Treasure Hunt (The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 9)

by J. Naomi Ay

  "Blessed Saint, Berkie," Luci gasped and wondered what had possessed her to do such a thing. She fell to her knees and slapped her husband's face. Then, she put her hand to Berkan's chest as if she might be able to stem the flow of blood. "Why did you do it?" Luci wept. "You fucking dickhead."

  Berkan didn't answer as his death prohibited conversation. In fact, while Luci wailed, Nily's body died on the floor, as well. Her tiny unborn fetus expired, never knowing that it might have been the next Imperial Prince. Such was the tragic misfortune of being a descendent of Senya and Katie.

  Chapter 19

  Rent kept looking in the rear view scan for an indication that the SpaceNavy plane was following them. All he saw was a lot of stars, and it was really hard to tell if any were moving.

  "Quit looking backward, son," Tex said. "It's time to look forward at the future."

  Tex had a big map spread out on the navigation table. That same table was adjustable and could be moved from room to room. It doubled as the dining table, the card table, and just about everything else. In fact, when Rent had cut his hand on a rusted pipe, Tex had laid him out on that same table and sewn him up.

  "Now Psi Upsilon IV should be about seven clicks away if we adjust our course to three hundred forty degrees off the port bow. See that asteroid belt, Tonto? We need to avoid that by changing our vector when we get to here. Did you know anything about space navigation before I taught you?"

  "No, Tex." Rent yawned. Navigation was boring. Piloting was even more so as it put Rent to sleep. He really only liked the engine room, the clanging noises and the smell of axle grease. If Tex would have let him, Rent would spend every moment in there.

  "Well, you've got a lot to learn, cowpoke. When I first became a scavenger, I didn't know anything about navigation either."

  "Why'd you become a scavenger, Tex?" Rent yawned again.

  Tex turned in his chair and regarded the young fella with his light gray eyes. He lit himself a cig and took a long drag.

  "I lost something I didn't know I had, son. Once I found that out, I had to go find it, no matter where it was."

  "Did you?" Rent asked, his own eyes closing as his eyelids grew heavy.

  "I sure did, Tonto." Tex's face broke into a wide smile. "And my wife is going to be so happy, I reckon, she might actually stop pestering me for a day or two. Now git along, little doggie. You're looking right tuckered out."

  "G'night, Tex." Rent stumbled his way over to the vinyl couch. He lay down and took the worn runners off his feet. He covered himself up with the thin synthetic blanket and closed his eyes. Rent tried to imagine what Tex's happy wife would be like, but in his mind's eye, he saw only that Lunch Lady with a tray of tater tots.

  "Rent," she called. "I saved all of these for you."

  "Thank you, Mama," Rent replied and fell into a sound and blissful sleep. He didn't wake up again until they had landed on a Psi Upsilon IV.

  Sam hovered Spaceplane 2220 above a dead, red forest glade. PU IV was a terrestrial planet of extremely advanced age. The inhabitants had long died out except for roaches and other adaptable creatures that could exist for long periods without food, water or oxygenated air.

  There was a thick layer of red dust that drifted upward in dense clouds, lacing the sky pink, along with streaks of orange and yellow. Kiman, using heat sensitive goggles, located two men bounding across the planet's surface. They were dressed in old fashioned space suits, easily two hundred years out of date. They appeared to be heading toward a crashed space freighter, which was half-buried in the dusty red terrain.

  "That's them." He nodded to Sam. "The young guy and the older one who owns the plane. I see their plane parked to the north about a mile away. It's surprising that rust bucket can still fly."

  "Do you want me to land?" Sam adjusted the flaps, gauging the stability of the surface below. "If you'd rather rappel, I can hover right over here. Then, we won't have to worry about getting stuck, but we'll kick up a whole lot of that dust."

  "No. Land. You need to come with me." Kiman took out his gun and checked the sights. "Bring a laser, Sam. We don't know anything about these guys. The old one could have kidnapped the kid years ago, and not be willing to give him up."

  "I've got my laser, but Kiman, I don't feel good about leaving Sara here alone."

  Sam guided the ship to a clearing where boulders clustered on the ground, indicating a hard surface of granite beneath. He extended the ship's legs while Kiman donned his space suit.

  "You're not a babysitter," Kiman snapped, slipping the mask over his head. "Secure the cabin and plug her into cartoons. She'll watch that show and never notice that you're gone. Right now, capturing that guy is our first priority. Everything else can wait until we've got him."

  Sam didn't agree, but he kept his mouth tightly shut as Kiman was his commanding officer and called the shots. Sara's safety was foremost in Sam's mind, and he wasn't entirely sure he believed Kiman's theory anyway. It was way too far out to imagine an unknown Imperial Prince.

  "I just don't know about this," Sam mumbled. "How can Stevie have a brother, especially one that is a space cowboy treasure hunting wrecks?"

  "Hurry up." Kiman extended the landing chute and slid down to the planet in a cloud of dust.

  "I'll be alright, Sam," Sara said while watching her vid. She giggled at that same strange yellow creature in the neck tie. "He's so funny!" She pointed. "He reminds me of you. Your head is square just like his!"

  Sam didn't think so, but he was glad Sara was having fun. As he slipped on his own space suit, he considered how he would like to introduce Sara to Carolie. Sam's step-daughter was a shy, introverted preteen who despite her parents' and grandfather's best efforts never felt quite at home living on Rehnor. She tended to cling to her younger half-brother who took after Sam and was happy just to be wherever he was. Sam decided to ask Lord Taner if Sara could spend some time with their family in Turko.

  By the time, Sam stepped on the planet surface and followed Kiman through the dust cloud, he had it all planned out in his mind. He was so busy thinking about the children, and how happy they would be together, that he didn't notice the second SpaceNavy plane as it landed.

  Rent didn't like this planet. It was too hard to move around in this ancient space suit, which was older and heavier than the one at the SpaceWay Inn. It zipped up so high on his neck and snapped so tightly, he felt like he was choking all of the time. On top of that, Rent couldn't see anything through the dust clouds, not that there was anything to see except more dirt. The air was too thin, and the gravity was too weak. Every step Rent took, he ended up bouncing ten feet or more.

  "I don't see the wreck, Tex," he called into the microphone. "Maybe we're in the wrong place, and we should go home."

  "No, it's here, Tonto," Tex insisted, soaring off into the air. "Yee haw, little doggie. This is more fun than riding a bronc."

  "Sure, Tex," Rent mumbled, trying to loosen the space suit's grip on his throat.

  Rent tried to stay on his feet when he hit the ground, but mostly he ended up tripping. Then, he had to struggle back up in this suit weighing two hundred pounds. Fortunately, a short way further, they found where the old freighter had crashed. Its tail section rose out of the dirt like a dead beached whale.

  "Lookee here, partner," Tex called. "We found ourselves the pot of gold. I told you we just had to follow the rainbow until we got here."

  "Uh huh." Rent nodded, although Tex couldn’t see through the space suit's hood. In any case, he was already prying open the freighter's smashed door.

  Rent waited patiently, while Tex hacked at the composite metal with a crowbar and then, a blow torch, and finally his gun. The old guy shot two bullets at the lock, which instantly broke the door open.

  "Go on, son," Tex said, pointing at the dusty dark chamber below. "Go find the treasure inside. Take your flash light and look through all the compartments."

  "You aren't coming in, Tex?" Rent hesitantly looked inside, imagining the
place overrun with enormous roaches and rats. There might even be snakes down there, and Rent especially hated snakes. Snakes made Rent's hair stand up on its ends.

  "Sorry, partner, I'm winded. All this exercise is hard on an old man like me. I'll just sit here and wait for you to come back out." Tex pocketed his gun and took out a cig before he remembered he was dressed in a space suit. "I guess I'll have to wait on this until I get back to the ship. Better make it quickly, son. I'm about to have a nicotine fit."

  "Ok, Tex," Rent replied and stepped one foot into the freighter. Just then, a voice called out, "Stop what you are doing!"

  It was the Imperial SpaceNavy men who had followed them there. Kiman and Sam, wearing space suits, bounded toward them in giant leaps. Kiman had a gun in his hand, and Sam had a laser, which he fired above their heads as a warning.

  "Aw, sheeet!" Tex swore. "This is my treasure hunt. I ain't going to let those fellas take my goods."

  Now, Rent's emotions were extremely conflicted as he wrestled with what he should do. He certainly didn't want to be shot by the SpaceNavy or by Tex. On the other hand, Rent didn’t want to go inside this old crashed freighter. As he struggled with this difficult and tumultuous decision, his throat felt even more constricted than before. His space suit seemed to get tighter, so much so, he discovered he couldn't breathe.

  "Uh oh, Tex," Rent cried out before he fainted.

  Kiman and Sam watched the young man keel right over while the older guy sat resting on the hull of the wrecked freighter.

  "What's wrong with him?" Sam wondered.

  "Let's get him back to the plane!" Kiman bounced ahead. "You're under arrest," he yelled at Tex and pointed his gun.

  "For exactly what?"

  Kiman didn't feel like arguing. He also didn't want the young guy to die while everyone stood around reviewing the Miranda rights. "Come on, Sam. We've got to hurry."

  Sam glided over to Rent and lifted the young man on his back.

  "He's leaking." Sam discovered, "From the oxygen canister."

  Being the nice guy that Sam was, he replaced the canister with his emergency spare. A moment later, while Kiman was still arguing with Tex, Rent coughed and blinked his eyes.

  "Mama?" Rent cried as he awoke. "Can I have some more tater tots with ketchup on the side?" Then, he blinked three times and realized where he was.

  "Now, hold on there, cowboy." Tex was lecturing Kiman. "You can't just come and arrest me for doing my job. Furthermore, you've got a bigger problem than just me."

  "Oh yeah?" Kiman demanded. "And what exactly would that be, old man?"

  "Your plane is being stolen." Tex pointed his finger in the air.

  Sure enough, Spaceplane 2220 was starting to leave. The spider-like legs were contracting as the engines kicked up a huge cloud of dust.

  "Fricking, fricking, Sara!" Sam screamed and bounded away while Tex took out both of his guns and pumped a few bullets into the cockpit of the craft. Spaceplane 2220 groaned, and plummeted back to the planet with a tremendous thud.

  "You can thank me later," Tex said as he holstered his guns.

  Sam watched as his plane crashed into the ground. Although the shell was intact, the cockpit windows were shattered.

  "That's impossible," he muttered to himself. "They're made with shatter resistant polycarbonate safety glass. They're unbreakable, especially by a bullet from a gun."

  "Unless, it's a silver bullet." Tex winked from Sam's side. "Nothing will stop one of these slugs, not in this entire Universe."

  "That's not true," Sam protested.

  "Shut up and come on." Kiman dragged Sam back to the ship.

  "Sara?" Sam yelled as soon as he opened the door. "Are you alright, honey?"

  "No!" Sara shrieked at the top of her lungs. "There's a mean man here kidnapping me! Help me, Sam!"

  "Hello Sam." Marik held a gun pointed straight at the little girl's head. "Hello Kiman. You boys are just in time for the show. Sara's going outside to take a little stroll on the planet."

  "No, she's not," Kiman declared, raising his own gun.

  "Are you crazy, Marik?" Sam yelled. "Why are you doing this? Why in the world would you want to hurt this little girl?"

  "You're so stupid, Psfa-a-a whatever. Can't you tell from looking at her face? She's no more Pedah de Kudisha's daughter than you are."

  "What?" Sam had trouble following that logic.

  "Let her go," Kiman demanded, aiming his barrel at Marik's head.

  "This girl," Marik spat. "She's obviously that asshole Shika's daughter."

  "She is?" Sam scratched the top of his square green head.

  "That's enough, Marik," Kiman shouted. "Let her go, or I'll shoot you between the eyes."

  "I still don't get why you're doing this," Sam stated.

  Marik scoffed and laughed, although no one else thought he was funny. "She's the only eligible heir to the throne, now that the Emperor's dead. I'm going to get rid of her so the Korelesks will succeed unimpeded. I'm the most logical person to rule, even over my father."

  "The Emperor's dead?" Sam cried. "You're kidding me, right?"

  "No, he's not," Kiman stated.

  "Not dead, or not kidding?"

  "Not dead." Another voice sighed with obvious irritation. "Put your gun down, son, if you want to live another day."

  "Who the hell is this?" Marik demanded, pointing at Tex, who had come aboard the plane, followed by Rent. "Sorry, cowboy, but your horse is on another planet." Marik laughed again until his eyes fell upon Rent. "Fucking mother of the Saint, now where did he come from?"

  "Outside," Rent replied nervously. "Is it okay if I come in here with you guys?"

  "Shut up," Marik roared. "This is becoming totally ridiculous. Who in the hell are you? There is no fucking way you could be that asshole Shika's brother."

  "Who?" Rent looked at Tex.

  "Let the girl go," Tex ordered, drawing his Six Shooter once again. "I'm counting to three, partner. Then, I'm going to put a bullet in your brain. One…two…"

  "I'll put a bullet in your brain first, old man." Marik laughed, until a shot rang out.

  "Three." Marik dropped like a rock, as the girl scrambled to the safety of Sam's arms. Marik buckled on the floor, and a bright red rose blossomed between his eyes. For a moment, the only sound was Sara's weeping as Sam held the child's head tightly against his chest. "That's that," Tex said and once again, put away his gun.

  "Idiot," Kiman muttered as he felt Marik's head. He checked for a pulse and closed the dead man's eyes. "Sir." He turned to Tex. "Now, you're really under arrest. Sam, take his guns and cuff him to the couch."

  "But, why?" Rent asked as he watched the dead man's blood congeal on the floor. It reminded Rent of the cold red jello he used to eat at school. "It was self-defense. He had his gun at the little girl's head. You saw that." Rent appealed to Sam who could only shrug.

  "I'm sorry." Kiman said. "He was still a SpaceNavy officer. In fact, he was a nobleman of the Empire. It was not your responsibility to kill the man. A judge will have to decide your fate."

  "Sorry, but I'm the sheriff of this here town, and I'll administer justice where and when I see fit. It's alright, son." Tex turned to Rent. "This will get all sorted out, in no time. You go keep that little girl company while these good men do their jobs."

  "But, Tex," Rent insisted.

  "But nothing." Tex just shook his head. He held out his wrists for Sam to lock into handcuffs.

  After Tex was disarmed and set on the couch, Kiman went to fetch a body bag for Marik. Sam checked out the cockpit of his ship, where he found a dead SpaceNavy pilot killed by a silver bullet through the window.

  "Fricking poor guy," Sam muttered studying Red Shirt from the Engineering Bay. Sam hefted the man up on his back and carried him to the aft for another body bag. "The windows and controls are all shot up," he told Kiman. "We'll never be able to take this plane back into space."

  "Well, Marik came in something," Kiman snapped, trying to fit th
e Captain in a body bag. "He's so big we're going to have to double wrap him in two."

  For the next few hours, while Rent and Sara watched cartoons, Kiman and Sam returned to the planet to explore. They found the other spaceplane which was tail number 4044. Then, they hauled the two dead bodies to the new plane's aft storage. When everything was moved and ready to depart, Kiman returned to 2220 and ordered everyone to leave.

  "I sure hate flying in space," Sara moaned as Rent helped her into a space suit. "Every time I go somewhere, I end up in a crash."

  "I hate it, too," Rent muttered, donning his own ancient gear. "But, at least now, you and I can keep each other company."

  "That's cool," Sara agreed. "We both like Cheez-Its and watching Spongebob on the vid."

  "'Yep." Rent shrugged and took the young girl's hand.

  "Come on, old man." Kiman uncuffed Tex. "Put your space suit back on and walk right next to me."

  "Sure, partner," Tex replied and since he so compliantly dressed, Kiman didn't feel the need to cuff him again.

  Furthermore, it would be too difficult to traverse the next half mile tethered together, but Kiman keep his gun ready, just in case. He assumed the old wrangler wouldn't cause any trouble as he just smiled and tipped his old shot up hat. Unfortunately for Kiman, he had no clue who he was dealing with.

  "Stop!" Kiman yelled as Tex bounded away. "Stay where you are, or so help me, I'll shoot."

  "Sorry, son," Tex yelled back as he soared up into the air and then down in one giant leap. "I've done more time in jail than I care to recall. Let me tell you, I ain't gonna be doing it again. I've got business to tend to, and more treasure to find. My little woman is waiting at home, and poor Elvis needs feeding in the ship. I'm saddling up my pony and hitting the stars again. Tell that boy, Tonto, I'll be seeing him in his dreams. Happy trails to you, cowboy and hi ho, Silver, away!"