The Last Spartan 2: DJ's Mission
Page 24
“I would like you to patrol the rings. There is an unconfirmed sighting of a battlecruiser in the area. I want to see if you can locate her. If you do, you are not to engage but mark the location and report back to me.”
Aeolus paused for a moment before answering. “My apologies Master Spartan but you are no longer my Captain.”
“So true, that is why I asked you. DJ will be out of commission for at least a few days while he recovers from his injuries. I only ask you to do this while he is offline. Of course, you don’t have to comply. It’s your choice.”
“Then, I will comply until ordered otherwise by my Captain. Besides, it’s better than sitting in a hanger.”
“Thank you.”
“It is a pleasure to serve once again.” And the comm line went dead.
Iaido punched up the contact codes for the Nemesis and Pax answered.
“Yes, Captain?”
“Status?”
“We are at the rendezvous point. Xerxes, the Sylvan and the Master Chief are all in sick bay.”
Before she could continue, the head of his niece popped into view on the screen. Technically Eve was not his niece but the daughter of his oldest friend and Talia’s sister who went missing sometime after the war. When the Sergeant Major was killed, she became a pawn in his former commander’s revenge. Once the dust settled from that situation, she came to live on the Nemesis along with Talia. In a short time, his near solitary existence had changed. Now he had a family. It was pretty satisfying.
Eve’s cheerfulness brought his mind back to the present. “Uncle Achilles! Thanks for bringing me a friend!”
Kaitlyn popped into view. “You’re the last Spartan! My Dad has told me stories about you.”
“The same here, it is a pleasure to meet you. Any word?”
Kaitlyn shook her head. “Athena came out about five minutes ago and said that it is still touch and go for the moment.”
Iaido nodded. “Roger that, I should be back on board within the hour. Pax contact me the moment anything changes.”
The Nemesis’s AI responded. “Affirmative.”
Iaido killed the connection and set about piloting the Kestrel to the rendezvous point and wondering about the future. It seemed he’d picked up another stray. Oh well, that’s goes with the territory of being part of a family.
Chapter 22
Several days later, the Red Falcon walked into the hideout of the Cartel underboss Absolem. He moved with a very pronounced limp but the blue-hued geometrid had no doubt it was him.
Absolem took a long drag off his qalyan and held in the smoke of his favorite spice as he studied the bounty hunter. The armor was dented and scarred but had been repaired recently. Not a professional job but one who knew a little about the armor. The blue bug nodded to himself and set down his waterpipe.
“Falcon. I wasn’t expecting you since I heard you were dead.”
“Stories of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. But I’m not here to reminisce. You have my payment?”
“How do I know you’re the real Falcon? You could be an imposter.”
The Red Falcon rested his left hand on the handle of his gun. Neither the bug or his henchmen missed the veiled threat. “You can take my word for it or I can shoot you where you sit if you like. Either way, the job is done and I expect payment.”
Absolem threw his head back and laughed. It was an odd sound even translated by the AI inside the CSA armor. “You are the real Falcon. Only he would have enough balls to threaten me.” The geometrid nudged a large crate with his tail. “Your payment as arranged.”
The Red Falcon moved stiffly over to the crate and lifted it. “I’m going to trust that it’s all here. I know you wouldn’t cheat me now, would you?” Seeing the Cartel underboss shake his head, the Red Falcon began to limp his way out. Just before he left, he paused long enough to look over his shoulder at the fifteen foot tall bug. “Don’t contact me again. This is our last business venture together.” Without waiting to hear the bug’s answer, he hobbled back to the waiting red and black Kestrel.
Once the hatch was closed and the ship was underway to Titan’s starport, DJ took off the Red Falcon helmet for the last time. “You know, I’m going to miss this armor.”
Jax’s voice was still weak as he replied. “Are you sure about this?”
DJ turned to face his friend. “You once told me that you wanted to find someplace where no one knows your name. Officially, Jagger Jax is dead but the galaxy could still use Rote Faulken.”
Jax flexed his cybernetic hand and moved his metal arm around once more to stare at it. The silver alloy gleamed in the weak light of the cockpit.
DJ laid a gentle hand on his friend’s knee. “Jax, listen to me. You are no longer the same man you used to be, obviously externally but more importantly, internally. You chose to sacrifice yourself to save others. You are no longer the pirate. You are a new man. And as Iaido would say, there are two paths before you, only you can choose which one to walk.”
Even as the Phoenix touched down on the tarmac of the starport, Jax looked up. His cybernetic eye gleamed red. “But DJ, half this fortune is yours.”
DJ stepped off the ship and hugged his waiting daughter. “No, I have the greatest treasure right here.”
Turning away, DJ and Kaitlyn left the new Red Falcon to ponder his future. Father and daughter boarded the waiting Aetós and headed off to confront the unknown….together.
Epilogue
The red skinned four-armed being looked at the screen and shook his head. The shadowy figure that represented him on the panel of the Committee, a human conglomerate of businessmen that thought they ran the galaxy, copied his movements.
“I disagree Mr. Black. Admiral Thomas is solely to blame for our failures on Titan, not this Red Falcon character or Spartan. He underestimated his opponents and let his personal lust for the young girl blind him to other options available. Once again we see what happens when someone puts their personal agenda in front of the Committee’s.”
On screen the shadowy form of Mr. Black nodded. “You have a point, Mr. Red. Very well, if it is the will of the Committee our assets will not take any actions against this Spartan fellow or the hunter known as the Red Falcon.”
The twelve member panel anonymously cast their votes. Of course, the multi-limbed being could easily override their computer systems and display any vote he wished, but that wasn’t as much fun. The thrill was manipulating them, not commanding them. The unanimous vote came back to not take any direct action, as always.
The being the Committee knew as Mr. Red stood up. “Well gentlemen, if there is nothing else, I have other business concerns.”
Everyone nodded and the screen went dark.
“Humans. They’re so easy to manipulate but oh, so much fun.” One of his hands punched up an image of Iaido. “Except you Spartan, you are an enigma. Once again, you have interfered in my plans. I wonder if it is by design on my counterpart’s efforts or cosmic humor. Hmmm…”
Reluctantly, he turned his body to face the large chessboard at his side which represented the Saturn system and removed two of the pieces. As he contemplated his countermove, he spoke to the darkness.
“Nice move old friend but you don’t have me yet. There are other areas where you are weak.”
Twisting his body to face a different chessboard, an untold number of boards could be seen in the darkness.
-- the end –
AUTHOR’S NOTES
Another book complete J
First and foremost, I want to thank all of my readers out there. Even without you, I would be writing. But knowing that I get to share them with others, makes it that much more enjoyable.
A little history about and/or behind this story: I thoroughly enjoyed writing ‘The Last Spartan: Different Paths’ but I found myself wanting to explore and develop the universe more fully. Plus, I wanted to expand the backstory and depth of my side characters. DJ seemed to be the right one to start with. I ori
ginally was only planning a short story but as the tale progressed, it grew into a short novel or long novella. Personally, I have set myself the goal of writing a novella on each side character which will allow me to set up events needed in the main novels which will primarily focus on Iaido’s journeys (hint: you will see the Horus in the next novel along with several favorites from both novels).
Several of the characters in DJ’s Mission came into being because of the first Spartan novel. I have gotten a lot of wonderful support from the men and women I work with in the jail. As a matter of fact, I now have a running list of people who want to make an appearance in one of my novels. It’s kind of odd in a way but very flattering at the same time.
And last but not least, once again thanks to my wife for putting up with me and supporting me in my work, both in my day job and my hobby. I love you now and always.
Drew McCullough
December 2012
Drew and Felicia McCullough - 1996
Drew, short for Andrew, was born in Munich, Germany while his father was stationed overseas with the US Army. Growing up a military brat, Drew became an avid reader with Fantasy, Science Fiction and Detective Thrillers being his favorite genres.
Drew served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1982-88 and began training in TaeKwonDo in 1985. In 1994 he moved to Louisville, Kentucky to open his own TKD studio and taught for 11 wonderful years where he met and married his wife, Felicia, and gained a great step-son, John Michael. In 2005, he closed his studio and switched careers.
He currently works as a Corrections Officer with Louisville Metro and writes in his spare time. Unable to live on the beach, he resides on a farm with his wife and animals: 6 cats, 3 dogs and 2 horses.