by Jake Macklem
That’s not good. Forcing his body to move, Cam rolled to his side. Everything hurt, but his hand was excruciating. He looked at it and felt confused. He counted again. One. Two. Three. And a thumb. Damn it! The index finger on his right hand was missing.
He managed to stand and gather his gear, careful not to bleed on his white hat. He continued looking around but could not see his finger. “Damn it.” I really liked that finger. Was kinda attached to it. He chuckled at his own joke and hurried toward the ship. Could have been worse; it could have been my ring finger.
His right leg did not want to bend, so a hobbled skip was the best he could do. His body could take it, Cam knew that—it had taken worse. But he was younger back then. I just don’t bounce back like I used to. He shook his head at another bad pun.
The backpack he had Ace carry lay where she had dropped it. I’m not leaving the coffee behind! He picked it up with his bloodied hand. Yep. That hurts something awful.
28: Ace
Ace watched as a female O’rix assisted the one-handed captain. A Zontra started firing and she dived behind some vehicle transport clamps. Really wish I had a gun.
The firing stopped for a moment and she peeked out. The three pirates had gathered in a room labeled ‘Amory.’ Why do they get to have more guns? Looking out the loading bay, she saw Shaw falling from the ledge as a Tree-knocker swiped at him. No! Her throat tightened. Don’t die Shaw. I’m not letting People die so I can live anymore.
Three meters above the ground, the rope he held went tight, his body stretched in two directions, his gear falling to the ground below as his momentum changed, but the force was too much, he lost his grip and fell next to his gear. C’mon Shaw, get up! Twelve meters above him the Tree-knocker paced, looking for a way down, then turned a disappeared. Get up!
I don’t want to be alone.
Cam rolled over, pushing himself off the ground and to his feet. Thank the Verse. The fall had hurt him—his body moved awkwardly—but he collected his gear and put on his hat. Then, instead of heading her way, he continued to search the ground. Did he lose something?
The quiet of the room caught her attention. They stopped firing. Footfalls of someone running in her direction, getting close. Oh shit! Refocusing her attention, she saw a female O’rix with red, pink, and black fur markings like a psychedelic puma, closing fast. I let myself get distracted.
The O’rix leveled her laser pistol and fired. Ace ducked back behind the thick strut used to anchor the all-terrain vehicles and other rollers. The red beam of the laser melted orange globs on the metal but did not pass through.
Timing has to be right. Ace dashed in the opposite direction, going around the strut as the O’rix reached her location and fired. Surprise flashed on her face when she realized when Ace was not there.
She’s just an O’rix. I can take her. Coming from behind the strut, Ace delivered a precise kick into the O’rix’s hand, sending the laser pistol skittering across the deck. Now we’re on even footing.
Ace saw the claws at the last second, as the O’rix lashed out with her saber-sharp talons. She has claws. How did I forget the claws! Ace used a classic series of STAR counter moves, but the O’rix tossed a low kick to create an opening and slashed, her sharp nails skidding across the scales of the Tree-knocker hide. She’s faster than me.
Ace stepped up to grapple—their faces inches apart from one another—both struggling for the upper hand. I need an advantage!
“I’m T’toli.” A malicious smile revealed pointed teeth. “In case you wanted to know the name of the People that’s going to kill you.”
Keep her talking. “Nice to meet you,” Ace grunted.
“You got moves—for a human. You’re one of those STARs that attacked our moon, huh?” T’toli asked through her exertion.
Ace’s eyes went wide. How did she know? “I don’t know what…”
“Don’t bother. I recognized your Ka-te-Zi moves. Very pretty. And I’m about to kill you—so, it really doesn’t matter. I’m just amazed any of you survived the ambush. But don’t worry, I’ll send you to see your sisters.”
Is she shit-talking me? That’s my thing! “Can we just get back to killing each other?” Ace asked. “You’re boring the shit out of me.”
“Fine.” T’toli made a mocking sad face with an overly exaggerated frown then snapped her jaws, trying to bite Ace’s face.
“Hey!” She jerked her head out of the way. “Not the face, hussy!” There is no advantage!
T’toli leaned back and planted both feet on Ace and pushed—the cat-woman flipped in place and landed as Ace stumbled back. How did she do that? Then T’toli launched into a series of kicks, a happy smile on her face like a child at play as she tested Ace’s defenses.
Is she toying with me? Even as Ace’s arms absorbed most of the force, every kick took a toll and she lost ground. I’m gonna lose this fight. T’toli moved with unnatural speed, seemingly able to balance on the air, and finally planted a full-forced kick in Ace’s chest. The hussy is just better than me. She fell to the deck, sliding into the wall, and cracked her head.
Ace pushed herself up against the wall, grimacing and forcing her lungs to work. T’toli casually strolled over as Ace spit out a mouthful of blood. “You were what the captain was scared of?” T’toli stopped with cocky arrogance, legs wide.
There’s my advantage. Ace gave a blood-covered toothy grin. “Well… I’m not alone.”
T’toli’s eyes widened just before Cam slammed the butt of his rifle into the back of her head and she fell to the ground, unconscious.
“What took you so long?” Ace asked, using the wall to stand.
“You know, I’m not sure.” Cam held out his bloodied right hand with only three digits and a thumb. “I just can’t put my finger on it.”
Ace blinked and asked, “Did you plan that the whole way here?”
Cam chuckled. “I got lots of ‘em.”
Laser beams and plasma blasts exploded all around them. Cam dove for cover. Ace turned and found T’toli, already recovered, standing in her path. “Let’s finish this STAR!” She hissed.
29: Remy
Getha finished bandaging Remy’s stump. The nanoshot had stopped the bleeding and started the healing process. A juicer shot had taken the edge off and made his vision a little blurry. Nothing I can’t handle.
“Getha… my pistol.” Remy held his left hand out. The Zontra looked around the bench until he saw the weapon—disturbingly, right next to the captain, well within reach.
“Here you go, Capt’n.” Getha placed it in Remy’s open hand and blinked his large black eyes. “What are we gonna do?”
The second phase of the juicer kicked in. With his pain dulled to nothing, heightened reflexes and reaction time, and a medically induced increase in aggressive behavior—Remy shouted with rage and adrenaline. “We’re going to the bridge and we are leaving! We’ll come back with an army!” He stood and charged out the doorway, Getha followed him.
Exiting the armory, they saw the redhead using the wall to stand up. The angel of death is hurt!
A human was with her. The sniper. Is he a cowboy? They seemed to be laughing while showing her his hand. They’re laughing at me! In a flash of black rage, he leveled his plasma pistol and opened fire while he walked across the loading bay toward the lift.
The Zontra followed, firing his laser. “Not going to the bridge?”
The sniper spun, covering his head as he dove for cover behind the vehicle strut supports. Torn, deciding who deserved his wrath more, Ace or the sniper, Remy froze in his anger. They both need to die! From the corner of his eye, Remy saw Ace. She was trying to cut off their route to the lift, but T’toli leaped in front of her, blocking her path. That’s a good kitty! Finish the tart.
He saw the sniper peek out. He took my hand! “T’toli has her. Kill the cowboy!” Remy screamed as he lined up his shot.
“The what?” Getha asked, confused.
“The one with the
funny hat!” Remy’s next plasma blast hit a strut, melting a large hole in the metal. Orange globs landed and sizzled on the deck. “We’ll flank him. You go that way.”
Getha acknowledged the order and gripped his pistol in two hands. Walking in the other direction, Remy kept his pistol leveled and ready to fire. I’m coming for you!
30: Cam
Cam dove behind the transport strut as the plasma blast hit. Barely dodging the molten metal, he stopped where was as laser beams cut off his path. He saw the pirate captain motioning the Zontra to flank. A laser and a plasma pistol against my rifle? Don’t like those odds.
Tucking against cover, he chanced a peek at Ace. She was on her back, looking dazed, and the O’rix was getting ready to bash her skull with a kick. Damn it, Red! Didn’t you learn you couldn’t take her? I don’t know if any Sol can take an O’rix one-on-one. A laser beam sparked on the edge of the strut, drawing Cam back to his own danger. Then he saw hope on the deck just two meters away and smiled. I’m coming home, Gwen!
Cam’s rifle appeared from around the strut and the pirate captain’s eyes narrowed as he fired one shot after the other. The Zontra redirected his aim, shooting at the rifle. Both the captain and Zontra stopped with surprise when they saw the rifle falling to the deck, no one holding it.
Cam rushed out from the other side of the strut scooping up a laser pistol in his left hand. Diving fully extended, Cam squeezed two shots. The first hit the Zontra in his right shoulder, the second in the left, about a foot away. As Cam slid to a stop, he saw the Zontra drop his pistol, stumble, and fall to the deck.
Cam redirected his attention to the captain. They had their weapons leveled on each other. “I bet you’re not left-handed either,” Cam said.
31: Ace
Ace turned to intercept the captain but T’toli blocked her path, Ace felt a momentary desire to run. Damn it. Didn’t we beat you?
The O’rix unleashed a barrage of talon attacks, her nails sharpened to deadly points. Ace leaned back but one talon caught her cheek, slicing a wide cut down to the bone.
“I’m gonna kill you slow!” T’toli hissed through her pointed teeth. Ace ducked under what appeared to be a wild swing and took a wicked knee to the chest, knocking her to her back. T’toli lunged on top of her, straddling her, pinning her shoulders. “I’m going to enjoy this,” the O’rix purred, her eyes gleaming, saliva dripping from her fanged smile. “I’ve never eaten a STAR.”
Ace’s anger spiked and she headbutted T’toli in her snout, breaking them apart. They gained their feet and squared off. With incredible speed, Ace threw a collection of punches at T’toli’s face and throat—but nothing connected.
The O’rix slammed her knee into Ace’s midsection flipping the STAR onto the ground. T’toli stomped Ace’s side. The white-hot pain of cracked ribs rippled through Ace’s body. I hate broken ribs. Ace knew she was done. I can’t believe I lost. I never lose.
T’toli stepped onto Ace’s chest and gloated, “After I eat you, I’ll try a little taste of hat-wearing, man-meat.”
Ace could not breathe. His wife and boys are going to lose him because I’m not good enough.
Everything quieted as her vision went dark, like the black of space, infinite and forever. I’m not going to win this fight. I should just stay here. It’s calm in the black. Peaceful. At the edge of oblivion, Ace waited for death. I’m sorry Mick, I’m not good enough. Cam is gonna die. His boys and his wife are never going to see him again.
Ace grimaced, forcing the darkness away. No. I won’t let that happen. I accepted I was dead long ago. But not Cam. All he does is the right thing. Even if he has to risk his life or his chance of seeing his family again. I’m not going to let him die. He’s going home to his family. And so am I, Mick.
T’toli went for the kill, putting everything into a skull-crushing kick. Ace’s eye’s snapped open. She blocked the kick with her left arm and it broke with a sickening crack. Howling in rage, she twisted her body and kipped up to a standing position. Recovering, T’toli tried a backhand—Ace easily dodged.
“Hussy.” Ace drove an uppercut into T’toli’s face, lifting her off the ground and knocking her out cold, sprawled across the deck.
Spinning, she saw Cam rush from behind his cover and scoop up T’toli’s laser as the Zontra and the captain shot wildly. The captain swung his plasma pistol to get a bead on him.
Cowboy! Sprinting toward them, she realized she was too far away. She would never be able to close the distance before the firing started.
Clearing the first strut, she saw Cam’s rifle on the deck. I got you, Cowboy! She jumped forward, hands extended, grabbing the gun and tucking into a shoulder roll. Her momentum carried her to a standing position; she rested the rifle in the nook of her elbow. The pain—and unwillingness of her arm to do what she wanted—made her unsure of her aim. Cam and the captain stared into each other’s weapons.
“I bet you’re not left-handed either,” Cam said.
Ace shouted. “This is over unless you want to die. You can’t take us both!” The way he stood, so steady, even with his hand blown off, Ace knew Remy was high on something. Probably a juicer. It made her nervous. He might go down shooting.
The captain twitched, then tossed his pistol. “Who the hell are you?” he asked.
“Shaw. Camron Shaw. That there is Ace Hart.” Cam winked at Ace.
“Ace and Camron. A pathetic pair of ragged spacers. You think you won.”
“We did win.” Cam glared and rose to his feet.
“Sure you did,” the Captain sneered. “It’s a small Verse. I’ll be seeing you around.”
“Not if I see you first,” Cam smirked.
Ace lowered her gun. “Alright, seriously…” She shook her head. “Enough with the snappy one-liners.” The captain and Cam continued to stare at each other. “Look, I’m trying to be a better People. Not killing you is kind of a big deal for me for so… Get off my ship before I change my mind.”
32: Remy
As the dust and dirt flew into the air, Remy squinted and watched the Javelin lift off. Getha and T’toli stood on either side of him, both nursing their wounds. He struggled to understand how two people defeated his entire crew and stole his ship. And his hand. My hand is still somewhere on that ship. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
A barking sound echoed across the plateau. The trio spun around to see a Tree-knocker rising on its hind legs, using its tail for balance. It extended its jaw and throat with each forceful bark.
Getha stepped toward the creature. “What is it doing?” When he got no response, he looked around and realized he was the only one there; Remy and T’toli had run for the cave. Getha’s black eyes bulged as he focused on the large lizard. It took one step forward. Then another.
At the screams and sounds of ripping meat, Remy winced and looked back over his shoulder. Sorry, Getha. You should have run faster. T’toli was now far ahead of his limping progress. He doubled his efforts. I’ll get you Ace, and your sniper, Shaw, too!
33: Cam
In the early morning traffic, it took over an hour for the taxi to weave through New Detroit Spaceport, out of the city, and into what was left of the Michigan forests. Cam appeared to watch the evergreen trees through the window but saw nothing. His attention was torn between the giddy anticipation of seeing his family and the bittersweet results of his original purpose on the moon.
Beyond the sheer masses of iron and neon, the planet was laden with silver, gold, and even worthwhile levels of platinum. Maybe enough for a tidy commission, even with all the losses. However, the mining consortium had frozen all projects in the area, citing potential pirate threat. Until the area was safe, no mining operations were going to be started. They were claiming losses on the project, including the transport ship, two dozen drop pods, and death benefits for the lost crewman. They had to wait until the investigation was completed before paying out commissions. On the plus side, it meant he was most likely going to get hazard
pay. At least I negotiated a new finger… when they finally schedule an appointment.
As they got closer to home, his nervous butterflies grew until he could barely contain himself. Finally, the taxi turned onto his dirt driveway. The cozy house spilled a warm yellow-orange glow through the windows and looked inviting compared to the chill purple and blue shadows of the morning light. He paid the driver, grabbed his pack and his rifle case, and stepped out the door. The porch light turned on and Cam felt his cheeks lock into place, a toothy grin of joy expressing his happiness to anyone who saw it.
His front door opened and Calvin and Tomas exploded from the house in a fever of excitement. Calvin leaped from the top porch step, throwing his hand in the air in a triumphant fist pump. Tomas ran down the stairs and sprinted toward Cam, tears already running down his face.
The hot embers that flamed inside his heart threatened to burn him alive when Cam saw his boys. From a long-hidden place deep inside him, his love for them pushed to the surface and he burst into tears and laughter. Dropping his gear, he could only take a few steps before it was all too much and he fell to his knees, his arms extended, waiting for his children.
Tomas slammed into his father first, arms grabbing hold as if clutching a dream that might vanish forever. Calvin was just behind him, burying his tear-streaked face into his dad’s chest. Cam pulled the boys in tight, his shaking sobs breaking his normally calm demeanor.
“I missed you boys so much,” Cam choked out.
“I missed you too daddy.”
“I’m not ever letting go.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, dad.” The boys spoke through gasps and sob.
Cam laughed, unable to tell who was saying what. “I love you, boys.” He squeezed them tightly. Through the tears in his eyes, the light sparkled as his vision fell on Gwen.