at Nathan as if she were expecting confirmation.

“Did it ever occur to you that perhaps I was done mourning and ready to get back to work…on my own?”

“And miss an opportunity to pout?” Cameron remarked not quite under her breath.

“I heard that,” Nathan said.

“You were supposed to.”

“I am your captain, remember,” Nathan chided.

“Only because I allowed it,” Cameron reminded him.

Nathan’s mouth dropped open in surprise. He looked to Jessica for support.

“Truth hurts,” Jessica said with a grin, digging into her meal with a bit more enthusiasm than before.

“It’s alright, Nathan,” Vladimir chimed in as he sat back down with another plateful of food. “Everyone needs a little time to grieve.”

“Thank you,” Nathan replied, nodding his appreciation to Vladimir.

“Some more than others,” Vladimir added as he took another bite of his meal.

“So, this is part of the process?” Cameron wondered. “Normal interaction with friends?”

“Enough,” Nathan warned, a smirk on his face. In truth, the teasing was doing wonders for him emotionally.

“What did Telles say to you?” Vladimir asked, his mouth full.

“He basically told me to cowboy up,” Nathan replied.

“Telles used the term ‘cowboy up’?” Cameron asked in surprise.

“Not in so many words, but that was the underlying message.”

“Yeah, well, thanks for teaching him that expression, by the way,” Jessica scolded. “He used it three times in our security briefing this morning.” She took another bite of her salad. “It just doesn’t work coming from Telles.”

“Well, it is time for you to get back to work,” Cameron said.

“You know, I’m curious why none of you said anything before Telles,” Nathan said.

“You lost your father and four sisters, Nathan,” Jessica said. “Hell, if I lost my whole family, I’d completely lose it.”

“I have a feeling you’d be stronger than you think,” Nathan commented. “But thanks.”

“Well, I’d take more than three days to get over it,” Jessica added.

“I’m not over it, Jess,” Nathan corrected. “I don’t think I’ll ever be over it. But Telles was right. As the leader of this resistance and captain of this ship,” he added, looking at Cameron, “I don’t have the luxury of an extended period of mourning.”

“No one would blame you for needing more time,” Cameron admitted.

“Most everyone has lost people they cared about,” Nathan stated in a matter-of-fact tone, “and were expected to put it behind them and carry on. Why should I be any different? Besides, getting back to work will take my mind off it.”

“What about Miri and her kids?” Cameron asked.

“Doctor Chen will do what she can for Miri, so she can safely return to stasis along with her children.”

Cameron did not respond.

“Have they thought about dosing her up with nanites?” Jessica wondered.

“She already has,” Nathan replied. “The problem is that she requires a lot of very close monitoring, which means she would have to stay aboard the Aurora. I cannot allow that; not while we’re going into harm’s way. For the foreseeable future, she will have to remain in stasis and be kept somewhere safe.”

“Where?” Vladimir wondered.

“It will have to be someplace far away from the Dusahn,” Nathan replied. “But where the Seiiki can reach within a day’s travel.”

“Anywhere in that range, you’re going to be recognized,” Jessica warned.

“I doubt it,” Nathan disagreed.

“We’ve been collecting signals intelligence from all over the Pentaurus and Rogen sectors, as well as every sector in between and bordering them,” Jessica explained. “Everyone has heard of your return and of the rebellion you’re leading.”

“Great,” Nathan said. “Then, we shouldn’t have any problem recruiting help.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Jessica stated. “They’ve also heard about the Dusahn glassing Ybara and Burgess. Most people think you’re nuts, and they think the same about anyone who follows you.”

Nathan sighed. “Then, I guess we’ll have to go further out. Either way, we need to get them someplace safe as soon as possible.”

“Are you expecting trouble?” Cameron wondered.

“No,” Nathan replied. “I’m expecting to start some, though.”

CHAPTER TWO

Terig Espan fought to remain calm as he entered Lord Mahtize’s outer office. Every instinct in him was telling him to flee, to find his wife, confess his sins, beg her to forgive him, and run away to hide. Yet something prodded him forward.

“Mister Espan?” the receptionist greeted.

Her words caught him off guard. “Uh, yes.”

“Lord Mahtize is expecting you,” she replied. “It will be just a few moments. Would you like something to drink?”

“Uh, no thank you,” Terig replied, frozen in fear.

The receptionist cast a bewildered look his way. “Would you like to sit while you wait?” she suggested, pointing toward the overstuffed chairs behind him.

“Uh, yes, of course,” Terig replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Terig took a breath, turned, and walked over to the chairs to sit. As expected, they were amazingly comfortable, which should have distracted him and put him at ease. Unfortunately, they only served as a reminder of just how much power men like his employer had over Terig and others like him. Every Takaran who was not born into nobility envied the lifestyle of such people. Everyone except Terig. He knew the responsibilities the lords of noble houses carried. The lives of not only their families, but of the hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens who lived on their lands, depended on the countless decisions such men made each and every day. In his position, Terig was privy to Lord Mahtize’s conversations, both business and private. In the past, of course, he had paid little attention to them. His job was simply to ensure that they were transcribed, backed up, encrypted, and properly secured. Knowledge of their actual content was rarely required to fulfill his meager responsibilities. It had only been since his return from his ill-fated honeymoon cruise aboard the famed Mystic Empress, that the contents of Lord Mahtize’s communiqués became of interest to him. And now, that interest was likely to be his undoing.

Terig wondered how he might explain himself to his wife. He doubted she would approve of the risk he was taking with both of their lives. She had always warned him that his idealistic ramblings and attitudes would get him into trouble someday. When Lord Ta’Akar had been assassinated eight years ago, Terig had been one of the many protesters speaking out against the responsible noble houses and the new order that had replaced House Ta’Akar. The only reason he had not participated in the movement was because she had refused to marry him unless he agreed to stop taking such idealistic positions. His wife was not one to take risks, especially after what had happened on the Mystic Empress.

When the intercom on the receptionist’s desk beeped, Terig nearly jumped out of his skin, resulting in another bewildered look from the receptionist.

“Mister Espan, Lord Mahtize will see you now.”

Terig felt a lump in his throat and could feel his heart beating as it tried to leap from his chest. His palms were beginning to sweat, and he felt weak and a bit light-headed. Nevertheless, he managed to rise to his feet and turned to face the door to his employer’s office. Just as he thought he was becoming more stable, the massive twin doors swung open on their own, and Terig felt as if he might pass out.

Another deep breath to steady himself, and Terig walked forward, taking careful measure not to appear too meek or arrogant. If he was about to be arrested and turned over to the Dusahn, his best bet would be to pretend to have been forced to help the resistance, for fear of punishment. If he could convince the Dusahn that he had been tricked by the smooth-talking, legendary savior, Na-Tan, and offer his services as a double-agent, feeding the resistance false intelligence given to him by the Dusahn, he might be spared.

Of course, that would only delay the inevitable. Once the resistance discovered his duplicity, they would surely kill him. That woman with Na-Tan, the one who had given him the crash course in covert intelligence gathering, had a dark side to her. She was the one who had killed Caius Ta’Akar and many others, from what he had heard. And Na-Tan had the legendary Ghatazhak at his command. Such people had no qualms about killing traitors.

At least his wife would be spared. Even the Ghatazhak did not kill for spite. However, he was not so sure about that Nash woman.

The office of the leader of House Mahtize was probably one of the least opulent of all the noble houses of Takara. Even so, its decor was far above anything Terig was accustomed. It even surpassed those of the Mystic Empress, a ship that was built for people of such wealth and power.

Terig walked into his employer’s office, coming to a stop several meters from his desk. Lord Mahtize said nothing, nor did he look up at Terig. He simply stared at the view screen on his massive desk for what seemed like an eternity.

Terig struggled to control his breathing and keep his legs from failing him, which threatened to leave him in a pile on the floor. His mouth was dry, and he could feel his gut beginning to tie itself into knots. In fact, it took every bit of willpower not to burst out and beg forgiveness at that very moment.

This was it. This was the moment when his life would be changed forever, and for the worse. This was the moment that everything he had worked for fell apart. This was the moment that all of his, and his wife’s, hopes and dreams would be ruined…and all because of his need to do the right thing. He wanted to call his wife at that very moment and tell her that he loved her; since it might be his last opportunity before he was executed.

Lord Mahtize turned off his view screen and then looked at Terig.

Too late.

“Mister Espan,” Lord Mahtize began. “I have called you here on a matter of the utmost importance.”

Terig tried to respond with, “Yes, my lord,” as expected, but he was quite sure all that came out was a squeak.

“Recent events require that I take unusual steps to protect this noble house and all those who serve it.”

Terig swallowed hard. “How may I assist you, my lord?” he managed to say.

“A few weeks ago, I had a visit from an old friend, one going by the name of Tensen Dalott.” Lord Mahtize studied Terig for a moment, looking for a reaction to the name. “Do you remember the meeting?”

“Only that it occurred, my lord,” Terig lied, surprising himself.

Lord Mahtize studied the young man a bit longer. “You are unaware of the nature of our conversation on that day?” he asked.

“It is not my place to listen to such recordings, my lord, only to process and store them securely, in case you ever need to reference them at a later date.”

Lord Mahtize did not look amused as he pushed the button on his console. “All recording devices have been turned off, Mister Espan. You may speak freely now. Since this is not an opportunity that I offer many people, I suggest you do not waste it by further lying.”

Terig felt a chill wash over him. “My lord?” he asked, trying to appear innocent.

“I am aware that you copied that recording,” Lord Mahtize stated.

“It is standard procedure to create backups of all recorded conversations from this office,” Terig said in his defense.

“There are levels to our data infrastructure that even those with your expertise are unaware.”

“I’m sorry, my lord, I do not understand.”

“A ‘shadow’ system is what I call it,” Lord Mahtize explained. “Every action, every command, every transaction…everything is done on two complete networks. The second system shadows the first.”

“A redundant backup, in case the first system crashes. I am aware of this,” Terig assured his employer.

“And are you aware of the third network, which shadows the second?”

Terig felt a lump in his throat. “No, my lord.”

“Understandably, as I am the only one who knows of its existence.”

“But that would require additional infrastructure,” Terig said, finding Lord Mahtize’s claim difficult to believe.

“Unless the third network exists only as a virtual network,” Lord Mahtize replied. “Oddly enough, the third network showed one less transaction…at your console, nonetheless.”

“There must be some mistake,” Terig insisted.

“You copied my conversation with Tensen Dalott to some sort of undetectable data storage device,” Lord Mahtize stated. “One that the third virtual network could not duplicate; hence, the missing transaction.”

“My lord, I assure you…”

“Because of this discrepancy, I had you followed. You met with Mister Dalott. You even went to his hotel room and told him how to communicate with the Karuzari.”

“I…I…” Terig had no words.

Lord Mahtize shook his head. “Foolish boy. If I could figure this out, do you think the Dusahn could not? Do you realize the position you have put this house—my house—in? If the Dusahn learn of our connection with the Karuzari, we will all be executed. My entire family will be penniless, and everyone you know will be unemployed. Is that what you wanted?”

“I…I…”

“Damn that Suvan. He was wrong to back Casimir seven years ago, and he was wrong to go against the Dusahn.” Lord Mahtize leaned back in his chair, sighing. “And I was foolish to support him.”

Terig was becoming confused. “My lord?”

“You spoke with him, didn’t you?”

“With Captain Navarro? Yes,” Terig admitted.

“I am speaking of Captain Scott.”

“Yes, my lord, aboard the Mystic Empress.”

“How did he convince you, of all people, to become his spy?”

“I volunteered, my lord.”

“Apparently, you and Suvan were cut from the same cloth,” Lord Mahtize commented. “It appears I have underestimated you, Mister Espan.”

“I am sorry, my lord,” Terig insisted. “Truly, I am.”

“The question is what to do with you.”

“I can resign, my lord,” Terig offered. That would certainly relieve him of his responsibilities in the eyes of the Karuzari.

“That would only draw attention,” Lord Mahtize said, “causing the Dusahn to dig further into our backgrounds. They would deduce that Tensen was Suvan and that we grew up together.”

“What can I do, my lord?” Terig asked, beginning to see a glimmer of hope that he might not be facing execution at the hands of the Dusahn. “I will do anything to make this right.”

“You will replace the recording of that meeting with the one on this,” Lord Mahtize told him, pushing a small data card across the desk toward Terig.

“But the change will be logged, as well,” Terig said.

“That is the idea,” Lord Mahtize stated.

“But if the Dusahn do investigate…”

“They will discover that you were sending intelligence to the Karuzari.”

Terig was again confused. “But the Dusahn have ways of getting to the truth. I heard those recordings. I know that you got Captain Navarro a job on the Teyentah, so they will know.”

“Oh, do not worry, my boy. I’ll see that you die in a tragic accident long before it comes to that,” Lord Mahtize replied, laughing. “And your lovely, young wife will be left penniless, as a result of your untimely demise.”

“But my lord…”

“If you wish to avoid such a tragic end, see to it that there is nothing left to cause the Dusahn to suspect either of us,” Lord Mahtize suggested.

“Yes, my lord,” Terig replied. He was uncertain if he was out of trouble, but at least for now, he was not being handed over to the Dusahn. “Is there anything else, my lord?”

“Yes,” Lord Mahtize replied. “Was it really him? Was it really Nathan Scott?”

“Yes, my lord. I believe it was.”

“And he had the Ghatazhak with him?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And the Aurora?”

“I did not see the Aurora,” Terig admitted, “but that was my understanding.”

Lord Mahtize shook his head in disbelief, almost smiling. “I never thought I’d find myself happy to hear that the Aurora, and especially Captain Scott, had returned.”

And yet again, Terig Espan found himself confused.

* * *

Nathan walked the corridors of B deck, headed forward toward the medical section. Having originally been designed as a linear FTL ship, the Aurora had bigger, more complete facilities than ships being built from the ground up as jump ships. Even Earth’s first Protector-class ship, the Cape Town, did not have as much space dedicated to the care of her crew, despite the fact that her crew was three times the size of the Aurora’s.

Nathan had spent very little time away from the command deck these last four days. Other than the time he had spent watching the interrogation of the young marine tasked by Galiardi with the assassination of Nathan’s father. He was not surprised to see the decks of his ship bustling with activity. All around him were new faces, some of them vaguely familiar. So many of the rescued Corinari had donned uniforms and joined the Aurora’s crew that the ship was now fully staffed, and then some.

“Captain.”

Nathan stopped in his tracks, the voice sounding oddly familiar. He turned to look down the corridor to his right and spotted Jonas Prechitt. He was slightly older and a bit more haggard looking than he remembered, but it was the same smile and confident eyes that Nathan had trusted as his CAG so many years ago. “Major Prechitt,” Nathan greeted, smiling back.

“Commander,” he corrected, pointing to the insignia on his newly acquired uniform as he approached. “Your quartermaster didn’t carry anything with our ranks on them,” he added, reaching out to shake Nathan’s hand. “Commander is the closest rank they had.”

“I suppose not. How are you doing? You look…”

“A little ragged, I know,” the commander admitted, patting the two weeks of growth on his face and neck. “Doc says not to shave until the scars under it heal.”

“Of course,” Nathan replied sympathetically. “I’m sure you’ll find things a bit more relaxed aboard the Aurora these days,” he assured him.

“You wouldn’t know it by your XO,” the commander chuckled. “She’s already busting my men’s asses trying to get them up to speed. A lot has changed around here.”

“Yes, it has,” Nathan agreed. “I can ask her to ease up if your men aren’t ready for it.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Commander Prechitt replied. “It’s good for them to have a purpose after two weeks in captivity.”

“Rough time of it?” Nathan wondered, already knowing the answer.

“For some of us more than others,” the commander admitted. “I’m headed to medical for a nanite booster, now.”

“I’m headed there myself,” Nathan replied, gesturing for the commander to join him.

“I heard about your family, Nathan,” the commander said, his tone changing. “I’m terribly sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, Jonas.”

“How is Miri doing?”

“She’s stable,” Nathan replied. “I’m going to check on her, now.”

“I wanted to thank you for rescuing us,” Commander Prechitt told him as they walked. “I would have done so earlier, but things have been a bit hectic, and I figured you needed some space to grieve.”

“Thank you,” Nathan replied, “but I think I’ve taken too much time already. Like your men, I need to get back to work.”

“Of course. Anyway, thank you for rescuing us.”

“You would have done the same for us,” Nathan replied.

“I would surely love to hear the details of how you were rescued from a prison cell on the Jung homeworld,” the commander said. “That has to be a hell of a tale.”

“Perhaps later,” Nathan promised. “And you’re right, it is. Has Captain Taylor offered you your new posting yet?”

“Not yet,” the commander replied. “You guys need pilots, though, so I figured I’d start there. It’s been a few years since I’ve flown, so I expect I’ll need to brush up on my skills first.”

“I talked to Cam this morning, and she has other plans for you,” Nathan told him.

“I see. I can’t wait to find out.”

“How does second officer sound?” Nathan said.

“For the entire ship?” the commander asked, a bit surprised.

“If you’re up to it.”

“Uh, I don’t know what to say,” Jonas admitted. “I don’t remember the Aurora having a second officer.”

“Like I said, things have changed a bit,” Nathan explained. “I’m going to be away from the ship for a while, and it won’t be the last time, I’m afraid. In fact, I expect to be away from the ship quite regularly, and whenever I’m gone, Cameron needs to have backup.”

“Wouldn’t that be the role of your chief of the boat?”

“He was killed in action recently,” Nathan told him. “Doran Montrose has agreed to take over, but as good a man as he is, he doesn’t have the tactical and command training that you have…or the experience.”

“I’d be honored,” Jonah assured him. “But I’m going to have to study my ass off to get up to speed on all of the ship’s procedures and capabilities. I imagine those have changed a bit in the last seven years, as well.”

“Well, since Cameron is the one who changed them, I’m sure she can help you out there.”

“I won’t let you down, Nathan,” Jonah assured him as they reached the Aurora’s medical center.

“Of that, I have zero doubt,” Nathan replied, offering him another smile and handshake. “Congratulations, Commander. I’ll let the XO know that you’ve been notified of your new assignment.”

“Thank you, sir,” the commander said, shaking Nathan’s hand again. Before parting company, Jonas stepped back and offered Nathan a proper salute, which Nathan promptly returned.

Although most of the Corinari had been treated and released days ago, the Aurora’s medical department was still a beehive of activity. More than a dozen had received serious injuries, including several Ghatazhak. At first, the sudden influx of patients nearly overwhelmed the Aurora’s meager medical staff, but the Corinari had returned the favor and come to their rescue. Every member of the Corinari was fully trained in emergency medical care, and many of them had additional training in battlefield trauma care. Their training had been instrumental in the treating of more than four hundred patients in the last three days. Even now—though they, themselves, were still recuperating from both physical and mental injuries of their own—the Corinari were helping to care for the more serious patients in the ship’s recovery ward. Such was the nature of the legendary Corinari and was the reason Nathan felt an increase in the confidence of the Aurora’s capabilities going forward. He had a ship, and now he had a crew to properly utilize her.

Nathan found Doctor Chen bouncing between the critical care and post-op wards, as usual. As one of only three doctors aboard the Aurora—one of whom had no experience in trauma care—her hands were more than full. “Doctor Chen,” Nathan called as he approached the nursing station in the middle of the ward. “A moment?”

“Only a moment,” the overworked physician warned.

“I wanted to ask about my sister.”

“There have been no significant changes,” Melei assured him. “If there were, I would have notified you.”

“I know; I’m sorry for bothering you. I didn’t come to check on her condition. I came to ask a question.”

“How may I help you, Captain?”

“I need to know if Miri can be moved someplace safe, and if so, how doing so might affect her prognosis.”

Both of Doctor Chen’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s a complicated question, Nathan. Where were you thinking of moving her and why?”

“The where I haven’t figured out, yet,” Nathan admitted. “As to the why, well, she’s the last family I have, and keeping her on this ship puts her at risk.”

“So does moving her out of this facility,” Doctor Chen insisted. “This is the only fully equipped medical facility in the fleet, you know. I suppose you could move her to a hospital on Rakuen, but they don’t really know much about nanite therapy.”

“Moving her to Rakuen is just as risky as keeping her here,” Nathan insisted. “How much would her caretakers need to know about nanite therapy in order to care for her?”

Melei thought for a moment. “Well, at the very least, they’d need a supply of nanites to give her boosters on a regular basis. They’d also need command and control gear to monitor the nanites.”

“What about diagnostic gear?” Nathan asked.

“A full-body, high-res medical scanner would be ideal,” she explained. “One like ours, that can communicate with the nanite command and control gear, would be even better.”

“Do we have extra?”

“Extra?”

“Command and control gear, medical scanners, that kind of stuff.”

“Our field scanners have command and control systems for nanites, but they are somewhat limited in their ability to task the nanites. She needs a full-body scanner like the ones we use.”

“‘Ones?’” Nathan wondered. “I thought we had just the one scanner.”

“We have a second in storage, in case the first fails. We can also put it into service on short notice if need be,” Doctor Chen explained. “I almost did so two days ago.”

“Maybe we can take the spare?”

“And leave us without it?” Doctor Chen objected. “I don’t think that’s wise, Captain.”

“We can fabricate a replacement,” he argued. “We’ve got plenty of manpower.”

“You need technical expertise, not manpower,” she corrected.

“The Ghatazhak brought most of their technicians with them,” Nathan replied. “We can have them assemble it.”

“It will take a few weeks,” she warned. “It’s a very complex and precise piece of diagnostic equipment. Besides, someone will have to teach its new owners how to use it.”

“Any trained physician should be able to interpret the scans, right?” Nathan asked.

“Yes, but…”

“It has a manual, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, but…”

“So, if we find a hospital with qualified medical personnel, and we give them one of our full-body, high-res medical scanners, the nanite command and control gear, and an adequate supply of nanites…”

“…And training on how to use them…” Doctor Chen added.

“…And training on how to use them,” Nathan repeated in agreement, “then, theoretically, she should be all right.”

“Theoretically, yes.”

“Perhaps even better off, since she won’t be in harm’s way,” Nathan added.

“Perhaps,” Doctor Chen admitted. “But this is your sister, Nathan. Your last living family. Are you sure you want to trust her care to strangers?”

“It’s not a matter of what I want, Doc. It’s about what’s right for Miri and her children.”

Doctor Chen sighed. “I suppose, if you kept her in stasis most of the time and only brought her out for a few days at a time to allow her tissues to respond to the nanite therapy, you could considerably reduce the risk of complications. Of course, then you add the requirement of knowing how to properly operate a stasis pod.”

“Stasis pods have been around for centuries, Doc,” Nathan reminded her. “At least they have in this part of the galaxy.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Melei admitted. “How soon would you be moving her?”

“It’s going to take me a few days to find someplace suitable and make all the arrangements,” Nathan explained. “But I’d like her to at least be moved to the Mystic Empress’s sick bay until I’m ready to move her to a more long-term solution.”

“The Mystic’s sick bay is pretty rudimentary, Nathan,” Melei warned. “It’s more like an urgent-care clinic than a hospital.”

“They’re working on it,” Nathan assured her. “Besides, it would only be for a few days…a week at the most, and they can keep her in stasis the whole time.”

“If she had to be in stasis for the long term, it would be better if she stayed here, where I could continue her nanite therapy, until you find the right place for her,” Doctor Chen suggested.

“But if the Dusahn attack while I’m gone…”

“Then the Mystic would likely be at just as much risk as the Aurora,” Doctor Chen insisted. “Probably more so. Aren’t the Mystic’s shields much weaker than ours?”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Nathan admitted.

“If the Aurora needs to go into combat while you’re gone, I can put Miri back into stasis and move her to the Mystic before we go into action,” Doctor Chen promised.

“So, you’re good with this plan?” Nathan asked.

“Not at all,” Doctor Chen disagreed. “But it’s not my call, Nathan, it’s yours…both as captain and as Miri’s only relative. Just make sure it’s a real hospital, and not some backwater planet out in the middle of nowhere.”

“Understood,” Nathan agreed. “Be ready to move her into stasis on a moment’s notice,” he instructed. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“You’re leaving now?”

“The sooner the better,” Nathan replied as he departed.

* * *

Nathan walked across the Aurora’s main hangar deck, toward the large starboard transfer airlock that had become the Seiiki’s personal hangar. As he approached, he could see Marcus and Dalen working under the port side, between the hull and the port engine nacelle.

Marcus noticed Nathan as he approached and moved out from under the ship, straightening up as he pulled out a rag and wiped his hands. “What’s up, Captain? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I’ve been a bit preoccupied,” Nathan admitted.

“I can imagine,” Marcus replied. “Sorry about your loss, Nathan.”

“Thanks. Where is everyone?” Nathan asked, looking around.

“Neli’s inside, and Josh and Loki are on the Mystic having lunch with Loki’s wife and Kaylah Yosef.”

“How’s the ship?”

“Not bad, all things considered. She took a hell of a pounding in the Darvano system, though.”

“Can she fly?”

“Sure, but I wouldn’t take her into combat just yet. Not until we get the port ventral shield emitters replaced.”

“Port docking thrusters are still iffy, as well,” Dalen added, coming out from under the port side to join them. “Sorry to hear about your family, Cap’n.”

“Thanks,” Nathan replied. “What about those docking thrusters?”

“Flow diverters along the port side are kind of sticky. They need to be overhauled or replaced.”

“How are the maneuvering thrusters?” Nathan asked.

“They’re good to go,” Dalen assured him.

“Then we can dial them down and use them as backup docking thrusters,” Nathan decided.

“Even dialed down to minimums, the maneuvering thrusters are still ten times more powerful,” Dalen warned. “Try to dock with them, and it ain’t gonna be pretty.”

“How long will it take to overhaul the diverters?” Nathan wondered.

“At least a week,” Dalen replied. “You have to expose the entire port side to get to the damn things. Crappy-ass design, if you ask me.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to use the maneuvering thrusters,” Nathan decided.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Captain, where the hell are you planning on docking?” Marcus asked.

“Sanctuary, if I can find it.”

“Sanctuary?”

“I thought that place was a myth,” Dalen said.

“Ain’t no myth, kid,” Marcus assured him.

“You’ve been there?” Nathan asked, a bit surprised.

“Yup, and I’d prefer not to go back, if you get my meaning.”

“Why?”

“I heard it was crazy there,” Dalen exclaimed with youthful excitement. “You can get anything you want on Sanctuary. They’ve even got some kind of VR suites there. Supposed to be as real as it gets,” Dalen winked. “If you know what I mean.”

Nathan looked to Marcus. “Is that true?”

“Sure,” Marcus replied.

“Then why don’t you want to go back there?” Nathan wondered.

“Place can be a bit dangerous. Every two-bit con man, smuggler, or pirate in the Parre sector calls it home. Gotta keep your wits about you if you want to get out alive, which automatically leaves Josh and Dalen out.”

“That bad, huh?” Nathan said.

“I can handle myself,” Dalen insisted.

“Right. I barely made it out alive,” Marcus insisted, “and I was one of them.”

“What do you mean ‘one of them?’” Nathan wondered.

“Well, as you’ve probably guessed by now, Cap’n, parts of my past are, shall we say, a bit questionable.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured that out a while back,” Nathan teased.

“Then, we’ve got an experienced guide,” Dalen exclaimed. “This is gonna be great!”

“Your dumb ass is staying on the ship,” Marcus insisted.

“No way,” Dalen argued.

“Why the hell do you want to go to Sanctuary, Cap’n?” Marcus asked, ignoring Dalen.

“I’ll explain later,” Nathan replied. “How long until we can get this thing launched?”

“How soon do you want to leave?” Dalen asked.

“As soon as I fetch our pilots,” Nathan replied, turning to depart. “Keep our destination to yourselves, for now, and tell Neli to prep us for at least two weeks of travel, just in case. Oh, and acquire anything you think might work as trade for services from the Aurora’s stores,” he added as he walked away.

“You got it,” Marcus replied. He turned to Dalen. “Well, fuck.”

“We’re going to Sanctuary!” Dalen exclaimed, eagerly returning to his work to get the ship ready to depart.

Marcus sighed as he headed up the Seiiki’s ramp. “This is not gonna go well,” he grumbled. “NELI!”

* * *

“To be honest, Mister Espan, I find myself somewhat envious of you,” Lord Mahtize admitted as he rose from his desk.

“My lord?” Terig asked, now more confused than ever and becoming a bit nervous as his employer circled his desk to stand before him.

“I, too, dislike the Dusahn. I suspect we all have an equal dislike for them,” Lord Mahtize explained as he sat on the edge of his massive desk. “They restrict trade, interfere with business, take more than half our profits in outlandish taxes, and then have the nerve to expect us to believe they are improving our society. The fact is, the Dusahn are like a swarm of esani beetles. They consume everything of value, leaving the skeleton of the plant to wither and die. At least Caius had the presence of mind to do what was necessary to keep the noble houses on his side. The Dusahn only pretend to help us.”

“But Caius was an oppressive madman.”

“That he was,” Lord Mahtize agreed, “but he knew that a strong economy and high profits kept the people happy and healthy, and the tax money flowing in earnest. Caius did not tolerate disloyalty, but at least he rewarded loyalty. The Dusahn will strip us of everything we have and of everything we are, and when we no longer serve a purpose, they will move on, abandoning us to wither and die a slow, lingering death. This cannot be allowed to happen. That is why I helped Suvan Navarro, not because we once played torra ball together as children.”

Terig stood there, paralyzed with uncertainty. “I don’t understand, my lord,” he confessed.

“Like you, Suvan had the luxury of having nothing more than his life to risk. I do not have that luxury. However, I do have something that is nearly as good. I have you.”

“Me?”

“Indeed. I am privy to all sorts of information that would be of help to the Karuzari. In addition, I have many contacts, all of whom share my general dislike of the Dusahn. And now, I have you as my scapegoat.”

“My lord?”

“I’m hoping this is just your nerves, and that you are not really this slow,” Lord Mahtize commented. “You are my safety net. Should the Dusahn discover what we are doing, all evidence will point away from me and directly at you as the sole conspirator within House Mahtize. I will likely suffer some disfavor with the Dusahn, of course, which will cost my house significant revenue, to be sure, but it will be far better than the alternative.”

Terig looked skeptical. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this, my lord.”

“I’m not giving you a choice,” Lord Mahtize reminded him. “If you do not cooperate, I will log on, using your credentials, and delete the files, then I will report you to the Dusahn. You will be executed, and your wife will be left alone to suffer the shame of your actions, if she, too, is not executed.”

“But they have ways…” Terig stuttered.

“You will die long before they are able to interrogate you, my boy.”

Terig’s fear was quickly developing into anger, and Lord Mahtize was the target.

His employer noticed the change in his expression. “You chose to do the right thing, Mister Espan. You chose to fight the Dusahn to protect your world. While I want to do the same, I cannot risk everyone else’s well-being in such a way. I am offering you the chance to do far more than you could have done on your own, and likely, at far less risk than before. The question is, are your convictions strong enough to overcome your fears?”

“But I am the one who will be taking all the risk,” Terig pointed out.

“That is true,” Lord Mahtize confirmed.

“Myself and my wife.”

“That is also true.”

Terig felt as if he might explode. “I can accept the risk to myself, but not to my wife.”

“You have already put her at risk,” Lord Mahtize reminded him.

“You must guarantee her safety,” Terig insisted.

“I cannot do that,” Lord Mahtize insisted. “However, I can promise to do what I can. I will provide for her representation, but…”

“You must promise more than that,” Terig insisted, finally finding his courage. “You are a lord of Takara.”

“But I have no control over the Dusahn. The best I can offer is to take steps to ensure that she appears innocent. However, the Dusahn may choose to punish her as an example to others.”

“Then you must find a way to get her off of Takara.”

“That is also beyond my abilities,” Lord Mahtize insisted, “but perhaps, with my help, the Karuzari could make such arrangements. However, I will do what I can, and should she escape punishment, I will see to her financial well-being in your absence. That is all that I can promise.”

Terig took slow, measured breaths as he considered his employer’s words. “This is not fair.”

“I am offering you a chance of survival, as well as a chance to help your world. You started this, Mister Espan, you and Suvan. What else am I to do?”

“How about you just let me destroy any evidence, and we go on as if nothing ever happened,” Terig suggested.

“I cannot do that,” Lord Mahtize insisted. “For the same reason that you could not turn your back on the Karuzari.”

Terig clenched his teeth together in anger. He did not like being backed into a corner, but his employer was making sense. Terig had gotten himself into this, and he had dragged his wife in along with him. If Lord Mahtize was telling him the truth, the arrangement he was offering was his best hope of survival, for both him and his wife.

“What’s it going to be, Mister Espan?” Lord Mahtize asked.

Terig glared at his employer for several seconds before answered. “Very well, we have a deal. But I’m not calling you my lord any longer.”

“You won’t have to,” Lord Mahtize assured him as he shook Terig’s hand. “This is the last time we will be communicating in person, and all records of this meeting will be deleted, as well.”

“How will we communicate?” Terig wondered.

“Through the shadow network,” Lord Mahtize replied. “It is virtual and has no records of any transactions that occur within itself, only of those occurring in the physical networks that it monitors.”

“But I don’t have access to that network,” Terig reminded him.

Lord Mahtize reached behind him and picked up a data chip from his desk, handing it to Terig. “You do now.”

* * *

Once the place for parties, dances, and just viewing the wonders of the universe, the forward observation deck of the Mystic Empress now served as the main dining area for those who lived and worked aboard the luxury cruise ship. Much of her opulent decor had been stripped away in favor of less ostentatious, easier-to-service trim. Although she no longer carried the visual impact that had made her famous, she was still an impressive ship and a wonderful place for the families of the Karuzari.

On more than one occasion, Nathan had come here to dine, as both the food and the view were better than aboard the Aurora. Most times, he dined with Jessica, who came here as often as possible to spend time with her family and her adopted daughter, Ania.

Everywhere, eyes followed Nathan as he moved across the dining area. Besides Jessica, he was probably the most recognizable person in the fleet. Wherever he looked, he found nods of approval and support. More than one person even expressed their sympathies for his loss. These people not only believed in him, they cared about him, just as he cared about them.

Nathan spotted Josh and Loki near the front of the observation deck. He hated to interrupt when they looked happier than he had seen them in weeks. At least Loki did. Josh always looked happy, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Nathan remembered envying him for that trait during the five years he had flown with him as Connor.

Unfortunately, Nathan had little choice. He did not know how long it might take to find a suitable place to leave Miri and her children, and the sooner they got under way, the better.

Josh was the first to notice Nathan as he approached. “Cap’n!” he called out.

Kaylah turned to look, her eyes immediately widening and her mouth falling open as she got her first look at the man she had thought dead for seven years. “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed in disbelief as she rose from her seat and threw her arms around Nathan.

“Good to see you again, Kaylah,” Nathan greeted as they hugged.

Kaylah pulled herself partly away to take a more detailed look at him. “You look even younger than you did the day I met you,” she exclaimed. “How is that possible?”

“It’s a long story,” Nathan replied. “Thank you for coming. I hear you left a lot behind.”

“Only the best job I ever had,” Kaylah said, “second to working for you, of course. I couldn’t believe it when Chris told me you were alive. Where the hell have you been hiding all these years?”

“Like I said, a long story.”

“One that I’m dying to hear,” Kaylah insisted.

“I’m afraid that will have to wait,” Nathan told her.

“Captain, I don’t believe you’ve ever met my wife, Lael,” Loki said, introducing her.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Nathan greeted.

“Mine as well, Captain,” Lael replied, reaching out to shake Nathan’s hand. “It’s good to finally meet the man my husband cannot say no to.”

“Oh, he can say no,” Nathan insisted. “He just chooses not to most of the time.” Nathan bent over to look at her child in the carrier on the chair next to her. “This must be Ailsa,” he said, smiling at the sleeping child. “You’re a lucky man, Mister Sheehan.”

“I am indeed,” Loki agreed. “Care to join us?”

“I’m afraid I can’t,” Nathan replied. “Even worse, I’m here to take you both back to the Aurora.”

“We’ve got a mission?” Josh asked.

“Something like that, yes.”

“Where are we going?” Josh wondered.

“I’ll have to brief you on the way,” Nathan said.

“How long will we be gone?” Loki wondered.

“Hopefully no more than a week, at the most,” Nathan replied. “I wouldn’t interrupt your free time, but this mission is something that cannot wait.”

“Are we going into combat?” Josh asked.

“Nothing like that, I assure you,” Nathan replied. “In fact, we’re going to do the opposite. Sort of a recruiting mission, you might say.”

“Sounds fun,” Josh exclaimed. “Gotta go, babe,” he told Kaylah, kissing her on the cheek as he rose from his chair.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Lael,” Nathan said. “I apologize for pulling your husband away on such short notice, but I need my best pilots for this mission.”

“And that’s us,” Josh bragged as he pulled on his jacket.

“That’s alright, Captain,” Lael assured him. “Just bring him back alive, that’s all I ask.”

“That is always my goal,” Nathan replied. He turned to Kaylah. “It was wonderful to see you again, Kaylah.”

“You as well, Captain,” Kaylah replied. “Don’t forget, you owe me a full explanation.”

“I’ll remember,” Nathan promised. “Gentlemen, our shuttle awaits.”

* * *

Nathan had said little about their destination on the ride back from the Mystic Empress, only admitting that the goal of their mission was to locate and secure some very specialized services that were needed. While not knowing precisely where they were going was killing Josh, Loki was content with the knowledge that they were headed away from the Dusahn, for once.

“You’re gonna have to tell us eventually,” Josh insisted as they walked across the Aurora’s hangar bay toward the Seiiki. “We’re the ones doin’ the flyin’, remember?”

“We’re probably going to more than one place,” Nathan admitted. “I’m not sure, yet.”

“When are you going to know?” Josh wondered.

“Once we get to the first place,” Nathan replied as they turned the corner and headed toward the large, open starboard transfer airlock and their waiting ship.

“And where is that?” Josh begged.

“Sanctuary,” Jessica said from the top of the Seiiki’s cargo ramp.

“Uh-oh,” Loki said, spotting Jessica.

“Outstanding,” Josh exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

“I thought it was a myth,” Loki said.

“Then why did you say ‘uh-oh?’” Josh wondered.

“Because she’s coming along with us,” Loki said, pointing at Jessica.

“I’m hurt,” Jessica teased as they walked up the ramp toward her.

“No offense, Jess,” Loki said, “you know you’re one of my favorite people, but where you go, trouble usually follows.”

“Part of my charm,” she winked.

“We’re not looking for any trouble,” Nathan warned.

“At Sanctuary?” Jessica laughed. “From what I hear, that place is nothing but trouble.” She looked sternly at Nathan. “What the hell, Nathan? You were going to sneak off to a place like that without me?”

“I was going to tell you,” Nathan assured her. “How did you find out, anyway?”

“Cameron ordered me to go with you,” Jessica explained.

“She ordered you?”

“I believe her exact words were, ‘Don’t let that idiot get himself killed.’”

“Her exact words?” Nathan wondered, one eyebrow raised.

“I may be paraphrasing a bit,” she admitted, smiling.

“How did Cam, know?” Nathan wondered. “I haven’t told her yet.”

“When Marcus started pulling precious metals from supply, they notified her, and she called him. I’m pretty sure she thought he was running off with your ship, or something. When Marcus explained that you told him they were going to Sanctuary, you should have heard the expletives fly. That girl’s got more of a potty mouth than I thought.”

“Maybe I’d better talk to her before we go,” Nathan decided.

“Might be a good idea,” Jessica agreed. “She is your XO.”

“I was going to anyway,” Nathan assured her.

“Might have been better to do so before you put the wheels in motion,” Jessica suggested. “You want me to go with you so she doesn’t kill you?”

“Thanks, I think I can handle it.” Nathan looked at Josh. “Get a jump course plotted and ready. We’ll depart as soon as I get back.”

“I don’t even know where Sanctuary is, Cap’n,” Josh told him. “And I’m damn sure it ain’t in our nav database.”

“Ask Marcus,” Nathan suggested as he turned and headed back down the ramp. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Loki looked at Josh. “Marcus knows where Sanctuary is located?”

“That old man is full of surprises,” Josh bragged.

* * *

“Captain!” Vladimir called from behind as Nathan reached the top of the ramp and stepped onto the command deck.

Nathan turned and spotted his friend bounding up the ramp. “Before you start yelling at me, I was going to call you before I left, I swear.”

“I know,” Vladimir assured him as he, too, reached the top of the ramp. “I mean, I already knew you were headed for Sanctuary.”

“What, did Cam tell everyone?”

“Only those of us who needed to know, I’m sure,” Vladimir replied, falling in beside Nathan to join him on his walk forward.

“You can’t go, you know, you’re needed here.”

“I’m needed everywhere,” Vladimir bragged. “But you need me, as well. In fact, you would be foolish to go without me.”

“There are at least twenty major remodeling projects on ten different ships at the moment,” Nathan reminded him. “Every one of which would benefit from your engineering expertise.”

“There are plenty of engineers in our ranks,” Vladimir argued.

“Three of those projects are on this ship.”

“And each has its own project manager,” Vladimir rebutted. “As long as the Aurora is not planning to go on any combat missions while we are gone, my presence is not required.”

“There is not a lot of room on the Seiiki these days,” Nathan reminded him. “We’re already going to be hot bunking, as it is.”

“I already have people installing foldaway bunks in the cargo bay,” Vladimir replied.

“Without checking with me first?”

“I also have them installing two jump comm-drones in your port and starboard utility bays…without asking you first,” Vladimir added sarcastically. “Would you like me to have them stop that, as well as the bunks?”

Nathan stopped in the middle of the corridor. “Actually, that was a pretty good idea.”

“You see, you need an engineer on this mission,” Vladimir argued. “A real engineer, not wrench-monkeys like Marcus and Dalen.”

Nathan studied his friend with a skeptical look on his face.

“Plus, I am great company,” Vladimir added with a smile.

Nathan sighed. “What the hell. I’m already going to get my ass chewed by Cam, anyway,” he acquiesced, continuing toward the bridge.

“A wise decision, my friend,” Vladimir agreed excitedly. “You won’t regret it,” he added as he turned to head back.

Nathan stopped again, surprised that Vladimir was leaving. “Where are you going?”

“To pack a few things and get to the Seiiki.”

“But what about Cam? I could use a little support in there,” Nathan complained.

“No way,” Vladimir chuckled. “She’s your XO.”

Nathan watched in dismay as his chief engineer headed aft. “Thanks a lot!” he yelled after him as his friend disappeared back down the ramp.

* * *

Nathan closed the door to the captain’s ready room and turned to face Cameron. “Before you say anything, I was going to come talk to you before departure, I swear it.”

“I know,” Cameron replied calmly from behind the captain’s desk.

“And we did talk about it last night at dinner, so it’s not like I’m surprising you at the last moment with it.”

“That is correct, but you didn’t say anything about going to a place like Sanctuary,” Cameron replied.

“You know about Sanctuary?”

“I didn’t; not until Marcus filled me in.”

“Okay, let me have it,” Nathan invited, taking a seat and preparing himself for the onslaught.

“I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.”

Nathan looked puzzled.

“I actually agree with your choice of destinations,” she added.

“You do?” Nathan replied, skeptical. “Why?”

“For a number of reasons,” Cameron explained. “First, according to Marcus, you can find anything through Sanctuary. Medical equipment, medical services, weapons, ordnance, technology, information…did I mention weapons and ordnance? This place could be a gold mine of resources for us. In fact, I’ve worked up a list of things you might look into procuring,” she added, handing him a data pad.

Nathan looked at the data pad. “This is a big list,” he commented, one eyebrow raised. “Some of this stuff won’t even fit on the Seiiki, you know.”

“That’s okay,” she replied. “We can send one of our freighters to pick the stuff up. I also included a list of things we can offer in trade. It’s not much, I’m afraid, but I haven’t heard back from the other ships, yet. When I do, I’ll send you an update.”

Nathan leaned back in his chair, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “I was all set for you to chew me out and tell me all the reasons this was a bad idea. Now I don’t know what to say.”

Cameron smiled. “I guess I’ve got you properly conditioned. To be honest, I was pretty worked up after I first spoke to Marcus. You weren’t aboard, so I called Telles. He was the one who convinced me that this mission was a good idea. He even said you probably already knew how important Sanctuary could be to this resistance.”

“He did?”

“He did.” Cameron examined Nathan’s expression for a moment. “Was he right?”

“Of course,” Nathan assured her.

Cameron just stared at him.

“Okay, not really,” Nathan admitted. “I hate it when you do that, you know. But I’m sure I would have figured it out, eventually.”

“Which is why you should talk these things over with us first,” Cameron reminded him. “You have amazing instincts, Nathan, but leaping before you have calculated all the angles is usually far more risky than it needs to be.”

“And sometimes, thinking too much can be just as risky,” Nathan countered.

“That is true,” Cameron agreed. “The trick is knowing when those times are.”

“I have thought this through, you know,” Nathan assured her.

“As far as how it affects Miri and her kids, yes,” Cameron agreed. “I checked with Doctor Chen, as well. But everything you do affects the rest of us. Everything. Remember that.”

“I’ll try,” Nathan replied. “Wait, you talked to Doctor Chen? Isn’t that a violation of doctor-patient confidentiality, or something?”

“It’s my job to second-guess you, Nathan. I’m assuming that’s why you made me your XO.”

“To keep me from doing anything stupid,” Nathan said.

Again, Cameron smiled. “Your words, not mine.”

“Best decision I ever made,” Nathan bragged as he rose from his chair. “I suppose Vlad has already checked with you about coming along.”

“See, you’re smarter than you thought,” Cameron joked.

CHAPTER THREE

“You’re a hard man to find.”

“I heard you were among those rescued,” General Telles said, his eyes never leaving the data pad he was intensely studying. After a moment, the general set down his data pad and looked up at Commander Prechitt. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Commander.”

“How do you do that?” Commander Prechitt wondered, taking a seat across the table from the general. “I’d swear your eyes didn’t stray from that data pad from the moment I entered the galley.”

“The Ghatazhak learn to see with the same accuracy across our entire field of vision.”

“I didn’t know that was even possible.”

“It does take considerable practice,” the general admitted. “Congratulations on your new assignment. Shouldn’t you be aboard the Aurora?”

“I don’t start until tomorrow morning,” the commander replied. “Captain Taylor graciously gave me twenty-four hours to study up on the changes to the Aurora’s systems and procedures.”

“Adequate time, I’m sure,” the general joked. “You’re not eating?” he added, noticing the commander was the only person in the galley who did not have a meal tray in front of him.

“I ate before I set out to find you,” the commander replied.

“Good choice. I’m afraid the food here is not yet up to reasonable standards,” the general admitted.

“I have to admit, it’s pretty clever using a container ship as a host ship for the Ghatazhak,” Commander Prechitt said. “I especially like the double-stacking of the cargo pods along the ventral side. Pretty much doubles your capacity. That’s not going to cause a problem with her jump fields, though, is it?”

“The Soster’s emitters have been replaced with the same type used by rescue tugs,” the general explained.

“I’ve never heard of a rescue tug,” the commander admitted. “Then again, I’ve been out of the loop for a while.”

“Rescue tugs are commonly used to retrieve ships with inoperative jump drives. They latch on to various points along a ship’s hull and then deploy numerous emitters on long, spider-like arms. The jump field they create does not follow the contours of the ship they are rescuing, but instead, creates an oblong ‘jump bubble’ around the disabled vessel.”

“That’s incredible,” the commander stated. “How big of a ship can they rescue?”

“If they have enough tugs, there is no theoretical limit,” the general said. “Although, the largest ship I have heard of them rescuing was a Parquori-class tanker. I believe they moved it forty-seven light years, one light year at a time.”

“Amazing.”

“The jump bubble will give the Soster the ability to encompass smaller, nearby ships and bring them along in the jump.”

“Rapid deployment and recovery,” the commander realized. “Nice. I also like how you guys converted the forward half of her cargo bay into a staging and training area.”

“Yes, it will be quite useful,” the general agreed. “But surely you did not come here to congratulate me on our clever repurposing of the Soster.”

“I’m actually here at the request of the Corinari.”

“All of the Corinari?” the general wondered.

“About half of those rescued, actually,” the commander admitted. “Mostly the Sciorsi and some of the ex-shuttle pilots, crew chiefs, and flight-line techs.” Commander Prechitt paused for a moment. “They wish to join your ranks, General.”

“An admirable gesture, to be sure,” General Telles replied. “But Ghatazhak training begins at the onset of puberty and takes more than a decade to complete.”

“They have no delusions of becoming true Ghatazhak, General,” the commander assured him. “But they could be of significant use to you and your men. You do need pilots and deck support techs, do you not? And the Sciorsi are the best of the Corinari. Granted, their education and mental training cannot compare to that of the Ghatazhak, but they are skilled soldiers, nonetheless.”

“Of that, I have no doubt,” the general admitted. “But the Ghatazhak are effective because we have all gone through the same training and continue to do so. In this way, each man knows what the other will do. We move quickly, fire with absolute precision, and complete our tasks in the most efficient manner possible.”

“As do the Sciorsi Rangers.”

“More importantly, the Ghatazhak are able to accept the brutality of combat and of what we must often do to achieve our goals. This, above all else, is what gives the Ghatazhak an edge over all other forces. Normal men suffer the horrors of war. Eventually, most either suffer psychological breakdowns of some sort or become abnormally brutal and aggressive. Either way, they become ineffective or unsafe, or both.”

“The Sciorsi Rangers are as tough mentally as they are physically,” Commander Prechitt insisted.

“Perhaps…they were,” the general pointed out. “How long has it been since they disbanded?”

“Six years,” the commander sighed. “I admit, they will need some retraining, but you would need to train them anyway, right? And I know for a fact that most of them have been meeting and training together at secret camps all over Corinair since they were disbanded.”

General Telles looked skeptical. “I am grateful for the gesture, Commander…”

“They’re not asking to be Ghatazhak,” the commander reminded him. “They’re asking to be Sciorsi Rangers under the command of the Ghatazhak. General, you lost a hundred of your men rescuing the Sciorsi. They simply want to help protect those of you who remain. Equip them, train them, and use them how you see fit. But do not let them stand on the sidelines. They need to contribute to the liberation of their world…of all worlds. They are Corinair’s Ghatazhak. Give them a chance to show you what they can do.”

General Telles examined Commander Prechitt for a moment before speaking. “Kainan, Latfee, and Torwell.”

“Pardon?” the commander replied, confused.

“They became my combat shuttle crew back on Earth,” General Telles explained. “They, along with a few dozen other Corinari pilots and technicians, stayed with us after leaving Earth. Those three men, in particular, have proven themselves to be invaluable. Time and again, I have seen those three succeed in situations where others would surely fail. If the Corinari who wish to join us are half as good as them, the Ghatazhak will be honored to have them by our side.”

Commander Prechitt smiled. “Thank you, General.”

“Where are these men currently billeted?” the general wondered. “I will arrange their transport.”

“They are spread all over the fleet, I’m afraid.”

“How many Sciorsi are volunteering?” the general asked.

“All of them,” the commander replied. “Three hundred and eighty-seven, to be exact.”

“I see,” General Telles said, rethinking the situation. “I suspect we will have to acquire a few more ships, then,” he added with a slight grin.

* * *

Nathan came up the Seiiki’s ramp, slowing as he reached the top, surprised by the number of people in the cargo bay. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

“Just getting things squared away, Cap’n,” Marcus assured him. “We’ll be ready to depart shortly.”

“Why so many techs?” Nathan wondered as several of the Aurora’s engineering technicians moved passed him, nodding their respects as they headed out the back of the Seiiki.

“Vlad made a few last-minute changes,” Marcus replied.

“Like what?”

“With all the extra gear, there wasn’t enough room for more than four bunks back here, so he reconfigured the cabins, as well.”

“There are only eight of us going,” Nathan said. “And we already have enough bunks to hot rack. We’re only going to be gone a week, and most of that will probably be spent off the Seiiki.”

“You have to talk to Vlad about that,” Marcus replied. “He still thinks he’s in command when you’re not here.”

“What is all this stuff?” Nathan asked, looking at all the containers being secured by the loading crew.

“Precious metals, medical supplies, consumables, and weapons.”

“We already have weapons.”

“Not enough, according to Jess,” Marcus explained, pointing down the ramp.

Nathan turned around, spotting Jessica and four Ghatazhak soldiers in civilian attire coming up the ramp, each of them carrying a small duffel bag in one hand and a gear bag in the other. “What’s going on here, Jess?” His eyes suddenly widened. “And what happened to your hair?”

“What, you don’t like it?” she wondered, tossing her new, shorter hairdo about.

“It’s fine, but…why?”

“To make you this,” she said, pulling out a wig.

“What is that for?” Nathan wondered, pointing at the wig in her hand.

“You’re going to be Connor Tuplo again,” she explained. “At least for this mission.”

“What’s with the entourage?” he wondered.

“I decided to bring a few friends along, just in case,” Jessica replied.

“We’re not going into combat, Jess,” Nathan argued.

“We’re going to a massive space station in the middle of nowhere, full of criminals and ne’er-do-wells from at least a half-dozen different sectors, all of whom wouldn’t blink an eye at shooting us and taking your ship.”

“We’ve been to such places before,” Nathan said. “We’ll be fine.”

“I know we will,” Jessica said, passing by him. “Because I brought friends with guns,” she added with a smile. “Stow your gear in the forward lockers and find yourself a bunk, guys,” she told her comrades following her. “We’ve got a full day’s journey ahead of us.”

“Jess,” Nathan objected, taking her arm and pulling her aside.

“I’m your tactical officer and chief of security,” Jessica reminded him. “This is my call. You need to trust me on this, Nathan. I know these kinds of places and the scum who inhabit them. We’ve been running jobs into places like this for years, and a little well-trained muscle can come in real handy.”

“But twelve of us?” Nathan objected. “This ship isn’t that big.”

“There’s plenty of room,” Jessica insisted.

“She’s right, Cap’n,” Marcus agreed. “About the room and about the extra men.”

“Twelve people, for a week?” Nathan reminded.

“Vlad had techs convert three of the cabins to double bunks,” Marcus explained.

“Only three?”

“No way Neli was going to let them touch our cabin,” Marcus said.

“And my men will bunk back here,” Jessica explained.

“Do they really need all that gear?” Nathan wondered as he noticed the Ghatazhak unpacking their combat body armor and storing it in the lockers under the forward landing.

“Better to be over prepared,” Jessica insisted.

Nathan looked at Marcus. “Do we have enough food and water for everyone?”

“When Neli found out how many people were going, she traded in most of our food for meal kits,” Marcus explained. “Not quite as tasty as her cookin’, but there was no way she was going to try to cook for twelve people in our little galley.”

Nathan sighed. “Seems like overkill, but I have a feeling I’m going to lose this argument.”

“That’s why you’re the captain,” Jessica said sarcastically. “Cuz you’re so smart.” She turned toward her men. “Guys, this is Captain Scott. Captain, this is Lieutenant Torren Rezhik, Corporal Kit Vasya, and Specialists Mori Brill and Jokay Deeks.”

“Pleasure to meet you, gentlemen,” Nathan said. “Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Lieutenant Rezhik replied on behalf of his men.

“Jess, a word?” Nathan said, moving toward the port access ladder. “Button her up and get us moving, Marcus.”

“Aye, Cap’n,” Marcus replied.

Nathan headed up the access ladder, climbing up onto the port catwalk and disappearing into the corridor. Once Jessica passed through the hatch behind him, he spoke up. “What the hell are we supposed to do with four Ghatazhak?”

“Security, tactical strike, whatever we need them to do,” Jessica said.

“I was thinking this would be a low-profile op.”

“No reason why it can’t be,” Jessica insisted. “They can stay on the ship the entire time.”

Nathan stopped outside the door to his cabin and turned back to look at Jessica. “Places like Sanctuary have sensors, you know. They can tell how many people we have aboard without even cracking the hatch. How do I explain everyone?”

“Rezhik and his men can be passengers,” Jessica suggested.

“What about Vlad?”

“Why can’t he be crew?”

“Standard crew for a ship this size is four. We brought Neli on board because of Marcus and because we started taking passengers. Adding both Loki and Vlad is a little hard to sell.”

“Then make Vlad a passenger, as well,” Jessica suggested. “The people who run Sanctuary aren’t going to give a rat’s ass about them, anyway.”

“And what about you?” Nathan asked, mostly to be argumentative.

“Easy,” Jessica said, smiling as she pushed past him and through the door to his cabin. “I’m your wife. Now shut up and try on your wig, honey.”

* * *

General Telles entered the research and development lab operated by Deliza Ta’Akar.

“General,” Deliza greeted. “How was your flight over?”

“Uneventful, thank you,” the general replied. “Does the Sawa always fly so far from the rest of the fleet?”

“When we are experimenting with antimatter or zero-point devices, yes,” Deliza explained. “That is why I requested a separate ship as a dedicated research vessel, although I’m quite certain that the Sawa’s crew is not terribly happy about it.”

“A wise precaution,” the general agreed.

“Captain Scott is not with you?” she wondered.

“He is away on an assignment. Captain Taylor requested that I come in his stead.”

“I see.”

“What do you have to show me?”

“Well, first, I’m happy to report that we have managed to further miniaturize the jump sub’s systems, making room for a greater number of passengers. Eight regular or six combat-equipped, to be exact.”

“Including the pilot?”

“That’s the second thing,” Deliza explained. “The jump sub is now completely automated. The operator only needs to push a single button to initiate an insertion or an extraction.”

“How will the jump sub be put onto the proper trajectory and speed for insertion?” the general asked.

“We have outfitted carrier modules for both the Falcon and the Reaper, which should make dispatch and recovery a bit more convenient. But that’s not the best part. Since we tore the jump sub down and completely rebuilt it, we now have complete scans, so we can fabricate additional units if desired.”

“That is good news,” the general agreed, “although there may not be any fabricator time available for a while.”

“Well, if there is, you’re going to want to use it for my next project instead of making more jump subs,” Deliza insisted. She turned toward a man a few meters away. “Mister Andahl, would you mind?”

Mister Andahl nodded his understanding, turned to face them, and activated a small device on his belt.

“I assume you’re armed?” Deliza asked the general.

“Always.”

“Then, please shoot Mister Andahl,” Deliza instructed.

General Telles looked skeptically at Deliza, then at Mister Andahl. “Very well.” In a smooth, rapid motion, the general drew his sidearm and fired, sending an energy blast directly into the face of Mister Andahl. There was a momentary, reddish glow around the man, its intensity centered around the point of impact, that dissipated a split second later. He looked at Deliza, his weapon still trained on Mister Andahl.

“You may fire more than once if you’d like,” she replied.

General Telles turned his attention back to Mister Andahl and fired several more times; at his chest, abdomen, and legs. With each shot, the man’s shield flashed, but not a single shot made it through. “Impressive. No heat transfer to the user?”

“None, sir,” Mister Andahl assured him.

“How is it powered?”

“This one has its own battery pack and some limitations. We have tested it up to about fifty shots from sidearms such as yours, about ten shots from energy rifles, and five from boomers. We are working on a version that will be powered by the upgraded energy packs on your Ghatazhak armor. We expect those to have better performance.”

“Do they offer circumferential protection?” the general asked.

“Not as of yet,” Deliza replied, “but we are working on it. It will require further upgrades to your energy cells, though,” she warned. “Perhaps even portable reactors, which we are also working on.”

“Wouldn’t that be overkill?” the general wondered. “Carrying a reactor on one’s back?”

“Not once we get the forearm cannons working,” she bragged.

The general’s left eyebrow went up. “I was not aware you were working on such an item.”

“We’re also working on a compact version of the Palean hover scooters,” she explained.

“Impressive,” the general said. “Your people have been quite busy.”

“There is one more thing Doctor Sorenson and I have been working on,” Deliza added, “but it’s still just in the design phase. In fact, I’m even hesitant to say anything.”

“Yet, you have,” General Telles pointed out.

“It’s a concept that wouldn’t even be possible without the personal shields and all the miniaturization that Doctor Sorenson has done to jump drives over the years.”

“Now you have piqued my curiosity,” the general admitted.

“It’s sort of a jump suit,” Deliza explained. “Not a jumpsuit like one you wear, although you do wear it. But it’s a suit that jumps.”

“Like a space-jump suit?”

“Actually, it’s based on that,” Deliza admitted. “The idea is quite simple, really. Two emitters—one front and one back—a jump field generator, and an energy cell. I got the idea when I realized that the new energy cells we are working on for your combat armor would also have enough power to jump something at least a few light days. The idea would be to jump the wearer from space to a suitable altitude, and then use either a parachute or the hover scooter to land. But, if we can miniaturize it even further, you might even be able to use it in battle.”

“How?” the general wondered, appearing somewhat skeptical.

“Imagine running forward, jumping up in the air, and then activating a very short jump, say, just far enough to jump over the enemy line and catch them from behind,” Deliza explained.

“Is that even possible?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure yet,” she admitted. “Theoretically, yes.”

“Wouldn’t the user be exposed to significant amounts of radiation?” the general asked.

“Your combat armor would protect you to some degree,” Deliza assured him. “But the number of times you used it would be limited, by both radiation exposure and available power. But, if we can figure out how to prevent the jump field from destabilizing the personal shield system, then the shield would offer more than enough protection.”

“Interesting,” the general admitted. “Such a device could open up countless new combat tactics.”

“Imagine being able to jump from point to point during a battle,” Deliza exclaimed, her excitement getting the best of her. “You could just jump around, taking out the enemy from behind.”

“But one cannot jump through solid matter,” the general reminded her.

“Not yet,” she said with a grin.

General Telles also smiled. “How soon can you start producing the personal shields?”

“We start testing them with the Ghatazhak power cells later today. If everything goes as expected, we could begin fabrication in a couple of days and probably have at least a hundred of them ready in a week.”

“Excellent,” the general congratulated. “Carry on, Miss Ta’Akar.”

* * *

Nathan had spent very little time aboard the Seiiki in recent weeks. Now that he was back aboard her and in transit, he realized how much he missed the ship that had been his home for the last five years. His life as Connor Tuplo had been a good one. While it certainly had its own set of stresses and challenges, there had only been four lives in his charge, not trillions. Life had been simple. Make runs, collect your payment, and hope it was enough to pay your crew and keep the ship running long enough to get the next job.

Before the Dusahn had arrived, he had even been well on his way to his dream of starting his own transport company. Converting the midship and upper-level compartments into passenger areas had led to consistent-enough work that he had even started getting a little ahead, financially.

But those carefree days were over. Now, everything he did, every decision he made, affected everyone around him. They even affected people he did not know, in places he had never been. He often found himself questioning all the decisions he had ever made, since the day he had been forced to take command of the Aurora as a scrub lieutenant, fresh out of the academy. Every time he did, one decision above all others continued to plague him…

Did all of this come from my decision to share jump drive technology with our allies?

Deep down inside, Nathan knew, eventually, everyone would have jump drives. He also knew that it was the great equalizer of human civilizations across the galaxy. As long as everyone had it, no one had an unfair advantage.

But it had been that advantage that had allowed Earth to push back the Jung seven years ago. Such technologies were always double-edged swords. In the right hands, they brought peace and prosperity; in the wrong, suffering and oppression.

But how did one know if theirs were the right hands? Every leader in history believed themselves to be doing the right thing, even when they were forced to commit terrible atrocities. The Jung honestly believed that their way was best for humanity, and Nathan had no doubt the Dusahn felt likewise. So, what right did he have to decide them wrong?

“Nice hair,” Josh laughed as he met Nathan in the port corridor.

“Don’t laugh,” Nathan warned. “It’s only temporary, until my nanites grow my hair out again.”

“They can do that?” Josh wondered, still finding himself amused by Nathan’s wig.

“Apparently.”

“Weren’t you clean-shaven when you came to get us from the Mystic?” Josh asked, noticing what looked like a few days’ beard growth on Nathan’s face.

“Yup,” Nathan replied, rubbing his whiskers. “Should be pretty full by the time we get to Sanctuary. Damned nanites feel creepy, though. Like I itch…on the inside.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Josh replied. “By the way, I was coming to tell you that Marcus said we shouldn’t go straight to Sanctuary.”

“Why not?” Nathan wondered.

“First, he says the Seiiki’s too pretty. She’ll attract too much attention. Second, he says we need to change our wardrobe. I guess we’re too pretty, as well.”

“Did he have any suggestions?”

“Someplace named Gustur,” Josh replied.

“Never heard of it,” Nathan admitted.

“Brutal place, apparently. Wind and sandstorms, acrid atmosphere. He thinks it will dirty us up enough. We can get more appropriate attire there, as well.”

“What the hell is wrong with what we’re wearing?” Nathan wondered.

“What we’re wearing isn’t the issue,” Josh insisted. “It’s the Ghatazhak. Even in civvies, they look like Ghatazhak. It’s weird. Hey, maybe you should give them some nanites, as well.”

“They already have them,” Nathan replied. “But I guess we could instruct their nanites to grow more hair and such.”

“Ugly them up a bit,” Josh agreed.

“Something like that,” Nathan chuckled. “How far to this Gustur place?”

“About a day and a half, actually.”

Nathan did not look happy.

“I know, it’s out of the way,” Josh admitted, “but it will also allow us to approach from the right direction, and it will give us some credibility if anyone on Sanctuary checks up on our last port of call.”

“Good point,” Nathan realized. “Very well, change course for Gustur. I’ll let Jessica and the Ghatazhak know.”

“You got it, Cap’n,” Josh replied.

“And stretch the trip to Gustur to two full days, Josh. Some of us need more time to ugly up than others,” he added with a wink.

* * *

“What’s up?” Cameron asked Lieutenant Commander Shinoda as she entered the Aurora’s intelligence office.

“We got a message from our boy on Takara,” the lieutenant commander replied.

“Already?” Cameron said, surprised. “After what happened with the Teyentah, I figured he would go dark and stay dark.”

“If he was smart, he would,” the lieutenant commander agreed.

“What did he say?”

“Apparently, the streets of Takara are crawling with Dusahn. Checkpoints everywhere. Random interrogations and arrests.”

“Sounds like they’re looking for conspirators,” Cameron said.

“Makes you wonder why he’d even risk sending a message,” the lieutenant commander added.

“Surely he said more than that.”

“His employer, Lord Mahtize, knows that our boy was the link between Navarro and us. He’s offering to provide intelligence for us.”

“Who? Lord Mahtize?” Cameron wondered.

“Apparently.”

“Can he be trusted?”

“Can any noble be trusted?” the lieutenant commander asked.

“I only knew of two who could,” Cameron stated. “What does Terig think?”

“I got the impression that Terig wants out, but Lord Mahtize is blackmailing him into acting as his link to us. If Terig doesn’t cooperate, Mahtize turns him over to the Dusahn to protect himself.”

“But it was Mahtize who got Navarro the job on the Teyentah to begin with,” Cameron said.

“The question is, why?” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda stated. “Mahtize must have some ulterior motive.”

“Nobles always have an ulterior motive,” Cameron agreed. “And it’s rarely ‘for the good of all.’” She looked at her intelligence officer. “What’s your read?”

Lieutenant Commander Shinoda scratched his head a moment. “Well, I only see two possibilities. The first, and in my opinion the most likely, is that Mahtize is going to feed us false intel and win himself favor with the Dusahn.”

“Which means that, sooner or later, Terig will get executed,” Cameron surmised. “And the second?”

“That he really wants to help us,” the lieutenant commander replied.

“Let’s operate under the assumption that Mahtize is working for the Dusahn for now,” Cameron suggested. “How would he proceed?”

“By feeding us intel that we can validate with little risk.”

“He’d have to give us something of value. Something that the Dusahn would not like to lose, in order to make it believable.”

“Classic counterintelligence,” the lieutenant commander explained. “You have to sacrifice something in order to get something. Nothing is free.”

“So, they’ll bait us with low-risk targets to start,” Cameron decided. “Things that they don’t mind losing.”

“Working their way up to something we can’t resist, in order to lure us into a trap of some sort.”

Cameron thought for a moment. “We can always ignore the targets.”

“Doing so may put Terig at risk,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda warned.

“Can’t be helped,” Cameron stated.

“If we play it right, we could use it to our advantage.”

“How?” Cameron wondered.

“We feed them false intel,” the lieutenant commander suggested. “Make them think we’re about to pull an op, attack a high-value target. They move to cover it, and we strike somewhere else.”

“That will only work once,” Cameron surmised. “And they’ll definitely kill Terig after that.”

“Like you said, it can’t be helped,” the lieutenant commander replied.

Cameron sighed. “Run it past Telles’s intel people. They know the nobles much better than we do, and they have a much better understanding of the mechanics of the Pentaurus sector.”

“Will do,” Lieutenant Commander Shinoda replied.

“Let me know what they say,” Cameron instructed as she turned to exit.

“How do I reply to Espan?”

“No reply for now,” she ordered. “Let’s see what the Ghatazhak have to say first.”

* * *

“You up there?” Jessica called from below.

Nathan peered down behind his seat in the Seiiki’s starboard gun turret, spotting Jessica on the deck below. “Yup.” Nathan unlocked his seat and slid back, making room for her to climb up into the turret.

“I brought dinner,” she said, handing him a meal kit. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Nathan reached down and took the meal kit from her, holding it by the edges. “Beef stroganoff, my favorite,” he joked as he peeled back the cover.

Jessica came up the ladder, squeezing past Nathan and taking a perch up against one side of the tiny weapons turret. “As far as we’ve come in the last hundred years, you’d think they’d find a way to make better-tasting meal kits,” she said as she peeled back the cover on her kit.

“What did you get?”

“Some kind of chicken and rice thing.”

“The rice is too chewy for me,” Nathan complained.

“So is the pasta,” Jessica agreed. “I just like that it’s spicy,” she added as she took a bite of her food. “What are you doing up here? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Vlad’s sawing wood in my cabin.”

“So, you thought you’d take a nap here?”

“I come here to think,” Nathan explained. “With so many people on board, it’s about the only place to get any privacy other than the head, and there’s always someone who needs to use the head.”

“I see.” Jessica took another bite, then adjusted herself to get more comfortable in the tight confines. “What do you think about?”

“The usual stuff, I suppose,” Nathan replied as he scooped up some noodles. “What we’re going to do when we get to Sanctuary. If my sister will recover. What I’ll say to my niece and nephew if she doesn’t. If the decisions I’ve made over the last eight years somehow caused all of this…”

“Jeez, you should take a sleeping pill, or something,” Jessica suggested.

“The same questions will still be there when I wake up.”

“Maybe, but at least you’ll be well rested,” Jessica replied.

Nathan didn’t respond and just continued picking away at his noodles.

“Did I ever explain to you how the Ghatazhak are able to analyze all the variables and make decisions so quickly?” Jessica wondered.

“No.”

Jessica swallowed her food. “It’s simple, really. They start with very basic exercises. You’re given a situation, and you have to analyze it from every angle. You have to try to guess what will happen as a result of every possible action you could take, and then choose the course of action that will give you the greatest chance of success.”

“What kind of situations?” Nathan wondered, more for the sake of taking his mind off his worries.

“All sorts, really.”

“Give me an example,” Nathan asked.

“Okay.” Jessica set her meal kit aside for a moment. “Three armed unfriendlies. Disheveled uniforms, weapons have seen better days, and they appear somewhat undernourished. Between combatants two and three is a beautiful, young female, holding a baby. Both combatants are helping the woman, who appears to be weak, and combatant three has his weapon shouldered and seems to be paying closer attention to the female and the baby than combatants one and two. You’re using a projectile weapon, and you only have two shots left. You also have your combat knife. What do you do?”

Nathan thought for a moment. “How far away are they?”

“Five meters,” Jessica replied. “You’re hidden, so you also have the element of surprise, and they are approaching your position, so you have to act before they discover you.”

“Then, shoot two of them and charge the third.”

“Which ones?”

“Since combatant three has his weapon shouldered and is paying more attention to the woman and the baby, then shoot one and two, first, and charge three.”

“An obvious response,” Jessica replied.

“Am I wrong?”

“No, it might work,” Jessica admitted. “But your decision was influenced by your own morals and ethics.”

“I was deciding how best to kill three men, without getting killed myself,” Nathan argued. “How is that moral or ethical?”

“Because you were thinking about how to do so without harming the woman or her child,” Jessica explained.

“What would a Ghatazhak do?” Nathan wondered.

“Shoot combatant one, then the woman.”

“But then you have to deal with two armed men instead of one,” Nathan argued.

“Both men are helping the woman walk, and combatant three has his weapon shouldered,” Jessica explained. “When you shoot the woman, her weight will burden both men. Combined with the shock and horror, and the instinct to protect the woman and her baby, you should be able to easily overcome them both, starting with combatant two, whose weapon is not shouldered.”

“And if they aren’t shocked?” Nathan challenged. “If they simply drop the woman and her baby, and start shooting?”

“Their sloppy uniforms and their poorly maintained weapons indicate that they are neither highly trained nor highly motivated. Also, their undernourished state means that their reaction times will not be as quick. Combatant one is the only real risk, as his weapon is at the ready, and he is not preoccupied with the woman and the baby. That earns him the first bullet. Combatants two and three are not good soldiers, as they are both helping the woman when at least one of them should be combat ready, just like combatant one.”

“But, if I take out one and two, I might be able to take out three without harming the woman or her baby,” Nathan argued.

“That’s your morality getting in the way of your analysis,” Jessica explained. “Since combatant three is physically helping the woman, the chances of you being able to charge him without injuring the woman or her baby are slim. And you don’t necessarily have to kill her. Shooting her in the arm will likely yield the same result, and if your aim is good enough, the bullet will likely pass through her and into combatant three. Chaos is your friend. It slows the enemy down; makes him think too much. It makes him afraid.”

“Seems brutal.”

“Combat always is,” Jessica insisted.

“Is that what the Ghatazhak are teaching you to do?”

“That’s how they teach you to analyze a situation. Without emotion, and without ethics or morality.”

“Surely there is more to the scenario than that,” Nathan insisted. “Like, how shooting an innocent woman is going to go over with the population.”

“That was a basic-level scenario,” Jessica said. “The kind they start you off with. The idea is to get you to look at all the clues and to process them. I just threw the woman and child in there to make it a bit more complicated.”

“Gee, thanks,” Nathan replied.

“The training works, though. It takes time…a lot of time, actually; but eventually, it becomes second nature.”

“Is it second nature to you?”

“Not on the same level as most Ghatazhak,” Jessica admitted. “Especially not to that of General Telles. Some people pick it up more quickly than others. I have an advantage in that I was trained to notice all the little details back in my spec-ops training. I suspect you would do well because you are already pretty good at sizing up a situation.”

Nathan sighed, thinking. “Do they teach you how to deal with the guilt of shooting the woman, as well?”

“If it was the best way to accomplish your goal, then there is nothing to feel guilty about,” Jessica explained. “I think of it like this. I had a buddy who was a combat medic. He saw a lot of people die. I asked him how he dealt with it, and he said that, as long as he did everything he was trained to do and did it to the best of his ability, he had no reason to feel guilty.”

Nathan looked at her. “Are you trying to tell me that I shouldn’t feel guilty, even if all of this is my fault, just because I did the best I could?”

“None of this is your fault, Nathan,” Jessica insisted. She, too, sighed. “Let’s take another scenario. The classic, speeding train scenario. Do you rescue the child or the old man? The child still has a long life ahead of them, and the old man has lived most of his life already. If you save the child, who knows what that child might go on to accomplish. But the same is true for the old man. Perhaps he was on the verge of discovering a cure for some terrible disease. Maybe that discovery would cure someone who would one day save all of humanity from certain doom. You have no way of knowing. So instead, you calculate which one you have the best chance of saving and go with that. The rest is in fate’s hands.”

Nathan sighed. “Simple as that, huh?”

“Simple as that,” she replied. “The trick is, you have to let it be as simple as that.” Jessica put her hand on his knee. “And that, my dear captain, has always been your problem. Just do your best and leave the rest to fate. That’s all that fate can demand of anyone.” Jessica maneuvered herself around to climb down. “Come on, you can use my rack.”

“Where are you going to sleep?” Nathan wondered.

“I’ll take yours,” Jessica replied. “I’ve been bunking with hundreds of Ghatazhak for the last seven years. Snoring doesn’t bother me.”

* * *

“Chow time,” Corporal Vasya announced from the landing at the front of the Seiiki’s cargo bay.

“Finally,” Specialist Brill said, rising from his bunk to catch the meal kit being tossed to him from the landing above.

“What’s on the menu?” Specialist Deeks asked as he snagged his kit from the air.

“Some kind of dead animal protein swimming in bland, red sauce and noodles.”

“Again?” Specialist Brill whined.

“What’s the green stuff?” Specialist Deeks wondered as he opened his kit and sniffed the food.

“Something called broccoli,” the corporal said as he jumped down from the landing to the deck below.

“Looks like tiny trees,” Specialist Brill commented.

“Why do these meal kits always suck?” Specialist Deeks wondered after tasting his food.

“Because you don’t deserve good food,” Corporal Vasya joked as he shoveled his first forkful into his mouth. “It’s not so bad.”

“You’d eat anything,” Specialist Brill said.

“What do you think, Lieutenant?” Specialist Deeks asked.

“I think you all complain too much,” Lieutenant Rezhik replied as he opened his meal kit and inspected the contents. “Then again…”

“I miss the food on Burgess,” Specialist Brill said. “Those people knew how to cook.”

“I miss the women on Burgess,” Corporal Vasya joked.

“You are supposed to set a good example for the men, Corporal,” Lieutenant Rezhik scolded.

“These two are beyond hope, Lieutenant, you know that.”

“Good point,” the lieutenant agreed, a slight smile on his face.

“Damn,” Specialist Deeks complained. “Even the food on the Soster is better than this crap.”

“You’d think the cradle of humanity would be able to make better meal kits,” Specialist Brill commented.

“What was the name of that little place on Porto Santo?” Corporal Vasya wondered. “The one with the hot waitresses?”

“Izzie’s?” Specialist Deeks replied.

“Izabel’s,” the lieutenant corrected. “Those hot little waitresses were her daughters, and they were teenagers.”

“Hot teenagers,” Corporal Vasya added. “And they’re not teenagers anymore.”

“As I recall, they were both way too smart to have anything to do with the likes of you,” Specialist Brill joked.

“The likes of any of us,” Specialist Deeks added.

“What about you, Lieutenant?” Corporal Vasya asked. “What food do you miss?”

“Borden’s,” the lieutenant replied solemnly. “He was an amazing cook.”

“Yeah, he should have been one of the first to be evacuated,” Specialist Deeks agreed.

“Trust me, I tried,” the lieutenant said. “He went to fetch his family but never made it back. I was about to send a squad to rescue them when the bombardment started, but his neighborhood was one of the first hit.”

“Shame,” Specialist Brill commented. “Borden was good people.”

“Everyone on Burgess was good people,” the lieutenant insisted.

“Damn right,” Corporal Vasya agreed.

“How come you never hooked up with anyone on Burgess, Lieutenant?” Specialist Deeks asked.

“Who says I didn’t?”

“I meant, hooked up as in permanently.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Well, I’m still a young man, Lieutenant,” Deeks joked.

“I’m like, what, ten years older than you, at most?” the lieutenant wondered.

“Yeah, you’re getting up there alright,” Corporal Vasya teased. “Probably too late for you, now.”

“Just as well,” the lieutenant said. “The Ghatazhak were never meant to have families. Just causes distractions, and distractions get you killed.”

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could use a distraction right about now,” Corporal Vasya joked.

“You’ve got two hands,” Jessica called from the landing, after stepping through the forward hatch. “Aren’t they what you usually use as your distraction?”

“Only while dreaming of you, Jess,” the corporal replied.

“That’s a lieutenant commander you’re addressing, Corporal,” Lieutenant Rezhik scolded. “You could at least throw in a ‘sir’ out of respect.”

“She knows I’m just playing, Lieutenant.”

“Don’t worry, Rezhik,” Jessica insisted. “If I’d wanted to bust his balls, he’d already be lying on the deck, begging for mercy.”

“Oh, yeah!” Specialist Deeks exclaimed.

“Deeks is right, Lieutenant,” Jessica said as she took a seat on a nearby cargo container. “You should have hooked up on Burgess.”

“It wouldn’t be right,” the lieutenant insisted.

“Why?” Jessica asked.

“It is not the Ghatazhak way.”

“Neither is letting a female into their ranks,” Jessica reminded him. “But that seems to be working out.”

“The jury is still out,” the lieutenant sneered.

“Ouch!” Corporal Vasya exclaimed.

“Seriously, Torren,” Jessica continued. “If the Ghatazhak are going to survive, a lot of things may need to change.”

“The Ghatazhak regularly go into harm’s way,” the lieutenant explained. “We do things that others find unforgivable. How would we explain that to our families?”

“Ask Sosa, Rossi, or Hechler,” Jessica replied.

“Maybe I should ask the widows of Anwar, Eliason, and Mitchell,” the lieutenant countered.

“They knew who they were marrying,” Jessica insisted.

“How do you explain it to your daughter?” the lieutenant wondered. “What do you tell her when you go on a mission?”

“That I love her, and that I will see her again, if not in this life, then hopefully the next,” Jessica replied with conviction.

Lieutenant Rezhik’s eyebrow shot up momentarily. “I never pegged you for the spiritual type.”

“I’m not,” Jessica replied.

“You believe in life after death?” Corporal Vasya asked.

“No, but I can’t rule it out, either.”

“So, you lie to her,” the lieutenant accused.

“It’s not a lie. I do love her, and if there is something after this life, I do hope to see her again.”

“Do you really believe there is something beyond this existence?” the lieutenant challenged.

“No, and I have never suggested to her that there is.”

“So, you tell her something to make her feel better,” the lieutenant said. “To ease her worry.”

“I suppose so.”

“And you don’t think that is an unfair burden to place on such a young child?”

“Perhaps,” Jessica agreed, “but it’s better that she knows the truth. She knows about her biological parents and her twin sister, and she still grieves their loss to this day, as she will someday grieve my loss. But the risk of losing ones you love shouldn’t stop you from loving them. Love gives life meaning and purpose.”

“Being Ghatazhak gives my life meaning and purpose,” the lieutenant stated proudly.

“As it damn well should,” Jessica agreed. “But wouldn’t it be nice to feel like your sacrifices were for someone you loved, rather than for strangers?”

Lieutenant Rezhik stared at Jessica for a moment. “When I see a young couple holding hands, or a mother holding her infant in her arms, or an elderly couple in a restaurant, I take pride in knowing that I am a member of an organization whose sole purpose is to protect such people so they can love one another. That is the only love that I require.”

“But wouldn’t it be nice to get some of that love back for yourself?” Jessica postulated.

“Perhaps,” the lieutenant admitted. “And perhaps someday I shall choose to seek out a mate and start a family. But it will have to wait until the current crisis has passed. To do so now would be foolish.”

“Any chance of living life to its fullest that is missed is foolish,” Jessica insisted. “But I see your point.”

“Sometimes I worry about your influence on the Ghatazhak, sir,” the lieutenant replied respectfully.

“Can’t say that I blame you, Lieutenant,” Jessica agreed.

* * *

“Get out,” Marcus grumbled as he stepped into the Seiiki’s cockpit.

“Good morning to you, too, ya old grump,” Josh replied from the pilot’s seat.

“Ain’t nothing good about zero four hundred,” Marcus insisted. “Now vacate my seat, kid.”

“Damn,” Josh exclaimed, climbing out of the pilot’s seat to allow Marcus to take his place. “How the hell does Neli put up with you?”

“She doesn’t wake me up at four hundred hours,” Marcus replied as he set his mug on the center console. “Anything I should know about?” he asked as he adjusted his seat position to his liking.

“Cap’n asked me to stretch the leg to Gustur.”

“Why?” Marcus grumbled.

“He wants more time to ugly up the Ghatazhak.”

Marcus looked crossly at Josh.

“Don’t get pissed at me,” Josh insisted.

“Ugly them up?”

“They’re trying to grow their hair and beards out a bit.”

“In two days? That’s stupid.”

“Nanites,” Josh replied.

Marcus looked at Josh again. “They can do that?”

“Apparently.”

“Hmpff. That’s actually not a bad idea,” Marcus admitted. “Especially if we’re going to Sanctuary. Ain’t a whole lot of pretty people walking around that place.”

“Maybe I’d better get a shot of nanites, as well, then,” Josh said, half-joking.

“Don’t flatter yourself, kid.”

“What’s it like there?” Josh asked.

“Aren’t you supposed to crash out?” Marcus grumbled, not feeling much like engaging in conversation.

“I hear it’s wild there.”

“It was when I was there,” Marcus confirmed.

“How long ago was that?” Josh wondered.

“Nice try,” Marcus said, not biting.

“Come on, old man. You never tell me shit about your past.”

“There’s a reason for that.”

“Why?”

“Cuz you gotta big fuckin’ mouth, kid.”

“I do not.”

“Are you kidding? You never could keep a secret.”

“I’ve kept lots of secrets!” Josh defended.

“Name one.”

“I can’t, that would be revealing a secret.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Jesus, all I’m asking is how long ago you were on Sanctuary. What the hell can it hurt to tell me that?”

“Information is like a thread in an old sweater, kid. You pull on it, and stuff is likely to start unraveling.”

“Just one little piece of information, that’s all I’m asking,” Josh begged.

“Why can’t you just let it go?”

“Christ! You raised me from a pup! You were bangin’ my mom! You’re pretty much the only family I’ve got, and I don’t know shit about you. Other than you’re a grumpy, old fart most of the time.”

“Fine!” Marcus finally agreed.

“So, when were you there?” Josh asked, excited.

“Which time?”

“You were there more than once?”

“That would be why I asked which time.”

“Okay, the first time.”

“It was about seventy years ago.”

“Seventy! How old are you?”

“Ya see? Shit’s unraveling already,” Marcus grumbled.

“I thought you were only about fifty, sixty at the most,” Josh exclaimed. “What were you, a baby or something?”

“Nope, I was about your age.”

“So, you’re like ninety?”

“See, unraveling.”

“Damn!” Josh exclaimed in disbelief as he sat back down. “You look damn good for being ninety.”

“Finally, you got something right,” Marcus said. “Except, I ain’t ninety.”

“Fuck! You’re older?”

“Yup.”

“How much older?”

“I don’t rightly know, to be honest. But at least twice that.”

“How can you not know how old you are?”

“Do you?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Then why the hell are you bustin’ my chops about it?”

“Sorry, I’m just surprised. Can you blame me?”

“I always do,” Marcus grumbled, a slight smile on his face.

“So, what were you doing there?” Josh asked. “On Sanctuary, I mean.”

“I used to crew on a sleeper cargo ship out of the Halladay system.”

“Never heard of it.”

“I’m not surprised,” Marcus replied. “It’s four sectors over…two past Sanctuary from our side.”

“So that’s why you’re so old, then,” Josh surmised. “Because of all that time in stasis.”

“Yup. Our runs were generally about five to ten years long, and we spent ninety percent of them in stasis.”

“So, when were you actually born?”

“Probably a couple hundred years ago,” Marcus answered. “With all the conversions from one world’s calendar to the next, I pretty much lost track a long time ago.”

“Where were you born?”

“What does it matter?”

“If I knew, I could probably figure out just how old you are.”

“Age is nothin’ but a state of mind,” Marcus said. “Besides, I don’t know where I was born.”

“So, why were you there the first time?” Josh asked, dropping the age topic.

“Cap’n was skimming off the top, selling it on Sanctuary,” Marcus explained. “About every third or fourth run, we’d have a few days layover there.”

“And nobody caught him?”

“Oh, they caught him alright. Spaced him for it.”

“I bet you have some stories,” Josh surmised.

“None that I’m gonna tell you, that’s for sure.”

“Oh, come on,” Josh pleaded.

“You’re enough trouble as it is,” Marcus insisted. “Last thing I wanna do is give your already mischievous mind any new ideas.”

“How am I supposed to avoid getting into trouble if you don’t tell me anything about the place?”

“Maybe by doing what you’re told, for once,” Marcus suggested.

“Come on,” Josh pleaded. “Can’t you give me any advice about Sanctuary?”

“Just remember this, kid,” Marcus warned. “Always pay your bill, don’t look anyone in the eye unless you’re ready to kick their ass, and don’t pull your gun unless you intend to use it; and if you do use it, shoot to fuckin’ kill.”

Josh stared at Marcus for a moment as a smile slowly started to creep onto his face.

“Oh, shit,” Marcus grumbled. “I know that look.”

Josh’s smile broadened. “We’re gonna have so much fun on Sanctuary.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Juro Araki stood patiently as the plant manager studied the production reports. “As you can see, emitter production is ahead by twenty percent,” he pointed out, growing impatient.

Minora held up one finger while she continued to study the reports.

Juro waited a moment, but then became impatient even quicker than before. “By the end of the week, we will have enough emitters to outfit more than fifty Gunyoki…”

Minora looked at him crossly, then returned to her reports.

Juro rolled his eyes and sighed, turning to look through the office windows onto the plant floor below. He hated the silence. He knew the reports would please his superior. They were ahead of schedule in all departments, and their quality control had vastly improved. It had taken a herculean effort to rebuild the plant after the Dusahn attack, and his team had worked around the clock to catch up to their original pre-attack quotas.

“Excellent report, Juro,” Minora finally said.

Juro breathed a sigh of relief.

“Your people should be quite proud. Their efforts will help the Karuzari and the Gunyoki protect Rakuen.”

“Do you think Minister Sebaron will agree to join the Alliance?” Juro wondered.

“Doubtful,” Minora replied. “Sebaron is an old fool who is more worried about tradition than the safety of…” Minora squinted, looking out at the plant floor below. “What is going on down there?” she wondered, noticing some commotion.

Juro looked out at the plant floor, as well. “Who are those men in…”

“Those are Rakuen security forces,” Minora realized, turning to move toward the door.

The door suddenly burst open, and four armed men in Rakuen security force uniforms poured into the room, their weapons at their sides. The most senior of them stepped forward. “Are you the plant manager, Minora Hikaro?”

“I am,” Minora replied indignantly. “Who are you? What is the meaning of this?”

“I have orders to detain you for questioning, ma’am. If you will please come with me…”

“I most certainly will not!” Minora insisted, outraged. “I have done nothing wrong. Who gave this order?”

“The order comes from Minister Sebaron, ma’am. This facility and all of its resources are now under the control of the Rakuen government.” The officer turned to Juro. “Are you Juro Araki, the production manager of this facility?”

“Uh…” Juro looked to Minora, who nodded at him. “Yes, I’m Juro Araki.”

“You are to take charge of this facility and will serve as interim manager until otherwise notified,” the officer instructed. “You are to see that production continues according to schedule. However, all shipments to any location other than the Gunyoki race platform will immediately cease. Is that understood?”

“Uh, I guess. But…what about our staff? Who will pay them?”

“They are now employees of the Rakuen government and will be paid accordingly,” the officer explained before turning back to Minora. “Miss Hikaro,” he invited, gesturing toward the door. When Minora did not immediately move, he added, “If you’d prefer, I am authorized to arrest and restrain you.”

Minora swallowed her pride. “That will not be necessary,” she replied as she began typing something onto the report pad. “Just let me sign the plant control codes over to Mister Araki, first.” She quickly handed the report pad over to Juro and then turned her attention back to the officer. “I assume I will be allowed to have an advocate present during questioning?”

“If you so desire,” the officer replied, again gesturing toward the exit.

“Minora,” Juro said, worried.

“You’ll be fine,” she told him. “The safety of Rakuen is now in your hands,” she added as she headed out the door.

The officer and his men followed her out, closing the door behind them.

Juro stepped closer to the windows, watching as the armed men led his boss down the stairs. He looked out across the plant floor. His workers were standing around looking at one another, unsure of what to do. All around them were armed guards in uniform. Juro picked up the microphone. “Attention. This is interim plant manager, Juro Araki. All will be explained shortly. For now, please return to your stations and continue your work. That is all.”

Juro watched as his people slowly returned to work. He raised the report pad, noticing a simple message had been tapped out by Minora.

Call the Aurora.

* * *

Nathan climbed the ladder into the Seiiki’s cockpit, coming to stand next to Vladimir and behind Josh. “How long until the last jump?”

“After the next one, one more,” Loki replied. “About thirty seconds.”

Nathan tapped his comm-set. “Marcus, Dalen, you guys ready?”

“I’m ready, Cap’n,” Dalen replied.

“Ain’t no one gonna be shootin’ at us on Gustur,” Marcus insisted. “At least not until we land.”

“Humor me, Marcus.”

“Jump complete,” Loki reported.

“One more jump to Gustur,” Josh added. “This is the furthest out of the Pentaurus sector we’ve ever taken the Seiiki,” he said, looking over his shoulder at Nathan.

“I thought you said you’d been here before,” Vladimir said.

“I said I’d been out this way before,” Nathan corrected. “Just not this far.”

“How far?”

“About half this far,” Nathan admitted sheepishly.

Vladimir said nothing.

“Don’t worry,” Josh assured them. “Marcus has been to all these places out here.”

Vladimir looked at Josh skeptically. “How is that possible?”

“He worked on an FTL freighter when he was younger,” Josh explained. “He’s a lot older than he looks.”

“Why is this the first we’re hearing of it?” Nathan wondered.

“I only found out yesterday,” Josh defended, “but don’t tell him I told you.”

“Final jump to Gustur is ready, Captain,” Loki reported.

Nathan took a deep breath and sighed. “Take us in.”

“Jumping to Gustur,” Loki announced.

A moment later, the stars shifted slightly, and the rusty brown-colored world appeared before them, rapidly growing in size as they approached.

“Starting decel burn,” Josh announced, bringing the ship’s main propulsion throttles up to full power.

Nathan reached up to brace himself against the overhead rail as the Seiiki began to vibrate gently, despite the best efforts of his ship’s meager inertial dampening systems.

“Speed is coming down sharply,” Josh reported.

“Two minutes to atmospheric entry,” Loki warned.

“Thermal shields are at full power,” Vladimir added.

Jessica came up the ladder, joining them in the now-cramped cockpit. “That is not an attractive planet,” she commented, squeezing in between Nathan and Vladimir. “Are those some kind of storms?” she wondered, noticing the swirling, brown colors as the planet began to fill their forward windows.

“The atmosphere of Gustur is constantly pounded by dust storms,” Josh explained. “Even the upper atmosphere.”

“Marcus?” Nathan asked.

“Yup.”

“Atmosphere in one minute,” Loki announced.

“Entry speed in forty seconds,” Josh added.

Nathan tapped his comm-set. “All hands, prepare for planetfall.” He turned to Jessica. “How are your men doing?”

“Bored,” Jessica replied. “Ghatazhak aren’t happy unless they’re training. There’s not enough room on this ship to do anything except a little isometric PT. I think Rezhik has stripped and reassembled his weapons at least a dozen times now.”

“Hopefully, they’ll stay just as bored the entire trip,” Nathan replied.

“Ten seconds,” Loki announced.

The vibrations became more pronounced, and a few seconds later, the ship lurched slightly with a thud as its shields made contact with Gustur’s reddish-brown upper atmosphere.

“Why not just jump in and bypass the bumpy ride down?” Jessica wondered.

“Uncontrolled worlds don’t like it when strangers jump in low into their atmosphere,” Nathan explained.

“But Gustur doesn’t have any military,” Jessica pointed out.

“I’d rather not start our visit by pissing off the locals,” Nathan replied. “Besides, it’s just a few minutes.”

Jessica stared out the windows at the swirling, tan clouds they were diving through. “I can’t believe people actually live in this.”

“You’d be surprised at the conditions people will live in, if they have to,” Nathan replied.

“It’s starting to clear,” Josh commented.

Nathan and Jessica gazed out the windows as the clouds began to fade, revealing a similarly colored planet surface below.

“It’s nothing but dirt and brush,” Jessica observed. “Isn’t there any water on this world?”

“Most of it is underground,” Josh explained.

“I’m picking up a guidance beacon,” Loki announced as he studied the sensor display. “I think it’s for their spaceport.”

“Follow it down,” Nathan ordered, “but keep the TFS and anti-collision sensors at max range.”

“You got it,” Josh acknowledged.

“Sensor reliability will be reduced because of these storms,” Vladimir warned.

“Reduce our approach speed accordingly,” Nathan instructed.

“Got it,” Josh replied.

“I told Rezhik to expect to deploy his squad to guard the ship once we land,” Jessica told Nathan under her breath.

Nathan looked at her. “How did you know?”

“The Ghatazhak love their intelligence,” Jessica said. “I did my research on Gustur as soon as I heard we were headed here. Not exactly a safe, friendly environment, and I’m not talking about the shit swirling around in the air, either.”

“Good idea,” Nathan agreed. “In my experience, lousy living conditions usually mean dangerous people.” He looked at Jessica a moment. “Civvies, though, right?”

“Of course.”

“Uh, this beacon is now transmitting an auto-flight link request,” Loki announced.

“No fucking way,” Josh objected, shaking his head.

“Is it a mandatory link request?” Nathan wondered.

“Not yet,” Loki replied.

“Is it squawking the same ID code as the spaceport?”

“It’s not squawking any ID code,” Loki replied. “Neither is the beacon, for that matter.”

“Ignore it,” Nathan instructed.

“It’s probably just for lame-asses who are afraid to hand-fly in this crap,” Josh boasted.

“I don’t care who it’s for,” Nathan replied. “I’m not about to give auto-flight control to an unidentified link signal, especially in zero visibility. Josh can hand-fly us down.”

“What if they’re suggesting an auto-flight link due to traffic in the approach area?” Loki wondered.

“The storm is easing up,” Nathan said, looking out the forward windows again. “With any luck, we’ll have visual on the area before we get too close.”

“I got this,” Josh insisted.

“And if it doesn’t?” Loki asked.

“I got this,” Josh repeated.

“Josh can handle it,” Nathan agreed. “Just keep an eye on the anti-collision display.”

“Two thousand meters and descending,” Loki reported. “Twenty kilometers from the beacon source.”

“Let’s hope it’s from the spaceport,” Jessica commented.

“I’m picking up traffic,” Loki reported. “Directly to starboard, five clicks, similar speed and course, but closing slowly. They appear to be headed for the same beacon.”

“Slow down and let them in ahead of us,” Nathan instructed.

“Slowing us down,” Josh confirmed.

“One thousand meters, twenty clicks,” Loki updated. “I’m picking up LZ locator beacons now; four of them.”

“Pick the nearest one that doesn’t cross the other ship’s course,” Nathan instructed.

“Come right ten degrees, and drop down to one hundred meters,” Loki instructed.

“Right ten, down to one hundred.”

Nathan strained to see the ground below through the swirling clouds of dust outside but without success.

“The other ship is turning toward us,” Loki warned. “He’s going for one of the LZ beacons, as well.”

“I’ve got him,” Josh insisted, one eye on the sensor display in the center of the console.

“He’s at one hundred meters and holding,” Loki warned.

“I’ll hold at two hundred until we cross paths,” Josh announced.

“You’re going to have to drop fast to make that LZ,” Loki warned. “And the terrain-following sensors are not giving me a clear picture.”

“I’ll get us centered over the LZ and drop us straight down on it,” Josh decided.

“You’ll burn more fuel that way,” Loki warned.

“We’ve got plenty,” Josh reminded him.

Loki looked over his shoulder at Nathan for any sign of disapproval but got none.

“I see something,” Jessica announced, pointing out the forward windows.

“Where?” Nathan asked, still straining to see.

“It’s gone,” Jessica replied. “Wait! There!”

Nathan looked again, spotting a flashing light. “I see it. Probably the LZ beacon.”

“It’s not the one we’re headed for,” Loki warned. “We’re still three clicks out.”

Nathan kept his gaze outside as brief glimpses of buildings and terrain appeared between the swirls of dust.

“LZ in one minute,” Loki announced.

Josh began directing some of their lift thrust forward to reduce their ground speed.

Nathan and Jessica continued to stare out the windows as more buildings became visible.

“Are those people out there?” Jessica wondered. “In all this dust?”

“A different way of life, I suppose,” Nathan commented as he watched the bleak scenery slide underneath them.

“Thirty seconds,” Loki announced. “Deploying landing gear.”

“Any hostile contacts?” Nathan wondered.

“No, sir,” Loki replied. “Ten seconds.”

Josh adjusted the thrust vectors again, bringing the Seiiki into a perfect hover above the landing pad.

“Gear is down and locked,” Loki reported. “We’re over the LZ. Bring her down easy.”

Josh slowly reduced the throttles, allowing the ship to descend. As they grew closer to the surface, he increased power again, causing the engines to scream as they halted their descent only a meter above the surface. As their descent came to a stop, he backed them off yet again, lowering the ship gently onto the pad as he manipulated his flight controls to keep the ship steady in the raging winds.

The ship rocked as the gear touched the pad with a thud.

“Touchdown,” Loki confirmed. “Gear is holding.”

“Killing all thrust,” Josh announced as he pulled the throttles down to zero.

“Initiating engine shutdown,” Loki added.

“Drop the shields,” Nathan ordered.

“All that dust is not good for the ship,” Vladimir warned.

“According to Marcus, we need to dirty the Seiiki up a bit,” Nathan reminded him. “That dust should do the trick.”

“Shutdown complete,” Loki announced.

“Keep the reactors on standby,” Nathan ordered as he turned to exit. “I want to be able to liftoff on a moment’s notice.”

“Yes, sir,” Loki replied.

Josh began to climb out of his seat.

“You’re staying here, as well,” Nathan instructed.

“Aw, Cap’n…”

“Like I said, I want to be able to get out of here in a hurry, if necessary.”

“Loki can do all that,” Josh protested.

“Not up for debate, Josh,” Nathan replied. “Vlad, you’re with Jess and me,” he added, tapping his comm-set. “Marcus, grab your foul-weather gear and level-two breather, and meet us in the cargo bay. Neli, you take his gun post.”

“On my way,” Marcus replied.

“Ladies first,” Nathan told Jessica.

* * *

Commander Prechitt had spent the last two days studying the various policies and procedures that Captain Taylor had refined during her tenure as the Aurora’s commanding officer over the last seven years. As he had expected, she had a rule for every occasion. What was not expected was how logical all of them actually were. Years ago, on more than one occasion, Nathan had commented on Cameron’s inflexibility and her tendency to stick to published procedures, but the commander saw no evidence of that in the Aurora’s policies and procedures manuals. What he saw was a commonsense, logical approach to running a ship as large and complex as the Aurora. It was obvious that her policies had been worked out by years of experience as the Aurora’s captain. However, he wondered if her combat tactics would prove as effective. Other than her brief time as the Celestia’s captain, and the few encounters she had led the ship through in recent weeks, Cameron had very little combat experience.

Then again, the same could be said of Captain Scott. Granted, he had considerably more combat command experience than Cameron, and all of it aboard the Aurora, but was it enough?

Nathan had one thing that Cameron did not. Despite the fact that her crew respected and believed in her, that belief paled in comparison to that which they had in the legendary Nathan Scott. Cameron, Vladimir, and Doctor Chen were the only ones aboard the Aurora who had served under Nathan. The rest of the crew had never met him. In fact, nearly all of them had enlisted after Nathan had died; many of them, years after. Yet, his exploits and his sacrifices still managed to inspire them all. Such admiration was something only actions could provoke. Although he was certain that Captain Taylor was an effective captain, she was not the inspirational leader that the crew and the entire rebellion needed. To that end, it troubled the commander that she would let Captain Scott leave on such a mission. However, it was not his place to question her. She knew Nathan as well as anyone and probably understood his reasons for going.

Oddly enough, the command chair was not as comfortable as the commander had imagined. In fact, after two hours, he was beginning to hate it. He understood why captains spent most of their time in their ready rooms or quarters. There was little for the officer of the watch to do—the occasional question from subordinates, the calls from other departments—all of it was quite mundane.

The commander thought back to his days as the Aurora’s air group commander. They, too, had been rather routine at times. Granted, they had been in the middle of a war, so he had spent much of his time planning missions and keeping his pilots and ships ready for action. But there had always been downtime, during which his daily routines had been just as uneventful as this first shift as the Aurora’s new second officer.

“Contact!” the sensor operator reported. “Jump flash!”

“Friend or foe?” the commander inquired, sliding to the edge of his seat.

“It’s a comm-drone, sir,” the sensor officer reported.

“I thought we had retrofitted all jump comm-drones with stealth emitters,” the commander commented.

“Its ID code shows it to be one of the jump comm-drones we gave to the Rakuen system,” the sensor officer explained.

Commander Prechitt rotated in his chair to face his comms officer at the back of the bridge.

“The drone is transmitting,” the comms officer reported. “Just not to us.”

“To whom, then?” the commander wondered.

“To the Sawa, Commander.”

“Why would someone from the Rakuen system be contacting the Sawa directly?” the commander wondered. He looked at the tactical officer. “Do we have anyone from the Rakuen system serving aboard the Sawa?”

“Not to my knowledge, sir,” the tactical officer reported.

“Curious,” the commander commented, more to himself than his bridge staff.

“Shall I wake the XO?” the comms officer wondered.

“Not yet,” Commander Prechitt replied. “It could be nothing.”

“The Sawa is a research ship,” the tactical officer stated. “It’s where Doctor Sorenson and Deliza Ta’Akar work.”

“Maybe there’s a problem with the stealth jump drive systems that the Ranni plant is producing, and they want some help?” the sensor officer suggested.

“Could be,” Commander Prechitt agreed.

“Flash traffic,” the comms officer suddenly announced. “It’s from the Sawa.”

“What’s the message?” the commander asked, turning back toward the comms officer.

“Message is a forward from Deliza Ta’Akar,” the comms officer explained. “Message reads: Rakuen government has seized control of Ranni plant. Manager Hikaro in custody. All shipments off world have ceased. Please advise. The message is from Juro Araki, the production manager.”

Commander Prechitt’s eyebrows shot up. After thinking for a moment, he spoke. “Now, you can wake the XO.”

* * *

“Not that I am complaining,” Vladimir commented as they prepared to exit the Seiiki, “but why am I coming with you?”

“Because you can assess tech and determine its value much more quickly than us,” Nathan explained as he donned the long coat he had always worn as Connor Tuplo. “And you’re good with a gun,” he added as Marcus handed Vladimir a gun belt.

“So, it’s not because I’m such great company,” Vladimir remarked as he donned the gun belt.

“Always,” Nathan joked as he checked his weapon and placed it back in its holster.

“It’s still blowing pretty hard out there,” Lieutenant Rezhik warned as he and his men prepared to take up guard positions outside. “I suggest you use buildings as windbreaks whenever possible.”

“Not my first windstorm, Lieutenant,” Nathan replied as he donned his goggles and pulled his hood up over his head. “Shall we?” he said to the others.

Marcus stepped over to the side and activated the main cargo ramp which acted as a hatch over the back of the Seiiki’s cargo bay. The ramp motors whirred, and a crack appeared at the top of the opening. Dust spilled in through the widening crack, causing everyone to quickly raise their filter masks over their faces for protection. For a moment, Nathan wondered if Josh had thought to put the ship’s nose into the wind when they landed but remembered how inconsistent the wind directions had been during their approach. “It would be nice if they built windbreaks around these landing sites.”

“We’re lucky there were open LZs,” Marcus replied. “Most of the time you have to land out in the open outside of town. This place is actually somewhat structured and civilized.”

“Let’s hope,” Nathan replied.

The Ghatazhak were the first ones out, not waiting for the ramp to fully deploy before jumping to the surface out either side. Nathan followed, walking straight out the middle of the ramp as it continued downward to make contact with the dusty surface of Gustur just as he reached the ramp’s end.

As expected, the surface was hard-packed and covered with constantly shifting, reddish-tan dust. “You buttoned up all the intakes, right, Josh?” he double-checked over his comm-set.

“Hell, yes,” Josh replied.

Marcus reached up and activated the hatch from the exterior control panel, causing the ramp to slowly swing back upward. “No one goes in the cargo bay until we’re back,” he instructed the others still inside the Seiiki. “I don’t want that shit getting tracked all over the ship.”

“Relax, old man,” Josh taunted.

“Understood,” Loki assured him.

“Which way?” Nathan asked as Marcus joined them at the edge of the landing pad.

“There should be a small business district located in the middle of all these LZs,” Marcus shouted above the howling wind. “Bars, restaurants, resupply vendors, brothels…everything a ship’s crew might be interested in.”

“Including work, I assume,” Nathan replied.

“Most likely,” Marcus confirmed. “I’d be on your toes, though. Places like this are usually wary of strangers, and since most of the people who come to a place like this never come back, that means they hate most everyone.”

“Should be fun,” Nathan commented as they headed out.

* * *

“XO on the bridge!” the guard announced as Cameron walked past him and turned toward her ready room. “Get Telles and Deliza on vid-link and pipe it into my office,” she instructed the communications officer as she passed. “Commander, with me.”

“Aye, sir,” Commander Prechitt acknowledged. “You have the con, Lieutenant,” he added as he passed the tactical officer on his way aft.

“I have the con, aye.”

Commander Prechitt moved briskly to the back of the Aurora’s bridge, following Cameron into the captain’s ready room and closing the hatch behind him. “The Strikers should be back from their raid in two hours,” he reported as he took his seat. “Falcon One is still on recon and won’t be back until twenty-two thirty.”

“Flight ops?”

“Eight in the tubes, eight on ready status right behind them. The other twelve are on standby. All Reapers are also on standby, with four of them manned and ready for immediate launch. All twelve of the Inman’s Gunyoki also report ready.”

“XO, Comms,” the intercom squawked. “General Telles and Deliza Ta’Akar are ready on vid-link.”

Cameron pressed the control button for the main view screen on the forward bulkhead, causing it to snap to life. On the right of the screen was General Telles, on the left was Deliza.

“I trust you’ve been briefed, General?” Cameron opened.

“It is not an unexpected action by Minister Sebaron,” the general opined.

“It’s an illegal action,” Deliza declared with vigor.

Cameron got a curious look on her face. “How so?”

“Our agreement is much like a diplomatic one,” she explained. “The ground on which the Ranni plant sits is not considered Rakuen territory.”

“Are you sure?” Cameron asked.

“It was an item of great contention during our original negotiations. They eventually conceded because they wanted to get jump drives into their own cargo ships, specifically so that Yokimah could sell his goods to other systems. The Rakuen government has no right to seize Ranni property.”

“Then, their move is essentially an act of aggression,” Cameron realized.

“Against the Karuzari Alliance,” General Telles said.

“Because Ranni Enterprises is a founding member,” Deliza added.

“Which makes that property just as much Karuzari property as Ranni,” the general offered.

“Ideas?”

“The plant manager has access to a private jump comm-drone,” Deliza explained. “That’s how he got a message to us, to begin with. Perhaps he can give us more details?”

“That capability will not last long,” General Telles warned. “It may already be compromised and could be used as a counterintelligence asset for the Rakuen military.”

“What do we know about their military?” Cameron asked.

“Most of their military assets were put into secure storage decades ago,” General Telles explained. “It would take some time for them to reactivate them. Even then, they are not jump capable.”

“But they could easily be made jump capable using the Ranni plant,” Cameron pointed out.

“True, but it would still take weeks to get the first ship up and running with a jump drive—months to get the rest of them. They likely don’t even have trained crews for those ships,” the general said. “We have more to fear from the jump-capable Gunyoki ships that are still stationed on their race platform.”

“How many?” Cameron wondered.

“At least twenty, with ten more currently in the refit process. However, if the resources of the Ranni plant are concentrated solely on the Gunyoki refit process, those numbers could grow quite rapidly,” the general warned.

“That plant is also the primary source of our funding,” Deliza reminded them. “The Rakuen government was already paying us for each jump drive we produced for their Gunyoki fighters, and once they reached the one hundred mark, we were going to resume production of our jump shuttles for our existing clients elsewhere. We need that revenue.”

Cameron shook her head. “I told Nathan this was going to bite us in the ass.”

“In his defense, it was the only logical play,” General Telles insisted.

“You expected the Rakuens to respond this way,” Commander Prechitt realized, adding his voice to the conversation for the first time.

“We had considered the possibility, yes,” the general admitted.

“Then, I assume you already have a contingency plan,” Cameron stated.

“We do.”

“How bad?”

“Casualties on our side should be light, if any,” the general stated confidently. “The Rakuen military, although well trained, is nothing more than a backup for their local law enforcement. They even refer to it as a security force, rather than a defense force.”

“What about their Gunyoki?” Cameron wondered.

“Those that are not jump equipped would not be considered a threat,” the general explained. “The pilots of those that are jump equipped are not yet properly trained.”

“Our Eagles should be able to handle them,” Commander Prechitt added.

“What about opposition casualties?” Cameron asked.

“There will be some,” the general replied.

“Some?”

“It cannot be helped.”

“I don’t suppose you could use less-than-lethal tactics?”

“I will not put my few remaining men at unnecessary risk. If the Ghatazhak shoot, we shoot to kill. No exceptions.”

“Not exactly a great way to gain allies,” Cameron commented with a sigh.

“On the contrary,” the general replied. “A show of force is more than appropriate, given the situation. The Rakuen government has committed an act of aggression against a Karuzari asset, and by doing so, they have also violated their peace treaty with Neramese, an ally of the Karuzari. To respond with anything less than a decisively lethal attack would only embolden the Rakuen government. If we fail to act in force, we may next be defending Neramese from Rakuen, in addition to the Dusahn.”

“There is also the risk of the Dusahn deciding to support Rakuen because of their efforts to resist the Karuzari,” Commander Prechitt pointed out.

“The Dusahn did try to work a covert deal with Ito Yokimah,” General Telles reminded them.

“I just want my factory back,” Deliza demanded. “I went to a lot of trouble to negotiate a deal to get a plant that was well outside the Pentaurus sector, and I sank a lot of credits into the project. I knew the Rakuens were duplicitous, but this is beyond reproach!”

“Are these really people we want as allies?” Cameron asked.

“No, but we want their Gunyoki—all five hundred of them—on our side,” General Telles stated.

“And we want our factory back,” Deliza added.

Cameron thought for a moment, then looked at the general’s face on the view screen. “Recommendations?”

“The Aurora cannot leave the fleet until the Cobra gunships return,” the general pointed out. “However, in the meantime, we could send a few of the Gunyoki back to Rakuen to better assess the situation and report back. After all, this may just be designed to get us to return to the negotiating table and put the Rakuens in a stronger position when we do.”

“Then you think we should try a diplomatic solution, first?” Cameron asked, a bit surprised by the general’s suggestion.

“No, but our time constraints dictate otherwise. The Gunyoki can be used to deliver a message to the Rakuen government, condemning their actions and threatening reprisal if control of the Ranni plant is not immediately released back to Ranni Enterprises.”

“You’d be losing the element of surprise,” Cameron warned.

“We’d be losing nothing,” the general disagreed. “The Rakuens would be foolish not to expect an armed response. An invitation for a diplomatic resolution will hide the fact that we are unable to launch a retaliatory effort at the moment.”

“It will also make us appear more forgiving and portray the Rakuens as the aggressors,” the commander added.

“Appearing to be forgiving was not what I had in mind,” General Telles warned. “The message should be short and to the point. ‘Release control of the plant or face the consequences.’ Nothing more, nothing less.”

Cameron leaned back in her chair and sighed. “To be honest, this kind of political crap is more Nathan’s forte.”

“Shall I prepare an assault plan?” General Telles wondered.

“Yes,” Cameron replied reluctantly. “But I’m not sold just yet. Let’s wait and see how the Rakuen government reacts to our warning, first.”

“As you wish,” General Telles agreed.

“And then get my factory back,” Deliza added before signing off.

Cameron sighed again as the view screen shut off.

“No offense, but since when does a captain tell a general what to do?” Commander Prechitt wondered.

“Nathan is the leader of the Karuzari, and the general answers to him,” Cameron explained. “That was the agreement, and when Nathan is away, unfortunately, I’m his second.”

“An unusual arrangement, to be sure.”

“Get used to it,” Cameron warned, “because if I’m away, or otherwise unable, you’re in charge.”

“That wasn’t in the job description,” the commander joked.

“Yeah, that’s life under the command of Nathan Scott.”

* * *

Considering the amount of dust swirling about, there were a surprising number of people walking the streets.

“Are you sure this is a spaceport?” Vladimir asked as they entered one of the larger buildings at the center of the small village.

“Not the kind you might expect,” Marcus replied as he dusted himself off. “Gustur ain’t exactly bustling with legal commerce. More like a rest stop where no one asks uncomfortable questions.”

Jessica was the first one through the inner doors. She paused a moment, looking around the dingy interior of the establishment while the others caught up to her, finally declaring, “This place is a fucking dump.”

The first thing Nathan noticed as he entered was the numerous looks they were receiving. “Not the best way to enter a room, Jess,” he commented, moving past her. He moved down the steps to the main level, looking around as he made his way through the crowded establishment toward what appeared to be the main bar.

“I’m gonna see if I can’t dig up a little info,” Marcus said. “I’ll meet up with you later.”

Jessica followed Nathan and Vladimir toward the bar. She could feel the eyes of every man in the room who wasn’t too drunk to see following her. “Guess I should have worn something more loose-fitting.”

Nathan squeezed between two people and stepped up to the bar, signaling the burly man on the other side.

The man stepped over, glared at Nathan, but said nothing.

“Nice place you have here,” Nathan said, hoping to break the ice.

The bartender said nothing.

“What do you have to drink?” Nathan asked.

“Ale or water, and you can’t afford the water,” the man grumbled.

“I guess we’ll take three ales, then.”

“Dark or light?”

“What’s the difference?” Nathan wondered.

“One’s dark and one’s light,” the bartender replied.

“Which one tastes better?” Vladimir asked, joining Nathan at the bar.

“They both taste like oho piss.”

“I’ll take the light oho piss,” Jessica said as she saddled up next to Nathan.

“How are you gonna pay?” the man asked.

“What will you take?”

“Whattaya got?”

Nathan pulled a Pentaurus credit chip out of his pocket and placed it on the counter.

The bartender picked up the chip and examined it. “I haven’t seen a Pentaurus chip in a while. You lost, or something?”

“Nope, just a bit outside our usual stomping grounds.”

“Yeah, a lot of that going around these days,” the bartender replied, reaching under the bar to pull out a few mugs.

“Any chance a lady could get a clean mug?” Jessica asked.

“They’ve been heat sterilized,” the bartender assured her as he started filling the first mug. “Clean costs extra,” he added with a lascivious grin.

“Of course,” Jessica replied, rolling her eyes.

The bartender slid three full mugs across the bar toward Nathan and the others. “Booth opened up over there,” he told them, nodding toward the far side of the room.

“Don’t suppose I’ve got any change coming,” Nathan wondered.

“Consider it a tip,” the bartender said with a menacing look.

Nathan ignored the bartender’s response as he picked up his mug and followed Jessica and Vladimir back through the crowd toward the open booth.

“God, what is that annoying music?” Jessica wondered as they took their seats.

“I don’t know that I’d call this music,” Nathan commented as he took a sip of his ale. His face suddenly soured. “Oh, my God, he wasn’t lying. This does taste like piss.”

“I kind of like it,” Vladimir disagreed.

“You won’t notice after the first one,” a young woman said as she stepped up to the booth.

“Well, hello,” Vladimir greeted, immediately taking an interest in the young lady.

“Relax, grandpa,” the girl warned. “I’m not the house talent. I’m just here to take your order.”

“I did not mean…”

“Yeah, I know. You want something to eat, or not?”

“What do you have?” Nathan asked.

“It’s a dive bar,” she replied. “What do you think we have? Fried kita, dinga wraps, and egsy dip.”

“Sounds good,” Nathan decided. “Bring us three of each.”

“How are you paying?”

Nathan pulled two more credit chips out of his pocket and handed them to the girl. “This cover it?”

“Barely,” she said, hoping to get a bigger tip.

“We’ll see after we taste the food,” Nathan told her.

The girl left, annoyed.

“I guess no one bothers to clean around here,” Jessica commented, brushing the dust off the table in front of her.

“Probably a never-ending job,” Nathan decided.

“We may have a problem,” Marcus said as he sat down next to Nathan. “You mind?” he asked, reaching for Nathan’s mug of ale.

“Help yourself.”

Marcus grabbed the mug and poured its contents down his throat in seconds.

“Remind me not to get in a drinking contest with you,” Vladimir said, impressed.

“What’s the problem?” Jessica wondered.

“Apparently, it ain’t as easy to get into Sanctuary as it used to be,” Marcus began.

“What are you talking about?” Nathan asked.

“With jump drive tech coming to the surrounding sectors, Sanctuary has taken measures to protect itself from various government entities looking to arrest some of their regular visitors.”

“How are they protecting themselves?” Jessica wondered.

“If you jump into the system without squawking a recognized ID code, they automatically launch jump missiles at you.”

“Members only,” Vladimir commented.

“Shoot first and ask questions later,” Jessica added. “My kind of people.”

“How do you get one of these codes?”

“It’s not just a code, actually. It’s a special transponder with an encrypted chip, and there are only a few people who can issue them.”

“Like a visa,” Nathan realized. “Then let’s go and get one.”

“It ain’t that simple,” Marcus warned. “They don’t just check your papers and hand you one. You gotta prove that you’re their type of visitor, if you know what I mean.”

“A criminal,” Nathan said.

“Sort of.”

“So, you have to commit a crime to prove you’re not a government agent? How is that a good way to vet someone?”

“It’s not that simple,” Marcus said. “You basically have to earn the damned thing.”

“How?” Vladimir asked.

“By doing jobs, as best I can tell.”

“What jobs?” Jessica wondered.

“That’s what I haven’t figured out yet,” Marcus admitted. “No doubt, they’re not exactly on the up and up…and a bit risky.”

“More risky than fighting the Dusahn?” Vladimir wondered.

“Probably.”

“Why is Sanctuary so important, anyway?” Vladimir wondered. “Isn’t there someplace else you can safely stash your family?”

“From what Marcus is saying, maybe not,” Nathan realized. “Besides, if Sanctuary really is where you can find anything, it’s a resource we shouldn’t ignore.”

“I thought we were supposed to be the good guys?” Vladimir said.

“Oh, please,” Jessica chided. “Are you serious?”

“There are lines that one should consider carefully before crossing,” Vladimir insisted. “I am not saying this is one of them. I am just saying that we should think first, before making a decision.”

“When you’re fighting the devil, you have to commit a few sins,” Jessica insisted.

“I understand that,” Vladimir replied. “And trust me, I have committed my share of sins.”

“And we’ll commit a few more, if that’s what it takes,” Nathan insisted.

“Any idea how we get started?” Jessica asked Marcus. “Is this even the place for it?”

“Oh, it’s the place for it, alright,” Marcus assured her.

Jessica looked around the room a moment, and then looked at Nathan. “Let me handle this.”

“What do you have in mind?” Nathan wondered.

“Trust me,” she said, downing her mug of ale.

“Uh-oh,” Vladimir mumbled.

“Christ!” Jessica yelled at the top of her lungs. “Would you people turn off that irritating shit!”

“Jess,” Nathan said, trying to get her to stop.

“Fuck you!” someone replied.

“You’re not man enough, you fat slob!” Jessica replied, laughing.

“What the hell, Jess,” Nathan exclaimed under his breath as she poured the remainder of Vladimir’s ale down, as well.

Jessica winked at Nathan as she wiped her mouth. “Be ready, boys.”

A large, burly man stepped up to the table, appearing somewhat displeased. “Maybe you should teach your little girl some manners,” he told Nathan.

“I’m not his little girl,” Jessica said, “and you need to turn around and take your fat ass back to your friends before I embarrass you.”

The burly man laughed.

“She’s not kidding,” Nathan warned.

Jessica turned in her seat toward the burly man, smiling as she pushed her jacket back to reveal her sidearm.

“You think you’re the only one packin’ heat in this place?” the man said. “You keep poppin’ off your mouth, and someone’s gonna gun you down before you can draw that burner.”

“I don’t need a burner to deal with a piece of shit like you,” Jessica said as she reached down and unbuckled her gun belt. She rose, leaving her gun belt resting on the bench seat, and stepped up to the burly man. “You want a piece of me, tubby?” she asked, looking up at him.

The burly man smiled and reached down, grabbing her ass with a slapping motion. “I’d love a piece, bitch. How much?”

“Oh, that was a mistake,” Vladimir mumbled.

Jessica rammed her knee into the burly man’s groin as she jammed her fist into his throat. The man immediately fell to the floor, writhing in pain and gasping for breath. Two of the burly man’s friends were already on their feet, charging toward her. She ran toward them, stepping up onto an empty chair and then onto a table, flying into the air and landing feet first into the nearest attacker.

“What the hell is she doing?” Nathan wondered.

“Establishing credibility, I imagine,” Marcus chuckled. “In her own, unique way, of course.”

With the second man down, Jessica rolled to one side, avoiding the third man’s clumsy attack. She popped up behind him, climbed up his back in two fluid steps, stealing his sidearm from his holster as she did so. With both legs locked around the third man’s neck, she leaned back sharply, using her own body weight to pull the man backwards, the two of them crashing to the floor.

Four more men rose from distant tables, drawing their weapons to end the scuffle.

“Jess!” Nathan called out in warning.

His warning was unnecessary.

Jessica lifted her right foot, and then slammed it down into the third man’s face, momentarily incapacitating him. She then rolled to one side, coming up on one knee as she opened fire with the weapon she had liberated from the second man. Four shots found all four weapons being raised toward her, causing each of their carriers to cry out in pain as those weapons instantly overheated and burned the hands wielding them.

Several shots rang out behind Jessica, causing her to spin around with her weapon at the ready.

The bartender stood there, boomer in hand, trained on Jessica. “Enough!”

Jessica rolled right, firing at the bartender, the energy bolt from her weapon meeting his in midair, resulting in a brilliant flash of red-orange plasma. “GO!” she warned her cohorts as she fired again. Her next shot found the side of the bartender’s weapon, overheating it, as well.

Nathan and the others jumped from the booth, drawing their own weapons as they ran for the exit.

Smart enough to release the weapon the moment it was hit, the bartender immediately reached for another under the counter.

“DON’T!” Jessica warned, sending another bolt of plasma energy streaking past the bartender’s ear, close enough for him to feel the heat of the passing charge. The bolt slammed into the mirror behind him, causing it to explode, sending shards of glass in all directions.

Jessica stood there, her weapon trained on the bartender. “I’m not looking to kill anyone!” she yelled. “But I got no problem burning down the next one of you dumb enough to draw on me!”

The distant sound of a sidearm charging on the other side of the room came from behind her, and Jessica swung her weapon around in a flash, firing three times without looking. A second later, she was rewarded by the thud of a body hitting the floor, and a man screaming in pain.

“You can’t kill us all, lady,” the bartender warned.

“I can sure as hell try,” Jessica promised, bringing her weapon back around to take aim at the bartender once more.

“Just get the fuck outta my bar.”

Jessica smiled, backstepping toward the exit. When she reached the exit, she told him, “You really should get some better music.”

* * *

“I’m not so sure about this, Vol,” Tariq said over comms.

Vol glanced at his jump sequencer as the system automatically activated the next jump in the series. “They will not fire on their own countrymen,” he replied after the jump had completed.

“They may not have a choice,” Tham said.

Another jump cycled.

“If I were in their place, I would fire if ordered,” Alayna added.

“No one is firing,” Vol insisted. “Our orders are to jump in, assess the situation, and deliver a message to Minister Sebaron.”

“If the minister seized the Ranni plant, he has committed an act of war against the Karuzari,” Tham explained. “In a state of war, we are honor-bound to protect Rakuen.”

“Which we are doing by fighting alongside the Karuzari,” Vol replied after the next jump cycled.

“Many on Rakuen would not see it that way,” Tariq pointed out.

“We could be labeled as traitors,” Alayna added.

“I have faith in the wisdom of Makani Koku,” Vol insisted. “I believe as he did, that the Karuzari are Rakuen’s best hope of survival. If Minister Sebaron and the elders do not believe this to be true, then they are fools, and I will not follow ignorant, old men who refuse to adapt to changing times.”

“Then history will brand us either heroes or traitors,” Tariq said. “Given a choice, I choose to follow Master Koku, even if it means my kinsmen will judge me harshly.”

“Two jumps to Rakuen,” Vol warned. “How say you, Tham?”

“I do not question the wisdom of Master Koku.”

“Alayna?”

“Need you ask?”

Vol smiled. “Jumping to Rakuen.” The stars outside his canopy shifted slightly one last time, and their homeworld appeared before them in all of its glorious, blue splendor. “Take a good look at her,” he urged. “It may be our last.”

“We’re being targeted, Vol,” Alayna warned.

“I’m picking up multiple launches from the race platform,” Tariq announced. “Six…no, eight targets.”

“They’re jumping,” Tham added.

Eight Gunyoki fighters suddenly appeared ahead of them, splitting to either side as they streaked past Vol’s flight of four.

“What do we do?” Tariq asked, sounding nervous.

“Hold your course,” Vol insisted. “Take no aggressive action and do not raise your shields.”

“What if they fire?” Alayna asked.

“Then you jump.”

“And if we can’t?” Tham wondered.

“Then you surrender,” Vol insisted. “Better to be a prisoner of war than to have started one.”

“Vol Kaguchi, this is Wentor Lindt. Enable auto-flight and surrender your ships, or we will fire upon you.”

“Lindt, Kaguchi,” Vol replied. “We have no hostile intent. We seek only to relay a message to Minister Sebaron.”

“You will do as instructed, or we shall destroy you,” Wentor warned. After a moment, he added. “Please, Vol. You know I have no choice.”

“You’re wrong, Wentor, we all have a choice,” Vol replied. “We’re done here,” he told his flight as he pressed the escape jump button on his flight control stick.

* * *

“What the hell were you doing?” Nathan exclaimed as the Seiiki’s cargo ramp rose behind them.

“Marketing,” Jessica replied.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I just showed them that we’re badasses.”

“By nearly killing everyone?” Vladimir wondered.

“Pretty much,” Jessica replied, unconcerned.

“You showed them that you’re a badass,” Nathan corrected.

“She’s right,” Marcus insisted. “She just gave us all a rep that’ll get around pretty quickly.”

“Did you ever think of just putting the word out that we’re looking for a job or two?” Nathan wondered.

“That would take too long,” Jessica insisted.

“She’s right again, Cap’n,” Marcus agreed. “Even if we found the right people to ask, they’d never trust us. We’re unproven talent…at least, we were until she beat the crap out of everyone.”

“Fine,” Nathan said, shaking the dust off his coat. “But next time, I’d appreciate a little warning before you start shooting up local businesses, while we’re still in them.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Jessica half-promised.

“I’m not kidding, Jess,” Nathan insisted.

“I understand,” she replied. “Now, who’s hungry?” she asked, turning and heading forward.

Nathan looked up in frustration. “What the hell am I supposed to do with her?” he asked Vladimir and Marcus.

“She is right, Cap’n,” Marcus reminded him.

“And she did take them all on without breaking a sweat,” Vladimir added respectfully.

“You two aren’t helping,” Nathan said as he followed Jessica forward.

CHAPTER FIVE

Specialist Brill scanned the dimly lit perimeter of the landing platform on which the Seiiki rested. Lights from the low, flat-topped buildings that surrounded them still shone, dimming intermittently by the never-ending swirls of dust that plagued Gustur.

“But if you had to choose, which would it be?” Corporal Vasya asked over comm-sets.

“After two days of meal kits, a dollag steak, hands down.”

“You’d choose a hunk of meat over a night with that cute, little doc?” Vasya questioned in disbelief.

“She’s not my type.”

“But she’s so petite and adorable.”

“That’s the problem. I’m afraid I’d break her.”

“You’re weird, Mori.”

“No, just hungry…for real food.”

“Movement, port aft quarter,” Specialist Deeks warned.

“I’ve got him,” Mori replied. “Just some old man stumbling his way back home.”

“Stay eyes on.”

“You know it.”

“Okay, a dollag steak or that gal on the flight deck…the one with the short, black hair and hazel eyes.”

“The one who always wears the baggy jumpsuits?”

“That’s the one.”

“I’m not sure,” Mori admitted. “I’m still leaning toward the dollag steak, to be honest.”

“We need to get you some real food before you lose your mind.”

“Agreed,” Mori replied as he watched the old man disappear down an alley. “Target has left down the alley to the west.”

“Okay, last chance to redeem yourself, Brill,” Vasya warned. “Dollag steak or Big Mona?”

“No contest,” Mori assured him. “Big Mona, hands down.”

“I knew it, you sick bastard.”

“I’ve got movement astern,” Specialist Deeks announced. “Elevated, probably on the rooftops.”

“Direction of movement?” Mori asked, squinting while attempting to spot the subject through the swirling dust.

“Just appeared. Motionless at the moment.”

Mori moved in closer to the Seiiki’s port engine nacelle, using it as cover between himself and the subject he had yet to spot.

“He’s taking baby steps west. One……two……three…… He’s stopped again.”

Mori clicked off the safety on his energy rifle but did not yet raise it to a ready position.

“You got him, Brill?”

“Negative.”

“I’m moving up,” Corporal Vasya announced. He stepped over to the building directly in front of the Seiiki, crouched down low, and jumped to the second-floor balcony with the help of the assistive bodysuit he wore under his civilian attire. In one fluid motion, he climbed onto the railing, grabbed the overhang, and pulled himself up onto the roof itself, immediately assuming a crouched, ready position, and raised his weapon to the ready. “Upstairs, moving to intercept.”

“Should be around to your left, fifty meters. You’ll have to traverse three buildings to get to him,” Deeks instructed.

“Let me know if he moves suddenly,” the corporal replied.

Lieutenant Rezhik’s eyes opened when his comm-set beeped. “Rezhik,” he replied.

“Movement on the rooftops, Lieutenant. One aft, a minute ago. Another forward, off the starboard side. Vasya’s moving to intercept the one aft. Brill and I are tucked into the engine nacelles for cover.”

“On our way,” the lieutenant replied as he rose from his bunk. “Jess,” he called as he reached for his weapon.

“What?” she replied, not bothering to open her eyes.

“Company. Two high, front and rear. Probably cover. Vasya’s up, moving to intercept the one aft. I’ll go out the boarding hatch; you go through the starboard emergency hatch next to the galley.”

“Got it,” Jessica replied, jumping from her bunk in the cargo bay. She tapped her comm-set as she grabbed her weapon and headed up the ladder to the forward bulkhead. “Marcus, you up?”

“Nope.”

“Wake everyone, but don’t turn on any lights,” she instructed as she stepped onto the forward landing.

“What’s up?”

“We’ve got company,” she replied, stepping through the hatch. “You and Dalen get into your turrets, but don’t power up unless the shit hits the fan.”

“Understood.”

Corporal Vasya moved smoothly and quietly across the rooftops, pausing whenever the dust swirls died down for a moment to avoid detection. He stopped at the edge of the roof, waiting for the dust to swirl up again, and then jumped the gap, landing with grace on the next rooftop and immediately moving to cover. Within seconds, he reached a large storage tank in the middle of the roof. “Deeks, you got any contacts on the top of this tank next to me?”

“Wait one,” Deeks replied.

Vasya scanned the area, detecting no movement nearby.

“Negative,” Specialist Deeks confirmed over comm-sets. “Tank is clear.”

“Any cover between me and the aft contact?”

“Two,” Deeks replied. “If you jump to the next building at the furthest corner, the target won’t have line of sight on you. Then, move along the back side of the building, using the machinery boxes as cover. From there, you should be able to approach him from behind.”

“Moving,” the corporal reported as he headed across the rooftop toward the furthest edge.

A tiny hatch retracted into the hull of the Seiiki’s starboard underside, just aft of the forward thrust duct, and then slid to one side to reveal a dark opening into the ship. Two slender legs appeared, followed by a body as Jessica slid out the escape hatch, landing on the dusty, dimly lit surface below. She reached back up into the hatch to retrieve her energy rifle, and then tapped her comm-set. “Nash is out.”

“New target. Starboard side, in the alley, twenty degrees off the bow,” Specialist Deeks reported. “Back of the building, stationary. He’s all yours, Jess.”

“Got it.” Jessica waited for the next burst of swirling dust, using it for cover as she moved quickly across the open landing pad toward the external power unit at the edge of the landing area. She paused a moment behind the EPU, waiting for the next swirl of dust to rise and obscure the view of anyone watching the area, before moving into the next alley over from the target.

She moved quickly down the alley, her weapon held high at the ready, taking care to be as stealthy and quiet as possible. She paused at the corner, glancing around the edge of the building to ensure the next street was clear before darting silently across it and disappearing between the buildings on the other side.

The door burst open, waking Nathan with a start.

“Jess says we got company, Cap’n,” Marcus announced from the doorway. “Everyone up, but stay dark.”

Nathan pulled off his blanket and pushed on the underside of the bunk above him. “Wake up, Vlad!”

Lieutenant Rezhik looked out the darkened, open boarding hatch on the left side of the Seiiki, just aft of her cockpit, scanning the area for movement. Satisfied there was none, he turned around and stepped backward, dropping down and grabbing the edge of the deck as he fell, arresting his fall and settling silently on the dusty surface. Dust swirled about him as the relentless winds of Gustur came and went at uneven intervals. He crouched down low, moving quickly to the outer perimeter, disappearing between the buildings to the left of the ship a moment later.

Josh followed Loki up the ladder into the Seiiki’s cockpit, taking his seat to the left. Immediately behind him were Nathan and Vladimir.

“Should we spin up?” Josh asked.

“Just run your preflight checklists and be ready,” Nathan replied. “I don’t want to tip off whoever is out there that we’re expecting them.”

“Port turret manned,” Marcus reported.

“Starboard turret manned,” Dalen followed.

“Don’t power up your guns unless I say,” Nathan instructed over his comm-set.

“Understood,” Marcus replied.

“Who do you think is out there?” Dalen wondered.

“Probably someone Jessica pissed off,” Nathan commented.

“I heard that,” Jessica whispered over their comm-sets.

“You were supposed to,” Nathan replied sharply.

Corporal Vasya moved silently into position and carefully peered around the edge of the machinery box at his target. Ten meters in front of him was a man in a tan coat and pants, with similarly colored wrappings around his head to protect his face from the swirling dust. The corporal clicked his comm-set twice.

“That you, Kit?” Deeks replied in a near whisper over his comm-set.

The corporal clicked his comm-set again, two times.

“You in position?”

Two more clicks.

“Copy you’re in position.”

“Nash has eyes on; ready.”

“Rezhik, in position.”

Specialist Deeks checked his handheld sensor. “I’ve got six new targets moving in. Three from the east, and three from the west. One high on each side. Five seconds.” He swung his weapon up in preparation to fire as two shadowy figures appeared from between the buildings to the starboard side of the ship, both of them carrying weapons.

Corporal Vasya moved swiftly across the last few meters to his target, making no sound at all. At the last moment, the doomed man turned just in time to see the flash of the corporal’s combat knife as it came up and sliced open his throat. The corporal caught the wounded man’s rifle as he fell, grasping at the gushing wound across his throat. “One down,” the corporal reported, tossing the dead man’s weapon aside and reaching for his own energy rifle, to take aim at the rooftops on the other side of the landing site.

Jessica stepped out of the shadows behind her target. “Psst.”

The man spun around, raising his handgun to fire. Jessica stepped right and forward, dodging the man’s first shot, smacking his weapon hand upward with her left hand, and driving her clenched, right fist into his throat. The man bent over, gasping for breath as she reached around and snapped his neck in one smooth motion.

“Too easy,” she muttered as she released the dead man and let him fall to the ground. “Two down.”

Lieutenant Rezhik waited for the first man to charge past him, then swung his rifle butt into the second man’s face as he, too, came charging out. As the second man fell, the lieutenant tilted the barrel of his rifle down slightly and fired, catching the previous man in the back before he had a chance to react. “Three and four down.”

Jessica ran quickly back down the alley toward the Seiiki as weapons fire erupted ahead of her, its red-orange flashes lighting up the swirling clouds of dust.

“Sniper fire from the east,” Specialist Deeks reported calmly, the sound of his own weapon firing in the background.

“I’ve got two in front of me, west side,” Jessica reported as she ran. “On them in five seconds.”

“No need,” the lieutenant advised.

Corporal Vasya took aim at the man on the far rooftop, quickly releasing a bolt of plasma that struck the sniper in the face, killing him instantly. As several shots rang out below him, he swung his weapon slightly left, finding the second sniper, killing him with a single shot, as well. “Five and six down.”

Specialist Brill returned the incoming fire from his position behind the port engine nacelle, purposefully firing without aiming to further embolden his attackers. A few more bursts rang out, and everything became silent.

Jessica saw two more red-orange flashes and heard two thuds ahead of her. She slowed her pace, her weapon at the ready as she reached the end of the alley. Before her were two dead attackers. She looked to her left as the lieutenant stepped up. “Seven and eight down,” he reported, smiling.

“Nice,” Jessica complimented.

“Not much of a challenge, really.”

“Better than nothing, I suppose,” Jessica joked.

“Two more aft, hiding in the alley,” Deeks reported. “No weapons signatures, though.”

“Do not fire!” a man called from the alley to the rear of the Seiiki. “I wish to speak with your leader.”

Jessica moved briskly around the Seiiki’s port nacelle toward the man’s voice. “Step out where we can see you, hands high, or we burn you down.”

The man stepped out into the dim light, his hands held high as instructed. “I must warn you, we still have two snipers.”

Two more shots rang out from the rooftop to the man’s left, one streaking straight across, the other toward the rooftops to the front of the ship. The first body fell from the roof on the starboard side of the ship, then another fell from the roof forward.

“Not anymore, you don’t!” Corporal Vasya yelled from his rooftop position to the Seiiki’s port side, an almost indiscernible laugh in his voice.

“Not bad,” the man congratulated. “Are you in charge of these men?” he asked Jessica.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Who I am don’t matter much, sweetie. Who I speak for does.”

“Then whom do you speak for?” Jessica asked. “And call me ‘sweetie’ again, and you won’t be speaking much longer,” she added, annoyed.

The Seiiki’s cargo ramp began to open, revealing Nathan and Vladimir standing in the back of the bay. As the ramp reached level, Nathan started down while Vlad stood there, boomer in hand, ready to mow down anyone he deemed a threat.

The man looked at Nathan. “You be the leader of this crew?”

“I am,” Nathan replied.

“And you be?”

“Who I be is none of your business. Were these your men?” Nathan asked, gesturing toward the dead bodies lying around the perimeter of the landing site.

“They be.”

“Then I have two questions for you,” Nathan said as he stepped off the end of the cargo ramp and walked up to the man. “One: Why did you attack my crew? Two: Why the fuck shouldn’t I burn you down where you stand?”

The man smiled, revealing a dire need for proper dental care, as well as a few gaps where teeth should have been. “One: it was a test, and two: because if you do, you’ll never get the job I came to offer you.”

“I don’t generally audition for jobs,” Nathan said as he came to stand face-to-face with the man. Without warning, Nathan punched the man in the face, knocking him over and costing him another tooth.

Jessica smiled.

“Get the fuck up so I can hit you again, maggot,” Nathan cursed.

The man laughed. “In that case, I’ll stay down here.” The man wiped the blood from his mouth and spit out a tooth. “Appears I’m running low on teeth.” The man smiled, displaying the new, bloody gap in his mouth. “Do you want the job or not?”

“If your boss wants to offer me a job, tell him to come and ask for himself,” Nathan said with anger and disdain. “Now get your slimy, little ass out of my sight before I introduce you to the business end of Shirley,” he said, tapping his sidearm.

The man looked crossly at Nathan, then at the others with their weapons trained on him. He slowly rose to his feet, brushing the dust off, purposefully trying not to appear ill at ease by Nathan’s threats. “As you wish,” he said, stepping backward toward the alley. “Don’t think for a moment this is over, though,” he added as he disappeared into the shadows again.

Nathan stood there, staring in the departed man’s direction, listening to the sound of his footfalls.

“Targets are moving off,” Deeks reported from Nathan’s left.

“Shirley?” Jessica giggled, stepping up next to Nathan.

* * *

“All four hundred and sixty Gunyoki are activated and stand ready,” Defense Minister Arata reported. “We have positioned defensive gun emplacements in key locations about the Ranni plant and have more than five hundred troops stationed on the plant grounds. According to our intelligence, that is more than twice the Ghatazhak’s numbers.”

“What about their jump fighters?” Minister Sebaron inquired.

“Even with the jump-enabled Gunyoki currently serving the Karuzari, we still outnumber them two to one in jump fighters. That should make up for our pilots’ lack of experience with jump-fighter combat tactics. In addition, those who are not on patrol are spending their time in the training simulators.”

“And if the Aurora attacks?” Minister Ohu asked.

“The Aurora will not attack Rakuen,” Minister Sebaron insisted. “They will send their recon drones, and they will test our resolve with minor attacks designed to gauge our defenses, but they will not attack in force.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because they need that plant and the revenue that it provides,” Minister Sebaron replied. “They will seek a diplomatic solution, I am sure of it. And when they do, we will have the upper hand at the negotiating table.”

A quick series of blinding, blue-white flashes of light filled the minister’s chambers, followed a split second later by deafening cracks of thunder that shook the building and shattered the windows of the minister’s meeting chambers. The ministers in attendance fell from their chairs and scrambled for cover as the screams of multiple thrusters filled the room.

Alarms went off in the corridors as Minister Sebaron fought against the rush of heated air swirling into his chambers from outside, his eyes squinting. Struggling to his feet, he turned toward the open windows and saw a dozen of the Aurora’s Super Eagle jump fighters and four of her Reapers, all hovering just outside the building, their guns trained on the minister’s chambers.

“Minister Sebaron,” a stern voice called over loudspeakers from the ships hovering outside. “This is General Lucius Telles of the Karuzari. You have illegally seized the property of Ranni Enterprises and violated a legal, interstellar agreement. You have two Rakuen days to withdraw your forces and return control of the plant to Ranni Enterprises or suffer the consequences. This shall be your only warning.”

“My God!” Minister Ohu exclaimed as he rose to his feet and saw the fighters hovering outside.

The screams of the numerous engines rose in pitch as the ships began to climb, jumping away in brilliant, blue-white flashes and ear-splitting sounds, followed by a whoosh of air as it swirled in to fill the voids left by the departing vessels.

A few seconds later, the rest of the ministers struggled to their feet as alert sirens began to wail in the distance.

“Was that the negotiating tactic you expected?” Minister Ohu commented dryly.

General Telles stood behind the pilots, watching as the surface of Rakuen streaked under their Reaper.

“That ought to give them something to think about,” the Reaper’s crew chief commented.

“Ranni plant, coming up,” the pilot reported.

“Cameras and sensors are running,” his copilot announced.

The general strained to see outside as the plant slid under them, and the pilot pitched up and activated their jump drive. “Send that data to my data pad,” he instructed, turning to head aft.

* * *

Terig sat, staring at the message in his private files. He had no idea where the message had come from or how it had gotten into his private message file. Normally, he moved messages into that file himself. This one had appeared, literally, while he was looking at the file. There was no header, and there was no subject. Even more curious, there was no routing file attached to it. That meant only one thing. Someone had manually placed it there, and that someone had master access to the House Mahtize networks.

Deep down, Terig knew who had placed the message there. But it had only been a few days since Lord Mahtize, himself, had blackmailed Terig into continuing his efforts of acting as a conduit through which his employer could feed intelligence to the Karuzari. It seemed unlikely that he would be providing such intelligence so soon after the destruction of the Takaran shipyards and the loss of the Teyentah.

Yet, there it was, sitting in his private message file.

Terig had contemplated this moment over the last few days. He had two choices: he could delete the message and hope that his employer was bluffing, or he could open it and pass the information to the Karuzari, as his employer had directed. Either action carried equal risk, but one of them at least meant that if he died, he did so while doing the right thing.

Terig took a deep breath and opened the message.

* * *

“All I’m saying is that it isn’t always necessary to kill everyone who threatens you,” Nathan explained as he picked at his meal kit in the Seiiki’s galley.

“One of the first things the Ghatazhak teach you is that you should not pull a weapon unless you intend to kill with it, as just the presentation of that weapon escalates any confrontation,” Jessica said. “And with our numbers so low, we cannot afford the additional risk. Besides, if Marcus is right about getting into Sanctuary, we need to have a serious rep. My men and I can easily pass as mercenaries, but you and the others, I’m not so sure about.”

“I think they might surprise you,” Nathan insisted. “We’ve been in a few scraps together, and not one of them folded.”

“Not even Neli?” Jessica wondered.

“Especially not Neli,” Nathan replied. “She is one tough lady.”

“She’d have to be, shacking up with Marcus,” Jessica joked.

“And Vlad has combat training and experience,” Nathan added.

“I’m more worried about you than Vlad,” Jessica admitted.

“Why me?”

“Because you’re always looking for the diplomatic way out of things. It’s in your nature. You’d rather talk first and shoot later. That kind of thinking can get you, and your crew, killed on a world like this.”

“I don’t think you’re giving me enough credit,” Nathan defended. “I thought I handled that guy pretty well last night.”

“Yes, you played the badass very effectively,” Jessica agreed. “But I have to wonder, could you have killed that man, just to send a message?”

“If I thought it necessary, I believe so,” Nathan replied.

“And that response is what worries me,” Jessica pointed out. “You believe so.”

“It’s not like I haven’t killed anyone face-to-face before,” Nathan argued. “Remember the guy on Haven?”

Jessica smiled. “Yeah, that was a hell of a shot, I have to admit. Quick draw, and everything. But that guy was an immediate threat; of that, there was no doubt. You had no choice but to drop him. Killing out of necessity or in self-defense isn’t the same as killing for effect. It fucks with you. It causes most people to hesitate, and that is when everything goes south. Trust me, I’ve seen it. There’s another saying among the Ghatazhak. It’s not a rule; more of a joke, really. ‘If you’re not sure you should kill them, you should kill them.’ Otherwise known as: ‘better wrong than dead.’”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Nathan promised, more to humor her than anything.

“And in the meantime, we’ll keep killing when we think it’s the right thing to do,” Jessica insisted. “And if I think you’re going about things in a way that’s going to get us in trouble, I’m going to do something about it.”

“I’d expect no less.”

“Captain, we’ve got a vehicle headed our way,” Marcus reported over their comm-sets.

“On my way,” Nathan replied, rising from the table.

The morning had brought an uncharacteristic calmness to Gustur. The winds were light, and visibility was far better than usual. By the time Nathan and Jessica came down the Seiiki’s cargo ramp, Marcus, Dalen, and all four Ghatazhak had taken up positions across the back of the ship, their weapons held ready.

Nathan studied the dilapidated vehicle parked along the side of the landing pad, about fifteen meters aft of his ship. It was big enough to hold several people, as well as a bit of cargo, and it had oversized tires to handle the dusty terrain of Gustur.

“Nobody has gotten out?” Jessica asked Lieutenant Rezhik as she came down the ramp behind Nathan.

“No, sir,” the lieutenant replied. “They’ve just been sitting there since they pulled up.”

“I’m not picking up any weapons signatures,” Specialist Deeks reported.

“What the hell are they waiting for?” Nathan wondered.

The back, right door of the vehicle opened, and a man stepped out.

“I guess they were waiting for you,” Jessica told Nathan.

The man slowly pulled open the sides of his jacket to show he was unarmed, and then held his hands out at his sides as he approached in a slow, nonthreatening manner. “I come with a message for Captain Tuplo.”

“How’d you know my name?” Nathan wondered as he took a few steps toward the approaching man.

“Even this far out on the fringe, we’re still tied into the system,” the man explained. “Took a few hours, like most things do out here.”

“What can I do for you?” Nathan asked, trying his best to look irritated by the man’s presence.

“I represent Oliver Tweeson.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” Nathan wondered.

“The Oliver Tweeson,” the man emphasized.

“Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell,” Nathan replied. “Then again, I am new to these parts.”

“Well, Mister Tweeson is a powerful and well-connected man in these parts,” the man explained. “And he’d very much like to speak with you.”

“Let me guess. He wants to offer me a job,” Nathan replied, appearing impatient.

“All I know is that he wishes to speak with you, Captain Tuplo.”

Nathan looked around again, appearing a bit annoyed by the man’s request. “Well, if Mister Tweeson wishes to speak with me, he can bring his happy ass down here in person.”

The man laughed. “I’m afraid that’s not the way Mister Tweeson prefers to do business.”

“Tough,” Nathan replied confidently. “That’s the way I do business.”

“If Mister Tweeson is looking to hire you, then it is likely to be quite lucrative.”

“I’m sure,” Nathan replied. “Still, he comes here.”

“He will likely offer the job to someone else,” the man warned.

“That’s fine by me,” Nathan assured him. “Now, run on back to your boss,” he added as he turned to head back up the ramp. “You’ve wasted enough of my time.”

The man stood there, dumbfounded, as Nathan and Jessica headed back up the cargo ramp.

Lieutenant Rezhik stepped over to block the man’s line of sight into the Seiiki’s cargo hold. “The captain asked you to leave,” he reminded the man in a confident and somewhat threatening tone.

The man shook his head, walked back to his vehicle, and climbed aboard.

“How was that?” Nathan asked Jessica as they reached the top of the cargo ramp.

“There’s hope for you, yet,” she replied.

“Just so you know, that was a negotiating tactic. Always start by demonstrating that you don’t need what the other guy is trying to sell you.”

“Perhaps I spoke too soon,” Jessica realized. “For a moment there, I thought you were just playing the badass.”

“Who said I was playing?” Nathan said with a grin.

* * *

Terig sat at the terminal in his home office, staring at the view screen. The hour was late, and his wife had fallen asleep long ago. For Terig, slumber would be far more difficult. The data he had been given by Lord Mahtize was undoubtedly of great value to the Karuzari; he had realized that the moment he had read it. But he had no way of knowing if the information was accurate, or if it was a ruse designed to lure the rebels into an ambush.

The problem was, he had no way to discern the validity or intent of the intelligence. He also realized it was not his responsibility to do so. That was the responsibility of the Karuzari. Only they could decide whether or not to act upon the intelligence he provided.

Unfortunately, knowing this did not help. There were so many things that could go wrong. So many ways that both he and his wife could end up staring down the barrel of a Dusahn executioner’s energy rifle.

Yet, still, something compelled him to do as he had promised.

Terig reread his message for the hundredth time since he had left his sleeping wife’s side. He finally pressed the button, embedding the encrypted message into the order form, and transmitted the order to Haven.

Now, all he had to do was figure out a way to explain to his wife why he was ordering so many molo candles. He didn’t even like the smell of molo.

* * *

“Well, you said you wanted her dirtied up a bit,” Nathan reminded Marcus as the two of them examined the port engine nacelle air intakes.

“Dirtied up, yes,” Marcus agreed. “Clogged up is another matter.”

“Unclog them and rig up some sort of cover,” Nathan suggested.

“Three vehicles approaching,” Specialist Deeks reported over their comm-sets.

“We’re gettin’ mighty popular,” Marcus commented with one eyebrow raised.

Nathan did not reply, merely tapping his comm-set as he turned and ducked under the port fuselage between the nacelle and the main body of the ship. “Meet me aft, Jess.”

“Already there,” she replied.

Nathan walked, bent over, under the port lifting wing, coming out to the right of the cargo ramp, meeting Jessica at the bottom as the vehicles pulled to a stop. As expected, all four Ghatazhak had lined up, two on each side and slightly forward of Nathan and Jessica. As the doors to the vehicles opened, Nathan could hear the whining of the Seiiki’s gun turret motors as Dalen and Neli spun their turrets around to face their guns aft, just in case.

As armed men began climbing out of the lead and trailing vehicles, the first man out noticed the gun turrets moving and immediately warned the others in his group. The men took up guard positions around the vehicles but were careful not to touch the weapons that hung at their sides, for fear of provoking the two gun turrets that currently held them in their sights.

“If whoever is in the middle vehicle actually gets out, they’re either brave or stupid,” Jessica commented under her breath.

“Or determined,” Nathan added.

After a few moments, a door on the center vehicle opened, and another armed man climbed out. He stepped over and opened the back door to the vehicle, holding it open while an older, well-dressed gentleman stepped out.

The older gentleman had long, gray hair that was tied back in a tail and sported a well-groomed goatee. Dressed in a white suit, he seemed in stark contrast to the dusty, tan surroundings that were Gustur.

The gentleman stood for a moment, observing his surroundings and taking note of the two gun turrets pointed his way. Not surprisingly, the gentleman appeared unconcerned about the danger he was facing and began to stroll confidently toward Nathan and his crew, two of his men falling in and flanking him along the way.

All four Ghatazhak simultaneously raised their weapons halfway to the ready position; enough to indicate that they were ready for action, but not so much as to provoke a response from the two armed men who approached.

The older gentleman and his bodyguards stopped five meters short of Nathan and his crew, and the gentleman took a long, admiring look at the Seiiki. “A very impressive, little ship,” he complimented. “She has come a long way from her original design, I suspect.”

“We have made a few modifications,” Nathan admitted. “State your business, old man.”

Jessica smiled at Nathan’s remark.

“I take it you are Connor Tuplo, captain of the Seiiki?”

Nathan recognized that the old man was purposefully demonstrating his ability to get information about anyone, or any ship, he wished. “I am.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Captain Tuplo. I am Oliver Tweeson,” the man stated, stepping forward and offering his hand.

Lieutenant Rezhik and Corporal Vasya, each on opposite sides of the old man, immediately reacted, bringing their weapons to the ready and taking aim at the man’s head. Mister Tweeson’s two guards also reacted, reaching for their own weapons, but stopped when the other two Ghatazhak took aim at them, as well. Back at the vehicles, the rest of the guards began to reach for their weapons but stopped when they heard the whine of the plasma generators as the two gun turrets, pointed in their direction, began to charge.

Mister Tweeson froze. “I only mean to shake your hand, as a gesture of respect and friendship.”

Jessica stepped forward and began to pat down the old man, checking him for weapons.

“Respect is earned,” Nathan stated, “as is friendship. You’ll pardon the precautions, I’m sure.”

“Of course,” Mister Tweeson replied. “However, had it been one of your men accosting me, I might not be as agreeable,” he added, smiling at Jessica as she completed her inspection of his person.

Jessica nodded at Nathan, and the Ghatazhak began to slowly lower their weapons. In the distance, the armed men around the vehicles also relaxed, letting their hands fall off their weapons and hang at their sides once more.

“I take it you received my invitation,” Nathan stated.

“I did,” Mister Tweeson replied. “I was most impressed. Not many refuse my invitation.”

Nathan purposefully did not reply.

“If you have a moment, I would like to discuss a business proposal with you. Perhaps, we can talk inside your vessel? The winds are calm now, but white suits do not stay so for long on Gustur, even on calm days.”

“Then why wear them?” Nathan wondered.

“Because they make a statement,” Mister Tweeson replied. “And because I like the way I look in them. May we?” he asked, taking a step forward.

Nathan held up his hand. “No one comes aboard my ship except my crew or a paying passenger. You are neither.”

“Well, we can’t very well conduct business standing out in the open,” the old man said, looking about. “What do you propose, Captain?”

Nathan looked toward the vehicles and the men surrounding them. “Your vehicle looks roomy enough to hold a conversation.”

Mister Tweeson looked surprised. “Why, yes, I suppose it is.”

“I go with, and one of our guys sits in the driver’s seat,” Jessica insisted.

“No way,” one of Mister Tweeson’s bodyguards argued.

“That’s the only way,” Jessica replied sharply, casting a menacing look at the bodyguard.

“You’re a puzzling man, Captain,” Mister Tweeson admitted. “When a ship comes to Gustur, they are either completing a delivery or seeking a job. You appear to be interested in neither.”

“I am always interested,” Nathan stated. “I’m just not desperate enough to take unnecessary risks.”

“An enviable position.” Mister Tweeson turned, gesturing toward his vehicles. “Shall we?”

Nathan looked to Jessica, who nodded her approval.

“Vasya, you’re with us,” Jessica instructed, following Nathan and Mister Tweeson toward the old man’s vehicle.

Corporal Vasya fell in behind Jessica, keeping his eyes on the two bodyguards flanking their employer.

As they approached the other guards standing by the vehicles, Jessica could sense the tension of the other guards. “Easy boys, nobody else has to die today,” she stated confidently. As they approached, one of the guards opened the door to the center vehicle. “Hold up!” Jessica instructed. The entire group stopped dead in their tracks, and Jessica advanced, looking inside the vehicle. She turned to look back at Tweeson. “Driver gets out, my guy takes his place.”

Mister Tweeson nodded to the guard holding the door, who then leaned in and said something to the driver in a language Jessica did not recognize. The driver climbed out of the vehicle and stepped to the side.

“You’re driving,” she told the corporal.

Corporal Vasya moved around to the other side of the vehicle and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Captain,” Mister Tweeson said, gesturing toward the open door.

Nathan and Jessica climbed inside, taking the two rear-facing seats.

“Everything good up there?” Jessica asked the corporal as the old man climbed in, and the guard outside closed the door behind him.

“I’m good,” Corporal Vasya replied as he looked over the vehicle to familiarize himself with its controls.

The old man pressed a button, and fresh, cool, filtered air began to circulate through the interior.

“So, what is this business proposition you have for us?” Nathan wondered.

“Straight to the point,” Mister Tweeson replied. “I like that.”

“I prefer not to waste time.”

“Very well,” the old man replied. “It is my understanding that you are looking to gain access to Sanctuary. I should warn you that such access is becoming increasingly difficult to secure, as of late.”

“So we’ve heard,” Nathan replied.

“May I ask why you wish to visit Sanctuary?”

“You may ask,” Nathan replied.

“I see,” Mister Tweeson replied, getting Nathan’s meaning. “The skills your crew displayed last night would naturally lead one to believe that you are either government agents or mercenaries hired by government agents, neither of which are welcome on Sanctuary.”

“I assure you, we are neither.”

“And I am to take your word on this?” Mister Tweeson wondered.

“Take it or leave it,” Nathan replied. “It matters not to me.”

Mister Tweeson studied Nathan for a moment. “I do not think you understand the shortcut I am offering you, Captain.”

“You haven’t offered me anything,” Nathan replied. “And frankly, I’m getting impatient.”

“Newcomers to Sanctuary are required to prove themselves before being granted access,” Mister Tweeson explained. “Normally, this requires doing a number of jobs, usually for a variety of employers, all of whom are either trusted members of Sanctuary or sit on its leadership council.”

“You’re not telling us anything we don’t already know,” Nathan warned, becoming more impatient.

“It takes considerable time to complete enough jobs to earn even a single visit to Sanctuary.”

“How much time?” Jessica wondered.

“It all depends on how frequently the jobs from qualified employers come along, how long those jobs take to complete, and whether or not you complete those jobs to each employer’s satisfaction,” the old man explained. “I have seen it take only a few days, and I have seen it take several years. There really is no way to predict.”

“I’m still waiting for an offer,” Nathan grumbled.

“I am one of the few men in the quadrant who can help you bypass that lengthy process, by completing a single job.”

“Then you’re a member of Sanctuary’s leadership council,” Jessica surmised.

“I am,” Mister Tweeson confirmed. “In fact, I am the only person in this entire sector who can issue a transponder code to access Sanctuary.”

“One man for the entire sector?” Nathan did not sound convinced.

“There were two others,” the old man confessed. “One of them recently retired, and the other…well, he met an untimely demise. Freak accident, really.”

“I see.” Nathan studied the old man for a moment. “What’s the job?”

“You do like to move quickly, don’t you?”

“It’s not a matter of moving quickly,” Nathan assured him. “It’s just that I don’t much care to be sitting in the company of people I do not yet trust.”

“I suppose I should feel flattered that you indicate there is hope.”

“The job?”

“I need something of value retrieved,” the old man explained.

Nathan exchanged glances with Jessica. “Why not just send some of your men?” he asked the old man. “They look competent enough, and surely you have ships of your own.”

“They are quite competent,” Mister Tweeson assured him. “And I have many ships at my disposal, two of which you will need in order to complete the job. But, competent though they are, I believe this particular job to be beyond their capabilities, and I am not willing to risk failure in this instance.”

“Then, it’s safe to assume that what you wish us to retrieve is of considerable value to you,” Nathan determined.

“It is.”

“How much value?”

“I would consider it priceless,” the old man admitted.

Although he did not show it, Nathan was surprised the old man admitted the value so readily. “Ten million credits and a member transponder code attached to my ship.”

The old man studied Nathan very carefully before replying. “You ask too much.”

“You said it was priceless.”

“Nothing is priceless,” the old man insisted. “I only meant to emphasize how important the retrieval of this item is to me.”

“And I indicated the price I will charge to retrieve the item for you. Frankly, I consider it a bargain, considering you haven’t told me what the item is, or where we will be stealing it from.”

“I never said you would be stealing it,” the old man corrected.

“Nevertheless…”

“One million credits and a single-use code attached to your ship,” the old man offered.

“We’re done here,” Nathan said, turning to open the door.

“Be reasonable, Captain,” the old man said. “I have never paid a sum so large, not for anything.”

“You’ve never tried to hire a crew the likes of ours,” Nathan replied.

The old man thought for a moment, remembering his men’s recounting of their crushing defeat the night before. “Who are you?” he asked.

Nathan sighed. “I do not usually discuss such matters.”

“For such a sum, I believe I have the right to know what kind of skills I am paying for,” the old man insisted.

Nathan looked to Jessica, who begrudgingly nodded. He looked at Mister Tweeson again. “You’ve heard of the Ghatazhak?”

“The legendary warriors of Takara?” the old man replied. “Of course. They defended the worlds of the Pentaurus sector for centuries. But they were disbanded when the empire fell.” He looked closely at Nathan, then at Jessica. “But you cannot be Ghatazhak. You are too young, and she is female.”

“Times change,” Jessica commented.

The old man looked at her again, remembering the vids from the bar the day before. “Not all of you are Ghatazhak,” he insisted.

“All? No,” Nathan admitted. “But enough. Those who aren’t have received considerable training.”

“Five million and a single-use code,” the old man offered.

“Eight, and a member code,” Nathan countered.

“You’re asking me to give the Ghatazhak unlimited access to Sanctuary. The Ghatazhak and their boy captain. No offense intended, Captain, but nobody knows Connor Tuplo.”

“Tuplo is my alias,” Nathan told him.

“Captain,” Jessica warned.

“Perhaps my true identity might motivate you further.”

“Captain,” Jessica repeated more urgently than before.

“And that is?” the old man asked.

“Nathan Scott.”

The old man’s eyes widened. “Captain Nathan Scott? The legendary Na-Tan? Liberator of Corinair, defeater of the Takaran Empire?”

“Jesus, Nathan!” Jessica scolded.

“The boy captain who drove the Jung Empire out of the Sol sector and liberated the core worlds of Earth?” Mister Tweeson continued. “The one who brought jump-drive technology to us all?” The old man laughed, slapping his hands together in joy. “Eight million it is!”

“Ten,” Nathan replied. “And a member code attached to myself and any ship under my command.”

The old man’s enthusiasm was quickly curtailed. “I thought we settled on eight.”

“That was before I had to reveal my identity to you,” Nathan explained. “That cost you an extra two million credits.”

“Well worth it,” the old man agreed. “When word gets out that Na-Tan took a job from Oliver Tweeson, my name will have a hundred times the clout it now carries.”

“And the code?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” the old man assured him. “It will not be easy. I don’t believe such a code has ever been issued. But I shall make it happen, I promise…assuming, of course, that you are able to complete the job.”

“Oh, we’ll complete it,” Nathan assured him. “You said something about some ships we’d have to use?”

* * *

General Telles studied the message on the data pad Cameron had given him. Finally, he looked at Cameron. “Rather poor timing.”

“Indeed,” she replied, using one of the general’s favorite responses.

“We could certainly use the ship and the propellant she is carrying.”

“As well as the ship she will be refueling,” Cameron replied. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the forces to cover all three locations at once.”

“We don’t even know the validity of this intel,” General Telles reminded her. “It very well could be a trap.”

“Which is why we would use the gunships instead of the Aurora,” Cameron said. “If we do act on this message, we’ll be spreading ourselves thin.”

“Rakuen is within the Aurora’s maximum, two-jump range,” the general reminded her.

“Yes, but even if we lay over close-in and fully recharge before jumping in to support your raid, the amount of jumping we’d be able to do while in the system would be limited. Otherwise, we risk not having enough energy to jump back to protect the fleet in a pinch.”

The general sighed again as he considered all the variables. “If we move the fleet closer to Rakuen, we risk losing contact with Captain Scott.”

“We have procedures for that eventuality,” Cameron reminded him.

“Yes, but they are not foolproof. The more the fleet moves, the less likely those procedures will work.”

“I am aware, but I see no alternative. We cannot delay the raid.”

“Agreed. Doing so would make us appear weak and would defeat the purpose of the manner in which we delivered the ultimatum to Minister Sebaron.”

“I can leave a comm-buoy behind.”

“That will only mark our previous location to the enemy, should they find the buoy. They could then use that location to follow our old light to our new location.”

“The comm-buoy would be cold, making it more difficult to detect,” Cameron suggested. “When the fleet isn’t where you expect it to be, standard procedure is to transmit a wake-signal to wake up the buoy. Besides, I don’t need to tell you the odds of the Dusahn actually finding us all the way out here.”

“Yet, we still take considerable precautions in case they do,” the general pointed out. “It is unlikely that we will need the Aurora’s assistance.”

“I know, but politically it’s better if we’re there.”

“Agreed,” the general said.

“Then, you’re okay with trusting this intel?” Cameron asked.

“No, but the only way we’ll know is if we test it,” the general replied.

“I’ll give the order.”

CHAPTER SIX

All three of Tweeson’s vehicles pulled to a stop alongside landing pad eight, where two identical ships waited. It was now late afternoon, and the howling winds had picked up again, sending dust flying in all directions.

The doors of all three vehicles opened, and Nathan and his crew climbed out, along with Oliver Tweeson and a sole bodyguard.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Josh declared as he caught his first view of the two ships. “I never thought I’d see a ship that was uglier than a harvester. Cap’n, he doesn’t seriously expect us to do this job with these pieces of crap, does he?”

“They may not look like much, but Contra ships are actually quite advanced and very well suited for their job,” Mister Tweeson explained.

“What job is that?” Josh wondered. “Hauling garbage?”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Josh,” Nathan warned.

“How are these powered?” Vladimir asked the old man.

“I am by no means an expert in such things; however, I do know they use fusion reactors like most other ships. Four of them, I believe.”

“Four?” Vladimir replied, surprised. “Are they weak, or something?”

“They ain’t weak,” a man replied as he walked toward them from the front of one of the ships. “They just need lots of power.”

“But four?”

“They only need two, actually, the other two are backups,” the man replied.

“I am Vladimir Kamenetskiy.”

“Angus Soller,” the man replied, shaking Vladimir’s hand. “You a mechanic?”

“Engineer,” Vladimir replied as he looked over the ship’s exterior.

“So, you’re basically useless, then,” the man scoffed.

Vladimir ignored him.

“I like this guy,” Marcus said.

“I don’t see any thrusters,” Vladimir realized.

“That’s cuz there ain’t any,” Angus replied. “Engineers,” he said, looking at Marcus and pointing at Vladimir.

“How do they fly then?” Josh wondered.

“Repulsor fields, what else?”

“Anti-gravity?” Vladimir asked, even more surprised.

“Score one for the engineer.”

“You must show me this,” Vladimir begged.

“Well, seeing as how you’re probably going to die in them, I suppose it’s the least I could do,” Angus agreed, turning to head back into the ship. “Follow me, Mister Engineer.”

“What the hell’s a repulsor field?” Josh wondered.

“Lift by manipulation of gravity fields,” Mister Tweeson explained. “That’s about all I can tell you about them…except that the idea was originally made to work in the Collieus system, on the planet Opremeeda. No one outside of the Hagean sector had ever heard of it until the jump drive reached them, and the technology made its way out on ships like these. Then it spread like crazy. Now, pretty much everyone around here is using them instead of thrusters. Saves a lot on propellant, as you might imagine.”

“But they still have regular main propulsion engines,” Loki said, pointing to the nearest ship’s starboard engine pod.

“Yes, they do. Repulsor fields are really only good for providing lift and for flying around at lower speeds within the atmosphere. They’re not powerful enough to get you into space. For that, you still need good, old-fashioned speed.”

“Why do we need these ships?” Josh wondered. “Are they even jump capable?”

“Of course, they are,” Mister Tweeson replied. “And they are quite fast, as well.”

“Not faster than the Seiiki, I’ll bet,” Josh insisted.

“Perhaps not, but they have other features your ship likely does not,” Mister Tweeson argued. “The most important of which is that they are common where you need to go and will not raise any suspicions; whereas, the Seiiki would.”

“What sort of features?” Nathan wondered.

“For starters, they have specialized cargo bays that prevent accurate detection of their contents.”

“Like sensor jammers,” Nathan surmised.

“Far more advanced than that,” Mister Tweeson insisted. “They can be programmed to return any readings you wish, even an empty bay.”

“I’m assuming they are armed,” Jessica wondered.

“An automated, mini-plasma turret under the nose and missile pods that deploy from under the body on either side, near the stern,” Mister Tweeson replied. “Both are fully retractable and are shielded from detection when stowed. They also have a very complex computer system, used to falsify various identification and authorization codes, making them able to get past automated checkpoints without raising alarm.”

“They sound like a smuggler’s dream,” Nathan commented.

“That’s because they are. It’s also why they’re commonly referred to as Contras…because they were used to smuggle contraband back to Opremeeda from neighboring worlds.”

“I take it, the Opremeedans didn’t like that much,” Lieutenant Rezhik commented.

“Not one bit. A very oppressive world. Heavy taxes. Corrupt government. Very few civil rights. Smuggling contraband onto Opremeeda was generally punishable by death.”

“I’m afraid to ask how you acquired these two ships,” Nathan admitted.

“Nothing sinister, I assure you,” Mister Tweeson promised. “In fact, I purchased them at quite a discount a few months ago and hired Mister Soller to restore them. He is quite the expert on the Centra-class interplanetary cargo ships.”

“You still haven’t told us what the job actually is,” Nathan reminded Mister Tweeson.

“In due time, Captain. For now, please inspect the ships. Your lives will depend on them.”

* * *

“XO on the bridge!” the guard at the door announced as Cameron passed.

“The last of the fleet has jumped to the first rendezvous point, Captain,” Commander Prechitt reported as he rose from the Aurora’s command chair.

“Load a comm-buoy with our destination and launch when ready, Mister deBanco,” Cameron instructed as she moved toward the center of the bridge.

“Aye, sir.”

“Jump to first rendezvous point, loaded and ready,” the navigator reported.

Cameron looked at the main view screen, noticing the absence of the rebel fleet before them. “How long is this move going to take us, Mister Bickle?” she asked as she took her seat.

“Eighteen hours, twelve minutes.”

“Why so long?” Cameron asked.

“The Pellendok is having problems with one of her reactors,” Commander Prechitt explained. “I sent one of our engineering teams over to help speed up the repairs. Hopefully, they’ll have it fixed shortly, and we can get that recharge layover back down to normal.”

“Good thinking, Commander.”

“Comm-buoy away,” the comms officer announced.

“Set it cold, Ensign,” Cameron instructed.

“Setting the buoy to cold ops, answering coded hails only.”

“Take us to the first rendezvous point, Lieutenant,” Cameron ordered.

“Aye, sir,” Lieutenant Dinev answered.

“Jumping in three……two……one……”

The Aurora’s bridge filled with a subdued, blue-white jump flash, and the missing ships appeared again, directly ahead of them.

“Jump complete,” Mister Bickle announced.

“All ships present and accounted for,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar reported from the tactical station.

“All ships report ready for the jump to the first layover point,” the comms officer added.

“Jump flash,” Lieutenant Commander Kono announced.

“Reaper Six, returning,” the tactical officer added.

“Incoming message from Reaper Six,” Ensign deBanco reported from the comm-station. “The first recharge layover point is clear.”

“Very well,” Cameron replied. “Pass the word to all ships: jump in sequence.”

“Aye, sir.”

Cameron watched patiently as each ship ahead of her disappeared, one by one, behind blue-white flashes of light. Each ship jumped out fifteen seconds after the ship before them, according to the jump procedures she had designed. After several minutes, the last few ships just ahead of the Aurora jumped away, and she was once again treated to the oddity of a screen that wasn’t filled with the ragtag collection of ships that were the Karuzari fleet.

“All ships are away,” the tactical officer reported.

“Jump flash, comm-drone,” the sensor officer announced.

“Incoming message from Striker One,” the comms officer added. “All ships have arrived at the layover point.”

“Jump us to the layover point, Lieutenant,” Cameron ordered.

“Aye, sir.”

“Jumping in three……two……one……”

Once again, the Aurora’s main view screen flashed with blue-white light.

“Jump complete.”

“All ships present and accounted for,” the tactical officer confirmed.

“Mister deBanco, notify all ships to execute the first maneuver,” Cameron instructed.

“Aye, sir.”

“Helm, feel free to match the fleet’s new course and speed.”

“Aye, Captain,” Lieutenant Dinev acknowledged.

Cameron turned to Commander Prechitt, who had been standing to her right through the entire process. “Got it?”

“I think I can handle it, yes,” the commander assured her with a smile.

“Great,” she replied, rising from the command chair. “The next one’s yours.”

“Eighteen hours from now?”

“Hopefully sooner,” she said. “But don’t worry, I’ll be back to relieve you in a few hours.”

“Yes, sir.”

* * *

The Contra ships were slightly smaller than the Seiiki, although Nathan suspected their overall mass was quite similar. They appeared to be far more rugged in design, which wasn’t too surprising, considering the Seiiki was originally designed as a wealthy lord’s personal space-yacht.

Josh was right; the Contra ships were not attractive in the slightest. Their nose was awkward and droopy, coming forward from atop the main body of the ship and hanging down in front, nearly blocking access to the forward personnel ramp. Vladimir, the tallest in the group, actually had to dip his head down to walk under the ship’s nose on his way to the ramp.

Their main body was blocky and compact, with a stubby winglet coming off each side, which obviously was not designed to be aerodynamic but, rather, to support the engine pods that sat atop each of them.

The engines, themselves, were simple cylinders, stretched fore to aft with a turbofan intake at the front and a thrust nozzle at the rear. The intake blades were closed at the moment, just as they would be when the ship was in space, probably to keep the dust that covered Gustur out of the engines as much as possible.

As Nathan walked around the side of the ship, he noticed large blast shields that wrapped around the interior sides of the business end of the engines. They looked like they were cut from a single, thick, metal tube and then welded onto struts attached to the boxy fuselage. Obviously an afterthought, Nathan suspected the engines currently installed on these ships were not original to their design.

The most surprising feature was the size of the cargo bay. Despite the ship’s more compact design, the space in their cargo bays actually rivaled that of the Seiiki. Even better, with its loading ramp down, its entire aft end was open, making it easy to load large items into them.

The loading ramp was actually more than just a ramp. With tracks running along each side of the opening to the cargo bay, the ramp appeared to also be a lifting platform. This confirmed Nathan’s suspicion that the ship was designed to carry large, heavy cargo pods, specifically constructed to fit into these ships. He wondered if the ships, themselves, had been designed around some sort of standardized cargo container used on the world of their origin. In his experience, this was often the case with the design of cargo haulers. Especially the less attractive of them.

“Josh is right,” Jessica commented as they stood at the back of the ship, staring into her open cargo bay.

“Ugly doesn’t mean bad,” Nathan told her.

“Sometimes it does,” Jessica replied as she headed up the cargo ramp. “Could use a little elbow grease and some paint back here,” she commented, noticing the condition of the interior bulkheads.

“You are not going to believe this ship!” Vladimir exclaimed, appearing at the open hatch at the front of the cargo bay, after jumping down from somewhere above. “Its lifting capacity is enormous! And without thrusters. I mean, it has thrusters, but for docking, not lift or maneuvering. All of that is done with gravity and repulsor fields.”

“Like the ones on the Aurora’s heavy-lift carts?” Nathan asked.

“Yes, but a thousand times more powerful. And those engines out there… My God! They are extremely powerful, and they practically sip propellant. And the computers…the jump systems…these people even have pressure shields!”

“What are pressure shields?” Jessica wondered.

“Like our weapons shields, but they hold in air pressure!” Vladimir exclaimed like an excited child. “Can you believe it? You can step right through them, from vacuum to pressurized space. No doors! No airlocks!”

“This thing doesn’t have airlocks?” Nathan asked, appearing skeptical.

“Oh, it has airlocks,” Vladimir replied. “Just in case, I suppose. But they don’t need them. Can you imagine what we could do with the technology in just this one ship? If we applied it to the Aurora! To our fighters! To the Seiiki! The pressure shields alone… Launching and retrieving ships would be far simpler and faster. No more lives lost in battle when a hull is breached. Vastly reduced propellant usage…”

“Calm down,” Nathan told him. “Take a breath.”

“Nathan, we must take this mission. And you should ask for these ships as payment.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jessica exclaimed. “These two pieces of crap? Have you taken a good look at them?”

“Not yet, no, but…”

“He’s right, Jess,” Nathan insisted. “The lift systems and pressure shields, alone, would be a huge benefit.”

“You both realize that this tech will reach us all, eventually, right?”

“Yes, but how long will it take?” Vladimir pointed out. “Their jump system uses micro-jumps; maybe a few light weeks at the most. We use jumps of a light year or two per jump. The smaller jumps require far less energy and do not require energy banks. It is such a simple solution, yet it borders on brilliant!” Vladimir grinned from ear to ear. “Oh, when Abby sees this, she will kick herself for not thinking of it first.”

“You didn’t think of it,” Jessica pointed out, one eyebrow raised.

Vladimir looked crossly at her. “You, I do not like,” he said, pointing at her.

Jessica made a kissy face at him.

“Nathan…” Vladimir began again.

“Relax, Vlad,” Nathan urged. “I’m not going to take a job just to get these two ships for you, not without knowing what the job is, first.”

Vladimir took a deep breath, getting control of himself. “Of course, of course.”

“Maybe, before either of you gets too far ahead of yourselves, we should give these ships a test run?” Jessica suggested.

Vladimir’s eyes widened. “Ooo… Now, I like you again.”

“That’s not a bad idea, really,” Nathan agreed. “But I’d still like to know what Tweeson has in mind for us.”

“First, we fly, then we talk to the old man,” Jessica suggested.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Vladimir agreed wholeheartedly.

“Very well,” Nathan agreed. “I’ll go ask the old man.”

* * *

“Captain?” Commander Prechitt called from the hatchway to the captain’s ready room.

Cameron looked up from her view screen. “Yes, Commander?”

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. I just got word from the engineering team we sent over to the Pellendok. It seems they will have to take her reactors down in order to effect repairs. They estimate at least two days to complete them.”

Cameron sighed, leaning back in her chair. “It seems we picked a bad time to move the fleet. I don’t suppose we could delay the repairs until after the fleet is repositioned?”

“Lieutenant Denny recommends the repairs not be delayed, for safety reasons. Maybe we should consider using the jump tugs?”

Cameron looked skeptical. “Will they work?”

“Jump tugs have been used to recover ships larger than the Pellendok,” the commander assured her. “Although, it was done using experienced tug pilots.”

“How many tugs do you think it would take?”

“Based on what I’ve seen in the past, at least six, but I am no expert.”

“We only have eight jump tugs in the fleet,” Cameron commented. “And no experienced pilots.”

“We do have one,” the commander corrected. “Malcolm Dale. He was one of my cargo shuttle pilots back when I was CAG. Once the Corinari disbanded, he got a job flying jump tugs. He is currently training with the Ghatazhak, to serve as one of their pilots.”

“Better contact him,” Cameron agreed. “We don’t want to leave the Pellendok behind.”

“I’ll speak to him directly,” the commander assured her. “On the bright side, we won’t have to wait for the Pellendok to recharge before we execute the next pair of jumps.”

“I don’t think the Pellendok’s crew will share your optimism,” Cameron replied.

* * *

“Looking for something in particular?” Angus wondered as he stood behind Nathan in the Contra’s cockpit, watching him flip through pages of the flight manual on the view screen in the center of the pilot’s console.

“He’s reading,” Vladimir explained from the copilot’s seat.

“Seriously?”

“You get used to it.”

“Do all of you read like that?”

“Just him,” Jessica said, standing behind Vladimir in what little space there was.

“What about them other two boys?” Angus asked.

“They’ll be fine,” Nathan said, reaching the last page. “Josh? You up?”

“We’re with you, Cap’n,” Josh replied over the loudspeaker.

“Have you figured things out over there?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Josh assured him. “Looks like these things will pretty much fly themselves, if you let them.”

“There are very specific startup procedures,” Angus warned. “For example, you must start the upper reactors first…”

“We can read, pops,” Josh replied. “Maybe not as fast as the Cap’n, but…”

“Maybe I should wait on the ground,” Angus said.

“Just be glad you’re not on the other ship with Josh,” Jessica said with a grin.

Angus did not look amused.

“Alright, then,” Nathan decided. “Let’s get this show on the road,” he added as he began to flip switches on the overhead panel.

Angus looked at Jessica, confused.

“An old, Earth expression.”

A low hum began to emanate from behind them.

“Upper reactors are spinning up,” Nathan announced.

“Ten percent power in reactors two and four,” Vladimir reported.

“Flight systems are coming online.”

“Two and four at fifty; clear to start the lowers,” Vladimir announced.

“Spinning up one and three,” Nathan replied.

“Two and four at full power,” Vladimir announced as the hum grew more pronounced. “One and three coming up now. Lift fields are coming alive.”

The four distinct, somewhat unnerving, hums seemed to merge into one smooth one.

“Clear to start the mains?” Nathan asked.

“Wait one…… One and three at fifty; you can start the mains.”

“Firing up the port nacelle,” Nathan announced as he pressed the start button for the port engine.

The whine of the turbofans in the port engine began to creep in from behind the soothing hum of the ship’s four fusion reactors.

“Good start on the port engine,” Vladimir reported.

“Spinning up the starboard nacelle,” Nathan replied.

Another whine was added to the mix, this time coming from Vladimir’s side of the ship. Within moments, the turbofans were nearly drowning out the hum of the ship’s reactors.

“Green lights across the board,” Vladimir reported. “Looks like we’re ready for liftoff.”

“Now, you must use the main engines very sparingly in the atmosphere,” Angus warned. “They are very powerful, and these ships are not meant to be blasted into space like a rocket…”

“I know,” Nathan assured him. “You ready, Josh?”

“We’re ready,” Josh replied.

“We’ll climb up a thousand meters, take a run around the countryside to get a feel for the lift systems and controls, and then we’ll head to orbit.”

“Copy that.”

“Oh, God,” Angus exclaimed, trying to calm himself.

“Relax, Angus, I’ve got this,” Nathan assured the old man. He looked at the flight controls a moment. “Now, which one makes this thing go up again?”

Angus’s eyes widened.

“Oh, yeah, this one,” Nathan said, grabbing the lift control lever on the right side of his seat.

The faint, synchronized humming of the fusion reactors suddenly intensified, accompanied by a secondary vibration and a new, higher-pitched hum from the anti-gravity fields used to lift the ship from the surface. The Contra ship rose sharply, and Nathan bumped the throttle for the ship’s two main propulsion engines forward a bit, causing their whine to rise in pitch, as well.

“Whoa,” Nathan exclaimed as the ship lurched forward.

“And that’s limited to ten percent as max thrust,” Vladimir pointed out.

“How good are the inertial dampeners on this thing?” Nathan asked.

“They work well enough,” Angus replied, “as long as you don’t go crazy.”

“I’ll leave that to Josh,” Nathan decided.

“Thank you, Cap’n,” Josh replied over comms.

“Why’d you say that,” Loki complained.

As they continued to climb out, the Contra ship piloted by Josh and Loki whizzed past them, turning into a sharp, climbing, left turn.

“Oh, my,” Angus exclaimed softly, watching the other ship rolling over three times before it finally settled into its turn. “Please tell me we’re not going to do that.”

“I’ll try to control myself,” Nathan promised. He added power, turning gently to the left as they climbed, in an effort to keep up with Josh and Loki. The ship ahead of them snap-rolled to the right, then pitched over and dove toward the surface.

“What in God’s name is that young man doing?” Angus wondered.

“Yanking and banking,” Nathan said to himself, smiling.

“Just seein’ what these things can do, Skipper!” Josh replied earnestly.

“I’m all for giving them a good shakedown, Josh, but remember, these aren’t as aerodynamic as the Seiiki.”

“No kidding,” Josh replied. “This thing handles worse than the harvester did. The CG is so far high and forward, it feels like it wants to tip over like a drunk hippo.”

“What’s a hippo?” Angus wondered.

“An animal on Earth,” Vladimir explained. “Very large, with a big head.”

“You are all from Earth?” Angus asked, surprised. “I’ve never met anyone from Earth.”

“We are, he’s not,” Vladimir replied, pointing at Josh’s ship maneuvering wildly ahead of them.

“Then, how does he know so much about Earth creatures?”

“He reads a lot,” Nathan explained as he made a sudden, banking turn to the right, then immediately rolled back to the left and leveled off. “He’s right,” Nathan said, smiling. “Like a drunk hippo.”

“They were originally designed to move standard cargo pods between the surface and long-haul freighters in orbit,” Angus explained. “Not for yanking and banking.”

“How’d they wind up as smuggler’s ships?” Jessica wondered.

“I’m going to try the auto-climb-out feature,” Nathan announced.

“Go for it,” Josh replied. “I’ll follow you up manually.”

“Opremeeda is a very oppressive world,” Angus explained. “Very high taxes; heavily regulated. The saying goes, ‘If it’s fun or fattening, it’s probably illegal on Opremeeda.’”

“Engaging the auto-climb-out,” Nathan announced, pressing several buttons on his console.

“You might want to increase the power to the inertial dampeners,” Angus recommended. “The auto-climb-out can be a bit aggressive in its acceleration rate.”

Vladimir looked at Nathan, who shook his head no.

“So, everything was contraband on Opremeeda?” Jessica surmised, bracing herself against the sudden acceleration as the main engines increased their output exponentially.

“That’s how they got their names,” Angus replied, also bracing himself. “You really should increase the power to the inertial dampeners!”

Vladimir looked to Nathan again. This time he shrugged, so Vladimir increased the effectiveness of the ship’s inertial dampeners a bit, to put the old man at ease.

“Technically, they are called ‘Centra-class cargo shuttles’,” Angus continued, relaxing a bit as the inertial dampeners began to counter the effects of acceleration as the ship rocketed toward orbit.

“Damn!” Josh exclaimed. “These things accelerate like a bat outta hell!”

“A bat?” Angus wondered. “I thought a bat was a stick used to hit a ball.”

“How long to orbit, normally?” Nathan asked.

“Standard is four to seven minutes, depending on the depth of the atmosphere and the size and mass of the planet. From Gustur, about five.”

“I’m pretty sure Josh is trying for three,” Vladimir commented as the other Contra ship blasted past them.

“These engines have yet to be thoroughly evaluated,” Angus warned.

“Well, then, you’ll have plenty of data to analyze when we land,” Nathan promised.

“Yeeeee-hawwww!” Josh yelled in delight over comms.

“Assuming we do land,” Angus groaned.

* * *

“Thank you for coming, Mister Dale,” Cameron greeted as she entered the command briefing room.

“My pleasure, Captain,” Mister Dale replied. “I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when Commander Prechitt contacted me for this assignment.”

“You are the only pilot we have who has jump-tug experience,” the commander reminded him.

“True as that may be, my experience is limited to much smaller ships, and only using jump bubbles.”

“Jump bubbles?” Cameron asked as she took her seat.

“Jump tugs have two methods of jumping other ships. The standard, and least risky, method is to use emitters at the end of long, multi-jointed arms that we deploy fore and aft of the target vessel. The emitters of both tugs create a single jump bubble that encompasses the target, as well as the tugs; therefore, all three ships jump together.”

“Sounds simple enough.”

“Most of the time, it is,” Mister Dale agreed. “But with larger vessels, it gets a bit trickier. Jump bubbles are limited in their size. The greater the distance between the leading and trailing tugs, the more delicate the bubble, and the shorter the safe jump distance becomes.”

“Then, you will need to make a greater number of jumps?” Cameron surmised.

“The Pellendok is too large to encompass with a two-tug jump bubble,” Mister Dale told her.

“How many tugs would it take?”

“To bubble-jump a ship that size…at least six.”

“We have eight, right?” she replied.

“Only four of which are fully functional,” Mister Dale pointed out. “Two ships have damaged field generators, one has problems with a few of its emitter arms, and one has a problem with the jump-control link system.”

“What’s that?” Cameron asked.

“The lead tug controls the jump through a jump-control link with the other tugs. They have to work perfectly, or the bubble will not form; or worse, after forming, it doesn’t collapse uniformly.”

“I’m afraid to ask what happens then,” Cameron admitted.

“Rightfully so,” Mister Dale agreed.

“Then the Pellendok is stuck,” Cameron sighed. “Which means the mission to retake the Ranni plant will be delayed.”

“Why?” Mister Dale asked. “We’re out in the middle of the Rogen system, a few hundred light years from the Dusahn, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but the Pellendok is our primary fabrication ship,” Cameron stated. “We can’t afford to lose her.”

“Can we just keep the entire fleet here until the Pellendok’s reactors are repaired?” Mister Dale asked.

“We’re still inside the Aurora’s one-minute jump range,” Commander Prechitt added.

“But if we had to jump back to cover the fleet, we’d barely have enough jump energy left to defend the fleet and jump to safety, let alone jump back to support the Ghatazhak on Rakuen.”

“Would it be so bad if the mission was delayed?” Mister Dale wondered.

“Yes, it would,” Cameron insisted. “We’re trying to convince the Rakuens to join our alliance against the Dusahn. They are reluctant because they do not believe we can protect them. We gave them an ultimatum, with a deadline. If we let that deadline pass without backing up our threat, we will be confirming their fears. Even worse, we will be giving them time to set up defenses around the Ranni plant.” She looked at Mister Dale. “You said you only have experience using jump bubbles. Is there another method?”

“Emitter nets,” Mister Dale began. “All jump tugs carry them. You basically wrap the target vessel in them. They are generally used when the target vessel’s own emitter arrays are damaged, but their jump field generators and power systems are still functional. Unfortunately, the Pellendok would be unable to supply the power required.”

“Can we supply the power to the emitters externally?” Cameron wondered.

“Yes, the nets can be used to jump a completely disabled vessel, with the tugs providing both the jump field generators and the power necessary to run them. But it would take more jump tugs than we currently have in operation.”

“You said it would take six tugs to jump the Pellendok using a jump bubble, right?” Commander Prechitt asked.

“At least,” Mister Dale replied. “Ten would be ideal.”

“Would the same number of tugs be required to jump the Pellendok using emitter nets?”

“Yes, but we only have four fully functional tugs,” Mister Dale reminded the commander.

“But we have six that have working jump field generators,” Commander Prechitt pointed out.

“But one of them can’t link up, so it’s unusable.”

“The tug with the emitter arm problem is a non-issue since we would be using the nets. How hard would it be to swap the bad link system with a good one from one of the tugs with bad jump field generators?” Commander Prechitt wondered.

“A few hours, I expect,” Mister Dale replied. “Jump tugs are Takaran designed, and you know how they love their modular systems. However, we still have the problem of power. Jumping the Pellendok with six tugs will be pushing it.”

“What’s the risk?” Cameron asked.

“Possible damage to the tugs,” Mister Dale replied. “Worst case, you don’t want to know.”

“Is there any way to mitigate the risk?” Cameron wondered.

Mister Dale sighed, pulling out his data pad. After tapping in some quick calculations, he set the pad down on the table. “If we can get the Pellendok’s jump energy banks fully charged, then the jump tugs will only have to establish the jump field and not provide the energy to trigger the jump.”

Commander Prechitt looked skeptical. “It would take too much time to charge them up with portable reactors.”

Cameron looked at Lieutenant Dawson, her assistant chief engineer, who had thus far been silent. “What about the ship’s umbilical?”

“Sir?” the lieutenant replied, confused.

“Can we use the ship’s umbilical to power the Pellendok and finish charging up her jump energy banks?”

“Uh… Theoretically, yes, but…”

“But what?”

“Our umbilical is designed to draw power, not feed it out,” the lieutenant explained.

“Can it be reversed?” Cameron asked again, growing impatient.

“Reversing the flow is easy enough,” the lieutenant replied. “We’d also have to connect the umbilical into our reactor array’s main power bus, but that shouldn’t be difficult, either. The problem is, our umbilical is designed to plug into Sol Alliance ships and space stations, not ships from the Pentaurus sector. We’d have to rig up some sort of adapter.”

“How long will that take?” Cameron asked.

“I don’t even know what kind of connection the Pellendok uses,” the lieutenant admitted.

“Best guess, Lieutenant,” Cameron ordered.

“A few hours, I imagine.”

Cameron thought for a moment. “We’re going to be pushing the limits of our schedule,” she said, concerned.

“There is also the risk of losing one of the jump tugs due to feedback damage,” Mister Dale warned. “If we do, we won’t get a second jump.”

“Then we’ll have to get the Pellendok to as high a speed as possible to maximize her single-jump range, won’t we,” Cameron commented.

“Her reactors are down,” Lieutenant Dawson said. “Which means her main propulsion is down, as well.”

“Jump tugs can operate as standard tugs, as well,” Mister Dale offered. “We can push her up to maximum speed, but it will take a few hours.”

“Do the math, and get me some numbers,” Cameron instructed. “Meanwhile, get your people working on that umbilical,” she told the lieutenant. “I want it ready to go as soon as possible.”

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant replied.

“Let me get this straight,” Mister Dale began. “You plan on charging the Pellendok’s jump energy banks through an umbilical connecting the Aurora to the Pellendok, while six jump tugs are trying to accelerate her to max jump speed? Have I got that right?”

“Yes,” Cameron replied confidently.

Mister Dale sighed. “Just checking.”

* * *

“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” the butler invited as he opened the door and stepped aside. “Mister Tweeson will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you,” Nathan replied as he and Jessica entered the oddly decorated room.

The door closed behind them, and Jessica let out a long, low whistle. “Look at this place,” she said, taking in the eclectic collection of odds and ends decorating the shelves and cabinets that lined the old man’s ornate office. “This guy’s a kook.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look at all this stuff. There’s no theme, no rhyme or reason. Just all kinds of different…stuff.”

“Well, at least it’s clean,” Nathan commented. “Which is more than I can say for most of this planet.”

“No worse than Haven.”

“I didn’t care much for Haven, either,” Nathan admitted. “Brown is not an attractive color for a world. You know, there wasn’t a single green thing on Haven…not on this rock, either.”

“Not every world is like Earth, you know.”

“Most that I’ve seen are definitely not,” Nathan agreed, “although, many of them try to be.”

“You miss it?”

“Do you?”

“At times,” Jessica admitted as she walked around the room. She paused a moment, picking up a framed picture of an attractive, young, blond woman. “Tweeson likes them young,” she commented, holding the picture up for Nathan to see.

“You realize we’re about to make a deal with the head of some sort of criminal syndicate, right?”

“These are the badlands, Nathan. Everyone out here is a criminal. Tweeson just happens to be a well-connected one.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“No, and it shouldn’t bother you, either,” Jessica stated.

“I suppose it doesn’t,” Nathan admitted, taking a seat.

“Then why did you ask?”

“Just checking my moral compass against others.”

“Mine is the wrong one to check against,” Jessica laughed. “What’s the matter? You afraid of going off the rails, or something?”

“The thought does cross my mind on occasion,” Nathan admitted.

“We’re fighting against an enemy who uses deadly force and intimidation to rule others against their will,” Jessica reminded him. “I’m pretty sure that makes us the good guys.”

“You know, the Jung believe themselves to be the good guys, as well,” Nathan replied.

“That’s laughable.”

“I know, but it’s true, nonetheless.”

“How so?” Jessica asked, sitting, as well.

“The original founders of the Jung believed they were doing what was necessary to save their people from certain death. For decades, they were forced to commit countless atrocities, in order to survive. Eventually, they formed the empire to prevent that from ever happening again.”

“But they still commit atrocities,” Jessica reminded him. “Or have you forgotten about Tanna?”

Nathan glared at her. “I will never forget Tanna, just as I will never forget Earth, Burgess, Ybara, and my family.”

“Sorry.”

“The point is, people do what they think they must, in order to survive. Constantly questioning our right to do so is what prevents us from becoming unwarranted aggressors,” Nathan explained. “So, yes, I’m afraid of going off the rails, and so should you.”

“I don’t need to,” Jessica replied. “I’m a Ghatazhak. Our job is to do what must be done, not to judge if it was right or wrong.”

“And you don’t find that dangerous?”

“No, because we also realize that because of our nature, we are not the ones who should make that determination. We leave that to people of conscience… People like you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You should consider it an honor,” Jessica insisted. “The Ghatazhak don’t trust many, and they are willing to die for even fewer.”

“A sobering thought,” Nathan admitted.

She looked at him. “You’re not fooling me, Nathan.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” Jessica insisted.

The door opened, and Oliver Tweeson walked briskly into the room. “I understand you put my Contra ships through quite the flight trials,” he said as he walked across the office to his desk. “Angus had quite a few words to say about the event.”

“Our apologies if we upset Mister Soller,” Nathan said.

“On the contrary, he seemed quite impressed,” Mister Tweeson assured him. “Not only by the skill of your pilots, but that his ships performed far better than they should have.”

“Yeah, Josh has a way of making ships do things they aren’t supposed to be able to do,” Nathan admitted.

“Much like you and the Ghatazhak on your crew. That is precisely why I wish to hire you.”

“The question is, for what?” Jessica asked.

“She speaks for you?” Mister Tweeson wondered.

“In matters of security, yes,” Nathan replied.

“And does she make decisions for you, as well?”

“Again, in matters of security, yes,” Nathan replied, not taking the bait. “Perhaps you should tell us what you wish us to do.”

The old man leaned back in his chair, studying the two of them. “You’ve heard of Maximilian Senah?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Nathan admitted calmly.

“He runs one of the most ruthless pirate gangs in the area,” Mister Tweeson explained.

“Then why haven’t I heard of him?” Jessica wondered.

“He is relatively new to this region of space,” Mister Tweeson explained. “He showed up a few years ago, shortly after the first jump-capable ships began to ply this sector. At the time, he appeared to be nothing more than a con man and a thief. However, he was one of considerable resources and quickly began recruiting from all of the most notorious worlds. Mostly the young, concentrating on the impoverished and uneducated. Such are easily swayed by charisma and promises of fortune and adventure.”

“Sounds like a common thug, to me,” Nathan commented.

“At first, yes, but his empire has grown. He deals in many areas. Weapons, drugs, various contraband, even human trafficking.”

“But I thought you said he was a pirate,” Nathan wondered.

“He is that, as well, regularly looting unescorted vessels.”

“He doesn’t take them?” Jessica asked, a bit surprised.

“He is too smart for that,” Mister Tweeson explained. “He knows that doing so will bring even more heat down on his organization. The contents of the ships he steals from are insured, and the companies that insure them do not have the resources to hunt him down.”

“What about the government?” Nathan wondered.

“All of his piracy occurs well outside of any controlled space, and well beyond response ranges of any governments under which the looted ships are registered.”

“So, you want us to kill this guy, or something?” Jessica wondered.

“Nothing so pedestrian, I assure you.”

“What then?” Nathan wondered.

“I want you to kidnap him and bring him to me.”

Nathan exchanged glances with Jessica. “Why?”

“About a year ago, I had dealings with Mister Senah. The arrangement did not go as promised, and all my efforts at extracting recompense from Mister Senah have proven fruitless.”

“I take it he is well guarded,” Jessica commented.

“Not as well as one might think,” Mister Tweeson replied. “His ships number only a dozen or so, most of which are Contra ships like the ones you just flew, although their armaments have been substantially upgraded. What he does have are men—numbering one hundred at least—most of whom are quite well trained. Not as well trained as the Ghatazhak, to be sure, but of similar ilk.”

“If that’s all, why not send your own people to kidnap him?” Jessica asked.

“Were I to do so, his men would surely come to free him. I cannot bring such a threat down upon my world.”

“A mob boss with a conscience,” Jessica said to Nathan under her breath.

“Nothing of the sort,” Mister Tweeson insisted, having heard her comment. “I am old, not deaf,” he warned. “As much as I wish to extract my revenge on Maximilian Senah, my life, and the destruction of all that I have built here, is too high a cost, even for me.”

“But it’s worth ten million credits,” Nathan said.

“A bargain, to be sure.”

“I told you we should have asked for twenty,” Jessica whispered.

Mister Tweeson smiled.

“Do you know where this Senah guy hides out?” Nathan asked.

“I do not, and believe me, I have tried to discern his location.”

“Then how are we supposed to find him?” Jessica wondered.

“If you start running cargo along the routes I give you, the Jofa will find you.”

“The Jofa?” Nathan asked.

“That’s what they call themselves,” Mister Tweeson explained.

“And when they find us, then what?” Jessica asked.

“You give them a good chase. Make them work for your cargo. Based on what Angus tells me, the skill of your pilots should be enough to interest them.”

“Assuming they don’t blow us to bits,” Nathan commented.

“Which is why your fee is so high, I assume.”

“Not high enough,” Nathan decided, rising from his seat. “It’s been a pleasure, Mister Tweeson, but I’m afraid we’re not interested.”

Mister Tweeson looked surprised. “You’re not?”

“We’re not?” Jessica added, equally surprised.

“Not for ten million credits, we’re not,” Nathan insisted.

“And a code to get into Sanctuary,” Jessica reminded him.

“A lifetime code,” Mister Tweeson added, hoping Nathan would change his mind.

“Yeah, Nathan. A lifetime code,” Jessica repeated.

“Don’t you get it, Jess? This guy is lying through his teeth.” Nathan pointed at Mister Tweeson. “No offense intended. If he thinks this guy’s little army would rain down hell on him, then there’s a lot more at risk than he’s letting on.”

Jessica looked at Mister Tweeson, one eyebrow raised. “That right, pops?”

“I believe I was quite open about the level of risk,” Mister Tweeson defended.

“We’re twelve against a hundred,” Nathan reminded her. “And if this guy is robbing every unescorted cargo ship in the sector, he’s likely to have more than just a few Contra ships under his control.” Nathan looked at the old man. “Isn’t that right, Mister Tweeson?”

“I have heard rumors that he possesses several jump-equipped Sugali fighters,” Mister Tweeson admitted sheepishly, “but I assure you they are unsubstantiated. Otherwise, I would have mentioned them.”

“And I’m willing to bet that he’s got a least a few cargo ships, as well. Medium-sized…no doubt armed to the teeth.”

“I never said he did not,” the old man argued.

“Yeah, and you never said that he did, either,” Nathan said. “You’re lucky I don’t jump over that desk and smash in your wrinkly, old face right now,” he threatened angrily. “I don’t favor being thought a fool, especially by some old fart with delusions of grandeur.”

“Nathan, what the…” Jessica began.

“It’s quite alright,” Mister Tweeson assured her. “Please, Captain. I meant no disrespect, I assure you. And my intention was never to expose you to more risk than expected. I am perfectly willing to share everything I know about the Jofa with you. It serves me not to pay for a failed mission, nor do I wish to see you, or any of your crew, sacrifice your lives unnecessarily. Please, Captain, name your price, and I will gladly pay it.”

Nathan glared at the old man for several moments, then looked at Jessica. “Twenty million,” he finally said, still looking at Jessica, “as well as the lifetime access code to Sanctuary.” After a pause, he added, “And there is one more thing.”

“In addition to the twenty million?” Mister Tweeson said, appalled.

“You want thirty?” Nathan asked, glaring at him again.

“My apologies,” Mister Tweeson replied. “What else would you like?”

“We get to keep the two Contra ships when we’re done.”

Mister Tweeson’s eyes widened. “Captain, those ships are worth fifty million credits each.”

“And you’re getting Na-Tan, five Ghatazhak, the best engineer in the galaxy, and two of the best pilots I have ever known.”

“Captain…” Mister Tweeson pleaded. “Be reasonable.”

“What have you got to lose, Tweeson?” Nathan challenged. “If we fail, you don’t have to pay us, and the ships will be in the hands of the Jofa, anyway…or blown to hell.”

“Ten million,” Mister Tweeson offered, hoping that Nathan’s new desire to keep his Contra ships as payment might provide him some leverage.

“Half up front, and we keep the ships,” Nathan replied.

“Half up front, and you keep the ships if you bring me Maximilian Senah…alive.”

“And the lifetime access code to Sanctuary,” Nathan confirmed.

“And the code,” the old man promised.

Nathan looked to Jessica for approval, but she was still reeling from Nathan’s aggressive negotiating tactics.

“We will need access to some fabricators,” Nathan warned.

“Why?” the old man wondered.

“I plan on making a few upgrades to my new ships,” Nathan explained.

“They are not your ships, Captain,” Mister Tweeson reminded him. “Not yet.”

“If we fail, and we make it back alive, you can keep the upgrades,” Nathan promised.

“Deal,” the old man agreed, “but the cost of the upgrades comes out of your advance.”

“Not if you get to keep them, it doesn’t,” Nathan disagreed. “The cost comes out of our completion payment. That’s the deal; take it or leave it. Makes no difference to me, as I’d just as soon find another way into Sanctuary rather than help the likes of you.”

Through the course of his abnormally long life, Oliver Tweeson had negotiated with more people than he could possibly remember. Yet, he was quite certain none of them had driven as hard a bargain. Then again, none of them had been Nathan Scott, the legendary Na-Tan, and he was quite certain the young man would be worth every credit. “Very well, Captain, we have an agreement,” he said, standing to shake Nathan’s hand.

Nathan shook the old man’s hand, his expression unchanged. “Pleasure doing business with you, Mister Tweeson. I’ll expect payment by the end of the day, and we’ll get started on the upgrades in the morning. Meanwhile, I’d appreciate it if you would provide us with detailed schematics and manuals for the Contra ships and all their systems.”

“Of course,” the old man replied. “I’ll even go one better. I’ll make sure Angus is available to help you with the upgrades.”

“We’ll be in touch,” Nathan promised, turning to head for the door.

Jessica rose from her seat, dumbfounded over what she had just witnessed. She smiled at the old man and shrugged. “Have a good day, pops,” she said as she rose and followed Nathan out.

Oliver Tweeson said nothing, only nodding as the two left his office.

Jessica ran a few steps to catch up to Nathan. “What the hell was that?” she asked after they left the old man’s office. “What the hell did Sato do to you with that machine?”

“That was negotiating,” Nathan replied, “and Sato had nothing to do with it. I learned that from my father.”

* * *

“This is not good,” Cameron decided as she studied the numbers provided by Mister Dale. “Getting the Pellendok up to max jump speed is going to burn a ton of propellant, and since we’re going to be accelerating alongside her, we’re going to burn even more.”

“How much?” Commander Prechitt wondered.

“More than half our total propellant capacity.”

“I was under the impression that the Aurora’s engines are quite powerful, and the Pellendok’s are not. It shouldn’t take that much.”

“Our engines have been downgraded several times over the years,” Cameron explained. “Since the advent of the jump drive, prolonged burns are no longer necessary. Quick bursts of speed, yes, but not long burns.”

“Can we do a long, slow burn to conserve propellant?” the commander wondered.

“Not if we’re going to be in position to support the Ghatazhak in time.”

“Perhaps we should wait until after the raid on the Forenta,” the commander suggested.

“That’s going to give us even less time,” Cameron surmised. “But I don’t see that we have much choice.”

“And if our gunships are unable to capture the Forenta and her propellant?”

“Then we have to leave the Pellendok behind and hope she will be safe until her reactors are repaired.”

“You do realize that the odds of the Dusahn finding them, even if they were actively searching this particular sector of space, are astronomical.”

“Serving with Nathan Scott, I learned a long time ago not to bet against astronomical odds,” Cameron insisted.

“Can we leave a few ships behind to protect them?” the commander wondered.

“We’re going to need all of our ships for the mission in the Rogen system,” Cameron replied. “I’m afraid the fate of the Pellendok will depend on our Cobra gunships.”

“And the validity of the intelligence from our operative on Takara,” the commander added.

Cameron pressed her intercom. “Comms, XO. Connect me with Captain Nash.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“This area needs to look lived in,” Vladimir exclaimed, “not like it was just added on.”

“But it was just added on,” Specialist Deeks replied.

“Bang the walls with a mallet, or something. Scuff things up. Put dirty blankets on the bunks, make the hatch squeak when it opens, smudge the bulkheads…anything. Just make it look not new.”

“I wish you would have told me that before I cleaned it,” the Ghatazhak soldier complained.

Vladimir made his way through the forward hatch and down the ramp of the Contra ship, turning to join Marcus and Dalen on the ship’s port side. “Did you get the power conduit run?” he asked as he approached.

“Just finished,” Dalen replied. “It wasn’t easy, either.”

“Did you shield it?”

“That’s why it wasn’t easy,” Marcus grumbled.

“Don’t forget to use the plasma torch around the edge of the forward cowling,” Vladimir reminded them. “It needs to look like that thing has been fired a few dozen times.”

“I remember,” Marcus growled as he watched Vladimir walk away. “Where are you going?”

“To the other ship,” Vladimir replied. “To check on Josh and Loki’s progress.”

A small utility vehicle pulled up, driven by Jessica and Lieutenant Rezhik.

“Where do you want these?” Jessica asked.

“What are they?”

“Stub missile pods,” she replied with a smile.

“Where did you get them?” Vladimir wondered, his eyes widening with delight as he examined the weapons.

“Bought four of them off some guy over on pad four,” Jessica replied. “Got them cheap. I thought we could mount them on top of the wingtips.”

A forlorn look came across Vladimir’s face.

“What?” Jessica wondered, noticing his sudden change of expression.

“Maybe it’s too much?” he suggested, hoping she’d buy it.

“We’re supposed to be pirates,” Jessica reminded him. “Pirates usually arm their ships.”

“I know, but…”

“But what?”

“I already have so much to do.”

“We can install them,” Lieutenant Rezhik assured him.

“You know how to install a missile pod?” Vladimir asked, a skeptical look on his face.

“I am certain I can figure it out.”

“What about tying it into the targeting system?” Vladimir challenged.

“The man who sold them to us assured us they’d work perfectly with the targeting system the Contras use for their nose turret,” Jessica told him. “What did he call it?” she asked the lieutenant.

“Plug and play,” the lieutenant replied.

“That’s it. He said you just plug it in, and you’re ready to go. We just need a signal line and a power source.”

“How much power?” Vladimir asked.

Jessica looked at the lieutenant.

“I am certain I can figure that out.”

“Oh, bozhe,” Vladimir sighed. “Put them near each winglet. I will have Dalen jack power from the same feed as the plasma cannons.”

“I believe that will be more power than these weapons require,” the lieutenant warned.

“We can rig step-down transformers,” Vladimir grumbled as he walked away, throwing his hands up in frustration.

“See,” Jessica told the lieutenant, “I told you he’d be excited about these things.”

“I am not certain that was excitement,” the lieutenant replied.

Vladimir stormed up the ramp of the second Contra ship, swearing to himself in Russian and nearly slamming into Nathan as he reached the top of the ramp.

“Whoa, big guy,” Nathan warned, putting his hands out to stop Vladimir from running him over. “What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing his friend’s foul mood.

“We have too many things going on at once, here, Nathan,” Vladimir cursed. “Adding crew areas to the cargo bays, plasma torpedo cannons to the wings, increasing the acceleration gates on the main drives, and now she wants me to install missile pods!”

“Slow down, Vlad,” Nathan urged, trying to calm his friend down a bit.

“Nathan, I don’t even know how half the systems on these ships work, yet,” Vladimir admitted.

“That’s why we have Angus,” Nathan reminded him.

“Angus doesn’t do anything,” Vladimir complained. “Except tell me that I can’t do something, or that I’m doing something wrong. I’ve never seen anyone who adheres so strictly to the maintenance and operations manuals as that man. He has no imagination, and he sure as hell doesn’t understand why his systems work, just how they work.”

“That’s because he’s a mechanic, and not an engineer. These are your ships, now, Vlad. Don’t let Angus tell you what you can, and cannot, do with them.”

“But he knows more about them than I do.”

“Then listen to his advice, but don’t take it as gospel. Make your own decisions. That’s why I brought you along.”

“Da?”

“Da,” Nathan replied. “Maybe we need a few more hands to finish this?”

“That would help,” Vladimir agreed. “And please, someone with more technical training than Dalen and Marcus. I am surprised those two have kept the Seiiki together as long as they have.”

“Yeah, I’m kind of surprised by that, myself.”

Vladimir looked at him funny. “Then why do you keep them?”

“Because they both are as loyal and hardworking as they come,” Nathan explained. “Sometimes, that’s even better than being properly trained. And Marcus has been around the block a few times… More than a few times, in fact. That kind of experience comes in handy when things go south, and they always do.”

“I suppose you are correct,” Vladimir admitted. “Have you seen Josh and Loki?”

“Yeah, they’re upstairs in the cockpit, trying to figure out how to tie the plasma torpedo cannons into the ship’s targeting systems. You might want to get up there and give them a hand,” Nathan urged. “When I left, they were arguing over how to put a panel, which they removed by mistake, back onto the console.”

“Oh, bozhe moi,” Vladimir groaned, moving past Nathan. “Do not touch anything!” he yelled up the access tunnel as he started up the ladder. “I am on my way up!”

Nathan smiled as he headed down the ramp. Once he reached the bottom, he ducked down slightly to clear the cockpit overhang, and then turned to the starboard side where he found Jessica and Lieutenant Rezhik arguing with Angus. “What’s the problem here?” Nathan demanded as he approached.

“This old fart says we can’t mount the missile pods on top of the winglets,” Jessica replied, pointing at Angus.

“Why not?” Nathan asked the old man.

“You have already added too much weight aft of these ships’ center of gravity,” Angus warned. “Their lift systems will have to be rebalanced before you can safely fly them.”

“Can’t we just shift some weight forward of CG?” Nathan suggested. “Or strip something from the aft end?”

“There is nothing to strip!”

“Well, what do the pilots of these ships do when they load something heavy in the back?” Nathan wondered.

“Generally, they do not,” Angus replied. “And if they do, at least they are trained to compensate for the imbalance.”

“I think we’ll be alright, Angus,” Nathan said, patting him on the back.

“Captain…” Angus objected.

“We’ll put some deadweight in the nose, if that makes you feel any better,” Nathan promised. “Give the weight and balance data to Vlad, and he’ll make the calculations. He’s very good at that stuff, I assure you.” Nathan looked at Jessica. “Go ahead and install them,” he told her.

“One crisis after another, huh?” Jessica said, smiling.

“That’s what captains are for,” Nathan shrugged.

A string of distant, muffled, Russian expletives suddenly rose from inside the cockpit of the ship.

“I think Vlad’s calling for me,” Nathan said, smiling. “You two got this?”

“I am certain we can figure it out,” Lieutenant Rezhik replied, also smiling.

As Nathan walked away, Jessica turned and noticed the slight smile on the lieutenant’s face. “Did you just make a joke, Rezhik?”

“Me? Never,” the lieutenant replied as he began to unstrap the missile pod from the vehicle’s cargo bed.

* * *

“Attention on deck!” the guard at the door barked as Cameron and General Telles entered the starboard mission briefing room in the Aurora’s flight operations center. The crews of all four Cobra gunships quickly rose to their feet, coming to attention.

“As you were,” Cameron ordered as she approached the podium. “This afternoon’s target is a Takaran tanker named the Forenta. Intelligence indicates that the Forenta will be at the fringes of the Pentaurus sector, a little over one hundred and twenty-seven light years from Takara, where she is scheduled to rendezvous with a medium cargo ship of Gaiperuran registry named the Torrecun.”

“Why are the Dusahn sending a tanker to the edge of the sector for a medium cargo ship?” Captain Nash wondered.

“And why the hell does it need fuel?” Captain Roselle added.

“The Torrecun was intercepted by Dusahn forces and commandeered,” Cameron explained. “In the process, two of their four propellant tanks were damaged, and they couldn’t make it all the way to Takara.”

“Can’t they just jump?” Ensign Walsh wondered.

“The Torrecun was not en route to Takara,” Cameron continued. “Our best guess is that she was taking a shortcut on a trip between Gaiperura and Amios, and they tried to cut through the outer edges of the Pentaurus sector. With her propellant tanks damaged, they wouldn’t be able to change course for Takara.”

“That was dumb,” Captain Roselle chuckled.

“It makes you wonder what they are carrying,” Captain Nash commented.

“The Torrecun repaired their tanks, I take it,” Ensign Tegg surmised.

“We assume so,” Cameron confirmed.

“Escorts?” Captain Nash inquired.

“Intelligence indicates that two Dusahn gunships made the capture and are still with the Torrecun. A support ship was sent several days ago, probably to assist with the tank repairs. You should also expect a standard escort of four to eight octo-fighters.”

“Most likely, eight,” Captain Roselle decided. “Tankers are valuable assets. Once they get there, they’ll probably split forces; one gunship and four octos with each ship, for the voyage home.”

“Agreed,” Cameron replied.

“Which ship is the primary asset for us to capture?” Captain Nash asked.

“We’d like to capture both of them,” Cameron told him. “To do so, we are sending four Reapers carrying two twelve-man Ghatazhak strike teams, two boarding shuttles to deliver our flight crews, and eight Super Eagles, which will be ferried to and from the engagement area by a pod hauler.”

“Why so many elements?” Captain Nash inquired.

“There are two ships to capture, and twice as many escorts to deal with,” Cameron explained. “Once the ships are captured, our flight crews will use the standard, pursuit-evasion algorithm to jump the assets to a safe holding point until they are cleared to join the fleet.”

“Cleared to join the fleet?” Captain Nash wondered, suspicious of the meaning.

Cameron sighed. “The intelligence, upon which this strike is based, came from an untested source.”

“Confidence level?” Captain Roselle wondered.

“I won’t lie to you, Gil,” Cameron replied, “it’s low. But we need these ships, and we need to test this intelligence asset.”

“What is the Torrecun carrying?” Gil wondered.

“We don’t know.”

“So, we’re going to use twice as many ships as usual, to capture twice as many ships as usual, and they’re going to be guarded by twice as many ships as usual, and it’s all based on sketchy intel?” Gil wondered skeptically.

“That’s about the size of it, Captain,” Cameron replied. “Now, I’d like to hand the briefing over to Commander Verbeek, who will be in charge of this mission.”

As the commander took the podium, Gil leaned over to Robert and said, “This should be fun.”

Robert just rolled his eyes.

* * *

Nathan entered Oliver Tweeson’s office, escorted by one of Mister Tweeson’s assistants.

“Captain,” Mister Tweeson greeted, rising to his feet and coming around his desk to welcome his visitor. “I trust preparations are going well?”

“They are,” Nathan replied, shaking his employer’s hand. “In fact, we are nearly ready to depart.”

“Wonderful news. I’ll be sure to have Mister Senah’s accommodations ready before you return.”

“Just out of curiosity, what are you planning to do with Mister Senah once I deliver him to you?” Nathan wondered.

“Nothing too Draconian, I assure you,” Mister Tweeson replied, gesturing for Nathan to join him in the sitting area.

“Could you be a little more specific?” Nathan asked as he took his seat.

“After I extract the information I require to dismantle his enterprises in this quadrant, I intend to keep him secure in a stasis pod.”

“For how long?”

“Until his organization has completely collapsed, and I have solidified my position in its place.”

“And then what?”

“And then I send him on his way,” Mister Tweeson replied.

“On his way where?”

“I will give him his choice of destinations, but he will remain in stasis until his arrival, at which point he will be stranded on his destination world.”

“You’re not worried about him coming back to get his revenge?” Nathan wondered.

“He will be traveling in a linear FTL ship for several hundred years,” Mister Tweeson laughed. “By the time he wakes, both myself and any of my kin will be long dead.”

“Why not just kill him and be done with him?” Nathan asked.

“Maximilian Senah cheated me in a business arrangement, Captain. He may have cost me billions of credits and besmirched my name, but he brought no harm to myself or any of my people. I simply mean to take back what he stole from me.”

“No offense, Mister Tweeson, but I expected you to be a bit more ruthless. Especially after the way your men attacked my ship a few nights back.”

“Merely a test, I assure you,” Mister Tweeson replied with a chuckle.

“A test that cost several of your men their lives,” Nathan reminded him.

Mister Tweeson sighed. “Make no mistake, Captain…while I prefer to avoid such unpleasantness, I, too, can be ruthless when the situation requires. I just prefer to respond in kind, rather than escalating a situation.”

“You don’t consider sending armed men in the dead of night escalating things?” Nathan wondered.

“I needed to know if you and your crew were capable of successfully completing the mission. The Jofa can be quite ruthless, as well. I needed to know that your men could handle themselves.”

“But what about the families of the men who died that night?”

“If it makes you feel any better, Captain, I can assure you that none of the men I sent that night had families.”

“Not really.”

“I am sorry you feel that way,” Mister Tweeson apologized. “But surely a man such as yourself can appreciate that leaders must look at the big picture, so to speak?”

“Yes, I can,” Nathan replied. “I don’t like it much, but I can. It’s one of my many character flaws.”

“It may also be what makes you the leader that you are.”

“Perhaps.”

“But surely, you did not come just to ask me what I was planning for Mister Senah,” Mister Tweeson assumed.

“I did not,” Nathan admitted, leaning back in his chair. “I need something else from you.”

“You’re raising your rates on me?”

“No, I’m changing the plan,” Nathan explained.

“How so?” Mister Tweeson wondered.

“While watching my people work, it occurred to me that most of them do not look like your average cargo crew. In fact, most of them look like pirates.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Mister Tweeson wondered.

“Yes, eventually. It just seems that having us pretend to be typical cargo runners isn’t the best way to infiltrate the Jofa,” Nathan explained.

“I’m assuming you have a better plan, then?”

“I do, but I need some cargo from you. Something of value to a pirate,” Nathan replied.

* * *

“We ready for another exciting mission?” Aiden asked as he took his place in the pilot’s seat of his Cobra gunship.

“If you mean our exciting mission to steal cargo ships and kidnap their civilian crews, then yes, I’m ready,” Kenji replied from the copilot’s seat.

“We’re not kidnapping them, we’re liberating them,” Aiden argued. “The Dusahn are the ones who stole them. We’re just stealing them back.”

“That would only apply if we were the rightful owners,” Kenji replied. “Which we’re not.”

“The rebellion needs ships.”

“And that justifies piracy?”

“Are you siding with the Dusahn, now?”

“Don’t be silly,” Kenji replied as he prepared the ship for departure. “I’m just making a point.”

“Sometimes, you have to break a few rules in order to do the right thing.”

“Said both dictators and freedom fighters throughout history,” Kenji said.

“Pretty sure we’re the latter,” Aiden insisted as he buckled his restraint harness.

“Striker Leader to all Strikers,” Captain Nash called over comms. “Report status.”

“Everybody up?” Aiden asked over his comm-set.

“Port gunner, ready,” Ali replied.

“Starboard gunner, ready,” Ledge followed.

“Striker Two, ready,” Captain Roselle reported.

“Systems, ready,” Chief Benetti reported.

“Sensors, ready,” Sergeant Dagata added.

Aiden looked at his copilot. Kenji glanced back but said nothing as he rolled his eyes.

“Striker Three, ready,” Aiden announced over comms.

“Striker Four, ready,” Charnelle followed.

“Flight Ops, Striker Leader. All Strikers ready for departure,” Captain Nash reported.

“Striker Leader, Flight Ops. Strikers clear for departure.”

“Strikers, Leader. Depart by the numbers,” Captain Nash instructed. “One, away.”

Aiden leaned forward, looking out the window as Captain Nash’s gunship moved cleanly out of the Aurora’s port forward flight bay.

“Two, away,” Captain Roselle announced.

Aiden fired his lift thrusters for a brief moment, causing the ship to rise gently off the Aurora’s flight deck, then thrusted forward for several seconds. “Three, away,” he announced as they cleared the forward threshold of the flight bay. He ignited his mains, bringing the throttles up to one percent and turned to follow Striker One.

“Four, away,” Charnelle reported.

Aiden glanced out the starboard window as their gunship cleared the Aurora’s bow, spotting Striker Two and Four on the other side, moving closer to them.

“All Strikers join up on me and prepare for slave jumps,” Captain Nash ordered over comms.

“And now we sit back and enjoy the ride,” Kenji joked.

“At least they let us fly during actual combat,” Aiden added. “More than I can say for back home.”

“Back home, no one was shooting at us,” Kenji pointed out.

“Yeah, there’s that,” Aiden agreed whimsically.

* * *

Nathan’s vehicle pulled to a stop behind the Seiiki, to the left of her cargo ramp. The cargo hauler following him rolled to a stop directly astern.

“What’s this?” Marcus asked Nathan, pointing to the cargo hauler. “You bring us some goodies?”

“I brought you some cargo.”

“What, you finally wise up and decide to go back to hauling cargo instead of fighting every evil empire that comes along?” Marcus joked.

“Nope, there’s been a change of plans,” Nathan explained as Marcus came down the ramp.

“Something tells me I’m not going to like this,” Marcus complained.

“Don’t worry, your part is easy. All you have to do is haul this cargo to Porodeli.”

“I thought you were going to Porodeli in the Contras, and Neli and I were taking a few days off, here.”

“Like I said, plans have changed.”

“Well, if we’re going to be hauling the cargo to Porodeli, then what the hell are you going to be doing?”

Nathan smiled. “Trying to steal it from you.”

Marcus stared at him a moment. “I was right,” he grumbled. “I don’t like it.”

* * *

Aiden stretched again as he yawned for the third time in just as many minutes. “I don’t know how Jasser does this day in and day out.”

“Does what?” Kenji wondered.

“This cold-coasting crap, what else? It’s incredibly boring!”

“Beats getting shot at all the time.”

“We’ve got shields, you know.”

Kenji turned to glare at Aiden, unamused.

“Well, we do,” Aiden said under his breath.

“I expect you get used to it, after a while,” Kenji added as he continued monitoring his systems.

“Well, I hope I never do,” Aiden replied, yawning again.

“Nash, you there?” Gil called over comms.

Robert was certain that Captain Roselle was aware they were running cold but glanced at the comm-console to check that the call was coming across the point-to-point laser link, nonetheless. “Where else would I be?”

“This whole thing stinks, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know, but how else are they going to test out the intel?”

“By trying to capture just one of the ships, instead of two,” Gil suggested. “Puts fewer resources at risk.”

“I thought of that, too,” Robert replied with a sigh.

After a rather long pause, Gil asked, “How far are you willing to take this?”

Robert thought for a moment.

“Bobby?”

“Let’s just say, I’m not willing to lose anyone over these damn ships.”

“What’s the call?” Gil asked.

Robert thought another moment. “Anything bigger than a gunship shows up, we abort.”

“Sounds good.”

“If I’m not around, don’t hesitate to make the call, Gil,” Robert added.

“You know I won’t.” After a moment, he added, “Taylor won’t like it.”

“Taylor’s not here,” Robert replied. “It’s our call.”

“Damn right.”

Ensign Salber rubbed his eyes. After watching the sensor display for more than an hour, he was getting sleepy. To the ensign’s left, his pilot, Lieutenant Dixxal, was sound asleep, head back, snoring intermittently. In the main bay behind him, six Ghatazhak soldiers, in level-three gear, waited silently. The ensign wondered if they, too, were asleep.

As he rubbed his eyes again, his console beeped three times, catching his attention. He studied the console. A small icon representing a ship had appeared, a gunship. Then several more icons appeared, each of them sporting the flashing circle, indicating jump ships that had just arrived. “Lieutenant,” he called, but got no response. He tossed his stylus at his sleeping pilot, striking him on the side of his helmet.

“What?” the lieutenant said, annoyed.

“New contacts,” the ensign explained. “Seven of them.”

The lieutenant immediately sat up, suddenly wide awake.

“Striker One, Reaper Three on point-to-point. Seven contacts just jumped into the area. One tanker, accompanied by two octos and four jump fighters.”

“Kas, you got ’em?” Robert asked his sensor officer as he sat up in his seat.

“Reaper Three is at least a light minute ahead of us,” his copilot reminded him.

“Nothing yet…wait…… Confirmed,” the sensor officer replied. “Seven contacts. Target and escorts have arrived.”

“Heads up, people,” Robert warned. “This show’s about to start.”

“How long do we have to wait?” Ledge wondered over Aiden’s comm-set.

“Till we get the order,” Kenji replied, irritated by the young gunner’s impatience.

“We’re waiting until the Forenta has started the refueling process,” Aiden explained. “That way, they won’t be able to jump away as quickly.”

“Captain, two contacts just appeared,” Sergeant Dagata reported. “Bearing three one five, twenty-two down relative, forty-seven light seconds out.”

“What are they?” Aiden asked, concern in his voice.

“They look like octo-fighters.”

“Additional octos?”

“Unknown,” the sergeant replied. “I still have all seven contacts, plus the Torrecun and the six contacts that jumped in to escort her, as well. But the engagement area is five light minutes away, so if these two are from either group, we won’t know for four more minutes.”

“Heading?”

“They’ll fly well to port, at least one-light-minute separation.”

Aiden looked at Kenji.

“A little close for my taste,” Kenji stated.

“Yeah, mine too.”

“Targets have gone active!” Striker Two’s sensor officer reported urgently.

“Well, shit,” Gil exclaimed. “Bobby! Time’s up!” he called over comms as he fired up his engines and brought his coasting ship to life again.

“Leader to all Strikers,” Robert called over comms. “Evasive Delta Five!”

“Renny! Pop a comm-drone with a go-signal,” Robert ordered as his engines came online.

“You got it!” the systems officer replied.

“Two more contacts!” Striker One’s sensor officer reported. “More octos! Directly astern! Ten clicks and closing fast!”

“Damn!” Robert cursed, noticing that his engines weren’t completely spun up yet.

“Comm-drone away!” Renny reported.

“Gunners! Give them something to worry about!”

“You got it!” the port gunner replied eagerly.

Incoming enemy fire streaked past Robert’s port window from behind, as his port gunner opened up on the approaching targets, trying to keep them off their tail. Seconds later, the starboard gunner began firing, as well.

“Multiple missile launches!” the sensor officer warned.

“Leader to all Strikers!” Robert called.

“Impact in ten seconds!” the sensor officer added.

“Delta Five in three……two……one……” Robert pressed the escape jump button on his flight control stick, causing his Cobra gunship to instantly jump ahead a single light minute. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to shake the missile locks for the time being. Unfortunately, his attackers would be jumping in behind him at any moment and would likely appear with guns blazing. He glanced down at his engine displays, but his main drives were still ten seconds from being ready for use. He quickly switched to docking thrusters and pushed his gunship into a slow, left turn.

“Contact!” the sensor officer warned. “Two clicks! He’s firing!”

Red bolts of plasma streaked past their starboard side, missing them by only a few meters. Robert touched the escape jump button again, dialed up the jump distance a few more light minutes, and then jumped again. Finally, his main engines were ready for action, and he slammed the throttles forward. He switched back to maneuvering thrusters and pushed his control stick down and to the right, with a slight, right twist. Once again, his ship began to respond with the quickness and sensitivity that made it such a deadly weapons platform. One more change of jump range, followed by a third jump, and he brought his ship into a tight, right turn to reverse his course. “Time to go to work, boys.”

Commander Verbeek sat patiently in the cockpit of his Super Eagle, surrounded by the interior of the massive cargo pod.

“Eagle Leader, Boxer Three. Go-signal received,” the boxcar’s comms officer announced as the massive cargo door before them began to open.

“Leader to all Eagles. The party’s on,” the commander said as he prepared for launch.

Less than a minute later, the cargo door was open, and one by one, eight Super Eagles exited the boxcar’s cargo pod, disappearing behind flashes of blue-white light.

“Contact! Gunship, dead ahead!” Striker One’s sensor officer reported as the gunship came out of the jump. “Two clicks and coming up fast!”

“Torpedo cannons locked on target,” the copilot announced.

Robert pressed the firing button on his flight control stick, sending a stream of plasma torpedoes streaking forward from under their bow. Seconds later, the shields of the Dusahn gunship—now less than a kilometer away—flashed red-orange as they tried to protect the enemy vessel from the deadly plasma being hurled at it in successive groups of four. He held the button down, forcing the plasma generators to continue creating the torpedo charges, keeping an eye on their temperatures as he continued to pummel the target’s shields.

“Contact!” his sensor officer reported. “Striker Two!”

“All yours, Gil,” Robert announced over comms as he let his finger off the firing button and pushed his nose down slightly to give himself a clear jump line under the target.

“Gunship is firing,” the sensor officer reported.

“At the wrong target,” Robert bragged as their forward shields glowed from the plasma cannon impacts. “Pound their underside as we pass, guys,” he told his gunners. A moment later, the gunship slid over the top of them. A moment after that, he pressed the escape jump button, and their gunship jumped ahead a few light minutes, well beyond the range of the Dusahn gunship’s weapons.

Commander Verbeek’s fighter came out of the last jump of the series, only thirty light seconds from the Forenta and the Torrecun. He immediately released his auxiliary jump cells, allowing the two energy banks attached to the underside of his wing roots to drift away from him, thus reducing his ship’s overall mass. He glanced at his tactical display, verifying that the other seven fighters in his flight were still with him. “Let’s go hunting,” he said as he adjusted his course and initiated his attack jump. A split second later, the black void of space before him was filled with the two target vessels, each of them flanked by flights of four Dusahn jump fighters. To his right, Cobra gunships were taking turns jumping in and pummeling one of the two gunships that were escorting the targets.

The commander rolled his ship to port, locked his cannons on his first target, and opened fire. He caught the pilot of the enemy jump fighter by surprise, and the energy from his plasma cannons sliced through the fighter’s left wing, igniting his propellant tanks. The fighter erupted into a fireball that flashed brightly before it was suffocated by the near-vacuum of space. “Splash one!” he declared triumphantly. It had been weeks since he had been given a chance to draw Dusahn blood, and it felt good.

More plasma cannon rounds streaked passed the commander’s windows on either side as the other ships in his flight also caught their prey by surprise. Icons on his tactical display, representing enemy fighters, disappeared one by one, coinciding with the explosions ahead of him.

“Splash two!”

“Splash three!”

“Holy crap! Did you see that? Splash four and five!”

“No way!”

“Escape and engage; Lima Eight,” Commander Verbeek ordered as he pulled his nose up to avoid the field of debris spreading out before them. As he prepared to execute his escape jump, one of the Dusahn gunships broke apart under the incessant attack of the Cobra gunships.

“Two octos on our six!” the starboard gunner reported.

“Damn!” Gil cursed as his gunship took several direct hits and his stern kicked to port. “Keep those bastards off our ass, Cayle!”

“I’m working on it!” the gunner promised as he fired away.

Gil pulled his ship into a tight turn to port and dove down slightly in preparation for his next attack run. Three more plasma bolts slammed into his port side, and several alarms blared on his copilot’s console. “Talk to me, Pip.”

“Stern shields are almost gone, Gil,” his copilot replied. “A couple more hits and we’ll lose ’em.”

“Fuck it,” Gil cursed, dialing up another jump.

“We’re ten seconds early, Gil,” his copilot warned as another plasma charge slammed into the nearly depleted aft shields.

“Don’t worry,” Gil said confidently as he touched the jump button. “Bobby flies too fast, anyway.”

Their forward windows suddenly filled with the last remaining enemy gunship, its shields flashing red-orange as it absorbed the plasma energy being directed at it by Striker One.

“Get out of the way, Bobby!” Gil barked as he prepared to fire. A moment later, Striker One disappeared behind a blue-white jump flash, leaving Gil a clear line of fire to the surprised gunship. He opened fire, sending successive groups of four plasma torpedoes slamming into the enemy gunship’s waning shields.

“They’re adjusting their gun tracks!” the sensor officer warned. “We’re being painted again!”

Just as the enemy gunship’s weapons managed to re-aim, the third round of Striker Two’s plasma torpedoes overwhelmed the target’s starboard shields, causing them to collapse.

“You’re all mine, now, bitch,” Gil declared menacingly as another round of plasma torpedoes left their tubes. All four torpedoes tore into the enemy gunship, causing secondary explosions that broke the ship apart. Gil adjusted his course slightly to port and continued firing, blowing the back end of the forward section away, as well.

“We’re not going to make it!” his copilot declared as they continued full speed toward the narrow gap between the front and back halves of the destroyed vessel.

“The hell we’re not,” Gil insisted, rolling the ship on its side.

“New contacts! Directly astern!” the sensor officer warned.

“Octos are back on our ass!” the port gunner added.

Gil braced himself as he deftly steered his ship between two sections of the disabled gunship, barely avoiding a collision.

“We made it!” the copilot declared in disbelief.

A scream of joy came over the comm-sets from the port gunner. “Those octos didn’t!” he declared.

“What?” Gil barked, surprised.

“One of them struck the aft section of that ship, bounced over and slammed into his wingman!”

“Are you telling me we just took out a gunship and two octos at once?” Gil asked in disbelief.

“He’s right!” the sensor officer confirmed with excitement. “Both octos just broke apart! They jumped in too close and didn’t have time to maneuver!”

Gil looked at his copilot, Pip. “Not bad for an old guy, huh?” he boasted as his eyebrows danced up and down.

“Reaper One, in play,” Ensign Micton announced as the ship came out of its insertion jump.

“Flipping over,” Lieutenant Giluay announced as he started the end-over maneuver.

Ensign Micton turned to look at the Ghatazhak soldiers in the back of the ship as all six of them closed and sealed their helmet visors in preparation to leave the confines of the ship. “Ten seconds, gentlemen.”

“Alpha Team!” Sergeant Deplaz barked. “Stand ready!”

“Depressurizing,” the ensign warned from the cockpit.

The Ghatazhak rose to their feet as the back of the compartment opened up to reveal the massive tanker ship sliding into view while their ship pitched over into a tail-first flight attitude.

“Brace for decel!” Ensign Micton warned. Two seconds later, the Reaper’s aft engine pods fired, slowing the ship down.

“Five seconds,” the ensign announced, watching the ship’s speed rapidly decrease. “Three……two……one……GO!”

All six Ghatazhak charged out the back of the Reaper and immediately began firing the maneuvering jets attached to their combat armor. As they drifted toward the Forenta, the Reaper that had delivered them thrusted upward to get a clear jump line, disappearing behind a blue-white flash a few seconds later.

“I got one!” Ali exclaimed with excitement.

“I softened him up for you by taking out his shields, first!” Ledge declared.

“Nice shootin’, Ali!” Aiden congratulated.

“Two more octos just jumped in to port!” Sergeant Dagata warned.

Aiden killed his forward thrust and spun his nose around to port, opening up with his plasma torpedo cannons as their nose came around onto the approaching Dusahn octo-fighters. The red-orange torpedoes streaked away, carving a path across the inky blackness of space, finally eliciting a brilliant, yellow-orange explosion that faded away a second later. “Did I get them?” he wondered.

“You got one of them!” Sergeant Dagata confirmed. “The other one’s got a lock on us, though!”

“Our forward shields are down to twenty percent,” Kenji warned.

“Target is firing!” the sergeant exclaimed.

“And we’re jumping,” Aiden replied, pressing the jump button on his flight control stick. A second later, they were safe for a moment, three light minutes away from their attacker. “Damn this is fun!”

Kenji just glared at him.

Sergeant Deplaz fired his attitude thrusters, bringing his feet under him as he coasted rapidly toward the Forenta. On either side of him, the other five members of his boarding team also swung themselves around feet first. To his left, in the distance, he could barely make out the flashes from Bravo Team’s thrusters as they approached the aft section of the tanker. The tactical display on the inside of his visor showed ships jumping in and out as the battle between Karuzari Eagles and Cobras, and Dusahn jump fighters and octos raged on behind them.

As his range to target decreased to its final deceleration point, the sergeant fired his thrusters, slowing himself down as the hull of the Forenta rushed toward him. He bent his knees and braced himself as his thrusters ran out of propellant and fell silent a few meters away from touchdown.

A second later, his feet made contact. He stiffened his legs, causing the sensors in his assistive bodysuit to add additional strength to his legs, to help absorb the impact. As he touched down, he coiled into a crouched position, his hands making contact with the hull as the mag-locks in both his boots and gloves activated, holding him in place.

A quick glance at his tactical display told the sergeant that all the members of his team had touched down safely. “Alpha is down.”

“Bravo is down,” Sergeant Curiel reported over comms.

“Charlie is down,” Sergeant Viano announced.

“Delta is down,” Sergeant Rossi added.

Sergeant Deplaz immediately deactivated the mag-locks in his gloves and adjusted those in his boots to allow him to walk quickly across the hull, heading forward. Ahead of him, Corporal Venezia and Specialist Faulds were already arriving at the forward airlock’s outer hatch, squatting down to bypass the hatch controls to gain access.

“How much longer?” Sergeant Deplaz asked the corporal as he approached.

“A few seconds,” Corporal Venezia replied.

Sergeant Deplaz looked around. “You’d think after stealing eight ships, someone would wise up and install anti-personnel weapons on the hulls of these things.”

“I think they did the next best thing,” Specialist Faulds announced as he tried to bypass the outer hatch controls.

“What’s wrong?”

“They’ve changed the controls,” the specialist explained.

“Changed how?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m working on it.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know yet,” the specialist admitted.

“Can you get us in?” the sergeant asked.

“I think so, it’s just going to take a bit longer.”

“He’s coming over the top,” Kenji warned.

“I see him,” Aiden replied. “Ali! I’ll kick our tail to starboard and pitch down as he passes,” he told his port gunner as the Dusahn octo passed over them, pounding their topside shields with weapons fire.

“Swinging forward!” Ali reported.

Aiden fired the port thrusters on his gunship’s stern, pushing it sharply right. At the same time, he pitched their nose downward, bringing his torpedo cannons onto the target as it streaked away from them. His gunner opened fire, sending streaks of plasma energy chasing across the blackness of space after the fleeing octo-fighter as it crossed their longitudinal axis. The lock indicator on his targeting screen flashed and then turned a steady green, indicating a torpedo lock. Aiden pressed the firing trigger, sending three groups of four plasma torpedoes into the octo-fighter’s aft shields.

The octo-fighter spun around as it continued its descent relative to Striker Three, bringing its guns toward them and opening fire, causing their gunship’s forward shields to flash red with each impact of the incoming bolts of energy.

Aiden kept his finger on the trigger, adding bits of thrust to keep his nose pointed at the target as it turned to port and dove. Blue light began to cover the fleeing octo-fighter as it prepared to jump to safety. But at that moment, its aft shields collapsed due to the combined bombardment from Striker Three’s torpedo cannons and their port plasma cannon. The sudden increase in energy dumped unevenly into the octo’s building jump field, causing part of the ship to jump while leaving the other half behind. The result was the severing of multiple propellant lines, spraying propellant into space. Its starboard engine still burning, the uneven thrust caused the remaining half of the octo to spin wildly. The thrust tail ignited the escaping propellant, resulting in a brief fireball that consumed what remained.

“Did you see that?” Aiden exclaimed.

“The Forenta is disconnecting her refueling boom and powering up her jump drive,” Sergeant Dagata warned.

As the Forenta’s refueling boom disconnected and began to retract, the Torrecun fired up her engines and began to accelerate away and turn toward the Takaran system, still nearly one hundred light years away.

“Boarding teams! Striker Three!” Aiden called over Sergeant Deplaz’s helmet comms. “The Forenta has disconnected her refueling boom and is preparing to jump!”

The sergeant turned toward the left as the Torrecun turned away from them. The Forenta’s boom was halfway retracted and moving quickly as she, too, began to accelerate into a turn to follow the Torrecun back to Takara. “We need in now!” Sergeant Deplaz barked.

“Just a few more seconds,” the specialist replied.

“We don’t have a few more seconds.”

“I can blow it,” Specialist Gaba assured the sergeant.

Deplaz glanced at the boom again as it neared its cradle. “No time. All Ghatazhak! Hug the hull! Hug the hull!” the sergeant ordered as he crouched down, activated the mag-locks in his gloves, and laid himself as flat against the Forenta’s hull as possible. He glanced to his left as blue light began to spill out from the jump emitters along the hull of the ship. In a split second, the light washed over him and his men, and as it quickly intensified into a blinding, blue-white flash, he closed his eyes tight and prayed that all of him would be jumped along with the ship itself.

“Shit! They jumped!” Striker One’s sensor officer reported.

“Did they make it inside?” Robert asked.

“Unknown,” the sensor officer replied. “They had time.”

“Renny, did you hear any of them report they were in?” Robert asked.

“Negative, Captain.”

“Damn it!”

“Contact! Gunship to starboard! They’re firing!” the sensor officer announced.

“We gotta go, Bobby,” Gill urged over comms.

“Renny! Drop a comm-buoy with the message to fall back to rally point Sierra Two!” Robert ordered as the first rounds from the newly arrived, Dusahn gunship pounded their starboard shields and rocked the ship.

“Comm-buoy away!” Renny replied a moment later.

“Striker One to all forces! Sierra Two! Sierra Two! Reapers! Find those ships and notify!” Robert ordered as he dialed up an escape jump and touched the jump button. “We’re out of here.”

“Reapers, One! Fan out! Pursuit pattern Alpha One!” Lieutenant Giluay ordered over comms as he entered the pursuit pattern into his jump-nav computer.

“Do you think they made it?” Ensign Micton wondered.

“I don’t know,” the lieutenant replied. “But we’re going to find out,” he added as he touched his jump button.

“All Eagles! Back to the recovery point!” Commander Verbeek ordered as he selected the destination in his jump-nav computer. He quickly dropped his own comm-buoy, in case any of his fighters were out of range and had not heard the message. After the buoy was away, he turned his ship onto the proper heading and activated the jump drive, instantly transitioning to the primary recovery point approximately three light months away from the engagement area. To his great relief, Boxer One was waiting for him, in all of its ugly splendor. Five more flashes of light appeared around him, in rapid succession, as the rest of the Eagles arrived at the recovery point and headed quickly for the massive opening into the cargo pod slung under Boxer One.

“Eagle Leader, Boxer One. Status?”

“Boarding teams landed, but the targets jumped before anyone reported they were inside,” Commander Verbeek replied as he followed the other Eagles toward their makeshift hangar under Boxer One. “Reapers are trying to track and pursue.”

“Copy that. You’re missing two birds, Commander.”

“If they’re not here in three minutes, jump to the secondary recovery point,” the commander instructed as he passed through the opening and maneuvered to his touchdown point inside.

“Understood. Welcome back, gentlemen.”

Sergeant Deplaz opened his eyes slowly, wondering if he was still alive. The Forenta was still under him, and his gloves and boots were still magnetically locked onto her hull. He glanced at his tactical display on the inside of his helmet visor. All five members of his team were still there, hugging the hull nearby. “Bravo! You there?”

“We’re still here!” Sergeant Curiel replied. “But I doubt any of us are going to be able to father any offspring in the future!”

“Gaba! Blow that fucking hatch before they jump again!”

“I’m on it!” Specialist Gaba replied, crawling flat against the Forenta’s hull toward the hatch.

“Everybody, stay low, in case they jump again,” the sergeant instructed.

“No problem,” Corporal Venezia replied.

“Checking for jump flashes,” Ensign Micton announced as Reaper One came out of their jump. If they were going to locate the two fleeing vessels, they would have to pick up their arrival flash within a minute or two of their original departure jump. Problem was, they only had four ships to conduct the pursuit and no idea how far either ship had jumped. If their captains were smart, they had made their first jump long, and then changed course before jumping again. The pursuers had no choice but to make a series of quick micro-jumps, pausing for a few seconds to scan the area in search of the target’s jump flash, before making the next micro-jump. With only four ships, the first two would jump a longer distance, releasing a series of small, jump-enabled recon drones preprogrammed to conduct their own series of micro-jumps and scans. Each drone knew the jump pattern of their dispatching vessel and could jump directly to it if they detected either the target vessel or one if its jump flashes.

“Anything?” Lieutenant Giluay wondered.

“Nothing,” the ensign replied.

“Jumping in five.”

Ensign Micton kept his eyes on the sensor display until the very last second, shutting the sensors down momentarily a second before the jump.

“Jump four, complete,” the lieutenant announced.

“Scanning.”

Mission protocols dictated that if they didn’t find the target by jump ten, they were to abort, and the mission would be a failure.

“Where the hell is Striker Three?” Robert wondered.

“Maybe they didn’t get the message?” his copilot suggested.

“Or maybe he decided to stay and fight any Dusahn who stayed behind,” Robert guessed.

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he’s a kid, and he wants to prove himself.”

“That’s just stupid.”

“Agreed,” Robert replied.

“Contact,” his sensor officer reported. “Dusahn recon drone. We’ve been detected.”

“Great,” Robert said.

“Contact has jumped away,” the sensor officer added.

“Leader to all Strikers. Evasive Bravo Three. Now, now, now,” he ordered over comms as he selected the evasive pattern in his jump-nav computer. “See you at the rendezvous point,” he added as he pressed the jump button on his flight control stick.

After the jump, his copilot asked, “Do you think the kid will make it back on his own?”

“He knows where the rendezvous point is located,” Robert replied soberly.

One by one, each of the six Ghatazhak made it through the Forenta’s destroyed, outer hatch. As the last man passed through the gaping hole, one of the others pulled a small can out of the compartment on his thigh armor and began spraying a mist into the vacuum. He moved the spray can back and forth, from one side of the hole in the hatch to the other, working his way down to the bottom. Once he reached the bottom, he started over again at the top, moving left and right again as he held the nozzle down. By the third pass, the mist began to coagulate, forming a thin barrier that stretched across the hole they had blown in the outer hatch a minute ago.

“Why haven’t they jumped again?” Specialist Prisk wondered.

“Poor planning on the part of the Forenta’s captain, no doubt,” Sergeant Deplaz surmised as he watched Specialist Faulds start spraying his second can over the hole in the outer hatch, which was quickly becoming a semi-opaque, solid patch. “I suspect they used all of their jump juice on the final hop to the Torrecun. They probably had just enough to make one short jump and are counting on the Dusahn to keep our forces from tracking them. They’ll jump again as soon as they get a few more minutes’ worth of charge in their energy banks, I guarantee you.”

“I would expect better planning from the Dusahn,” Corporal Venezia stated.

“The Forenta is a civilian ship,” the sergeant reminded him. “They probably headed out several days ago, and the escorts caught up with them just before they made it to the Torrecun.” He observed Specialist Faulds’s progress. “How’s it going there?”

“Almost done,” the specialist replied. “You can get the next charges ready.”

Sergeant Deplaz stepped aside, making room for Specialist Brummett so he could set the specially designed breach charges on the inner airlock door.

“We really need to get some breach boxes,” Corporal Venezia insisted.

“I’ll remember to bring that up at the debrief,” Sergeant Deplaz replied.

“Charges are set,” Brummett reported, stepping to the side of the airlock and turning his back to the charges.

The rest of the Ghatazhak also turned their backs to the inner door, bracing themselves for the silent blast about to occur. The charges were designed to blow inward, and in the vacuum of the airlock, there would be no shock wave, but there was always a chance that something could go wrong. The inner hatch could be stronger than expected or shielded against breach charges. If that were the case, they were all in for an unpleasant surprise.

“Fire in the hole,” Specialist Brummett announced as he detonated the charge.

They felt nothing from the initial blast, only a small rush of air as the atmosphere on the other side of the inner hatch rushed in to fill the airlock.

The sergeant watched as the temporary seal over the hole in the outer hatch flexed, bowing outward slightly under the pressure, but held.

“Good breach,” Brummett reported, turning to enter the Forenta through the new hole.

“Alpha is in,” Sergeant Deplaz announced over comms.

“About time,” Sergeant Curiel, the leader of Bravo Team reported. “We’re halfway to engineering already.”

“That’s because you didn’t get stuck with Faulds,” the sergeant joked, looking at the specialist as he made the remark.

“Funny,” Specialist Faulds commented.

“Jesus!” Aiden exclaimed as he maneuvered his gunship wildly. “I can’t shake this guy!”

“We need the jump drive, Ash,” Kenji urged over his comm-set.

“I’m working on it!” the chief assured him.

“Can you two get this guy off my ass?” Aiden barked at his gunners as he snap-rolled the ship to starboard and pushed their nose over.

“I’m trying!” Ali replied.

“The fucker won’t stay still for more than half a second!” Ledge added.

“It would help if you settled down and stopped flying like a madman!” Ali insisted.

“Our aft shields are down to ten percent, Ali!” Kenji replied. “We can only take, maybe, two more hits…”

The ship shook violently as their pursuer managed to place a bolt of plasma energy onto their aft shields.

“…Make that one more hit!” Kenji corrected.

“Come on, Ash!” Aiden barked.

“I’ve got it!” the engineer yelled.

“Jump drive is online again!” Kenji announced with somewhat restrained joy.

“Fucking finally!” Aiden barked as he pressed the jump button. The stars outside shifted slightly as the jump completed.

“Turn to one five seven, eight down, and jump twenty light minutes!” Kenji instructed.

“Contact!” Sergeant Dagata reported. “Shit! He’s back on our ass!”

“Fuck!” Aiden cursed, pushing his control stick in the opposite direction.

“I said one five seven!” Kenji reminded him as the ship rolled to port instead of starboard.

“One five seven will show him our aft shields!” Aiden explained as he maneuvered wildly again. “Feel free to fire on that asshole, guys!”

“I am firing!” Ali insisted.

“Another contact!” Sergeant Dagata reported. “A big one!”

“What?” Kenji exclaimed.

“Great,” Aiden muttered as he dialed up another jump.

“Where?” Kenji asked.

“What the…” Sergeant Dagata exclaimed. “It’s gone!”

“Did it jump?”

“No! It was there, and then it was gone!”

Aiden pressed the jump button and then immediately pulled the ship into a tight turn to starboard as they came out of the jump. “Are you sure it was there?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” Sergeant Dagata replied. “I mean, I think I’m sure!”

Aiden touched his jump button again, and then spun the ship around to fly backwards.

“What are you doing?” Kenji wondered.

“Getting a monkey off our backs,” Aiden replied.

A blue-white flash appeared in the distance directly ahead of them as they coasted backwards through space.

“Contact!” Sergeant Dagata reported. “Octo!”

“Eat this,” Aiden said under his breath as he held down the torpedo trigger.

Groups of four plasma torpedoes streaked out from under their nose, one group after the next. As each group left their tubes, Aiden shifted the nose slightly back and forth, changing the pitch, as well, with each swing.

“Target is jinking,” the sergeant warned. “He’s got a weapons lock on us! He’s firing!”

“Forward shields at eighteen percent!” Kenji warned as the first rounds of plasma struck their shields, flashed red, and shook the ship violently.

“Come on,” Aiden grumbled as he tried to point his nose directly at the source of the incoming, plasma bolts.

Another round struck them, shaking them just as violently as the last.

“Twelve percent!” Kenji reported, his voice tense.

Aiden tapped the jump button again, causing them to transition the same distance as before, while still flying backward. Again, the Dusahn octo-fighter followed, jumping in directly behind them, already firing.

The first shot missed, and Aiden touched his jump button again.

“You might want to take it easy with the jumps, Aiden,” Ashwini warned. “The field generators are barely holding on as it is!”

“Tell him that!” Aiden barked.

“Just keep them working for a few more jumps, Ash,” Kenji begged.

“What the hell do you think I’m trying to do back here!” she replied angrily.

Aiden jumped two more times, each time giving the pursuing, Dusahn octo-fighter just enough time to fire a single shot before he jumped away again. But on the third jump, he reduced his jump distance by a single light second.

“What are you doing?” Kenji asked.

Aiden didn’t respond. He pressed the jump button one last time, then immediately fired his translation thrusters, pushing them off their original flight path, and flipping back over so that their nose was, again, pointing directly along their path of travel, albeit a single degree below it. A second later, his pursuer jumped back in, only this time he came out of the jump past them, instead of behind them.

“Contact!” the sergeant announced.

Aiden smiled. “Surprise.” He pressed his firing trigger again, holding it down as more groups of plasma torpedoes leapt from their tubes and streaked across the void toward the unsuspecting octo-fighter. The first two groups of torpedoes missed, but the third found its target, as did the fourth and fifth, which caused the octo’s shields to collapse and its jump emitter array to overload. The sixth group sealed its fate, blowing through the center of the enemy vessel and causing it to break apart rather undramatically.

“YES!” Kenji exclaimed with excitement.

Aiden touched the jump button again, and then initiated a tight turn before touching it again.

“Nicely done, Aiden!” Kenji congratulated. “You reeled that guy in like a parrotfish!”

Aiden smiled as he turned again, changed the jump distance to one light year, and jumped once more. Alarms went off in the cockpit.

“Jump drive is offline again,” Kenji reported.

“Ash?” Aiden called.

“I told you to take it easy, Aiden!” the chief scolded. “Why the hell did you jump a full light year, for crying out loud!”

“I had to get us some distance, in case any more octos tried to follow us!” Aiden defended.

“That was the last one,” Kenji reminded him.

Aiden shot Kenji a disapproving look, afraid that his grumpy engineer would hear his copilot’s remark. “How bad is it, Ash?”

“I don’t know yet,” she replied. “I’m venting the compartment at the moment, to get rid of the smoke.”

“That can’t be good,” Aiden said, looking at Kenji.

“Jump nine, complete,” Lieutenant Giluay stated, somewhat dejected.

“Scanning,” Ensign Micton reported, sounding equally frustrated. “If they made it in, and we don’t find them…”

“They’ll figure something out, Mic,” the lieutenant insisted.

“They don’t even have flight crews with them.”

“They’re Ghatazhak. They’ll figure something out.”

Alpha Team moved quickly forward through the narrow corridors of the Forenta in practiced fashion. With their weapons at the ready as they advanced, they took turns moving forward, with the trailing men providing cover as the leading men moved to the next frame in the corridor, and then provided the cover as the trailing men moved past them. Although the tanker crew would be civilians, on more than one occasion they had found Dusahn troops aboard a target vessel; and after losing over one hundred of their brothers, the Ghatazhak were no longer willing to take chances.

Two crewmen came charging around the corner carrying equipment, running right into the lead pair of Ghatazhak. The soldiers shouted no warning and showed no mercy, dropping both men in their tracks with single shots that landed between each man’s eyes, after which they jumped over the fallen crewmen and continued forward without missing a beat.

Sergeant Deplaz and Specialist Brummett reached the hatch to the tanker’s hangar bay, taking up positions on either side, while the rest of the team caught up with them. The sergeant peeked around the corner, taking less than a second to absorb every detail of the next compartment. “Two left, two right, both unarmed. Two more by the shuttle on the far side, one with a sidearm,” the sergeant advised the rest of his team in a near whisper. “Two by two by two,” he added. Every man on his team understood their instructions.

Sergeant Deplaz and Specialist Brummett pulled out their stun grenades, pressed the buttons on them to activate, and then reached through the hatch and rolled the grenades into the shuttle bay to either side. As they withdrew for safety, shouts of warning could be heard from the bay, and a moment later, the grenades detonated.

Sergeant Deplaz was the first in, heading to the left and firing as Specialist Brummett went to the right, also firing. His first shot was for the man near the shuttle, on the far side, who was going for his sidearm. One shot, one kill.

Specialist Brummett dropped two more men, one of whom was reaching for a boomer hidden under his jacket.

Two more men threw their hands up in surrender, dropping to their knees as they begged to be spared. Specialist Gaba and Corporal Venezia paid little heed to their pleas, dropping both men with single shots before moving on. As the men fell, a stunner fell out of one man’s pocket.

Seconds later, all six Ghatazhak had reached the other side of the bay, disappearing through the hatch on the other side, headed for the Forenta’s bridge. All six men in the bay were dead.

“Jump complete,” Striker One’s copilot reported. “We are at the rally point.”

“Contacts,” the sensor officer reported. “Strikers Two and Four, to starboard and slightly trailing.”

“Any sign of Striker Three?” Robert asked.

“Scanning…” A moment later he added, “Negative.”

“What do we do now?” his copilot wondered.

“We wait, Sasha,” Robert replied calmly.

“For what?”

“Until we hear from the Reapers, or we reach our abort time.”

“And if Striker Three doesn’t show up by then?”

“Then we launch recon drones to find them while we report back to the Aurora.”

“We can’t just leave them there, Robert,” Sasha objected.

“We don’t have a choice,” Robert reminded him. “Until we get back, the Aurora can’t leave the fleet to execute the mission to retake the Ranni plant.”

“But they’re just kids.”

“Kids who know what’s at stake and what the rest of us will do if they don’t show up,” Robert insisted.

Energy weapons fire lit up the Forenta’s bridge as needle-like beams of plasma energy found their way into the foreheads and chests of everyone in the room except the pilot and the captain.

The pilot jumped to his feet, spinning around to face the intruders, despite the fact that he was unarmed. At the same time, the captain of the Forenta spun around, instinctively reaching for his own sidearm.

“Don’t do it!” Sergeant Deplaz barked as he charged into the room, his weapon trained on the forehead of the captain. Five more men had charged in behind him, fanning out to either side to quickly surround the last two surviving members of the Forenta’s crew.

“Do you realize what you’re doing?” the captain demanded.

“Well, that’s a stupid question,” Corporal Venezia quipped.

“The control codes, Captain,” Sergeant Deplaz requested calmly, his weapon still aimed at the man’s forehead.

“Time’s up,” Lieutenant Giluay announced. “One more jump, and then we abort.”

Ensign Micton said nothing as he shut down the sensors in preparation for the jump.

“Jump ten in five seconds.” The lieutenant activated the jump sequencer. “Three……two……one……”

The Reaper’s windows turned opaque momentarily, clearing a split second later as they came out of the jump.

“Scanning the area,” Ensign Micton reported.

The lieutenant remained silent.

Ensign Micton sighed. “Nothing.”

“We wait for our recon drones, and then we head for the rally point,” the lieutenant concluded.

“I hope those guys are okay,” the ensign commented.

“Delta is at engineering!” Sergeant Rossi reported. The sound of weapons fire could be heard in the background over comms. “Heavy resistance!”

“Mow the fuckers down, Rossi,” Sergeant Viano replied as he led his men down the corridor toward the Torrecun’s bridge.

“Why haven’t we met any resistance?” Corporal Chigarn wondered as Charlie Team reached the entrance to the bridge and took up positions on either side of the hatch.

“Because they’re all in there,” the sergeant said, checking the tactical display on the inside of his helmet visor. He grabbed a pair of stun grenades from his utility belt, activated them as the corporal opened the hatch, and then rolled them into the bridge compartment. The corporal closed the hatch again, and then looked at the sergeant. “You would think they would lock these things,” he commented, rolling his eyes.

“Fucking civilians,” the sergeant commented as the stun grenades detonated in the next compartment. The corporal swung the door wide open, and the sergeant ran inside, crouched low, but his weapon held high above his head as he fired. As expected, the deception drew enemy fire, all of which passed above his head. His men followed him inside, also crouched low, and in seconds, all six men were inside the Torrecun’s bridge.

The sergeant went left, staying behind the engineer’s console, plunging his combat knife into the side of the engineer’s neck and dragging him to the deck. Three wild shots streaked over his head as the men defending the Torrecun’s bridge yelled at one another in a panic. The sergeant moved around the left side of the engineering panel, firing between the consoles and placing a needle beam of plasma energy into the head of one of the Torrecun’s defenders, dropping him instantly.

The bridge suddenly filled with blue-white light as more weapons fire rang out. Ghatazhak soldiers darted about the compartment, taking out nearly a dozen men with fewer than a dozen shots. Ten seconds after they had entered the Torrecun’s bridge, the battle was over.

Sergeant Viano stood up, quickly scanning around him. “Clear left!” he announced.

“Clear right!” Corporal Chigarn replied.

“Clear six!” Specialist Chervenkov added.

The sergeant tapped the comm-controls on the side of his helmet. “Delta, Charlie. Bridge is secure. How are you doing?”

“Charlie, Delta. Engineering is secure.”

“Casualties?”

“Zero. You?”

“Zero,” the sergeant replied, looking around the bridge at the dead bodies. “At least they put up a good fight.”

“Looks like we jumped,” Specialist Roti reported as he examined the helm station.

“Are they going to be able to find us?” Specialist Bohlen wondered as he checked the pulse of one of the combatants.

“Unknown,” the sergeant admitted, looking at his watch. “They’ve had plenty of time. Roti, start figuring out this bucket’s helm, in case we have to pilot her back to the fleet ourselves.”

“Great,” the specialist mumbled, sitting down at the helm station. “I’ve always wanted to fly a big, ugly cargo ship.”

“Drone three just jumped in,” Ensign Micton reported. “Bringing it…”

“What is it?” the lieutenant wondered, noticing his copilot’s sudden pause.

“Holy crap! Three has a jump flash! Transferring coordinates to jump-nav com!”

“Hell, yes!” the lieutenant exclaimed as he prepared to jump.

“You have three seconds,” Sergeant Deplaz warned the captain of the Forenta while holding the barrel of his weapon against the man’s forehead.

“Nothing you can do to me will be as bad as what the Dusahn will do to me and my family, if I cooperate with you,” the captain of the Forenta stated.

“One…”

“Even if I gave you the codes, how are you going to fly it?”

“Two…”

“I cannot!” the captain yelled, standing firm.

“Three.” While still staring in the captain’s eyes, the sergeant quickly moved his weapon around, pointing directly behind him at the man standing by the helm, and fired, striking him in the face and killing him instantly…all without looking.

“You realize you just killed the pilot!” the captain screamed, traumatized by the savagery of the sergeant’s actions.

“Oops,” Sergeant Deplaz replied calmly. He placed his weapon to the captain’s forehead again. “Your turn, Captain. One…”

“I am the only one left who can pilot this ship!” the captain yelled defiantly.

“Two…”

“Contact!” Specialist Prisk reported from the Forenta’s sensor station. “It’s a Reaper!”

“Alpha! Reaper One! You guys alright?”

Sergeant Deplaz smiled at the Forenta’s captain. “You can take solace in the knowledge that your brave refusal has probably saved your loved ones from certain death.” The sergeant fired his weapon, burning a hole through the captain’s head, dropping him to the floor in a heap, his head smoldering as blood and cerebral tissue oozed out of his wounds. “Reaper One, Alpha Leader. We have secured the Forenta; however, we are locked out of the ship’s controls. We could use our flight team.”

“On their way, Alpha. Don’t go anywhere, we’ll be right back,” Lieutenant Giluay promised.

“Bravo Leader, Alpha Leader. Flight team will be arriving shortly. How are you doing down there?”

“Other than being locked out of all the engineering controls, we’re good,” Sergeant Curiel replied. “We’re dragging bodies to the airlock now.”

“Very well,” the sergeant replied. “Let’s get these bodies to the nearest airlock and space them, as well, before they start stinking up the place,” he instructed his men without remorse.

Robert glanced at the mission clock for the hundredth time. They had already passed the mission abort time, and he had yet to hear from the Reapers. Even worse, Striker Three had still not shown up at the rally point. Soon, they would be forced to begin their journey back to the Aurora, without knowing the fate of the missing Cobra gunship and her crew, nor of the twenty-four Ghatazhak who disappeared when the target vessels had jumped away.

“How long are we going to wait?” his copilot wondered. He knew his captain was well aware they were past the mission abort time. This was simply his gentle way of reminding him.

Robert did not look happy. He sighed in resignation, and then tapped his communications console. “We’re abort plus five, Gil.”

“I know,” Captain Roselle replied. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Sir, Striker Four would be happy to stay behind a while, just in case they show up,” Charnelle offered.

“Negative,” Robert replied. “They know what to do if they get here and we’re gone.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright people, we’re heading back to the fleet,” Robert announced.

“Contact!” Striker One’s sensor officer reported. “Comm-drone!”

“Incoming message,” the copilot reported. He looked at his pilot, smiling. “It’s from Striker Three! They were pursued but got away. Their jump drive is damaged. They believe they can get it working again, but it may take some time. They’ve included their position.”

“Thank God,” Robert exclaimed, relief washing over him. “Renny, pop a comm-drone and send that message to the Aurora. Then send Striker Three’s comm-drone back to them, and let them know we’ve received their message, and we’re on our way.”

“Aye, sir.”

“New contact!” the sensor officer reported.

“Belay that!” Robert ordered.

“Striker Leader, Reaper One! We found the Forenta! Three is transferring a flight team to her now! Transmitting their coordinates now!”

“One, Leader. We copy. Was the Torrecun with them?”

“Negative. We’re still looking for her, but we’ll find her. We need you to cover the Forenta while we keep hunting for the Torrecun.”

“We’re on our way,” Robert promised.

“Copy that. Reaper One, out.”

“Striker Four, jump to Three’s position and cover them. Two, let’s get back on mission, shall we?”

“Four copies,” Charnelle acknowledged happily.

“Right behind you, Bobby,” Gil confirmed.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Josh looked at Nathan, confused. “Did I hear you right? You want us to shoot…at Marcus?”

“Actually, you’d be shooting at the Seiiki, not Marcus himself.”

“But he will be on board flyin’ it, right?”

“That’s correct,” Nathan replied.

“Okay, I just need to make sure I’ve got this straight. We get to shoot at Marcus. That is what you said, right?”

“Yes,” Nathan replied. “But I would phrase it as we must, instead of we get to.”

“Hell, I’m in,” Josh declared.

“Do you really think this is a good idea, Captain?” Loki wondered.

“What better way to get a pirate gang’s attention than to steal a ship full of valuable cargo from their own backyard,” Nathan explained.

“All I know is I get to shoot at Marcus,” Josh exclaimed with glee.

“Are we going to at least reduce the power output of our weapons?” Josh asked.

“Negative,” Nathan replied. “That would be too easy for them to detect.”

“Who’s them?” Josh wondered.

“The real pirates,” Nathan explained.

“Now, I’m confused,” Josh admitted.

“Just shoot like you mean it, Josh,” Nathan insisted. “Trust me.”

“Hey, I’ve got no problem shooting like I mean it,” Josh laughed. “I’m just covering my ass here, in case Marcus comes after me later.”

“Marcus won’t come after you later, I promise,” Nathan assured him. “We’ve got it all worked out.”

“Is this why Vlad and Dalen didn’t come along?” Loki wondered.

“Yes, it is,” Nathan confirmed. “We need them on the Seiiki to man the guns and make it look as if we really disabled them.”

Josh laughed. “I can’t believe I get to shoot at Marcus.”

“So that’s why they took off already?” Loki surmised.

“Yup, they’re on their way to Jaspen now. We’ll be intercepting them just outside the Baerehn system.” Nathan looked at his watch. “We’d better get moving, if we’re going to make the intercept point in time.”

“This is gonna be great!” Josh exclaimed, turning to head for their Contra ship.

Loki looked at Nathan, and then shook his head as he turned to follow Josh.

Lieutenant Rezhik looked at Jessica. “Are his plans always this cockeyed?”

“Pretty much,” Jessica admitted.

“Vasya, Brill, you’re with Josh and Loki,” the lieutenant said. “Deeks and I will ride with Scott and Nash.”

“This should be interesting,” Corporal Vasya commented as he and Specialist Brill turned to follow Josh and Loki.

“Not the word I would have chosen,” the lieutenant said as he and Specialist Deeks turned to followed Jessica and Nathan into their ship.

* * *

“XO on the bridge!” the guard at the entrance announced as Cameron entered.

“What’s the word, Commander?” Cameron asked as she paused next to the communications station at the back of the Aurora’s bridge.

“We’ve connected the umbilical and are ready to start charging the Pellendok’s energy banks,” Commander Prechitt reported.

“When will the tugs be ready?”

“Maintenance reports that the tugs will be ready in four hours.”

“I don’t suppose the Pellendok will be fully charged by then.”

“Only about sixty percent, I’m afraid,” the commander replied. “Engineering says the umbilical can’t handle the type of loads a full-power recharge would require.”

“So, about seven hours until she can jump, then,” Cameron surmised.

“About that.”

Cameron sighed. “I guess that’s the best we can do.”

“Contact!” the sensor officer reported. “Comm-drone.”

“Incoming flash traffic,” the communications officer announced. “From Striker One, sir. They report that they have captured the Forenta, intact, and are searching for the Torrecun, now. Striker Three’s jump drive is offline, and Striker Four is flying escort while Three makes repairs. Striker One and Two are moving to join the Forenta. They will update with an ETA, once they are on their way back.”

“Any word on casualties?” Cameron asked.

“No, sir.”

“That usually means there are none,” Commander Prechitt commented.

“Friendly, yes,” Cameron agreed. “But I’m also wondering how many of the civilian crew they killed in the process.”

“General Telles did make a convincing argument for the use of deadly force by his boarding parties,” the commander reminded her.

“I know,” Cameron admitted. “And he was right. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.”

Commander Prechitt nodded his agreement.

“Let me know when we get their ETA,” Cameron instructed as she turned and headed to her ready room.

“Aye, sir,” the commander replied.

* * *

“You worry too much,” Vladimir said as he stood behind Marcus and Neli in the Seiiki’s cockpit. “Nathan knows what he is doing.”

“I don’t know,” Marcus replied. “I’ve been flyin’ with him for five years, and he’s come up with some pretty harebrained schemes…but this? This is definitely near the top of the list.”

“Shouldn’t they be here by now?” Dalen asked from the back of the cockpit.

“He said the Baerehn system,” Vladimir replied. “We are as close to it, now, as we are ever going to be.”

“Maybe something happened?” Neli suggested. “Maybe there’s been a change of plans?”

“Maybe we should be in our turrets?”

“No, there must be a believable response delay on our part,” Vladimir insisted. “We cannot appear as if we knew the attack was coming.”

“But we’re in the badlands, right?” Dalen insisted. “Isn’t that what they call this part of space? The badlands? If it’s bad, wouldn’t we be ready for trouble?”

“I’m with him,” Neli agreed.

“That was not the plan,” Vladimir reminded her.

“For once, I’m with dumbass back there,” Marcus admitted. “Who knows who the hell is gonna jump in and start shootin’ at us.”

“Yeah!” Dalen agreed. “Wait…”

“If we were expecting an attack, then why would we be jumping through this part of space to begin with?” Vladimir argued. “We stick to the plan.”

Marcus turned to look at Vladimir. “Just remember who’s gonna be shootin’ at us. It’s not just gonna be Nathan.”

Vladimir thought for a moment, trying to come up with a clever argument, but failed. Luckily, a jump flash appeared directly ahead of them, followed by another a split second later. Multiple flashes of red-orange appeared from the same location as the blue-white flashes, and a second later, the ship rocked as several plasma charges slammed into their forward hull.

Multiple alarms went off as systems all over the ship began to fail, due to the tremendous amounts of energy it had just been subjected to.

“Please!” Marcus barked. “Tell me that’s them!”

Vladimir and Dalen ignored him, disappearing down the access ladder to the deck below, on their way to the gun turrets.

“Hot damn!” Josh exclaimed as he ceased fire and flipped his Contra ship over, sliding past the Seiiki’s port side in a tail-first orientation. “I knew this was gonna be fun, but not this much fun!” he declared as he fired again.

Nathan pushed the nose of his Contra down, diving under the Seiiki’s starboard side. As he passed, he yawed his nose to the right and pitched it back up, so his plasma cannons were pointed at the underside of the Seiiki.

“Man! I nailed him!” Josh exclaimed with unbridled excitement.

“Easy, Josh,” Nathan warned. “You’re not supposed to blast them out of the sky. Remember your aiming points.”

“Sorry about that, Cap’n,” Josh apologized. “Lost my head there for a second. I’ll get ’em on the next pass, I promise.”

“They’ve raised shields,” Jessica reported from the copilot’s seat. “They’re bringing their main drive to full power, as well.”

“That’s it, Marcus,” Nathan mumbled to himself. “Make it look good.”

“This just sucks!” Marcus exclaimed. “You know that little shit is probably giggling his ass off right about now!”

“That last hit took out four of our emitters!” Neli reported.

“Don’t worry,” Marcus replied. “We’ve still got the secondary array.”

“You can’t use it!” Vladimir reminded him. “We have to look like they took out our emitters on the first pass.”

“This plan stinks,” Marcus swore.

“And don’t bring the engines up to full power,” Vladimir added. “I rigged the starboard inducers to look as if they’re damaged. If you go to full power, we might really have problems.”

“I wish you would have told me that before I went to full power!” Marcus exclaimed as he brought the throttles down to fifty percent.

“I did!”

“No, you didn’t!” Marcus insisted.

“I told you before we took off!” Vladimir argued.

“He did, Marcus, I remember,” Dalen added.

“Shut the hell up and start shootin’ back at those assholes!” Marcus barked as one of the Contras jumped in to their port side, slightly ahead of them. “I wish I was in one of those fucking turrets right now,” he told Neli. “I’d give Josh something to think about. Wipe that grin right off his face, I would.”

Josh steered his ship toward the Seiiki’s port side as the target’s port gun turret began firing. Streaks of red-orange plasma streaked past them, missing either side as Josh jinked the ship about to evade the incoming fire. “You’re gonna have to do better than that, Dalen,” he laughed. Two bolts of plasma struck his forward shields, causing the ship to rock violently, nearly bucking Josh out of his harness. “Alright, then,” Josh declared, reaching up and frantically tightening his flight harness. He pushed his nose down, diving quickly under the Seiiki and out of the line of fire of her port gun turret. However, the Seiiki’s automated ventral laser turrets were waiting for him and began pounding his shields with streams of highly charged lasers. Josh opened fire, sending plasma torpedoes slamming into the Seiiki’s ventral port shields, causing them to flash red-orange with each impact. As his ship slid under the target, he pitched up, still taking heavy laser fire against his own shields, and continued pounding the Seiiki with his plasma torpedoes before finally jumping away.

Josh looked at Loki, grinning from ear to ear. “I could get used to this.”

Loki just shook his head.

Vladimir swung his gun turret to starboard and tilted it upward, opening fire on the Contra ship diving toward them from high right. He winced with each plasma bolt that struck the approaching Contra’s forward shields, imagining what repairs he would later have to make to them.

“Jesus!” Marcus exclaimed as a jump flash lit up below them. “They do know this is not for real, right?”

“They know! They know!” Vladimir insisted as the Contra diving toward them opened fire. Vladimir’s eyes widened as the red-orange balls of plasma descended toward him, lighting up their dorsal shields, causing a brilliant red-orange glow with each impact. “Gospadee!” He reached into his pocket to pull out a tiny remote, pressing the single button hard and holding it. There were several explosions, a few of which he could see on the hull outside his turret bubble, and the Seiiki’s dorsal shields collapsed.

Please stop firing, please stop firing.

“Cease fire! Cease fire!” Jessica ordered.

Nathan took his finger off the trigger on his flight control stick and then turned slightly left for a clear jump line before pressing his jump button again.

“Aww!” Josh complained, his voice twisted and distorted by their jump. “I was just starting to have fun!”

Nathan flipped his ship over and then fired his mains for a few seconds to get his ship’s speed down slightly lower than the Seiiki’s. He checked his tactical display, ensuring that the Seiiki was directly behind them. Flying backwards, he waited a few seconds for the Seiiki to move close enough to clearly be seen out the forward window, then fired his nose thrusters just enough to match their speed.

Nathan reached down to change comm-channels, and then keyed his comm-set. “Cargo ship, your shields are down, and your emitters are offline. Surrender your ship and your cargo, and your lives will be spared.”

“Fuck you,” Marcus growled over comms.

A blue-white jump flash appeared to Nathan’s left, revealing Josh and Loki’s Contra ship only twenty meters away, flying backwards, as well.

“Cargo ship, this is your last warning. Power down and prepare to be boarded, or we will breach your hull, and you will die in the cold of space.”

“Not bad,” Jessica complimented.

“Thank you,” Nathan replied. “I’ve been contemplating what to say since we left Gustur.”

“So, this didn’t just come to you?”

“I wish.”

“Go to hell!” Marcus barked over comms.

Both of the Seiiki’s gun turrets opened fire again, their bolts of plasma slamming into both Contra ships’ forward shields.

“You get port, I get starboard,” Nathan instructed. “Keep it tight.”

“I got it,” Josh replied.

Nathan adjusted his aim, and then pressed his trigger, sending a ball of plasma toward the unshielded Seiiki as Josh did the same.

Vladimir dropped from his gun turret, quickly reaching up to pull the hatch closed, locking it just as a plasma torpedo struck his turret, destroying it. “Kashmar!” he exclaimed, falling to the deck. After a moment, he called over his comm-set. “Dalen! Are you there?”

“Fucking barely!” Dalen replied, sounding just as shaken.

“I told you all this was a dumb, fuckin’ idea!” Marcus bellowed over Vladimir’s comm-set.

“Send them over, Josh,” Nathan ordered. He watched out his side window as Josh’s ship flipped back over so its stern was facing the Seiiki. His rear cargo hatch swung open, and two Ghatazhak in unusual-looking, makeshift combat pressure suits came flying out of their cargo bay, drifting toward the target.

“That is the ugliest combat gear I have ever seen,” Lieutenant Rezhik stated as he crouched behind Nathan’s seat in the cramped cockpit.

“Well, we can’t have a bunch of shiny, clean Ghatazhak boarding her, can we,” Nathan commented.

“An interesting plan, Captain,” the lieutenant admitted. “I can see why General Telles finds you so intriguing.”

“Thank you, I think,” Nathan replied as he watched the boarding party drift closer to the Seiiki.

Vladimir came scrambling up the ladder into the Seiiki’s cockpit, with Dalen hot on his heels.

“Now there’s something you don’t see every day,” Marcus commented as he waved at the two men floating past his window.

“Shouldn’t we let them in, or something?” Dalen wondered.

“Nyet,” Vladimir replied. “We must keep up appearances.”

Corporal Vasya grabbed the handhold indent alongside the Seiiki’s outer boarding hatch as he floated past. He reached out with his other hand and grabbed Specialist Brill as he floated by. “Gotcha, Brilly,” he said, pulling him in.

Brill grabbed the other handhold and activated the mag-locks in his kneepads, holding them against the side of the ship. He moved carefully to the hatch control and placed a device over the control pad. A moment later, a puff of smoke emitted, and he pulled the device away to reveal a gaping hole where the control pad had once been. He reached in to pull out the wires, cutting and cross circuiting them. The outer hatch slid open, and Specialist Brill smiled at the corporal. “After you, sir.”

“We’re through the outer hatch,” Corporal Vasya reported over comms. “Getting ready to bypass the inner hatch controls.”

“You don’t need to bypass them,” Nathan reminded the Ghatazhak corporal. “Only the outer hatch controls lock.”

“Seems like a rather poor design,” Corporal Vasya commented.

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to change that,” Nathan admitted. “Been a little busy, lately.”

“True enough,” the corporal replied. “We’re in.”

“Don’t shoot up my ship too much, Corporal,” Nathan insisted.

“I’ll try to restrain myself, sir.”

Nathan looked at Jessica. “The corporal kind of reminds me of Josh.”

“You have no idea,” Lieutenant Rezhik said.

“Permission to come aboard and pirate your ship, sir?” Corporal Vasya asked politely, snapping a half-hearted salute at Vladimir.

“Permission granted,” Vladimir replied. “We’ve placed the bodies like you asked,” he added uncomfortably.

Corporal Vasya moved inside, drawing his weapon and taking aim at the first corpse, which the crew of the Seiiki had propped up in a standing position against the forward bulkhead, as if he had just come down the ladder from the cockpit above. “Never thought I’d be killing someone twice,” the corporal muttered as he fired two shots into the corpse, burning a hole through his chest and splattering coagulated blood and dead tissue across the bulkhead behind him. The corpse lurched slightly from the impact, then toppled over unceremoniously to the deck, where more melted tissue dripped out.

Specialist Brill also took aim and fired at a corpse in the opposite direction, sending more blood and debris dripping onto the deck.

“May I, sir?” the corporal asked Vladimir, pointing at his sidearm.

“Help yourself,” Vladimir replied, handing him the weapon.

The corporal turned on the weapon, waiting a moment for it to reach full power before firing. “Everyone, take cover,” he warned. A moment later, he fired three shots at the bulkhead around the airlock, and then a few more further down the corridor. Energy bolts bounced off the metal walls, ricocheting down the corridor. He moved to the opposite side of the hatch, firing again. After about a dozen shots, he paused to admire his handiwork. “That should look convincing enough,” he decided as he turned off the weapon and handed it back to Vladimir.

“Don’t you think you should fire a few shots from your weapon, as well?” Vladimir suggested. “You know, just to make it look good.”

Corporal Vasya laughed. “One shot, one kill, remember? We have a reputation to protect.”

“Of course,” Vladimir replied, feeling foolish.

“Now, let’s drag these bodies to the cargo deck and space them,” the corporal instructed.

“Wouldn’t it be more convincing to let people see the dead bodies?” Dalen wondered, his eyes wide from the gruesome spectacle.

“So they could discover they are three days dead?” the corporal asked.

“Pirates usually space the bodies anyway,” Marcus pointed out as he grabbed the corpse near the bridge ladder and began dragging it aft.

Vladimir and Corporal Vasya watched while Marcus and Dalen dragged the bodies down the corridor.

“To be honest, this was the one part of the plan I didn’t care for.”

“I don’t know, I thought it was kind of fun,” Corporal Vasya replied as he followed the corpses aft.

Vladimir sighed. “Bozhe moi.”

“Bodies are spaced, and we’re ready to depart,” Marcus reported over comms.

“Very well,” Nathan replied. “Porodeli is the fifth moon orbiting the seventh planet. It’s about a twelve-hour flight from here, at fifty-percent burn. We’ll fly cover for you.”

“Uh, you realize I’ve never flown this thing down to the surface,” Marcus reminded him. “Leastways, not all the way down from space.”

“No sweat, Marcus,” Nathan replied. “Just tell the autopilot where you want to go, and let it do the work. Besides, Corporal Vasya is a pilot. He can help you out, if things go sideways.”

“Which they always do,” Marcus grumbled as he eased the throttle forward and started his turn toward Porodeli.

“Why are we going to Porodeli?” Dalen wondered.

“If you’re a pirate, smuggler, con artist, or any other kinda low-life scumwad, sooner or later, you’re gonna find a reason to stop by Porodeli,” Marcus replied.

“Have you ever been there?” Vladimir asked.

“More times than I care to admit,” Marcus replied.

Corporal Vasya smiled. “I need to find some time to swap stories with you, old man.”

* * *

Malcolm Dale constantly cycled his attention between his flight status display, his sensor screen, and the view of the Pellendok which filled the forward window on his jump tug.

“Fifty meters,” his copilot reported. “Three-meters-per-second closure.”

Malcolm tapped his forward thrusters briefly, slowing them further.

“Forty meters, two-per-second closure.”

“How are you doing out there, Padi?” Malcolm asked.

Padi felt a pull on his safety clip as the jump tug he was connected to slowed, decreasing the speed at which it was closing on the Pellendok. At his position outside of the tug, next to its port docking arm, the approaching cargo ship could not look larger or more threatening to anyone else. Except, possibly, to Jorgy, who was in a similar position on the starboard side. “I’m good, Mal,” he replied, despite his alarmingly high pulse rate.

“Not exactly my favorite part,” Jorgy commented. “You’d think someone would’ve thought to standardize the hard points on all ships by now.”

“It’s a big galaxy, Jorgy,” Malcolm replied. “Just be happy you have a job.”

“Hell, I could be working in the galley on the Mystic, where it’s nice and safe,” Padi said as the tug’s forward thrusters fired. Again, he felt the pull on his safety clip as the ship slowed further. He stared at the Pellendok before them.

“Twenty meters. One-meter-per-second closure,” the copilot reported.

Padi looked to his left. Tug Two was also maneuvering toward the stern of the Pellendok, as was Tug Three to their starboard, and Tug Four below. Off to the Pellendok’s port side and slightly above, the Aurora, more than three times the cargo ship’s size, maintained position only fifty meters away, with her umbilical stretched between the two vessels.

“You’d really rather be peeling maksa all day, instead of this?” Jorgy joked.

“Right now, yes.”

“Ten seconds,” the copilot reported.

Malcolm fired his forward thrusters again, this time leaving them burning. He slowly increased the power to the thrusters as its two massive docking arms made contact with the stern of the Pellendok and began contracting to absorb the force of impact.

“Shutdown in three……two……one……shutdown!”

Malcolm killed his thrusters and watched as the docking arms continued to contract. He quickly reduced his thruster levels to minimum and then waited.

“Max contraction in five seconds,” the copilot warned.

Malcolm kept his finger hovering over his forward thruster button while he watched the docking arms continue to contract. Little by little, the rate of contraction decreased, but it wasn’t going to be enough. He pressed the button, immediately releasing it, causing his forward thrusters to fire a half-second burst. He looked to his left at the port docking arm. The rate of contraction was decreasing, but it was still contracting.

“Two seconds,” the copilot reported.

Malcolm fired his thrusters again, just as briefly, then a third time.

“One second……”

The arms stopped contracting. Malcolm smiled as he switched from forward to aft thrusters. The docking arms began to expand again, and Malcolm added tiny bursts of forward thrust to prevent them from bouncing back off the target vessel.

“Docking arms expanding,” the copilot warned.

“I’ve got it,” Malcolm assured him. “Get those pads locked down, boys,” he instructed.

“We’re on it, Mal,” Padi replied.

“This is where the fun begins,” Jorgy joked.

* * *

“Captain, message from Tug One,” the Aurora’s comms officer reported. “All tugs are ready to begin acceleration of the Pellendok.”

“Very well,” Cameron replied from the command chair at the center of the Aurora’s bridge. “Tell Tug One they are go for the burn.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Lieutenant Dinev, maintain position relative to the Pellendok as she accelerates.”

“Maintain relative position, aye,” the lieutenant replied as she prepared to activate the Aurora’s main engines, albeit at the most minimal power settings.

Cameron rose from her chair and headed aft. “You have the conn, Commander. I’ll be in my ready room.”

“Aye, sir,” Commander Prechitt acknowledged, stepping over to take a seat in the command chair.

“Comms,” Cameron said as she passed, “let me know when the Forenta and the Torrecun reach the fleet.”

“Aye, sir.”

* * *

Nathan and Jessica came down the forward ramp of their Contra ship, joining the others gathered on the tarmac between the three ships.

“This is not a very defensible space,” Corporal Vasya pointed out as they approached.

“It was the only pad we could get that was big enough for all three ships,” Jessica explained.

“Tall buildings all around, multiple sniper points, multiple points of ingress and egress,”

“We get the picture, Corporal,” Lieutenant Rezhik said, cutting him off.

“How are we going to protect the ships?” Vasya wondered.

“We’re not,” Nathan replied, patting the corporal on the shoulder as he moved past him to inspect the damage to the Seiiki.

“We’re not?”

“We’re pirates,” Nathan explained. “We’re going to do what pirates do.”

“Which is?” the corporal queried.

Nathan thought for a moment, and then looked at Marcus. “What do pirates do after they steal something?”

“Sell it,” Marcus replied. “Repair what got broke in the process. Oh, and celebrate.”

“How do pirates celebrate?” Nathan wondered.

“Get drunk, get laid, get in a fight,” Marcus replied. “Not necessarily in that order.”

“Very well,” Nathan replied. “Marcus, you sell the cargo. Vlad, Loki, and Dalen, begin repairs on the Seiiki, starting with the boarding hatch.”

“What about the gun turrets?” Dalen asked.

“We cannot fix them until we return to the Aurora,” Vladimir insisted. “We will have to just seal them off for now.”

“Do what you can,” Nathan agreed. “Lieutenant, you and Deeks stay here and keep an eye on things, just in case. But don’t scare everyone away. We want the locals to notice the damage.”

“Understood,” the lieutenant acknowledged.

“Vasya, Brill, you’re with Jess and me,” Nathan said.

“What about me?” Josh wondered.

“You should probably come with us, as well,” Nathan decided. “You never know when you’re going to need a cocky, little, loudmouthed pilot for something,” he said as he turned to head out.

“I’m your man,” Josh exclaimed happily.

“Where are you going?” Vladimir wondered.

“Into town,” Nathan replied.

“What for?” Marcus asked.

“To get drunk, get laid, and get in a fight,” Nathan replied. “Not necessarily in that order,” he added, smiling as he walked away.

“Hot damn!” Josh exclaimed excitedly.

* * *

“Aft port docking arm is secured,” Padi finally reported over Tug One’s comms.

“It’s about time,” Malcolm replied.

“I told them the mag-locks on that thing weren’t working right, but no one listens to the guy who actually has to use them.”

“How’s it going out there, Schimmy?” Malcolm asked as he prepared the array-net synchronization program on his console.

“Just finished testing the last net, Mal. Everything looks good. We’re ready to sync up whenever you are.”

“Very well,” Malcolm replied. “Everyone, get back inside. I don’t want to put a load on the arrays until everyone’s secure.”

“On my way,” Padi replied.

“I’m already in the airlock,” Jorgy announced.

“I’m heading in now,” Schimmy reported.

“I’ll be on my way in a minute,” Istenna added. “I just want to check the connections between nets eight and twelve.”

“Hurry it up, Istenna,” Malcolm instructed. “The jump window is coming up in five minutes, and I don’t want to have to recalculate.”

“Understood.”

“Tug One, Aurora,” Ensign deBanco called over comms.

“Go for Tug One,” Malcolm replied.

“Pellendok’s energy banks are fully charged, and we are disconnecting our umbilical and preparing to move to safe distance.”

“Understood, Aurora,” Malcolm replied. “We’re nearly ready down here. We should make the jump window with time to spare.”

“I’m in,” Padi reported.

“How’s it going, Istenna?” Malcolm asked.

“Connections are good. I’m heading in, as well.”

“Let me know when you’re clear of the arrays, so I can begin syncing them up.”

“You got it.”

“Captain, Tug One reports all tugs are in positions, the array nets are in place, and all techs are safe inside their tugs,” Ensign deBanco reported from the Aurora’s communications station. “They should have the nets synchronized and ready to jump in two minutes.”

“Very well,” Cameron replied. “Mister Bickle, time to the jump deadline?”

“Three minutes, sir,” the navigator replied. “After that, their arrival point will be too close to allow for deceleration in time, and they’ll blow right past the fleet.”

“Worst-case scenario is that the fleet has to jump to catch up with them,” Lieutenant Dinev commented from the helm.

“You’re not creative enough, Lieutenant,” Cameron said. “They could also jump right into the back of one of the ships in the fleet.”

“I was trying to be optimistic, sir,” the lieutenant replied.

“Pessimism tends to be safer.”

Captain Ellex paced nervously on the bridge of the Pellendok, waiting for the jump tugs to work their magic.

“You’re going to wear a groove in the deck, Jennar,” the ship’s engineer said, trying to distract his captain.

“They should just leave us out here and let us repair the reactors,” Jennar complained. “We’re at least three light years off any jump route and more than a hundred light years from Dusahn territory. Who the hell’s going to find us, anyway?”

“We’re only twenty light years from Huffines,” the ship’s pilot reminded the captain. “There’ve been pirates operating from there for years, now.”

“Then park a gunship or a couple Gunyoki outside to defend us,” the captain argued. “That’s better than trying to break jump-tug records with my ship.”

“We’re only jumping eighteen light years, Jennar,” the engineer pointed out. “I heard tugs jumped the Mortone twenty-eight light years. And that ship is twice our size.”

“And they used eighteen tugs to jump her!” Jennar countered. “Not six!”

“Malcolm’s good at what he does, Jennar,” the engineer insisted. “He wouldn’t have said he could do it, if he wasn’t sure.”

“I sure as hell hope you’re right.”

“Tug One reports they’re jumping us in two minutes, Captain,” the communications officer reported.

Captain Ellex sighed. “Give the word. All hands to the escape pods.”

“Aye, sir.”

“You really think that’s necessary?” the engineer asked as the communications officer made the announcement.

“No reason to risk their lives,” Jennar insisted.

“What about us?” the communications officer asked.

“If the jump goes bad, the bridge will seal off and act as a lifeboat,” the engineer explained.

“Assuming it isn’t severely damaged by the jump,” the captain said.

“Stop it, Jennar,” the engineer insisted. “You’re scaring the children,” he added, pointing at the much younger communications officer.

“The Aurora is at a safe distance, and the Pellendok reports they’re ready, although Captain Ellex isn’t exactly willing,” Tug One’s copilot reported.

Malcolm smiled. “Tell Jennar to relax, we’ve got this.”

“I’ll try, but I don’t think it’s going to help.”

“Tug One reports they are jumping the Pellendok in one minute,” Ensign deBanco reported from the Aurora’s communications station.

Cameron called up the starboard camera view on the semispherical view screen that wrapped around the front half of the Aurora’s bridge. When the image shifted, a view of the Pellendok’s port side appeared, complete with four of the six jump tugs in plain view. She could almost make out the jump emitter nets that the tugs had spent the last two hours positioning around the outside of the cargo ship’s hull.

“Captain,” Abby said as she walked up beside the command chair.

“Abby,” Cameron replied, surprised. “When did you come aboard?”

“A few minutes ago,” Abby replied. “I didn’t want to miss this.”

“I’m surprised you’re even interested. According to Captain Dale, such operations are somewhat routine in the Pentaurus cluster.”

“When I heard of your plan to use the tugs to jump the Pellendok, I started studying their specs. The emitter nets are a clever idea; however, the tug’s ability to create a jump bubble around another ship is very intriguing.”

“How so?” Cameron wondered.

“One of the reasons the Aurora was chosen as the test platform for the original jump drive was its shape. It doesn’t have any large protrusions coming out of the hull, like the Defender-class ships did. That makes it easier to create a stable jump field around the ship. A jump bubble might make it easier to retrofit irregular ships with jump drives, without having to use as many emitters.”

“Intriguing,” Cameron replied.

“That’s not even the interesting part,” Abby insisted. “The tugs are creating jump bubbles around a ship, without the emitters even touching the ship.”

“I’m not following you, Abby,” Cameron admitted.

“Imagine if you could use some sort of external device to first apply a jump bubble to a ship, and then dump the energy into that bubble to trigger a jump.”

“What kind of device?”

“I don’t know, really. Some sort of tunnel in space, or a series of gates. The whole thing could be aligned along a fixed path between two star systems. Ships without jump drives would simply fly through it and be jumped to the destination system.”

“What’s the advantage?”

“Well, for one, you don’t have to equip every ship with a jump drive. You’d also have significantly increased range, since the gate would be enormous, and therefore would have plenty of room for massive energy banks and plenty of reactor capacity. It would even take some of the risk out of jumping, since only one ship would be jumped at a time, and to a fixed point in space.”

“Like to an arrival corridor at the destination,” Cameron surmised.

“Precisely.”

“How could we use this to our advantage?” Cameron wondered.

“Well, you couldn’t,” Abby admitted. “The scale of construction is too massive. But eventually, it could change interstellar transportation almost as much as the original jump drive did.”

“Abby, just as soon as this rebellion is over, I’d find a way to get the first one built, if I were you. If you charge each ship a fee to use the gate, you’ll make a fortune. Assuming you choose a high-traffic route.”

“Like between Takara and Corinair,” Abby said.

“You’ve already talked to Deliza about the idea, haven’t you,” Cameron realized.

“Yeah, I have,” Abby admitted. “And I probably shouldn’t have. That girl has trouble keeping her mind on one project at a time, as it is. She’s always coming up with ideas.”

“Five seconds, Captain,” the communications officer reported.

Abby and Cameron stopped talking and turned their attention to the screen.

“Three……two……one……”

Blue-white light spilled out from dozens of emitters attached to the net surrounding the Pellendok. In less than a second, the light encapsulated the entire ship, then quickly built in intensity and flashed. A split second later, when the flash subsided, the Pellendok, and all the tugs surrounding her, were gone.

Jennar’s eyes were closed tightly.

“You can open your eyes, Captain,” the Pellendok’s engineer said. “We’re still alive.”

“Did we jump?” the captain asked.

“Yes, sir, we jumped,” the pilot confirmed joyfully. “We’re a few hundred thousand kilometers behind the fleet and closing.”

“Damn,” the captain swore.

“You should be happy,” the engineer said.

“I am,” the captain replied. “But now I owe Malcolm a bottle of Taroan brandy.”

Malcolm Dale looked quite pleased with himself. “Eighteen point three light years, my friend. In a single jump.”

“Message from the Pellendok,” the copilot reported. “He says he’s not handing over the brandy until we finish decelerating him first.”

“Wise man,” Malcolm commented as he prepared to detach from the Pellendok.

“Jump complete,” Mister Bickle reported.

The familiar view of the ragtag collection of ships which made up the Karuzari fleet was a welcome sight on the Aurora’s view screen.

“Multiple contacts,” the Aurora’s sensor officer announced. “It’s the fleet.”

“Any sign of the Pellendok?” Cameron asked.

“One moment,” Lieutenant Commander Kono replied. “I’ve got her, three hundred and thirty-seven thousand kilometers behind the fleet and closing. Tugs are already detaching.”

“Impressive,” Abby remarked.

“Glad you enjoyed the show, Abby,” Cameron replied. “Comms, tell flight ops to prepare to refuel the tugs. I want them cycled and back out as soon as possible. They need to slow that ship down before she shoots past us.”

“Aye, sir.”

“If you’ll excuse me, Captain, I should return to the Sawa.”

“It was good to see you again, Abby,” Cameron replied.

“You as well, Captain,” Abby said as she turned and headed for the exit.

“Mister Vidmar,” Cameron said as she rose from her command chair. “As soon as those tugs are refueled and relaunched, let’s get our gunships back on deck. Those crews have been flying for more than eighteen hours now. They’re likely exhausted and low on propellant.”

“Aye, sir.”

* * *

As they walked the streets of Porodeli, Nathan’s eyes darted about, taking in every detail just as Jessica and General Telles had taught him to do. Every nuance offered clues into the lives, abilities, and attitudes of the people who lived and worked in this unruly community. The manner of construction, the irregularity of the streets, and the lack of public infrastructure; these and many other signs told him that this city was more than just unruly, it was a place that believed in every man and woman for themselves. Even the lack of common fashion supported his conclusions. Porodeli was indeed a pirate town, composed of people from all over the quadrant, every one of whom likely lacked the discipline and responsibility to thrive on more civilized worlds.

But the most important, and the most troubling, thing he noticed was that everyone carried a weapon. Pocket zappers, boomers, combat rifles, and, of course, the ubiquitous sidearm known as a blaster, worn low on the hip, ready for a quick draw to action. Nathan had always hated carrying a weapon, but this time, he was glad to have one on his own hip, in full view for all to see. On worlds such as this, the unarmed were instant targets of ill intent.

Both Nathan and Jessica had to fight the urge to react to the two frightening-looking men, both with blasters on their hips and large-bore, rail-gun rifles with multi-projectile-type magazines slung over their shoulders, as they walked by. After the men passed, the two exchanged concerned glances.

“These people pack some serious firepower,” Corporal Vasya muttered under his breath from behind.

Jessica glanced back, noticing that Josh had his hand resting on his own blaster, likely feeling somewhat threatened. “Easy, Josh,” she cautioned. “Having your hand on your blaster might send the wrong signal.”

Josh immediately moved his hand off his weapon, allowing it to swing normally as he walked. “Sorry, Jess. I didn’t even realize I was doing it.” Josh glanced at Vasya and Brill to his left, both of whom appeared relaxed and confident. “You guys don’t even look nervous.”

“That’s because we aren’t,” Corporal Vasya replied.

“Those two guys were carrying enough firepower to put a hole through an armored transport,” Josh exclaimed. “That doesn’t make you nervous?”

“It’s about keeping your emotions under control, Josh,” Corporal Vasya explained.

“You’re one to talk, Kit,” Jessica teased.

“One time,” the corporal defended. “One little slip and you’re marked for life.”

Jessica smiled. As the only female to be accepted into the ranks of the Ghatazhak, one of her favorite pastimes was to push their buttons and draw emotional reactions out of men who were supposed to be in control at all times.

“I don’t get it,” Josh admitted. “This street could erupt into a war zone at the drop of a hat, and you people act like you’re on a Sunday stroll through the park.”

“That’s because we all know what to do if that should happen,” Kit explained.

“How can you all know what to do?” Josh challenged, finding the corporal’s claim difficult to believe.

“It’s all about the training,” Jessica added. “Everyone has a position in the group. If something goes down, Nathan takes the targets forward and to the left, I take the targets to the right. Kit and Mori do the same but to the rear.”

“You know what to do, Cap’n?” Josh wondered, surprised.

“I do,” Nathan confirmed.

“How?”

“I had basic training back at the Academy, and I’ve been training with Jess and Telles.”

“I see,” Josh replied, moving from the back right to a position between Corporal Vasya and Specialist Brill. “I’ll just shoot at whatever you guys miss,” he decided.

“Might as well leave it in your holster, then,” Kit boasted.

Nathan spotted a tavern ahead. Based on the number of people coming and going, it appeared to be a popular establishment. “That one looks good,” he said, pointing and turning slightly left.

“Remember boys, don’t go for your guns unless they go first,” Jessica instructed, “and if a fight breaks out, let them land a few punches to make it look good.”

“I thought you were kidding about getting into a fight,” Josh said.

Nathan looked back at Josh and smiled as he and Jessica entered the building.

“Does this mean I can get drunk and laid, too?” Josh asked as he followed them inside.

The exterior of the bar had been somewhat deceiving, since the inside was far better kept. The interior was massive, with three separate bars, complete with brass rails and stools. There were tables and chairs scattered about the open areas, and booths along the sides. Everywhere you looked there were waitresses in skimpy outfits, carrying trays of tall glasses containing beverages of every ilk. There was even a stage in the corner, where a five-piece band was cranking out live music. And every person in the room, even the waitresses, was armed.

Nathan looked at Jessica. “If these people go for their guns before their fists, we’re in big trouble.”

“You mean, you’re in big trouble,” Jessica corrected, pushing past him.

Corporal Vasya and Specialist Brill followed Jessica through the crowd, enjoying the wake she was creating for them.

“You sure about this, Cap’n?” Josh wondered.

“Not as sure as I was five minutes ago,” Nathan admitted.

“Maybe I’d better go back to the ships,” Josh suggested. “I’m sure they could use some help with the repairs. I mean, we blasted the Seiiki pretty good, you know.”

“Relax, Josh,” Nathan said, attempting to soothe his young pilot’s nerves. “If everyone went for their guns first, this place wouldn’t allow any weapons through the door.”

“Then, why are there automated stunner turrets over the bars?” Josh asked, pointing toward the nearest ones.

Nathan shrugged. “Good catch, though. Come on, I’m buying the first round,” he added, gently nudging Josh to follow the others.

Josh reluctantly followed Jessica and her two Ghatazhak comrades through the crowd, carefully avoiding as much contact with the other patrons as possible. He even avoided leering at the female patrons as they passed by, which, for Josh, was quite an accomplishment.

Jessica saddled up to the bar, signaling to the bartender.

“What’s your pleasure?” the bartender asked without the slightest hint of hospitality.

“Five pints, and none of that piss water you’re passing off as ale,” she warned.

The bartender said nothing, scowling at her as he pulled the metallic tumblers from below to fill her order.

“I don’t suppose they’ve got any food in this place, do they?” Josh wondered as he and Nathan joined them.

“Probably,” Jessica replied, “but I wouldn’t take the risk. The booze, alone, will probably make you sick.”

“I’ve had my fair share of booze,” Josh insisted. “Trust me, I can handle it.”

“Your call.”

The bartender placed the last of the five tumblers on the bar in front of them. “Who’s payin’?”

Jessica pointed to Nathan as she picked up a tumbler and downed it rather quickly. “Fill it up,” she demanded, slamming the tumbler back down on the counter.

The bartender looked to Nathan for payment.

Nathan handed the bartender a few gold chips from the down payment that Oliver Tweeson had made on the job. “Will that cover it?”

The bartender smiled. “I’ll keep ‘em comin’, slick.”

“You do that,” Nathan said as he scanned the room and spotted a table nearby. “We’ll be over there.”

Nathan picked up his pint and headed for the table, the others following suit. He snaked his way between the tables full of patrons, reaching his destination only moments before another party could stake claim.

“This is our table,” one of the men said.

“Apparently not,” Nathan replied as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

“I don’t think you heard me, kid,” the man growled.

“Oh, he heard you,” Jessica said as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to Nathan. “He just doesn’t give a shit,” she added, smiling.

The man glared at her, then caught sight of the other two squared-jawed, athletic-looking men with steely eyes and confident swaggers, which clearly communicated their overall lack of fear. Not being accustomed to men who did not cower in his presence, the man paused a moment, taking stock as the two men also took their seats, followed by a third, smaller man whose own confidence appeared questionable. The man glared at the two men as they sat, waiting for one of them to reveal the slightest hint of uncertainty in his presence.

“Can I help you, tiny?” Kit asked in a manner that, while polite, clearly communicated his unwillingness to tolerate the man’s presence much longer.

The man glared a moment longer, unsure of what to do.

“There’s a table opening up over there, Gazzer,” one of the man’s cohorts suggested, obviously not wanting anything to do with Nathan and his group.

The man smirked one last time at Nathan and the others, then turned to follow his friend.

“Have a nice day, pops,” Kit added, a grin on his face.

“Ooo,” Jessica cooed. “Kit Vasya knows how to talk trash.”

“I learned from the best,” he replied, raising his tumbler of ale to her, in salute.

A busty redhead in a short skirt and tight blouse stepped up with another tray of full tumblers. “You guys want any food or anything?” she asked as she began placing the fresh drinks on the table.

“What do you have?” Kit asked.

“The usual crap,” she replied. “Fried meats of questionable freshness and origin. Fried tubers and bangers. Fried walkenite.”

“Anything not fried?” Kit wondered.

“Yeah, the booze,” she replied.

“I’m more interested in the anything,” Josh commented, looking directly at the waitress’s generous cleavage.

“The anything is over there, kid,” she replied, pointing toward the bar on the far side of the room. “You want another round when these are done, or you looking for something with more kick?” she asked, looking at Nathan, whom she deemed was the leader of the group.

“Just keep them coming until we say otherwise,” Nathan replied, tossing another gold chip on her tray.

“You got it,” she promised.

“And send a round to those gentlemen over there,” Jessica added, pointing to the previous challengers for their table. “On us.”

The waitress looked at Nathan, who pulled another gold chip out and added it to the first. “Straightaway, boss,” she smiled, departing.

Jessica downed the rest of her second drink, then picked up the third. “I’m one up on you guys,” she bragged.

“I guess we’d better get busy then,” Nathan replied, promptly downing his own drink.

The band started another song, and Jessica cringed. “Why is it that every one of these places has shitty music?” she wondered. “Is that what all losers have in common? A love of lousy music?”

“I’m gonna go check out the anything,” Josh announced, rising from his seat with a mischievous grin on his face.

“What about Yosef?” Jessica asked, more as a reminder than a question.

“I’m just gonna flirt a bit,” Josh assured her. “For appearance’s sake.”

“Right,” Jessica replied. She looked at Mori. “Go play wingman, Brill. Keep him out of trouble.”

“I guess I could go for some anything,” Specialist Brill joked as he rose to follow Josh.

“This place is a dump,” Jessica purposefully said rather loudly.

“I don’t know,” Nathan disagreed. “It’s got its charms…a certain…ambiance, if you like.”

“No, I don’t like,” Jessica disagreed. “And I think they need to mop up some of the ambiance,” she added, pointing at a blood stain on the floor a few meters away.

“You’re always so negative,” Nathan commented.

“No, I just don’t like dirty, shithole dive bars.”

“What would you do differently?” Kit wondered.

“I’d start by running a scrubber over the floor more than once a month. And I’d make people locker their weapons at the door. Guns, booze, hookers, and crappy music are a recipe for chaos in any book.”

“Some people like chaos,” Nathan commented. “To them, it’s an adrenaline rush, like skydiving or speeder racing.”

“Relax, Nathan,” Jessica told him. “I’m just working up a bad attitude, in preparation for the night’s activities.”

“I see,” Nathan replied, smiling. As he took another drink, the man who had challenged him for their table received his free round of drinks. Nathan noticed the sour look on the man’s face as the waitress pointed to Nathan as the buyer of the round. “I think they’re about to begin,” he said, watching the man out of the corner of his eye as he rose and headed toward them, drink in hand.

“Think you’re funny, kid?” the burly man asked as he stepped up to the table.

“Whatever do you mean?” Nathan asked, looking up at the man and smiling.

“The drinks,” the man replied, holding his full tumbler up. “You think I can’t afford my own drinks, or something?”

“They were meant as a polite gesture,” Nathan explained, not really looking at the man as he spoke. “Sort of a, ‘no hard feelings’ kind of thing. But, since you brought it up…” Nathan raised his tumbler to his mouth to drink, hiding the grin on his face.

Two more men came to stand by the burly man’s side, obviously taking up positions to support their friend.

“So, you are a clown,” the burly man decided.

“Connor,” Jessica said, only half under her breath. “I’m pretty sure this big slob just insulted you.”

Nathan sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“Well?” Jessica asked.

“I was just trying to decide whether to shove this tumbler up his ass, or just break his nose and be done with him,” Nathan replied. He looked up at the man. “What do you think, pops? Tumbler up your ass or a broken nose? Your choice.”

The burly man looked at his friends, grinning, and then he turned back to Nathan, bending over to get in his face as he spoke. “I’m gonna kill you and all your little friends, and then I’m gonna fuck your little bitch, here.”

Nathan glanced across the table at Vasya, and then looked at Jessica. “I’m thinking we’ll start with a broken nose,” he said. In one swift motion, Nathan rammed his metal tumbler up into the man’s mouth, breaking his front teeth, and then punched him in the nose with a ferocious right cross. At the same time, Corporal Vasya swept the feet out from under one of the man’s friends, sending him to the floor. As the man fell, Vasya turned and drove his right hand into his face, drawing copious amounts of blood with a single punch.

The third man, who was standing behind Nathan, pulled a large knife from his belt but found it stripped from his hand. He turned to see Jessica, standing there smiling, holding the knife.

“Didn’t your mother teach you not to play with knives?” With a quick, slashing motion, she sliced both of the man’s suspenders, allowing his oversized cargo pants to drop to the floor around his ankles. She then planted her foot against his midsection and pushed. The man stumbled, his pants tangled around his ankles, finally falling to the floor next to the burly man who was still trying to get to his feet.

Nathan also jumped to his feet and immediately kicked the burly man in the face, sending him onto his back, before he could get up.

Jessica ducked as a fourth man, coming to the aid of his friends, swung for her face. She spun around, driving her elbow into the fourth man’s side, causing him to bend toward the blow. She grabbed his head and twisted, pulling him over her shoulder and onto his back, then immediately rolled to her right to avoid, yet, another attacker.

Apparently, the burly man had quite a few friends among the locals, all of whom felt compelled to come to his aid.

“Time to go,” Specialist Brill told Josh, noticing the ruckus that had just erupted around the rest of their party.

“Now?” Josh asked, turning away from the scantily clad woman he was talking to at the bar. “But we just started hitting it…” He, too, saw the people charging toward Nathan, Jessica, and Corporal Vasya. “Nice to meet ya,” he told the girl. “Gotta run,” he added as he charged off, hot on Brill’s heels.

Specialist Brill pushed past several onlookers, shoving them aside with ease. In seconds, he was at the outer perimeter of the brawl. A quick rabbit punch to the kidney, followed by a sweeping motion of his legs, took out the first man he encountered, allowing him to immediately move to the next combatant who was grabbing Jessica’s hair and pulling her head back.

Josh followed the specialist, stomping the heel of his boot into the first man Brill had brought down, knocking him unconscious. As soon as he did so, he took a blow to the side, causing him to bend over in pain. He turned to his left just in time to catch a blow to the face, sending blood and spit flying from his mouth as he spun around to the right.

Specialist Brill reached up over the man’s right shoulder from behind, wrapped his left arm around the man’s face and pulled him backwards, and then fired three quick punches into the man’s side, causing him to release his hold on Jessica’s hair. He dropped to his right knee, drawing the man over his left knee, twisting him further onto his belly, and then struck him on the back of the head with his right hand, knocking him out.

“Ease up!” Jessica reminded the specialist.

“Oh, yeah,” Mori replied. He turned to look for someone else to attack and immediately found a man stepping up and drawing his fist back to swing at him. Brill forced himself not to counter the man’s blow, taking the shot square in the mouth. He let the blow spin him around and drop to the floor, just for appearance’s sake. On his hands and knees, he took another foot to the midsection, turning him over. At that point, he decided that had been enough. He quickly hopped back to his feet, and sidestepped the next blow, spinning to the left toward his attacker, and driving his right fist into the side of the man’s head.

Jessica ran forward, stepping onto the back of one of the combatants who was on his hands and knees, and jumped up into the air, landing on a large, bearded man’s shoulders. In one smooth fashion, she locked her thighs around his neck and twisted to one side, using her momentum to turn the man around and bring him down onto his back. She hit the floor along with him, squeezing harder until the man blacked out. For a split second, she worried that she might have killed him, but only for a moment. Not only were they trying to draw attention to themselves and their skills, but they were undoubtedly in a fight for their very lives. If a few drunken pirates died, so be it.

Jessica purposefully took a few blows, as well, so as not to appear unbelievably superior to the other patrons in her hand-to-hand combat skills, while at the same time making sure that her skills were impressive enough for word to get around.

Nathan doubled over as the burly man’s fist drove into his gut, then, as he had anticipated, felt the man’s knee in his face. Nathan went limp, allowing the momentum of the man’s knee to knock him back, rather than resisting its force. Nathan rolled backward, coming back up on his feet just in time to see another man’s foot coming toward him as the new attacker attempted a fairly obvious martial-arts-style move. Nathan raised his arm to block the approaching foot, continuing backward and pulling the man’s leg along with him. As he came down, he pulled hard on the man’s leg, pushing sideways on his knee, dislocating it and sending him tumbling to the floor, screaming in pain.

By now, most of the patrons in the center of the bar had been sucked into the brawl, many having no idea who was fighting whom.

“GUN!” someone hollered.

Nathan immediately crouched down low, pulling his own sidearm and activating its charging circuit. The room flashed red several times as someone nearby fired. The burly man who had started the fight fell next to Nathan, a smoking hole, trimmed with burnt, smoldering flesh and clothing, through his neck and right shoulder.

Jessica dropped to one knee as she drew her own weapon. In the blink of an eye, she spotted the shooter and quickly moved to her right to get a clear shot at the man.

Corporal Vasya also had his weapon out and was tucking into a roll as red bolts of plasma slammed into the floor behind him, narrowly missing his legs. He came up firing, his first shot finding the shooter’s chest; the second, his head.

Josh dropped to his belly, his own gun drawn, taking cover behind a rather large, unconscious man. Three bolts of plasma slammed into the man. Josh could feel his body shake as the bolts burned through him. Josh peeked up over the now-dead man, spotting at least three men with guns, each of them shooting in different directions, but none of them toward him.

Josh suddenly felt a tug at his shirt, pulling him off the floor.

“COME ON!” Nathan yelled, dragging Josh along with him as he moved quickly toward cover behind a table that had fallen on its side.

Alarms sounded, and blue warning lights began to flash. A second later, the automated turrets over the bars on all three sides of the establishment activated, spraying the battling patrons with pale blue stunner bolts. Combatants and innocent patrons fell, instantly paralyzed, as the bolts slammed into them.

“Kit!” Jessica yelled as she dodged the incoming fire. “Left turrets!” she ordered, firing at the turrets over the center bar.

Nathan noticed what Jessica was doing and started firing at the center bar turrets, as well.

Specialist Brill quickly took out the turrets over the bar to the right, then dropped two more armed men before they could shoot anyone else.

After twenty seconds of weapons fire from both blasters and automated stunner turrets, the room fell quiet. All that could be heard were the moans of the wounded and the sizzling of plasma burns.

Kit, Jessica, and Mori all stood quickly, each taking a different quadrant of the room.

“NOBODY MOVE!” Nathan yelled, also standing with his weapon drawn.

“WHAT HE SAID!” Josh added, also standing, weapon drawn.

“DON’T DO IT!” Jessica warned as a man raised his weapon. She fired, placing a blast of energy directly between his eyes, killing him instantly. “I’LL DROP YOU, AS WELL!” she warned as another man moved his hand toward his still-holstered sidearm.

“DROP YOUR WEAPONS!” one of the bartenders shouted in warning, coming up from behind the bar with a boomer in his hands.

This time, it was Nathan who fired, striking the large weapon in the bartender’s hands with his first shot. The weapon immediately became too hot to handle, and the bartender dropped it, cursing and shaking his hands from the searing heat.

“I wouldn’t,” Corporal Vasya warned the next bartender to raise a boomer. “I never miss.”

The bartender slowly placed his weapon on the bar in front of him and backed away, hands raised.

“Smart decision,” Vasya congratulated.

“We don’t want to kill anyone else,” Nathan announced, his weapon still held high and ready as he looked around the room. Patrons and combatants, some still paralyzed by the stunner blasts, all had their eyes locked on Nathan and his armed cohorts. “We didn’t start this,” he insisted, “but we have no problem ending it. Your choice.”

“Just get the fuck out!” the bartender with the burnt hands cursed.

“Kit! Door!” Jessica ordered.

Vasya immediately moved to the exit, peeking outside to make sure it was safe to exit. “Clear outside!” he announced.

“Mori?” Jessica called, still sweeping her gun slowly back and forth across the unmoving crowd.

“I got your six, Jess!” Specialist Brill replied.

“You’re first, Josh,” Jessica instructed.

Josh didn’t argue, moving quickly toward the exit.

“Keep an eye outside,” Kit instructed Josh as he exited.

“Connor,” Jessica said, indicating that Nathan should exit next.

“Brill, Jess, you go first,” Nathan insisted.

“Connor,” Jessica argued.

“That wasn’t a request,” Nathan insisted.

“Mori,” Jessica called, acquiescing to her captain’s wishes.

Specialist Brill moved quickly toward the exit, stepping over those paralyzed by stunner shots and those paralyzed with fear for their lives.

Jessica moved to the exit, taking position on the other side of the door from Kit. “Go,” she told the corporal.

Kit stepped through the doors, immediately taking up guard position outside, along with Josh and Specialist Brill.

Nathan stepped up to the bar, coming face to face with the bartender with the burnt hands. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of gold chips, placing them on the bar. “This should cover the drinks and the damage,” he told the man. He pulled two more chips out of his pocket and placed them on the bar, as well, next to the previous chips. “Consider this a tip,” he added with a smile.

Nathan turned and walked toward the exit, confidently holstering his weapon as he stepped over paralyzed patrons, not once looking back as he disappeared through the door.

Jessica looked around the room, then to the bartender with the burnt hands. “That’s what happens when you play shitty music,” she told him, just before she, too, disappeared through the door.

* * *

“We’re being tailed,” Corporal Vasya reported.

“I know,” Nathan replied as they turned the corner and headed down the breezeway to their landing pad.

“By who?” Josh wondered, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Mori and I can duck out, circle behind them, and take them out,” Kit suggested.

“No need,” Nathan insisted. “They’re just checking to see where we live.”

“Who’s checking?” Josh wondered.

“How about they circle around and be ready to take them out, if needed,” Jessica suggested. Before Nathan could reply, she signaled Kit and Mori to do so.

“Do I have a choice?” Nathan asked, noticing the two Ghatazhak going in opposite directions at the first intersection.

“Who’s following us?” Josh asked again.

Nathan, Jessica, and Josh reached the end of the breezeway, coming into the open area around the landing pad where Digger One and Two and the Seiiki were parked. A flatbed cargo vehicle was pulling away from the back of the Seiiki, fully loaded, and the Seiiki’s cargo bay was empty. “I hope you got a good price,” Nathan said to Marcus as he approached.

“About thirty-five percent,” Marcus replied.

“That’s it?” Jessica said, surprised.

“Ain’t no way you’re getting more than that on a shithole like this,” Marcus defended, annoyed by her attitude. “Leastways, not on such short notice.”

“But thirty-five percent?”

“I did get some new guns in trade, on top of that thirty-five percent,” Marcus added, turning and pointing up at Vlad and Dalen, who were using a remotely operated crane to place the first gun onto the repaired turret on the upper starboard side. “Quads, no less. Should pack a real wallop.”

“Nice,” Nathan commented in approval.

“Please tell me it wasn’t their idea to throw in the guns,” Jessica pleaded.

“Actually, it was Vlad’s idea. The guns were already on their truck. They just bought them off some other ship a few pads down.”

“I still think you could’ve gotten more than thirty-five percent of retail value,” Jessica insisted. “How do you know those guns even work?”

“This ain’t my first picnic, girl,” Marcus remarked gruffly. “Vlad checked ‘em out first.”

“Oh, that makes me feel so much better,” Jessica remarked, tapping her comm-set as she headed up the ramp. “Kit, status?”

“The captain was right,” Corporal Vasya replied. “As soon as you reached the ship, the guys split.”

“Hold position for a while, just to be sure,” she instructed as she headed up the ladder at the front of the cargo bay.

“Understood.”

Marcus noticed Nathan’s bloody lip and Josh’s black eye. “I was only joking, you know.”

Nathan smiled, patting Marcus on the shoulder as he walked past, headed up the Seiiki’s ramp past Loki. “How’s it going, Loki?”

“Great, Captain, and yourself?” Loki asked, also noticing the damage to Nathan’s face.

“Couldn’t be better.”

Loki looked at Josh’s black eye. “Tell me you two didn’t fight each other.”

“It was awesome!” Josh laughed. “The entire bar! Feet and hands flyin’ everywhere! Then someone started shootin’, and we started shootin’ back… Cap’n even tipped the bartender afterward!” Josh exclaimed, heading up the ramp himself.

As Josh passed by him, Loki looked at Marcus, dumbfounded.

“There’s something not right about that boy,” Marcus commented, shaking his head in dismay.

“I’ve been telling you that for years, now,” Loki insisted.

CHAPTER NINE

The main hangar deck of the Aurora was buzzing with activity as Reapers and Eagles alike were being prepared for battle.

General Telles followed his men into the main hangar bay, toward the six Reapers that awaited them. The Ghatazhak were dressed in level-two combat armor and were carrying their standard-issue assault energy rifles. This time, however, they were also wearing their new personal shield generators, fresh from Deliza’s lab aboard the Sawa.

“Nice outfit, General,” Commander Kellen noted as he overtook the general on his way to the cargo shuttle in the port hangar bay.

“I am feeling a little underdressed,” the general admitted, looking down at the black, form-fitting wet suit he had on.

“You sure you don’t want to take a couple guys with you?” the commander asked.

“What I must do, I must do alone,” the general replied.

Commander Kellen nodded, knowing full well the general was correct. “Good hunting, General.”

“To you as well, Commander.” General Telles turned and headed toward Reaper Six, where technicians were preparing the ship for departure. “How are we looking, Lieutenant?” he asked the pilot, who was finishing his final preflight inspection.

“Good to go, sir,” Lieutenant Haddix replied.

“Any word on the weather?” the general asked in jest.

“Clear skies and calm seas,” the lieutenant replied. “Should be a good day to go for a swim.”

“Shall we, then?”

Lieutenant Haddix gestured toward the ship. “After you, General.” The lieutenant waited for the general to board, then climbed aboard, himself, and moved forward into the cockpit. “Ready to spin up?” he asked his copilot as he took his seat.

“Ready when you are, Lieutenant,” the ensign replied.

“Then let’s get this bird in the air and put the general in the water, shall we?”

* * *

Nathan stood outside the Seiiki, admiring the morning sun as it peeked over the tops of the nearby buildings. Like most worlds he had been to, Porodeli was unremarkable and poorly developed. Yet, like all worlds, it had its charms. Sunrises were one of the common denominators that tied them all together. Most of the inhabited worlds had some sort of sunrise and sunset. Even the moons orbiting gas giants had them, just at odd cycles and in competition with their parent worlds. Porodeli was no different. Its sun rose more rapidly than most, as its days were only half as long as Earth’s.

“You get any sleep?” Jessica queried as she came around the front of the ship to join him, two cups of coffee in her hands.

“A few hours,” Nathan replied, taking one of the cups offered him. “To be honest, I expected someone to show up by now. Offer us a job, try to get revenge, something.”

“Maybe we’re on the wrong world,” Jessica suggested, sipping her coffee.

“It’s possible,” Nathan admitted. “Marcus did say there were about eight different worlds in this quadrant used as ports by pirates and smugglers.”

“So, what do we do if this isn’t the right one?”

“I guess we go play pirates near one of the other systems,” Nathan replied.

“We can’t keep robbing the same ship,” Jessica warned. “Someone’s going to get wise.”

“Yeah, I thought about that,” Nathan agreed, taking another sip. “We may have to actually commit piracy.”

“I’m game,” Jessica said with a smile, “but I’m pretty sure you’re going to have a problem with it.”

“Not as much as you might think,” Nathan insisted.

“You? Mister ‘always do the right thing’?” she teased.

“You’d be surprised how far I’m willing to go, these days.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Jessica replied.

Nathan looked at her, his eyes narrowing. “I think I’ve proven that I can be that guy.”

“What guy?”

“The guy who can do what other men cannot do, as Telles puts it.”

Jessica didn’t look convinced. “You’ve had about a month of training, Nathan. You have a long way to go before you’re a Ghatazhak. I’ve still got a long way to go, for that matter.”

“You don’t think I can do the ugly deeds,” Nathan said, somewhat annoyed by her implication.

“Oh, you can do the ugly deeds,” Jessica admitted, “but you’ll feel guilty afterward, and that will make you think twice before doing the next ugly deed. Therein lies your problem,” she concluded.

“Really.”

“Really,” she replied. “That’s why I will make a great Ghatazhak,” she boasted. “I don’t feel guilty, at least not when I know I’m doing the right thing.”

“That’s the catch,” Nathan told her. “You don’t always know. Sometimes, you never know.”

“The Ghatazhak know.”

“The Ghatazhak think they know. But no one can always know.”

“They don’t have to,” Jessica argued. “As long as your actions are correct, based on the information available to you, you did the right thing, regardless of how it turns out or how ugly a thing you do. That’s what being a Ghatazhak is all about. That, and being able to kick ass.”

Nathan laughed. “I think Telles would offer a slightly deeper definition of what it means to be a Ghatazhak.”

“You’ve got to stop overthinking everything, Nathan,” Jessica insisted.

“Odd statement, coming from a Ghatazhak.”

“I’m not a Ghatazhak, yet,” she reminded him. “And the Ghatazhak don’t think about what they’re doing in the same way that you do. They analyze. They do the math. Emotion does not enter into the equation, nor do any of humanity’s various ethics or moralities. It’s simply whom to shoot, and when to shoot. It all boils down to that.”

“Again, I think there’s more to it than that. Nothing is that simple.”

“It is if you let it be,” Jessica argued. “Take this situation, for example. You need to find a way to protect what little family you have left. We’re here to help you, because we know that, until you know they are safe, you won’t be able to function at your highest level. We’re here to help you do the things that other men cannot do.”

“You are, huh?” Nathan said, skeptical.

“We are. Now, let’s go pirate some stuff,” Jessica insisted.

Nathan sighed, resigning himself to the situation. Despite his speech, he didn’t care for the idea of committing actual acts of piracy, even if it meant saving his sister and her children. He would do it, but just as Jessica said, he would feel guilty afterward. “Very well.”

Several flashes of blue-white light filled the sky and flooded the landscape around them. A split second later, the thunderous booms which accompanied ships jumping into the atmosphere shook the ground. Both Nathan and Jessica flinched, ducking down as the wave of displaced air washed over them. They looked up at four small, gangly looking assault ships, armed with a variety of mismatched weapons, all of which were trained on them.

“Jesus!” Nathan exclaimed as dust, kicked up by the hovering ships’ jet wash, swirled about them.

“You were hoping someone would take notice of us,” Jessica told him. “I’m pretty sure they did,” she added, pointing up at the four ships hovering above. “Scramble Red!” she barked into her comm-set, drawing her weapon as she stepped back under the nose of the Seiiki for cover.

Nathan also tapped his comm-set. “Josh! Loki! Spin up your engines! We’ve got trouble!”

“Movement!” Deeks warned over comm-sets. “To the south, between the buildings. Four men, armed.”

“We’re boots on the ground!” Rezhik reported. “Two left and two right! Taking up firing positions.”

Nathan looked to the south, squinting to see through the swirling dust, barely making out the four armed men walking toward them. “Wait!” he ordered. “Hold your fire!” he added, drawing his own weapon just to be safe. He raised his gun and took aim at the approaching men; Jessica doing the same. “Identify yourselves, or we will fire!” he warned.

“Jesus, Nathan,” Jessica scolded. “You’re supposed to be a pirate.” She took a deep breath and yelled angrily at the top of her lungs. “Stop where you are, or we’ll fucking burn you down!”

“You do, and my ships will melt us all into a heap of fucking goo!” the lead man shouted back as they approached.

Nathan and Jessica stood fast, their weapons still aimed at the four approaching men. In his periphery, Nathan could see Rezhik and Deeks moving into position, their weapons also trained on the intruders.

“I’m in Digger One and spinning up!” Josh reported over comms. “Loki’s headed for Digger Two! I can be airborne in one minute, guns blazing, Cap’n. Just say the word!”

“Spin up, but stay on the ground,” Nathan instructed as he noticed Vasya and Brill moving into position to the right of the intruders. “Don’t shoot unless the shit hits the fan.”

“We’ll be ready,” Josh assured him.

“We’ve got you outgunned,” Nathan warned the men, who were now only ten meters away and still approaching.

“I can have our shields around us in one minute,” Vladimir suggested.

“Thirty seconds would be better,” Nathan replied. “That’s close enough!” he yelled over the screaming engines above them. “Tell those ships to back off or we start shooting!”

“That would be foolish,” the leader of the approaching men warned. “Even your Ghatazhak cannot shoot down all four of those ships; not before they lay waste to this entire pad and everything on it.”

“Shields coming up,” Vladimir announced.

Nathan felt a tingling sensation, like a million ants crawling over him in a single wave as the Seiiki’s shields activated, encompassing his people and the visitors, and protecting them from the ships hovering above them. Nathan smiled at the man who finally came to a stop a few meters in front of him. “You were saying?”

The man smiled back. “That shield won’t hold forever, Captain, and when it fails, you and your crew will die.”

“At least we’ll get the pleasure of killing you, first,” Nathan replied. “State your business.”

“I’m here to escort you to the Jofa.”

“What the fuck’s a Jofa?” Nathan asked, indignant.

The man laughed. “No one is that dumb.” The man took another step forward. “You and your crew stole that ship.”

“What’s it to you?” Jessica demanded. “You workin’ bounty for some insurer?”

“Nothing quite so respectable,” the man replied, smiling. “This is Jofa space. We’re the only ones who can do such things around here.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Nathan replied. “Pirates have rules?”

“In these parts, we do,” the man replied. “And you’re lucky we do; otherwise, we’d kill you and take your ships.”

“You mean, what’s left of them,” Nathan corrected, pointing up at the ships still hovering over them.

The man nodded, conceding to Nathan’s point. “Like I said, you’re lucky. Max was impressed. He wants to meet you.”

“Who the fuck is Max?” Jessica wondered.

“Max is the one who decides who lives or dies, girlie,” the man explained. “And I’m the one he sends to do the killing, so you’d best show some respect.”

“Why would we want to meet this Max character?” Nathan wondered.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, here, Captain.” The man stepped closer, leaning in to be sure Nathan heard him clearly. “I wasn’t asking.” He took two steps back and then continued. “You have two choices. Come with us or die where you stand. Makes no difference to me.”

“I wasn’t kidding,” Nathan warned. “I’ll burn you all down, and I’ll burn you down first.”

“Then start shooting, kid,” the man dared, his arms wide.

Nathan looked at Jessica, then at his men to the left and right, pretending to be considering his options. “Where do we have to go?” Nathan finally asked.

“Not far,” the man replied, smiling. “Only fifty-eight light years. You can even bring your own ship. In fact, we insist.”

“All three of them?” Nathan wondered, surprised.

“Just one, I’m afraid,” the man said. “The other two will have to remain here, under guard.”

“What do you mean, under guard?” Jessica wondered, not liking the sound of it.

“If you try to run, my ships destroy your ships and their crews.”

Nathan looked back over his shoulder at the Seiiki, then at Jessica, and finally back at the man. “Any idea what this Max fellow wants to talk to us about?”

“Let’s just say that talking to Max is your best chance of coming out of this alive,” the man explained.

* * *

“Contact!” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported from the Aurora’s sensor station. “Comm-drone.”

“Incoming message from Falcon One,” Ensign deBanco announced. “Initial deployment point was just patrolled. Estimate ten minutes to next patrol.”

“Ready status on the flight line?” Cameron asked.

“Flight ops reports twenty Eagles, staged and ready for deployment. All Reapers are ready on the port and starboard forward flight decks.”

“Very well,” Cameron replied. “Sound general quarters. Lieutenant Dinev, prepare to jump to the initial deployment point.”

“Sound general quarters, aye,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar acknowledged.

“On course and speed for jump,” the helmsman reported.

“Jump to initial deployment point is loaded and ready, Captain,” Ensign Bickle added. “Primary and secondary jump banks are fully charged.”

Cameron glanced at the ship’s status display, in the lower right corner of the main view screen, as the status light for each department aboard the Aurora changed to green, indicating their readiness for combat. As expected, the Aurora’s crew was ready in record time. They had been expecting the call to general quarters for nearly an hour.

“All stations at general quarters, Captain,” the tactical officer reported. “Weapons are fully charged, targeting systems are online, and shields are ready.”

“Second officer is in combat; chief of the boat is in damage control,” the communications officer added.

“Helm, jump us to the initial deployment point.”

“Jumping in three……two……one……”

The blue-white jump flash filled the bridge, fading a split second later.

“Jump complete,” Mister Bickle announced.

“Scanning,” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported.

“Threat board is clear,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar added.

“Launch our birds,” Cameron ordered.

“Eagle One, Launch Control. Green deck. Launch in ten seconds.”

Commander Verbeek switched his flight systems to active mode and then armed his maneuvering and main propulsion systems. “Launch Control, Eagle One. Ready for launch.” Three seconds later, his sequencer flashed three times, and he was suddenly pushed back into his seat as his fighter accelerated down the launch tube. Five seconds later, he was clear of the tube. “Eagle One, away!” he announced.

“Eagle Two, away!”

“Eagle Three, away!”

“Eagle Four, away!”

The commander glanced at his tactical display, checking the positions of the other three ships that had launched alongside him, and then ignited his main propulsion, throttling up slowly as his inertial dampeners kicked in. Once all eight fighters had reported in from the first launch wave, he spoke up. “Eagles Two through Eight, join up with me. Heading two five seven, down eleven relative.”

“Flight reports all Reapers are away, and the third wave of fighters will be launching in one minute,” Ensign deBanco reported from the Aurora’s comm-station at the back of the bridge.

“ETA to next patrol?” Cameron asked.

“Three minutes,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar replied.

“As soon as the last wave of fighters is clear, turn us to the next rally point, then turn back toward Rakuen,” Cameron instructed.

“Aye, sir,” Lieutenant Dinev acknowledged.

Cameron glanced at the mission clock. In two minutes, their forces would be taking back the Ranni plant on Rakuen.

* * *

“That’s the last jump,” the pilot of the lead Jofa ship announced. “Maintain course and speed until further notice.”

“Understood,” Nathan replied over comms. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he told the others.

“We have to bring Senah to Tweeson, in order to get the codes to access Sanctuary,” Jessica reminded him. “And weren’t you just giving me a speech about being able to do the dirty deeds?”

“I’m not talking about that,” Nathan insisted. “I’m talking about this. Being escorted at gunpoint to meet Senah. The rest of our crew being held captive, also at gunpoint, to make sure we don’t cut and run.”

“I’ve got news for you, Nathan,” Jessica said. “I guarantee that Rezhik will jump at the first opportunity to seize control of the situation and get them out of there safely.”

“The soft-spoken lieutenant?”

“Don’t let his quiet demeanor fool you,” Corporal Vasya said. “That guy’s got moves. He may even be as good as Telles.”

“Seriously?” Nathan questioned, surprised.

“A month’s pay says they’ll be waiting for us back on Gustur,” Jessica said.

“We don’t get paid,” Mori reminded her.

“Two months, then.”

A warning alarm beeped, catching Nathan’s attention. “Sensors are picking up a new contact.”

“More escorts?” Jessica wondered.

“Too big.”

“A planet or an asteroid, maybe?” Kit suggested.

“Too small for a planet, and the shape and materials are all wrong for… It’s a ship,” Nathan realized. “A big one.” He looked at Jessica. “I told you I had a bad feeling about this.”

All four of them stared out the forward windows of their Contra ship as the distant spaceship grew in size. Nathan continued to glance down at his sensor screen as more data came in. “I may be wrong, but it looks very similar to a Dusahn assault carrier.”

“But bigger,” Kit commented.

“A lot bigger,” Mori added.

“It’s similar, yes, but not the same,” Jessica insisted.

“Same power signatures, same propulsion systems, even the same point-defense systems.”

“Any offensive capabilities?” Jessica wondered.

“None that I can detect,” Nathan replied. Another warning tone caught his attention. “We’re getting an auto-flight link-up request.”

“They want to take control of the ship?” Jessica said, realizing the danger.

“It’s not uncommon,” Nathan assured her, although somewhat unconvincingly. “Especially when landing inside another ship. It’s standard procedure for all ships landing on the Aurora’s flight decks.”

“You think it’s a good idea?”

“I don’t see that we have much choice,” Nathan replied. “Unless you think the lieutenant has already gotten the others to safety.”

“There’s no way of knowing,” Jessica admitted reluctantly.

“We’ve come this far,” Nathan said as he accepted the link request. “We might as well see it through.”

The auto-flight link initiated, and the ship continued flying toward the Jofa base ship filling their forward windows. Only now, it was being flown by the base ship’s control systems.

“That’s it,” Nathan announced. “They’ve got control now.”

Jessica turned to look back at Kit and Mori. “Be ready for anything, guys.”

“Always,” Kit replied confidently.

* * *

The waters of Rakuen lapped gently against the seawall of the city. The caws of the stornays, which lived along the water’s edge, became more frequent as the sky showed the first signs of lightening in the pre-dawn hours. Few were awake, since it was still hours before the hustle and bustle of daily life would begin on the largest of Rakuen’s floating cities.

Something slowly broke the surface of the water a few meters from the seawall, disappearing a moment later. After a minute, a stealthy figure, clad in a black, form-fitting wet suit, rose almost silently from the water, clinging to the seawall itself. The figure quickly scaled the wall, climbing over the top, onto the vacant pedestrian walkway which ran the perimeter of the massive city. The figure paused just long enough to visually scan the area, before moving to the cover of a nearby building and disappearing into an alley.

A few minutes later, as the sun began to spill out over the edge of the horizon, General Lucius Telles emerged from the alley, wearing the uniform of a Rakuen security officer.

* * *

The crew of Digger One stared out the windows as the Jofa base ship’s auto-flight systems remotely piloted their ship into its port recovery tunnel.

The threshold to the recovery tunnel was ringed with a glowing, green emitter strip. As they passed through it, a green line walked across their ship’s nose and down the length of its hull.

Nathan glanced down at his sensors. There was now a breathable atmosphere outside their hull, instead of the vacuum of space that had surrounded them only seconds ago. He looked at Jessica, dumbfounded. “Vlad is right. We must get that for the Aurora.”

They continued to stare out the windows as their ship passed through the entry tunnel. Two more pressure shields later, they entered into a large hangar bay, filled with numerous ships of various shapes, sizes, and purpose.

“Aren’t those…” Jessica started to say.

“Sugali fighters,” Nathan finished for her.

“What’s a Sugali fighter?” Mori wondered.

“An extremely agile and deadly space fighter,” Kit explained. Both Mori and Jessica looked at him. “Marcus told me about them. The Sugali fought a war with the Bennadozi about ten years ago. Those fighters are why they won. And now that they’re jump equipped, they’re even deadlier.”

“What kind of jump range do they have?” Nathan wondered.

“Marcus didn’t say,” the corporal replied. “But based on what he did say, I’d guess it’s more than your Super Eagles.”

“Based on the area of space the Jofa appear to control, I’d guess at least fifty light years, maybe more,” Nathan decided.

The ship slowed and then descended, settling onto the deck far more gently than any human pilot could have managed.

As they touched down, a team of ragtag-looking men, armed with a variety of energy weapons, immediately took up position along the front of their ship.

“They must be our escort,” Jessica concluded.

Kit laughed. “They don’t look so tough.”

Jessica turned to climb out of her seat. “Don’t get cocky, Kit.”

Nathan climbed out of the pilot’s seat and followed the others out of the cockpit, through the small cabin, and then down the ladder to the airlock that joined the cargo bay, the upper deck, and the forward hatch and ramp, together. Jessica had already activated the ramp and was about to open the hatch but paused, looking at Nathan.

“Let’s go say hello,” Nathan said.

Jessica opened the hatch and was immediately met by half a dozen weapons aimed directly at her. “Whoa,” she said, holding her hands up. “We come in peace, boys. Your boss called us, remember?”

“Weapons,” the leader of the group of armed men demanded. “Slowly.”

Jessica reached down with her left hand and slowly unbuckled her gun belt, letting it fall to the floor. “I’ve got another one in my boot,” she warned. “I’m going to pull it out slowly.” As she bent over, the armed men tensed up. “Easy, fellas. I’m using my left hand, and I’m right-handed.” More slowly than before, she reached down and pulled a small energy pistol from her boot, laying it carefully on the deck beside her. “I’ve got a knife, too,” she added, slowly pulling a rather large combat knife from its sheath on the back of her right thigh.

“Is that everything?” the leader of the group asked as Jessica tossed the knife to the deck.

“That’s it,” Jessica replied, holding her jacket open and turning all the way around.

“Forward,” the leader gestured.

Jessica headed down the ramp, still holding her hands up where they could be seen. When she reached the bottom of the ramp, one of the men stepped forward and began patting her down rather aggressively. When his hand went for her crotch, she knocked it away with a quick swipe. “Not unless you buy me dinner, first, slick.”

Every gun moved closer to her face in response. The man patting her down smiled in lascivious fashion, then placed his hand firmly on her crotch, pressing hard, smiling even more so as he did. When he was done, he stepped back still smiling.

“That do it for you, tough guy?” she asked.

“It’s a start,” the man replied, still grinning from ear to ear.

“You’re gonna pay for that later, you know,” Jessica warned him.

The man’s lascivious smile became even broader than before. “I can’t wait,” he replied, licking his lips.

One by one, the others removed their weapons and came down the ramp to be patted down.

“This way,” the leader instructed, pointing toward the nearest hatch.

Nathan followed the man toward the exit, making a concentrated effort to take in every detail possible along the way, while still appearing not to be doing so. A ship so large was sure to be a maze of corridors and hatches, and he wanted to make sure he knew the way back to their ship, just in case. He was quite sure that Jessica and the others would be doing the same.

* * *

The late-night breeze had picked up on Porodeli, the result of a cold front moving in from the north. Two armed men stood in the street, their hands in their jacket pockets as they stood guard over one of two access routes to the landing pad on which the Seiiki and Digger Two were parked.

“Why the hell are we out here?” the first guard asked the second.

“Because Gilti is afraid of them,” the second guard replied.

“Gilti is a moron,” the first guard insisted.

“I’ll be sure to tell him you said that, Keeg.”

“And I’ll be sure to tell him that you slept with his sister,” Keegan replied with a grin.

“What is he so scared of? These guys don’t look like much to me.”

“I heard they laid out half the Metronon the other night.”

“I thought the Met had zappers installed?”

“They did,” Keegan replied. “They took ‘em out.”

“Still doesn’t justify us standing out here, freezing our asses off, Noch. After all, they got port locks on them.”

“Gilti and Deckett are tight, and Deckett has Max’s ear,” Keegan explained. “So, we freeze our asses off.”

“Maybe I can help.”

Keegan and Noch’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar voice from behind. Both men spun around, going for the weapons that hung on their shoulders, but they were not fast enough.

Lieutenant Rezhik struck Keegan in the face before he could bring his weapon down, and then drove his combat knife deep into the man’s gut. Letting go of the knife handle, he swung his hand to his right, knocking Noch’s rifle to the side, grabbing and twisting it from his grasp as he punched him in the throat with his left hand, smashing the man’s trachea. As Noch went down, the lieutenant dropped to one knee, smashing the rifle butt into the downed man’s face, after which he flipped it over, pressed the barrel against his chest, and pulled the trigger.

There was a muffled screech as the weapon fired, followed by a sizzling sound and a puff of acrid smoke. The lieutenant dropped the rifle, turning his attention to Keegan, who was on his knees, doubled over, the Ghatazhak combat knife still deep in his gut. The lieutenant shifted to his other knee, grasped the knife, and pulled sharply upward, cutting Keegan open from umbilicus to sternum, angling the blade upward and twisting, to ensure that both lungs and heart were sliced open, as well.

The lieutenant withdrew his blade, allowing Keegan to fall forward and to the side, landing splayed out across his dead comrade. He wiped his blade on the dead man’s jacket, then rose to his feet, tapping his comm-set.

Two more guards stood watch over the street leading to the opposite side of the landing pad. A distant screech, barely audible, caught their attention.

“What was that?” one of the men wondered as he raised his weapon and turned toward the sound.

The other man pulled his comm-unit from his jacket pocket. “Keeg, did you hear that?” He looked at his cohort as he waited for a response. “Keeg, you…”

The rest of his hail never came out, cut short by the severe, intense pain across his throat. The man let go of his weapon, grasping at the gaping, bleeding incision across his neck. As he fell to his knees, struggling for air that would not come, he saw a shadowy figure grasp his cohort by the neck, twisting his head around, and snapping his spine. A moment later, he, too, toppled over as his vision went black.

“Targets One and Two, neutralized,” Lieutenant Rezhik reported over Vladimir’s comm-set.

“Three and Four, neutralized,” Specialist Deeks added.

“Go,” Vladimir ordered as he, Josh, Dalen, and Marcus all headed down the Seiiki’s cargo ramp, out into the night. Vladimir and Josh ran quickly to Digger Two, moving to the port engine. Vladimir quickly popped open the access panel over the engine’s power control unit and began working on the port lock that had been installed by the Jofa. As he worked, he looked at Josh. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you,” Josh replied.

“I don’t need help,” Vladimir insisted. “Go to the cockpit and be ready to start this thing up when I tell you!”

“Are you sure you…”

“Go!” Vladimir urged.

“How are you doing?” Vladimir asked Dalen over comms.

“We’ve got the access panel off,” Dalen reported. “Now what?”

“Can you see the port lock on the main power trunk?” Vladimir asked.

“The orange box?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I see it.”

“Run the sensor probe along the outside of the box, near the side. Look for the control board. Once you find it, you have to cut through the outer case without damaging the control board underneath, so set your laser cutter to its shallowest cutting depth.”

“Got it,” Dalen replied. “Give me a minute.”

Lieutenant Rezhik stood in the shadows at the end of the street, the two dead guards a few meters behind him, watching the intersection at the far end. First came the footfalls, then four men came around the corner, all of them heavily armed and moving with both purpose and intent. “Better make it quick,” he warned over comms. “We’ve got company.”

Vladimir removed the piece of casing he had just finished cutting off the port lock, which was blocking any flow of energy to Digger Two’s port engine. “Josh, are you in?”

“Yeah, I’m in,” Josh replied over comms.

“I’ve got company coming on my end, as well,” Specialist Deeks reported.

“Check to see if the starboard engine has a port lock on it.”

“You got it.” After a moment, Josh added, “How do I do that again?”

“Send it a prestart signal,” Vladimir instructed.

Energy weapons fire erupted from the far end of the street to Vladimir’s right.

“I’m engaged with six,” Specialist Deeks reported.

“Starboard engine shows ready for start,” Josh reported.

“Then, start it!” Vladimir insisted.

More shots rang out, but from the left.

“Engaged with four,” Lieutenant Rezhik reported.

“One of six, down,” Deeks announced.

Vladimir quickly affixed his data probe to the top of the port lock’s control processor, then connected its cable to his data pad and began punching in commands.

“Two of six, down,” Deeks added.

“One of four,” the lieutenant reported.

“How are you doing, Dalen?” Vladimir asked as he activated the bypass algorithm he had written an hour earlier.

“Shit!” Dalen cursed. “The control chip is burnt! I must’ve used too much juice cutting open the case! The unit has cut the power cable!”

“Bozhe moi,” Vladimir cursed.

“I’ve got two trying to circle left,” Deeks warned.

“Guys!” Loki called. “I’m picking up new power signatures. I think the Jofa are powering up their ships!”

“Two of four,” Rezhik reported.

“LT, can you handle the bandits moving to the east entrance? They’ll come out through the service door by the hydro pumps!”

“I’ll have to fall back to the inner perimeter to do so,” the lieutenant replied.

The port lock on Digger Two’s engine suddenly deactivated, releasing itself from the engine’s power cable and falling to the ground below. “I got it!” Vladimir announced. “Start the port engine and get this thing in the air!” he added as he quickly closed the access panel and moved toward Digger Two’s forward ramp.

“Cut it,” Marcus insisted as he rose from his knees.

“Moving to inner perimeter,” Rezhik announced over comms as energy weapons fire continued to ring out in the distance.

“Cut what?” Dalen asked, confused.

“Cut the power line,” Marcus instructed.

“What?”

“Cut it!” He insisted. “There and there. No more port lock!”

“Yeah, and no more power!” Dalen argued.

“Join the two ends back together; power restored!”

“That’ll take forever!”

“It doesn’t have to be neat, kid,”

“But…”

“Marcus!” Rezhik yelled out as he reached the inner perimeter.

“Make it quick!” Marcus added as he turned and headed toward the lieutenant.

Lieutenant Rezhik ducked around the corner just as weapons fire came streaking down the street, slamming into one of the service vehicles parked behind the Seiiki. He grabbed the sidearm he had taken from one of the guards he had killed and tossed it to Marcus. “Hold them back while I deal with the goons to the south,” he instructed as he turned to head for the hydro pumps.

Marcus caught the weapon in midair, fumbling briefly before getting control of the gun and opening fire down the street as he dove for cover.

Vladimir started up Digger Two’s ramp as its port engine came to life. He hit the ramp button, causing it to retract behind him, and then turned and climbed up the ladder to the Contra ship’s upper level. At the top of the ladder, he headed forward through the cabin, stumbling as the ship began to rise unsteadily off the ground.

Reaching the cockpit, Vladimir stepped down and into the copilot’s seat to the right of Josh who was guiding the ship up off the deck, even before both of its engines had been fully spun up. “What are you doing?” Vladimir demanded as he buckled himself in. “Half your systems aren’t even up yet!”

“Loki reports two of the ships are about to lift off!” Josh exclaimed. “We’ve gotta knock them out before they get airborne to buy Dalen a few minutes!”

“Why?” Vladimir wondered.

“He had to cut the power cable to get the port lock off!”

“Gospadee!” Vladimir cursed as he tried to get the rest of the Contra ship’s systems ready for action.

“All I need are guns, Vlad,” Josh stated. “All I need are guns.”

Dalen flinched as a bolt of energy slammed into the ground next to him, causing him to drop his laser torch. “Damn it!” he exclaimed, picking his torch back up and continuing to cut through the power cable. A few seconds later, the port lock came tumbling down, dragging a thirty-centimeter section of the power cable along with it. He dropped his cutter and grabbed the left piece of cable, pulling hard to force it to slide through its mounts, hoping to get enough slack to pull the ends together to rejoin them. He pulled again and again, but barely got it to move ten centimeters. “I told you this wasn’t going to work,” he exclaimed over his comm-set.

“You wanna trade places?” Marcus asked over comms, weapons fire ringing in the background.

“You wanna trade places?” Dalen mocked to himself, pulling on the cable to his right. This one had more available slack, and after a few seconds of pulling, he managed to bring the two ends together. He grabbed his laser cutter again and adjusted the beam to make it wider and burn at a lower intensity. He quickly removed his jacket and wrapped it around the left cable, then blasted the end of the cable with the laser torch, causing its conductors to melt. Still holding the melting cable wrapped in his jacket with his left hand, he dropped the cutter and grabbed the right cable, jamming it into the melted end of the left cable, and held it there, praying.

Rezhik ran toward the hydro pumps as two armed men emerged from the access door behind them. The lieutenant fired his first shot, striking one of the men in the head, killing him instantly. The second man, however, was mostly hidden by the hydro pumps themselves. The lieutenant dove to the right as the second pirate fired, striking the ground to the left of the lieutenant’s feet as they left the ground. The lieutenant tucked and rolled, coming up firing to keep the man down as he closed in on him. Continuing toward the hydro pumps, the lieutenant stepped in front of the pumps, then up across them, leaping into the air and flipping over, firing at the man below him as he passed over the second pirate.

The second man was on the ground, dead, by the time the lieutenant landed behind him. “Two to the south are down,” he reported over comms.

“Get the fuck back over here!” Marcus barked. “I can’t hold these assholes off much longer! Not with this peashooter!”

“On my way,” the lieutenant reported, breaking into a run again.

Digger Two began to accelerate forward, barely clearing the buildings.

“Forward cannons are coming online,” Vladimir reported. “Twenty-five percent power and rising.”

“Get on the nose turret, Vlad,” Josh urged.

“It’s not going to be effective against those ships,” Vladimir insisted.

“No, but you might be able to kill their crews on the ground before they reach the other two ships!”

“We just took a hit to our port side!” Loki reported. “Port shield emitters are toast!”

“What the hell are you doing down there, Dalen?” Vladimir wondered as he powered up their nose turret.

“I’m working on it!” Dalen insisted, his voice tense.

“Work faster!”

Josh tried to roll the ship to port, but found it slow to respond. “Damn, this thing is slow.”

“That’s because you didn’t wait for all your critical systems to come to life!”

“Come on, come on,” Josh pleaded as he struggled to bring their nose onto the two ships that were lifting off the pad less than half a kilometer away.

“I’m shutting down the inertial dampeners and channeling power to maneuvering,” Vladimir reported.

“NO!” Josh objected. “I need the plasma cannons!”

“If you can’t maneuver…”

“I can maneuver! I can maneuver!” Josh insisted. “Just give me the damned cannons!”

“Fifty percent!” Vladimir reported, channeling power to the plasma cannons as Josh had requested.

“Come on!” Josh exclaimed, pushing his flight control stick all the way to the left.

In the distance, Josh could see both Jofa ships turning toward them. In a few more seconds, they, too, would be able to open fire.

“Five hundred meters, closing fast!” Vladimir warned. “Sixty percent!”

The sensors beeped, causing Josh to glance down at the display. “They’re targeting us!”

“Seventy percent.”

The two Jofa ships began to accelerate toward them.

“Eighty percent,” Vladimir reported.

“Good enough,” Josh decided. He pressed the firing trigger on his flight control stick, sending two plasma torpedoes streaking toward the lead ship, now only three hundred meters away. The port torpedo missed, but the starboard one found its target, which had not yet been able to raise its shields. The plasma torpedo tore into the port side of the Jofa pirate ship’s fuselage and into its port engine, finding a propellant tank, which easily ignited in the oxygen-rich Porodeli atmosphere. The port side of the Jofa ship exploded, causing it to tumble out of control.

Josh pulled up hard on his flight control stick, but his ship was still slow to respond. While the stricken ship barely passed under them, the other pirate ship veered to its right to avoid an impact. “NOW, you can channel the power to maneuvering!” he exclaimed.

“It needs time to set!” Dalen argued.

“Just wrap it and secure it!” Marcus insisted as energy bolts slammed into the ground nearby. “It only has to get us in motion! The jump systems are completely separate from this trunk!”

Dalen slid his jacket over the still partially melted power cable ends, pulled the wrap tight, and did his best to secure it before closing the access hatch and trapping it in place. “Try it now!” he yelled over comms as he scrambled out from under the Seiiki and headed for the cargo ramp.

“We’ve got power!” Loki replied with excitement. “It’s fluctuating, but it’s working!”

Dalen charged up the Seiiki’s ramp as Marcus returned fire with the blaster the lieutenant had given him earlier.

“Loki!” Vladimir called over comms. “One Jofa ship is coming toward you! Ten seconds out!”

“Engines are spooling up!” Loki reported. “Reactors are at eighty percent and rising.”

Marcus turned to look back at the sky, spotting a Jofa pirate ship approaching fast. “Rezhik! Deeks! Get the fuck over here so we can raise shields!” Instinctively, he raised his blaster and opened fire, knowing full well that it would do no good.

Josh rolled his ship back to the right, pulling its nose up hard as he applied more forward thrust. “Jesus, this thing handles like a pig.”

“You should have full maneuvering power, now,” Vladimir insisted, confused.

“I do. She just handles like a pig.”

“She’s not a Falcon, Josh.”

“Nothing flies like a Falcon,” Josh mumbled as he rolled out of his turn and pushed his throttles to the stops. With the inertial dampeners turned off, he felt himself being pushed back in his seat with considerable authority. “She does have a lot of raw power, though.”

“They’re starting their attack run on the Seiiki,” Vladimir reminded him.

“Do we have enough power to run the torpedo cannons and main propulsion?”

“Not at full thrust,” Vladimir warned. Then it dawned on him. He turned to look at Josh, and they both said it at the same time. “Missiles!” Vladimir quickly activated the targeting system. “Just give me a few seconds,”

“They don’t have a few seconds,” Josh insisted. He could already see the pirate ship diving toward the Seiiki, and streaks of small-arms energy reaching out in vain to stop them.

“Targeting is up!” Vladimir reported. “Missiles are locked on!”

“Firing!” Josh announced, pressing the firing button on his flight control stick.

Lieutenant Rezhik and Specialist Deeks came running toward the Seiiki’s cargo ramp as pirates on the ground fired at them from the two entrances to the landing site.

“MOVE YOUR ASS!” Marcus bellowed. He looked up as a series of small explosions engulfed one of the pirate ships diving toward them. “Raise shields!” he barked over comms as the Ghatazhak reached the bottom of the cargo ramp.

The shields glimmered slightly as they came to full power, then flashed red-orange as the surviving pirate ship fired a few rounds, but then pulled away to get out of Digger Two’s sights. It passed to their left as it peeled off, and Digger Two passed directly over them. “Way to go, kid!”

“Get that thing off the ground!” Josh barked over comms.

“Lifting off!” Loki replied as he slowly pushed the Seiiki’s throttles forward.

“Power to the nacelles is fluctuating,” Neli warned.

“Keep an eye on it,” Loki told her. “Warn me if it drops below twenty percent.”

“What happens if it does?” she asked.

“Our engines shut down, and we drop like a rock.”

“Right.”

The ship began to rise off the ground.

“Hurry it up, Lok!” Josh urged. “That bastard’s coming back around!”

“Then do something, Josh!”

“I’m trying! This thing ain’t exactly a fighter, you know!”

The buildings outside their windows slowly descended from view as the ship climbed. As they disappeared completely, Loki added a bit of forward thrust.

“Power is dropping,” Neli warned. “Twenty-eight percent.”

“Come on, baby. Just move a little bit,” Loki coaxed.

“Twenty-four percent.”

“How much energy in the jump banks?”

“About sixteen percent,” Neli replied.

“That’s not going to get us far.”

“Jump the damn thing, Loki!” Josh pleaded.

“I can’t!” Loki exclaimed. “She’s barely holding together! If I pull too much power, I’ll lose the mains!”

“Pitch up and go full power!” Josh suggested. “Then dump your shields and use the sudden increase in available power to jump!”

“That’s not going to get us far!” Loki insisted.

“As long as it’s in space, that’s all you need!”

Josh’s plan suddenly made sense. “I can use the docking thrusters to steer, and keep the engine at low thrust,” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Neli replied.

“The evasion algorithm will still work!” he explained as he prepared for the maneuver. “Just at low speed and with shorter jumps. Then we just do a long, low-power burn to get up to a good jump speed! It will take longer, but it will work!” Loki put his right hand on the throttles and his left hand back on the flight controls. “Give me a one-light-minute jump.”

“You got it,” Neli replied, setting the jump range.

“Hang on everyone!” he exclaimed. He took a deep breath, then pulled his flight control stick all the way back and jammed the throttles forward. “Drop the shields!” he instructed.

The ship’s engines screamed at full power, and the ship lurched skyward. Loki pressed the jump button, and the dark, cloudy skies of Porodeli disappeared, replaced a split second later by the starry blackness of space.

“Everything is offline!” Neli declared. “Both engines have shut down! Main power is barely at four percent!”

“Are the reactors still hot?” Loki asked.

“Yes.”

“Give it a few seconds,” he insisted. “When the power comes back up, we restart the engines and continue jumping.”

“Are you sure?” Neli wondered.

Loki looked at her and smiled. “Yes, I’m sure. We made it.”

“I can’t out turn this guy,” Josh realized as he rolled the ship frantically in the opposite direction. “Sooner or later, he’s going to get behind us.”

“Then do some of that pilot stuff you’re supposed to be so good at!” Vladimir insisted.

“I am,” Josh replied, holding his turn.

“He’s still out turning us,” Vladimir realized. “He’s going to get behind us. We need to jump!”

“We’ve got to take him out first,” Josh insisted. “To make sure the Seiiki gets away!”

“He’s getting behind us!” Vladimir warned.

“That’s the plan,” Josh replied calmly, still holding his turn.

“That’s a bad plan,” Vladimir insisted.

Josh reversed his bank, rolling hard left. Seconds later, the pirate ship slid in behind them, just as he expected.

“They’re targeting us!” Vladimir exclaimed.

The ship rocked as the first few rounds of plasma slammed into their shields.

“Aft shields at fifty percent!”

Josh began flipping switches on the missile control console that he and Loki had installed.

“What are you doing?” Vladimir asked as the ship continued to shake violently from the incoming fire.

“Arming all our missiles and preparing to detonate them.”

“They’re still in the pods, Josh!” Vladimir exclaimed. Then he noticed Josh had also armed the jettison systems for both missile pods. He glanced at the tactical display, barely able to read the range-to-target numbers as the ship rocked again. “They’re too close,” Vladimir warned. “We’ll still be in the missiles’ blast radius. Our shields won’t hold!”

“And neither will theirs,” Josh replied as he pressed the jettison button. “One……two……three……” he counted, his finger now hovering over the remote detonate button.

Outside Digger Two, the two missile pods, each still containing twelve of their original twenty-four missiles, tumbled toward the unsuspecting pirate ship pursuing them. The pods suddenly exploded, directly in front of the pirate ship.

The Contra ship rocked, nearly tossing them from their seats.

“Shields are down!” Vladimir announced. He glanced at the sensor screen. “And so are his!”

“Watch this,” Josh announced. He cut all forward thrust, pulling back hard on his flight control stick, pitching completely over. He had to fight for several seconds to steady the ship as it flew stern-first, but he quickly managed to get his torpedo targeting reticle on the pirate ship behind them. “Smile, fucker!” he exclaimed as he pressed the firing button.

Two red-orange balls of plasma leapt from Digger Two’s tubes, streaking toward the pursuing ship, crossing the short distance between them in two seconds. Both torpedoes slammed into the unprotected pirate vessel, tearing it apart. Secondary explosions broke it up even further. Its remains tumbled forward for several seconds, before they curved downward to the surface.

“YES!” Vladimir exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing Josh by the shoulder and shaking him. “I never doubted you for a moment!”

Josh flipped the ship back over, pulled his nose up, and pressed the jump button, instantly transitioning them into space, leaving Porodeli a few light hours behind. “This thing may fly like a pig, but she’s built like a tank!”

CHAPTER TEN

Commander Verbeek checked his tactical display. All twenty of the Aurora’s Eagles had launched and were in formation, and on course and speed for their attack jump. A few kilometers to their left, and slightly behind, were twelve jump-enabled Gunyoki, also on course and speed for their attack jump. Behind the second group of Eagles, seven Reapers followed.

The commander pressed his transmit button. “Eagle One to all Eagles. Jump point in two minutes. Remember, this is an eighty-percent, max-range jump, so keep any evasive jumps short, or you’re going to run out of jump energy when you need it most. Better to burn propellant than jump juice. Mark your bingo energy so you will have enough to jump back to either the Aurora or the emergency recovery point. Alpha Flight jumps first, then Beta and Reapers. Let’s get this done, people.” He glanced down at his auto-jump sequencer. “One minute. Leaders sound off.”

“Bravo Flight, ready,” Lieutenant Luchetti reported.

“Shenza Flight, ready,” Vol Kaguchi announced.

“Reaper Flight, ready,” Lieutenant Giluay replied.

“Aurora, Strike Leader. Strike group is ready. Jump point in twenty seconds.”

“Strike Leader, Aurora. Green light…green light…green light.”

Commander Verbeek took a deep breath, glancing at his jump sequencer as it counted down the last few seconds to the jump. “Good hunting, people,” he said as he lowered his helmet visor.

The commander’s wings extended, and his canopy became opaque. A split second later, his fighter bounced violently as it found itself in the thick atmosphere of Rakuen. His canopy cleared a second later, revealing the industrial district of Rakuen’s capital city rushing toward him, only three hundred meters below. He pushed his throttles forward to maintain his airspeed, so his extended wings could provide the lift needed to keep his fighter in the air.

He glanced at his tactical display, noting the other nine ships in his flight had jumped in, as well, and were all locking onto their respective ground targets. As his ship stabilized into aerodynamic flight, his targeting systems beeped, notifying him that he had weapons lock on his pair of targets. He flipped the arming switch on the two air-to-surface missiles hanging under his wing roots and then pressed the launch button. The two missiles fell away from the fighter, and their engines ignited.

The commander glanced out his canopy as the two missiles streaked ahead of him, reaching their targets in only a few seconds. Both missiles struck their targets, before their defensive shields had been raised, and blew them apart. The commander pulled his nose up toward the sky and shoved his throttles to the stops, pulling into a straight, accelerating, vertical climb. He glanced at the rear camera display, on the left side of his console, as multiple explosions announced the arrival of the missiles the other nine fighters in his flight had launched.

The commander’s tactical threat sensors beeped, warning that several surface-to-air missile batteries had locked onto him. As he tapped his escape jump button, he glanced at the mission clock, which indicated zero plus thirty seconds.

Vol Kaguchi’s eyes widened as the Gunyoki race platform suddenly appeared before him, approaching quickly. It was his first, true, close-in combat jump. They had been warned that it took quite a few such jumps to become accustomed to having something suddenly appear so close to your ship, but at this particular moment, he felt that the effect had been understated.

Fighting the urge to peel off, to avoid colliding with the massive, spaceborne structure, Vol kept his eyes on his console, holding his ship on course as his weapons operator prepared to strike.

“Three seconds,” Isa announced from the back seat as he locked their missile pods on their assigned targets. He pressed the fire button. “Missiles away!”

Vol watched as twenty tiny missiles streaked away from either side of his canopy. Knowing that it would take nearly ten seconds for the missiles to cross the distance between his Gunyoki and the target, Vol did not wait for impact. As dictated in the mission profile, he pitched up twelve degrees, just enough to get a clear jump line, and tapped his jump button.

In the blink of an eye, the massive Gunyoki race platform that had been closing fast and had gotten his pulse racing simply vanished, leaving nothing but open space before him. “Amazing,” he exclaimed as he prepared to reverse his course and return to the engagement area. As he entered his turn, he glanced at the mission clock, which read zero plus thirty seconds.

Alert sirens blared throughout the Ranni plant as secondary explosions rocked the compound. As the last of the fighters that had just attacked jumped away, two more flashes of blue-white light appeared low on the horizon; one to the north, and one to the south, each less than a kilometer from the compound’s outer perimeter.

Within seconds of arrival, two Karuzari Alliance Reapers launched rockets, blowing open the reinforced walls that Rakuen security forces had erected less than a day ago.

“Attack jump in five seconds,” Ensign Bickle announced from the Aurora’s navigation station.

Cameron glanced at the mission clock. Zero plus forty-five seconds. They were right on time.

“Three……two……one……”

The jump flash momentarily filled the Aurora’s bridge as she transitioned from the rally point on the edge of the Rakuen system to a position in high orbit above Rakuen’s capital city.

“In attack position,” Ensign Bickle reported.

“Eagles have taken out all defense turrets defending the Ranni plant,” Lieutenant Commander Kono announced. “Reapers Seven and Eight have opened up the walls and are jumping clear.”

“Combat is locking ventral rail guns onto primary targets,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar reported from tactical.

“Multiple launches from the surface,” Lieutenant Commander Kono warned. “Surface to orbit missiles. Eighteen of them, climbing fast. Impact in sixty seconds.”

“They’re throwing everything they’ve got at us,” Cameron commented, somewhat impressed. “Nice to know their response time is short.”

“Point-defenses are locking onto the incoming missiles,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar added. “They’ll be in range in thirty seconds. Combat reports lock on the primary targets.”

“Weapons hot. Destroy the primary targets,” Cameron ordered.

“Weapons hot, aye,” the lieutenant commander replied. “Ventral rail guns are firing.”

“Forty seconds to missile impacts,” Lieutenant Commander Kono announced.

“Twenty-kilometer escape jump, loaded and ready, Captain,” Ensign Bickle reported.

“Point-defenses are firing,” the tactical officer announced. “Four missiles down……six down……eight down…”

In the breaking Rakuen dawn, the sound of alert sirens was quickly overwhelmed by the thunderous roar of explosive rail gun projectiles raining down onto the numerous surface-to-air missile batteries located on the outskirts of the floating capital city. Within seconds, all ten emplacements, making up the city’s primary line of defense against orbital attack, were obliterated. When the rain of destruction stopped, all that was left were clouds of dust drifting upward and the continuing wail of alert sirens, punctuated by occasional secondary explosions.

“All incoming missiles have been destroyed,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar reported from the Aurora’s tactical station. “All surface-to-orbit missile launchers have also been destroyed.”

“How does the horizon look?” Cameron asked her sensor officer.

“Too far to be a threat, sir,” the lieutenant commander replied. “We’d have at least five minutes to track and shoot them down. As long as we maintain position over their capital, nothing can touch us.”

“Incoming message from Shenza One, Captain,” Ensign deBanco announced. “He reports the race platform’s point-defenses have been neutralized. They are preparing to engage the Gunyoki launching from the platform itself.”

“Confirmed, sir,” Lieutenant Commander Kono added from the sensor station. “Four Rakuen Gunyoki have launched… Make that eight.”

“That number will go up quickly,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar commented.

“A hell of a position to be in,” Cameron observed. She glanced at the mission clock, which read zero plus seventy-five seconds.

Seconds after the first two Reapers blew holes in the Ranni plant’s north and south perimeter walls and jumped away, four more Reapers jumped in. They appeared only ten meters above the north and south perimeter roads, and only thirty meters from the breaches.

Within seconds of arrival, the Reapers’ side turrets locked onto the guard towers and opened fire, sending streams of red-orange plasma energy into them, causing them to overheat and explode.

The Reapers continued to fire as three Ghatazhak in black battle armor jumped from each side. The troops also opened fire as they hit the ground, charging forward toward the breach as the Reapers that had delivered them continued to fire.

As the Reapers raked the towers and the tops of the walls, they slid sideways away from each other, providing additional cover for the Ghatazhak.

The blue-white flash filled the interior of Reaper One through its open side doors as it jumped in directly over the center of the Ranni plant ten meters above the ground.

“GO! GO! GO!” Sergeant Deplaz ordered from the back of Reaper One as he stepped out the door, falling to the ground below. His legs tensed, and the tubules in his assistive undergarment pressurized to absorb the shock of his landing and protect his joints. His visor immediately lit up with red icons as he found himself in the target-rich environment of the inner compound of the Ranni plant.

“Alpha is hot!” he called out over comms, signaling that his assault team had their boots on the ground and had engaged the enemy. His first shot came within a second of landing, striking a Rakuen security officer not three meters away as he turned to fire on the sergeant.

“Bravo is hot!” Sergeant Curiel reported as his team landed on the roof of the main building, just east of the center of the compound.

“Charlie is through the north breach, moving east!” Sergeant Viano reported.

Shots rang out from all directions, and plasma fire, from both friend and foe, streaked past him in all directions, causing him to duck and weave as he fired.

“Echo is through the south breach, moving west!” Sergeant Anson reported. Like the Ghatazhak before him, he, too, sounded calm and relaxed as he took Rakuen lives at will.

As the Reaper that had delivered him gunned its engines to climb out, Sergeant Deplaz charged forward, firing at one enemy combatant after another, stepping on, and over, the bodies of fallen Rakuen security forces.

“Reaper Two, taking fire from the south! Two clicks. Turning to engage!”

“Two, Four! Hold position! I’ve got a lock on him!”

One shot, one kill, every man the Ghatazhak targeted went down in a smoldering heap. Their assault rifles were at full power, which meant no amount of Rakuen body armor would save them from the deadly assault the Ghatazhak were now conducting.

“Delta is through the north breach, moving west!” Sergeant Rossi reported.

“You’ve got a dozen to your right, Rossi!” Sergeant Deplaz warned as he slammed the butt of his assault rifle into the face of a Rakuen security officer who had gotten too close for comfort. He flipped his weapon around and fired into the man’s chest, blowing a smoking hole the size of a dinner plate through him, sending bloody, burnt tissue spewing out the back of the man as he fell.

“We see them,” Sergeant Rossi replied.

“Bravo has the high ground, center!” Sergeant Curiel reported.

Sergeant Deplaz reached the door to the command center of the Ranni plant, moving to one side of it and standing with his back against the wall. Looking back the way they had come, he saw nothing but fallen enemy bodies and the other five men in his team. “Alpha! Hit the door!”

Within seconds, the other five members of his team had joined him. Two of them blew the door wide open, then stepped aside. Sergeant Deplaz and Corporal Venezia tossed stunner grenades through the opening and then stepped away, waiting for the flash and the explosion. A moment later, all six men charged in, weapons firing. It was the only time it wasn’t one shot, one kill.

“Reaper Four, Combat,” a voice from the Aurora called. “Four enemy tacticals moving toward the east gate on Isanori. ETA thirty seconds. Move to intercept.”

After ten seconds of intense fire, Sergeant Deplaz saw no more red icons on the tactical display on the inside of his helmet visor. “Alpha! Cease fire and secure!” he ordered as he stopped firing and raised his weapon. The others immediately stopped firing, and the room became quiet, with only the sizzling of the wounded and the sounds of the battle still raging outside.

“Reaper Four, on our way,” Lieutenant Azibera replied over comms.

“Alpha! Sound off!”

“Two, clear!” Specialist Brummett called from a few meters to his right.

“North quadrant is secure,” Sergeant Anson reported.

“Three, clear!” Specialist Gaba called from his left.

“Four, clear!” Corporal Venezia called from the next room.

“Five, clear!” Specialist Faulds called from the command center’s break room.

“Six, clear!” Specialist Prisk called from the main control room.

“East quadrant is secure,” Sergeant Rossi announced.

Sergeant Deplaz looked around the lobby of the command center. More than a dozen bodies, acrid smoke rising from their plasma burns, littered the room. “This is Alpha One. Command Center is secure,” he reported over comms.

“Lieutenant Luchetti reports Rakuen Ministry defenses have been neutralized,” Ensign deBanco reported from the Aurora’s communications station.

“Shenza Flight will intercept Rakuen Gunyoki in thirty seconds,” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported from the sensor station.

“How are our Eagles doing on jump juice?” Cameron asked.

Lieutenant Commander Vidmar looked at his console. “Most of them are almost at bingo juice,” he warned. “Eagles One, Five, Six, and Eight still have enough to be combat viable,” he added, “but barely.”

“Captain,” Ensign deBanco called. “Ghatazhak report they have taken the Ranni plant.”

“Comms, get me Verbee,” Cameron ordered, breathing a measured sigh of relief. The battle was still far from over, but at least now she had options.

Vol Kaguchi checked his tactical display as he prepared to engage his brethren.

“Tell me we aren’t doing this, Vol,” Isa called from the back. “We can’t fire on our own people.”

“We may not have a choice, Isa.”

“We can jump clear, stand down…”

“We swore an oath,” Vol reminded his weapons operator, “to the Karuzari and to Master Koku.”

“What about to Rakuen?”

“It is because of our oath to Rakuen that we do this, Isa!”

“Can we at least ask them to stand down?” Isa pleaded.

Vol sighed. “Rakuen Gunyoki, this is Vol Kaguchi of the Karuzari Alliance. Drop your shields and power down your weapons. We have no desire to fire upon you, but fire we will, if you leave us no choice.”

“One minute to intercept,” Isa warned.

Moments later, a crackly voice responded. “Vol, this is Adney on low band. Do you copy?”

“Adney!” Vol replied, adjusting his comms.

“Vol! What are you doing? Have you forgotten your oath?”

“I am honoring my oath in the way that Makani wished!”

“By attacking your fellow Gunyoki? That is madness!”

“It is madness to believe that we can protect our world without the Karuzari’s assistance!” Vol insisted. “If you truly wish to protect Rakuen, you must stand down, NOW!”

“Thirty seconds,” Isa announced.

“I have family, Vol!” Adney pleaded. “We all do! What of them? If we are branded as traitors…”

“None of that will matter if the Dusahn destroy Rakuen!” Vol insisted. “Now stand down, or we will destroy you!”

“You cannot destroy us all, Vol, even with your jump drives. There are too many of us. You will all die.”

“If you do not stand down, then yes, every Gunyoki in the sky at this moment will perish. But at least we will die for the right reasons,” Vol insisted. “Will you be able to say the same?”

The comms went silent.

“Adney?” Vol called. “Adney!” Vol closed his eyes a moment. “Damn.”

“Ten seconds.”

Vol armed the plasma torpedo cannons on the front of his engine nacelles. “Shenza Flight, Shenza Leader…”

His call was cut short as four flashes of blue-white light appeared directly above him, and four Super Eagles streaked past, firing away at the incoming Rakuen Gunyoki.

Commander Verbeek held his targeting reticle on the lead Rakuen Gunyoki, sending a constant stream of plasma cannon fire into the ship’s forward shields. “All Eagles! Target the leader!” he called over comms.

Within seconds, all four Super Eagles were pummeling the lead Rakuen Gunyoki with their plasma cannons. With his shields about to fail, the ship was forced to peel away and dive, showing his strong aft shields to his attackers.

“Five, follow me!” the commander ordered as he dove through the flight of Rakuen Gunyoki, in pursuit of their fleeing leader. “Shenza Leader, you don’t have to do this. We can handle them.”

“Eagle Leader, Shenza Leader. We appreciate your concern, but our commitment is resolute.”

The commander glanced at his tactical display, noticing that all twelve elements of the Shenza Flight had already opened fire on their brethren. “Understood,” the commander replied as he continued to pursue the Rakuen Gunyoki leader. “Shall we disengage, sir?”

“Negative,” Vol replied. “I said we are committed, not crazy.”

Commander Verbeek smiled.

“I would, however, appreciate it if you did not kill them, if avoidable.”

“We’ll do our best, Vol,” the commander promised as a brilliant blue-white jump flash lit up the area.

“Jump complete,” Ensign Bickle announced.

“Multiple contacts!” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported from the Aurora’s sensor station. “Eagles and Gunyoki! The fight is on, Captain!”

“The rest of our Eagles are jumping in behind us,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar reported from the tactical station.

“Order them to hold course toward the engagement area, and engage from max range if necessary,” Cameron ordered.

“They’re bingo jump juice now,” the lieutenant commander reminded her. “They’ll be bingo fuel in two minutes.”

“I’m betting this will be over in one,” Cameron replied. “Target the Rakuen Gunyoki and open fire. Bring their shields down, but no more. Ignore any target that has lost its shields and disengages.”

“And if they continue to attack?”

“Destroy them,” Cameron replied firmly. “But wait for my signal to fire.”

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant commander replied.

“Mister deBanco, all frequencies, all comm-channels.”

“All frequencies, all comm-channels, aye,” the communications officer replied.

“Rakuen Gunyoki. This is Captain Taylor of the Aurora. Your government has illegally taken control of Karuzari Alliance property, which we have retaken. Your planet is defenseless, and your Gunyoki are no match for our forces. Drop your shields and power down all weapons, or you will be destroyed. You have ten seconds to comply.”

“Three Rakuen Gunyoki have been disabled, two others destroyed,” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported. “Eighteen more have launched from the platform and will join the party in one minute.”

“Captain?” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar asked, noting that ten seconds had passed.

“Open fire,” Cameron ordered calmly.

“Firing on the Rakuen Gunyoki,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar replied.

Cameron watched the main view screen as bolts of plasma energy leapt from their forward guns. The dorsal turrets danced back and forth as they targeted various Rakuen ships, overloading their shields, and causing them to collapse with a single blast.

“Captain, the Rakuen Gunyoki are refusing to retreat,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar reported from the tactical station. “Even with their shields down.”

“Take them out,” Cameron ordered. “Disable if possible, but take them out nonetheless.”

“Aye, sir.”

Vol Kaguchi turned into the Rakuen Gunyoki fighter as it passed under him.

“That’s Moki,” Isa reported. “His aft shields are almost gone.”

“Is he retreating?” Vol asked as he turned in behind Moki’s ship.

“Negative,” Isa replied. “He’s targeting Eagle Eight.”

Vol pressed the firing button on his flight control stick, sending balls of red-orange plasma from his nacelle tubes into the port nacelle of Moki’s Gunyoki fighter, tearing it apart, but the ship continued to fly on the remaining engine, although somewhat poorly.

“He’s locking his laser turrets on us,” Isa warned. “And we’ve got two more Gunyoki moving in behind us.”

“Damn you, Moki,” Vol cursed as he opened fire again, destroying Moki’s starboard engine, as well.

“He’s still firing,” Isa warned.

“But he’s dead stick,” Vol replied as he touched his jump button and transitioned their ship to a safe position in which to come about and rejoin the fight. “In a few seconds, he’ll drift out of the engagement area and will no longer be a threat to anyone.”

“Captain, the Rakuens are refusing to give up,” Lieutenant Commander Vidmar warned. “They are attacking us directly, now.”

“Our point-defenses can handle them,” Cameron insisted, “as can our shields.”

“Yes, but if they send all of their Gunyoki?” the lieutenant commander asked. After a moment, he added, “Captain, I recommend we shoot to kill. We have to show them that they have chosen the wrong side.”

Cameron sighed. She had wanted to avoid slaughtering the Gunyoki. They were a valuable potential resource, but the very thing that made them so valuable was what left her no alternative. “Shoot to kill,” she ordered.

“Shoot to kill, aye,” the lieutenant commander replied.

“Comms, alert all forces. Shoot to kill.”

“Aye, sir,” the comms officer replied.

Cameron stared at the semi-spherical view screen that wrapped around the Aurora’s bridge. Energy weapons fire, jump flashes, and explosions dotted the area around them as the battle raged on. She periodically glanced at the tactical display in the lower left area of the main view screen as red icons representing Rakuen Gunyoki disappeared one after another. In less than a minute, the immediate area was clear of red icons, leaving only those who had not yet joined the fight but were still inbound.

Then, a miracle occurred. The approaching icons changed course, reversing their heading.

“Rakuen Gunyoki are turning away,” Lieutenant Commander Kono reported. “Their shields are down, and they are powering down their weapons.”

Cameron closed her eyes for a moment, thankful that the senseless killing had come to an end. After taking a slow, measured breath, she spoke. “Recall all fighters. Have our Gunyoki maintain patrol until we can recycle our fighters to relieve them.”

“Aye, sir.”

“How many?” Cameron asked Lieutenant Commander Kono.

“Thirty-eight Rakuen Gunyoki ships were lost,” the lieutenant commander replied. “But fourteen of their crews ejected.”

“What about our forces?”

“All our fighters and Gunyoki are accounted for,” Lieutenant Commander Kono replied. “No losses.”

“Flight Ops, XO,” Cameron called over her comm-set. “Launch the SAR Reaper and begin recovering those Rakuen flight crews. Recall two of our Reapers from the surface, and refit them to assist in the recovery, as well.”

“XO, Flight. Understood.”

Cameron turned to face her comms officer at the back of the Aurora’s bridge. “Any word on Ghatazhak casualties?”

“None reported, sir,” Ensign deBanco replied.

Cameron finally breathed a sigh of relief. “How about General Telles? Any word from him, yet?”

“Negative,” the ensign replied.

* * *

Nathan, Jessica, Kit, and Mori had been following the guards through the massive Jofa base ship for nearly fifteen minutes. By Nathan’s count, they had gone up thirteen decks, down three, and then back up six. In addition, they had crossed through ten major structural bulkheads, as well as a few dozen nonstructural ones. They had made so many turns that he was beginning to wonder if the guards were purposefully trying to confuse them by taking the least direct route possible.

“Sure you guys aren’t lost?” Jessica teased. “I’m pretty sure we passed bulkhead four five seven twice before.” When she got no reaction, she said to Nathan, “These Jofa have no sense of humor.”

“Laugh it up, bitch,” one of the guards behind her warned.

“Oh, but they do have potty mouths,” she added.

They turned a corner, then headed up, yet, another flight of stairs.

“Jesus, I should have brought snacks,” Jessica said.

“We must be getting close,” Nathan realized, noticing a sign on the wall at the top of the stairs. “We’re at the command deck.”

“You can read that scribble?” Jessica wondered, surprised.

“It’s similar to Volonese script,” Nathan told her. “Naralena showed it to me once. I learned it later when I started making runs to Volon-held worlds.”

“Hey, guys, could we stop at the head before we see the boss man?” Jessica asked in jest. “I’ve really got to pee.”

“Too late, bitch,” the same guard behind her said, as they approached their destination.

The guards leading them stepped to either side of the door and turned to face them. The guard to the right pressed the call button.

Jessica turned to face the guard behind her. “You know, the day’s going to come when your foul mouth is going to cost you, mister.”

“I can’t wait,” the guard replied, blowing her a kiss.

Jessica rolled her eyes as she turned back around. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Yes?” an irritated voice replied over the door intercom.

“Max, we have the crew from Porodeli with us.”

The door buzzed, and the guard pushed it open. He looked back at Nathan and the others, gesturing for them to enter with a nod of his head.

Nathan looked at Jessica and the others, and then stepped through the door.

The office of Maximilian Senah was larger than he expected, yet not terribly impressive. There was a small living area with several overstuffed chairs, a desk at one end, and a large display cabinet full of an odd assortment of items, most of which Nathan did not recognize.

Jessica, Kit, and Mori followed him inside, also looking around as they entered. The door closed and locked behind them.

“So, where’s this guy at?” Corporal Vasya wondered.

“I’ll be with you in a moment!” a man called from the next room.

Nathan looked at Jessica. “Were you able to track our route in?”

“No problem,” Jessica replied quietly. “You?”

“I think so,” Nathan replied.

“What’s the plan?” Kit wondered.

“For the moment, we play it by ear,” Nathan replied.

“I never understood that expression.”

“It means we make things up as the situation unfolds,” Jessica explained.

“I know what it means,” Kit told her. “I just never understood the whole ‘play it by ear’ thing.”

“Terribly sorry to keep you waiting,” Maximilian said from the other room. “This body has an unbelievably small bladder.” A slender, young man entered the room, then paused, a surprised look on his face when he saw Nathan and Jessica. “Well, this certainly is a surprise,” he laughed, continuing to his desk.

“Pardon?” Nathan asked.

“You don’t remember me, do you, Captain?” Max said as he took a seat behind his desk. “I suppose that’s not too surprising. I did look considerably different when last we met, as did you.”

“I’m sorry, you have me at a disadvantage,” Nathan admitted.

“That would be a first, wouldn’t it,” Max said, appearing somewhat entertained.

“You are Maximilian Senah, right?” Jessica asked.

“The one and only.”

“Perhaps you were using a different name when we met,” Nathan suggested, trying to discern the man’s identity.

“I’ve gone by many names,” Max replied. “As have you, I’m sure. To be honest, I am pleased to see you and your lovely sidekick. A bit disappointed, however. I was hoping to recruit some new, highly skilled talent, and your antics on Porodeli were quite impressive. It’s a shame it’s not going to work out.”

“Then, I guess we’ll be on our way,” Nathan replied, turning to exit.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Max told him.

The door opened suddenly, and the four armed guards waiting outside burst into the room, weapons drawn.

Nathan and the others immediately raised their hands. Nathan turned slowly to look at Max. “I have no disagreement with you, Mister Senah. I was a bit inconvenienced, yes, but I am willing to forgive and forget.”

“I’m sure you are,” Max replied. “Unfortunately, I cannot, in good conscience, let a man who believes he has the right to play God with the lives of trillions of innocent people simply walk out the door. Besides, imagine what the Dusahn, or the Jung for that matter, would be willing to pay for Captain Nathan Scott and his beautiful security officer, Jessica Nash.”

A shiver went through Nathan’s spine.

“What?” Kit exclaimed. “Are you shittin’ me?” He looked at Mori, his face filled with anger. “You told me his name was Connor Tuplo.”

“That’s what I thought!” Mori defended.

“You stupid son of a bitch!” Kit cursed, shoving Mori. “Do you realize what you’ve gotten us into?”

“I swear, I had no idea, Kit!”

Kit grabbed Mori by the jacket lapel, making a fist with his right hand to punch him. “I’ve had it with you, Mori!” he exclaimed as he prepared to punch him in the face.

Two guards stepped forward, one grabbing Kit by the back of his jacket, the other one moving to grab Mori. Kit snapped his right hand back and smacked the guard in the face. He punched at Mori who ducked, allowing Kit to punch the guard behind Mori in the face, as well.

Jessica moved quickly, sweeping the nearest guard’s rifle to one side, grabbing and twisting it out of his hands in the process.

Nathan spun on one foot, crouching down, and swept with his leg to catch the guard next to him, knocking him off his feet. He then came down, elbow first, into the guard’s face, stunning him, and then rolled to the side just as three shots, all of them coming from the direction of Maximilian Senah, streaked past him, slamming into the floor.

As Kit stepped to the right to finish off the guard he had just punched, Mori dove forward, driving into the torso of the guard who had been behind Kit. He knocked him over, rolled to the side, and grabbed the man’s neck, snapping it with a quick, forceful twisting motion.

Jessica dove to the right, the rifle she had just taken possession of in her hands, and came up firing. Two shots went into the guard she had just disarmed, and the third into Mister Senah’s gun hand.

Max screamed in pain, dropping the red-hot weapon. “You bitch!”

Jessica turned to Corporal Vasya. “What the hell was that?”

“I was taking the initiative,” Kit defended. “You said to be ready for anything.”

“I meant be ready to respond when I took action!”

“What are you complaining about?” Kit replied. “It worked, didn’t it?”

A guard moaned.

Jessica looked at the guard, then at Kit. “You didn’t kill him?”

“I was about to.”

Jessica stepped over one of the dead guards to get to the one who was still alive. She rolled him over with her foot and immediately recognized him. “I told you it was going to cost you,” she said, placing the barrel of her weapon into his mouth and pulling the trigger.

Nathan winced at the spray of blood and brains that came out of the man’s head, then looked at Jessica. “Was that really necessary?”

“Yes,” she replied without reservation.

“I’m going to kill every one of you!” Senah declared, still holding his burnt hand.

Nathan moved over to Max’s desk, reaching over and grabbing him by the shirt and pulling his skinny, young body over the desk. “You’re coming with us, Senah.”

“The hell I…”

“Shut it!” Nathan insisted.

“They probably have sensors that picked up the weapons fire,” Kit said, moving quickly to cover the door after patting down the dead guards for additional weapons.

“How much time do we have?” Nathan wondered.

“Seconds,” Mori guessed, taking position on the other side of the door from Kit.

Jessica grabbed Max by his other shoulder. “How do you know us?” she demanded.

“Fuck you!” he cursed.

Jessica shoved the barrel of her weapon into the underside of his chin. “I’m not going to ask you again.”

Max laughed. “You think I’m afraid of dying?”

“Who said anything about dying?” Jessica replied, seething with anger. “I’m talking about suffering.”

“Ease up, Jess,” Nathan ordered. “This guy, whoever he is, is our way out.”

“What are you talking about?” Jessica demanded, determined to inflict pain on the young pirate leader. “This little prick knows us, and I want to know how!”

“So do I,” Nathan agreed, “but at the moment, I’m more interested in getting out of here alive.” Nathan pulled Senah away from Jessica, looking him in the eyes. “You tell your men to stand down, give us a clear path back to our ship, and we’ll let you go.”

“Why the hell would I do that?” Max seethed.

“Because if you don’t, I’m going to let her loose on you.”

“I was not kidding, Captain. I am not afraid of dying. In fact, after so many years, I welcome it.”

“I’m betting you’re full of shit,” Nathan replied. “I’m also betting that you really don’t want to experience the kind of suffering she is talking about. So, here’s the deal. You get us to our ship, and we let you go.”

“Before or after you depart my ship?” Max asked, smiling through the pain.

“Before,” Nathan replied without hesitation.

“My men will shoot you down before you get more than a few kilometers away,” Max promised.

“I’m pretty sure I can out fly a bunch of dumbass pirates,” Nathan bragged. “But if it makes you feel better, I’d be more than happy to take you with us.”

“I’d rather witness your miraculous escape from the safety of my own ship, thank you.”

“Then we have a deal?”

Max examined Nathan for a moment. “You never fail to entertain, do you, Captain?”

The intercom on the bulkhead next to Max’s desk beeped. “Captain, Security! We detected several weapons discharges in your quarters! Respond!”

Nathan shoved Max toward the intercom. “Decide,” he said, shoving the barrel of his own weapon against Max’s shoulder joint.

Max pressed the intercom button. “Everything is fine, here, Nabi. I was just demonstrating some of our weapons to our guests.”

“Do you require assistance?” Nabi asked.

“That will not be necessary,” Max assured him. “In fact, I will be taking our guests on a tour of the ship in a few minutes. If you need me, I’ll be on my comm-unit.”

“Understood,” Nabi replied, signing off.

“A wise decision,” Nathan told him.

“Strip everything still usable off them, and then stow their bodies in the other room,” Jessica instructed Kit and Mori.

“Why?” Kit wondered.

“You two need to look like part of the crew,” Jessica explained.

“Fun,” Kit replied, moving to get started on the first body.

Jessica turned to look at Max. “You are going to tell me how you know us, I promise.”

* * *

Josh came running down the ramp of Digger Two as the Seiiki finally touched down on Gustur. He ran around the back of the ship while its engines were still spinning down and its ramp was still lowering. He jumped up onto the descending ramp, jogging up and into the back of the Seiiki’s cargo bay. “What the hell took you guys so long?” he wondered, hugging Dalen, then Vlad, and finally Marcus.

“We had some problems,” Dalen explained. “We must have taken a few hits. Some of the jump emitters were acting up, so Loki decided to play it safe and keep the jumps as short as possible. We probably took more than a hundred to get home.”

“One hundred and forty-seven, to be exact,” Marcus corrected.

“Your teeth must be killing you,” Josh said.

“Not too bad. The short jumps don’t seem to bother me as much.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Josh wondered.

“We make repairs to the Seiiki and wait for the others to return,” Lieutenant Rezhik stated in his usual, matter-of-fact demeanor.

“What do you think is going to happen to them when the Jofa find out we escaped?” Josh asked.

“Hopefully, they will not wait too long to execute their plan, whatever that may be.”

“I’m sure Nathan’s got a plan, right?” Josh said. “Right?” No one replied. “Oh, boy.”

“You have nothing to fear,” the lieutenant said, moving past Josh to head down the ramp. “He has two and a half Ghatazhak with him.”

* * *

“You do realize that there are over two hundred men on this ship,” Max warned.

“That hardly seems like enough men to operate and maintain a ship this size,” Jessica commented, “let alone defend it.”

“The Orswellans are big on automation,” Max replied, smiling. “Twenty could operate this ship.”

“A hundred men? I’m liking our odds,” Kit said as he put on one of the dead men’s jacket. “How do I look?”

“Like a pirate with no fashion sense,” Mori joked.

“He said two hundred,” Nathan pointed out.

“He’s lying,” Jessica insisted. “If he had that many men, and the ship can be operated with a tenth of that number, why would he be running little pirate raids and trying to recruit new talent? I’d be surprised if he has more than fifty.”

“I guess you’ll find out,” Max said, indignantly.

“If I were you, I’d talk less, kid,” Nathan warned. “I’m still holding her back, remember?”

“And you still need me to walk you out of here like everything is normal. Let us not lose sight of that fact, Captain.”

“I still say we kill him and just shoot our way out,” Corporal Vasya commented. “Less complicated.”

“Not until I find out how this guy knows us,” Jessica objected.

“If you’re trying to convince me that you will release me unharmed once you reach your ship, you’re doing a lousy job of it,” Max told them.

“What did I tell you about talking too much,” Nathan warned. He turned to Jessica. “Are we ready?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” she replied.

“I’d prefer to have some body armor right about now, but what the hell,” Kit commented.

“You take this,” Jessica said, handing Kit her energy rifle.

“Don’t you think I’m going to look a bit suspicious carrying two rifles?” Kit asked.

“Sling one under your coat, carry the other,” she instructed. “If things go sideways, toss me one.”

“Got it,” Kit replied, taking his left arm out of his jacket and slinging her weapon over his shoulder.

Jessica took Nathan’s rifle and handed it to Mori. “Put the blaster in your belt, behind your jacket,” she told Nathan as she did the same with her sidearm.

Nathan looked at Max as he tucked his weapon away. “If this goes wrong, I’m shooting you first.”

“After all we’ve been through together,” Max replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Nathan squinted, a curious expression on his face as he looked Maximilian Senah in the eyes. “Who the fuck are you?”

A broad smile came across his face. “I’m starting to enjoy you not knowing. It adds a bit of mystery to the situation, don’t you think?”

Corporal Vasya cracked open the door, peeking into the corridor. “The corridor is clear.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Jessica insisted.

Corporal Vasya opened the door and stepped out into the corridor, looking confident, as if he was supposed to be there. He stepped to one side, allowing Mori to exit and step to the other side.

“Remember what I said,” Nathan warned Max as he pushed him out the door.

“Just don’t miss,” Jessica said under her breath as she walked past Nathan.

Nathan followed them out, closing the door to Max’s office behind him.

“I take it you want me to lead you directly to your vessel,” Max said.

“More directly than the route your men chose on the way up,” Nathan replied.

“It is quite possible they were simply lost,” Max insisted. “They were relatively new, and this is a very large ship. Even I have yet to visit every compartment.”

“I’m assuming you know the way to the flight decks,” Nathan stated.

“Of course.”

Nathan and Jessica followed Max down the corridor, with Kit and Mori behind them. Nathan’s eyes darted about, logging every conduit, every sign, and every corridor as they walked. He especially took notice of the numerous vid-cams that were mounted everywhere. “Don’t trust your crew much, do you?” he commented.

“Half of them have yet to be activated,” Max admitted. “As you might imagine, this ship was not in the best repair when I acquired her. Space-worthy, yes, but there are entire sections that are still open to space.”

“Yeah, we noticed them on the way in,” Jessica commented. “Looks like you lost a fight.”

“The damage occurred long before I took ownership,” Max assured her as he turned the corner. “I got a very good deal on her. The raids you speak of are all to repair and refit this ship.”

“This ship have a name?” Jessica asked.

“The Isabella,” Maximilian replied. “After my long-dead mother.”

“Right,” Jessica replied, not believing him for a moment.

“She was a broken-down, old bitch, as well,” Max stated.

They turned the next corner, spotting three men coming toward them. One of them was carrying a sidearm, while the other two appeared to be technicians.

Max suddenly became alive, talking more loudly and with more enthusiasm and pride. “The Isabella is not much to look at, but she is quite a remarkable ship. While we still have much work to do, we have already made amazing headway. Most of the damage is to the outer hull, and many of her systems were scavenged over the years, but her power and propulsion systems were still in perfect order, as were her maneuvering systems.”

“With all those hull breaches, was she even able to hold pressure when you got her?” Nathan asked, following Max’s lead by pretending to be on a tour of the ship.

“In the beginning, we did have to limit ourselves to the innermost spaces. We even had to use pressure suits to get from the flight deck to the command deck. There are still twenty-three compartments open to space, but that is a far cry from the one hundred and thirty we started with.” Max nodded at the three men as they passed in the opposite direction. “Gentlemen.”

“Cap’n,” the lead man greeted as they passed.

Vasya watched the men pass with his peripheral vision, making sure not to seem overly concerned by their presence. As they turned the next corner, he glanced back briefly to be sure the three men had paid them no further heed.

“Well done,” Nathan congratulated. “You might still get out of this alive.”

“As I said, I would prefer to witness your destruction from the safety of my own ship. And witness it, I shall.”

“What makes you so sure?” Jessica wondered.

“You saw the Sugali fighters on the hangar deck?” Max asked.

“Yeah, so?”

“They are very maneuverable, very deadly, and they have been equipped with micro-jump drive systems. They cannot be outrun,” Max explained.

“They are only as deadly as the pilots flying them,” Nathan insisted. “Besides, we can just jump away as soon as we clear the ship.”

“The Sugali invented a system to track fleeing jump ships,” Max told them. “Their sensors can tell the distance that you jumped, based on your speed and the amount of energy dumped into your jump field, and they can do so with a high degree of accuracy, I might add. Their sensors automatically feed this data into the fighter’s jump-navigation computers. All the pilot has to do is press the jump button, and the ship does the rest.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Nathan said, smiling.

“You don’t really think he’s telling the truth, do you?” Jessica wondered.

“It would explain why the Dusahn are so good at tracking us,” Nathan replied.

“You think they got the technology from the Sugali?” Jessica wondered.

“Doubtful,” Max replied. “The Sugali were defeated long ago.”

“Or maybe you sold them the technology,” Jessica suggested.

“If I had, the Isabella would be in much better shape, I assure you.” Max stopped at an elevator door. “This is the fastest way down to the flight deck,” he said, reaching for the button.

“Hold it,” Nathan warned, reaching out to stop him from pressing the button. Nathan examined the sign on the wall, translating it as best he could. “Is this thing working?”

“I wouldn’t be getting on it if it wasn’t,” Max assured him. “We can take the stairs if you’d prefer, but that will take longer.”

“We’re not getting in an elevator,” Jessica insisted.

“If it works, why didn’t they use it to bring us up to you?” Nathan wondered.

“Likely for the same reason we don’t want to get in it,” Jessica insisted.

Nathan looked at Max. “Where are the stairs?”

Max pointed further down the corridor.

“Lead the way,” Nathan instructed.

“It will look odd to my crew,” Maximilian warned. “I never use the stairs.”

“For all we know, you never use the elevator,” Jessica insisted.

“You have trust issues, don’t you?” Max said to Jessica.

“Move it, kiddo,” Jessica replied, unamused by his comment.

Max continued down the corridor, turning to the right and stepping through a hatch leading to a stairwell landing.

“What kind of ship uses stairs?” Corporal Vasya wondered. “Wouldn’t low-G ladder tubes be easier and take up less space?”

“Stairs are simpler and require very little maintenance,” Max explained as he started down the stairs.

“On a highly automated ship, the fewer systems there are to maintain, the better,” Nathan explained.

“This ship does not use separate gravity plating on each deck,” Max said. “All of the artificial gravity in this ship is generated by the plating on deck five, one level above the flight deck.”

“What about the flight deck?” Jessica asked. “It had gravity.”

“It and the cargo deck below are the only decks that have separate gravity plating from the others,” Max replied as he reached the first landing and headed down the next flight.

“You need variable gravity to launch and recover ships, and to move heavy cargo more easily,” Nathan added.

“Precisely, Captain. Interestingly enough, the Isabella was not designed that way. Increasing the field depth on deck five, enough to provide gravity for the decks above, saved us considerable costs in repairing the gravity plating on the upper decks.”

“You sure love to talk, don’t you,” Vasya observed.

“This is supposed to be a tour of my ship, isn’t it?” Max replied.

“As long as he keeps talking when I ask him the important stuff,” Jessica commented.

After a few more minutes and a dozen more flights of stairs, Max finally stopped at the next landing, turning to look at them. “This is the flight deck, but before we go any further, I’d like to make you an offer.”

“This ought to be good,” Jessica remarked.

“I may have been too hasty in my decision,” Max admitted.

“What decision was that?” Nathan wondered.

“You and your crew could be a great asset to my cause.”

“And what cause is that?” Nathan asked. “Other than to line your own pockets.”

“My ambitions are much loftier than mere piracy, Captain. I seek to build an empire. The Isabella is merely the first step.”

“A pirate empire,” Nathan corrected.

“Many great empires rose from similar beginnings. Were not the Jung pirates at first?”

Nathan laughed. “Really bad example, Max.”

“I disagree. The Jung brought order where there was none. They survived at a time when all other civilizations were dying.”

“Killing off many of them, in order to survive,” Nathan pointed out.

“Yes, but by doing so, they were able to save many other civilizations,” Max insisted. “The same could be accomplished now. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of human-inhabited worlds out there. Many of them are suffering, living in squalor, struggling to survive, let alone thrive. There are many others, pirates such as myself, who feed on the weak, much like the Jung once did. A ship like this, repaired and properly outfitted and manned, could put an end to all of that.”

“You really expect me to believe that you’re some kind of altruistic pirate?” Nathan said, laughing.

“I admit, I would gain much in the process,” Max admitted, “but would that really be so bad? People respect the wealthy and powerful. They also respect men who understand that some must be sacrificed for the greater good of the many.”

“And you’re the man who should make such decisions?” Nathan questioned. “You’re what, twelve?”

“I assure you, Captain, this body belies my years.”

“Uh-huh.”

“We could help one another,” Max said, shifting his pitch. “You seek to destroy the Dusahn, do you not? I can help.”

“How?” Nathan asked, humoring the young man.

“I have connections on many worlds, in many sectors,” Max explained. “I can help you acquire the resources you need. Men, ships, consumables, weapons, ordnance, all of it. I can help you become the most powerful force in this region. Then you could protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

“From people like you,” Nathan reminded him.

“I’m sure we could strike a balance; an agreement of sorts. After all, like any other man, I am simply trying to carve out a life for myself.”

“If you want a life, find yourself a wife, buy a farm, and have a few kids,” Nathan suggested. “I’m not buying what you’re selling.”

Max sighed. “A pity, really.” He gestured for the hatch to the flight deck. “After you, Captain.”

Nathan cocked his head to one side, staring at the young man. There was something familiar about him, but for the life of him, he could not place the face. He still had many holes in his memories. In fact, there were things from his life as Connor Tuplo that had become somewhat fuzzy as his identity as Nathan Scott solidified.

Nathan’s expression suddenly changed as a realization hit him. He looked at Jessica. “He’s stalling us, isn’t he?”

“Fuck.” Jessica thought for a moment. “If they’re waiting for us on the other side of this hatch, we’re screwed.” She looked down the stairwell. “You two go down and across, and come up on the other side. We’re going through that hatch in three minutes. You need to be in place by then. Standard Y-crossfire ambush.”

“Got it,” Corporal Vasya replied, handing his weapon over to Jessica and disconnecting the strap on the one slung under his jacket.

“Captain,” Mori said, handing his weapon over to Nathan.

The two Ghatazhak disappeared down the stairs, moving quickly.

Nathan checked his weapon, ensuring that it was ready.

“It’s not too late, Captain,” Max told him. “My offer is still on the table.”

“I still don’t know how you know me,” Nathan pointed out.

“Captain, surely you don’t expect me to lay all of my cards on the table so early in the game.”

“You sure you don’t want me to torture him a little, first?” Jessica wondered. “We’ve still got two minutes.”

Kit and Mori moved quickly down the stairwell and through the hatch one deck down. They turned right and headed forward to the next lateral corridor, then turned left to head to the far side of the port hangar bay above. As soon as they turned the corner, two men came around the corner at the far end, both of them carrying boomers. The men were obviously in a hurry to get somewhere and paid Kit and Mori little heed as they passed. After a few meters, one of the men turned and shouted something back at Kit and Mori, but in a language that neither of them understood.

Figuring that the man expected a response, Kit simply gave him a thumbs-up gesture as he and Mori continued around the next corner.

The two crewmen looked at one another, then turned around and charged back after Kit and Mori, realizing that something was amiss. Unfortunately, they lacked both training and common sense, and charged around the corner into the hands of two waiting Ghatazhak.

Kit took the first man, knocking his boomer upward and thrusting a combat knife deep into the man’s belly just below his sternum in an upward motion, nearly lifting the man off his feet in the process. At the top of the thrust, he twisted the blade to increase the level of damage, and then withdrew his blade. The man released his grip, a mixture of horror and surprise on his face as he fell backward, leaving his boomer in the hands of his assailant.

Mori took the second man by sweeping his legs out from under him, sending him tumbling. The man rolled over as he landed and found Mori dropping onto him, knife in hand. Mori’s knife pierced the base of the second man’s throat with surgical precision, driving through the man’s trachea and esophagus, and glancing the left side of his cervical spine. The man’s throat immediately filled with blood. Mori pulled the knife to his right, slicing through the man’s carotid artery and jugular vein before coming completely out of his neck, leaving a gaping wound that gushed blood across the deck. He took the dying man’s boomer and rose to his feet, falling in behind Kit as they continued down the corridor, albeit at a quicker pace.

After one more corridor, they reached the stairwell on the opposite side and headed up to the next level, taking the stairs three at a time. In seconds, they had reached the flight deck, pausing at the hatch only long enough to be sure they wouldn’t be stepping out into an ambush.

The flight deck on the far port side appeared empty of men. There were Sugali fighters to either side and a couple of shuttles, neither of which appeared armed. Further aft was their Contra ship, guarded by two well-armed men.

Kit and Mori stepped into the hangar bay, moving silently and swiftly to the back of the nearest Sugali fighter. Kit peeked around the edge of the ship’s port weapons pod, spotting a dozen men, all of whom had their weapons aimed at the starboard mid-bay hatch, as if waiting for someone to enter.

“Fuck, if he didn’t call it,” Kit whispered. “I’ve got twelve.”

“There are another eight to the right, and two on our ship,” Mori whispered back.

“That’s twenty-two,” Kit counted. “And those two in the corridor were probably moving to flank Nathan and Jess, so there could be more coming.”

“What’s the play?” Mori asked Kit, as the corporal outranked him.

“Fuck, what I’d give for comms right now,” Kit swore. He looked to his left, and then glanced at his watch. “Wait one,” he instructed. Kit stepped back from the fighter, then moved to the next fighter to the left, and finally to the small broken-down shuttle beyond it. Once he reached the far side, he peeked around the corner briefly, spotting four more men hiding behind some crates, all of them well armed. He glanced upward and spotted a man on a catwalk, with what appeared to be a precision sniper rifle, taking aim on the area in front of the still-closed mid-bay starboard hatch. “Fuck.” Kit turned and headed back toward Mori, returning to his previous position. “Four more, hiding behind some crates along the starboard wall, ten meters forward of the hatch. And a sniper on the catwalk above, slightly forward of center. He’s got a perfect shot at them, from the hatch all the way to our ship.”

“Can you tag him?” Mori asked.

“No, too much shit in the way,” Kit replied, reaching for the boomer he had slung over his shoulder. “But I’m pretty sure I can fuck up his perch with this.” Kit glanced at his watch again as he did a quick situational analysis in his head. “You start with the two guys guarding our ship, then blast the dozen in front. I’ll start with the sniper, then the four behind the crates to the left.”

“Got it,” Mori whispered back. “How do we know when to fire?”

“Trust me, you’ll know,” Kit replied, turning around to return to the dilapidated shuttle to take up his firing position.

“Time,” Jessica announced.

Nathan listened for a moment. “I don’t hear any weapons fire.”

“They’re not going to fire until they need to,” Jessica explained, grabbing Max by the collar. “You first, kiddo.” She pushed him into the still-closed hatch, smashing his face into the metal. “Oops, sorry.”

Nathan opened the hatch, and Jessica guided Max through, stepping over the hatch threshold behind him. As expected, there were at least a dozen weapons pointed at them as they entered.

“DROP YOUR WEAPONS!” the apparent leader of the squad of men barked with authority.

Jessica immediately raised her weapon and took aim at the nearest man, staying contact-close with Max, slightly behind and to his right. “Fuck you! Drop yours!” she replied with equal confidence.

Nathan stood close in beside Jessica, tucked behind and left of Max, his weapon also raised and ready to fire. Surprisingly, he felt a remarkable calm, despite the fact that a dozen energy weapons were pointed at him. He glanced to his left, spotting the two guards in front of their ship, and to the right, at the four men peeking out over some cargo crates. He quickly scanned the Sugali fighters and shuttles lined up along the opposite wall, spotting a boot and a pant leg under the wing of the left-most fighter and the barrel of a boomer. He looked at the boots of the other men and quickly realized that the boot under the wing was of a Ghatazhak, not of a pirate. Kit and Mori were in position.

“I SAID DROP YOUR WEAPONS!” the man barked again.

“You fire, and I drop Senah!” Jessica replied, pulling her sidearm from behind her back and placing the barrel against the base of the young man’s head.

“All we want is to depart, unharmed!” Nathan added. “Let us leave, and we’ll leave him be!”

“I don’t believe you!” the man replied.

“He’s smarter than he looks,” Jessica commented under her breath. “You shoot left, I shoot right.”

“Seriously?” Max wondered.

“I’m shooting you, first, little man,” she replied.

“This is your last chance!” the man bellowed from the far side of the hangar bay. “Drop your weapons, or we’ll burn you down!”

Kit glanced up at the sniper on the catwalk, noting that he was adjusting his aim to fire. He glanced at the four men behind the cargo crates and saw that they were also preparing to fire. Time to dance, he thought as he raised his boomer, took aim at the sniper, and pressed the firing button.

The stubby little weapon had been well named, as it packed a hell of a punch. It made a tremendous boom as it fired, sending a ball of fiery-red plasma streaking into the air. The plasma struck the catwalk, tearing it out from under the sniper, sending both crashing to the deck below. Unfortunately, the damn thing only carried enough of a charge for a single, deadly shot, so Kit tossed it aside, reaching for his energy rifle.

Mori’s first shot was also with the boomer he had liberated from the guards in the corridor one deck down. With it, he literally incinerated the two guards standing in front of their Contra ship.

The line of armed men flinched, ducking down as the boomers sounded and the catwalk came crashing down only a few meters behind them.

Recognizing their cue, Nathan and Jessica also took action. Jessica started by keeping her word and fired her tiny sidearm into the back of Max’s head. A blue burst erupted from the tiny barrel, zapping Max and causing him to tense up for a moment, before dropping to the deck in convulsions lasting several seconds.

Nathan dropped to one knee, immediately opening fire and killing three men within seconds. He then rolled to his left as the Jofa began to return fire, getting out of the way of the first volleys as they slammed into the deck and the bulkhead behind them. Nathan came back up firing, dropping two more.

Jessica was a bit more aggressive in her tactics. She dropped the tiny stunner and opened fire as she charged toward the line of men, firing away. She dropped two, then sidestepped an incoming plasma bolt, before leaping into the air to deliver a spinning kick to the head of one man, while hooking the strap of her rifle around the neck of the man on her other side and pulling him down with her. On the deck, she huddled behind the man and opened fire on the four men coming out from behind the crates, dropping two, while shots coming from the opposite side of the bay dropped the other two.

More shots rang out from across the bay, but to the aft, dropping the last of the Jofa. Jessica rolled slightly, her hands still on her rifle, and planted her feet against the man’s back. Her rifle strap still around his neck, she rotated the rifle around one time to secure the strap around the man’s head, then pulled tight, smashing his windpipe.

Alarm klaxons suddenly filled the hangar bay.

Nathan grabbed Senah by the back of his jacket, dragging his unconscious body along the deck. “Come on, Max, I have someone who wants to speak with you.”

Within seconds, they reached the front of their Contra ship, but as they did so, more men showed up, pouring in from either side of the hangar bay and opening fire.

“Get him inside!” Nathan ordered as he returned fire.

Mori grabbed Senah, practically tossing him into the airlock of Digger Two.

“Can you fly this thing?” Nathan asked Kit as the corporal joined him in returning fire.

“Hell, yeah!” Kit replied confidently as he picked off Jofa, one by one.

“Then get Max back to Tweeson!”

“What?” Jessica cried out, also firing at the attackers.

“Move it, Corporal!” Nathan ordered.

“You got it!” Kit replied, heading up the ramp after Mori.

“What about you?” Jessica asked.

“I’m taking alternate transportation!” Nathan insisted, charging off toward the Sugali fighters to his left as he continued firing.

“Not without me, you’re not!” Jessica barked, following him and firing, as well.

Kit bounded up the ladder, through the cabin, and into the cockpit of Digger Two, practically jumping into the pilot’s seat. “Secure Senah, and then get your ass up here!” he barked as he started firing up the Contra ship’s systems. Outside, he could see Nathan and Jessica running toward the Sugali fighters, firing wildly at the Jofa. “That man’s crazy!”

Nathan and Jessica reached the first Sugali fighter but were unable to get up into the cockpit due to the inordinate amount of incoming fire from the Jofa. Nathan glanced over at the Contra ship as its gun turret dropped down from under its nose and opened fire on the Jofa. Taking advantage of the cover fire, Nathan pushed Jessica up the boarding ladder. “GO!” he barked, quickly following her up.

“Airlock hatches are all closed, Kit,” Mori reported from the copilot’s seat of Digger Two. “How are we going to get out of here?”

Kit glanced over at the line of Sugali fighters as Nathan dropped into the pilot’s seat and activated the canopy’s close cycle. “Watch this,” he said, grinning. He grabbed the flight control stick and raised their ship half a meter above the deck, spinning it one hundred and eighty degrees in the process.

“What are you doing, Kit? Our engines aren’t spooled up yet,” Mori warned.

“Who needs engines?” Kit replied. He reached over and armed the plasma torpedo cannons as their nose came around to face aft, then opened fire, sending three volleys of red-orange plasma toward the aft transfer airlock doors. The first volley struck the inner airlock door, blowing it apart, the second volley further damaged the inner doors, and the third pair of plasma torpedoes tore open the outer doors on the other side of the transfer airlock. The sudden change in pressure ripped the damaged outer and inner doors out into space, pulling Digger Two in the same direction.

“We’re not going to fit!” Mori warned.

Kit fired again, holding the button down as he swept the nose slightly left and right, and up and down as the vacuum of space pulled them quickly toward the opening. Plasma torpedoes tore into all sides, ripping apart bulkheads and exposing decks all around the recovery tunnel. Debris flew everywhere as it was ripped away.

“Raise the shields!” Kit yelled as they drifted quickly toward the now-gaping hole out the back of the ship’s port side.

“Holy shit!” Nathan exclaimed as he tried to control the not-yet-fully-started Sugali fighter. “What the hell’s wrong with that guy?”

“Yeah, Vasya can be a little aggressive,” Jessica chuckled.

The fighter rolled forward, pulled by the sudden decompression of the entire hangar bay. Equipment, debris, and people all flew through the air toward the opening the corporal had just made in the aft end of the hangar bay.

Nathan frantically flipped switches and pressed buttons, trying to get the Sugali fighter’s main systems started up.

“You gonna start this thing, or what!” Jessica demanded, holding on for dear life in the back seat.

“I’m trying,” Nathan replied in desperation. “But I can’t read Sugali!”

“Well, push some buttons, or something!” she exclaimed, looking out the canopy as the ship rolled toward the gaping hole that Digger Two had just managed to safely pass through.

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?”

“We’re going to hit the wall, Nathan!”

“Jesus! Why can’t these controls be in Angla!” he cursed as he continued pushing buttons.

“Confirm set controls to English,” a female computer voice asked.

“Ha-ha!” Nathan laughed. “Confirmed! Confirmed!” he added, glancing out the canopy as the shredded bulkhead rapidly grew closer.

The display screens and the labeling on all the switches and buttons suddenly changed from Sugali to English. Nathan laughed again and quickly pressed the button to fire up their reactor.

“Do something!” Jessica begged, bracing herself for impact.

Nathan’s eyes darted back and forth between his systems’ status displays and the shredded bulkhead coming toward them at a frightening pace. After several seconds, his power levels suddenly jumped as his reactor came to life. He immediately pressed the engine start button and grabbed the flight control stick, twisting it and pushing his throttle forward. At first, there was no response, then a second later, his ship began to react. The ship jumped up off the deck, nearly slamming into the mangled overhead structural beams. He pressed the button to raise his landing gear, and the ship’s main engines fired, sending it lurching forward. He yanked the control stick to the right, twisting it in the same direction. The ship rolled to starboard as it rotated, and then shot out the back end of the mangled port recovery tunnel and into open space.

“YEAH!” Nathan yelled triumphantly.

“NICE!” Jessica exclaimed from the back seat.

“Jess! Fire up the tactical systems back there,” Nathan instructed. “If they have any more of these fighters in their starboard bay, you can bet your ass they’ll be launching them any second.”

“I’m with you,” Jessica replied as she began activating her systems. “Kit! You on comms?”

“I’m here, Jess!” Kit replied. “You make it out?”

“You bet your ass we did! Get the hell out of here while you can! We’ll stick around long enough to keep those fighters from tracking your jump!”

“You got it!” Kit replied.

“Use the evasion algorithm!” Nathan added.

“Already planned on it, Captain!” Kit replied as they disappeared behind a blue-white flash of light.

“Multiple contacts,” Jessica warned as she stared at her tactical display. “Best guess is more Sugali fighters, all coming from the starboard side.”

“How many?” Nathan wondered.

“Three…make that four.”

Nathan pulled the stick hard, bringing the fighter into a tight, one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. “Damn, this thing is maneuverable.”

“You want to warn me before you do that kind of maneuver next time?” Jessica asked, pushing herself off the side of the cockpit. “The inertial dampeners aren’t online yet.”

“Well, get them online,” Nathan insisted. “Because I’m about to turn and burn.”

“Give me a second to figure all this shit out,” Jessica demanded.

“Just get the dampeners spun up, and then figure out what weapons we have to play with,” Nathan insisted.

“I’m working on it!”

Nathan brought the nose around and selected cannons on his flight control stick. But instead of diving on the fighters that had just shot out the front of the Isabella’s starboard flight bay, he targeted the starboard flight bay, itself.

As he opened fire, the Isabella’s meager point-defenses came to life, sending a barrage of anti-ship fire in their direction. Nathan twisted his flight control stick, rolling the ship over and veering to the left in an effort to evade the incoming fire.

“Still not up yet,” Jessica complained, grunting.

Nathan smiled and twisted the stick in the opposite direction, just as the inertial dampeners came online and all but eliminated the G-forces of the maneuver.

Bolts of yellow streaked from his cannons, slamming into the forward end of the Isabella’s starboard flight pod, tearing into its hull. They slid over the forward end of the flight pod, and Nathan flipped his ship over so he was flying backwards. He opened up again, mutilating the front of the flight pod. “That’ll slow ‘em down a bit,” he decided as he flipped his ship back over into a nose-first flight attitude.

“They’re raising shields,” Jessica reported.

“For a ship that’s supposed to be highly automated, it sure is slow to respond,” Nathan chuckled.

“I told you that little worm was lying,” Jessica replied.

Yellow energy bolts streaked across their bow, slamming into their starboard shields and shaking their ship violently. Nathan immediately reacted by rolling his ship into the incoming fire in order to protect his aft shields and therefore his propulsion systems, and to bring his own guns onto the target.

“Fuck! They’re launching missiles!”

“Who’s launching missiles?” Nathan demanded.

“The fighters!” Jessica snapped. “Christ, there’s got to be twenty of them! Five seconds!”

Nathan glanced at his console, spotting the countermeasures button. He pressed it, sending a spread of twenty decoy drones shooting out the back of his ship, spreading out in all directions to distract the incoming missiles. Two seconds later, explosions flashed less than five hundred meters behind them as at least twelve of the incoming missiles were fooled by the drones.

“Ten still inbound,” Jessica reported.

Nathan pushed his throttles all the way forward, causing the fighter to accelerate rapidly, pushing them back in their seats, despite their inertial dampener’s best efforts.

“Still with us,” Jessica warned.

Nathan released another spread of decoys.

“Maybe we should jump?” Jessica suggested.

“Not until we’ve neutralized the threat,” Nathan insisted. “We can’t take a chance that they’ll track Digger Two back to Tweeson.”

“Who gives a fuck about Tweeson!” Jessica insisted.

“I do!” Nathan insisted. “At least until he gives us those codes!”

More flashes lit them up from behind as more missiles locked in on the decoy drones and detonated.

“Four missiles left!” Jessica reported. “Brace for impact!”

Nathan pitched down into a dive, then yanked his throttle back to idle and flipped his ship over, opening fire with his cannons. Yellow bolts of energy leapt out as he laid down a barrage of fire. Two missiles exploded only a few meters behind them, lighting up their cockpit. Nathan dialed up a five-hundred-meter jump and tapped the jump button. The Sugali fighter’s canopy did not turn opaque; however, the jump flash was nowhere near as bright as he had expected.

“You bought us ten seconds,” Jessica declared.

“That’s all I need,” Nathan replied. He took aim and fired, picking the last two missiles off with ease. He flipped the ship back over and throttled up his engines again, pulling the ship around to head back toward the Isabella. “You still got those ships?”

“Six total,” Jessica reported. “None of them are chasing Digger Two.”

“Perfect,” Nathan exclaimed. “They probably got away before the fighters launched, so they were unable to read their jump flash. All we have to do is keep them occupied for a while, just to be safe.”

“Safe for whom?” Jessica wondered. “There are six of them and one of us, and you’re not even a fighter pilot.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve got more training in space combat than they do,” Nathan insisted.

“Don’t you think you’re underestimating them?” Jessica wondered. “Or overestimating your own skills?”

“You just worry about weapons, Jess,” Nathan insisted. “If they’ve got missiles then so do we, so figure out how to use them.”

“Give me a few seconds,” she replied.

Nathan glanced at his tactical display. “You’ve got three.”

Jessica frantically scanned her console and began cycling through the options on her main display screen.

Nathan selected all six approaching fighters on his tactical screen, and his combat computer immediately assigned priority numbers to each enemy icon on this display, drawing lines between each, indicating the order in which he should engage the approaching fighters. “Nice.”

“I think I found them,” Jessica reported.

“Too late,” Nathan replied, opening fire.

“I’ve got them,” Jessica insisted, selecting all six enemy ships and assigning them to her missile control computer.

The first target’s shields flashed as Nathan pounded away at him with his cannons. Fire from all six Sugali fighters streaked past him on all sides, but none of them even came close. The enemy ship made vain efforts to evade Nathan’s fire, but his maneuvers were jerky and haphazard at best, confirming his original suspicions about the skill level of the pirate pilots.

Within seconds, the target’s shields failed, and Nathan’s weapons tore the ship apart, sending pieces tumbling forward along the doomed fighter’s line of flight.

Nathan turned to the next fighter and opened fire again, but this pilot had a bit more skill, and the best hits were glancing blows, which did little to drain the target’s shields. “Damn it,” Nathan cursed as the second fighter slipped past to his right. “Target the one that just passed us, Jess. Keep him occupied and off our ass!”

“You got it,” Jessica replied, canceling her previous selection and selecting the passing ship. “Locked on…firing four!” She glanced out the side of her canopy as two of the missiles fired, turning away and falling behind them as they made a one-eighty to engage the Sugali fighter behind them.

Nathan opened up on the third fighter but, by now, they were too close to dump any significant amount of firepower into them before they passed; and pass they did. The other four fighters split in opposite directions.

“Got him!” Jessica reported enthusiastically. Her tactical systems beeped, alerting her to a new threat. “More missile launches!” she announced. “They launched as they passed! They’ll be on us in twenty seconds!”

Nathan pushed his nose over to the right and down, sending his fighter into a spiraling, diving turn, forcing the pursuing missiles to turn, as well, to keep their track on him. Turns meant greater fuel burn, and the missiles carried very small amounts. “How many?” he asked calmly.

“Eight! Two each!” she replied. “Ten seconds, and those fighters are coming about to reengage!”

Nathan snap-rolled to the left and pulled his nose up, now putting the Sugali fighter into a spiraling, climbing left turn, forcing the missiles to burn even more fuel. He tapped his countermeasures button again, launching the remaining ten decoy drones.

Two flashes of light appeared behind them as two of the decoys did their job, but while the other six missiles were close to the decoys, their locks were still on Nathan and Jessica’s fighter.

The words ‘Detonate Decoys?’ began to flash on Jessica’s missile control computer display. “What the…?” She pressed the flashing words, and it changed to ‘Detonating All Decoys’. Eight explosion icons appeared on her tactical display, six of them close enough to the pursuing missiles to destroy them. “WOO-HOO!” she exclaimed with delight.

“What happened?” Nathan wondered as he rolled into another radical, evasive maneuver.

“I got them all!”

“What are you talking about?”

“The decoys are flying bombs!” she explained. “When missiles get close enough to them but aren’t locking onto them, the control computer gives you the option to detonate the decoy drones!”

“Damn!” Nathan exclaimed. “That’s handy!”

“The other four fighters have moved onto our six and are locking onto us,” Jessica warned.

“Watch this,” Nathan told her. He yanked his throttle back to zero and flipped his ship over again, firing aft as he shoved the throttle back up to full power once more. His ship decelerated sharply for a second, allowing the enemy ships to rapidly close on him.

Jessica’s eyes widened as the enemy fighters moved in close, pounding their shields and rocking their fighter. “What the hell are you doing?”

“It’s called the Delaveaga Spin-o-rama,” Nathan replied. He twisted his control stick, putting the ship in a rapid yaw to starboard. As the enemy ships closed the last hundred meters, he added tiny inputs, pitching his nose up and down as he performed the flat spin, all the while holding down his cannons trigger, firing wildly as he spun.

Jessica held on tight, her eyes wide as their ship spun wildly, firing away. The shields of the enemy ships flashed repeatedly as they passed, taking multiple close-range impacts from their Sugali fighter’s main energy cannons.

“Ready missiles!” Nathan ordered as the enemy fighters passed by them, two of them exploding as their shields failed and his cannon fire found their hulls.

Still holding on with her left hand, Jessica quickly drew a circle around the two remaining fighters and assigned their last eight missiles to the targets.

Nathan snapped the ship around forward, once again bringing his nose back to their direction of flight and in the direction the two enemy fighters were fleeing. “Launch missiles!” he barked.

Jessica pressed the launch button. “Missiles away!” she reported as their last eight missiles streaked away from their now-empty missile pods on either side.

Nathan pushed his throttle to full power again, turning after the fighter fleeing to the right, readying his cannons once again.

Jessica watched as the two fleeing fighters launched decoys, but it was too late, and both ships failed to take aggressive enough evasive action. All eight missiles found their targets, obliterating them completely. “HELL, YEAH!” she exclaimed with excitement.

“Nice shootin’, Tex!”

“Sweet move, that spin-o-rama thing,” Jessica congratulated. “Luis?”

“He came up with it during our advanced fighter combat training. Don’t ever try it on Sol ships, though,” Nathan warned. “It’s part of the training now.”

“Don’t worry,” Jessica replied. “I’ll stick with gunfights and hand-to-hand combat, any day.”

Nathan smiled.

“Now, let’s get the hell out of here, shall we?”

“My pleasure,” Nathan replied, dialing up their first jump.

* * *

It had been a terrible morning for Minister Sebaron. His plan to take over the Ranni plant and use it to equip their Gunyoki fighters on their own, thereby maintaining the military dominance over Neramese, had failed miserably and would no doubt bring disgrace to his family name. To make matters worse, the Karuzari Alliance had not only recaptured the Ranni plant, they had also taken control of the Gunyoki race platform and all of the remaining Gunyoki fighters. And now, less than an hour after his world’s decisive defeat, the other members of the Rakuen Leadership Council were calling for his resignation.

Minister Sebaron stepped through the door to his office, closing it behind him. All he wanted was some peace and quiet. For a moment, he didn’t even turn on the lights. When he finally did, he did not like what he saw.

Standing before him was General Telles, leader of the Ghatazhak and, most likely, the deadliest man in the entire quadrant. He was wearing a Rakuen security uniform.

Minister Sebaron opened his mouth to yell for help, turning to open the door to run, but felt something sharp strike him in the back of the neck, sending a sharp, debilitating pain down his spine and up into his head. He tried to reach for whatever was still lodged in his neck but found that he could not move his arms. In fact, his entire body seemed frozen, unable to react. He tried to take a breath, to yell for help, but no air would come. He felt a warm trickle of liquid running down the middle of his back. He began to tip backward, still trying to will his body to react, but could not maintain his balance and started to fall. He felt the general catch him, laying him down on the carpeted floor of his office in a surprisingly gentle fashion. The general laid him on his side, then withdrew his knife in a sudden, swift motion, allowing blood to flow from the minister’s neck wound, unimpeded.

The minister felt the general roll him onto his back, catching a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye as the general wiped his knife on the minister’s lapel.

As his vision began to fade, the last words Minister Sebaron heard were, “And you thought you could defend your world against the Dusahn.”

* * *

Nathan’s Sugali fighter landed on Gustur a few hours later, touching down beside the Seiiki. Josh and Vladimir were the first ones to come running out to greet Nathan and Jessica as their engines spun down.

“Holy crap!” Josh exclaimed. “This thing is sweet! Is this a Sugali fighter?”

“Sure is,” Nathan replied as he climbed out of the cockpit. “And it flies as good as it looks.”

“How many?” Josh asked, with great anticipation.

“Six,” Nathan replied, trying not to brag. “Four with guns, two with missiles.”

“Damn, Cap’n. You’re a badass!”

Nathan turned to Jessica. “You see, I told you I was a badass.”

Jessica rolled her eyes and jumped down to the tarmac. “It was some pretty sweet flying, I have to admit.”

“You guys turn Senah over to Tweeson?” Nathan asked.

“A couple of hours ago,” Lieutenant Rezhik replied as he walked up to join them.

“Did we get the transponder with the codes?” Nathan asked.

“I just finished installing it in the Seiiki,” Vladimir told him.

“How did you know we were already here?” the lieutenant wondered.

“We didn’t,” Jessica admitted. “We flew to Porodeli first. When we saw the wreckage of the pirate ships, we figured you had blasted your way out and returned to Gustur.”

“What were you planning on doing, had we not already made our escape?” the lieutenant asked.

“Come in guns blazing, I suppose,” Nathan replied with a smile.

“Tweeson has invited us all to dinner,” Josh told Nathan. “Should be one hell of a party.”

“We get paid?” Nathan asked.

“The remainder of our payment is already loaded aboard the Seiiki,” Vladimir replied.

“Good, let’s get the hell out of here,” Nathan told them.

“Where to?” Loki wondered.

“I’m taking the Seiiki to Sanctuary,” Nathan replied.

“What about us?” Josh objected. “I wanted to check out Sanctuary.”

“I’ve got a more important job for you, Josh,” Nathan insisted. “I need you to get these ships back to the fleet so Deliza can examine their tech and see what we can use.”

“But I really wanted to see Sanctuary,” Josh complained.

“Next trip, I promise,” Nathan told him. “Besides, I need you and Loki to fly this fighter back. Maybe put it through its paces, figure out what it’s capable of, and then report what you learned to Deliza and Commander Verbeek. We may be able to incorporate some of the Sugali systems in our own fighters.”

“I get to fly that thing?” Josh asked, barely able to believe his good fortune.

“Yup,” Nathan replied.

“Sweet!” Josh exclaimed, immediately climbing up the side of the fighter. “Come on, Loki!”

Loki rolled his eyes, then looked at Nathan. “Thanks a lot, Captain.”

“Just keep him under control, Loki.”

“I always try to,” Loki replied, following Josh.

“Where am I going?” Vladimir asked tentatively.

“With us, of course,” Nathan replied.

Vladimir smiled. “Yes.”

“And us?” Lieutenant Rezhik wondered.

“You guys fly the Diggers back,” Nathan instructed. “I don’t expect any trouble on Sanctuary.”

“As you wish, Captain,” the lieutenant replied. “And welcome back, sir.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to take Tweeson up on his offer for dinner?” Jessica suggested.

“You just want a chance to interrogate Senah,” Nathan said.

“And you don’t?”

“Yes, but now is not the time,” Nathan told her.

“He knew who we were, Nathan,” Jessica reminded him. “And he wasn’t even from the Pentaurus sector. You don’t find that a bit alarming?”

“Yes, I do, but not as alarming as having the last member of my family lying in a stasis chamber, hoping for a miracle. This mission comes first. Afterward, you can come back and interrogate Senah all you want, I promise.”

“And if Tweeson launches him off into space before we get back?” Jessica asked.

“Then I guess we’re SOL, aren’t we.”

“Why don’t you guys go to Sanctuary, and I’ll stay here with the Ghatazhak and interrogate Senah.”

“I need you with me,” Nathan insisted.

“But…”

“Didn’t Telles order you to protect me?”

Jessica looked puzzled. “How did you know?”

“Because I know Telles.”

“Nathan…” Jessica continued to object.

“Don’t make me order you, Jess.”

“Don’t push your luck, Nathan,” she warned, before turning and heading toward the Seiiki.

Lieutenant Rezhik watched her disappear up the Seiiki’s cargo ramp and then turned to Nathan. “As the general says, she has room for improvement.”

Nathan chuckled.

“Good luck on Sanctuary, Captain,” the lieutenant said before departing. “I truly hope you find what you need to save your sister.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Nathan replied. He watched the lieutenant walk away, then turned to Vladimir. “So, how hairy was your escape from Porodeli?”

“Very,” Vladimir replied. “Rezhik and Deeks were ferocious. I’ve never seen anything like it. They have no fear. They were amazing. Then again, the rest of us were pretty amazing, as well,” Vladimir boasted.

“I’m sure you were,” Nathan agreed, heading for the Seiiki.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Jessica reached the top of the ladder, stepping into the Seiiki’s cockpit, to join Nathan and Vladimir. “How much longer?”

Nathan turned to look over his shoulder at the jump-nav computer display at the top of the center pedestal. “Eight more jumps, so about four minutes.”

“I trust you’re not planning on just jumping into the system.”

“Of course not,” Nathan replied. “Our last jump will put us just outside Sanctuary’s security perimeter. I was planning on transmitting our codes and continuing normally until we get clearance. I don’t trust Tweeson, either.”

“How long will it take to get a response?” Jessica asked.

“Sanctuary’s orbit is about twelve light minutes from the system’s star,” Vladimir explained. “We’re coming out of our last jump about two light hours from the star, so between one hundred and eight and one hundred and thirty-two minutes, depending on Sanctuary’s position along its orbit, in relation to our arrival point.”

“Couldn’t you just say a couple hours and leave it at that?” Jessica wondered as she moved past Vladimir and took the copilot’s seat to the right of Nathan.

“Vlad was telling me that Tweeson gave us a tip on who to contact on Sanctuary,” Nathan told her as she sat. “Some doctor named Symyri.”

“Why him?”

“He’s supposed to be the best in the quadrant,” Vladimir explained. “Apparently, he does all kinds of cutting-edge research, some of it of questionable legality in most systems. That is why he is on Sanctuary. Tweeson swears by him.”

“And you believe him?”

“I know the guy is shifty, at best,” Nathan said, “but so far, he’s honored his word.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Nathan, I don’t mind checking this guy, Symyri, out. I just want to vet the guy ourselves, before you put too much trust in him.”

“I’m talking about entrusting the guy with the care of my sister, Jess. Trust me; I plan on being one hundred percent certain before I do so.”

“Just checking.”

An alert tone beeped.

“Last jump is coming up,” Nathan announced. He quickly double-checked the coordinates of their final arrival point, ensuring that it was well outside of Sanctuary’s security perimeter, as planned. The last thing they needed, after all they had been through, was to be greeted by a jump missile. “Let’s hope Tweeson’s info about Sanctuary’s security perimeter is correct. Sanctuary is known to shoot first and ask questions later.”

“My kind of people,” Jessica commented.

“Jumping in three……two……one……”

The stars transitioned one last time, shifting so slightly that most people wouldn’t even have noticed.

“Jump complete,” Nathan announced, checking the navigation computer. “We’re two light hours from the system center.” Nathan reached down to the special transponder Vladimir had installed at the back edge of the center pedestal. “Here goes nothing,” he said, pressing the button to activate the transponder.

“What do we do, now?” Jessica asked.

“What else? We wait,” Nathan replied, “with one finger on the escape-jump button, of course.”

* * *

“XO, Comms,” Ensign deBanco called over the intercom in Cameron’s quarters. Cameron put down her data pad, rose, and walked over to her desk in the corner of her living area. “XO,” she replied after pressing the talk button.

“I have Minister Yekin of Rakuen on vid-com. He is asking to speak to Captain Scott.”

“Put him through to my quarters,” Cameron instructed.

“Aye, sir.”

Cameron moved around to sit at her desk, adjusting the monitor so its built-in camera was aimed at her. The incoming call light flashed, and Cameron pressed the button to accept the call.

A stately looking gentleman appeared on the screen, dressed in the traditional trappings of his position. Although his clothing and hair were impeccable, the bags under his eyes spoke volumes about the stress he was under.

“Minister, I am Captain Cameron Taylor, the Aurora’s executive officer and second in command. I’m afraid Captain Scott is not available at the moment.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Captain. I trust that Captain Scott is well?”

“Indeed, he is, Minister. He is dealing with a family matter at the moment; otherwise, I am certain he would take your call. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Minister Yekin sighed. “I have been authorized by my government to offer our deepest apologies for the highly controversial actions of the late Minister Sebaron.”

“The late? Oh, my, I wasn’t aware the minister was ill,” Cameron said, putting on her best performance.

“I’m afraid Minister Sebaron was assassinated shortly after your forces rightfully took back that which he had illegally seized.”

“That is horrible. Do you have any suspects?”

“No one specific,” Minister Yekin replied. “However, all evidence indicates that it was a member of one of the more radical groups who have recently voiced opposition to Minister Sebaron’s refusal to join your alliance.”

“I was not aware such groups existed on your world.”

“Historically, no.” Minister Yekin assured her. “Apparently, the people of Rakuen did not agree with the minister’s traditionalist beliefs. Many of us on the Leadership Council also had our reservations about his position, myself included, but Minister Sebaron was a very powerful, very well-connected elder in Rakuen society.”

“I’m sure he believed he was doing what was best for your world,” Cameron insisted.

“Thank you,” the minister replied. “I believe so, as well.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Minister?”

“Yes. My government has also instructed me to ask if your offer to protect Rakuen from the Dusahn is still on the table,” the minister stated, struggling not to choke on his words.

“I’m quite certain that it is, sir.”

“Excellent. We would be happy to sign whatever documents you require, just as soon as the captain is available.”

“I’m sure Captain Scott will be in touch with you as soon as possible, Minister,” Cameron promised. “In the interim, consider your world under Karuzari protection.”

“Thank you for that, Captain. I’m sure that will go a long way toward restoring peace and order in our cities.”

“It is my pleasure, sir,” Cameron assured him, “and please, feel free to contact me if you need anything further.”

“Thank you, Captain, and good day.”

“To you, as well,” she replied, ending the vid-call. “Damn, he is good,” she said, touching her intercom button. “Comms, XO. Get me General Telles on an encrypted channel.”

* * *

It had taken Nathan only a few minutes to fall asleep, once his head hit the pillow. Surprisingly, he felt more well rested than expected for only two hours sleep.

“I take it we received clearance?” Nathan asked as he stepped from the ladder into the Seiiki’s cockpit.

“Da,” Vladimir replied. “A few minutes ago.”

“Thanks for the nap,” Nathan said as Marcus moved out of the pilot’s seat to make room for Nathan.

“No problem,” Marcus replied. “I love sittin’ around doin’ nothin’.”

“You were supposed to be piloting the ship,” Nathan said.

“Like I said, doin’ nothin’.”

Nathan glanced at the console, quickly checking the state of all systems. “What the hell?” he said, noticing the time. “I’ve been out for four hours?”

“I saw no reason to wake you,” Vladimir stated.

“It took them four hours to reply?”

“Da.”

“You’ve been sitting up here for four hours?”

“Not the entire four hours,” Vladimir defended. “I ate, I went to the bathroom, I ate again.”

“What the hell took them so long?” Jessica wondered, climbing up into the cockpit to join them.

“I have no idea,” Nathan replied.

“Don’t look at me,” Vladimir added.

“I’d expect you to just be happy the codes actually worked,” Marcus said, “considering who gave them to us.”

“He’s right,” Jessica said as she climbed into the copilot’s seat.

“Damn, I’m leavin’ while I’m ahead,” Marcus declared, heading down the ladder.

“Did they say anything in the clearance?” Nathan asked.

“They just cleared us in and sent coordinates for us to jump to, and a comms frequency to make contact when we arrive,” Vladimir explained. “It’s on your data screen.”

Nathan studied his screen, reading the information. “This clearance has an expiration time, you know.”

“Yes, it expires in eighteen minutes.”

“I guess we’d better get moving, then,” Nathan decided, setting up the final jump in the Seiiki’s jump control computer. “How’s everything look?”

“All systems are good,” Vladimir assured him.

Nathan finished setting up the final jump and then looked over at Jessica. “Here we go.” Nathan activated the jump, and the stars shifted ever so slightly once again. He looked down at the navigation screen, then at the sensor screen. “That’s got to be it,” he said. “Damn, it’s bigger than I thought.” Nathan dialed in the supplied comms frequency. “Sanctuary Approach Control, this is the Seiiki. How do you copy?”

“Seiiki, Sanctuary Approach Control,” a female voice replied. “We copy you loud and clear. Fly heading two one seven by one two four.”

Nathan looked puzzled. “Control, Seiiki. We are unfamiliar with your course information format. Can you clarify?”

“Seiiki, Control,” the controller replied, sounding annoyed. “Do you have auto-flight capabilities?”

“Control, Seiiki. Affirmative,” Nathan replied.

“Seiiki, Control. Prepare for auto-flight linkup. You will be flown to bay three eight seven. Expect an inspection party upon arrival. Do not disembark until cleared to do so by the inspector. Confirm.”

“Control, Seiiki. We are standing by for auto-flight linkup. Expecting guidance to bay three eight seven. Will remain on board until inspector clears us to disembark.”

After a moment, the controller replied, “Seiiki, Control. Read back correct. Welcome to Sanctuary.”

Nathan sighed, looking first at Jessica, and then back at Vladimir. “For a second there, I thought we were in trouble.”

* * *

“Commander, flight ops reports Striker One will be delayed due to a mechanical problem,” the Aurora’s communications officer reported. “They are asking if they should re-launch Striker Two or Four in the interim?”

“How long of a delay are they expecting?” Commander Prechitt wondered.

“Ten to fifteen minutes,” the comms officer replied.

“It will take ten minutes just to refuel them,” the commander said with a sigh. “Refuel Strikers Two and Four, but do not re-launch either one, unless the delay on Striker One becomes greater than expected.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Striker Three, Flight. One is delayed due to mechanical. Expect launch in ten to fifteen. Looks like you’re solo for a while.”

“Flight, Striker Three. What’s the status on Strikers Two and Four?” Kenji asked.

“They are being refueled and will be relaunched if needed,” flight replied.

“What the hell?” Kenji spouted to Aiden. “Why don’t they just launch one of them now, instead of leaving us hanging?”

“They were both bingo fuel when they landed, Kenji,” Aiden replied. “Besides, it’s just another boring perimeter patrol. Jump; scan; repeat. I’m pretty sure we can handle it alone.”

“The patterns and timings were designed to be implemented by two ships, not one, Aiden,” Kenji argued. “They’re only half as effective with a single ship.”

“Then we speed up the cycle,” Aiden suggested. “Thirty-second scans instead of a full minute. We can even fly both the A and B patterns at the same time.”

“Both patterns,” Kenji stated in disbelief.

“We’ve flown them both plenty of times.”

“Not at the same time, we haven’t,” Kenji argued. “Do you know how easy it would be for someone to sneak past us?”

“Just the other day you were moaning about what a waste of time the perimeter patrols were,” Aiden reminded him. “Something about the astronomical odds of anyone stumbling across the fleet out in the middle of interstellar space, light years from any known shipping routes?”

“I was just venting…”

“You worry too much, Kenji. Nothing is going to happen,” Aiden insisted. “Trust me.”

“Contacts!” the Aurora’s sensor officer reported. “Jump flashes! Three ships just jumped in behind the fleet!”

“Range?” the commander immediately requested.

“Two hundred thousand kilometers and closing fast.”

“That’s inside the patrol perimeter,” the commander realized. Suddenly, he questioned his decision not to re-launch Strikers Two and Four. “ID?”

“Unknown types, and they’re not squawking friendly, sir,” the sensor officer replied. “Scanning them now.”

“Comms, vector Striker Three to intercept and identify,” the commander ordered.

“Aye, sir,” the comms officer acknowledged.

“They’re armed, sir,” the sensor officer reported. “Based on size, shape, armaments, and power signatures, I’m guessing a fighter and two small gunships. Plasma cannons, torpedoes, and high-energy lasers. And they are shielded.”

The commander tapped his comm-set. “Flight, OOD. Scramble eight. Repeat, scramble eight. This is not a drill.”

“OOD, Flight. Scrambling eight,” the Aurora’s flight operations officer replied.

“Tactical, set general quarters,” the commander ordered.

“General quarters, aye,” the tactical officer replied as the trim lighting around the bridge turned from pale blue to red, and the alert klaxon sounded.

“Sensors, link all data to the alert Eagles,” the commander continued. “Comms, alert the fleet. Tell them to be ready to jump.”

“Striker Three, Flight, alert. Three bogeys at two one zero, ten down. Armed and assumed hostile. Turn right forty and down twelve. Intercept protocol Tango Three. Range one eight zero thousand. Confirm.”

“Striker Three, turning right forty, down twelve,” Kenji replied. “Tango Three intercept, three hostiles at two one zero, ten down, range one eight zero thousand.”

“Striker Three, read back correct. Good hunting.”

Kenji glanced to his left at Aiden as he entered the parameters for the intercept jump. “‘Trust me,’ he says. ‘Nothing is going to happen,’ he says.”

On the Aurora’s fighter alert deck, eight pilots dressed in flight suits came charging out of the ready room at the front of the bay. They ran down the center of the bay, between two rows of secondary alert fighters parked just outside the port and starboard launch tubes.

As they ran down the aisle, the pilots peeled off left and right, between the secondary fighters, running to their own fighters, parked inside the launch tubes.

Commander Verbeek scrambled up the side of his Eagle fighter, vaulting over the edge and landing in the pilot’s seat in one smooth motion. A quick glance at his console displays confirmed that his ship had received its alert signal and had already started up its systems in preparation for immediate launch.

The commander’s crew chief plopped the commander’s helmet onto his head, connecting the comms and life support umbilicals, and then sealed the commander’s helmet to his flight suit.

The commander fastened his restraints, pulling them tight. His crew chief tapped the commander’s helmet three times, signaling that he was connected and ready, and then jumped back down to the deck. The crew chief glanced left and right, checking that everything was clear, then stood at attention, looking at the commander with his hand raised in salute.

The commander’s canopy slid closed and then latched, and a green light appeared on his canopy status display. The commander turned to his left and returned his crew chief’s salute, signaling he was ready for launch. “Ready One,” the commander reported over comms.

“Stand by on tube one,” the controller replied.

The launch tube doors behind the commander’s fighter began to close rapidly, the crew chief slipping through just before they closed up. Powerful pumps spun up with a distinct whine, sucking the pressure out of the launch tube airlock.

Commander Verbeek scanned his console. All systems showed ready for launch.

“Eagle One, launch in five…” the controller announced.

The fighter’s landing gear rose slightly off the deck, causing the ship’s weight to be transferred to its wingtips, which were resting atop the mag-rail sleds on either side. The gear quickly folded up into the fighter’s fuselage, its gear doors closing and sealing up the gear wells.

“…Four…”

The outer airlock door suddenly dropped into the floor, revealing the long, dimly lit launch tube on the other side. The small amount of air still left in the launch tube airlock rushed past the fighter and into the vacuum of the launch tube.

“…Three…”

With the outer airlock door now out of the way, the mag-rails on either side of the bay extended forward, locking into the rails that ran the length of the launch tube itself.

“…Two…”

The commander armed his main propulsion and maneuvering systems.

“…One…”

He grabbed the handholds on either side of his cockpit to brace himself.

“…Launch.”

The Super Eagle fighter leapt forward, accelerating quickly down the launch tube as the magnetic rails on either side pulled the fighter toward the exit at the other end. The dim, red light bars, lining each frame along the launch tube, rushed past him rapidly, and four seconds later, the fighter cleared the end of the tube and found itself in space.

“One, away!” the commander announced as he jammed his throttles forward, bringing his engines to full power.

“Two, away!”

“Three, away!”

“Four, away!”

As the other Eagles announced their successful launches, the commander called up the sensor data, being fed to them from the Aurora’s sensor officer, and quickly plotted an intercept course.

“Alpha Flight, Alpha Leader. Join up on me. Intercept course one eight zero relative, down five. Intercept jump on my command.”

“XO on the bridge!” the guard at the entrance to the Aurora’s bridge announced as Cameron walked past.

“Report,” Cameron ordered.

“Three unidentified ships jumped in directly astern of the fleet, now at one six zero thousand kilometers and closing,” Commander Prechitt reported. “Targets appear to be a single fighter and two small gunships, all of unknown design and origin, but definitely armed. Striker Three is about to intercept, and eight Eagles will join them in about thirty seconds.”

“What about Striker One?” Cameron asked.

“Delayed mechanical,” the commander replied. “Two and Four are refueling and can be ready in five, but…”

“This will be over in five,” Cameron surmised.

“My thoughts exactly. Shall I launch the second eight?”

“Affirmative,” Cameron agreed. “Comms, have you hailed them?”

“Affirmative, sir,” the comms officer replied. “All channels, no response.”

“Get me Striker Three,” Cameron ordered.

“Jump complete,” Kenji reported.

“I see them,” Aiden announced. “Two at my ten high. Gunships…I think.”

“Locking weapons on targets,” Kenji reported.

“Jesus, what the hell are those things?”

“Striker Three, Aurora Actual,” Cameron called over comms.

“Actual, go for Three,” Kenji replied.

“Identify targets and intent, but do not fire unless they show hostile intent.”

The two odd-looking ships, high and left of them, suddenly flipped over, bringing their noses and, more importantly, their weapons onto Striker Three.

“Holy shit!” Aiden spouted. “They just flipped over to put their guns on us! Ali! Fire warning shots across their bows!”

“Aurora, Striker Three! Gunships have put their weapons on us!”

The inside of Striker Three’s cockpit suddenly lit up with a flash of blue-white light, and a small, sleek-looking fighter streaked across their path, not more than ten meters away.

“SHIT!” Aiden exclaimed as he instinctively pushed their nose down to avoid a collision.

“We’re being engaged!” Kenji reported over comms.

“Have they fired on you?” Cameron asked.

“Negative, but one of them nearly rammed us!”

The cockpit filled with two more bright flashes of light. When they faded away a second later, Aiden looked around frantically. “They’re gone! They jumped! Dags! You got ‘em?”

“I’m looking!” Sergeant Dagata replied.

“Ali! Did you fire?”

“Negative!” Ali replied. “I never got a chance!”

“I’ve got ‘em, Aiden!” the sergeant reported. “Three two two, eighteen down, ten light seconds!”

“Have they changed course?” Aiden asked, turning toward the gunships’ new position.

“What do you mean, we don’t have their comms channels?” Josh exclaimed.

“Exactly that!” Loki replied defensively. “We have no way to communicate with them!”

“You couldn’t have told me that before we jumped inside their defense perimeter?” Josh wondered.

“I’m sorry!” Loki apologized. “It never occurred to me that the comms tech of this ship wouldn’t work with the Aurora’s comm-systems!”

“But they worked with the Seiiki’s comms, and the Seiiki’s comms work with the Aurora’s…”

“The Seiiki has four different comm-systems,” Loki explained, “probably because you guys operated in so many different systems over the years. These ships don’t have any kind of radio or laser comms. All they have are digital comm-systems!”

“But the Aurora can receive our digital signal, right?”

“Yes, but they won’t understand it,” Loki insisted.

“What about the comm-buoy frequency?” Josh asked. “We were able to get that data?”

“Only because I knew how to read the coded data, Josh. It doesn’t work both ways!”

“Fuck!” Josh cursed. “Talk about your screw-up!”

“I said I’m sorry!”

“Uh, guys?” Josh called over comms. “Apparently, our comm-systems are incompatible with the Aurora’s, and we are unable to ID ourselves as friendlies. Maybe you should jump back to the comm-buoy and wait, while we figure something out.”

“What about comm-sets?” Lieutenant Rezhik suggested.

“Uh, maybe,” Josh replied, “but they don’t normally listen for comm-sets outside the ship, especially when they’re at general quarters.”

“We’ll have to get really close for the signal to get through the Aurora’s hull, so someone inside the ship hears us,” Loki realized.

“I guess that’s the plan, then,” Josh decided. “Clear out of here, guys.”

“Are you sure, Josh?” Corporal Vasya asked.

“No use in all of us getting shot at,” Josh replied. “Besides, one ship is less threatening than three.”

“We’ll be waiting for you at the comm-buoy,” the lieutenant said. “Good luck.”

“This is insane,” Loki mumbled as he prepared new jump coordinates for Josh.

“Maybe,” Josh agreed, “but at least this time, it wasn’t me who screwed up.”

“Thanks,” Loki replied. “I feel so much better.”

“Targets have jumped away!” Kenji reported over the Aurora’s comms. “Two of them are now at three two two, eighteen down, ten light seconds!”

“Order Striker Three to join up with Alpha Flight at two zero zero, eight down relative, and reengage,” Cameron ordered.

“Aye, sir.”

“Bravo Flight is launching now,” the tactical officer reported.

“I have the targets,” the sensor officer announced. “All three of them, though.”

“Are they still on course for the fleet?” Cameron asked.

“Yes, sir…wait…the gunships are turning to port…they’ve jumped.”

“What about the fighter,” Cameron ordered.

“It just jumped, as well… Jesus! Contact to starboard! One click!”

The fighter streaked across the bow of the Aurora. Something unintelligible squawked in Cameron’s comm-set, distracting her as the fighter flashed past.

“What the hell was that?” Commander Prechitt wondered, yanking his comm-set out of his ear.

“Point-defenses are engaging!” the tactical officer announced.

“Christ!” Cameron exclaimed. “We don’t even know who they are yet!”

Bolts of plasma energy slammed into the Sugali fighter’s aft shields, violently rocking the tiny fighter.

“Jesus!” Loki exclaimed.

“Do you think they heard us?” Josh wondered as he tapped the escape jump button.

“I’m pretty sure those point-defenses mean they didn’t,” Loki replied.

“Those could be automatic,” Josh reminded him.

“They could be,” Loki admitted.

“Another pass, then?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“A little slower, maybe?”

“Any slower and they’ll fry us,” Loki pointed out.

“Maybe jump in a little further out?” Josh suggested.

“Same result,” Loki argued.

“Well, there’s only one way to know if they heard us,” Josh decided, pulling their fighter into a tight one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn.

“Contact to port!” the sensor officer barked. “One kilometer!”

“Firing point-defenses!” the tactical officer announced.

Cameron and Commander Prechitt stared at the main view screen in amazement as the tiny, sleek fighter took an arcing flight path directly over the nose of their ship. The ship spiraled as it passed over them, maneuvering wildly.

Again, Cameron’s comm-set burst with sound, but it was garbled and covered with static. She turned to look at her communications officer as the fighter jumped away again. “Am I the only one who heard that?”

“I picked up something, Captain, but it was too weak to make out.”

“Do you think it’s coming from that fighter?” she wondered.

“It’s possible,” the comms officer admitted.

“Bravo Flight is attempting to pursue the fighter,” the tactical officer reported. “Alpha is hunting for the gunships.”

“Did you see the way that guy was maneuvering?” Commander Prechitt wondered.

“How could I,” Cameron replied. “He was moving too fast.”

“Play it back at one-tenth speed,” Commander Prechitt instructed the systems officer.

The live image on the main view screen gave way to the slow-motion playback. The fighter arced across their nose again, only this time they could plainly see that it was translating erratically from side to side, as well as up and down, all in random intervals as it spiraled across their screen.

“Incredible,” the commander exclaimed. “Do you realize how difficult a maneuver that would be?”

“I have an idea,” Cameron assured him.

“It could be an automated evasive sequence,” the tactical officer suggested.

“While it was flying an arc over the top of us?” the commander argued. “I don’t think so.” He turned back to face the view screen. “Play it again, even slower.” The commander stared in fascination as the fighter deftly evaded all of the point-defense fire being sent its way. “Whoever this guy is, he’s good. Really good.” He looked at Cameron. “Probably the best I’ve ever seen.”

“Where’d he go?” Cameron asked her sensor officer.

“I’m looking for him, sir.”

Cameron looked at Commander Prechitt. “The question is, what does he want?”

“They’re still shooting at us, Josh,” Loki said.

“No kidding.”

“This isn’t working.”

“No kidding,” Josh repeated.

“But it should have worked,” Loki insisted. “Maybe their shields are getting in the way.”

“We were jumping inside their shields, Loki,” Josh reminded him.

“Then maybe our shields are getting in the way.”

“I think I have an idea,” Josh decided. “Taylor’s on the bridge by now, right?”

“I’d assume so,” Loki agreed.

“And none of the other ships in the fleet have jumped yet?”

Loki glanced at his sensor display. “No, they haven’t,” he realized, surprised.

“That means she hasn’t decided whether or not we’re a threat.”

“Uh, they’re shooting at us, remember?”

“That’s just point-defenses, Loki,” Josh argued. “They’re mostly automated. If they really wanted to kill us, we’d already be dead.”

“I’m not sure what your plan is, Josh, but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like it,” Loki decided.

“Well, that’s a given,” Josh laughed as he brought their fighter onto a new heading and tapped the jump button.

“They could be trying to distract us,” Lieutenant Dinev, the helmsman, suggested. “Or they might be testing our defenses prior to a strike.”

“Maybe,” Cameron admitted, “but something doesn’t add up.”

A jump flash filled the bridge for a moment.

“Jesus!” Ensign Bickle exclaimed, startled by what he saw on the main view screen.

There was the sleek, little fighter, floating directly above the Aurora’s bow like they were looking out the window at it. Its nose was pointed down and slightly to starboard, and they could see directly into the little fighter’s canopy.

“The fighter is completely powered down, Captain!” the sensor officer reported. “Weapons, shields, even its power plant. It’s basically adrift but matching our course and speed perfectly.”

“Captain!” the tactical officer interrupted urgently. “They managed to jump to a position where our point-defenses can’t get a shot. The only way I can target them is with the forward plasma cannon turrets, but I’d have to override the safeties that keep the cannons from shooting at each other.”

“Damn, this guy is good!” Commander Prechitt repeated.

“Where the hell is Bravo Flight?” Cameron demanded.

Cameron’s comm-set squawked again, only this time, she could barely make out a voice.

“Vectoring them back to intercept now,” the tactical officer replied. “Intercept in fifteen seconds!”

She put her hand to her ear, concentrating on the words. “Comms, can you boost that signal on the comm-set band?”

“Boosting!”

“Au…ra! This ……… Shee… Do ……re! We are frien…… Re…… Do not fi… It’s Jo………ki! It’s Josh …… oki!”

Cameron spun around, pointing at her tactical officer. “Hold your fire! Tell our birds to stand down!”

“Did I just hear…?” Commander Prechitt started to say in disbelief.

“Magnify!” she ordered.

The view screen shifted, zooming in on the cockpit of the sleek, little fighter. She could clearly see both Josh and Loki, looking up at them, waving frantically.

Cameron grinned from ear to ear. “Flash our running lights so they know that we heard them,” she ordered.

“I’ve deployed the external comm-set antenna, Captain,” the comms officer announced. “You should be able to talk to them now.”

“Loki, Aurora Actual. How do you copy?”

“We copy you loud and clear, Captain!” Loki replied with excitement.

“That’s an awfully peculiar way to communicate non-hostile intent,” Cameron commented.

“Not my idea, Captain,” Loki replied.

“Yeah, I figured,” Cameron replied. “Why the comm-sets?”

“These ships don’t have compatible communications gear, sir. This is the best we could come up with.”

“I see,” Cameron replied. “Where is the Seiiki?”

“Probably on Sanctuary by now,” Loki replied. “Captain Scott told us to bring these ships back to Deliza for study. They’ve got some pretty slick tech in them.”

“I suppose you should land, then.”

“We have to go back and fetch the Diggers, first,” Loki explained.

“Diggers?”

“The other two ships. The Ghatazhak are flying them. We sent them back to the fleet’s last position, where you left the comm-buoy, while we established communications with you.”

“Understood. You’ll all be cleared to the port landing bay when you return,” Cameron replied.

“Copy that,” Loki replied. “And thanks for not blowing us to bits.”

“My pleasure,” Cameron replied. “Aurora Actual, out.” Cameron turned to Commander Prechitt, smiling. “The best you ever saw, huh?”

“Please don’t tell him I said that,” the commander pleaded.

* * *

Nathan stood in the cargo bay, along with Vladimir and Jessica, his arms crossed as he waited patiently.

“What the hell is taking them so long?” Jessica complained. “It’s been over an hour.”

“This is the first time the Seiiki has been in their port,” Nathan replied. “I imagine it takes a bit longer the first time around.”

“I can size up a target’s performance, weapons, and threat level from a hundred thousand kilometers away, in seconds,” Jessica said. “You’d think they could size us up in no more than a few minutes.”

“They probably are required to create a baseline scan, to compare against for future visits,” Vladimir suggested.

“Stop your whining,” Marcus insisted as he entered the cargo bay. “They do this to every ship that comes to Sanctuary. That’s one of the reasons this place is still around.”

“It was that bad?” Vladimir wondered.

“The closest I ever came to gettin’ killed was on Sanctuary…back in the day.”

“The closest?” Nathan challenged.

“Well, the closest before I hooked up with you people.”

“So, they’ve cleaned it up since then?”

“That’s what I hear. I ain’t been back here in some time, though, so I can’t speak from experience.”

“Gentlemen,” the inspector said, announcing his arrival in the cargo bay. As he spoke, his four assistants passed behind him, heading down the cargo ramp.

“All done?” Nathan asked.

“Did we pass?” Vladimir added.

“Almost,” the inspector replied, looking at his data pad. “In order to remain on Sanctuary, we will require that all weapons are stored in your weapons locker and that it is secured with one of our locks.”

“No way,” Jessica protested out of instinct.

“I’m sorry, but this requirement is not negotiable.”

“How are we supposed to defend ourselves?” Jessica protested.

“If everyone’s weapons are secured and under Sanctuary’s control, you should have no need to defend yourselves.”

“And we’re supposed to trust Sanctuary to protect us?” Jessica challenged. “With all the nefarious types that frequent this place?”

“Which is precisely why we require secure control of all weapons,” the inspector explained. “This is also why the requirement is not negotiable.”

“How do we get access to our weapons, again, after we depart?” Nathan asked.

“The lock that we install will disengage once you have cleared port. You may continue to use it if you wish. It is user-programmable.”

“And it will automatically reengage when we return?”

“Correct. The lock is activated and deactivated as you pass in and out of port. You just need to be sure to store all your weapons in your locker prior to arrival. While we allow some leeway on your first visit, weapons found to be unsecured on subsequent visits result in harsh penalties.”

“I see,” Nathan replied. “Very well. Install your lock. We will put all weapons in the locker.”

“Nathan!” Jessica objected.

“That’s an order,” Nathan told her with a firm tone.

“This is a really bad idea,” Jessica objected as she removed her sidearm and headed for the weapons locker.

“I noticed that you brought a considerable amount of precious metals and other goods that can be used as barter,” the inspector said. “I assume you intend to make some sizable purchases during your stay.”

“We were hoping to, yes,” Nathan admitted. “Why do you ask?”

“Sanctuary collects a tax on all transactions. That is how we survive. It is also why all ships are subjected to both arrival and departure inspections.”

“You mean, we have to go through this again on the way out?” Jessica asked.

“Yes, but all subsequent inspections will take far less time, now that we have a baseline for your vessel,” the inspector assured her.

“See, I told you,” Vladimir said.

Jessica scowled at him as she took both his and Nathan’s sidearms to stow.

“Is there a list of rules that we should be aware of while we are here?” Nathan wondered.

“The rules on Sanctuary are fairly simple,” the inspector assured him. “Harm no one, deceive no one, and do not take what does not belong to you.”

“Simple enough,” Nathan replied.

“Oh, and declare all transactions prior to departure, so that the appropriate taxes can be assessed,” the inspector added, smiling.

“Of course.”

The inspector handed his data pad to Nathan. “If you will look at the target on the data pad, it will conduct a retina scan to keep on file. You are the captain of this ship, I assume?”

“I am,” Nathan confirmed as he held up the data pad to be scanned.

“Would you like to authorize anyone else to represent your ship in your absence?” the inspector inquired.

“These two and my crew chief over there,” Nathan replied, handing the data pad back to the inspector.

The inspector handed the data pad to Vladimir. “Please state your name and look at the target so you can be scanned.”

“Vladimir Kamenetskiy,” Vladimir stated as his retina was scanned.

“Might I ask if you know of a Doctor Symyri?” Nathan inquired as the inspector took the data pad from Vladimir and handed it to Jessica.

“Of course,” the inspector replied with earnest. “He is one of the most respected physicians on Sanctuary. His skill and expertise in tissue and organ regeneration is unmatched. They say he can ‘bring back the dead,’” the inspector added with ghoulish tone. “Of course, he is also the most expensive, but that should not be a problem for you.”

“Jessica Nash,” Jessica said as her retina was scanned.

“Any idea where I can find him?” Nathan wondered.

“As you can imagine, due to his reputation, it can be quite difficult to get an appointment with Doctor Symyri. People wait months, sometimes years, to be seen by him or one of his interns.”

“Marcus Taggart,” Marcus announced as his retina was scanned.

“It is really important that I speak with him,” Nathan insisted. “It is the primary purpose of our visit.”

A concerned look came over the inspector’s face, and he stepped back, his eyes darting from one person to another. “Oh dear, I hope none of you are…”

“No, we are all fine,” Nathan assured him. “It is for my sister. She is in grave condition, quite possibly beyond the abilities of our physicians.”

The inspector thought for a moment, then looked to one side as he spoke. “I suppose I could make a few calls…to a few people I know……” The inspector crossed his arms, purposefully not looking Nathan or the others in the eyes as his right hand slowly rotated and opened, as if he were expecting something to be placed in his open palm.

Marcus handed the data pad to Jessica, who then passed it to Nathan. Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out eight credit chips, placing them on the data pad, and then handing it back to the inspector.

The inspector looked at the credit chips and smiled. “Level forty-seven, section two-forty-four. He has an office there, where he conducts all initial meetings with new patients. He will be expecting you,” the inspector added with a wink.

“Thank you,” Nathan replied, nodding respectfully.

“Where do we go to shop for tech?” Vladimir asked.

“Best to start at level thirty-eight, section one zero one,” the inspector replied. “That will lead you to whatever you seek.”

“Excellent,” Vladimir exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement. “Thank you.”

The inspector nodded at Vladimir, then turned to Nathan, handing him a small, electronic lock. “Affix this to your weapons locker, Captain…” He looked down at the data pad. “Scott.” He looked up at Nathan in surprise, then back down at his data pad, and back up at Nathan. “Oh, my…the Captain Scott? Captain Nathan Scott?”

“The one and only…so to speak,” Nathan replied.

“Uh…I am honored…and a little embarrassed, to be honest,” the inspector gushed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the credits Nathan had given him. “I cannot accept this, Captain. Not from you. Not from Na-Tan.”

“But, I need to speak with Doctor Symyri,” Nathan insisted.

“And you shall, I swear it. I have a sister myself,” the inspector told him. “Please,” he insisted, handing Nathan the credits.

“Thank you,” Nathan replied, accepting the credits back.

“It is an honor to meet you, Captain,” the inspector insisted. “All of you. And please, enjoy your stay on Sanctuary.”

Nathan watched as the inspector left, then turned to Vladimir and Jessica. “Nice guy,” he said, shaking the credits in his hand. “Shall we?”

* * *

Deliza followed Juro and Minora as they toured the Ranni plant, checking that operations were back to normal after the illegal Rakuen occupation.

“As you can see, nothing has changed,” Juro assured them. “In fact, the only damage sustained was during the liberation, and even then, only to the perimeter wall and some of the security measures outside. Everything inside is pretty much as it was.”

“Then we can resume production?” Deliza asked.

“All I have to do is recall the workers, and I am certain they will be quite happy to return to their jobs,” Juro replied. “However, some have expressed concern since, now that Rakuen is joining the Karuzari Alliance, this plant will become a high-value target to the Dusahn.”

“They are right to be concerned,” Deliza agreed, “which is why we are planning to expand our production facilities and will be operating around the clock.”

“That will require additional manpower,” Juro warned.

“Then we must hire more people.”

“Expansion, staffing, around-the-clock operations…all of this will be costly,” Minora warned. “Do we have the funds?”

“Ito Yokimah has agreed to provide funding for the expansion,” Deliza explained.

“Yokimah?” Minora asked. “On what conditions?”

“His only condition was that the Gunyoki races continue.”

“How can the Gunyoki protect Rakuen and participate in the races?” Juro wondered.

“Some changes will have to be made, of course,” Deliza explained. “Since the Gunyoki are being fitted with jump drives, the race course will have to be changed. After all, the purpose of the races is supposed to be to maintain their readiness to defend Rakuen. And the Gunyoki will need the additional practice, in order to become skilled with their use. A rotation schedule will be developed that will allow all pilots to compete, while still participating in the protection of Rakuen and the war against the Dusahn. What that schedule will be, is still being negotiated. In the meantime, the needed funding is already available to us.”

“I wasn’t even aware that our government had signed the charter,” Juro admitted.

“Their commitment is still only verbal, at this point. However, they have promised to sign the charter in a few days.” Deliza stopped, turning to Minora. “Again, Minora, I cannot apologize enough for what you have been put through. I never meant for you to get swept up into all of this.”

“Please, it was nothing,” Minora assured her. “A bit scary, I admit, but in retrospect, I was actually treated quite well. If any of us was put upon, it was Juro. He really had to step up and keep things together.”

“I thank you, as well, Mister Araki,” Deliza said to Juro.

“It was an honor,” Juro replied. “I am just happy that Minora is back, and things will be returning to normal.”

“As am I,” Deliza assured him. “However, I suspect that things will be anything but normal. Not only are we expanding production, but we are also adding a dedicated research and development facility, where Doctor Sorenson and myself will be working.”

“Doctor Sorenson?” Minora asked, shocked. “The inventor of the jump drive? I thought she was on Earth.”

“She joined us more than a month ago,” Deliza replied.

“That is exciting news,” Juro agreed.

“If you think that is exciting, wait until you see what she wants to develop next,” Deliza replied.

* * *

After spending an hour in Sanctuary’s tech market with Vlad, Marcus, Dalen, and Neli, Nathan and Jessica had parted company and proceeded down to level forty-seven. After making their way to section two-forty-four, they spent the next hour wandering the maze of corridors in search of the good doctor’s office.

Most of Sanctuary was a confusing hodgepodge of compartments, tunnels, and caverns, all of them built or excavated at various times over the asteroid-based world’s centuries-long history. To make matters worse, there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to the labeling systems used. On more than one occasion, the section numbers had suddenly reversed direction on them or skipped the number they were expecting entirely.

“This is insane,” Jessica complained. “How does anyone find anyone else in this place?”

“We’re on the right level and in the right section, Jess,” Nathan insisted. “It’s just a matter of time until we find the right office. At least this section is not as confusing as some of the others.”

A door opened further down the corridor, and a woman stepped into the corridor, walking away from them.

“Excuse me!” Nathan called out, trotting down the hallway after her.

The woman looked concerned, noticing Nathan’s long hair, scruffy beard, and mismatched clothing.

“Terribly sorry to bother you, ma’am, but I was hoping you could help us?” Nathan asked. “You see, we’re a bit lost.”

The woman looked puzzled, and then replied in a language Nathan was unfamiliar with.

“Oh, boy,” he said. “We’re looking for Doctor Symyri,” Nathan explained slowly and clearly. “Do you know where Doctor Symyri’s office is located?”

“Symyri?” the woman replied, recognizing the name.

“Yes, Symyri,” Nathan exclaimed excitedly. “We’re looking for Doctor Symyri.”

The woman began rattling off instructions and pointing. Unfortunately, Nathan didn’t understand any of it. “Are you getting any of this?” Nathan asked Jessica as she caught up with them.

“Only that it’s…thataway,” she replied, pointing in the same direction as the woman.

The woman slowed down, noticing the forlorn look on Nathan’s face. She smiled, said something else in her language, and began walking down the corridor in the same direction she had been pointing, which was the opposite direction she had originally been headed.

Nathan and Jessica watched her walk away, confused. The woman turned back to them, saying something else in her language. When she realized they didn’t understand her, she gestured for them to follow, and said, “Symyri, Symyri, Toa dori tudah!”

“I think she means to take us to Symyri’s office,” Nathan realized.

“Yes…Yes… Symyri, Symyri! Tudah yayho!” she insisted. She stepped back and took Nathan by the hand, leading him down the corridor. Nathan looked back at Jessica, smiling.

Jessica rolled her eyes and followed Nathan and the lady. They made their way back down the corridor, around the next corner, turning right and then left, and then right again. Finally, the lady came to a stop. She pointed at the door and said “Symyri.”

Nathan looked at the nameplate on the door. For the life of him, he couldn’t see how the letters spelled out Symyri, but he was thankful nonetheless. “Thank you,” he gushed at the woman. “Thank you, so much.”

“Beyin norday,” she replied, before smiling and continuing on her way.

Jessica opened the door and stepped inside, with Nathan following. The reception area was small, and there was no one in the waiting area. “I thought this guy was supposed to be in high demand?” Jessica wondered.

“The inspector did say this is just an office where he conducted first meetings with new patients,” Nathan reminded her.

A woman came out, greeting them in what sounded like the same language the lady who led them there had spoken.

“Uh-oh, this is going to be difficult,” Nathan commented.

“I can speak English if you prefer,” the receptionist told him.

“Oh, thank God,” Nathan exclaimed. “We’re here to see Doctor Symyri. I believe he is expecting us?”

“And you are?”

“Nathan Scott.”

“Oh, yes,” the receptionist replied. “It is an honor to meet you, Captain. The doctor will be with you in a moment.”

“Thank you,” Nathan replied.

“Excuse me,” Jessica interrupted. “I’m curious. Everyone here on Sanctuary seems to know about Captain Scott, which seems kind of surprising since this place is so far from both Earth and the Pentaurus sector.”

“Yes, we are far from everywhere,” the receptionist agreed. “But ever since the jump drive reached us, we have been in constant contact with other systems, even other sectors. The tales of Captain Scott and his band of heroes was one of the first to reach us here on Sanctuary.” She looked at Jessica and smiled. “I’ll bet you’re Jessica Nash, the one who fired the shot that freed Takara, aren’t you?”

Jessica looked at Nathan, smiling. “Finally, some recognition.”

“It is an honor to meet you, as well,” the receptionist assured her. “My son will be so impressed when I tell him. Please, can I get you both anything? Kora tea, likora juice, water?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Jessica assured her, moving to take a seat.

“I’m fine, as well,” Nathan said, also sitting.

Nathan looked at Jessica as she sat down next to him. “You happy?”

“What? I can’t have a little recognition for all my sacrifices?”

Nathan smiled.

“Hey, have you noticed that everyone here seems to be really fit?” Jessica commented.

“Not everyone,” Nathan argued.

“I’m only talking about the people who live on Sanctuary, not the visitors,” Jessica explained. “You can tell because they all wear the same formfitting body suits.”

“I just thought only people who were fit would be brave enough to wear those outfits,” Nathan said. “She isn’t wearing one.”

“She’s wearing medical garb,” Jessica argued. “But she looks pretty damned fit, as well.”

“I guess they’re all very health-conscious on Sanctuary,” Nathan observed.

“Or their food is disgusting,” Jessica suggested.

The inner door opened, and the receptionist appeared in the doorway. “Captain, the doctor will see you now,” she said, inviting them in.

Nathan and Jessica rose and followed the woman down a short corridor and into a large office filled with a bizarre collection of tissue and organ specimens, antique medical devices, and other medical paraphernalia, most of which neither of them had ever seen before.

“Christ,” Jessica exclaimed as the receptionist closed the door and departed. “This place is freaky. Who is this guy, Doctor Frankenstein?”

“I don’t care,” Nathan insisted. “As long as he can save Miri.”

“I don’t know. Are you sure you want to entrust her to…… I mean, look at all of this.”

“So, he collects odd things,” Nathan said. “A lot of people do.”

Jessica shrugged her shoulders.

The door opened again, and Doctor Symyri walked in. He was much older than them, had long, grey hair that was a bit unkempt, and wore a suit and tie under his lab coat. The man had a confident, yet somehow slightly insane, look about him as he took a seat behind his desk and looked them both over.

“I was right,” Jessica said under her breath.

“How many generations did it take?” the doctor asked Nathan.

“Pardon?” Nathan replied.

“For the Nifelmians to successfully clone you and get your memories restored. That is how you managed to escape execution at the hands of the Jung, is it not?”

Nathan was flabbergasted. “How did you know?”

“If it has to do with human medical sciences, I know of it,” Doctor Symyri replied. “Much of my payment for services is in the form of information. Very unique information. So, tenth, eleventh?”

“Uh…” Nathan was still in shock.

“It was Doctor Sato, I assume?”

Again, Nathan looked surprised.

“She and Doctor Megel disappeared from Nifelm just after you surrendered to the Jung. A man and a woman, bearing striking resemblances to Doctor’s Sato and Megel, were rumored to be working for Ranni Enterprises on Corinair. Miss Nash, the Ghatazhak, and a few others…all left Earth, never to return, at about the same time. Then, seven years later, you reappear. Not too difficult to put together, really, assuming you have the right information.”

Nathan looked at Jessica. “I think she said fifth, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, fifth.”

“Really?” Doctor Symyri was genuinely surprised. “Remarkable. I would surely like to meet Doctor Sato and pick her brain a bit. She must have figured out a way to accelerate the cloning process considerably.”

“Uh, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about the whole cloning thing,” Nathan said. “Many cultures are quite opposed to the idea.”

“Yes, it’s a shame, really. That’s one of the reasons I chose to practice here, on Sanctuary. No such restrictions, and the people are quite open-minded and accepting of just about anyone and anything.”

“But still…” Nathan said.

“Your secret is safe with me, Captain. I assure you that I hold the concept of doctor-patient confidentiality as the cornerstone of good patient care. I also find that information loses its power when shared with too many, or with even one when it is the wrong one.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Nathan replied. “I appreciate that.”

“So, how can I be of help to you, Captain?” the doctor wondered. “Did something go wrong with your cloning? Perhaps some side effect due to the acceleration process?”

“I do not seek care for myself,” Nathan assured the doctor. “I am here on behalf of my sister, Miranda. She was badly injured and is likely beyond the capabilities of our physicians.”

“What is the nature of her injuries?” the doctor wondered.

Nathan pulled a data chip out of his pocket and handed it to the doctor. “I’m hoping that this data chip will be compatible with your systems.”

Doctor Symyri smiled as he took the chip from Nathan and inserted it into a reader. “My systems are designed to translate and convert between many languages and many data storage systems,” he bragged as he watched his screen. After a few seconds, his expression changed, becoming more dour. “Oh, my, I am surprised your sister is still alive.” He looked at Nathan, feeling a bit guilty for his bluntness. “I apologize. Sometimes, my zealousness for my work gets in the way of my tact. Your sister must be a remarkably strong-willed person.”

“What’s her strength of will got to do with her ability to survive trauma?” Jessica wondered.

“You would be quite amazed at how much one’s state of mind has to do with the host body’s ability to survive both illness and injury,” the doctor insisted. He looked back at Nathan. “Captain, you must get your sister to me immediately.”

“Then, you can save her?” Nathan surmised, becoming hopeful for the first time since his injured sister had arrived.

“I cannot promise you anything,” Doctor Symyri replied abruptly. “But I can tell you this with relative certainty: if your sister can be saved, I am the only physician in this entire galaxy who has any chance of doing so.”

“She is in stasis at the moment,” Nathan told him.

“Which buys us some time, but not as much as most physicians believe,” Doctor Symyri insisted. “You see, stasis systems do not suspend the human metabolism, they only slow it down a great deal. The body still ages, and organs that are dying, whether due to trauma or disease, will still die. Often times, while in stasis, they will deteriorate enough that they cannot be saved. In fact, I suspect that many of your sister’s internal organs and structures are already too far gone to be saved. We will have to grow replacements.”

“So, you’ll have to perform transplant surgeries, then,” Nathan concluded.

“In a manner of speaking, yes. However, we do not call them transplants, since the replacement organs do not come from donors. They are exact replacements of the patient’s own, damaged organs. In fact, they are usually better than the originals, since we filter them for genetic diseases and abnormalities during the process.” The doctor examined the data again. “She was subjected to a corinite explosion, wasn’t she?”

“She was,” Jessica confirmed.

“I can see traces of radioactive decay in her liver, pancreas, and what’s left of her only kidney. The signature is unique to corinite and a few of its derivatives. Very nasty stuff. If the original blast does not immediately kill you, radiation sickness gets you later.” The doctor looked at Nathan again, his eyes pleading. “You must bring her to me as soon as possible,” he insisted. “Every minute counts. I must rid her body of the residual corinite before it is too late.”

“I will bring her to you directly,” Nathan agreed.

“Nathan, don’t you think you should ask what his price is?” Jessica suggested.

“Jess, she’s my sister,” Nathan scolded. “Whatever his price, I’ll find a way to pay it.”

“You do not understand, Captain,” Doctor Symyri said. “I am offering to save your sister without fee. I only ask that you compensate me for the resources required, which, I should point out, will be considerable.”

“And how much will that cost?” Jessica asked.

“Jess,” Nathan objected.

“An opportunity to discuss cloning with Doctor Sato would be more than enough compensation, in my eyes,” Doctor Symyri assured them.

“Deal,” Nathan said, jumping at the offer.

“Nathan,” Jessica tried to interrupt.

“I’ll get her here as quickly as I can, Doctor, and thank you,” Nathan said, rising to shake Doctor Symyri’s hand.

“I will do everything within my power to make her well again, Captain Scott. On that, you have my word. My receptionist can give you the details on how and where to deliver your sister to my medical clinic on level one one two.”

“Of course, and thank you, again,” Nathan said, turning to exit. “Let’s go, Jess.”

Jessica rose and followed him out, waiting until after they had retrieved the delivery instructions from Doctor Symyri’s receptionist, and were well into the corridor outside his office, before speaking out again. “Don’t you think you need to do a little more checking on this guy before you hand Miri over to him?”

“I’m not planning on handing her over to him,” Nathan told her. “I’m going to send Doctor Sato and Doctor Chen along to keep an eye on the guy, as well as Miri, not to mention a few Ghatazhak to protect them all.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not crazy, you know.”

“Just checking,” Jessica assured him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Nathan did not wait for the Seiiki’s cargo ramp to completely deploy before he and Jessica began to disembark. At the bottom, everyone was waiting for him. Josh, Loki, Lieutenant Rezhik, Corporal Vasya, Deeks, Brill, and even Cameron and General Telles.

“Well, this is a hell of a welcoming party,” Nathan said as he rushed down the ramp. “I wish I had time to chat, but we’ve got to refuel and load up to head out again.”

“To where?” Cameron inquired.

“Back to Sanctuary,” Nathan replied. “We found someone who might be able to save Miri.”

“That’s great news, Nathan, but you can’t go, just yet. Things have happened since you’ve been away. Big things.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t stay,” Nathan insisted. “Doctor Symyri said that every minute counts, so I have to get her there immediately, and it’s an eighteen-hour journey to Sanctuary from here.”

“Nathan, please,” Cameron insisted.

“Don’t make me give you an order, Cam,” Nathan warned her, looking her dead in the eyes.

“You need to listen to your XO, Captain,” General Telles strongly suggested.

Nathan looked at the general, then Cameron, then at the others. “Alright, I’ll hear you out, but we walk and talk…and I’m not making any promises.” He turned around to look at Marcus. “Get the ship refueled and ready for departure. I want to be wheels up in thirty minutes.”

“We’ll be ready,” Marcus promised.

* * *

“I don’t care,” Nathan replied.

“How can you not care?” Cameron demanded. “Wasn’t it you who said how much we needed the Rakuens?”

“Yes, but you said they agreed to wait until I was available to sign the charter. I’m not available! Not yet! I will be available in a few days, a week at the most. Besides, why can’t you or General Telles sign the charter with them? Why does it have to be me?”

“Because you’re Nathan Scott!” Cameron insisted. “You are Na-Tan!”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

“To you and me, it’s bullshit, but it doesn’t matter what you and I think. It only matters what they think, and I’m not just talking about the Rakuens. I’m talking about the Nerameseans, the Corinairans, the Takarans, the Havenites, the Volonese, and everyone else on every other human-inhabited world who has heard the stories about how Na-Tan saved both the Pentaurus cluster and the Sol sector!”

Nathan continued walking, passing into the medical department. “Doctor Chen,” he greeted as he entered.

“They’re already here,” Doctor Chen told him. “I moved them here this morning, to reload her with nanites and to run diagnostics on your niece and nephew’s stasis levels. I can have them ready to go in a few minutes.”

“I need you to go with them, Doc,” Nathan told her.

“What?”

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need someone I can trust. Someone who is a medical doctor, to keep an eye on whatever this Doctor Symyri does.”

“Who is Doctor Symyri, and what about my duties here? I can’t just walk out on the crew…”

“We have six doctors in the fleet, including all the medical facilities on Rakuen and Neramese.”

“Then send one of them,” Doctor Chen insisted.

“I can’t trust any of them, not with my sister’s life. I can trust you.”

Doctor Chen shook her head, still in shock, unsure what to say. “Where would I be going?”

“A place called Sanctuary,” Nathan replied. “And, if this guy is as good as everyone says, you could learn a lot of new techniques and bring them back to help us.”

“Well…would I be going alone?”

“No, I need Doctor Sato to go, as well,” Nathan said.

“Why me?” Doctor Sato said, even more shocked than Doctor Chen had been. “I’m not even remotely qualified. I haven’t practiced actual medicine in over a century. I’ve only been doing simple procedures here.”

“Doctor Symyri wants to talk shop with you about cloning. Apparently, he does a lot of cloning himself.”

“Of humans?”

“Of organs, mostly…I think. Anyway, the only payment he requested was to have a chance to pick your brain and learn from you. The guy seems really smart and really loves to learn. Maybe he can even show you a few tricks.”

“Wait, does he know that I cloned you?”

“Yes, he does.”

“How?”

“He put the pieces together and figured it out for himself,” Nathan explained. “Like I said, the guy is smart. A bit quirky, but smart.”

“Wait, I heard this Sanctuary place was supposed to be some kind of haven for criminals and pirates, and stuff. Black market and all that,” Doctor Chen said. “Will we even be safe?”

“Things have changed there,” Nathan assured her. “They’ve cleaned the place up.”

“Then, they don’t have criminals and pirates, and black-market stuff anymore?” Doctor Sato surmised.

“No, they still have all that stuff. They just made it safer for everyone. Besides, I’m planning to send the Ghatazhak along as security.”

“If it’s so safe now, why do you need to send the Ghatazhak along with us?” Doctor Chen challenged.

“Because it’s my sister, Doc,” Nathan replied. “And because I want to make doubly sure that both of you remain safe, as well. It’s not like I had time to scope the entire asteroid out beforehand.”

“It’s on an asteroid?” Doctor Sato wondered.

“Please, I’m asking you both, not ordering you. This is the best and, quite possibly, the only way to save her. I can’t afford to lose her,” he begged, nearing tears. He looked at Cameron. “Haven’t I lost enough already? How much do I have to give? They are all I have left; them, and my own life, and I already failed at giving that up.”

Cameron and the others found themselves without words.

“I’ll go, Nathan,” Doctor Chen said softly. “I’ll look after them.”

Nathan turned around slowly, his eyes swollen and red.

“So will I,” Doctor Sato added.

“As will I,” Lieutenant Rezhik stated firmly. “As will my men.”

Nathan turned back around to Cameron. “I have to go, Cam.”

“And if the Dusahn should attack?” Cameron asked.

“You’re better at running this ship than I’ll ever be, Cam,” Nathan admitted. “If they do attack, you should be in that chair, not me.”

“You’re wrong about that, Nathan,” Cameron disagreed. “But I understand that you must do this. I will stall the Rakuens, as best I can. Just get back as fast as you can. This rebellion cannot survive unless it becomes an alliance, and it cannot become one without someone to lead it. That someone is you. It’s always been you. All of us know this. That’s why Jessica and Telles have risked their lives to save you. That’s why they risked them, again, to awaken you. That’s why I threw away my career and gave my ship to you. You have always been a leader. I knew it the first time I met you. Your father knew it, and deep down inside, you know it, as well. You just don’t want to accept it. Unfortunately, until you do, it will continue to tear you apart.” Cameron turned and left without saying another word.

Nathan looked at General Telles.

“Do what you must, Nathan. We will hold things together in your absence,” the general said before leaving, as well.

“I will prepare a team and meet you at the Seiiki, Captain,” Lieutenant Rezhik promised before departing.

Nathan looked at Jessica, the only one of them left, as she stepped forward.

“Let’s do this,” she told him.

* * *

Nathan stared through the window of the stasis tube at his sister’s motionless face. He tried to imagine her sleeping, but her greatly reduced metabolic rate made her appear dead, making it even more difficult for him.

“I wish you were awake, Miri,” I said softly. “There is so much I want to talk to you about. So much that I do not understand…about myself, and my place in all of this. You have always been the only one I could really talk to, the only one who truly understands me. I really need you to wake up, now, and tell me you’re going to be okay, that all of this is going to work out in the end. Please, Miri? For me?”

Nathan’s eyes began to well up. He sniffled, wiping the tears away.

“I know you would understand why I have to do this. I really wish you could tell me so, right now, and make this easier for me.”

For a moment, Nathan was unable to speak, for fear of breaking down and losing all control. Finally, he regained his composure. “It’s alright, Miri. You reserve your strength. I will be strong enough for both of us…… For all four of us.”

Nathan leaned forward, turning his head and laying it on the glass, to be closer to his sister, worried that he might never see her again.

“Nathan,” Jessica called softly from the doorway. “Vlad called. The Seiiki is ready.”

Nathan sniffled again, wiping more tears from his eyes.

“Are you okay?” Jessica asked.

Nathan struggled to pull himself together, standing and straightening the long, black, civilian coat he was still wearing. He didn’t turn around; not at first. “I’m fine,” he finally replied. “Thank you.”

“The techs want to come in to move them,” Jessica told him.

“Of course,” Nathan replied, stepping aside, averting his eyes so she wouldn’t see how upset he really was.

“It’s alright, Nathan,” Jessica assured him. “Everyone understands.”

He looked at her. “I don’t,” he admitted. “But I think I’m starting to.” Nathan pushed past Jessica, through the doorway and into the next room, stepping aside while the technicians prepared all three stasis pods to move to the Seiiki for transport.

“Rezhik, Vasya, Deeks, and Brill are ready to go, as are Doctor Chen and Doctor Sato,” Jessica told him, placing her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “Josh and Loki are insisting on being the ones who fly you and your family back to Sanctuary. Personally, I think Josh just wants to visit Sanctuary, but I’m sure Loki was sincere.”

“What about Vlad?” Nathan asked. “I’m sure he wants to go, as well. He wasn’t too happy that we cut our first visit so short.”

“Yeah, he’s still aboard,” Jessica confirmed, “also refusing to let you go back to Sanctuary without him.”

“And you?” Nathan asked.

“I go where you go,” she told him. “You know that.”

Nathan tried his best to smile as the technicians began rolling the stasis pods out, beginning with his sister’s. He watched as Doctor Chen and Doctor Sato led the way out of the Aurora’s medical department and into the main corridor, which led directly aft, straight to the forward entrance of the main hangar bay, where the Seiiki was waiting.

Nathan paused a moment, then looked at Jessica. “Let’s do this,” he said, heading for the exit to follow the others.

When he stepped into the corridor, he stopped dead in his tracks. Lining either side of the corridor was the crew of the Aurora, already standing at attention, already holding a salute. Officers and enlisted, pilots and flight line crew, cooks and corpsmen, engineers and technicians…they had come from all over the ship, both on duty and off, to wish their captain luck.

Nathan felt something he had never felt before. Something indescribable. He was bonded to all of these people, as they were to him. They were all his responsibility, and because he was willing to accept responsibility for them, they were willing to lay down their lives on his command. They believed in him more than he believed in himself, and yet, they supported him in his decision to put the needs of his last remaining relatives ahead of theirs.

A memory suddenly came to him, one that had been locked away for more than seven years. A similar walk, down this very same corridor. The faces were different, yet the same. That walk had been to a far more ominous fate, yet this walk was somehow just as difficult.

Nathan glanced at Jessica out of the corner of his eye.

“This wasn’t my doing,” she assured him.

Nathan turned his head forward again, his eyes still down. He took a deep breath and then looked up, keeping his eyes locked on the team pushing the last three surviving members of his family toward the main hangar bay as he followed them confidently down the corridor.

He passed through the forward entrance to the main hangar bay. The massive compartment was filled with even more men and women. Ghatazhak, Corinari, even civilians, all had somehow found their way to this bay, for this moment, to show their captain that they supported him one hundred percent.

As he followed the caravan of stasis pods across the hangar, toward the Seiiki’s cargo ramp, a single thought plagued him.

How can I do this to these fine people?

The pods came to a stop at the base of the Seiiki’s cargo ramp. Nathan and Jessica also stopped, watching, as all six technicians joined together to push his sister’s stasis pod up the cargo ramp and into the Seiiki, where Marcus would secure it for the journey to Sanctuary.

As he watched, he remembered what Doctor Symyri had said. ‘You would be quite amazed at how much one’s state of mind has to do with the host body’s ability to survive both illness and injury.’

At that moment, his decision was made. “STOP!” he ordered as the technicians prepared to roll the first of Miri’s two children’s stasis pods up the Seiiki’s cargo ramp. He walked forward briskly.

“What are you doing, Nathan?” Jessica asked, following alongside him.

“The right thing,” Nathan replied. He walked up to the two pods. “Wake them,” he ordered. “Wake them both.”

The lead technician turned and called up the ramp. “Doctor Chen!”

“Nathan, what the hell?” Jessica asked.

“Not now,” Nathan snapped in a determined tone of voice.

“What’s going on?” Doctor Chen asked as she came down the ramp.

“Wake them,” Nathan repeated.

“Captain…”

“Is there any reason why you can’t?” Nathan asked. “Any medical reason?”

“No, but…”

“Then wake them,” Nathan repeated. “That’s an order.”

“Nathan, maybe out here, in front of everyone, isn’t the best place to do this,” Jessica suggested.

“There couldn’t be a better place than right here, right now, Jess,” Nathan insisted. “I’m sure of it.” He looked at the lead technician again. “Do I have to repeat my order, Sergeant?”

The corpsman looked at Doctor Chen, who nodded. He looked back at Nathan. “No, sir,” he replied, moving to the control panel of the first pod. “Wake her,” he told the technician at the head of the pod in front of him.

Nathan stood silently, watching from a distance as the technicians started the waking cycle. He could feel the eyes of every man and woman in the Aurora’s hangar bay, as well as all the curious minds elsewhere in the ship, having heard the news of the captain’s decision to wake his niece and nephew at such an odd moment.

The waking cycle took several minutes, during which every conceivable thought and every possible doubt crossed Nathan’s mind. Yet somehow, he was able to sweep them all away, focusing on the moment and the task he had so hoped to avoid.

Finally, the first pod cracked open with a hiss, and Doctor Chen stepped forward to check on the first of Miri’s children to awaken. He was unsure which of them had awakened first, until he saw Kyle being carefully raised into a sitting position by one of the corpsmen, so Doctor Chen could tend to Melanie, whose pod had just opened.

When the doctor moved away, Nathan got his first clear view of Kyle. He had been a young boy when Nathan last saw him. Now, he was a young teenager, probably just starting puberty. He looked groggy and confused, even more so when he spotted his long-dead uncle.

Kyle’s eyes widened as Nathan slowly approached, doing his best to smile at the young man. “Am I dreaming?” he asked in a broken, scratchy voice.

“No, Kyle, you’re not dreaming,” Nathan assured him as he approached.

“But you’re supposed to be dead,” he said, confused. “We went to your funeral…”

“I know. It’s a long story, and I’ll tell it all to you, someday. But not today.”

“Where’s my mom?” Kyle wondered, looking around.

“She’s still in stasis,” Nathan replied, fighting not to choke up.

“Is she…?” Kyle was also having difficulty controlling his emotions, brave young man that he was. “…is she okay?”

He already knows, Nathan realized. It suddenly made sense. They must have told them what had happened before they put them in stasis. They would have had to.

“No, Kyle,” Nathan replied, only able to hold it together because his nephew needed him to. “She is still very sick.”

“Then why did you wake me?” Kyle wondered. “They said we would stay asleep until she was better.”

Nathan sighed, stepping closer to Kyle and putting his arms around him. “I’m sorry, Kyle, but I woke you because your mother is going to need you. You and your sister. She needs your strength, and she needs your love. More importantly, she needs to remember why she must fight to live. Because you and Melanie still need her,” he told him. Nearly choking up again, he added, “As do I.” Nathan buried his face in Kyle’s hair as he hugged him tighter. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you, buddy. But you’re strong, just like your father was. I need you to be strong for your mother, for your sister, and for me.” Nathan pulled away slightly, looking Kyle in the eyes and wiping away his tears. “Can you do that for me?”

Kyle nodded.

“Kyle?” Melanie called, also in a scratchy, broken voice.

Nathan closed his eyes tightly for a moment, fighting back the tears. Then he turned around to look at his niece.

Melanie’s eyes widened greatly, as if she’d seen a ghost. “Uncle Nathan?” she said, unsure if she was really seeing him.

Nathan nodded, moving over to her. “It’s me, Mel. It’s Nathan.”

Melanie threw her little arms around Nathan’s neck. “I knew you weren’t dead, I just knew it.”

“You did, huh?” Nathan replied, starting to cry.

“Uh-huh,” she replied. “Kyle said I was crazy, but I knew.” She spotted Kyle being helped down out of his stasis pod behind Nathan. “You see, I told you, Kyle,” she bragged. She then noticed all the people standing around looking at them. “Uncle Nathan?” she whispered. “Who are all these people?”

“This is my crew,” Nathan explained. “They came here to wish you, Kyle, and your mother good luck and a safe journey.”

“Is Mama awake, too?” she asked with a hope that nearly broke Nathan’s heart.

“No, she’s not, Mel. Not yet. But with the help of you, Kyle, and some really good friends of mine, including some amazing doctors, we’re hoping she will wake up real soon.”

She looked at Nathan and smiled. “If you can come back from the dead, then anything’s possible, right?”

“That’s right,” Nathan said, almost laughing. “My friends will explain everything to you on the way there,” he promised her.

Melanie’s face suddenly looked worried. “You’re not going with us?”

“Not now, honey, I can’t.”

“Why not?” she wondered.

“Because these men and women need me to lead them.”

“Lead them where?”

“To do battle with some bad people, like the ones who hurt your mother.”

“And killed Grandpa and Aunt…”

“Yes,” Nathan said, interrupting her. He couldn’t bear to hear all of his deceased sister’s names read off, even if she was doing so out of love and respect for those she had lost.

Melanie put her hands on Nathan’s face, sensing his pain. “You can do it, Uncle Nathan. You’re Na-Tan. You can do anything. You can even come back from the dead,” she added, smiling.

Kyle came up next to Nathan, taking his sister’s hand. “You’ll come see us, right?” he asked, looking up at Nathan.

“You bet,” Nathan promised. “Just as soon, and as often, as I can.” He looked at Lieutenant Rezhik and his men, as well as Vladimir, Josh, Loki, Marcus, Neli, and Dalen, all of whom were standing at the top of the Seiiki’s cargo ramp. “Meanwhile, these people will take very good care of you. So, I need you to do what they tell you.”

Kyle turned and looked up at the Seiiki’s motley looking crew, all of them still dressed in their pirate garb. “Those people?” he asked, extreme doubt in his voice.

“I know they look kind of crazy, but trust me, you couldn’t ask for better friends.” Nathan picked Melanie up, lifting her out of her stasis pod and setting her on the deck, holding onto her until he was sure her balance had returned.

“I’d like to check them both over, before we depart, Captain,” Doctor Chen said. “Inside the Seiiki, perhaps?”

“Of course,” Nathan replied. “Go with Doctor Chen, guys,” he told Kyle and Melanie. “She needs to examine you and make sure you’re okay, before departure. I’ll be up to visit with you a bit more before you go,” he promised.

“Kyle, Melanie,” Doctor Chen greeted with a smile. “I’m Doctor Chen, but you can call me Melei. Why don’t you both hold my hand. We’ll go up the ramp together, and I’ll show you the Seiiki.”

Nathan watched as Doctor Chen slowly led them up the ramp, Melanie turning to wave at him from the top, before continuing inside. As they moved inside, Marcus came down the ramp to Nathan. “We’ll look after them like they were our own, Nathan.”

“I know you will, Marcus. Thanks.”

“I’ll go along, as well,” Jessica told him, preparing to follow Marcus up the ramp. “I’m good with kids.”

“Don’t let Vlad buy everything on Sanctuary,” Nathan told her, smiling.

“You got it, Skipper,” she replied, winking at him as she headed up the ramp.

“All this wasn’t necessary,” Nathan said to Cameron as she came up to stand beside him. “Appreciated,” he added, turning to look at her, “but not necessary. I decided not to go before I left medical.”

“I didn’t do this, Nathan,” Cameron assured him. “They did it themselves. That’s why you’re the right man to sit in the chair, and you always will be.”

Nathan smiled at his friend. “As long as you’re there to tell me when I’m screwing up.”

“Always,” she replied, returning his smile. “Now, go and spend a little time with them, before they depart. We have a war to fight, and it could be a long one.”

Nathan smiled again, then headed up the ramp to say his farewells; secure in the knowledge that he had not only made the right decision, but that he was now at peace with his destiny.

Thank you for reading this story.

(A review would be greatly appreciated!)

COMING SOON

Episode 9

of

The Frontiers Saga:

Rogue Castes

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