by Simon Haynes
Table of Contents
Sierra Bravo
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
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Publication Details
The Hal Spacejock Series
The Mysteries in Metal series
The Secret War series
The Harriet Walsh series
The Robot vs Dragons trilogy
The Hal Junior Series
How to Write a Novel
Short Fiction by Simon Haynes
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Sierra Bravo
Book 3 in the Harriet Walsh series
Copyright © Simon Haynes 2018
Release v 1.05
Bowman Press
Written and published using yWriter by Spacejock Software
Stock images © depositphotos.com
3D models © cgtrader.com
This novel, like the author, employs British spelling.
Chapter 1
"That comes to twenty-five eighty," said Arthur Rose, as he finished running the shopping over the scanner.
His customer frowned. "Why is it more expensive every time I come in?"
Arthur sighed. "I've had trouble getting a few items, Mrs Timms. You know how it is, we're a bit of a backwater and freighter pilots charge whatever they can get away with." He'd had the same complaint from half a dozen customers already, but what could he do? He wasn't running a charity, but sometimes it felt like it.
Mrs Timms, his elderly customer, shook her head. "You don't know how to barter. Tell 'em you'll pay half next time, and they'll be lucky to get that much."
"They have to pay for fuel," said Arthur gently. "It can't be cheap, running a ship all over space."
"Those greedy cargo pilots wouldn't have dared to pull their little tricks when the Peace Force was running this town."
"That was years ago, Mrs Timms." More years than Arthur cared to remember, truth be told. After the Chirless branch of the Peace Force closed down, most of the older officers had taken early retirement. Some of them had got bored with the inactivity and opened little corner shops, just like Arthur's. It was hardly heart-racing excitement, but at least it gave them something to do.
"Once a copper, always a copper," said the old lady firmly.
Arthur opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment the front door swept open, and he frowned as he saw the newcomers. There were two men, both in their mid-twenties, and they had the kind of hardened expressions that usually featured on wanted posters.
The men stopped to browse a rack of fresh food, but Arthur could see them watching him out the corner of their eyes. He could smell the danger, and his instincts were screaming warnings. Were they going to hold the place up? If so, he'd have no chance against two of them, not at his age. Thinking quickly, he took a flyer and scribbled on the back. "Here's a coupon for your next shop," he said, giving Mrs Timms a quick smile. "Don't forget to tell all your old friends. This place could really use their help right about now."
"If you lowered your prices you wouldn't need coupons," sniffed Mrs Timms. She peered at the writing and tutted. "You really are desperate, aren't you?" she said, studying him with her shrewd grey eyes.
It was a gaze Arthur knew all too well, having been arrested by Captain Timms any number of times before she finally convinced him to mend his ways.
"Very well," she said. "You can rely on me. I'll spread the word." With that, she tucked the flyer away and left, without so much as a glance at the interlopers.
Then the front door closed, leaving Arthur alone with the two men.
— ♦ —
"Yes, of course it's a serious matter. Rest assured I'll put my best people onto it right away. Thanks for calling the Peace Force." Harriet hung up and glanced across the office. Alice, her younger sister, was sitting at a terminal nearby, where she was supposed to be studying for one of Bernie's Peace Force tests. Even from this distance, Harriet could see Alice was looking at pictures of space ships. And not just any ship, they were shots of the same kind of deep space fighter currently parked on the roof of their building. "Trainee Alice!" shouted Harriet.
Alice jumped. "Don't do that!" she protested, hurriedly swiping the images off her screen. "Can't you see I'm studying?"
"I know exactly what you're studying," growled Harriet. "You're lucky Bernie didn't see, or she'd kick you straight out of the Peace Force."
"Don't be daft. Bernie adores me."
"Oh really? So why does she spend all day in the charger, if it's not to avoid you?"
"That's easy. Her batteries are stuffed." Alice frowned. "What's with the yelling, anyway?"
Harriet remembered the call. "I've just been chewed out by some eagle-eyed resident. They spotted Rover flying around last night, and he was so low they couldn't hear themselves think."
"Okay. First, that's a ridiculous name for a ship. Second, everyone on Dismolle is about a hundred years old, and the only way they'd spot a ship at night is with a bionic eye. And third … Rover … um … hasn't been flying anywhere. He's, er, out of fuel."
"Alice!"
"What?"
"Bernie won't even spring for a few sheets of printer paper. She's never going to pay to refuel Rover." Harriet felt a flash of anger. What was Alice thinking, taking the ship out for joyrides over the city? Bernie would get so angry she might blow up, and given the size of the huge robot the explosion could level the Peace Force building.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Speaking of trouble," muttered Alice.
"That's no way to talk about your superior officer," said Harriet, with a frown.
The thuds grew louder, and a big blue robot strode into the office. Bernie was two metres tall and at least a metre and a half wide. She had an eyeplate where her eyes should have been, and a very human-looking mouth, which was currently set into a firm line. Harriet realised Alice was right about the trouble. "Trainees, I've had some disturbing news."
"It wasn't me," said Alice quickly. "I'm just sitting here, studying hard for that Peace Force test."
Bernie ignored her. "The online auction for our fighter jet just ended."
Harriet blinked. "I didn't even know there was an auction."
"Indeed. I decided we could use the funds for more appropriate equipment."
"That's a great idea!" said Harriet. "The coffee maker is on its last legs, and that shower head in the locker room sprays more water into the sink than—"
"I was talking about Peace Force equipment," said Bernie severely. "Items like computer terminals, new uniforms … perhaps even replacement batteries for myself."
"We could get those things too," said Harriet generously.
"For a while I thought the listing would be unsuccessful," said Bernie. "There was absolutely no interest for the first day or two."
Given Dismolle was almost entirely p
opulated by elderly retirees, Harriet wasn't surprised. "Maybe the reserve price put people off."
"I didn't set a reserve. There was an additional charge for that service, and I felt it unnecessary."
Uh-oh. "So, er, how much did we make on the auction?"
"Bearing in mind the ship cost us absolutely nothing, I'm pleased to report we made a profit."
"So why so glum? What's the disturbing news?"
"The amount was not that great," admitted the robot.
Out of the corner of her eye, Harriet saw Alice browsing pictures of spaceships again. She was going to shout at her, but she had more important matters to deal with. "How much, Bernie?" she demanded bluntly.
"YES!" shouted Alice, leaping up and pumping the air. "I got it. I got it!"
"What is up with you?" snapped Harriet, turning her attention to Alice. "What the hell are you doing, bouncing all over the office?"
"Me? Oh, nothing." Alice paused. "Can you put three credits into my account?"
"What, now?"
"Yeah, it's kind of urgent. I have to pay for something."
Harriet rolled her eyes. Here they were in the middle of a crisis, and Alice was bidding on spaceship posters. "Bernie, can you handle it?"
"Of course." The robot beeped. "Transfer successful."
Alice tapped her screen, and the robot beeped again.
"What was that?" demanded Harriet.
"It was an incoming transfer. The successful bidder just paid for the ship."
"How much?" said Harriet, but she already knew the answer.
"In round figures … three credits. Minus fees and listing charges."
Harriet felt like the ground was shifting under her feet. "You sold our fighter jet for three credits?"
"Like I said, that amount represents one hundred percent profit."
Harriet strode across to Alice's terminal and tilted the screen. There was a picture of a spaceship all right, but it wasn't a poster. It was a real spaceship … their spaceship. Slowly, she met Alice's gaze. "You bid on Bernie's auction?"
"Sure. I love me a bargain."
"You bought Rover?"
"Yeah, well that name's out for a start." Alice rubbed her chin. "I like Arnie so much better."
"Alice, you can't buy our ship! We need it for emergencies!"
"Don't yell at me! Bernie put the auction up, and it could have gone to anyone. And I'm sorry, but … emergencies? On Dismolle?"
Harriet would have said more, a lot more, but at that moment Dave Birch hurried in from his shop, which he ran from the station's front office. Dave was a retired Peace Force officer, and he rarely came into the station proper. He rarely looked upset either, and he never hurried anywhere. What with his unexpected presence, his unusual turn of speed, and the fact his lined face was creased with worry, Harriet didn't need her Peace Force training to figure out something was up. "What is it, Dave?"
"I need your help, all of you. It's an emergency!"
Chapter 2
Instantly, Alice and Harriet were all business, their squabble forgotten. Bernie was always business, so she didn't have to alter her expression in the slightest.
Birch eyed all three of them. "I've got an old colleague in Chirless. Used to be one of my superior officers. She was out shopping, and a couple of toughs showed up looking for trouble."
"Did she arrest them?" demanded Alice.
"She's in her eighties," said Birch curtly.
"Fair enough."
"Mind you, I bet she was tempted. Anyway, the shop owner slipped her a note, asking her to get help." Birch spread his hands. "So here I am."
"Wait, this is going on right now?" said Harriet.
"Yeah, hence the rush." Birch nodded at the ceiling. "I know you've got that ship up there. I thought we could fly over to Chirless, and—"
"There's a slight problem with that," said Harriet.
"That's okay," said Alice. "I'll lend you Arnie any time."
"I was thinking about the fuel."
"Not a problem. The listing said the owner would fill it up before delivery."
Harriet's eyes widened, and she stared at Bernie.
"I thought it would encourage more bids," said the robot, looking highly uncomfortable.
"One hundred percent profit, eh?" Harriet shook her head. "All right, we'll sort this mess out later. Dave, what are we going to need?"
"Riot gear and guns." Birch glanced at Bernie. "A huge indestructible robot wouldn't go amiss, either."
"She's way too heavy for Arnie," said Alice firmly. "He'd never get off the ground."
"In any case," said Bernie, "my place is here at the Dismolle station."
"All right, let's gear up." Harriet typed a code on the armoury keypad and hauled the door open. Inside there were lots of shelves, mostly empty. A couple held folded uniforms, several helmets and a couple of riot shields, the plastic yellowed and crazed with age. Harriet passed Dave and Alice as much as they could carry, then took down a locked plastic case. "Bernie, can you authorise this?"
Bernie took the case and unlocked it, then turned it towards Harriet. "Do you promise to use these weapons for the good of the Peace Force?"
"I do."
Bernie nodded, and the training pistol beeped. Alongside it, nestled in the case, was a double-barreled blaster. Harriet took the blaster and passed the training weapon to Birch.
"Hey, what about me?" said Alice.
"You're flying the ship," said Harriet. "Come on, we'll suit up on the way."
— ♦ —
They took the lift to the roof, where they emerged into the afternoon sunshine. The deep space fighter was sitting on its landing pad, towering over them like a sleek, grey-painted shark. Alice ran ahead to the ship, where she opened a hatch in the belly and pulled down the access ladder.
"Oh great," puffed Birch. "Just what I needed, more exercise."
"Are you sure you want to come?" asked Harriet. "Alice and I can handle this."
"What, miss out on my first Peace Force case for twenty years?" Birch grinned at her. "Just try and stop me." Even so, he looked apprehensive as they walked into the deep shadows under the ship.
Harriet waited for him to climb the ladder, then followed. They emerged in a small airlock filled with lockers and storage cupboards, and they followed Alice up a set of stairs to the cockpit, where she took the pilot's chair while Harriet and Birch settled in the two passenger seats at the rear.
"Is she all right flying this thing?" murmured Birch, as he did up his harness.
Harriet shrugged. "She's been flying all over the city recently, and Rover's smart enough not to hit anything."
"Oh, so that's the noise that's been keeping me awake at nights. I thought it was thunder."
"If she could afford the fuel she'd be buzzing cities on other planets."
"In that case, I'll organise a whip-around. It'd be worth if for a good night's sleep."
"I can hear you both, you know," Alice called from the pilot's seat. "Now strap in, we're ready to go. And Harriet, if you don't start calling this ship Arnie, you're not coming aboard ever again."
Alice flicked the starters and the engines burst into life with a shattering roar. Harriet eyed Birch's harness. "I'd pull that a bit tighter if I were you."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. Really."
He was still complying when the ship launched itself into the air, leaving the Peace Force building - and their stomachs - far below.
"Take it easy Alice!" called Harriet.
"I'm not flying. It's Arnie."
"I thought my name was Rover?" said the ship's computer, in an even male tone.
"Yeah, not any more," said Alice. "Arnie is way cooler."
"User dictionary updated."
"Can you take us to the Dismolle spaceport? We need fuel."
"So do I," said the ship, and Harriet clung to her seat as they turned sharply and tore across the city. The engines bellowed like a pair of angry dragons, and she cringed as she im
agined the noise complaints Bernie would be fielding.
"Can't we fly any higher?" she shouted.
"Negative," said Arnie calmly. "Climbing wastes fuel, and there is none to spare."
"Do we have enough to get there?"
"Checking now."
"What do you mean, checking now? Why didn't you check before?"
"I didn't know our destination prior to lift-off."
Harriet closed her eyes. Some mission this would turn out to be, if they ended up sitting in a field waiting for a fuel truck. Then, before she could say anything, Alice spoke into a mic.
"This is your captain speaking," she said, her voice loud through the cabin speakers. "After our fuel stop at the Dismolle spaceport we'll be heading directly for Chirless. Estimated time of arrival is …" Alice checked a display. "… about ten minutes."
"That can't be right," said Harriet. "Last time I took a sub-orbital flight to Chirless it was forty minutes, at least."
"Who said anything about sub-orbital?" Alice grinned over her shoulder. "We're going to skim the ground at full power."
Harriet just hoped they avoided any settlements between Dismolle and Chirless, because full power in this particular ship was enough to tear the surface off the landscape and leave giant furrows in its wake. Some company was apparently planning to build an underground transport loop between the two cities. Well, if they waited a bit, they could just follow in Arnie's brand new tracks, adding a roof. They'd have their tunnel finished in no time.
Moments later they swept across the spaceport landing field, where the ship set down on a vacant pad. The engine noise tailed off, and Harriet watched through the canopy as a pair of robots dragged a fuel hose towards them. There was a series of loud thumps as it was connected.
"They're asking for payment," said Arnie.
"Tell them to bill the Dismolle Peace Force." Harriet glanced at Alice. "Don't even think about trying that without authorisation."
"Who, me?" said Alice, looking innocent.
"I mean it," growled Harriet. "Bernie would pull your arms off."
There was another thud as the hose was disconnected, and once the robots were clear Alice gave the order to lift off. The ship rocketed into the sky before turning towards the sun.