by Taylor Smith
Cade looked about, the light from his helmet glistening off the already crystalizing moisture on the panels. “Nav, sensors, engineering,” he rattled off the consoles he understood. “But this…” he faltered.
“Weapons console,” Haley finished after taking a closer look. “This is added equipment. Looks to me like they were in a hurry too. If I’m reading this right, there’s one missile bay attached to this thing.” She circled behind it and found another console bolted haphazardly to the floor, its wires snaked up and into the back of the weapons rig. “Ah,” she said. “This is how they were tracking us through all the muck. It’s a remote sensor buoy system tied directly to the targeting unit of the weapons console.”
Cade nodded. “They must’ve launched buoys then moved to the edge of the lane where they couldn’t be seen through all the background noise. But who was he?” Cade asked. “This isn’t a warship. Maybe an adventurer trying his hand at piracy?”
“I don’t know. Look here,” she said and leaned closer to the console. There were illegible markings written hastily near each button, nob and leaver. “What is that writing?”
Cade leaned in close, shining his light at an angle so the writings would show up. “That’s old Deshi,” he said in a low tone.
“Great,” Haley replied.
Cade moved to the side of the bridge and stood still for a moment. Before Haley could ask what he was doing, he spoke up. “Haley, turn off your light for a moment.”
She did, and as her eyes adjusted to the dark she could tell there was a flashing light coming from somewhere in the room. “What is that?”
“What’s up?” Criss asked from the bridge as she listened in. She sounded drowsy.
Cade squatted to glance below a console to the left of the chair. “I don’t know. There’s something with power down here. It looks like… Criss hit the EMP!” he suddenly shouted and jumped back.
“What?” Criss sounded fully alert now.
“EMP! EMP!” Cade shouted.
Before Haley knew it, Cade had tackled her and they flew out of the bridge together. They careened down the small hall, her suit scraped the side and then bumped against an outcropping. They tumbled uncontrolled and slammed into the ceiling.
Haley gasped at the impact. “Cade what’s – “ A rough and sudden double-tap that she felt through her entire body interrupted her and everything went black.
***
“Good morning” came a voice Haley recognized but couldn’t quite place.
She fought to open her eyes but they only fluttered, refusing to work. She felt like she was floating in a warm bath. How many weeks had it been since she’d had a real bath instead of the sonic scrubbers on board a starship? She couldn’t remember but she relaxed and allowed herself to drift in the warm water.
“Well, she’s smiling. That’s good.” She knew exactly who that was.
Her eyes finally opened and she found Cade and Andy standing over her. The feeling of a warm bath receded, and she realized she was in the medical bay. Her senses jolted alert, and she sat up quickly, holding a fistful of hospital sheets to her chest. “What happened?” She remembered the ship. She remembered Cade grabbing her, then nothing.
Cade reassuringly patted her leg and said, “You’re ok. The EMP bursts just knocked you out.”
“EMP…” she repeated groggily and then her memories returned in full. “What was under that console?”
“Explosive charge,” Cade answered.
Andy nodded and added, “It seems our friend wasn’t too pleased with his capture.”
Haley’s brow rose. They’d be scattered across space if Cade hadn’t found that bomb. She placed her hand on her forehead and tried to rub away the last of the sleep. A dull pounding in the back of her head told her that the EMP burst must have done a number on her. She shook her head and lay back against the pillow saying, “I guess not. Andy, are you ok? Weren’t you shot?”
“I’m fine. It was superficial but my suit pumped me full of meds and sealed the punctures. You two are the lucky ones.”
“Why do people keep saying that?” Cade said with a shake of his head, then turned back to Haley. “Our guess is that when that Deshi pilot knew he would be caught, he set the bomb on a timer. He dumped a bunch of garbage into the airlock and overrode the decompression sequence,” he said with a scowl. “He was sitting with his back against the airlock door holding his rifle and a sword hoping to kill all of us then board the Reaper. When we opened that hatch the decompression threw him right past us.”
“Captain,” came Criss’s voice over the intercom. “We’ve been approved for docking.”
“On my way,” Andy said. He looked back to Haley and added, “Whitmore’s dead. And Crane,” he paused. “Well, he’s going to need some rack time but you got him home. Thanks for that. If you feel up to it, get dressed. We arrived at Stormcall an hour ago.” He then turned to Cade. “I’ll be on the bridge.”
Haley watched him go and then looked back to Cade. She saw some worry in his eyes but not as much as before. “Thanks,” she said meekly. “Guess I owe you one.”
Cade shook his head. “You busted me out of that funk in the tube. We’re even,” he said with a slight upturn of the corner of his mouth. “Doc says it was a post trauma episode. She told me it’s normal, and I just need rest,” he laughed and rolled his eyes. “So thanks for pulling me back,” he said and moved out into the hall so she could dress.
Haley smiled at the memory, and was glad she didn’t have to hook him to get him back to the ship. She was surprised that she was so scared for him, and her worry had translated to risking her own life to help him. Her feelings for Cade had grown over the past few days, and she could hardly believe it. In all her years, she’d avoided relationships, concentrating on her dream of being a proud Allied Fleet Officer aboard a magnificent starship, saving lives and defending the weak. Sure she’d fantasized about finding a man: a gallant man, in an Alliance Officer’s uniform. And now look at her. Of all the men in the universe, she had to fall for a damned pirate.
Now if she could just talk to him without ending up with her own boots in her mouth.
Haley dressed while Cade waited in the corridor. When she was ready, they walked quickly together to the bridge and along the way she couldn’t help but notice him stealing glances at her. She smirked and kept her eyes forward as they walked.
They entered the bridge, and she moved to her seat at the tactical computer. Criss caught her eye, and she gazed up to find the woman looking at her.
“Glad to see you’re in one piece,” Criss said with a nod.
“Me, too.” She nodded back and focused on the main screen in front of them all.
Stormcall station floated lazily in the shadow of a large moon that sheltered it from the constant buffeting of solar flares and radiation. It wasn’t an overly large station as far as stations go, and the design was very simple: it sported a slender cylinder that sat in the very center of one thin ring. Haley noticed the ring wasn’t attached to the central cylinder at all and imagined that station-keeping thrusters must hold everything in place. It was an inefficient design, and she wondered why anyone would do that.
She checked her instruments and found the ring was nearly a kilometer in diameter, but still not thick enough to host internal docking bays. Ships sat nose-on, attached to the outside of the ring. There were several large cargo vessels as well as a host of smaller ships attached.
“Stormcall control, Reaper on final,” Andy said into the comms on his chair.
“Acknowledged, Reaper,” came the response over the bridge speakers. “Welcome to Stormcall. Be sure to stop by Grendella’s for the best enchiladas in this sector. And if you’re in the mood for some lovin’, don’t forget to –“.
Andy rolled his eyes and closed the channel.
Haley’s brow wrinkled. “What’s an enchilada? And why did you cut the channel?” She was excited to learn about Stormcall Station. She had always wondered what
it would be like to visit all the different worlds in the Alliance. She was curious about the different cultures and what it would be like to sample their delicacies. Clew had been wonderful after she got over the initial shock. Looking back on it she really enjoyed her time there and counted Cade’s burger a delicacy that she could check off her list.
“Do not eat the enchiladas,” Andy replied with a shake of his head. “At least not here.”
Criss turned with an excited look. “They have great fajitas though! Just don’t eat anything that hides the meat, like the enchiladas or burritos. We brought a sample back once and tested it.” Criss looked down, then back to her console without finishing her story.
“In and out, guys,” Andy announced. “We’re on a timetable here. Sorry, but no sightseeing on this trip.”
Haley watched Criss’s face turn down in a frown. It was a pity, but Andy was right; they needed to get their job done and get back to Clew as quickly as possible so her and Saundi could get back to the Alliance.
“Lined up,” Cade announced. “Docking in twenty seconds.”
Haley looked to the main view screen where the station loomed in front of the beautiful purples and blues of the storm. All long the outer hull of the station, lining the docking ports were huge, bright billboards advertising a plethora of different items. Several stuttered and blanked to static but most of them flashed their wares proudly, showing smiling faces to let you know how happy you would be after you purchased their products. One of the huge signs flashed the name Grendella’s and Haley saw a plate full of a thick brown sauce over two lumps of something she couldn’t identify. She remembered Criss’s tip and decided she wouldn’t be missing much.
Haley felt a light bump as Cade docked the nose of the ship to the outside of the station.
“All right,” Andy said as he rose from the command chair. “Cade and Haley, with me.”
Chapter 19
Cade felt the weight of his VogerCorp R2 at his hip as they exited the Reaper. He had expected the air of Stormcall to be fresh. He found quickly that unlike Clew, Stormcall’s air filtration system must be either horribly antiquated, or simply not working very well. He covered his nose at the invading smell of low grade fuel and garbage and looked to his companions. Haley was also wincing but Andy seemed to know it was coming and didn’t look bothered.
“You’ll get used to it, friends,” came a voice from below the embarkation ramp. “The smell, that is. Welcome to Stormcall!”
Cade, Andy and Haley came to a stop in front of a small, vermin of a man dressed in dirty clothing and a hat that read “Dock Safety Services.”
Andy held a hand out to Cade and Haley, looked the man up and down and crossed his arms. “And you might be?”
The man produced a wide, crooked-toothed smile and said, “Well, I’m the owner of Dock Safety Services, at your service.” He performed an overdramatic bow. “But you can call me Chuck.”
Cade shook his head. He’d never been here, but Chuck immediately threw red flags up in Cade’s mind.
“And what services do you provide, Chuck?” Andy asked with a hint of annoyance.
“Well,” Chuck said with a tilt of his head. “There are some boys around here that would love to take a look inside that pretty ship of yours. There are also dock thieves and less than savory folk who’ll put bad things in any deliveries you might have just for the fun of it. We also look after your bills!” he said and bounced on his heels. “We’ll make sure none of the scoundrels around here try to cheat ya.”
“And you’re supposed to protect us from them?” Cade asked with half a laugh.
Chuck’s smile dropped. “What are you trying to say, my friend? Heck, with that attitude I might just call the criminals myself. Let ‘em know you aren’t in a very secure spot.”
Cade’s hand went to his belt and the sidearm that was holstered there. He didn’t realize he’d done that until Chuck shouted and held his hands up. “Hold on there boy, you don’t wanna be doing that! I’ve done nothing wrong here!”
Andy quickly held his hand out in front of Cade. “Hands down, Cade,” he said quickly then turned to Chuck. “Nothing’s going to happen. My friend here just thinks you were trying to swindle him.”
Chuck made an indignant noise at that and lifted his chin. “I’m no swindler! But you’ve insulted me now.”
“Fine. Fine,” Andy said with a shake of his head. “We don’t have time for this. What’s the service cost?”
Chuck and Andy haggled for several minutes while Cade and Haley watched on. He felt stupid for reaching for his railgun. He hadn’t meant anything by it but the outcome was catastrophic. Now they would have to pay this man who was obviously cheating them so he wouldn’t announce through the station that the Reaper was an easy mark.
Even with the limited crew aboard, they still had enough people to fend off whatever might be thrown at them, but their timetable wouldn’t allow for it.
“That’s it. All done!” Chuck said with a happy smile after being paid.
“Great,” Andy replied with a frown. “So you’ll guard our ship?” he asked sarcastically.
Chuck laughed. “Hell no,” he said and held up a small device. He tapped a few keys then looked up. “They will.”
From both sides of the dock men dressed in matching combat gear carrying various sizes of rifles rushed in all around them. They seemed practiced and efficient as they fanned out around the Reaper’s gantry. Several carried small portable walls they positioned at various points and at the exits to the station proper.
Cade watched, eyes wide at the display of military precision. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Haley and Andy were right beside him sharing the same look of surprise.
A soldier wearing the same armor but with a gold stripe on his right breast approached them and saluted Chuck. “In position, sir.”
“Very good, Captain. Keep this area secure and be sure to inspect all incoming deliveries,” Chuck said.
Cade looked at the small, dirty man and saw him in a new light. He’d never seen an actual book in his life, but he was sure there was a saying that went along the same premise of what he’d just experienced.
Chuck turned back to them and smiled wide. “You folks have a nice day now.”
***
Stormcall station seemed straight out of a nightmare storybook. Cade had been here several times but was never allowed off the ship. He was excited to finally see it; at first. They left their well-guarded docking port and entered the station where Cade lost most of that excitement. The place was dark, dirty and dangerous. It was one of the few ports of call that catered to any and all. Here, you watched your back or you lost the shirt off of it, or worse. Cade thought it smelled worse than it looked, though.
It was a small station, with one ring that held the docking gantries on the outer edge and various shops, bars, hotels and restaurants on the inside. The central command spine was in the middle, and separated from the ring to keep the owners and crew out of harm’s way. Anything goes at Stormcall.
As Cade, Andy and Haley made their way through the throng of people on the station, Cade couldn’t help but notice Haley stayed glued to his side. She was so close they touched but he didn’t mind so much as he figured she was just a little frightened of the place.
Several shop signs caught his eye as interesting. There was an implant modification store named ‘BrainMods’ and a hamburger joint called ‘Just Like Meat’. As they walked by he thought he could pick out the smell of burgers through the less than pleasant odors. It didn’t smell all that bad, but he knew they had no time for it.
After a long walk and fending off several pushy salesmen, they came to a sign that read ‘The Sinful Whistle.’ Andy opened the door and led the way inside.
Oddly enough, the first thing Cade noticed was that it didn’t smell as bad in here. The place was lit lower than the main concourse, and the music wasn’t too loud. Only a few tables were filled along with half the bar, so Andy
led them to a table in the back corner.
“Have a seat.” Andy motioned to the booth. “This won’t take long,” he said and then turned to make his way toward the bar.
Cade sat next to Haley and tried to relax. He couldn’t help but feel like everyone was watching him here. It gave him a sense of excited nervousness that he couldn’t shake. He tried to ignore it. This was a safe place for them, knowing the owner was actually from Clew.
“Lovely place,” Haley said shaking her head.
“It’s not bad,” Cade replied. “At least it doesn’t stink in here.”
“It’s horrible, isn’t it?” Haley said finally smiling. “Everyone outside looked either extremely dangerous or like they were in extreme danger.”
Cade laughed at that and nodded. “Yeah, I caught that, too. I think we were the only people actually looking around interested.”
“The implant store gave me the creeps,” Haley admitted. “I don’t understand that.”
“What do you mean it creeped you out?” he asked her. “Implants are common.”
Haley shook her head and gave him a slight look of disgust. “Not where I’m from. They’re illegal in the Alliance.”
“Oh.” Cade said. “Well, I guess I won’t be taking any trips to your neck of the woods any time soon.”
Haley sat straight up. “You have an implant?”
Cade eyed her sideways for a moment and debated on whether or not to tell her. The way she looked at him he was afraid she’d bolt out the door to be closer to the ruffians than him. He finally decided that it wasn’t like they would be around each other much longer so he nodded. “Yeah. That’s also why the EMP didn’t knock me out like it did you. My implant is shielded from pulses like that, and it kept me awake.”
“I’d wondered about that. What’s it like?” she asked, now completely intrigued.
Her sudden interest caught him off guard. “Well, when I’m flying the ship, I’m connected to it. It helps calculate courses, speeds and axis movements, so I can react quicker.”