The Hunted

by Andrew Wichland

  Again, murmurings rose from the people, some leaning close to whisper in another’s ear.

  “Now I know you all entrusted me to look after your safety,” Robin said, and the murmurs died down, “and in some ways, I violated that trust.” His gaze shifted to Dulgard and the others with him. “If you want me removed as leader, I understand.”

  “I, for one, think it would be a bad idea!” Freya called out, and Robin looked at her in surprise.

  “I agree,” Tekmet piped in. “I praise the day this young man came into our lives.” He nodded. “You want a leader who would do anything for his people? You’ve got one in Robin. He let himself be captured and enslaved for people and family he didn’t know,” Tekmet continued. “He even willingly got himself thrown into the Mines of Morehoth, so he could get back to us when we were separated.”

  “He fought Lord Balwin to return to us!” Freya picked up where Tekmet had left off. “He even broke his back fighting the Black Dragon herself…” She stopped when Robin shot her a look.

  “You fought the Black Dragon?” a disbelieving Dulgard piped in while his friends and father laughed lightly. “You expect us to believe that? For starters, you’re walking!” Other people started nodding. “If you fought the Black Dragon herself,” Dulgard continued, making air quotes with the last word, “and she broke your back, then how are you still walking?”

  Before Robin could answer, something shot out of Dulgard’s pocket. He watched as it soared through the air, coming to a stop and hovering above Freya’s palm.

  “Got a bit of a sweet tooth there?” she asked, and a couple people chuckled. The half-eaten candy bar spun in the air above her hand. “I was able to hide the fact that I can use magic,” Freya said. “I was able to heal him.” She looked at them all before the candy bar floated back to Dulgard.

  “You can believe us or not,” Freya said as the teen jammed the candy bar back into his pocket, “but I know what my brother did for me, and that’s enough. I will forever be grateful to him. Anyone who says he is anything less…” There was a warning in her tone.

  “For once, I agree with you.” Dulgard climbed to his feet. “You see someone across a series of landing platforms and you risk all of us to save her!” he exclaimed, pointing at Robin. “What kind of leader are you to risk our lives like that?”

  “One I can get behind.” Dolph stood in the midst of a group of men. For a second, he just stood there, looking at everyone. Finally, he spoke again. “Robin may have left, but he made sure we were in good hands before he did.” He nodded in the directions of Willa, Little John, Much, and Tuck. “And I like to think that, if anyone here were to see family anywhere being led away for enslavement, they would do anything to save them.”

  Robin saw husbands, wives, brothers, and sisters squeeze hands or hold each other close.

  “I know I would have done the same thing if I had been in his shoes!” He jabbed a finger at Robin. “If he did that much for people he didn’t know, imagine what he would go through to save one of us!” At his words, people started murmuring again while others shared looks. “So, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I will stand behind my leader!” He pumped his fist into the air. “ROBIN!” he declared, begin to chant.

  With a clatter of movement, people leapt to their feet, fists raised in the air, all following the chant. It reverberated through the air, vibrating all the walls around them.

  Surprised, Robin looked at his friends, who held his gaze before they each raised a fist in the air, the crystals of their bracelets flashing in the light.

  Tekmet slammed his fist against his chest and bowed his head in respect while Freya raised her fist and joined in the chant.

  Taken aback and humbled, Robin looked back at the crowd. When he saw the hard looks from Dulgard, Suji, Babieca, Bamber, Kade, and Melinda, though, he clenched his jaw and he stood straighter.

  Chapter 4

  Settling In

  Hours later, Robin stood in one of the hallways, looking out of a forcefield viewing portal. People moved about around him, some going to makeshift shelters and others going down different corridors. Some were just kids, laughing and playing as they were chased by their friends.

  Robin still stood there, watching the tumbling asteroids beyond as they floated through space. With one hand, he fingered his toothed necklace and medallion. He chuckled and a grin appeared on his face, amazed that, after everything, he had managed to keep both. His smile slowly faded as his thoughts turned to his father.

  “Ryuu.” Head turning, he eyed Freya as she drew close. She followed his gaze, a smile on her lips, and looked out the portal. “It’s weird having to call you that,” she finally said, “especially since I know you by another name.”

  Robin nodded. “The person who bore it is long dead,” he said, and she looked at him. “It’s only a mask now.”

  Her eyes returned to space. “I guess we all have to wear masks at one point.”

  After a few seconds, his hand slowly moved to rest on her shoulder, and she lay her head on his shoulder

  “How are you, Tekmet, and Kylie settling in?” he asked.

  “As soon as people heard I was a healer, the medical teams wouldn’t leave me alone,” she answered. “Then they learned I could use magic.”

  “Did it get worse after that?” he asked.

  “Depends on the person.” Again, silence fell on the pair. “What’s on your mind?” she asked.

  “That we still have a brother out there,” he replied, and he felt her surprised eyes on him. “That it’s a big universe out there—a lot of places my father could have hidden him.”

  “Are you saying we’re triplets?” she demanded, her mouth open. He slowly nodded, looking her in the eye. She let out a puff of air and shook her head. “Better late than never that you told me,” she said, her voice hardening.

  “Another way to tell you two are related,” a voice said behind them, and they turned to face Much, LJ, Willa, and Tuck. “You both have a short fuse,” Much continued, and Willa smacked the back of his head.

  “No, he’s right,” Robin admitted. “We do.”

  After giving him a smile, Freya looked away. “I would say mine is a bit longer,” she added smugly.

  “Maybe by a millimeter, if that,” he retorted.

  She slapped his chest as everyone around them laughed. Robin chuckled, looking down at her.

  “Nice to see you all settling in,” came Hector’s voice.

  “Time to have that discussion you mentioned earlier?” Robin asked, facing him.

  “Yes.” The minotaur nodded.

  Robin lowered his gaze. “I’ll see you all later,” he said, and moved down the corridor at Hector’s side.

  The man caught two boys running as they rounded a corner. “Walk,” he said sharply after turning them both to face him. “Don’t run! Walk!” With that, he let them go on their way.

  Robin smiled as the kids left. “You do realize they’re going to be running again as soon as you’re out of sight, right?”

  “Yes,” the minotaur answered, “but hopefully the next people they bump into won’t be a work crew and blow up half the station.” Robin chuckled at that.

  After rounding a couple more corners, Hector led him to a pair of doors. He pressed the release on the side, and the doors opened.

  Stepping in, Robin looked around the room, eyeing the bed built into the wall. Some of the wiring and tubing dipped down from the ceiling. He shifted things out of his way as he looked around.

  There was an old emitter for the computer with a foldout stool, as well as what looked like an ancient simulator pod consisting of a foldout stool, a yoke, and an old eye viewer.

  “After everything you’ve been through, this must seem like a palace,” Hector said, stepping forward, his hooves clanging on the metal floor.

  “You’d be surprised,” Robin muttered, thinking about the palace on Andurian. Memories of Marian surfaced, and he frowned.

  �
��I’m assigning you quarters similar to this,” Hector said, snapping him back.

  He whipped around, looking at him. “You don’t need to do that.”

  “As leader of your band, it is customary,” Hector said, overriding his objections. “There will be things you will have to discuss with your people in private, and this is better than having to kick people out of places.” He sat on the bed. “That’s another thing I wanted to speak to you about,” the minotaur continued, eyeing him. “What are your plans for you and your people, now that you’re all here?”

  After looking at him, Robin moved to the old projector. “We were hoping, after arriving here safely, to find our way to the Resistance,” Robin said, turning on the projector and pulling up a star map.

  “Well, then you all have a pretty big problem,” Hector said, and Robin frowned. “Most of the people in this base would willingly join the Resistance.”

  “Why don’t they?” Robin asked, facing him.

  “There’s your answer,” Hector said, pointing at the floating star map and climbing to his hooves. “There’s a lot of space out there to get lost in.” He eyed the floating stars. “In short, you don’t find the Resistance…”

  “They find you,” Robin finished for him with a sigh of frustration, running his fingers through his long hair.

  “It’s virtually the only reason they’ve survived this long,” Hector said. “So, what will your plans be until they find you?”

  “I guess we’ll be sticking around for a while.”

  “Then there’s something I need to make clear.” The minotaur nodded somberly. “You may be the leader of your village, but I am in charge here. If you are going to stay, you’re going to have to contribute—everyone has to pitch in to keep this place from falling apart.”

  “I figured as much,” Robin said, hands going to his hips.

  “Is there anything you can do?” Hector asked.

  “Well, I have this.” He showed him his medallion.

  Taking it in his big hand, the man eyed it closely. “Jun taught you?” he finally asked, looking back up at Robin.

  “He was my father,” Robin said, tucking the medallion back under his shirt.

  “He was a good man. I was sorry to hear he died.” Nodding in thanks, Robin’s gaze dropped to the floor as thoughts of what happened flooded his mind. “Unfortunately, that won’t help you much here,” Hector continued, and Robin stared at him. “Many come here already trained.”

  “But I still have to have time to train my sister.”

  “Then what can you do to give yourself that time?” Hector asked, arms folded across his massive chest.

  Robin thought for a few seconds. “I’m a good pilot,” he finally said.

  Hector arched an eyebrow. “Really? You’re offering yourself up as a freight pilot?”

  Tilting his head to one side, Robin grinned.

  Chapter 5

  Buccaneer Squadron

  A short while later, strapped to the seat of a fighter in flight gear, Robin was flying through space at high speed with one hand on the throttle and the other on the yoke. All the while, he dodged the various-sized asteroids that tumbled around him, stopping them from either crushing or colliding with him.

  “Oh, yeah—this was a great way to test my fighter pilot skills,” he growled to himself as he dodged another floating rock.

  When an alarm sounded, he glanced down at the rearview screen. Roaran’s fighter was moving in behind him. As the missile lock warning sounded, he jerked hard on the yoke. The fighter shot around an asteroid, Roaran in close pursuit.

  “Is that really your strategy?” the dwarf demanded as Robin dodged around another flying boulder. “Using the asteroids against me?”

  After glancing at the rearview screen again, his eyes shot up and a grin spread across his face. “No,” he replied as he banked his fighter hard. A trio of asteroids was coming on course in front of him, about to collide with each other.

  Robin sensed his plan of action, and his fighter was bombarded by blaster cannon fire. Weaving left and right through space, he dodged the fire from Roaran’s fighter. Once more, the missile lock warning sounded.

  He remembered the rules of this dogfight: the first one hit by blaster cannon fire or locked on for a missile launch would be the loser.

  After glancing at Roaran’s pursuing fighter, he locked eyes on the rapidly shrinking gap between the three asteroids. He then pressed a button on the throttle.

  Right away, the afterburners fired with a roar of the engines, and he shot forward. He knew he had a miniscule time window to survive what he was going to do, and the time he could safely stop and save himself was no less thin than a sheet of paper…

  Larger and larger the asteroids loomed around him while Roaran maneuvered to follow. Looking back up, Robin’s eyes widened when he saw he was out of position. With a cry, he spun his fighter and barely made it in time to scrape through the shrinking gap of the asteroids and shoot through to the other side.

  Sighing in relief, Robin sagged in his seat. “But they sure do help in shaking a tail—or missile lock,” he finished, killing the afterburner engines and pulling up on the yoke.

  As he was clearing the top of the asteroid, Roaran’s fighter shot into his view. In a flash, he was behind him, turning the hunter into the hunted.

  As the fighters weaved through space, Robin opened fire. “So, how does it feel to be on the receiving end?” he asked as he maneuvered to gain a missile lock.

  “I’ll let you know!” Roaran replied, and his fighter suddenly shot backward.

  “WHOA!” Robin barked in surprise as he jerked his fighter to the side, dodging Roaran’s.

  With the dwarf back in pursuit, Robin jerked hard on the yoke and throttle. He put the fighter into a hard dive and roll while he was closely followed.

  “You did not just pull an old man’s maneuver on me!” Robin exclaimed, throwing a couple of switches.

  “Don’t you be calling me old!” Roaran barked back.

  After rolling his fighter to avoid more blaster fire, he again put the fighter into a dive. Knowing he didn’t have much time, Robin quickly took cover behind a couple of large asteroids. He pulled the fighter to a full stop and started throwing switches, virtually shutting down all systems.

  As he drifted, he looked up between a crack in the shifting asteroids, spying Roaran come into his line of sight. With bated breath, he eyed the fighter as it slowed and started searching for him. For what seemed like hours, Robin watched until he saw him start to pull away.

  Slowly, Robin put the maneuvering thrusters back online and moved into position. Then, as Roaran disappeared over the lip of the asteroid, he reacted main systems. He slammed his foot down on one of the strafing peddles and shot up with his fighter on its side. He was right behind Roaran now and rolled to right himself. Before the dwarf could react, Robin had him in a missile lock.

  “Bang! You’re dead!” Robin cheered, jerking one fist up in triumph.

  Over the commlink, Roaran growled in frustration. “Well, I guess I should welcome the newest member of Buccaneer squadron,” he admitted as Robin pulled up alongside him and they turned toward Tortuga.

  Chapter 6

  Apprentices

  After the pair landed in the main hangar and climbed out of their fighters, they started chatting about the dogfight.

  “That last maneuver you did—you’ve got to tell me what that was!”

  “Let’s just say I got inspired,” Robin replied as they walked toward the hatch.

  “By what?” Roaran demanded, exasperated.

  “An old toy for young children on Earth,” Robin answered. “I believe they called it a jack-in-the-box.”

  Walking through the main hatch, the pair were met by Hector in the hall. The two stood, their helmets tucked under their arms.

  “Ryuu,” said Hector, “that was quite impressive, young man. You weren’t exaggerating when you said you were a good pilot…”
/>   “Bragging about it, I bet,” came a stage whisper, as the three eyed Dulgard walking in.

  “Actually, all he said was that he was a good pilot,” Hector said, “and then he pointed out we could use all the fighter pilots we could get.”

  “Besides,” Roaran said to Dulgard, running his finger through his thick, braided beard and chuckling, “I seem to remember blowing you out of the stars merely five minutes into the dogfight.”

  At the dwarf’s words, Dulgard’s face hardened in rage, and he whipped around and stormed off. Willa, Little John, Much, Tuck, and his mother walked toward Robin. Surprisingly, he didn’t see Freya or Tekmet anywhere.

  After changing out of his flight gear, he wandered down the hall, looking for them. He turned down one corridor and paused when he saw a crowd of children at the end of the hall. Tekmet stood alone, gazing out at one of the forcefield portals, hands clasped behind his back.

  After glancing at the crowd again, Robin called, “Tekmet!”

  At once, the man turned and smiled as Robin approached. “It’s good to see you, Ryuu,” he said in greeting. “Shall we find a place more private?”

  Robin looked back at the children and nodded in agreement. “Now I know what a goldfish must feel like,” he commented as they walked away.

  “It’s strange calling you that,” the other man said as they rounded the corner. “Who is this Ryuu?”

  At the question, Robin lowered his gaze. “A boy who died not long ago,” he answered. “Now his memory has become nothing more than a mask I have to wear.”

  At his words, Tekmet looked at him. “I saw part of your test to get in the squadron,” he said, changing the subject, for which Robin was grateful. “It was quite impressive.”

  “Thanks,” he said. “In some ways, I always felt at home flying.”