by A A Warren
“Where did your father work?” The mech asked.
Orvane pointed up. “There… Atmosphere filtration tower. Very high. Very dangerous. We must search there for statue.”
Utu’s eye stalks peered up the structure. The tower rose kilometers above the tiny colony and disappeared into the smoky orange clouds.
“This unit now regrets asking that question.”
“Come… we must hurry! Before Volonte’s men find us!”
Orvane scurried down another alley. Utu hovered after him, keeping several eye stalks focused on the dark tower looming before them.
Chapter Seventeen
The clouds parted and the tiny ship penetrated the lower atmosphere. Talon and Avra looked out the cockpit window as they streaked over the desolate, rocky wasteland below. Suphara perched behind them in a cramped passenger seat, her shimmering body reflecting the view outside the cockpit.
“All I see is dust and rock… Does anyone even live here anymore?” Talon asked, as he guided the ship closer to the surface. Towering canyon walls and jagged spires of rock rushed by, but he saw no signs of civilization other than the tiny blip on the navigation screen.
Suphara ran a small plasma torch over one of Avra’s blades, sharpening the edge to a razor-fine point. She pursed her lips, and glanced up at Talon. “The human settlements polluted this world so badly, most of the citizens moved away. All that's left are scavenger outposts and junk dealers.”
She deactivated the torch and handed the weapon to Avra. The fiery haired woman slid the curved dagger into her belt, alongside several others.
“The planetary government got greedy, and cut a deal with every salvage hauler in the system,” Avra added, glancing at the desolate surface below. “Now, Zakarba is the garbage dump of the Gyre.”
“I’ll wager the planetary government officials live off world then,” Talon muttered. He banked the ship left, following the curves of an ancient, dried riverbed. The long, serpentine trench was dotted with piles of refuse and debris.
“Zakarba is like every other planet in Wild Space. The rich get richer, and the poor pay the price,” Avra sighed. “This sector used to be the seat of power for the Star Cross Throne. When it fell, it took everything down with it. Besides, the difficulty of traveling here cuts these backwater planets off from the rest of the galaxy. They’re desperate for whatever business they can get. People here are worried about their next meal, not atmospheric toxicity levels.”
“Aye,” Talon agreed. “I pity these people. Still suffering the fallout of an ancient war.”
The blinking dot on the holo-display grew larger. A beep sounded from the navigation console. “We’re getting closer,” Avra said. “Good thing you fitted your mech with a transponder device.”
Suphara peered at the blinking holo-display. “You don’t trust your own machine?” she asked.
“I purchased Utu from a scrap metal dealer on Gesa,” Talon said, piloting the ship low across the ground. “After he deposited my chips, the scoundrel sent six thugs to my hangar, hoping to steal the mech back. I thought it wise to protect my investment, in case he sent more men.”
“More?” Suphara arched a crystalline brow over her glowing eyes. “What happened to the first six?”
Talon grinned. “Well, luckily for me, the Blue Stars wanted two of them, dead or alive. That was how I collected my first bounties. I used the money to begin repairs on my ship.”
Avra chuckled. “And the other four?”
Talon shrugged. “They were lucky as well. There was no bounty on their heads. But I ransomed them back to the scrap dealer for twice what I paid for the mech. So I suppose I should thank him for—”
A warning alarm blared through the cockpit, cutting him off. Three more dots blinked on the display. Avra’s green eyes shot up to the screen, as her hands danced across her controls.
“Three vessels, closing in from behind,” she snapped. “No ID, unregistered ships!”
“Salvage gangs,” Talon snarled. “Or worse.” He glanced at the screen as he dipped the ship lower. The three dots sped closer, following their flight path and closing the gap between the ships. "I doubt we can out run them in this pleasure craft.”
“You call yourself a warrior,” Suphara said, sitting up in her seat. “Yet you first thought is to flee?” She rolled her eyes. “Pathetic.”
“Who said anything about running?” Avra replied with a grin. She tapped some controls on the arm of her seat. A crash harness unfolded from the chair, locking her shoulders in place. She looked down at the unfamiliar control panel. “Now, where are the weapon systems on this boat?”
“There are none,” Talon said. He threw the ship into a spiraling corkscrew. The three ships behind them broke formation as they struggled to follow the erratic maneuver. A red circle glowed to life around their ship on the holo-screen. More alarms wailed.
Suphara leaned over Avra’s shoulder. “Their targeting systems are locking on!”
"What do you mean no weapons?” Avra shouted.
“It’s a pleasure yacht, not a star fighter! I told you, I—” The high-pitched whine of pulse weapon fire cut off Talon's protests. The tiny craft shuddered, as a glowing energy bolt slammed into the port side wing.
Suphara gripped the arms of her seat as the craft shuddered. “I warned you this human could not be trusted to—”
“Not now, Suphara!” Avra snapped. The alien woman folded her arms, and turned away with an angry grunt.
Avra glanced at her controls. “No weapons, no dark energy cell… what do you have on this thing?”
“Two wings, two thrusters, and a lifeboat,” Talon replied. “Which Orvane stole.”
“That’s it?”
He glanced over her. “There’s an emergency pod, but it only holds one person.”
Avra brushed her fiery red hair from her face, as Talon spun the ship into a tight turn. More bolts of energy streaked past the cockpit window, narrowly missing them as they dove closer to the surface.
“So much for a fight,” she muttered. Her fingers danced over her navigation controls, bringing up a topographical map of the planet below. “Head ten degrees northwest and follow the canyon.”
“Why?” Talon asked as he maneuvered the ship onto the flight path that blinked on his display. “What’s down there?”
“Abandoned colony. Lots of old buildings… if we can't fight them, maybe we can outmaneuver them. Lose them in the ruins.”
Talon grinned. “I’ll fly straight into the Haunted Stars itself if it will shake these dogs off our tail!”
“Brave words, human,” Suphara muttered. “But perhaps our situation would improve with less talking, and more flying?”
Talon grit his teeth. With a twist of the control sticks, he piloted the ship into a narrow canyon that snaked through the rocks. Sure enough, the three enemy ships followed. A barrage of pulse bolts flew over the ship, striking the side of the canyon wall as they rocketed past. The explosion filled the cockpit window, sending shards of rock and debris slamming into the ship.
Avra kept her eyes focused on the navigation display. “Keep following the canyon,” Avra shouted. The ruins are coming up. You should see them any—“
“I see them,” Talon replied. “Dead ahead.”
The narrow crevasse opened into a vast sinkhole, surrounded by rock walls on all sides. Avra gasped as they shot out of the canyon opening. Crumbling buildings filled the open space before them, reaching as far as the eye could see. The towering structures were rusted and decayed, eroded by the harsh atmosphere and eons of scathing winds. A few tilted at odd angles, looking as though they might topple over at any second.
Talon spun the ship sideways and darted between two of the closest buildings. The pursuing ships split up, one following him, and the other two darting left and right around the decayed structures.
The ship raced through the narrow gap between the ancient buildings. Suphara’s shimmering eyes grew wider as she glanced out the
window. “By the gods... These ruins are falling apart!”
"That's why they're called ruins," Talon grunted back.
They darted down an alley as a volley of glowing pulse bolts traced across the building in front of them. A loud rumble filled the air. The energy bolts tore through the walls of the crumbling edifice, kicking up a gray cloud of dust and rocks. The rusted support beams gave way, and the building collapsed into rubble. It seemed to sink into the ground, like it was falling in slow motion.
Talon piloted the ship through the billowing dust cloud. He twisted the controls, forcing the vessel into a tight banked turn. Chunks of debris pelted the cockpit window. A loud crash rattled the hull.
“It won’t take much to bring this whole city down,” Talon said, as they cleared the falling debris. More abandoned buildings lined the ancient street, looming on either side of them. “We could end up burying ourselves, along with our pursuers.” He glanced over his shoulder at Suphara. “Though it might be worth it to silence your complaints!”
Avra tapped the controls on her chair, and the crash harness slid away, releasing her. “That gives me an idea. You said this thing has an emergency pod?”
“Yes, but it won’t fit all of us.”
Suphara clasped her hands, and bowed her head. “You must save yourself. Complete our mission, my sister. I will sacrifice—”
Avra grinned as she climbed out of her chair. “Don’t worry, I’m not abandoning ship yet.”
Suddenly the vessel lurched to the right, as more cannon fire tore into the rear shields. A bank of power relays in the ceiling exploded, sending a shower of sparks through the air. Avra stumbled backwards, slamming into the rear wall of the cockpit.
“Then again, another hit like that and I may change my mind!"
She braced herself as Talon coaxed the vessel down another narrow alley. He dipped the ship closer to ground, as the enemy behind them staffed the nearest building with more pulse-fire. He swung the controls left and right, dodging more debris.
“Talon, can you hold them off for a few minutes? Buy me some time?” Avra asked.
He shot her a quick glance over his shoulder. His crimson eye reflected the blinking lights of the holo-display. “I’ll do my best. But you better make it quick!”
The rear door slid open, and Avra stepped out the cockpit. “Just let me know if you’re going to do anything crazy!”
“As I said… I’ll do my best.”
She shook her head, and the door hissed closed.
Suphara unbuckled her harness and climbed into the now empty co-pilot’s seat. Talon looked up, as her shimmering body wriggled next to his. “I shall assist with navigation, human.”
“Don’t trouble yourself on my account,” he grunted back.
More pulse bolts screamed over the port wing, and he returned his attention to his holo-display. “All right, you cowardly dogs,” he muttered. “You think you can claim my head? Let’s see how badly you want it.”
Chapter Eighteen
Talon threw the ship left and right, dodging the energy blasts tearing through the surrounding air. He dipped to the left, as more debris fell from another crumbling building. As the chunks of stone exploded into rubble, he streaked through a narrow gap between the structures.
A proximity alarm wailed through the cockpit, but he ignored it. Suphara tapped the controls of her display, calling up a diagram of the narrow streets. A wireframe building flashed on the glowing map, blocking his flight path.
“This alleyway is a dead end,” she said. “You have to find an alternative route before—”
“Iberon’s harem,” Talon cursed. His crystal eye shimmered as he stared out the cockpit window. A sloped wall rose from the ground, blocking off all exit routes. Peering through the hazy air, Talon could make out a gaping portal that led into the structure… it looked like a hangar deck, leading to a dark, cavernous interior.
“Too late now,” Suphara snapped. She examined the readout on her display. Looks like the remains of a star port, but the entrance has collapsed!”
As he sped closer, Talon narrowed his eyes. The alien woman was right. The hanger's interior had collapsed just beyond the opening. There were only a few narrow gaps left between the mass of twisted metal beams and fallen rubble.
He checked his holo-display… the glowing wireframe map superimposed the hull of his ship over the gaps in the debris. The three-dimensional hologram spun around in the air and flashed red.
“There’s not enough clearance,” Suphara said. “The ship won’t fit though the rocks. You have to pull up!”
“If we do, their other friend will lock on and finish us off,” Talon snapped. He continued speeding on a collision course with the building. “Trust me, we’ll fit!”
The tiny craft shuddered as more pulse bolts impacted on the rear shields. An electronic groan sounded from the defense systems readout. Their defenses were running low on power. A direct hit could punch through, and rupture the hull.
Suphara tightened her crash harness. “I thought Avra said you were a skilled pilot,” she muttered.
Talon grit his teeth as a glowing circle blinked around his ship on the display. The enemy's weapon systems were locking on.
He nudged the ship into position, heading straight for the collapsed hanger. Letting go of the stick, he tapped on his controls with one hand, re-routing power from life support to a different subsystem. The target lock on his ship blinked faster. Then it glowed solid red.
They have me in their sights, he thought. Now!
Talon pulled back on the control stick, activating the reverse thrusters. Super-charged with additional power, the ship’s hull groaned is it rapidly decelerated. He triggered the air brake flaps, letting the sudden rush of wind push the ship up.
Suphara gasped in surprise as the enemy vessel shot underneath them, guns blazing. The glowing bolts hit the rubble, sending an explosion of dust and debris into the air, and clearing the hangar entrance.
Talon bellowed a cry of victory as they dove through the opening. The rocks scraped against the top of his vessel, sending shockwaves through the hull. A split second later the ship emerged into the interior of the cavernous, abandoned hangar.
“I told you we’d fit,” he boasted with a triumphant grin.
The crystalline woman shot him a sideways glance. “Barely. And we still have to find a way out.”
The massive interior chamber was dark, lit only by the ship's running lights and a few stray beams of sun that penetrated the structure. He saw a cluster of ancient space craft parked beneath them. The rusting hulks lay scattered across the stone floor. Faded markings ran across the ground, leading to a row of bulbous metal spheres. There were dozens of them, each one towering hundreds of meters into the air.
Avra’s voice crackled over the comm system. “Hey, I thought I said to let me know if you were going to do anything crazy?”
Talon chuckled. “Too late for that, I'm afraid. What of your plan? Are you ready?”
“I think so. I rigged the fusion reactor in the emergency pod to blow. If we can trap those enemy ships in the building, maybe we can—”
CRASH!
Avra’s voice was lost in a burst of static, as something impacted against the side of the ship. Glancing out the window, Talon spotted another enemy vessel, one of the two that had darted away from them earlier. It was ramming his ship, on the starboard side.
“What the hell was that?” Avra's voice warbled through the comm system.
“Sister,” Suphara shouted. “I think I’ve found the perfect target for your pod!”
“Standing by,” Avra replied.
“What are you talking about,” Talon said, as he struggled to maintain control of the ship. “What target?”
CRASH! The enemy slammed into them again. Talon swung the ship away, as pulse bolts streaked overhead. The sizzling energy beams lit up the dark interior of the ancient hangar. The new ship dropped into position behind him. Once again, the target
lock warning blinked on his display.
Suphara tapped her controls, and a glowing image of the metal spheres in the distance appeared on her holo-display. Red warning symbols flashed alongside the wireframe structures. The crystalline woman pointed out the window.
“The spheres, at the end of the hanger… They’re fuel tanks, for space liners.”
“But this place is ancient,” Talon replied, squinting at the metal orbs in the distance. “Surely they are empty by now.”
“The old liquid fuel those ships used was highly flammable. Even residual vapors would be enough to—”
ZARK! The ship rattled, as another pulse bolt ricocheted off their waning shields.
Gritting his teeth, Talon threw the ship into a bone-crushing turn, speeding along the wall of the hangar. In the center of the building, a rusted catwalk hung at an angle from the ceiling. Talon threaded his ship through the gap above it, as his pursuers broke left and right to avoid the obstacle.
Piloting the vessel with one hand, Talon’s fingers tapped furiously across his control panel. “Avra, I’m rerouting all available power to thrusters. On my signal, eject the pod. Then hang on!”
“Does this count as something crazy?”
His lips curled into a grim smile. “It was Suphara’s idea. Consider yourself warned.”
The bulbous fuel tanks loomed into view. Each colossal sphere of rusted metal was hundreds of meters in diameter. Faded symbols and markings covered the surface of the tanks, but whatever language it was, Talon could not read it.
Swooping around the nearest tank, Talon dove the ship towards the ground, following a twisting path of metal pipes and conduits. Pulses of light lit up the dark interior as the enemies behind them opened fire.
Beyond the tanks, the wall of the hangar rushed closer. Talon’s eyes darted left and right.
“I need an opening,” he muttered. “Or this was all for nothing.”
Suphara’s fingers were a blur on her controls. She plotted multiple routes through the twisting maze of pipes. “I think I have something. On my mark, bear thirty degrees to port. Three… two… one… Mark!”