by Chris Mills
“He’s going to Galat II, fool.”
Hanash strolled away, tapping once at his weapon. James shook his head. He had fifteen minutes at least before he was to leave, and the fewer the better. He’d have to send some shuttles out if nothing was picked up.
A slight vibration caught the captain off guard. He pulled his handheld and quickly shook his head. His superior had been watching the reports, too. Once Hanash was gone, they were to send out two shuttles and move to a farther location. A report needed to go out in an hour about the Explorer C’s possible destruction.
“Someone, find that damn shuttle!” James boomed.
**
“Hold still,” Herald said.
Stephen relaxed a bit more. Herald pulled down his collar and placed the loaded injector to the skin. A brief hiss, slight pain, and he tucked it back into its case. That was it; all that the good doctor had given. It was hard to believe what happened. Herald still had red behind his eyes. It felt like Stephen had thanked Doctor Cherkera for her hard work, and now he didn’t know if she was alive or dead. That massive cruiser hadn’t given any mercy, and Hanash would have killed them.
“Relax for a bit longer,” Herald told Stephen. “We don’t have long. I can see it now.”
A warmth started to spread within Stephen. Ugh. Like the last time, he felt a bit off in the head. Strength would soon come. He had begun to really move during the attack. The gun fired in his mind once more. He had shot a gun plenty of times, although mostly while paintballing. He had gone to a regular shooting range with his father’s buddy to train for hunting with him, but besides a paintball, no bullet had ever nailed a person till today. Something rose within him unlike anything before in his life - he had to fire that gun.
“I see it,” Kim said.
“We’ll be safe here,” Herald said. “We’ll get a transport ship to Galat II and clear this up.”
“They have their own security?” Kim questioned.
“Yes, like I said before. You can see the outer turrets.”
One started to grow. Its size dwarfed the shuttle, and also may have been a little larger in width than the Explorer C. The shuttle passed by. Another defense awaited. The cruiser was a decent size with odd markings, possibly the company that managed the security here. There was plenty of traffic ahead. Something flew by them pretty fast. All Stephen could catch was the blue glow of the back disc.
“What the heck is that?!” Gabe exclaimed.
“That’s a Cradle Launcher,” Herald said.
“Are you sure?”
“Do you have to question me?”
“I don’t want us to get shot at,” Gabe said, voice getting soft at the end. His fire went out after the attack. Stephen hated this. They didn’t deserve to be here - they shouldn’t be here.
The Cradle Launcher was larger than the Amandora. It consisted of a black, spherical back and large, white sections of long arms that extended far off it. They appeared to be moving. Stephen leaned forward as they came together. What exactly did this thing do? The very tip started to open, leaving the rest. It did not open much more before a violet light streamed out of it.
“Wow,” Stephen said.
“High warp like transport for non or low warp crafts,” Herald explained.
A large station floated a distance from the Cradle Launcher. A large thick ring floated below. A section ran up from the center and grew large at the top. Much attention was upon it, including its own turrets’ protection floating close by. Down their shuttle went to the base.
Many fields covered the station, a mix of red and green above each. One in particular started to flash as they got closer. The green indicator became white. Herald took them inside. A ring of light illuminated around a space in the small bay. It was empty, besides some containers along the wall. Gently, the shuttle rocked, not felt at all by any aboard.
“I know this wasn’t expected,” Herald said.
“No, it wasn’t,” Gabe said.
“We need to get to a transport office. We aren’t getting a launch ticket in this thing.”
“A launch ticket?” Andy questioned. “Does that go to the thing that can shoot us at warp speeds?”
“Yes. This vessel may bring up some suspicion under the circumstances. I’ll contact the Galatian Empire as soon as we are on a transport shuttle.”
“Why not now?” Gabe questioned. “They were super helpful back there.”
“That’s cold, Gabe,” Kim said. “Don’t you dare talk like that.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to be here.”
“Trust Herald. He’s trying his best.”
“He got us into -”
“We chose to not get off that shuttle. It’s our fault, too.”
Gabe hung his head. Stephen had what he wanted before the attack. Was this worth the aftermath? “Come on,” Herald said. “Take what you need. Andy, you need to change. We don’t want to explain the blood on your shirt. There should be a spare set of clothes tucked in a maintenance hatch. It might be a little big. It’s the captain’s.”
“Was he planning an escape?” Stephen asked.
“No. This isn’t legal to use everywhere. It’s a long story. Here’s the short version. The captain paid me to cloak this shuttle so he could go visit someone he fancied. It is legal if done in the right areas. It didn’t work out, and he regretted paying me.”
“So much for his love boat,” Andy joked. Not a laugh followed.
Stephen tried to let his mind clear and come to getting off this station. A cool breeze greeted them as the door slid open. Light music rose as they stepped outside. He compared it to light sixties dance music his father had played before to annoy him - minus the odd flute. Before his mother died, he could still remember putting a puzzle together on the living room floor while his parents danced.
“This way,” Herald said. “These stations are all about the same.”
“There’s a lot of them?” Andy asked.
“Yes, plenty. They help move people across the galaxy.”
Stephen’s feet kept moving. Nice. He brushed off Gabe’s attempt for support. No more helpless friend to them. How did his body seem to know what to do again? He didn’t stumble, did not fall - an unreal return to norm. Stephen clenched his fist, rolled them about, and could only smile.
“Wow,” Kim said. “You really don’t have pain anymore.” Stephen nodded his head. “It’s odd.”
“Yeah,” Gabe agreed. “Weird.”
“Do you prefer to push me in a chair now?” Stephen asked.
“Uh, no. You ain’t light”
A curved hallway had odd symbols projecting above each door. They rolled up to letters and numbers as they got close. Signs projected the way to the lifts. Colored arrows moved before them. Its lines faded as they walked over it. It was quiet down here. Kim jumped right back into Stephen. A droid, resembling a trash can with a white bottom, moved along the floor in a hurry. Something flashed upon its body.
“Sorry,” Kim said. “Jumpy.”
“I know,” Stephen said.
The lifts weren’t too far. Only a few people waited before one. Herald kept them back as a small crowd flooded off. A heavyset alien, looking a bit like a reptile, tail and all, didn’t seem to want to move as they waited inside. Whack! The tail hit Stephen’s knee once more.
“Problem?” the lizardman spoke.
“No,” Stephen assured.
The lizardman was quick to push as the doors slid open, knocking back someone as he went. “Rude,” Kim whispered. It felt like they could be back on Earth. “Did you understand him, Stephen?”
“They installed a translator, remember?”
“Oh.”
Different signs floated ahead. Herald’s quick observation had them going around a curved hall. A large, circular counter went around two strange creatures, each with purple, gooey skin, and many tentacles. It was pretty hard at first to see where their short heads separated. An odd flap moved, bringing forth a
rather unpleasant noise from one. It motioned them forth with its tentacle. Its beady black eyes may have been fixed at Herald, but Stephen couldn’t be sure.
“Welcome,” a friendly male voice rose. A speaker sat upon the desk. “We have your shuttlecraft safe and secure. A hold will be kept on it till payment is made upon departure. Would you like to add an account to speed up your departure?”
“Later,” Herald said.
“Is there anything else we can help you with?”
“Where is the main transport office located?”
Odd belches responded, bordering on farts. “You will find it in section 24B,” that friendly man’s voice sounded. “A marker has been added to the lift behind us when you enter to guide you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, kind sir.”
Two sets of doors were to choose from. Herald didn’t bother to signal them, nor did a panel seem in light. “They were nice,” Kim said.
“The translator they use is the friendliest I’ve come across,” Herald said. “You won’t be able to understand them, Stephen. Their language structure is very different than any.”
“I about laughed,” Gabe whispered with a grin.
“It’d be wise if you didn’t,” Herald said. “Those Geletoids could ground the shuttle and have us held by security. I had a friend who pushed too much at their speech many year ago. I did not enjoy being in a cell for an hour.”
“That’s a bit overkill.”
The lift arrived, bringing forth a family of telicions. The little girl was not even to Stephen’s waist. Her white hair rested in pigtails. She held a small red creature in her arms. It panted lightly, blue tongue smacking its nose.
“That thing looked interesting,” Kim said, the moment the lift started to move.
“They are very strict here on what pets can leave the shuttle,” Herald said. “It’s rare to find that species harmful.”
“What is it?”
“A friend of mine called them a puj. I’m not sure the correct name, to be honest.”
“What did it look like?” Andy asked. “A pug-eon?”
Stephen kept to the waiting area in the transport office. A handful of people sat about. Most people here were in lines to whatever company had the best rates or quickest times. The boards at each would cycle between different languages. English seemed to be about everywhere, so it helped to make things quick. The names of the planet didn’t change much between the languages. Symbols made up a couple.
Herald had finally come to the front of the line. A short person in a bodysuit stood on the counter to match about anyone’s height in line. A breather ran to its mouth from a pack on its back. Its hand moved about tapping a tablet the size of her head.
“Wish I had my phone,” Gabe said.
“You wouldn’t have reception,” Kim reminded.
“At least I could play a game or somethings. We’ve been here for like an hour.”
“Thirty minutes. Please, Gabe.”
Gabe huffed. He tapped his foot. Stephen shook his head lightly. Gabe rose and took a walk around the waiting area, snagging a tablet from a rack. He plopped down by Stephen.
“Check this out,” Gabe said. “You can pick what you read.”
“We had tablets and apps,” Stephen reminded. They didn’t have the images pop like these.
“I don’t get any of these stocks here.”
“Gabe, why don’t you try to relax.”
“I can’t relax, Stephen,” Gabe said. He rubbed his face. “We’re God knows where. That blue planet is how far away now?”
“Gabe,” Kim said a bit harsh. “Please.” Her breath was long and broken. Like that, Gabe sat down by her. Stephen reached down and picked up what easily could be stepped on.
Battlefield Shrinks on Zwanga
Paradise Exists on Jurna Prime
New Laws Passed on Galat II
The tablet let Stephen view the most current topics as a list or scroll by the cover of each. A magazine feature could be accessed through a different page. He set the tablet back on the table Gabe grabbed it from. One article had looked interesting enough, but he really couldn’t find himself reading here.
An exasperated sigh caught their ears. Herald had his handheld out. A purple envelope pressed behind it. “We have an hour and a half,” he said. “We have to change ships unless we wanted to wait till tonight. I’ve sent a message to Councilman Wallace about everything. I won’t hear back for a while.”
“Why not?” Gabe asked. “This is an emergency. We need to say something.”
“Firstly, I don’t want to draw the attention of that cruiser here. The Talon Federation is one of our allies.”
“Yeah, they welcomed us with torpedoes,” Gabe mocked.
Herald explained the Talon Federation originated from Earth at the start of the last Galactic War. A human alliance had collected a vast number of supporters as the war was declared and thus formed the federation. Their size didn’t compare to the Galatian Empire, yet their force was not to be reckoned with. It didn’t seem logical that they would send their own to attack the Explorer C. Stephen scratched his chin. His hand dipped into his pocket, feeling something smooth and cool.
“We will leave with the transport,” Herald said. “We have to board a shuttle first to be launched to the area. It will only take a half hour. Once there, I can contact the Galatian Empire directly about the attack, and they’ll send a ship to investigate if one has not been there already. Do not draw attention to us, understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Gabe said.
“Knock it off already.”
Water surged upwards from the beautiful marble fountain. The station had a lot to offer for food and shopping. Several hotels could house them for the night. Stephen came to a stop with the others by the fountain. Coins? Sure enough, a collection of different colors and shapes littered the bottom. He had tossed plenty in his life. The last time had been to save his father.
“This a kedren chip,” Herald explained. His wallet had not much to it; two of these blue, thin, partially transparent clips and what may be his ID. “This holds what geks I put on it.”
“Geks?” Stephen questioned.
“A gek is the currency base the empire moved to long ago,” Herald said. “The chip will convert it to whatever a shop around here takes, without us needing to worry. There are choices here. I suggest you eat well.”
“Shouldn’t we stick together?” Kim asked.
“There are a lot of choices,” Herald said. “Do you see anything we can all agree upon?”
An area near had several fast food restaurants and many tables. Bo’s Bar and Grill had its own area. ‘Galaxy’s Best Wings,’ could be a challenge. It was odd to see a something resembling an old fifties-style, metal diner sticking out of the wall, fit with neon lights. The booths insides were green. Red fixtures floated over the tables by the windows.
“Something fast is fine with me,” Gabe said.
“I agree,” Kim said. “Is that a Subway?”
“Uh, yeah,” Herald said. “Remember, we have about 45 minutes. These places will get you food quickly.”
“I would like to talk to Herald,” Stephen said. “Would it be okay if you guys went and ate, while I do?”
“Sure,” Kim said. They all might want to have a word with him - at some point.
“Let’s go to Bo’s,” Herald said, nodding his head towards the place. Gabe found a kedren chip for his use. Herald quickly showed how to see how much gek was on it; 320. All he had to do was hand it or stick it in a slot at the place they chose.
Bo’s had some funky music coming from inside. The guitars had a nice rock beat to them. Some odd type of pipes joined it. Whatever drummer played could jam, but it was unlike any drum set Stephen heard before. A woman wearing a short black skirt and a nice red top that hugged just right, motioned for them to follow. A small table in the corner would be theirs.
“I’ll be back to get you ord
er,” the waitress said. “Feel free to order your drinks and look over the menu.” The two thanked her. “You can also get rid of that if you want.”
Stephen stare wide eye at the transparent screen that appeared above a roll of napkins. It had some scores running down one side that looked foreign. His finger rose to the box by the scores. It had some sort of guide for watch choices. Herald quickly cleared his throat. “Act natural, Stephen,” he said. A simple tap on the bottom corner had it disappear. Red flashes came to the corners of the table. Stephen was tempted to push it and confirm his suspicions.
An icon hovered near the side of the table. Stephen tapped it. A virtual menu appeared on the table. “What should I start with,” he asked.
“Get a Fremisha,” Herald said. “It’s dark beer. Your father liked it.”
“I tap it?” Stephen questioned. Herald nodded his head. ‘Verified Age,’ flashed atop it and quickly asked the size. Huh, where was the scanner? ‘Ordered’ flashed a few times. “What’s good here?”
“Wings,” Herald said. “Let get a shareable basket for two. I’d recommend boneless and their zang sauce. It would be polite to let her take that order. I don’t like to send it out if someone is willing to wait on me.”
The waitress took little time to return. Foam glistened perfectly atop the beers. The fizz had a nice sound to it. Herald was very quick to order the choice of wings. Stephen always liked to sample wings and had two places back home no one could beat. He brought the glass to his lips. Wow. It tickled his lips. The taste had a slight sweetness to it. The mix of flavors were unlike anything he had before, which wasn’t saying too much. He didn’t like the taste of most beers. He did love his hard ciders.
“See,” Herald said. “It’s good.”
“Yeah,” Stephen said. “You do know why I want to talk to you.”
“Cut right to the point, like your father always did. It’s about Kodon, isn’t it?”
“Why? I don’t get it.”
“I told you that your parents sent you away because of it. It’s because of what Kodon is capable of. I didn’t think after all these years that something like this would happen. Your parents are - I’m not sure actually. I went to Earth for answers, but no one had them. It was said to be a private trial. Governments can work in unfair ways. You won’t find anything on their actions or trials.”