“There wasn’t much time. Casey and I were kinda busy.”
Tilley gave another of her grins. “Save it for the captain. I’ve got a feeling he’s going to be asking you how one supposedly inactivated Paladin was able to use its plasma weapons, not to mention boot up its computer in less time than it takes to heat up a bag of popcorn in the dehydrator.”
Jake had a feeling his mechanic was right. He sighed. I guess I’ve got some explaining to do.
Wasting no time, he headed in the direction of the Trecorians’ cabin to pick up his partner-in-crime. He didn’t make it far. She met him halfway.
Smiling, the black-and-purpled haired Trecorian said, “Guess you got an invitation you couldn’t refuse either.”
He returned her smile, grateful in spite of the circumstances to be back on speaking terms with her. “So it seems.” He waved a hand at a nearby elevator. “Shall we?”
The Trecorian’s eyes sparkled as she gave him a devilish grin. “Maybe later. Right now we’ve got to see the captain.”
By the time they reached the door to the bridge, the color of Jake’s face was almost back to normal. He let Casey lead the way inside. The captain was already there. So was Major Maksim.
“You’ve got some explaining to do,” said Captain Yardov from his command chair on the bridge. He glared at Major Maksim, daring him to argue. “I don’t care how well connected you are politically. This is my ship, and you’re under my command. If I so much as think you’re disobeying one of my orders in the future, I’ll court-martial you on the spot and have you dumped out an escape hatch without a suit. You got that?”
“Uh, yes, uh, Captain,” stammered Major Maksim, obviously embarrassed to be chastised in front of the freighter’s bridge crew. “I understand completely.”
Standing next to Casey in front of the command chair, Jake almost felt sorry for the sweating Covian major. Almost, but not quite. The swelling around his eye’s worse, Jake thought. Personally, I think that shade of black and blue goes well with that uniform of his.
Still staring at Maksim, Captain Yardov leaned forward in his command chair. “My chief engineer informs me both our ion and hyper-drive engines are damaged. Repairs are impossible outside of a full space-dock. I’ve contacted higher headquarters on Lastreo. They’re sending a space tug and an escort destroyer to fetch us, but it’ll take a week to get here and another three weeks to tow us home. Until they arrive, you’ll keep two of your fighters circling our ship at all times. I don’t want any more surprise visits by those pirates. Understood?”
Jake noticed the major’s face turn a little red as his hands balled into fists.
Two large security guards took positions on either side of their captain.
The red in Maksim’s face disappeared and his hands relaxed. “Yes…sir. It will be done as you say.”
The captain nodded. “Then I won’t keep you here any longer, Major.”
The Covian spun on his heels without bothering to salute and made straight for the exit.
Once Maksim was gone, Captain Yardov turned to look at Casey and Jake. “I’ve informed Lastreo of your actions.” He shrugged. “While I personally applaud what you did, hacking around a ship’s security programs is a court-martial offense. The punishment is normally death by disintegrator ray.”
Casey shifted her feet. “We’re not members of your crew, Captain. I’m a member of the Trecorian mil—”
Yardov pointed a beefy finger at the Trecorian lieutenant. “Don’t you dare start quoting regs to me, Lieutenant. I was a midshipman on a freighter making runs in the Ostaris Minor asteroid belt before you were born. This is my ship, and my word is the law.” He lowered his finger and shrugged. “However, as it so happens, higher headquarters told me not to pursue the matter. I can’t say I’m disappointed.”
“Then we’re not going to get in trouble?” Jake asked.
“For saving my ship?” laughed the potbellied captain. “No. Now, what happens when we get to Lastreo is a different matter. The Steel Apocalypse can be downright dangerous. That is, assuming we can get you there in time to participate.”
Before Jake could ask the obvious question, Casey spoke up.
“What do you mean if we can get there in time? I thought you said a tug—”
“I know what I said, Lieutenant. A tug and escort have been dispatched, but it’s not easy towing a ship this size across the neutral zone. If the tug tries making a hyper-jump with us in tow, we’re liable to come loose from their tractor beam and wind up who knows where in the galaxy. The tug will have to get us to Lastreo using normal hyper-drive. With a week for them to get here and another three weeks to tow us to Lastreo, that’ll put us in orbit a week after the tournament’s scheduled to start.”
Casey crossed her arms. “So in other words, we’re going to be a day late and a credit short.”
The captain nodded. “So it seems.”
Thinking of the thumbnail-sized container of inactivated tele-bots he’d hidden inside the secret compartment where his dad had kept his sack of emergency credits, Jake said, “We’ll still be landing on Lastreo, won’t we?”
Captain Yardov raised an eyebrow.
“Uh,” Jake said, trying to recover. “I mean, after coming all this way, I’d at least like to see part of the tournament even if I can’t get there in time to be in it.”
“So would I,” said Casey. “I mean, since I’m going to be there anyway.” She glanced at Jake before looking back at Yardov. “I heard the last Steel Apocalypse on Lastreo lasted a full month before a winner was declared.”
The captain sat back in his seat and smiled. “Ah, yes. Now that was a tournament. I won over a thousand— Uh, well, I mean it was good entertainment.” He eyed Casey and Jake. “I tell you what. I can’t promise anything, but once my ship’s in space-dock over Lastreo, if I can finagle some tickets for you to the tournament, I will. I’ll even take you planet-side in the Solaris’s shuttle. But I have to be honest. Security’s pretty tight on Lastreo. The odds are that none of us will be allowed planet-side once the tournament begins.”
“Well, I’d appreciate whatever you can do,” Jake said.
The captain laughed. “It’s too bad the two of you won’t be in the tournament. Having seen you fight, I’d bet a year’s pay on one of you being the winner. I’d make a killing.”
“Yeah, too bad,” said Casey.
An image of the mysterious Lieutenant Fisher and her veiled threat about what might happen if he didn’t release her container of tele-bots on Lastreo popped into Jake’s mind. “Are you sure we can’t get there in time to start the tournament? Maybe if—”
The captain shook his head. “Forget it. The only way you’d be able to get there in time to enter the tournament is if they delayed it until you got there.” He laughed. “Unless you know someone mighty important, that ain’t going to happen.”
“No,” Jake said. “I guess not.”
Chapter 16 – An Alliance
______________________
Three weeks after the pirates’ attack, Jake walked down the level-three hallway of the Solaris, making his way to the front of the starship. A large crewman wearing a set of gray camouflaged pants and t-shirt was coming down the hall from the opposite direction.
As the crewman drew close, the big man smiled. “Good evening, Mister Striker. On your way to the captain’s dinner, eh?”
Jake stopped and smiled back. “Hello, Riko.” He touched the dress-white uniform he’d bought with the Gegormas’ charge card before he’d left Trillian. “I feel a little out of place in this thing, but we’ve all got to do what we’ve all got to do.”
“Ain’t it the truth,” laughed Riko. He lost his smile. “Hey, I just want to say I’m sorry we couldn’t get you to Lastreo in time for the start of the tournament. You and the lieutenant would’ve won hands down. The whole crew would’ve bet on you guys if we could’ve.”
“Well, thanks, but Casey and I both couldn’t have won. I mean,
there’s only one prize.”
Riko frowned. “Who told you that?”
“What? Are you saying there’s more than one prize?”
Riko shrugged. “The cat pilots make alliances with each other. There are some loners, but the winner’s always been part of an alliance. The winner splits the credits with their teammates.”
“Bummer. I didn’t know that. Guess I shoulda been making some friends.”
Grinning, Riko said, “From what I’ve seen, you’ve been pretty friendly with a certain lieutenant.”
A warmth came over Jake’s face at the realization that he and Casey hadn’t been as discrete as they’d thought. “Doesn’t matter now. We won’t be competing anyway.”
“Yeah, too bad. Maybe next time. I’ve got to get to the armory now, but maybe we’ll get a chance to talk later.”
Jake nodded. “Sure. Be seeing you.”
Turning, he made his way to the conference room the captain liked to use when he hosted dinners, which had been quite frequently over the past few weeks. Upon entering the room, he saw only four chairs arranged around the conference table. Captain Yardov sat in his usual chair, dressed in a suit with enough gold braid to make an admiral proud. Casey sat across from him. She had her hair up in a wrap around her head, making the purple streaks form a pattern that contrasted well with her Trecorian dress uniform. He thought she looked very pretty. He didn’t think so much of the person occupying the third chair—none other than Major Maksim.
“Ah, you’re here, Mister Striker,” said Captain Yardov as he waved at the empty seat. “Please, sit. I wanted to give the three of you the news before we start dinner.”
“News?” Jake asked as he sat down. “Have you gotten permission for Casey and me to go watch the remainder of the tournament when we get to Lastreo?”
Captain Yardov shook his head.
Jake’s heart dropped as he began trying to figure out how he was supposed to get the tele-bots planet-side now.
“Actually,” said Yardov, “I haven’t been able to get permission for you to watch it, because you’ll be in it.”
Sitting up in his seat, Jake eyed the captain to make sure he wasn’t trying to make a joke. “I thought the tournament started today? We’ve still got another week before we get to Lastreo. How—”
“Yes, how indeed?” said Major Maksim. “I’d assumed that my team and I would be unable to make it in time.”
“You?” Jake asked. “What do you mean, you?”
Maksim smiled. “Oh, didn’t you know? My team and I were also entered in the tournament.” He glanced at Casey. “As it so happens, I’m almost as good a cat pilot as I am a fighter pilot.”
Casey rolled her eyes.
Captain Yardov leaned back in his seat and smiled. “Actually, all three of you will be on Lastreo in time to start the tournament. It’s been delayed until our arrival. One of you must have some high-level friends to get an event the size of the Steel Apocalypse put on hold.”
Major Maksim gave a smug laugh. “Ah, yes. That’s probably my doing.”
Yardov, Casey, and Jake looked at him.
The major’s smile grew even smugger. “I told you that Creao Gegorma is my mother’s uncle. He must want me there to uphold the family name. I didn’t think he took me seriously the last time I saw him, when I told him I would be the new champion. I’m glad to see I was wrong.”
Jake turned away from the arrogant major and looked at Yardov. “So they’re delaying the tournament for how long? Casey and I’ll need time to run some field trials and boresight our weapons after being in storage for weeks on end.”
Captain Yardov spread his hands. “I’m sorry to say you won’t be getting that kinda time. As soon as the tug gets us to the space-dock, your equipment and you will go through security and be shuttled planet-side. The tournament’s grand entrance will begin shortly thereafter. The battle royale will take place the next day.” He shrugged. “I’m afraid you’ll barely have time to study the layout of the battle area before you’ll be up to your necks in missiles and plasma beams.”
“Fortunately,” said Major Maksim, “I helped in the construction of the battle area. I’m very familiar with it.” He looked at Casey the way a hungry pactar might look at a fawn. “My teammates and I are part of a five-cat alliance. We could use a sixth cat, if you’re interested. You’d be under my protection, so to speak. We could discuss the details in my cabin later tonight.”
The look of scorn Casey gave the major did Jake’s heart good. “You can take your alliance and stick it where it’ll hurt the most, Major,” she said. “As it so happens, Jake and I have our own alliance. We’ll see you on the field of battle.”
Maksim jumped up out of his seat so fast his chair flew back and hit the wall. His face turned red, and his hands balled into fists.
Both Captain Yardov and Jake stood up as well, ready to intervene.
Casey remained in her chair, seemingly as calm as a Devian cucumber in the middle of winter. From where he stood, Jake could just see part of the Trecorian’s hand under the table. She gripped something metallic that was pointed directly at the angry major.
Maksim must’ve glimpsed her hand as well because his face lost all color. He took a step back. “So that’s how it is? You’ll live to regret this, Lieutenant.”
“Perhaps,” said Casey. “But the point is that I’ll live. If you ever act like that toward me again, it’ll be the last thing you ever do. Now I suggest you take your dinner elsewhere tonight before my trigger finger slips.”
With a final glare at Casey, Maksim turned and walked out the door. As soon as he was gone, Casey placed her previously hidden hand on top of the table. Jake did a double-take at what she held.
“It’s a spoon,” Jake said. “I thought you had a—”
“A what, Mister Striker?” said Casey. She gave him a wink and smiled. “Now you know I’m too much of a lady to bring a blaster to one of Captain Yardov’s dinner parties.” She glanced at Yardov. “Aren’t I, Captain?”
“Uh, well, yes,” said Yardov. “Of course.” He glanced at Casey a moment before sitting down. “I’m afraid you’ve made a powerful enemy, Lieutenant. Our major and his team isn’t known for fighting fair, nor for their compassion. He was a young man during the last tournament, but even so, he came in third. He may very well be the best in the tournament this time. You’ll need a good alliance to watch your back.”
Casey glanced at Jake. “Well, Mister Striker? Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to sit down so Captain Yardov can start our dinner?”
“Uh…” Jake muttered as he sat down. For some reason, he didn’t feel like eating. “You mentioned we had an alliance. That’s news to me. Uh, not that I’d mind.”
Casey shrugged. “Sorry about that. Our good major pissed me off.” She eyed him. “I’m already in an alliance with four other Trecorian cats in the tournament. We’ve spent the last year practicing for the Steel Apocalypse. I’d have to talk to them, but I’m sure they wouldn’t mind having the hero of Thrakis as a member of our group.” She smiled. “Besides, we made a good team against the pirate assault ship. I’d hate to have to kill you.”
“Well, since you put it that way, I’d hate to have to kill you too.”
“So you’ll join our alliance?”
Jake shrugged. “Why the hell not?”
Casey laughed. “Yeah, why the hell not?”
Chapter 17 – Staging
_____________________
The next week passed quickly while Jake spent every waking minute with Casey, Freeta, and Dresh going over battle tactics. The Trecorians’ team consisted of the Macron for long-range fire support; an eight-legged Kraken heavy cat and a Long Cat medium cat for the close-in firepower; and two light cats, a Warcat and a Tomcat, to act as scouts. Then, of course, there was the Paladin.
After a full week of discussions, it was finally decided that trying to integrate Jake and the Paladin into the small unit maneuvers the Trecoria
ns had been practicing over the last year was more apt to get someone killed than to help. In the end, the Paladin was designated as a floater. Jake could go wherever he wanted and do as he saw fit. Basically, the Trecorians wouldn’t fire at him and he wouldn’t fire at them, and if any of them won, they’d split the prize.
At the end of the week, Jake found himself inside the cockpit of the Paladin, standing in a mass formation with scores of other UHAAVs, all waiting to enter the main dueling arena as part of the Grand Entrance ceremony on Lastreo. Ground personnel had lined the cats up in a staging area just outside the 30-meter-high brerellium-steel walls of the arena. From his position in the middle of the formation, he saw the shimmering of a high-density force field covering the walls and extending upward to form a dome over the arena. Spaced out at hundred-meter intervals along the walls were high-caliber phase cannons. Most of the cannons pointed inward to the other side of the walls, but a few had their barrels traversed to target the staging area.
Pretending to munch on a holographic pack of cheese crackers in the copilot’s seat, Maggie stopped her simulated chewing long enough to look at Jake. “Hmmm. I’m guessing they don’t want anyone cheating by trying to take out one of their competitors before the tournament starts.”
Jake had a feeling she was right. The sheer number of missile launchers, high-megawatt plasma cannons, phase guns, disintegrator beam displacers, and solid projectile weapons on the mass of cats in the formation was overwhelming.
“The amount of firepower here is crazy,” he said. “Normal cats in military units don’t have this much firepower.”
“True, but military units may have to march thousands of kilometers to get to a fight. They also have to keep themselves maintained in all kinds of environments for months on end. A lot of these UHAAVs appear to have been modified especially for the tournament. They don’t have to travel far to engage their enemy, and afterwards, they’ll be able to make repairs in maintenance hangars containing some of the best equipment the galaxy has to offer. That makes a big difference on how you equip your cat.”
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