by GARY DARBY
“That’s interesting,” she began, “haven’t seen that previously. If we did nick’em there, maybe that’s where we should place these shots, too.”
“Roger that,” Dason returned. His fingers played across his console. “Coming around, five degrees up.”
The Zephyr’s tiny bow lifted as the little ship slipped through the dark mass, gaining ground on the Mongan craft.
“Ranging . . . ranging,” Alena all but whispered in the stillness of the pilot pod. “A little closer, Dason, I want to put these where they’ll really count.”
The Mongan ship’s dark shape loomed straight ahead. Alena’s hand hovered over the weapon’s console with her eyes locked on the tracker. “And three, two . . . one!”
Her finger stabbed the console. An ion pulse shot out from the Zephyr’s ion cannon. Less than a second later, a second powerful ion energy bolt sped away.
Dason reached out to the thruster control but before his hand reached the console, a blast of light enveloped the Zephyr. Dason jerked his head up.
His eyes went wide, and he tried to slam his hand down on the pilot’s board but it was too late. An enormous, powerful blast wave caught the Zephyr, tumbling it through the cloud like a gale picks up a dead leaf on the ground and sends it spinning through the air.
Ruby-colored lights blinked incessantly across the console warning of multiple system failures. The compu blared out, “Main engine shutdown! Main engine shutdown!”
Dason clawed his fingers across the board, straining against the g-force waves that keeled the vessel over and over in a wild dance through the dark clouds.
His fingertips had just touched the board when an enormous dark shadow fell over the craft. Dason peered upward at the Mongan warship that slowed to a crawl just over their heads.
The metallic beast’s belly seemed to split in half, revealing an immense black opening. A tiny blue pinpoint of light materialized, growing bigger and brighter until it appeared to fill the void in the Mongan’s warship.
In an instant, the light blossomed outward and enveloped the Zephyr. Dason was unable to move or speak as if frozen in place.
For a second, darkness crept across his mind, and then, the invisible bonds that had held him fast released, and he sucked in great draughts of air.
He felt as though he had just dove headfirst into a lake of freezing water, and his whole body shivered from the icy feel.
Turning to Alena, who was breathing hard and fast as she tried to get her hands to move across the console. “What was that?” Dason gasped out.
“I think they teleported us,” Alena rasped. “Look.”
Dason swiveled his head around at the sight. They were indeed inside the Mongan vessel. However, that wasn’t all. Sitting next to them in the giant bay was another ship.
Dason did a double take at what he saw. “I don’t believe it. That’s the Queen Bee.”
Alena sucked in a breath. “I don’t know anything about that ship, but I do know who they are, our not-so-friendly hosts.”
Marching toward them were three small figures, dressed in silvery-gray robes. With dark eyes fixed on the Zephyr, they held thin tubes pointed outward that no doubt were weapons.
“Do we fight?” Alena asked.
“My heart says yes,” Dason replied grim-faced. “But my head says no.”
He gestured toward the Queen. “We ride this out, if for no other reason than we just might find out what happened to the Queen’s crew and the scouts that were on her.”
Chapter Three
Star date: 2443.090
The Alpha Prime Planet, Helix Nebula
Sliding behind a craggy, but rounded boulder, Star Scout Jadar Marrel grimaced as he knelt on one knee. His wounds hadn’t healed entirely and he was stiff, sore, fatigued, and wondering for the umpteenth time why he ever wanted to be a Star Scout in the first place.
Noting the painful look on Jadar’s face, Shar Tuul asked, “You okay?”
“Sure,” Jadar quietly answered. “Compared to my almost-drowning act of a few days ago, or my imitation of a skydiver without a parachute after that, I’m doing good.”
“Uh huh,” Shar replied. “Then why do you wince every time we have to hit the deck?”
“Because, Colonel Tuul, sir,” Jadar grunted, “I’m an old guy playing in a young person’s game, and my body is reminding me that I should have retired to the sidelines years ago.”
“Makes two of us,” Shar snorted. “And since I outrank you, I get to retire first.”
“In that case,” Jadar, “hurry up, because I’m right behind you.”
He slid his hand over the boulder’s rough facing, noting that it gave off a faint phosphorescent white glow under the lime-colored moonlight. A soft breeze caressed his cheeks as he raised his head to peer over the ridgeline into the darkened valley.
Snapping his IR snoopers down, he surveyed the surrounding brush and tree line, but after a few minutes, sat back, satisfied that there was no telltale movement in the immediate area.
“How’s it look?” Shar whispered.
“Clear so far,” Jadar muttered before swinging his head around to search the clear night sky for any sign of a Mongan warship, but just like the valley forest, the sky appeared quiet, with only the Helix Nebula’s radiance piercing the dark tranquility.
“We should be pretty close to the scouters,” Shar observed. “As I recall that prominence over there that looks like a thumb was on the next hill over from the site.”
“You recall right, sir,” Jadar agreed.
With that, he gave a little wave of the hand toward the other scouts who lay hidden among the scrub brush that dotted this side of a tall hill.
One by one, they rose and joined him behind the boulder. Jadar scrunched down and motioned to his left.
“We follow the ridgeline from here. Everyone knows what we’re after, the left-behind scouters and the sky-watch equipment.”
He pointed over his left shoulder past the boulder toward a hill whose crown was flat on top. “By my reckoning, they should be about a kilometer in that direction.
“There’s no guarantee that they’re still there, but if they are, remember the plan. Lieutenant Staley, your team handles the sky watch, try to get it up and running, and transmit that message first thing.
“Wiggins, your team searches the scouters. Recharge the L-guns, scavenge for medical supplies, food and water.
“Remember, we don’t power anything up on any scouter until the sky watch is ready to go. We don’t want to advertise to the Mongans that we’re here.
“Colonel Tuul, Vlad, and myself will provide over watch so that you can do your work without interruption.”
His eyes circled the group. “Everyone clear on their assignment?”
Quick nods from taut faces assured Jadar that everyone understood their tasks and the mission’s urgency.
Jadar glanced skyward again. “The big moon should set in about twenty minutes. We’ll wait until it does and then move out. I don’t want us silhouetted on this ridgeline. So, hunker down and get some food and water in you, but be ready to go when I give the word.”
The scouts fanned out and went to earth, waiting for complete darkness until they made for their objective. Shar settled in next to Jadar and rubbed a hand over his grimy forehead. “Tough couple of days,” he murmured.
Jadar took a swig of water from his mouth tube and nodded. “Yeah,” he replied in a like voice, “But we’re almost there and hopefully our luck will continue to hold.”
Shar stretched out his legs and eased into a more comfortable position. “To tell you the truth, I’m surprised that the Mongans haven’t spotted us. There were a couple of times there that I thought they had us dead to rights.”
Jadar licked his lips and tasted salt and dirt. “I don’t believe this is a game they play very often,” he replied.
“Their technology and tactics seem to be more for interstellar operations. Probably because they and the Sha’a
nay slug it out so often Out There, they don’t know quite how to handle puny humans crawling around on the planet’s surface and nipping at their posteriors.”
“Now that’s a nasty analogy,” Shar returned with a grimace. He glanced upward. “You know, I was thinking, what are the odds of being marooned twice on the same planet?”
“Pretty high I would think,” Jadar answered stoically. “But somehow you and I beat whatever the odds are.”
“Lucky us,” Shar replied tartly. “Speaking of, what do you think the odds are that those scouters and the sky watch are still there and in one piece?”
Jadar laid his head back against a boulder and peered at the nebula’s glowing coils. For some reason, the giant gaseous spirals made him think that he was looking at a series of titanic tornadoes that spun through space sucking up galactic debris.
“Honestly?” he replied. “I don’t know. We do know that the Faction made off with at least one. Whether the Mongans destroyed the remainder when they attacked the planet is another question.
“I’m hoping that in the chaos of the battle, they didn’t see them and at least one or two are still there and intact, along with the sky watch.”
“And,” Shar noted, “that’s the real prize.”
“Yes,” Jadar replied. “Finding supplies would be nice, especially med stocks for our injured, but we absolutely need to get a message off to the Imperium, tell them what the Mongans are doing.”
Shar gave a little sigh. “Yeah, we hurt’em bad when we destroyed their mining complex, but it would be a suicide mission trying to get at it now. They’ve got that thing ringed solid.”
Jadar took another long drink of water. “The complex is covered top to bottom, yes, but have you noticed that there are fewer ships overhead than earlier?”
He flicked a finger upward toward the Helix. “Almost makes you think that there’s something happening Out There that’s drawing their forces away. You think the Imperium, or maybe the Sha’anay are hitting back?”
“I don’t know,” Shar responded, “but whatever is going on is working in our favor, keeping them off our backs. We may not be able to strike at their complex, but there’s still a chance we can do some damage elsewhere. We just need to keep our eyes and ears peeled for the right opportunity.”
Both remained silent for several minutes until Jadar said reflectively, “We sure have come a long way from the days when all we had to worry about were the nasty XT critters we might encounter on the trail.”
Shar grunted in response. “I’ve never been one to yearn for the ‘good ol’ days’ but I have to admit that compared to now, they sure look good. I feel as though we’ve gone from being Star Scouts and enlisted in the Imperium’s Space Marines.”
“Don’t it now,” Jadar grunted. He glanced up to see the last sliver of moon slide behind a distant range of high hills, letting darkness settle deeper over the land.
“Time to go,” Jadar said. He rose and ordered, “Everyone up. Chia, Vlad, Path Finders, Lieutenant Staley, your team covers our six. Let’s move.”
Chia and Vlad scrambled to their feet and strode out, following the hill’s sharp crest, using what cover they could find to stay in the shadow.
In silence, the rest of the team followed their lead. The evening breeze had died, and the night was still and calm. Every little sound seemed to carry in the air.
With eyes and ears attuned to every rustle in the underbrush or to the flutter of wings overhead, the scout team paced just below the ridge’s crest.
A loud swoosh overhead caused the team to go to ground, L-guns out and aimed upward until the large wind rider passed over the hill to seek its prey in the valley.
Tiny squeaks and chirps signaled that small night feeders were out and about, casting about in search of food.
The team moved on until Jadar heard Vlad through his earpiece. “Scouts, freeze. Colonel Tuul, Colonel Marrel, come forward.”
Jadar and Shar broke into a lope and within a few seconds joined up with the two Path Finders who lay on a small rocky knoll.
Chia pointed with two fingers at his eyes and then motioned for Shar and Jadar to look at what lay below the hillock.
Jadar eased up and raised his head just over the knoll’s edge.
Scouters!
Three sat on a small plateau and from outward appearances seemed undisturbed and in working condition. Doing a quick survey of the surrounding area and satisfied with what he saw, Jadar opened his comms. “All scouts, we’ve located the scouters. Hold in place until I call you forward.”
With a quick gesture of his head, Jadar had the four slipped over the hillock and with careful steps made their way toward the craft.
Jadar sent Chia and Vlad to recon the clearing’s outer perimeter while he and Shar sidestepped their way toward the closest ship, their weapons at the ready and their eyes watching for the slightest movement that would signal a threat.
It was Jadar who caught the dull glint of metal lying on the ground. With a broad smile creasing his face, he reached out and pulled Shar with him. With quick steps, they strode over to kneel next to the sky watch apparatus.
Jadar bent over the device and ran his fingers over its control board. In a hoarse whisper, Shar asked, “Is it working?”
Jadar shook his head. “Not that I can see, but I can’t tell you why it’s not.”
He glanced around at the scouters. “Let’s make sure the area is secure and then pull the team in.”
With rapid steps, they searched the area, meeting up with Chia and Vlad as the two finished their own reconnaissance of the area. “Clear?” Jadar asked.
“Clear, sir,” Vlad answered.
“Good, you two go get the rest of the team and bring them in, Colonel Tuul and I will cover here.”
A few minutes later, the team was busy at their respective assignments, hustling between the three little ships, keenly aware that they could be discovered at any moment by a Mongan warship.
Jadar and Shar prowled the area, ensuring that no unwelcome visitors interrupted them at their tasks. Soft footsteps caused Jadar to turn, and he greeted Lieutenant Staley with a quick nod.
“Sir,” she began, “we’re moving the sky watch into one of the scouters and opening it up so that we can take a look at the circuitry. We know it’s getting power, but something is preventing it from activating.”
“Okay,” Jadar answered. “Keep at it, and remember, no light spillage out of the scouter whatsoever.”
“Yes, sir,” Staley replied, “we’ll do our work in the lower cargo bay with the hatch sealed.”
“Very well,” Jadar replied, “get to it.”
Jadar took up his slow patrol, and his route took him by one of the craft. He stopped and pressed a palm against the ship’s hull. Which one of these had Dason ridden in, he wondered.
He placed both hands on the scouter letting his fingertips slide along the craft’s smooth side. It wasn’t fair, he thought in bitterness, to have found Dason after all these years, only to lose him again.
Why? His mind whirled around the question. Why had this happened to my family? Haven’t we given enough, aren’t we entitled to just a little happiness in life?
“Sir,” someone called to him softly from the nearby darkness, “are you okay?”
Jadar sucked in a breath and turned. “Yes,” he replied huskily. “I’m all right. What do you have, scout?”
The young woman stepped closer and held out an L-gun, butt first. “Charged up sir, give me yours and I’ll recharge it and any extra energy packs you have.”
Jadar drew his weapon and handed it to the scout along with several depleted energy packs. “Thanks,” he replied.
“Sure thing, and by the way, Wiggins wanted you to know that the scouters were fully stocked on med supplies, food and water, plus several spare L-guns. We’re putting kits together to carry back to base camp.”
“Great,” Jadar replied. He gave the scouter a soft pat with one hand. “Too b
ad we can’t fly them back to base, sure would make things easier.”
“Sure would,” she returned. “But something tells me the Mongans wouldn’t let us get very far.”
The scout turned and strode away into the darkness. Jadar took a deep breath and turned in the opposite direction. Several minutes later, he was kneeling at the plateau’s lip peering down into the valley.
He took one look and whispered into his communicator, “Colonel Tuul, Vlad, I’m on the valley side. Link up with me, we’ve got a problem.”
Moments later, muffled footsteps announced the arrival of Shar and Vlad. “What have you got?” Shar asked.
Jadar pointed downslope at the hill’s base. “You remember that pack of big hyena-lookin’ brutes we saw last night?”
“The ones that took down the big omnivore and its calf?” Shar asked.
“The same,” Jadar replied. “Take a look through your snoopers just upslope from the tree line. Either my eyes are going bad or they may have trailed us.”
Shar and Vlad slapped down their eyepieces and scanned the area. After several sweeps with the devices, Shar lifted his IR up. “I count at least eight. Do you think they’ve caught our scent yet?”
Jadar shook his head. “I don’t think so. It looks as if they’re casting about.”
He turned to Vlad. “What do you think, scout?”
“Sir,” Vlad answered, “with two colonels sitting here, I’m not sure I’m eligible to do any thinking.”
Jadar snorted. “Spill it, scout, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want your opinion.”
“Well, in that case, sir,” Vlad replied, “I think they’ve smelled red meat on the wind, whether it’s us or something else, and they’re trying to identify where it’s coming from.”
“We can’t fire on them,” Shar muttered, “our lasers would light up the sky.”
“No, we don’t want to do that,” Jadar answered.
He sized up the situation, saying, “Here’s what we’ll do. If they come at us, we’ll pull everyone into the scouters and wait them out. My guess is that they’re night feeders and will head back into the woods come morning.