Gravity Flux: Kestrel Class Saga Book 3

by Toby Neighbors

  “It’s always possible,” Nance said. “We just have to wait and see what Ben can do.”

  “It is a shame to come this close and fail to see our plans through,” Jones said. He patted the satchel. “This is my life’s work.”

  Nance wanted to tell him not to despair. She wanted to give him the pep talk she knew Ben would have given, but she didn’t have the confidence nor the will to do it. Her world was crumbling around her, and in many ways, death was preferable to being stranded on Torrent Four again.

  Chapter 26

  “Here comes someone,” the woman in the dirty dress said.

  The Scalpers were stretched out in a line. They would break into three groups once the fighting started. Hoya was in the center group, but well in the back. His most devoted followers were ahead of him, including the woman in the dirty dress. The outlaw leader claimed to be keeping their prisoner in the back as a bargaining chip, but Kim knew the truth: He wouldn’t risk his life in the fight that was coming. Instead, he would throw his followers at the ship to overwhelm Ben and the others by sheer weight of numbers. Then, like a conquering hero, he would take control of the ship and pass out the spoils to the survivors, while the dead were discarded like trash.

  “Looks like he’s all alone,” Hoya said. “Pass the word to stay alert, but no one moves until I say so.”

  The woman hurried to deliver the message. Kim was slumped onto the frame of some old craft. It was twisted and broken. Kim couldn’t recognize what it had been, but it was still strong enough to support her weight, and for the moment, she was thankful for that.

  Her leg was aching, but that wasn’t her biggest concern. She was so exhausted her body was trembling. She knew it wasn’t from the wound in her leg. Something else was taking a toll on her, and it was taking all her will power to keep going.

  “I’ll go out to meet him,” Hoya told one of his lieutenants, a big man with a massive belly. “Keep her here, but make sure she’s in view.”

  “It won’t do any good,” Kim said.

  “And why is that?” Hoya asked.

  “He won’t give up the ship,” Kim said.

  “You’d be surprised what people will do under the right circumstances,” Hoya said. “Keep her here, and keep her quiet.”

  The big fat man grinned.

  Kim felt a shudder of fear. There was no honor among the thieves on Torrent Four. And nothing was beneath them. She had value, partly as a pilot, and partly as a woman. It made her shudder to think about what they would do to her once they had control of the ship, but she was too weak to fight them off. Maybe she could find a piece of metal or glass that was sharp enough to slit her wrists. Better to die than be a slave to a group of depraved Scalpers.

  Ben was getting closer and she could see him clearly. He looked confident. She could see the laser pistol in the holster strapped to his thigh, the perfect spot for a quick draw. She wished he would shoot Hoya and use the outlaw leader as a human shield while he blasted away at the Scalper’s followers. But that was a futile gesture, just a daydream. There was nothing realistic about it. If Ben attacked Hoya, the Scalper’s followers would open fire on him. Ben would be eviscerated, and Kim didn’t think she could stand to see that.

  Still, she had no hope of Ben giving up the ship. He was obviously up to something, but her mind seemed muddled again. She was so tired, her arms and legs felt like they weighed hundreds of pounds. Just holding her head up was a chore. Whatever Ben was going to do, she hoped it didn’t depend on her taking action. She had just enough strength to make one final gesture, either against her captors or against herself. Then she could die. At least that would end the shame she felt for getting everyone she cared about into such a dire predicament.

  As Ben drew close to Hoya, Kim felt a pang of regret. She loved him and it hurt to think that he would choose a spaceship over her. Yet she had no doubt that giving up the Echo simply wasn’t an option for Ben. He had spent years rebuilding her and risked his life to get her flying. Nothing was more important to him than the ship, not even Kim. That truth hurt. She had to admit that being second to something, even something as rare and valuable as a starship, was bitter to her even at that moment. She loved Ben, and wanted nothing but good things for him, yet she feared the pain of once again being rejected.

  Hoya would offer a simple trade—Kim for the Echo. He might even offer to let Ben join his band of outlaws. But Kim knew what Ben would say to such an offer. He would laugh. Perhaps not outwardly, but he would scorn the very thought of making a trade for her. And the fact that Kim didn’t want him to make that trade didn’t lessen her pain. She was second rate, perhaps her impetuous decision to leave the ship proved as much, but she hated to admit it. Life was so different from flying. In the pilot’s seat, she knew exactly what to do. She could trust her instincts and do almost anything. The rest of her life was a complete disaster. It seemed like she constantly made the wrong choice.

  The two men were close enough to speak. Ben stood easy, with his hands at his sides. Kim thought he looked handsome, almost dashing. He wasn’t brawny like Magnum, but he wasn’t weak. Ben wasn’t cocky like a pilot either, yet he had a quiet, powerful confidence and the ability to make good choices. She hoped he would make a good choice with Hoya. She hoped he knew better than to trust the Scalper. But most of all, she hoped she could survive the heartbreak of being rejected yet again.

  Chapter 27

  Ben felt vulnerable, but he tried not to let it show. He was fifty yards from the ship. If the outlaws tried anything, he would dash back to a heavy water tank that laid nearby. It was little more than a rusty hulk, but it would offer some cover. And if he could get back to the ship, he would have a surprise in store for the outlaws.

  It would be better still to negotiate. The thought of giving up his ship was painful, but as he glanced over to where Kim was slumped against the rusty frame of an old ground transport, he knew that all he wanted in the entire universe was for her to be okay. He would give up the ship for her; he would even give up his life. Failure simply wasn’t an option, despite the fact that he knew he couldn’t trust the Scalpers. Yet somehow, someway, he had to get Kim to safety. He just hoped he had a chance to tell her how sorry he was, and how much he cared for her before he was killed.

  The outlaw approaching him was a tall man in a long overcoat that was sewn together from a variety of fabrics. It was dirty and sweat stained, but still in good shape. Ben could see Kim’s pistol, which looked absurdly small, in a holster around the outlaw’s waist. It made Ben furious to think of what they might have done to the woman he loved. Kim was better than the entire band of Scalpers. They had no idea what she was capable of in the pilot’s seat of a ship. She was smart, confident, and incredibly talented, but the look of defeat and shame on her face made Ben furious. He wanted to draw his own laser pistol and blast away at the outlaws, but that would just result in his death. Ben wasn’t ready to die, but he didn’t fear it. Still, he had to ensure his friends had a chance to get away from the Scalpers alive. And that wouldn’t happen if he let his anger get the best of him.

  “You have my friend,” Ben said in a loud voice that carried across the twenty-five feet of space between him and the outlaw.

  “You have a fine ship,” the man replied. “I’m called Hoya.”

  “Ben. What is it you want, Hoya?”

  “I think that’s pretty obvious,” the outlaw said. “The question is, what do you want, Ben? Do you want to save your friend? She’s a real catch.”

  “Don’t talk about her that way,” Ben said through clenched teeth.

  “Ah, I seem to have touched on a sore spot,” Hoya said with a savage grin. “Forgive me, Ben.”

  “Let her go and we can talk,” Ben said. “Otherwise, my people will simply fly away.”

  “I don’t think so,” Hoya said. “You wouldn’t go without your pilot. Oh, yes, I know all about your ship and your crewmates. Kim told us everything.”

  Ben didn’t want to
believe it, but he knew it was possible that the Scalpers had tortured Kim for the information. He could the fresh bloodstain on her thigh. There was no telling what atrocities had been committed against her.

  “Then you know I still have people on the ship who can get her airborne,” Ben said. “The Kestrel class is easy to fly and her engines are spooled up. Do anything, and I mean anything, hostile, and that ship is gone forever.”

  “You’re a real wheelin’ dealin’ son of a gun, aren’t you, Ben? Well, let’s deal, then. How about I let you live in exchange for the ship?”

  “You let my crew go, including Kim, and we’ll walk away,” Ben said.

  Kim’s head snapped up, and for the first time, she looked him in the eye. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay. But instead he focused on Hoya. The outlaw was grinning.

  “I appreciate your terms,” Hoya said. “A man has to look out for his family. But what if I let you all go only to discover that the ship won’t fly? I’m guessing you didn’t come to Torrent Four just for the scenic views.”

  Several of Hoya’s people laughed at the poor joke. Ben had feared that the outlaws wouldn’t let them go. He was in a poor bargaining position, but he had to keep trying.

  “The way I see it,” Ben said, “you don’t have much choice if you want the ship.”

  “Oh, we don’t see eye to eye at all,” Hoya said. “So here’s my counteroffer. Send your crew out of the ship. They can wait while you and I take the grand tour. Then I’ll let them go once I’m certain the ship will get us off-world.”

  “You let them go,” Ben said. “I’ll stay.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw Kim shake her head. The fat man beside her grabbed the back of her neck, squeezing so hard that Ben could see his fingers digging into her skin.

  “That might just work,” Hoya said with a grin.

  “Tell your goon to let go of her right now,” Ben said, his hand taking hold of the handle of his pistol. It was taking all his self-control not to draw and fire at the fat man.

  Hoya looked over his shoulder and chuckled.

  “Slim, let her go,” he said. “We’ve got ourselves a deal here. Go ahead, Ben, lead the way.”

  “Not until you release Kim,” Ben said.

  “I’ll let your people go once I’m sure the ship is in working order.”

  “I built her,” Ben said. “She’s in good shape. We have plenty of Zexum too. You can go anywhere in the galaxy you want. But our deal was my crew’s freedom in exchange for the ship.”

  “No one is going to hurt the girl,” Hoya said, starting to lose patience. “Now get us into the ship, or you’re both dead where you stand.”

  “That would be a mistake,” Ben said.

  “Won’t be my first and it certainly won’t be my last,” Hoya growled. “You want the girl to live? Then get me inside the ship.”

  “Fine, but I want her with us. She stays with me,” Ben said.

  Hoya grinned. “She means that much to you, huh? Well, that’s just fine. Slim, bring the girl to me. And Ben, you take that fine pistol out of your holster real slow. Two fingers would be best, and hand it over.”

  Ben watched as Kim was hauled to her feet. She limped as she walked and looked weak. The fat man had a tight grip on her upper arm, but otherwise he didn’t seem to be hurting her. Ben slowly pulled his pistol from the holster using his forefinger and thumb. Hoya reached out for the weapon and Ben handed it to him. He expected the outlaw to kill him at any second. He was helpless without his pistol, and Ben didn’t trust Hoya at all, but the outlaw seemed fascinated by the pistol.

  “Another fine weapon,” Hoya said. “I could get used to this.”

  He held the gun up and checked the power readings just as Kim reached the outlaw’s side. She looked small between Hoya and his fat friend. Ben knew that Magnum was out there somewhere. He hoped his friend had a bead on the fat man’s forehead at that very moment.

  “Alright, Ben,” Hoya said. “Here’s your girl. The two of you start walking. But if you try anything at all, I’ll slag you both.”

  Ben reached out and the fat man shoved Kim toward him. She fell but Ben caught her. His heart was pounding as he pulled her up and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

  “I’ve got you,” he said. “I’ve got you.”

  Kim was shaking. Ben wasn’t sure from what, but he held her tight as they started toward the ship.

  “What are you doing?” Kim said under her breath.

  “Whatever it takes to make sure you’re okay,” he said quietly.

  “They’re going to kill you.”

  “Maybe, but I had to try,” Ben said. “I wouldn’t leave you, Kim. I know I’ve been a fool, but I love you.”

  “You sappy dope,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “You know you love the Echo more than me.

  “No,” Ben said. “I don’t. I never have. You are what I want.”

  “Such sweet sentiments,” Hoya said. “But those engines are making me a bit nervous, Ben. Why don’t you—”

  The outlaw was interrupted by a barrage of high-intensity laser fire. The shooting happened so fast that Ben didn’t have time to react. Kim tripped and he lost his balance. They both fell a split second before Hoya fired Ben’s laser pistol. The laser blast was hot and burned a strip of hair away from Ben’s head as he fell, but otherwise it went harmlessly past them.

  There was screaming and shouts all around them. The reports of projectile weapons were loud. Ben was scrambling to his feet, pulling Kim away from the outlaws. Nearly half their number had been killed in the barrage, including Hoya’s guard. His fat lieutenant had thrown himself in front of the outlaw leader, keeping Hoya from shooting at Ben or Kim again.

  Magnum appeared as if from nowhere. He grabbed Ben with one hand and Kim with the other. In the chaos, all Ben could think about was running. They were bent low, scrambling toward the air lock at the side of the ship

  “Go! Go! Go!” Magnum shouted.

  “What’s happening?” Kim screamed.

  Ben didn’t know. All he could think about was getting to the Lancet AR in the air lock and getting them off Torrent Four.

  Chapter 28

  Battle was nothing like he imagined. The smell of charred human flesh made him gag. People were screaming blood-curdling wails that stopped Ben cold in his tracks. He wanted to hide, to burrow down deep into the trash and debris until the mind-numbing terror passed, but Magnum wouldn’t let go of him.

  “Keep moving!” Magnum shouted. “We’re almost there. Keep your head down, damn it!”

  Despite his terror, Ben couldn’t keep from looking back. He saw Royal Imperium commandos firing from behind an old hauler. The usable parts from the vehicle’s repulsers had been stripped long ago, and the thick metal cargo bed was covered with rust. Ben saw six soldiers: three were wounded, one was clearly dead.

  Magnum dragged Ben and Kim behind a small fuel cylinder that appeared to be in good shape. Been hoped none of the contents it had once transported still remained inside the large container.

  “Looks like the Scalpers are all down,” Magnum said.

  “But they’re still fighting,” Kim gasped.

  “Yeah, and holding their own,” Magnum said. “It’s hard to tell who’s dead and who’s still alive.”

  “Where did the soldiers come from?” Ben asked.

  “They’ve been here,” Magnum said. “They’ve been watching the ship.”

  “That means more are coming,” Kim said.

  Ben looked over his shoulder. They were still twenty yards from the air lock on the side of the ship. He tapped his com-link.

  “Nance?”

  “Thank God you’re alive,” Nance said.

  “We’re almost to the ship. You’ve got to get us in the air and out of here.”

  “Just say the word,” Nance replied.

  “Alright, stand by,” Ben said, muting the com-link. “How bad are you hurt, Kim?”

  “I
can get to the ship,” she said, but it was obvious from a glance that she was extremely weak.

  “I’ll carry her,” Magnum said.

  “Give me your rifle,” Ben said. “I’ll cover you. Mine is in the air lock. Get her inside, then you can cover my retreat.”

  Magnum nodded.

  “Wait,” Kim said grabbing hold of Ben’s shirt. Her hand was trembling, and he could tell that her grip was weak. Ben looked at her. “Why?”

  “You know why,” Ben said. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

  “Really?”

  “I swear it,” Ben said. “I’d die for you, Kim. So don’t die on me.”

  “Never,” she said, but her voice was weak.

  Magnum handed Ben his Lancet AR. The rifle was fully charged. Ben checked the safety, then nodded.

  “On three,” Magnum said.

  He was squatting down, but he lifted Kim as if she were weightless.

  “One,” Ben said.

  Kim leaned against Magnum’s chest and closed her eyes.

  “Two,” Magnum said.

  Ben pulled the stock of the rifle against his shoulder, took a deep breath, then shouted, “Three!” He popped up over the top of the gas cylinder and fired as fast as his finger could pull the trigger. Blazing red bolts flashed across the salvage yard and blew the fat man Hoya had called Slim to smoking chunks of meat. Trash and debris flew up as well, but Ben could already see that the outlaw leader was no longer cowering behind his fat companion.

  Ben swiveled the gun and fired at three other targets. He wasn’t sure if they were dead or alive, but the impact of each laser blast sent carnage flying. The outlaws shot back, and three projectiles pinged off the fuel cylinder. Ben ducked back down and looked to see if Magnum had reached the Echo. The big man was setting Kim gently in the air lock. Ben couldn’t be sure, but it looked like she had passed out.

  Ben lifted the rifle and fired blind, not really caring where the shots went. When he brought the rifle back down, Magnum was waving him to the ship. More shots whistled over Ben’s head. He waited for a second for the shots to stop, then dashed forward.