Horizon Down (Galaxy Mavericks Book 9)

by Michael La Ronn

  “That you were a specimen?” Miller asked. “Everybody knows that.”

  Smoke said nothing.

  Miller puffed and let out a vengeful grin. “Everybody in the universe knows that you were plucked from somewhere against your will. Loved someone. Your memories were pretty cryptic when I saw them, but that much was clear in looking at the data. It's all public record, pal.”

  “Public…record?” Smoke asked.

  “All of it,” Miller said. “At least, whatever we could interpret.”

  “Oh,” Smoke said.

  And then he punched the wall so hard he put a dent in it.

  Miller jumped.

  “Let me free,” Smoke said.

  “Not a chance in hell,” Miller said.

  Smoke stared at him and through him at the same time.

  “Let me out so I can rip him apart.”

  “Who? Miloschenko?”

  “Florian Macalestern,” Smoke said. “If you want to convict me again for murder, be my guest.”

  Smoke punched the wall again and roared. “Let me out!”

  The cyborg’s voice resounded through the hall.

  “Let me the fuck out so I can rip him apart!”

  Miller gasped. And then he found himself scrambling down the hall, toward Devika Sharma’s room.

  And in that very moment, the building shook, the walls collapsed, and everything exploded in a ball of flame.

  30

  The explosion blew Devika across the interrogation room. She shielded her face as plaster rained down on her.

  Another blast rocked the facility, and the floor shook.

  Then screams, running down the hallway.

  A loud drone sound swooped overhead, and her heart sank.

  A spaceship.

  Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat!

  WHOOSH!

  BOOM!

  Zeeer!

  Zeeer!

  She clucked her tongue. Whatever was out there was serious.

  And then she heard multiple ships passing by.

  Something fierce was going on outside.

  She didn’t want to be here. This wasn’t the time or place to die!

  She tried the door. It was locked.

  BOOM!

  Another explosion hit the building and she threw herself on the floor, covering her head and neck.

  A thick cloud of dust billowed into the room. She coughed, trying to cover her mouth and nose, but the cloud was too thick.

  Somewhere, something was burning. People were screaming. And all the while, the explosions and gunfire continued.

  She choked.

  She wouldn’t be able to stand it much longer.

  She charged the door with her shoulder, slammed into it.

  But it was too strong.

  Jail door.

  Designed to keep inmates in.

  She retreated toward the back wall, coughing. She dropped to the floor, her eyes watering from the intense dust.

  And then she closed her eyes, listened to the carnage.

  She failed.

  Everything she had worked for was destroyed.

  She rested her head against the wall, tears welling in her eyes from the dust. She couldn’t stop coughing now.

  She tried to drift off to sleep, telling herself it would soon be over…

  The door opened.

  She didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t truly believe that it had opened. It must have been a hallucination.

  But then she felt a tap on her shoulder.

  “Devika, wake up!”

  Miller was crouched in front of her. His face was covered in dust.

  “I was wrong about you,” he said, grabbing her by the arms. “Hope you’ll forgive me.”

  Devika coughed in response.

  Together, they ran out of the room into the hallway, which was filled with smoke.

  “We’ve got to gather the others,” she said.

  Miller nodded.

  “Up and down the hall,” he said.

  Devika opened an interrogation room. Michiko was cowering in a ball, crying. Upon seeing Devika, Michiko crawled up and followed her.

  Grayson was waiting patiently in his room, as if nothing happened.

  Keltie was hiding under a table.

  Eddie was praying.

  One by one, they followed Devika and Miller through the smoky hallway and out into the daylight, where Argus ships swarmed the Macalestern living platform, shooting and dropping bombs. The city was on fire.

  “Looks like the Arguses planned to come back all along,” Keltie said.

  “What do we do now?” Grayson asked as they ran toward the blue corsair parked in the distance. Miller tossed Eddie the keys to the ship, and the bay doors opened.

  “Our mission is still the same,” Devika said. “We’ve got to stop Florian.”

  “He could be anywhere by now,” Eddie said, glancing at Miller. “Any ideas where he could be?”

  Then Eddie stammered and pointed at the roof of the corsair.

  Smoke was standing on it, covered in dust. The cyborg’s fists were balled and he looked menacing.

  Devika brought her fists to her face. Grayson did the same.

  “You’ve got nine lives,” Grayson said.

  “Couldn’t get enough of us that you had to come back from the dead, huh?” Devika asked.

  Smoke took a giant leap and landed on the ground near them, blocking their entrance to the airlock.

  “It’s a star,” he said.

  “I’ll take him first,” Grayson said. “Devika, you follow.”

  Grayson approached, ready to box. “You’re either going to pulverize me or we’re going to get blown up in a blast. I’ve got nothing to lose at this point.”

  Smoke blinked.

  Grayson ran at him, but Smoke sidestepped, grabbed Grayson by his shirt collar, and launched him into the interior of the spaceship. Then he dusted off his hands and looked at the team.

  “Before I was rudely interrupted,” Smoke said.

  “Whoa, he talks,” Michiko said.

  “He’s after a star,” Smoke said.

  “Who?” Devika asked.

  Smoke blinked again.

  “You mean…Florian?” Devika asked.

  Grayson stumbled up, gritting his teeth. He ran at Smoke again, but Smoke stepped aside and tripped him, and Grayson crashed into the asphalt.

  “Damn!” Grayson cried.

  Smoke put his boot on Grayson’s back and folded his arms.

  “Time to go,” the cyborg said.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Keltie said.

  “I’m going to rip Florian apart,” Smoke said. He kicked Grayson gently, pushing him forward. Then he turned and walked onboard the corsair.

  “So he’s on our side now?” Eddie asked.

  “Something I said must have set him off,” Miller said. “But yeah, he’s not a threat right now. Trust me, I’ve seen him when he’s a threat, and you don’t want a piece of that guy.”

  “Tell me about it,” Grayson said, staggering up.

  “We’ll need all the help we can get,” Devika said, glancing at Michiko, who was frozen with fear. “It’ll be all right, Michiko.”

  Michiko shook her head. “But he…he…he killed…he—”

  Devika approached her and spoke softly. “It sounds like we have a common enemy now. I know it’s hard for you, especially after everything that happened on Coppice.”

  “It’s really hard!” Michiko said. “I didn’t exactly sign up to work alongside a mass murderer!”

  “You think any of us did?” Keltie asked.

  “If only I had Clark,” Michiko said, sighing. “He could eat him if he tried anything evil.”

  Devika smiled. “Well, what do you say? Are you coming?”

  “Y-You want me to come?” Michiko asked.

  “We’re a team,” Devika said. “And we’ll win this together.”

  Michiko grinned. “I’m in.”

  Devik
a glanced at the team. “This is the beginning of the end. No more resting. What we do now matters.”

  She put out her hand.

  Keltie looked at Grayson. They both offered their hands.

  Eddie and Michiko offered their hands.

  For a moment, they were all connected, staring at each other, each with the hope of the galaxy in their eyes.

  “Galaxy Mavericks,” Devika said, smiling. “Let’s move out.”

  31

  Smoke led the way into the cockpit.

  Grayson whispered to Keltie. “This guy’s awfully eager to get going.”

  “A little weird,” Keltie said.

  Grayson ran his fingers along a bruise on his arm from where Smoke punched him. It was the size of a peach.

  Keltie looked at the bruise.

  “Grayson, that's really bad,” she said.

  “There's a first aid kit on this ship somewhere,” he said, pressing the bruise tenderly.

  “We’ll transfer to my warship,” Devika said.

  “Got it,” Eddie said as he slid into the pilot seat. Everyone else gathered in the hallway.

  “You okay to drive?” Grayson asked.

  “You're not,” Keltie said.

  Grayson grimaced.

  Smoke reached into a compartment below the navigation dashboard. He grabbed a first aid kit, and he threw it.

  Grayson barely caught the box—it almost slipped from his fingers.

  “Thanks,” Grayson said sarcastically.

  “Heal up,” Smoke said.

  “Screw you,” Grayson said.

  Smoke stepped toward him menacingly.

  “Hey, stop!” Keltie said, jumping between them.

  “You can't take the pain,” Smoke said. He pointed to Eddie. “You. Drop this guy off at a hospital on your way out.”

  “A couple things,” Grayson said. “First, I don't need a hospital. I've survived through worse fights than the one with you. Second, you aren't the leader, so you're not going to order us around. Third, how about an explanation of why we’re suddenly your friends? A few hours ago, you would have killed us without thinking twice.”

  Smoke backed away and faced the window.

  Eddie blasted off. “Hold on, guys. We’re in for a rough few minutes.”

  Nearby, a ship exploded and Eddie swerved to avoid the blast.

  “Whoa, mama,” he said. “It's rough out there, guys. Play nice so I can concentrate, will you?”

  The ship swerved hard and everyone held onto something.

  “Answer the questions,” Grayson said.

  Smoke blinked.

  “No, no,” Miller said, waving his hands. “No more blinking and staring at us like you don't understand. I am so sick of that crap.”

  Smoke’s eyes widened.

  “Questions,” Grayson said, waving to get the cyborg’s attention. “Answers. Now.”

  Smoke folded his arms. “My goal is the destruction of Florian Macalestern. We have the same enemy. Hope you're happy now.”

  “I'm happy you can speak more than two words,” Grayson said, “but no, that doesn't answer my questions, man.”

  Michiko stepped forward. “Did you kill all of those people back on Coppice because you wanted to, or because someone made you?”

  Smoke rubbed his head. His bloodshot eyes didn't change, didn't betray any emotions.

  “I guess…I don't remember why I did it.”

  “How do you not remember?” Michiko asked.

  Smoke paused. He clearly wanted to ignore Michiko, but everyone staring made the cyborg incredibly nervous. He didn't like being the center of attention. Hated it.

  “I don't remember anything at all,” he said after a while. “All I remember is waking up in the rubble on Coppice. That's where my memory begins and ends.”

  “So where does Florian come in?” Grayson asked.

  “He…rescued me.”

  “From Defestus,” Miller said.

  “No,” Smoke said, grinning slightly. “I busted out of that hellhole.”

  Miller gasped.

  “He rescued me after.”

  “After…” Miller said.

  “The fucking planet-eating aliens,” Smoke said. “Promised me to give me a glimpse into my past. Told me he'd tell me everything I wanted to know about my old self. Come to find out that all that secret information he promised me was public domain.”

  “So you want revenge,” Devika said.

  “Revenge is being too kind,” Smoke said. “Call it justice if you want it to sound better to your conscience.”

  “Does that really solve the problem?” Michiko asked. “Don't you want to know about your old life?”

  “Haven't thought that far ahead yet,” Smoke said. “One thing at a time.”

  “We’re not after revenge,” Devika said. “But we can all live with justice.”

  Eddie circled over Mad Dog’s, where the gray warship was parked.

  He parked, and everyone transferred onto the ship, regathering in the more spacious bridge.

  Eddie slid into the pilot seat of the warship and blasted off. He took off toward the horizon.

  “I need some help!” Eddie cried.

  Ahead, an Argus ship fanned out over the water. Then it locked its sights on the corsair and zoomed straight for them.

  Grayson slid into the gunner’s chair. “On it!”

  Eddie rolled the ship as the Argus fired at them.

  Grayson took aim and sprayed a volley of bullets at the Argus ship. Its wing caught fire and the ship plummeted toward the ocean.

  “Now!” Grayson cried.

  Eddie hit the auto-exit button, and the ship barreled upward.

  Smoke lost his grip on a railing, flew backward, and he caught himself just in time.

  In the rearview cameras, Grayson watched Macalestern grow smaller, until the living platform was like a flower petal atop the roiling ocean.

  Soon, they reached weightlessness, and stars. A line of Argus ships lay ahead, forming a barrier around the planet.

  “Damn it,” Grayson said.

  “Hold on, guys,” Eddie said, turning on the hyper core.

  “This is going to be close,” Devika said.

  The pointed noses of the Argus ships lit up as their weapons warmed up.

  “Here we go!” Eddie cried.

  The Argus ships fired.

  The warship blasted forward.

  Just before the shots connected, Eddie jumped into hyperspace. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Wow, that was close,” Keltie said, patting Grayson on the back. He liked the feeling, and he grabbed her hand for a moment.

  Smoke jumped over the railing, landing in front of the ship’s holographic star map.

  “Florian is headed for a star,” Smoke said.

  “Thanks for narrowing it down,” Michiko. “There are only, like, a few thousand stars in the galaxy.”

  “Why does he want a star?” Devika asked.

  “To devour,” Smoke said.

  Devika repeated the words. “Why?”

  Smoke shrugged. “I thought you guys had the answers.”

  “Why would Florian want a star?” Keltie asked.

  “The Planet Eaters,” Devika said. “They've already devoured two planet and a moon.”

  “A star would complete the collection,” Keltie said, “but I never knew aliens to be collectors of heavenly bodies…”

  “Doesn't make sense,” Devika said. She glanced at Miller. “Can we trace Florian somehow?”

  “Get us safely out of hyperspace and I'll call my people,” Miller said. “They would have interviewed Florian, and they might know where he was going.”

  “Will that really help?” Grayson asked.

  “Almost certainly,” Miller said. “We watch any and everyone who is a potential suspect. If he leaves the planet, it'll trip suspicions.”

  “Let's hope you're right,” Devika said.

  Everyone stared ahead at hyperspace and wat
ched it blaze rapidly.

  32

  “We were lucky to get out of that one, boss.”

  Huxley handed Florian a towel. Florian wiped his brow and hands of sweat as their corporate airship blazed through hyperspace.

  “Can you believe they just let us go?” Tatiana asked.

  “It's all part of the plan,” Florian said, throwing the towel on the floor.

  He pointed to the pilot.

  “Push the ship as fast as it will go,” he said. “We don't have much time left.”

  “Why are we headed for a star?” the pilot asked.

  Florian folded his arms and stroked his chin.

  “We need to please those damn aliens,” Florian said. “We've got Arguses and Zachary soldiers all over the galaxy. The last thing we need is those aliens pissed off at me.”

  Tatiana slapped the screen of her tablet.

  “Rats,” she said, “We jumped into hyperspace before I could load the news. I imagine hell has broken loose by now.”

  “With any luck, our enemies are attacking several points in the galaxy,” Florian said. “The army will be responding. The navy is probably shitting their pants right now, and the Galactic Guard is probably rushing off to save all the lost and wounded.”

  He grinned, pulled some almonds from his shirt pocket, and tossed them in his mouth.

  “I’d say now is as good a time as any to make a star disappear.”

  “We've got thousands to choose from,” Tatiana said, walking over to the star map. “I was thinking about Corvallis 62 B.”

  She pointed to a white star in a cluster of celestial dust.

  “It's surrounded by uninhabitable planets, and its loss wouldn't be detected for weeks,” she said.

  Florian shook his head.

  “I'm not going to win power by avoiding casualties,” he said. “There have to be casualties. Lots of fucking casualties.”

  Tatiana gasped.

  “That'll scare people. Make them desperate for protection,” Florian said. “Then it'll be easy for us to step in.”

  “I like the way you think, boss,” Huxley said.

  Florian studied the star map.

  “How about…this one.”

  His finger hovered over a yellow star near the center of the galaxy.

  “That's Altaecia,” Tatiana said.

  “Hmm,” Florian said. “Which planets does it support?”

  “Cryovox and Gargantua.”