by Ryk Brown
“Cap’n?” Josh called again.
“Uh, yeah,” the captain replied, snapping out of his daze. “The return series, coming up.”
“Boarding tunnel is retracted,” Marcus reported over the comms. “Ramp is coming up.”
“Coming about and climbing relative to the Asa-Cafon,” Josh reported as he eased the throttles of the main engines forward.
“Take it easy,” Marcus warned. “The ramp ain’t up, yet.”
“Relax, old man,” Josh replied. “Cap’n you got those jumps loaded?”
“Loaded and ready,” the captain answered. “Let’s get these people back to Haven as quick as possible, so we can come back for the rest of them while there’s still time.”
“What’s the hurry, Cap’n?” Josh asked. “You know somethin’ I don’t?”
“I don’t know. Something just doesn’t feel right.”
* * *
Jerrot and Dumar wheeled the last two wine barrels out of the market and toward the truck.
“I have learned that the checkpoints on both Eighty-Second, and Dinsmuir have been moved,” Anji said in a low voice as he stepped up alongside Dumar. “To where, I do not know. But if you take Normund Boulevard south, you will likely have only the one checkpoint on the edge of the city to deal with. That should help you get to your next delivery on time.”
“Thank you,” Dumar replied, shaking his hand in sincere gratitude. “I will not forget this, my friend.”
“We do what we must, and we fight however we are able,” Anji replied. “It is the Corinairan way.”
“Indeed it is,” Dumar replied with a wry smile. He turned and watched as Jerrot and two of Anji’s men loaded the last two barrels of wine onto the truck, and lashed them down. It would be a long and bumpy ride, especially for those submerged up to their chins in the spiced wine. Dumar thought for a moment, wondering just how Lael was going to manage keeping both her and the infant’s faces out of the water. He had taken some of the wine out of that barrel, and placed it at the front of the truck’s cargo bed, in the hopes that the Jung’s simple handheld scanners would not notice the heat signatures above the level of the fluid. It was a risk, but was one they had to take for the sake of the child.
Jerrot checked the cargo straps to ensure they were taut, then jumped down off the cargo bed. “Let us depart.”
Dumar nodded politely at Anji, then turned and climbed up into the passenger side of the truck’s cabin. A moment later, they were rolling away from the market.
* * *
“Come on, folks, let’s keep it moving,” Dalen instructed, as he helped passengers clear the bottom of the boarding stairs at the spaceport on Haven. “There’s still a lot of people left on the Asa-Cafon.”
“I didn’t find anything out of place,” Marcus said as he came out from under the Seiiki’s port engine nacelle. “Nothin’ on the starboard side, neither. You sure you aren’t just imaginin’ things, kid?”
“I’m telling ya, something didn’t feel right during touchdown. The vibrations were wrong. They were…out of sync, or something.”
Marcus tapped his comm-set. “Cap’n, everything looks good down here. You find anything on your end?”
“Nothing,” the captain replied over comms. “Diagnostics all look good. How long before we can lift off?”
“Last of the passengers are exiting now,” Neli reported.
“I’m telling you, something wasn’t right,” Dalen insisted.
“Go look for yourself, then,” Marcus grumbled. “I’ll get the last of them down and clear.”
“I don’t know, Cap’n,” Josh said, as he studied the diagnostics readout on the engineering display at the back of the Seiiki’s cockpit. “There was a drop in power in the port, outboard engine as we flared, but it was less than two percent of what we were asking of it.” Josh turned to look at Captain Tuplo. “It ain’t the first time it happened, you know.”
“I know, I know,” the captain admitted with slight frustration. “But the last time it happened and we ignored it, we were down for a week to repair it, and it was not cheap.”
“That time was way more than a two percent drop, Cap’n,” Josh argued. “Two percent, we can handle, especially if we’re runnin’ light. When it starts droppin’ ten or twenty percent, then I’ll start sweatin’. Besides, if we don’t finish this job, we don’t get paid, remember?”
“Last passenger is headed down the gangway now, Cap’n,” Neli called over comms.
“Finally,” Captain Tuplo replied, glancing at the ship’s time display. “Marcus, Dalen; as soon as that last passenger is clear of the pad, you two get your asses back on board. I want to be wheels up and jumping in two minutes.”
* * *
Travon and Jerrot had been waiting in line at the checkpoint on the southern border of Aitkenna for more than half an hour. Their cargo bed was loaded with twelve barrels of wine, four of which were empty, while the other six contained not only wine, but also the six adults and one infant they were attempting to smuggle out of the city.
“How are you holding up, Jerrot?” Dumar asked, as he watched the Jung soldiers finish inspecting the vehicle in front of them.
“I am fine. I just want this to be over with. It is like my entire future hangs on the next few moments.”
“That’s because it does,” Dumar replied, as he glanced back through the window at the wine barrels, checking that their lids were still in place. “As does that of your family.”
“You need not remind me, Travon. Believe me.”
“Well, at least this is the last checkpoint.”
“And there are no others in the countryside?”
“None that I am aware of,” Dumar said.
“But there might be.”
“It is possible. However, considering this is only the second day of Jung occupation, I would expect their focus would be on securing the major cities first. The countryside will come later.”
“Hopefully we will all be long gone by then,” Jerrot commented.
“Indeed.”
The vehicle in front of them began to roll forward through the checkpoint gate, and the Jung soldiers signaled for them to pull forward. Jerrot eased the truck ahead, coming to a stop a few meters further, as the gate came down in front of them. All Jerrot could see was the road on the other side of the gate. The road represented freedom, and life. Both without the Jung. All they had to do was get past this checkpoint, and drive back to Dumar’s resort in the mountains. The drive would be long, but it would likely be without incident. All they had to do was get past the gate in front of them without raising suspicion.
“ID card,” the Jung soldier instructed.
Jerrot handed the soldier his ID card, as the other soldiers began scanning his truck, carefully passing their scanners up and down, side to side, checking for any signals that would indicate they were carrying prohibited cargo.
Dumar handed his ID card to the Jung soldier at his window as well, while the other soldier scanned his side of the vehicle.
“You entered city from opposite,” the guard said, an air of suspicion in his tone. “Why for you to exit here, not there? Are you not to be going home?”
“No, we are not,” Jerrot replied, remaining as calm as could be expected while a tired, apparently irritated and armed soldier was interrogating him. “Our next delivery is in Jerston, the next city to the south. It made sense to exit here, rather than backtracking. I apologize if we were supposed to exit the same way we came in. I was unaware of this requirement.”
The soldier looked at Jerrot, one eyebrow raised. He checked the ID card, then compared its photograph with Jerrot’s face. “You are carrying garant spice wine, yes?”
“That is correct.”
“It is good to drink, I hear. Maybe I should take some? For my men and I. What you think of this?”
“Help yourself,” Dumar offered.
Jerrot glanced at Dumar.
At the back of the truck, one of th
e soldiers holding a hand scanner noticed a leaking spigot. Wine was dribbling onto the bed of the truck, down the end, and onto the street. The soldier barked something in Jung to the soldiers at the front of the vehicle, then reached down and filled his cupped hand with the burgundy liquid. He brought his hand up to his mouth and sipped at the liquid, spitting it out a moment later and cursing in Jung.
The soldier at Jerrot’s window laughed, then looked back at Jerrot. “My men do not want your rancid liquid,” he said, handing the ID card back to Jerrot. “You may pass.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jerrot replied, as he prepared to drive.
“On your way!” the soldier ordered, signaling the gatekeeper to let them through.
The other soldier handed Dumar his ID card and stepped back. Dumar nodded politely, as the vehicle pulled slowly forward.
Moments later, they were through the gate and rolling down the boulevard, away from the city.
“Finally,” Jerrot sighed with relief.
“It is not over until we reach our destination,” Dumar reminded him. “That was very good, by the way,” he added a minute later. “Perhaps you have a future in covert operations?”
“No thanks,” Jerrot replied without hesitation.
* * *
“Two meters, slow it down,” Captain Tuplo cautioned as he watched the flight dynamics display on the Seiiki’s console.
Josh tapped the flight control stick, causing another small jet of thrust to spit out of the ship’s aft-facing docking thrusters, and slowing the Seiiki’s closure rate on the Asa-Cafon even further.
“One meter…and…” The ship rocked gently. “Contact,” Captain Tuplo reported. “Lock it in, Marcus.” He looked at Josh. “Much nicer.”
“Somethin’ was pulling us in,” Josh insisted. “I’m sure of it. That’s why we hit so hard last time.”
“How could something be pulling us in, Josh?” the captain argued. “She’s a bigger ship, sure. But she isn’t that much bigger.”
“I’m telling ya, Cap’n, it shouldn’t have taken that much thrust to slow us down. Maybe their artificial gravity plating is wonky.”
“Standard gravity plating doesn’t work that way, Josh, and you know it. And even if they had variable gravity plating, which they might have in the cargo bays, they’d need to pump more power into them to increase their pull. A lot more to pull on a nearby ship, which I don’t think even is possible. And that’s why they’re stranded out here. They don’t have any power.”
“Regardless, Cap’n,” Josh replied, standing his ground, “something was pulling us into her that shouldn’t have been.”
“Docking collar shows a good seal,” Marcus reported over the comms. “Opening inner hatch.”
“Same as before, people,” the captain instructed. “Get them on quick, so we can get back quick. We’ve still got to come back for the crew and the cargo, and that cargo is going to take even longer.” Captain Tuplo turned to Josh. “Keep your eyes on the sensors.”
“I am.”
“Cracking the Asa-Cafon’s outer hatch now.”
“I’ve got them divided into groups of twenty-five this time, just like you asked,” the Asa-Cafon’s crewman said as they cranked their hatch open.
“Thanks,” Marcus replied from inside the boarding tunnel. “That’ll make it easier.” He turned around and started back down the boarding tunnel toward the Seiiki. “All right, let’s go!” He stepped back through the hatch at the forward end of the boarding tunnel, into the remaining space at the front of the Seiiki’s cargo bay. After stepping through, he turned around to face the passengers coming up the boarding tunnel. “Same as before! First twenty-five to port! Head aft around the docking apparatus and up the ladder to the catwalk. Then into the corridor. Last man in the group must close the hatch behind him before the hatch at the forward end will be opened to let you in! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
A small blip appeared on the sensor display.
“Whoa,” Josh said, his eyes fixating on it immediately.
“What is it?” the captain asked, turning to look at the screen himself.
“I could’ve sworn I saw something.”
“Something? What kind of something?”
“I don’t know,” Josh replied. “An energy spike, a flash of light, maybe?”
“Like a jump flash?”
“I dunno. Maybe. But it didn’t beep.”
“It might not, if the reading was weak enough. The system might think it was an anomaly, or a sensor echo,” the captain explained. Captain Tuplo sighed. “But if it were a jump flash, we’d see the ship that jumped in.”
“Not if it went cold just after it jumped in,” Josh pointed out.
“Cold?” Captain Tuplo asked, unfamiliar with the term.
“As in, shut everything down. No emissions, no heat. Stealth mode. We used to call it goin’ cold, back when I was flyin’ recon missions in the Falcon.”
“You think it’s a Jung ship?” Captain Tuplo wondered, his concern growing.
“Could be,” Josh replied. “But the Jung don’t usually try to hide. They like to come in all showy and shit, like they ain’t afraid of nothin’. Stealth ain’t exactly their style.”
“Could be pirates,” the captain suggested. “They tend to come out when things get chaotic. Play it back.”
Josh pressed the replay button, causing the sensors to display the previous momentary contact reading on the screen.
“Enlarge and enhance,” the captain instructed.
The image quadrupled in size, then became clearer, taking on an outline that was quite familiar to Josh.
“Fuck, that’s a Jung gunship, Cap’n,” Josh said.
“Are you sure?”
“Trust me, Cap’n. I’ve seen enough of them to know.”
“How long do we have?” the captain asked, turning back to his consoles to prepare for a quick departure.
“From that distance? If they’re trying to sneak up on us, then maybe ten minutes, assuming they’ve already detected us. If they ain’t trying to sneak up… Way less.”
“Marcus?” Captain Tuplo called over his comm-set. “How much longer until we’re full up?”
“Second group is starting up the ladders now, Cap’n. Ten minutes, maybe?”
“We don’t have ten minutes,” the captain replied.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Just be ready to cut us loose on a moment’s notice.”
“And if there’s still people in the tunnel?”
“Then you get them the hell…”
A brilliant blue-white flash of light suddenly filled the Seiiki’s cockpit, causing both Captain Tuplo and Josh to instinctively raise their hands in front of their faces to protect themselves from the blinding light.
“Holy…” Dalen exclaimed, startled by the sudden flash of light spilling out through the main passenger compartment hatch and filling the starboard corridor where he was directing passengers. “Was that a…”
“Get everyone in their seats!” the captain instructed urgently over the comm-sets. “We’ve got company!”
“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck. Let’s go! Let’s go!” he yelled at the passengers in a panicked voice.
Sensor alarms and proximity warning tones blared in the cockpit.
“Jesus! They’ve got both of their ventral guns aimed right at us!” Captain Tuplo shouted, looking out the forward windows at the gunship looming over them.
“We gotta get outta here, Cap’n!” Josh said urgently.
“Unknown vessel assisting fugitive ship, Asa-Cafon,” the heavily-accented voice announced over the comms. “Power down all engines and reactors immediately, or we will open fire. This is your only warning. You have one minute to comply.”
“What the fuck does he mean by fugitive vessel?” Josh wondered as his fingers danced across the controls, preparing to power up the Seiiki’s propulsion systems.
“I knew it! I goddamn knew it!” the captain cursed. “Didn’
t I tell you something was wrong?”
“What are we gonna do, Cap’n?”
“We’re going to stall for time! That’s what we’re going to do!”
“What?”
“Marcus, get as many people as you can on board, right now! You’ve got two minutes!” Captain Tuplo pointed at Josh. “Plot an escape jump!”
“Cap’n! We ain’t movin’!” Josh reminded him. “You gotta be movin’ to jump, remember?”
“Everything is moving, Josh. Hell, we’re all hurtling through space at tens of thousands of kilometers per second. Even when we’re standing on the surface, the whole damn planet is hurtling through space!”
“I was thinking more along the lines of we were moving toward someplace we wanna be…as in, someplace they ain’t,” Josh explained, pointing at the Jung gunship floating above them, rail guns ready to tear them to shreds.
“Uh, to the unknown black and red ship hovering over us,” Captain Tuplo called over the comms. “This is the Seiiki. We are on a rescue mission. We were hired by the owners of the Asa-Cafon to evacuate the passengers and bring…”
“Thirty seconds,” the voice warned, ignoring Captain Tuplo’s response.
“I don’t think stalling is gonna work, Cap’n.”
“Move it, move it, move it!” Marcus shouted at the Asa-Cafon’s remaining passengers.
“Close all hatches! It’s time to go!” Captain Tuplo ordered over Marcus’s helmet comms.
“I’ve got people in the tunnel, Cap’n!” Marcus replied. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
“You’ve got twenty seconds to close up before we jump the hell out of here, Marcus!” Captain Tuplo warned.
“Move your ass!” Marcus shouted as the last of the passengers made their way through the tunnel and into the Seiiki’s cargo bay.
“There’s no more room in here!” someone yelled from the port side of the docking apparatus.
Marcus turned back to the boarding tunnel. “That’s it, we’re full up!”
“What? You can’t be! What about the rest of us?” the crewman said in horror from the Asa-Cafon’s boarding hatch at the other end of the tunnel.