“I’m going planet-side to tell Lexora. Have the provisions topped off, we’re not stopping.”
“Will do.”
Markell headed for the exit.
“Hey wait!, whats in free space?” Sigfrid asked curiously.
Markell wheeled, “Oh, we’re gonna hunt Bounty Hunters.”
Sigfrid raised one eyebrow, “You lost me.”
“Our illustrious President put a twenty million credit bounty on them, every hunter from Terra to Ursae’s going to be looking for them. If I let my son die, Lexora will never forgive me.” Merkell’s face went hard as he looked at the floor. “I wanted him to learn a lesson, not blasted into vacuum.”
Sigfrid nodded, “You know we’re behind you, no matter what.”
“Well brother, lock and load.”
Markell ducked through the engineering hatch, Sigfrid watched him until he disappeared. As Sigfrid turned back to the open servo panel, he shook a drop of blood from his hand and went back to calibrating.
Markell exited through the airlock and checked the inter-system transport schedule. It would take three hours to tell Lexora the news.
For the first time, Markell wasn’t sure how his wife Lexora would act.
Mitchell wasn’t Markell’s naturall son, but he raised Mitchell from the age of four. Mitchell was a good boy for several years but going into his teen years was a difficult adjustment as Markell continually moved them from place to place. Military life was like that. Sure Markell had the military as his family, but Mitchell never made lifelong friends. At the age of fifteen, Mitchell began acting up. Small things at first. The usual fights at school, mouthing off to authority figures, minor vandalism, but when he exploded a home-made pipe bomb on the side of a sewage reception tank and flooded an outpost treatment center, well, it just got worse. Not to mention Markell had to pay the over twelve thousand credit fine.
But as angry as Markell was at the time, he did muse at the thought of the workers wading through fecal matter.
Mitchell spent two weeks in a juvenile center.
Then at sixteen Mitchell stole his first grav-car. He even got away with it for twenty minutes. Just long enough to proposition a prostitute. Once the Security Force homed in on the transmitter three cruisers surrounded the young man, Mitchell was literally caught with his trousers around his knees. And the young lady received additional time for endangering a minor. Markell framed a still from one of the RSF cruisers cams with Mitchell’s butt glowing from the flood lights with his hands reaching high.
It was hung in Markell’s billiard room where Mitchell wasn’t allowed. Markell’s buddies found the framed picture to be an amusing talk piece.
Eventually, like so many troubled kids, Mitchell quit school and took to a more colorful life of petty crime. He rarely came home and although Mitchell thought he was cunning, Markell knew very well what Mitchell did for Hampy. If anything, it confirmed Markell’s suspicion.
Markell glanced at the chronometer for the next scheduled transport, twenty-two minutes.
FIRST JUMP
The entire crew of Lady Luck remained on the bridge through the first jump. Recalling the words of the old Master at the monastery, they began sharing the old mans prophecies.
Rand was anxious to tell all of them his experience.
“I knew we were going to escape,” Rand said with confidence.
“Oh did you,” Terri snided.
“Yep, that old guy said we’re on a Great Odyssey.”
“It hasn’t felt great,” Serena added.
“Well yeah, but he said there’s perils’ and adventures’ and cool stuff like that.”
Aaron had to pipe in and mock as well, “Oh yes wise one, warships firing on us, burning in great lava eruptions, crashing to planet trapped in falling apart space station, ship spinning of no control, crazy people try to kill us, to kill ME!; Oh yes, cool, so cool!”
They laughed at Aaron.
“He told me,” said Terri, “that I would come to a cross-roads and that my path would lead to the same destination. I told him I just want to go home and he pointed at my chest and said home is here. That’s vague, but in a way he’s right. But anyone can say that.”
Rand asked Serena, “He spent some time with you; do you have any words of wisdom to share?”
“No wisdom really, he just told me there was a big gift at the end of a long journey,” Serena looked longing, “I never got a gift of anything.”
“Not even a birthday present?” asked Mitchell.
“I don’t know when my birthday is.”
“Bummer,” Mitchell said. “Hey let’s give you a day, just pick one.”
“Thanks Mitchell but I’m okay.”
So Mitchell asked Aaron, What about you?”
“I was told not to speak of it.”
“Oh, come on. Tell us.”
“No, I gave my word. He said I must remain quiet.”
“You’re no fun.” Mitchell said pouting.
“Well you have said nothing. Maybe you have secret?” Aaron said, trying to focus direction on Mitchell.
“Not me chief, you don’t wanna know.” Mitchell said defiantly.
Everyone chirped, “Yes we do!”
“Alright, but that old man’s bat fecal crazy, I’m letting you know that right up front!!”
“Okay, tell us. You must tell us.” Aaron insisted.
Mitchell was silent for a second.
“Alright, this is how crazy he is. He said I was going to fall in love with a guy, or something like that.”
The bridge went dead silent.
“What?’ asked Aaron.
“I told you he was demented, Like I’d bogo some dude!”
They all giggled.
Then Terri looked at Rand, “Do you still think we’re on a great quest?”
Rand shrugged.
“Well maybe not great, just average?” Rand was looking for an excuse. “Hey, maybe Mitch is gonna get really drunk, ya know. It could happen!”
Mitch turned around in his seat and glared at Rand. The look he gave at Rand was priceless.
But they all laughed and Perry caught enough to start chanting.
“Mr. Mitch has got a boyfriend. Mr Mitch has got a boyfriend. HEHEHEEE”
The rest of the crew thought to themselves, ‘somehow that sounded really wrong’.
An alert chirped on the console.
Aaron took notice, “Coming out of hyper.”
Lady Luck dropped from hyper instantly, and the generators immediately started pumping energy into the jump batteries.
“Well, we should be...
‘BEEEEEP BEEEEEP BEEEEEP.’
“What the hell was that?” Mitchell asked.
“We got pinged,” Rand answered.
“Aaron, give me the the coords.”
“Whoa, that was over two-hundred-thousand kliks!” Aaron looked amazed.
“Rand!” Aaron startled, “Something small, uhmm four meters or so, just disappeared from radar.”
“Oh noooooo.” Rand said disappointedly. “We’re not out of this yet.”
“Rand, what is it?” Terri asked.
“it’s the star net,” now Rand had to explain. “Every one quarter light year, there’s a relay station. It was placed placed here after the Reticulii treaty to monitor invading ships.”
“What’s it mean?” asked Serena.
“It means in two hours this place is going to be swarmed with ships and escorts. When that long range comm buoy reaches Al Nair, they’re going to know we’re here.”
“Can’t we just outrun them?” asked Terri.
“No, the battleship and escorts don’t need to recharge. Only Banshees’ and gunboats. See, Republic Command doesn’t feel that large ships will try to defect.”
“That’s why these smaller ones are designed with jump batteries. A small crew might try to, so they’re limited on distance jumps.”
“Oh that’s lovely,” said Terri.
“What do we do now?”
“First of all, if my guess is right, they will all jump to that relay station, then they’ll spread out passing us up by ten light years or so and work their way back hoping to pin us in. Classic fox and the hounds.”
“And we’re out here with no cover, no weapons and no help.” Terri sighed.
“Well kiddies, we either surrender or take our chances.” Rand was out of options.
“Take our chances?” Serena asked.
Terri said, “Into the unknown.”
“Whoa whoa whoa,” Mitchell cried, “No one comes out of their Rand, no one!”
“Mitchell, your missing the point, when they get here there’s no prison. So unless you know how to breath a vacuum that’s our only shot.”
Rand took a deep breath, “Aaron, plot a course. Negative ninety degrees, distance at one-eighth L Y. Then, set course at galactic parallel, one seventy degrees indefinite. And only power the hyper antennae to twenty percent.”
“Hopefully if the little gray bastards can detect hyper drive a smaller signature might keep us under the radar, or whatever they use.”.
Aaron set the first trip, scratched his head and resumed the plotting. He sent it over to Mitchell’s board. Mitchell pushed the engines to ten percent for the next two hours until the batteries charged.
“Here we go again.” Serena mused.
“Everyone, we’ve got about two hours to relax, well, not relax but you know what I mean. All of you take a break and I’ll watch the boards.”
The crew slowly dispersed except Terri. She swiveled the navigator chair around took a seat and knelt forward. She took Rand’s hand in hers.
“Rand?” She looked up at him but he seemed to have drifted far off, “Rand, look at me Rand.”
Randall finally made eye contact.
“You got us farther than anyone ever could have imagined. This isn’t over. We can do this, but only if you stay focused.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said softly. “I’m just...I’m just tired.”
“I know you are. God, I know you are.” Terri didn’t let go.
SILENT RUNNING
Mitchell finally had a good idea. He silently patted himself on the back as he quickly made his way back to the bridge. He must have been quiet, for as he began to duck through the bridge hatch he caught sight of Terri holding Rand’s hands. Mitchell stopped briefly.
He thought to himself, ‘Okay, that’s kind’a weird.’
“Hey guys,” Mitchell said from the hatch, hoping the awkward moment would come to an end.
Terri let go and Rand regained his composure.
“What’s up?”
“I have an idea if you care to hear it,” Mitchell said smiling.
“Spit it out, we love idea’s. Especially if it involves an over-sized, purple, space-monster, that crushes little ship’s.” Rand said, expecting Mitchell to give him an equally dumb, but feasible idea.
Mitchell rolled his eyes, “Uhmmm, how about, no. Anyway, we got a jump from that freighter; can we get a jump from the relay station the same way?”
Terri looked at Rand and his eyes widened in surprise, “Yes, yes we can!”
“Yeppers! Mitchell, get us in tight and I’ll suit up!”
Rand jumped up from his seat.
‘What’d’ya know,’ Rand thought to himself, ‘The kid had an idea.’
There was no reason to let the Security Force know which way they headed and every reason for them not to know.
Rand and Terri went to the suit lockers.
“I’ll get suited. Terri, just run the airlock. This wont take long. If you would, go find Aaron, and get him back to the bridge, after I’m outside.”
“Will do, be careful out there.”
Rand crawled down into the suit. Terri helped him with his helmet and put his gloves on. Rand checked the power supply and life support from the left arm control. All systems showed green. Rand looked at Terri and gave her a wink. Terri returned the wink with a thumbs up.
They went to the airlock and waited for Mitchell to pull the ‘Lady’ alongside the relay station. Several minutes passed and the call came over the intercom.
“We’re here,” Mitchell’s voice said.
The drive engines’ humming ceased.
“Show’s on,” Rand said.
Terri smiled and closed the inner airlock door. She activated the air pump and started depressurizing the airlock. Once near vacuum was reached Rand opened the outer door and waved to Terri. She waved back and Rand pushed himself into the black void.
Outside, Rand manipulated the miniature thrusters. He maneuvered between the relay station and ‘Lady Luck’. With some degree of difficulty, he managed to open the outer power coupling hatch. Out floated two power cables. Rand grabbed the ends and pushed himself toward the relay station only a few feet away.
After several more minutes, he found the power adapter panel and had electric pumping generously to the ‘Lady’s’ jump batteries.
Rand looked nervously in all directions expecting another surprise. It seemed that every time something was going right, something else would go wrong.
Rand’s suit radio was voice activated.
“Mitch, here me ok?”
“Loud and clear boss.”
“Aaron with you?”
“Yep, settin’ right here next to us.”
“Aaron, keep your eyes open, I don’t want to get caught out here with my pant’s down.”
“Yes sir, eyes on the target.” Aaron answered back.
Rand felt uneasy, and couldn’t pinpoint why. He turned to face the empty space away from the relay station and the ‘Lady’. Then it hit him.
His dream!!
“Mitchell, what’s our battery level?”
“45%, doing good.”
“We’re done here!”
Rand quickly disconnected the power lines and started rolling them back up.
“Rand, what’s wrong? We’re only halfway charged.” Mitchell asked.
“No time to explain, We’re getting out of here!”
Rand closed the cable panel and raced for the airlock. Rand entered the lock and began pressurizing after securing the outer door.
Terri came back to the airlock and opened the inner door. She helped Rand out of the suit, removing his helmet.
“What happened?” Terri asked.
“You mean, what’s going to happen.”
“I don’t understand.” Terri asked confused.
“It’s just a hunch, we have to go, Now!”
Rand unsuited and both headed for the bridge.
Entering the bridge Rand immediately glanced at the radar. So far it was clear. Rand took the command seat.
“Aaron, previous course still set?”
“It is.”
“Mitchell, set the hyper antennae to twenty percent and jump.”
Mitchell decreased the power to the hyper drive antennae and engaged the engines.
Lady Luck began moving quickly away from the relay station.
And as suspected, the fleet entered subspace drive. The battleship Pendleton Cross leading the fleet. Her guns powered and ready to fire.
“GO MITCH, GO GO GO!!”
Energy weapons flashed around the exiting ‘Lady Luck’. The relay station exploding behind them in a brilliant flash of multiple colors. Lady’s antennae reached out pulling the ship into compressed space/time. The fleet immediately disappeared from radar.
Terri looked over to Rand.
“How did you know? We were seconds away from being melted.”
“A premonition.”
“How did they get here so quick, it should have been another hour?” Terri asked.
“They must have caught our exit and left soon behind us. There’s no way they could have received the relay’s message that quick. It was just a coincidence.”
“Do you think they’ll follow us?”
“Not a chance,” Mitchell grinned.
Aboard the Pendleton Cross, a flurry o
f activity ensued. Crew members were hustling back and forth as Captain Laramie paced the floor.
“Lieutenant Commander, set a grid pattern four light years in all directions. Send the escorts to all points and remain stationary for the next twelve shifts. Send continuous reports back here.”
“Yes sir. What’s your hypothesis?”
“If they enter Reticulii space we’ll never see them again, but if they resurface, we’ll be waiting for them. And, if the Reticulii respond we will need to do a lot of explaining.”
“I see sir, I’ll get right on it.”
The Pendleton Cross remained stationary as the temporary command post. Various escorts and destroyers shot off in different directions. To the galactic south, Lady Luck entered Reticulii space.
“Well here we are again, right in the thick of it.” Rand shook his head in disbelief.
“Aaron, with the hyper setting at twenty percent, what’s our ETA for the first leg?”
“Two hours and five minutes.”
“In theory, once we fully recharge at the first stop, we should be able to run indefinitely at less than thirty percent. Alright, take breaks as necessary as long as one person is on bridge at all times.”
“Sounds good boss,” replied Mitchell.
“Likewise,” Aaron agreed.
“Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I need to lose some weight.”
“Oooooohhh, nasty, Rand,” Mitchell commented, wrinkling his nose.
“Aaron, mind the store and turn on the intercom system to hot mike. Terri, assemble the others in the rec room. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“On it Rand.”
Lady Luck passed into Reticulii space. The crew waited anxiously in the recreation room.
Rand entered and joined them waiting in the sitting area. Serena had soft music playing in the background. The volume set very low so they could discuss their current position.
“Aaron, can you hear us alright?” Rand asked.
“Very clearly sir.”
“Good deal. Alright, we’ve just entered Reticulii. We might accidentally incur a war between them and humans in general. It’s been many years since the last time anyone has entered their space.Their motives anymore are unknown. If by chance we are taken resist if at all possible.”
The crew began to notice that Rand could joke and laugh as easy as any one they have ever met, but when he decided to have a conference with them his entire attitude would change. He was more professional, exact and spoke in a military fashion.
SUNDAY SCHOOL (TRAMPS Book 2) Page 7