Star Rider and the Golden Threads

by Heidi Skarie

  “Next time wake me. It’s fortunate I woke up before it got dark. I’d almost decided to give up searching for you until morning when I heard barking. We need to keep moving.”

  She nodded. He reminded her of her brother Baymond. He was always urging her to run faster, climb higher and jump farther. It had served as good training.

  They continued toward the complex at a slower pace. When they stopped to rest again, she asked, “Do you have a plan?”

  “We’ll have to break into the data chamber. I can steal the information, now that I know the codes. Once we’ve accomplished our mission, we’ll get our flight suits and helmets from the barracks and fly home.”

  Toemeka shook her head. “We can’t break into the data chamber. They’ll be looking for us. We should forget about stealing the information and concentrate on escaping.”

  “They think we’re in the forest. Now is the perfect time. We’ve come all this way and risked so much, I’m not leaving until we have the information we need to keep Samrat Condor from destroying the entire free world.”

  “Erling, I want to accomplish our mission as much as you do, but I have my baby to think about.”

  “You should’ve thought of the baby before you joined me on the mission. It’s too late to suddenly decide it’s too dangerous. I’ll go to the data chamber alone. Once I have the info, we can leave together.”

  She trudged around another fallen tree, annoyed he wouldn’t agree to abort the mission. He acted as if her pregnancy interfered with the mission. Had he forgotten she was the one who hauled his ungrateful ass out of jail and then put up a protective bubble to guard him all night? She only suggested aborting the mission because everything had gone to hell.

  “You’re so stubborn,” she said. “It’s too dangerous for us to split up. We’re sticking together.”

  When they finally reached the building, Erling checked all the windows to see if any were unlocked. At last he found one: he slid it open, slit the screen and climbed in. Toemeka waited nervously with her blaster ready. A few moments later he leaned out the window.

  “It’s safe,” he whispered.

  He reached down and helped her climb in. They went through the building until they reached the data chamber where they’d worked the day before. Toemeka stood guard while Erling sat at a computer and began typing. The only light in the room came from the monitor. He slid in a matrix crystal and began copying information onto it.

  “Almost done?” Toemeka asked, wanting to get out as quick as possible.

  “It’s hard to know when to quit. This amount of information takes time to download.”

  Footsteps sounded in the hall. Erling hit the “off” switch on the monitor and its light faded away, leaving them in darkness. They both squatted down behind the desk just as the door opened and light flooded into the room, followed by footsteps. Toemeka saw Erling had his finger on the trigger of his blaster. Her heart pounded as the footsteps drew near.

  The guard walked by so close that Toemeka could have reached out and touched his pant leg, but he never turned his head and spotted them. The footsteps gradually receded toward the far door. After the door opened and closed on the far side of the room, they were left in darkness once again.

  Toemeka slumped against the desk in relief, waiting for her heart to slow down. Erling slid back into the office chair, switched the monitor back on and continued to fill the matrix crystal with data as if nothing had happened.

  Always cool in a crisis, she thought. That was what made him a good operative.

  When Erling finished, they left by the same window they’d come in through, then started toward the barracks to get their flight suits and helmets. Toemeka chewed on her lower lip. If they were caught, they’d be tortured for information, then executed.

  At the barracks, Toemeka peered into the dirty window and saw a soldier sitting at the desk near the entrance. She recognized him as one of the men she’d seen at work. He was human and looked to be about her age, in his mid-twenties. She remembered he’d seemed pretty interested in her when he passed her desk at the data chamber. She jerked away as he turned in her direction.

  Erling crept over to her. “I checked the perimeter of the building and there aren’t any unlocked windows. I don’t dare break one because someone could hear. I’ll have to knock on the front door and kill the guard when he opens it.”

  Toemeka’s throat went dry. She didn’t like the idea of killing someone who was just doing his job. “If you shoot him, the noise will wake the whole barracks. Besides he’s not going to be stupid enough to just open it. He’ll probably yell for help or shoot you.”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “Maybe.” She swallowed. She didn’t like her idea much better than his, but it was worth a try. “I’ll knock on the door and ask for help, then distract him long enough for you to sneak past and get our stuff.”

  “They’re looking for you, too. Why do you think he’d open the door to you and not me?”

  “Because I’m a woman and these men are starved for the sight of a woman.”

  “Do you think you can handle him?”

  “Of course, I can.” She hoped. After two days in the jungle, she was dirty and sweaty, hardly at her best.

  She unplaited her braid and raked her hands through her hair so it tumbled over her shoulders. Wishing she had some makeup, she pinched her cheeks and bit her lips to give herself some color.

  “What if you run into trouble?”

  “Stay close. If I can’t distract him, knock him out.” She went to the door without giving him a chance to protest. Once Erling moved out of sight, she unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt, drew in a deep, calming breath and knocked on the door.

  The guard’s face appeared in the small peep window and his eyes widened when he saw her.

  “Are you alone?” he asked, raising his voice to be heard through it.

  “Yes, please help me. I’m in trouble.”

  He opened the door. “Trouble doesn’t begin to describe the mess you’re in.”

  The light from inside the room shone on his chiseled features and short, muscular build. He held a Blackhawk blaster on her as he scanned the terrain behind her before letting her in.

  He frisked her, his hands sliding down her sides until he came to the blaster in her pocket. He pulled it out and set it on the desk.

  “They’re in the jungle right now searching for you with moncrons. I heard you shot two guards and helped some man escape from prison.” His voice had an angry edge tinge to it. “They’ll torture you to death when I hand you over to them,” he added menacingly.

  Toemeka didn’t have to fake looking afraid. She held her hands out beseechingly and spoke in a soft, breathy voice. “Don’t turn me over to them. I didn’t kill anyone; I just stunned the guards. The man they were torturing was a friend of mine. He was just a technician, but they wouldn’t believe him and they just kept beating him. He died in the jungle from his injuries.”

  To mock up some tears, she thought of how terrible she’d feel if Erling had died. Her voice cracked. “They used the stun gun on me as well. All I’m asking is that you let me get my flight suit and pretend you never saw me.”

  The guard’s face softened and his stance became less rigid. “Why should I help you? I’ll probably get a promotion for capturing you.” His eyes traveled slowly down her body, then back up, lingering on her breasts for a moment, before meeting her eyes.

  “Please, I’m begging you; let me go.” She looked at him through eyes blurred by tears.

  “I’m not a traitor.” He lightly ran a finger over her lower lip.

  “Would you really let them torture me to death?”

  “It’s my duty to turn you in.” The desire in his eyes contradicted his words.

  “But I’m innocent.”

  “Then they’ll set you free.” He stepped closer and she could feel the heat of his body.

  “You know they won’t believe me.”


  “Convince me to help you escape.”

  Her breathing became ragged. She didn’t know how to handle the situation. Things were quickly spinning out of control. He closed the space between them and his mouth descended on hers as his arms encircled her. She resisted the urge to push him away and let him kiss her instead. This is the only way to survive, she thought. She felt the solid muscle of his arms and chest and knew he wouldn’t be easy to overpower if it came to a fight. She swayed her hips into his as if they were dancing and maneuvered him so his back was turned to the door. His mouth moved to her neck.

  Over his shoulder, she saw Erling slide through the still-open door. She cradled the guard’s face in her hands and brought his mouth back to hers to allow Erling to pass unnoticed into the sleeping area where they’d stashed their gear in lockers the day before.

  Once Erling was inside, Toemeka realized she wasn’t sure what to do next. She slid her hand down the guard’s side toward his gun holster. Her hand touched the cold handle of his Blackhawk and she drew the weapon. She hesitated a fraction of a second, not wanting to kill him. He grabbed her arm and knocked her wrist against the desk. The blaster flew out of her hand and landed on the floor.

  “What’s your game?” he asked, his eyes dark with fury. He shoved her backward into the desk.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just scared.”

  He thrust his aroused body against hers. “This is what you do to me. Do you think I’m going to let you out of our deal when I haven’t had a woman in over a year?”

  She shuddered, terrified he might actually force himself on her. Where was Erling? Had he run into trouble? Any man in the barracks could awaken and discover him.

  The man’s voice softened. “Hey, I won’t hurt you. I’ll make it good for both of us.”

  She shook her head. “No, please.”

  “Come on, baby, don’t be frightened.” His lips brushed lightly against hers. “In the name of Samrat Condor, you are so beautiful.” His hand slid inside her blouse.

  Toemeka kneed him in the groin and he crumpled to the ground in agony. She grabbed her blaster off the desk and slammed it into the back of his head. His eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

  “Remind me to never try to kiss you,” Erling said. She looked up to see him coming through the doorway with their flight suits and helmets in his hands.

  “How come you didn’t knock this guy out when you came in? He was all over me!” Toemeka said, still feeling shaken.

  “Your plan was for me to knock him out if you couldn’t distract him.” He raised an eyebrow. “He looked very distracted.”

  “He was a little too distracted.”

  “Don’t get mad at me. I told you it wasn’t a good idea.” He sounded annoyed. “Let’s get out of here.” He walked out the door and she followed him.

  “It was better than your idea.”

  He moved to the unlit side of the building and tossed her a flight suit and helmet. “Stop bickering and change.” His eyes dropped to her unbuttoned shirt, then he diverted his gaze and stripped off his shirt.

  Her hands shook as she changed into her flight suit.

  “You’re quite the seductress, Toe. It’s a shame the Coalition didn’t know of your talents all these years. They could have put them to use.”

  “Shut up, Erling.” She zipped up her flight suit. “I should have left you in prison and escaped on my own.” She jammed her helmet onto her head.

  He turned around. “You could have, except you have a soft spot for me.”

  She slugged him on the arm, venting her frustration. “Stop teasing me!”

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were really upset.” He sounded contrite. “I didn’t knock him out because it looked like you had everything under control and my job was to get our stuff.”

  “Forget it. Let’s go.”

  They walked to the corner of the building. She was about to step out when Erling threw out his arm and pushed her back against the wall.

  “What is it?” she whispered.

  “A squad of guards spreading out across the grounds. I’m going to run to that tree. Cover me.”

  She drew her blaster and kept her eyes on the guards as Erling dashed into the light. He was hidden a moment later in the shadow of a large tree. He signaled for her to follow and she dashed over to him. Sticking to the shadows, they made their way across the military encampment. At the airfield, they moved cautiously toward their ship, staying away from the circles of light made by the overhead floodlights.

  Once they reached and boarded the ship, Erling started the engines. Toemeka glanced at the fuel gauge. “Erling, we’ve got a problem. We’re out of fuel.”

  “Tawkus’ Blood, I should have thought of that. I’ll take care of it.” He jumped out of the ship and raced over to the one next to it. After prying open the fuel cap door with his jackknife, he slid out the electromagnetic plasma block.

  The delay put Toemeka’s nerves even more on edge. Hurry, hurry, hurry, she thought. As if sensing her nervousness, Erling turned and flashed her a thumbs-up sign.

  He switched the new fuel block with one of their old ones. Toemeka looked at the fuel gauge. They would need a full plasma block to reach Borko and the one Erling stole might not be full. The gauge started registering: a quarter full, half-full, three-quarters full. Then it stopped.

  She groaned. They wouldn’t have enough to reach planet Borko.

  Erling opened the door of the spaceship.

  “It wasn’t a full fuel block. We’re still short,” Toemeka said.

  “I’ll try different one.” He ran to a second ship before she could protest that there wasn’t time.

  An ear-piercing siren went off and soldiers started rushing across the field, firing at Erling. Energy blasts hit the tarmac near him. Toemeka started the twin engines. Erling ran to the ship and jumped in.

  Toemeka put up the shields, then lifted the spacecraft into the air and soared upward. On the airstrip below, Talon ships began taking off.

  “Outrun them, Toe, until we can make a space jump,” Erling yelled. On the computer, he began typing in the coordinates of Borko to make the jump.

  A squad of Talon ships flew after them and soon the sky was filled with flashing lights from energy bolts fired by Talon ships. Their ship rocked with the force of a direct hit, then stabilized.

  “The left wing’s on fire!” Erling shouted as he shot off a round of energy bolts at the nearest ships. “Put it out!”

  Toemeka glanced at the unfamiliar control panel while flying evasively. Starting to panic, she asked, “How do you operate the fire extinguisher system?”

  “I’ll get it.” Erling typed something into the computer and foam instantly shot out, extinguishing the fire.

  Toemeka’s relief was short-lived. A fighter flew over them and laser fire bombarded their canopy shield. Erling returned fire as the enemy ship soared out of range and another one took its place.

  “Toe, incoming at four o’clock! Don’t let him get a lock on us.”

  Toemeka spun their ship into a double roll to lose the tail. Her stomach flip-flopped. “Two more ships closing in!” she exclaimed, glancing at the screen.

  “How long until we make the space jump?”

  “A few minutes yet.” Feeling nauseated, she grabbed a piece of anti-motion sickness gum from her pocket and shoved it in her mouth.

  “Too long; we’ll be incinerated by then. Engage incoming ships.”

  “There’s too many and the computer can’t accurately figure a space jump when we’re in the middle of a dog fight.”

  “If we don’t fight them, we’ll be dead before we can make the jump.”

  Toemeka swung the ship around, heading straight toward the ships following them. The G-force pushed her against the seat and pushed back her cheeks. She blasted through the middle of the fighters while Erling laced them with laser fire.

  Toemeka looped around once more, came up on one of th
e ship’s tail and began closing in. Her vision blurred from the quick maneuver and she felt lightheaded. For a moment, she thought she would black out. Then her flight suit forced blood back into her torso and head, and the weakness passed. She closed the distance between their ship and one of the fighters while Erling locked a reading on it and fired.

  The shield of the enemy aircraft held and it soared out of range as several more moved in on them. Toemeka brought their ship up to Mach 3, Mach 6, heading straight up until they escaped the pull of gravity.

  “We have to get out of here and make the jump,” she said.

  “They’re all over us. Engage.”

  “We can’t fight them all.”

  “We’re burning up fuel too fast at this speed!” Erling said.

  Their ship began to vibrate, then everything went black.

  “Are we hit?” Toemeka asked. Then she heard a high-pitched hum and realized they had entered the first phase of a space jump. The ship stabilized, then stars and planets rushed by in a stream of light.

  “We did it!” Toemeka exclaimed. In a more subdued voice, she added, “I think our lives were held on a pretty fine balance that time.”

  “It was a little close.” Erling’s voice was calm. Then his cool exterior broke and he shouted, “Yahoo!” as he hit his fist against the canopy top.

  Toemeka let out a sigh of relief but her reprieve faded when she read the fuel gauge. “We burned through a lot of fuel dogfighting. How will we make it to Borko after the jump?”

  Erling’s face clouded. “Fuel’s always been a problem with these small combat ships. We’ll have to contact Jaipar’s air command when we come out of the jump and ask them to bring a new fuel block.”

  “If we contact Jaipar, any ships that followed us into the jump will pick up the radio communication and, most likely, reach us faster than the Jaiparian ship.”

  “We’ll have to chance it.”

  “I suppose we don’t have a choice. Would you mind flying the ship for awhile?”

  He took over and she settled against the seat, trying to relax. She was nauseated and woozy. When she closed her eyes, the world spun.

  She opened them and glanced over at Erling. His facial bruises had begun turning yellow and green and one of his eyes was still almost completely swollen shut. He probably needed sleep more than she did. As she watched him, he popped a Go-pill into his mouth. “You’re crazy to take that stuff.”