by Scott Moon
She backed away, fading into the night as her fiery exterior either changed or diminished to become less visible.
“At least tell me where they are.”
“On a ship,” she said.
“You have a ship? Which ship? I won’t help you if you don’t give me something in good faith. Let me talk to them.”
She stopped her disappearance. “I must have your oath.”
Kevin was sure he was right about oaths given under duress. His grandfather, or perhaps his father had said something about that once. Swearing to this creature was the only way he would see his siblings, but could he trust her? If he was ready to betray an oath, what would keep her from doing the same?
“You disappoint me.”
“I’ll destroy the Guide if that’s what it takes.”
She moved closer, her eyes dancing with intense light. He felt his soul burning under her gaze.
“Is that an oath?”
He stared back, eyes locked on hers. “Sure.”
She crossed her arms, one pair after another. The movement seemed to amplify the human gesture.
“It’s good enough,” he said.
“So you say.” She moved nearer and whispered, “There is an Ignari ship on the surface of my homeworld. They abandoned it when it lost power.”
“Good to know. Are you telling me they’re on that ship?”
She didn’t answer.
“Tell me the truth. I crossed the entire galaxy and suffered your Chrysalis chamber to find them.”
“Admirable. For that reason, I will explain. You wish to play word games and speak vague promises. So I give you vague answers.” She turned away but looked back. “We will meet again. It would be best if you were holding the severed head of Guidis.”
Kevin attempted to follow her, quickly realizing the futility of trying. She was gone and there were enemies everywhere. Without his armor, he lacked maps. No one was coming to pull him out of whatever mess he landed in. He couldn’t call for help if he wanted to.
“Think, Kevin,” he said as he moved carefully to higher ground. What would your grandfather do? What would Arthur do?
He missed his brother. Thinking of the arguments they’d had and the harsh words they’d exchanged made him want to seek him out now. Having a Cyclops pilot in charge of a squadron would be useful—assuming he could talk them into going rogue for a few hours.
A bad feeling filled him up each time he thought of Arthur, so he pushed the impractical idea away and concealed himself near the top of a ridge. The landscape was beautiful and ominous. Small battles raged here and there throughout the night, visible by the flashes of gun muzzles, streaming tracer rounds, and the blazing back and forth of Burners and Cyclopes.
The Burner Queen wanted something from him. She thought he could destroy one of her enemies. He put aside consideration of whether that was possible. Even with his gear and his squad-mates, he didn’t think going after the Guide was a good idea. The mythical astro creature was little more than a rumor to most of the rank and file. Reliable information was impossible to find.
He made a list as his mother had taught him and worked through it logically. The conclusion was simple, if not helpful. The Burner Queen wanted him to do something. The dead Ignari Burner ship couldn’t be far away. If it wasn’t, why bother mentioning it?
He searched in an expanding circle from where he had spoken with the Burner Queen and found the ship just as dark and unattended as possible. This had to be a test. She expected him to go after the Guide called Guidis. He would rescue Ace and Amanda instead.
Then maybe he would do what he could to honor the bargain, as long as it didn’t endanger the twins or violate his duties to the SMC Marauders.
The ship was shaped as though it had been born out of the void or crafted from one piece of alien metal. Hard to look at, lacking scorch marks despite having spent most of its existence wreathed in furnace-hot flames, the surface appeared both strong and elegant.
A simple lever operated the door. He entered and searched room to room, holding his breath too often and praying more than he had in years.
Nothing.
Empty.
Searching the ship a second and third time produced no results.
Kevin strode angrily down the ramp of the Ignari ship, humiliated and ready to act foolishly.
The Burner Queen stepped from the shadows wreathed in black flames like the afterimage of heat that had burned too bright for this universe. “You say one thing and do another as all humans do. I was right to test you.”
Kevin felt his anger growing out of control. “Why do you need me to kill this Guide creature? You’ve got powers I don’t even understand. Why send me? Why hold the twins hostage?”
“I have many responsibilities,” she said, “and you can go places I may not. Your human ships will help you.”
“They’re grounded, in case you didn’t notice.”
“More are on the way.”
Kevin was attempting to process what she’d just said when she continued.
“I will not give your brother and sister to you, but I can prove they are well. Come closer, Kevin Connelly. This may hurt you, but since you insist, I will do it once.”
The night twisted strangely around him. He wasn’t sure if he’d stepped forward or stood motionless as she descended on him like a cloud of destiny.
“Close your eyes,” she said.
He obeyed and witnessed a scene that broke his heart. Ace and Amanda were in one of the Crystal ziggurat dungeons, hugging each other as waves of energy coursed around them. Snatches of their surroundings suggested there were no locked doors. They could walk out.
“The power was too much for them. They live, but not for long if the plots of Guidis are not thwarted,” she said.
“You should have just told me that. I would have already started hunting the creature.” His words slurred. He lost his balance. Pain stabbed through his eyes.
Amanda lifted her head to stare at him, seeming to ask why he wasn’t helping them.
“I’m coming, Amanda!” Kevin lunged forward like a wounded drunk. His hand passed into the vision.
The Burner Queen screamed. She shoved him away with her primary arms.
Kevin flew backward as though mule kicked.
The Burner Queen spun toward him, primary and secondary arms spread wide, fingers stretched out like claws as her beautiful face twisted from the fury of her rage. Her many tertiary arms twisted and jerked. She rushed forward.
Kevin ran without a thought for where he might go. The maze of canyons and gullies felt like a trap, so he scrambled over one ridgeline after another until he came to a field dotted with young trees. The air reeked of smoke, blood, and overheated weapons.
Racing under branches, never looking back, he heard the Burner Queen cursing him and demanding he bring her the head of the Guide before she was forced to slaughter Ace and Amanda.
He wished he hadn’t attempted to push into the vision he had assumed was an illusion, a Siren version of a surveillance feed. His hand felt like he’d smashed all of his fingers with a hammer.
His quest was impossible. He had no choice but to continue. Ace and Amanda were counting on him.
8
Soldottir
Admiral Jeda Soldottir wore regulation combat gear for Starship Naval Corps bridge crew. Her helmet was dented, repaired, and missing most of the paint. Her void suit was actually the salvage of three suits she had worn out.
The UNAS Honor, flagship of the Black Fleet, was just like her admiral—rough around the edges but unstoppable.
“I don’t think either ship has detected us,” her executive officer, Circu, said. The sky-blue alien wasn’t a favorite of the crew despite the many times he’d saved the fleet.
“That’s because we’re the Black Fleet and we know what we’re doing,” Jeda said.
The bridge crew laughed good-naturedly.
Everyone was tired. Some of them were broken insi
de. They’d been away from home longer than any naval fleet in human history.
Professor Echo Michaels, the science officer, spoke softly but was heard by everyone. His status among the crew was undeniable. “You take our stealth technology for granted, Admiral.”
The professor’s immaculate uniform and gentlemanly manner might have been cause for resentment in other situations. Instead, his confidence came off as reassuring.
Jeda tilted her head slightly, considering her words but not deferring to his opinion. “I take nothing for granted, Professor. Major Jackson, would you kindly assemble a boarding team?”
The SMC commander stood like an Earth oak with slightly more personality. His armor enhanced his bulk. “Yes, Admiral. Will you be joining us?”
“Perhaps another time, Major,” she said.
Jackson always asked. She always declined. It was one of many rituals developed over the last ten years.
He was forty, perhaps younger. His bushy eyebrows put the professor’s gray hair to shame. The Starship Marine Corps helmet looked like he’d been smashing it through bulkheads or against hard alien worlds. He maintained an impressive handlebar mustache she ignored during inspections.
He nodded. “Very good, Admiral. I will be with my Marines.”
“Circu, you have the bridge. I will be at my terminal.” She rotated her captain’s chair to face a viewscreen divided into several sections. She enlarged Major Jackson’s viewscreen and followed his progress.
The Marine leader gathered two platoons, inspected their gear, and conferred with their officers and squad leaders. She eavesdropped as was expected.
“The enemy ship is small enough to fit in our capture bay—just like their victim is in their capture bay. We won’t need to use boarding tubes or EVA maneuvers,” Major Jackson said. “You’re welcome.”
The boarding party laughed and feigned disappointment as they checked weapons. In pairs, they checked each other’s gear to be sure it was sealed and ready for a hull breach.
“Tap up and let’s make some friends. Who are we?” Major Jackson asked.
“Black Fleet Marines!”
The capture bay door spiraled open. Marines charged through, swarming the pirate ship. Major Jackson wasn’t first, but he was closer to the front than Jeda would’ve liked.
Breaching teams blew apart doors and cut holes into the smaller vessel. If Jeda was correct, there was an UNA freighter inside the pirate ship. The beacon had been unmistakable, though she was still a bit confused as to why it had been turned off until the last moment. Whoever was piloting the ship was playing a dangerous game.
“Team one, contact,” a voice said.
Jeda enlarged the viewscreen of the team’s leader. Two men, both heavily muscled, leaned out from hallway corners to fire heavy blasters. The moment they pulled back, other pirates knelt at the corners to fire without a pause in the action.
Their appearance startled Jeda. The parts were helmets and armor gloves that linked to their weapons, but no shirts. Men and women wore trousers or kilts. Some were barefoot. Others had magnetic-soled boots, useful when the ship lost its gravity simulators.
Jackson and his Marines advanced by the numbers. It didn’t seem they ever considered pausing. Two Marines went down, their injuries uncertain from Jeda’s point of view. She hoped their armor was sufficient to protect them.
“Stun grenades!” Jackson ordered. A pair of Marines pulled grenades from the front of their armor, flicked switches, and hurled them toward the corners.
The devices exploded with light and sound.
Jackson and his Marines rushed forward. A pair of pirates were down, blood splattered on the walls and floor around them.
“Good work, Jackson,” Jenna said over the comm system. “Try to take one or two alive, if you don’t mind.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, Admiral. The harder they resist, the harsher they’ll be treated,” Jackson said.
Pirates threw back their own grenades and added a few improvised explosives for good measure. Major Jackson and his Marines retreated, formed a new plan, and advanced without hesitation. None of them seemed in a hurry. Even the injured remained calm. A few cursed, but nothing like their first battles in space so many years ago.
“We’re securing the UNA frigate now. This is going to be interesting,” Jackson said.
“I’m en route with my security team,” Jeda said.
“Hold on, Admiral. It’s not clear yet.”
“It’s clear enough.”
Jeda walked with her helmet under her left arm. Her security team flanked her, with two additional Marines following closely. Professor Michaels accompanied her in an advisory role.
There had been no surprises during the inspection of the pirate ship. The place was disgusting.
The UNA ship, however, intrigued her. The Black Fleet had come across all manner of pirates during the long sojourn. They’d never found one of their own. During some of the darkest days, she’d wondered if the UNA hadn’t been wiped out.
Now, at long last, they were close enough to the home system to encounter familiar faces, except there weren’t familiar faces on the ship.
She went to the first holding cell, a room that had been storage until not long ago. Major Jackson and a Marine waited outside.
“Good work, Major,” she said. “What do you have for me?”
“The chain of command on this ship is a bit convoluted, to say the least. There’s a young woman, Kimberly DeVries, who may not be in charge but seems to be in charge if that makes any sense,” Major Jackson said.
Jeda handed the Marine her helmet, then took off her gloves and tucked them through her utility belt. “I’ll start with her.”
“I’m told she has considerable hand-to-hand combat skills,” Jackson said.
“Thanks for the warning.”
“Will the admiral allow me to accompany her on this one?” Jackson asked.
“Not this time. I’ll have the professor with me. Three’s a crowd when it comes to interrogation, I think,” she said.
Professor Michaels shifted uncomfortably but didn’t contradict her.
Jeda nodded to the guard and he opened the door. She stepped through and saw Kimberly DeVries for the first time. Professor Echo Michaels followed her. If he was surprised by her beauty, he gave no indication.
“My name is Jeda Soldottir, Admiral of the UNA Black Fleet.”
The woman crossed her arms, staring back at her without a word. She was tall, lithe, had a serious attitude problem. Jeda had wanted contact with an SNC officer. She needed news almost as badly as she needed resupply and reinforcements.
“How many ships do you have?” the blonde asked.
Jeda stepped closer, not at all intimidated by the woman’s height. “Why don’t we complete our introductions? You know who I am. You?”
“Kimberly DeVries. Admiral Robedeaux sent me.”
“DeVries,” Jeda said.
Everyone waited for more.
Jeda wanted to massage the bridge of her nose or shake her head in mild, not unpleasant frustration. Thoughts of home, of the past, felt faraway and ideal. What happened “back then” always seemed better than current catastrophes. She would remember the important stuff.
“Are you okay?” Kimberly asked.
“Of course. I haven’t spent much time on Earth lately.” She moved around the blonde. “DeVries. The crime family?”
“Now you made it ugly,” Kimberly said, feigning indifference.
“What is a representative of the space mafia doing way out here?” Jeda asked.
“I told you. Admiral Danzig Robedeaux sent me to get help.”
“Surely he has better options than a spoiled rich girl from the DeVries clan,” Jeda said.
“No one else could run the Burner blockade.”
Blood drained from Jeda’s face. She felt it and hoped the young woman didn’t see her moment of weakness. “Burners?”
“They call themselves th
e Ignari.” Kimberly moved counter to Jeda’s circling path. “You have a Fleet. You’re obligated to help Red and Blue Fleets. My pilot will show you the coordinates and we will continue to Earth for help.”
“Nice try, but you’re not in charge and I know my duty.”
9
Space Pirates
Kimberly and Felton shared the cockpit for several standard days, leaving only when nature called. Dbonden brought them food. Doctor Robedeaux sulked in his cabin. Free to roam the ship, he was more thoroughly imprisoned than he ever had been.
The Escaping Doctor served them well. Kimberly decided when to fire the engines and when to coast. Each time, they narrowly avoided capture by the Burners.
“You have a sixth sense for this,” Felton said.
“It’s easy. Why don’t you see it?” She pulled up a map of the solar system and pointed toward a blank area. “This is basically a Lagrange point between these two asteroid fields.”
“You act like you’ve navigated this system before,” Felton said, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head.
“I just see it. The ship scans show it another way. The Burners will be drawn to gravity wells or obvious trajectories between them. They are searching for slow, technologically retarded humans. Maybe they have ships we don’t even know about, un-piloted ships that can accelerate faster than even they can tolerate. Such a vessel could scout all of these points easily.”
Something didn’t look right, but she couldn’t decide what it was.
“That’s all peaches and cream, but we aren’t FTL capable. Are you also a navigator—hiding one more skill they taught you at rich girl boarding school?” Felton asked.
“My father was supposed to have an FTL ship out here for me. Once I grabbed my brother, we’d take the DeVries express back to Earth.”
“There are nations that can’t afford FTL ships. What the hell does your father do?”
She laughed. “I assumed you knew all about him.”
“You shouldn’t make assumptions.”