Space Dragon Allepexxis

by C. K. Pershing

Jane looked embarrassed. “I had to go to the bathroom and the only one open was farther back with the older girls. And then when I got out, we were starting to land. I was on my way back to our seats when the ship crashed.” She squeezed Iona’s hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Iona.”

  Iona hugged close to Jane. “It’s okay I think.”

  Paress hugged them both. “We’re all okay, so that’s good.” He looked up and saw Casten watching. “Hey, come here.”

  Casten leaned in, his arms not able to hug the others, but still able to press his body close. Paress put his arms around the other three and squeezed them tight.

  Another commotion started up as the crowd parted ways to let a group of tactical police through. To everyone’s shock, the police officers unslung their laser rifles and pointed them at Paress. The crowd started to yell angrily at the officers. “Hey, what’s going on?” “Stop pointing your guns at kids!” “Those two boys saved us.” “Are you crazy?”

  “Attention!” the officer in charge yelled, silencing the crowd. “We’ve received a signal from a psychic abilities suppressor, telling us the device was being destroyed and that as a result, a highly dangerous ESPer would be released. Based on our scans, this boy seems to be the one we’re looking for.”

  Paress remembered Behlen’s warning. That anyone who came after the suppressor was destroyed would have authorization to use deadly force. He wasn’t about to turn the happy reunion into a blood bath so he calmly told the girls and Casten to step aside as he laid down.

  “Yes sir, it’s me.”

  One of the officers took out a pair of suppression handcuffs that would not only restrain him bodily, but mentally as well. Paress flinched, thinking about how he’d recently felt being free from the suppressor just in time to be shackled again.

  “Hey does he really need that?” Casten asked as he saw Paress flinch at the sight of the suppressors.

  “Yeah, come on,” the male crew member said. “He just saved all of us and you want to haul him away?”

  “We have our orders,” came the simple response. “I’m sorry.”

  A chorus of boos went up from the crowd that only got louder as the security officers moved to shackle Paress.

  ‘Sir,” Casten said, “My friend has just pushed himself way past the limits of most ESPers to save this ship. Putting suppressors on him could be dangerous. Please, he’s not resisting. Can he just go?”

  “Yeah,” the rescue worker who helped out earlier said, “this kid’s a hero. A Space Knight in training. We lasered him out from under that gate overhead as it was crushing this liner’s cockpit. All after they turned off the engines to save all these people. And you guys are actually thinking about hurting him with suppressors?”

  “Sir, we’re not trying to hurt him, but these rules exist for the public good in case of an accident.” The officer had a mild expression and Paress could tell he wasn’t trying to punish him personally. In fact, the longer the standoff with the public went on, the more exhausted the man looked. Paress almost laughed thinking that if a harried police officer looked exhausted, what did he himself look like?

  “Excuse me, officer, but those suppressors won’t be necessary,” a familiar voice said. The entire crowd turned to see a man making his way forward accompanied by a small group of Imperial Marines. The man walked up to the security officer and held up the badge of the Space Knight Academy. “These young men are under my jurisdiction.”

  After scrutinizing the badge and then glancing at the tough-looking Imperial Marines, the security officer seemed relieved to step aside and give a salute, the issue of what to do with Paress no longer his concern. “Very good. They’re all yours, Doctor...?”

  “Behlen. Jeddeg Behlen.”

  Chapter Five

  To Paress it now seemed like he was living in some kind of reset of the past couple months. Two days had passed since the accident and once again, he was in his living room, surrounded by his family and hosting Dr. Behlen. This time, however, there was a higher sense of urgency to what was happening. Of course, the fact that Paress, his sisters, and Casten had just been brought home by Behlen and a group of Imperial Marines from a spaceliner crash site was likely the biggest reason.

  “Well, so here we are again,” Behlen said with a gentle smile. Paress didn’t think Behlen was trying to be menacing, but for some reason, the statement made him cringe. The Marines had all stayed outside to keep anyone from the media, neighbors, or anyone else, from interfering with the meeting.

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Behlen,” Paress said. “I knew the rules and destroyed the suppressor anyway, but I was trying to save my sisters and everybody else.” Paress’ sisters sat nearby and looked over at him, their faces still wet from tears.

  “I know,” Behlen said. “I’m speaking in all honesty when I say that I’m glad you did what you did.” He glanced at Paress’ sisters. “I would have done the same in your position. Without hesitation. And I’m glad I happened to be in Galarisa when this happened so I could help you out of that mess with the security forces.”

  “Thanks for taking care of Paress,” his mother said. “I don’t think I could stand to see him in twin suppression cuffs— especially knowing how his body reacted to the original suppressor when he first put it on.”

  Behlen nodded, “Oh without doubt. The suppressors the police carry are ratcheted up to work on the most extreme sort of ESPers when considering the various races in the Empire and their abilities. I’m positive that after Paress’ exhaustion from using his powers, those cuffs would have knocked him out for days and possibly done permanent damage much sooner than the one I gave him.”

  Paress couldn’t help but squirm a little hearing Behlen’s words. He was so glad to be free of the suppressor Behlen had given him— he hadn’t realized just how much of a shadow of his life and himself he was living until the thing broke and came off. But to be faced with the prospect of not just another suppressor, but a set made to break the abilities, and perhaps minds, of the worst offenders…

  “Again, we’re just lucky I happened to be on Wystra visiting the Imperial Marines HQ to talk about coordinating some research projects between the Space Knight Academy and the Marines,” Behlen said. “I always try to keep an eye on possible candidates, even if they’ve decided to turn down the Academy because sometimes they change their minds. So as soon as Paress’ suppressor went offline, I knew I had to see what was going on. The Marines were happy to give me an escort and we simply followed the suppressor’s beacon to its last location before it died.”

  Behlen looked back at Paress, “You really did a great thing and plenty of people agree. I feel even more positive that you’re a special person beyond simply having enhance abilities.”

  He looked over at Casten. The young Companion’s arms were covered with thick sleeves hooked up to a small machine that was pumping replacement fluid into his body to replace what he lost when his arms shattered. Casten’s high-level ultra carbon fibre bones had to be replaced with more standard fare found in most civilian Mechanisms. They’d allow him to function and live normally until true replacements were installed.

  “Casten,” Behlen said, “you were also great. Helping Paress without hesitation, obviously at great risk to your own body… and then to stay with him in the face of certain death— that is what it means to be a Companion. You’ve done something today that many Companions never get a chance to do: face death at their Space Knight’s side. Dr. Machten will be so proud of you.”

  At Behlen’s kind words, Casten smiled and said, “Thanks, Doctor.” He then looked at Paress, “I’d do it again. I’m in this team no matter what.”

  Paress nodded, “No matter what.” He looked at his parents and then got up and walked over to them. “I’m sorry,” he said. “But this time, I have to go. I have to be a Space Knight. Or at least try. It’s hard to describe but I know it’s what I’m meant to do. I’m really sure of that.”

  Paress’ father stood up and hugged h
im. Paress had never been particularly tall for his age so his father was still bigger than him. Deep down, Paress knew his body was much stronger than his father’s and that he could easily survive things that would kill the older man. And yet, with his face buried in his father’s chest, he felt safe.

  His mother got up and also hugged him, and being held there for that long, perfect moment by his parents who had always been so good to him, he started to break into sobs. Not the manly tears of some kind of hero, but the uncontrollable crying of a little boy who knew he would be leaving his parents for a long time. Of course, there would be letters and video calls. But to feel the warmth of these two people surrounding him and loving him… he began to wonder how many more chances he’d get to experience that feeling again..

  “I’m sorry,” Paress repeated. “I tried to stay and make it work. My life here at home is so great and you’re the best parents. I’m sorry.”

  “No, don’t be sorry,” his mother soothed. “We’re the ones who are sorry. We tried to stay neutral so you could make the best decision for yourself, but of course we couldn’t help but inject our own hopes and bias into our words.” She pulled back and bent down to wipe his tears away. “Really, it’s all okay. I can see so clearly now you’re meant to be a Space Knight.”

  “The greatest Space Knight alive,” Paress’s father said, kneeling to better see into his son’s eyes. “You’re already on your way. A great journey.” He clasped Paress’ shoulders in his hands. “I’m actually jealous. All the things you’ll see and do! Who wouldn’t be?”

  “We’re both so proud of you,” his mother said and they both hugged him again.

  Paress tried to keep his tears in, but they spilled out again and only got worse when his sisters joined in the hug. “I’ll miss you so much,” he told his family. “I’m sorry I won’t be around, but I’ll always think of you. No matter where I go or what I do, I’ll always think of you guys.”

  About an hour later, Paress Handrel departed on the journey that would change the fates of the Francescan Star Empire and the entire galaxy.

  Wearing the uniforms of Space Knight cadets, he and his Companion, Casten, stepped out of the house of his parents to loud cheers. The entire neighborhood had gathered along with many survivors of the crash, their families, some of the rescue workers, the liner crew survivors, even the lead officer from the security detail that had come to arrest Paress— they were all there.

  It was all Paress could do to keep from crying again. I’ve gotta pull myself together, he told himself. I’m breaking down over everything. But another part of his mind told him to take it easy on himself. Most adults would never have to go through anything like this and yet here he was doing it at the age of twelve.

  Even so, he willed himself not to cry so that his family’s last memory of him wouldn’t be one of tears. For their part, his family was doing the same to keep the tears from their eyes and Paress was so grateful to them. Even his little sisters managed to keep from crying although their eyes were moist. But then so were his, so that was okay.

  “Bye guys,” he said and they all shared another hug, this time Paress waved for Casten to join them and his family happily pulled the Companion into their group embrace. They had all said everything they needed to before he walked out the door and now they all said their final goodbyes.

  Paress kissed his sisters and parents and he and Casten turned to get in one of the cars that came with Dr. Behlen and the Marines. They’d have the back seat of their own car with the only other person being the driver in front. Behlen didn’t want to intrude on Paress’ final memories of his neighborhood and civilian life, so he would travel in one of the Marines’ other cars.

  As the cars slowly pulled out from the driveway to make their way through the crowd, more cheers went up and some people tapped on the car window. Paress put the window down and instantly found himself accepting gifts of flowers, cards, and candy. Through all of the well wishers, Paress could make out the security official. When their eyes met, the man came to attention and gave a perfect precision salute.

  Paress tried his best to return the salute and was glad when the man smiled and nodded just before disappearing back into the crowd surrounding the car. There were some media people in the crowd trying to get a quote from Paress. He smiled and waved and said how lucky he was and that seemed to be all they wanted.

  The amount of gifts were starting to take over the back seat area where he and Casten were sitting and Paress was afraid he’d have to start turning people away. But luckily the crowd started to thin and the car pulled away and went down the street leading out of Paress’ neighborhood.

  “See?” Casten said with a grin. “Like I said a couple months ago. A rock star.”

  Paress exhaled a laugh and shook his head.

  Dr. Behlen said he wished he could have given Paress another day to be with his family before saying good bye, but since he himself was going off planet to return to the Space Knight Academy that day, Paress and Casten would have to leave with him. When it came down to it, Paress didn’t really mind. He figured it was probably best to make a clean break than prolong the pain. At least, that’s what he told himself.

  “Hey check it out!” Casten pointed at a hastily made banner hanging from a highway overpass that read: GOOD LUCK PARESS! A couple girls stood by the banner and waved down at the cars passing under them.

  “How did they know we were in here?” Casten asked.

  “Probably just waving at any official-looking military cars,” Paress said. “It worked, because we’re in one of them.”

  “Yeah.”

  As they drove on some more, Paress looked around at all the sights of his home, trying to take a mental picture to remember it by.

  “Kinda cool that Dr. Behlen had uniforms for us,” Paress said absently.

  “Well, you know he has an apartment here for when he visits on business,” Casten said. “He had these made based on your measurements from your physical testing. And of course he has my measurements from Dr. Machten. So he had these the last time and when we didn’t go with him, he probably just tossed them in his apartment just in case.”

  Paress smiled, “Ha, he was kinda lucky that accident happened while he was here since he got us— and he even got to give us the uniforms he had made.”

  Casten’s eyes widened, “You don’t think he had something to do with the accident do ya?”

  Paress had asked himself the same question repeatedly almost since Behlen first arrived on the scene at the spaceport. But aloud he said, “Nah, they traced it to a power surge that went through the drive because a bad converter. I remember reading abut something similar happening last year on Hilind. And besides, how’d he be able to control if Iona and Jane survived. Or that we’d be there on time in the right spot? What if our train was late? Or we were? Too many things. So I’m not worried.”

  Casten nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. I guess it was just fate.”

  “Yeah, I guess so…”

  Dr. Behlen had always been upfront and honest with Paress, not afraid to pull any punches about any of the pros and cons of being a Space Knight. So it wouldn’t have really fit his way of doing things to do something so underhanded and well, evil, just to get Paress to become a Space Knight.

  But on the other hand, Behlen had seemed so fervent to get Paress behind the controls of that mysterious Hyper Battle Machine. Even managing to get the sexy Lindee Linx to make an adult vid-pict for him to sweeten the deal. You’ve just told Casten all the reasons why this conspiracy idea doesn’t work, he admonished himself. Listen to your own explanation. He nodded to himself and relented. Even so, one day— he didn’t know when— he’d still ask Behlen point blank if he was innocent.

  The small caravan of cars traveled for another half hour and exited the highway to enter a giant military spaceport. After the cars passed the security gates, Paress and Casten were both glued to the car windows looking out at all of deadly military equipm
ent surrounding them. Combat mecha, fighter planes, starships of various shapes and sizes… Paress couldn’t decide what to look at first. He and Casten spent the entire time pointing and shouting “Look at that!” so much, it was a wonder that either of them was able to focus on anything for longer than three seconds.

  As they travelled deeper into the spaceport grounds, the starships got bigger. Still, Paress knew that these were all fairly small in the overall fleet to be able to fit in a spaceport within Galarisa city limits. The heavy battleships and carriers were often the size of small cities and generally stayed in orbit or landed far out in the ocean or desert regions of the planet.

  None of that mattered right now as Paress stared open-mouthed at the sleek light cruisers and torpedo boats, the tough gunboats and missile ships, and even the practical support ships. They were all beautiful in different ways. The group of cars pulled up to a hangar with a small light blue starship sitting outside. Along with the usual Francescan insignias it carried the insignia of the Space Knight Academy: an eye surrounded by a double helix.

  “I guess that’s our ride?” Paress asked.

  “Yep, that’s it. Or at least, that’s the kind of ship I came on,” Casten answered.

  “How many places have you been?” Paress asked.

  “Well, my home on Magnus. And here. I’m a big traveller.” Casten laughed. “How about you?”

  “Aside from here of course, the agro station on the real moon for a field trip when I was little and Saint Chandres for a family vacation a long time ago. My sisters weren’t born yet. I guess having to feed the two extra mouths kinda killed the interplanetary vacation fund.” Paress shrugged. “I don’t mind though. There’s lots to do here since it’s the capital. But anyway, I’m like you— only two planets cuz going to the moon doesn’t count.”

  Paress suddenly frowned and Casten asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I just remembered, that field trip to the agro station on the real moon…that’s what Jane and Iona were coming back from when the accident happened…”