The Lost Sword

by Huw Powell

  Her eye darted expectantly around the room.

  “Not even the independent colonies are safe these days,” said Manik.

  “And we would stick out like kalmar poo on a fancy United Worlds,” commented Scargus.

  “You most welcome on Taan-Centaur,” said Nanoo. “We could build Novu engine and take Dark Horse to my galaxy, where no one find us.”

  Capio looked horrified. “No offense, Nanoo, but even if we could afford the parts, I’m not sure that I would want to live that far away.”

  “Agreed,” croaked Granny Leatherhead. “There must be somewhere suitable in this galaxy.”

  “We need inside knowledge,” said Callidus. “My old navy buddy, Helen Brack, has just retired in this solar system. I expect that she still has some useful contacts and might know of a safe planet.”

  “Why in the name of Zerost would she help us?” asked Granny Leatherhead.

  “Helen owes me,” said Callidus. “I saved her life a few times.”

  Farid shook his head. “Space pirates don’t trust anyone, especially not ex-naval officers.”

  “You trust me, don’t you?” said Callidus impatiently. “I was a captain in the Interstellar Navy.”

  “It’s still not safe for you to contact your friend from this ship,” insisted the first mate. “What if she decides to report our location?”

  “It’s not as though we can go and see her in person.”

  “Now, there’s a good idea,” said Granny Leatherhead with a malicious smile. “I reckon you should go and visit your friend. At least that would get your miserable mug off my cargo hauler for a few days.”

  Callidus tensed and his eyes narrowed. “Is that right?”

  “Aye, we can drop you and Capio at the next spaceport, where you can catch a ride on a passenger ship. You can come back when you have some useful information.”

  Callidus looked furious. After everything they had been through, the captain was kicking him and Capio off the ship.

  “Fine,” he said through clenched teeth. “Capio and I could do with a break from these rusty walls. But what about the rest of you? Where will you go?”

  Scargus stood up. “He’s got a point; the Dark Horse is still in urgent need of repair. We have to find somewhere to stop for a couple of days.”

  “I’ve got an idea,” said Jake.

  “We’re not going back to Altus, Kid Cutler,” grumped Granny Leatherhead.

  “I know, that’s not what I was going to suggest. There’s a monastery on planet Shan-Ti in the fourth solar system. I was supposed to go there when I left Remota. The cyber-monks might let us dock for a few days.”

  “A monastery, eh?” mused Granny Leatherhead.

  “Yes. I can tell them that Father Pius sent me.”

  “We’re not far from the fourth solar system,” said Farid. “It’s worth a try.”

  “Okay, why not.” Granny Leatherhead turned to Nichelle. “Once we’ve dropped Callidus and Capio, set course for Shan-Ti. I want you to stay alert and ready for trouble. The first hint of Admiral Vantard, and we’re out of there.”

  The captain stepped down from the table and left the room. Jake noticed that she was limping slightly. The rest of the crew finished their drinks and returned to their posts.

  “That settled,” said Nanoo, stretching. “You know cyber-monks well?”

  “No, I’ve never met them.”

  “How do you know they’ll help us?” asked Kella.

  “I don’t,” said Jake. “But it’s the best idea we’ve got. If we’re lucky, they might let me use their computers to search for more clues about my dad.”

  Callidus approached their table. “Jake, can I have a word?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  The fortune seeker cast a sideways glance at Kella and Nanoo. “In private.”

  “Oh, right.” Jake turned to the others. “I’ll catch up with you.”

  Kella and Nanoo followed Capio out of the dining area and down the metal staircase. Callidus waited until their footsteps had faded away. It was the first time that Jake had been alone with him since they were at the trading station. Callidus no longer seemed like the confident fortune seeker that Jake had first met. He had been moody since leaving Altus and now spent his time lazing in bed or moping around the ship. His nails were chipped and his thick black stubble had turned into a beard. But despite this, Jake was going to miss him.

  “Do you really have to go, Cal?”

  “It looks that way.”

  “I wish that I could come with you.”

  “No, it’s too dangerous. What if you were recognized? Trust me, you’ll be safer on Shan-Ti.”

  Jake somehow doubted it. The last monastery to offer him sanctuary had been burned to the ground. But he knew that Granny Leatherhead wouldn’t let him leave the ship until he had paid back the crew. Jake had promised to reward each of them with a crate of crystals when they reached Altus, but they had been forced to leave empty-handed.

  “It won’t be the same without you,” said Jake.

  “I’ll be back before you know it.” Callidus checked the door and lowered his voice. “But that’s not why I wanted to talk.”

  “What is it?” asked Jake. “Did you find something else on the gunship?”

  “Yes. I searched the Interstellar Navy server for the date you arrived on Remota and downloaded this audio file.”

  Callidus held out a data crystal. Jake took the tiny sparkling disc and examined it.

  “Does it have something to do with my dad’s ship?”

  “It’s the captain’s log.”

  “You mean . . . ?”

  “Yes,” said Callidus. “It contains your father’s last recorded words.”

  Jake handled the data crystal as though it were a priceless treasure. Was he really holding his father’s voice? He carefully slipped it into his computer and activated the device. His whole body shook with anticipation as he selected the audio file and pressed Play.

  “The Protectorate is not happy about this mission and neither is Amicus. He doesn’t trust the Interstellar Navy, or anyone else for that matter. I just hope that Admiral Nex can protect our moons from the Galactic Trade Corporation.”

  It was an old recording, which had become distorted over time. Jake struggled to make out the voice behind the interference, but it was definitely familiar. An eerie sensation washed over him. It was as though his father was speaking to him from beyond the grave.

  “Apart from one or two last-minute changes, the crew has been handpicked from the planetary guard. It is Jake’s first time in open space. Was I right to bring him along? Would it have been more dangerous to leave him behind? Here he is now. Say hello, Jake.”

  There was a muffled noise that sounded like da-da-da.

  Jake’s heart skipped a beat. He was listening to himself talk eleven years ago aboard his father’s ship. If only he could remember that precious moment. The recording hissed with static and jumped to a new entry.

  “We’ve left behind the Tego Nebula and we’re approaching the meeting point, not far from planet Remota. Amicus has the crew on alert and we’re ready to defend ourselves if necessary.”

  There was more static and then several explosions.

  “We’re under attack! If anyone is listening, our shields have failed and our weapons are not responding. I’ve ordered the crew to abandon ship. Amicus has taken Jake to Remota. I’m going to meet them there before we return to Altus, but there’s no time to get the crown or sword. It had to be Kear, he must have—”

  The audio file ended abruptly and the handheld computer fell silent. Jake stared at the screen, desperate to hear more, but he knew that it was the end. Moments later, his father had donned a spacesuit and thrown himself out of the air lock, before disappearing into an asteroid field.

  Jake sat there, the words echoing in his head. The recording had confirmed everything that he already knew, but it had also raised more questions. How had Kear sabotaged the shie
lds and weapons? Why had nobody checked the ship? What had stopped Jake’s father from meeting them on Remota?

  “Are you okay?” asked Callidus.

  Jake looked up, unsure how he was feeling. “Thanks for the recording. I know Granny Leatherhead would go crazy if she found out you wasted time inside the gunship.”

  “Don’t worry about the captain; I can handle her,” said Callidus. “Was it a waste of time?”

  “No. It was strange to hear my dad talk, but it made him more real, if you know what I mean.” Jake rested his head in his hands. “I’ve always had to imagine what he looks like, but at least I know what he sounds like, sort of.”

  Callidus stroked his beard. “Admiral Nex must have taken the recording from your father’s ship before it was scrapped. That would explain why he was searching for Altus between Remota and the Tego Nebula, but without realizing that you had come from inside the cloud itself. I wonder what else he took from that wreck.”

  “Eleven years of my life,” said Jake bitterly. “Do you know which bit of that recording was the hardest to hear?”

  Callidus shook his head.

  “The silence at the end, because that’s the moment I lost my dad.”

  Without realizing it, Jake pulled out his gold pendant and cupped it in his hands. The pendant was one of three unique items possessed by the rulers of Altus, along with a special crown and sword. Its round design and three precious stones represented Altus and its three crystal moons. Andras had given Jake the pendant as he abandoned ship, and Jake had worn it ever since. He had recently discovered a picture inside it of a beautiful albino woman with blood-red eyes. It was his mother, Zara Cutler, who had died giving birth to him.

  “I can’t change what has happened,” said Callidus. “But if your father is still alive, I will help you find him.”

  “And how are you going to do that if you’re not aboard this ship?” Jake unstrapped himself and stood up. “Was there anything else?”

  “There was one other thing that I managed to find out.” Callidus shifted uncomfortably. “Kella’s sister, Jeyne, has been transferred from a prison moon in the sixth solar system to Ur-Hal. It turns out that she was helping some United Worlds citizens to rebel against the Interstellar Government.”

  “Jeyne was funding a rebellion?” said Jake in surprise. “So we’re not the only people who are fed up with those pompous politicians. What is Ur-Hal?”

  “It’s a maximum-security prison planet in the first solar system,” said Callidus, his expression grim. “There’s no hope of saving her now. Once someone enters Ur-Hal, they never leave.”

  Chapter 4

  Shan-Ti Monastery

  Callidus and Capio stood on the loading ramp, their travel bags slung over their shoulders. Beneath them, a string of docking bay lights glowed cold blue, making it seem as though they were about to enter a swimming pool. Nichelle had found a small outpost on the edge of the fifth solar system, where Callidus and Capio would be able to hitch a ride to visit the retired naval officer Helen Brack.

  The crew gathered around the opening to see them off, including Kella, who stood silently with Nanoo. Jake had not told her about Jeyne yet. He wanted to wait for the right moment and they were rarely alone on the ship. It would not be an easy conversation. How do you tell someone that they will never see their sister again?

  “Right, we had better be off,” announced Callidus, adjusting his bag.

  “I can’t believe that you’re going,” said Jake. “What if you can’t find your buddy or she won’t help us?”

  “Then we’ll be no worse off than we are now,” reasoned the fortune seeker. “But it’s worth a shot.”

  “And what will we do if Admiral Vantard finds us?”

  “You’ll be okay,” said Callidus. “We’ve evaded him for this long, haven’t we? Wait for Capio and me at the monastery on Shan-Ti. We’ll only be gone a few days.”

  For the first time in months, the fortune seeker had a glint in his eye. He had even shaved off his beard, trimmed his nails, and donned fresh clothes. It was as though he had a purpose again, a mission to accomplish, a reason to exist. Jake was glad to see the old Callidus back, but he hated to see him go, even for a few days. If it hadn’t been for Callidus, Jake would not have made it off Remota, let alone discovered Altus. Space felt a lot safer when he was around. Jake would even miss curly-haired Capio and his incessant snoring.

  “It’s time to go,” said Granny Leatherhead, leaning on the bay wall. “Before someone tries to arrest us, or worse, charge us a docking fee.”

  Callidus nodded and winked at Jake. “Just remember to keep an eye on the stars and stay out of trouble.”

  With those words, he turned and trudged down the loading ramp, followed by Capio. Nichelle placed her arm around Jake as the two men disappeared into a cloud of condensation.

  “Farid, close the ramp,” said Granny Leatherhead.

  “Aye, Captain.”

  “Nichelle, fire up the engine.”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  “As for the rest of you soppy sausages, you had better get yourselves strapped in for takeoff. We’ve got a monastery to find.”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  Jake lingered for a few seconds, his purple eyes scanning the blue mist below, hoping to catch another glimpse of Callidus and Capio. The ramp clamped shut and he was left staring at scuffed metal. Jake knew that he was being paranoid, but he couldn’t help wondering if he would ever see the two of them again.

  Shan-Ti was an independent colony in the fourth solar system. It reminded Jake of Remota with its jagged rocks and dusty surface, but instead of being dull and gray, the ground was a vibrant orange color. This was intensified by the huge red sun that dominated the sky. Away from the towns and settlements, an old monastery had been carved into the wall of a giant crater, where the cyber-monks studied and worshipped technology. Its network of tunneled corridors had only ever been seen by a handful of visitors. This now included the thirteen-year-old ruler of Altus.

  “Let me get this straight,” said Father Benedict, his elbows perched on the edge of his stone desk. “You’re the teenage space pirate Jake Cutler, wanted by the Interstellar Navy. But you claim that it’s all a misunderstanding and you were sent here by Father Pius Gates before he died.”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  Jake did his best to look sincere, while the cyber-abbot searched for signs of deception. It reminded Jake of when Callidus had met Father Pius on Remota, only this time it was Jake who was being scrutinized.

  “You call destroying a naval warship a misunderstanding?” said Father Benedict. “It’s been a long time since anyone asked for sanctuary here. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not fond of the Interstellar Navy, but we don’t want any trouble, especially not after what happened on Remota. If they discovered you here . . .”

  “It will only be for a few days, while my friends repair their ship,” promised Jake. “We’ll eat and sleep on the Dark Horse. You won’t even know we’re camped outside. We just need to borrow some of your tools and supplies.”

  The cyber-abbot’s office was similar to the one that Father Pius had occupied on Remota, except for the hazy red sunshine that flooded through the window. Its chiseled walls were covered with display screens, and a small server hummed in the corner of the room. Father Benedict sat back in his black leather chair and stroked his neat white beard. His balding head glowed in the warm light like a giant ruby egg in a nest of snowy white hair.

  “And where are these friends of yours?” he asked. “This crew of space pirates?”

  “Not far from here,” said Jake. “We wanted to avoid the space docks, so we landed in the shadows of the crater wall, which can be used as a launch pad when we leave. I know what you’re thinking, but the Space Dogs are good people and they saved my life.”

  The cyber-abbot rubbed his head studs while he reflected on the conversation. Jake knew that these special implants enabled cyber-monks to control compu
ters with their thoughts.

  “A few days?”

  “That’s all we need,” said Jake. “We’ll be gone before you know it. No one will ever know we were here.”

  Father Benedict remained hesitant, perhaps afraid of breaking Interstellar Law.

  “I was shocked to hear about the attack on Remota,” he said. “Father Pius was a good friend; we studied together as novices. His death was a great loss to the order of Codos. All that work, gone forever.”

  “What do you mean, gone?” asked Jake. “I thought that cyber-monk research was uploaded to a secure server on the stellar-net.”

  “Yes, most of it,” said the cyber-abbot. “But Father Pius often worked on special projects for the cardinal. He would have saved any notes in files on his handheld computer.”

  Jake held up his device. “You mean this one?”

  Father Benedict caught sight of the smooth black device and his eyes widened. “Is that Father Pius’s?”

  “Yes,” said Jake. “He gave it to me when I left the monastery.”

  “And you’ve had it all this time?”

  “That’s right, but I haven’t found any strange files or notes about special projects.”

  “Incredible, absolutely incredible,” Father Benedict said, laughing. “I don’t know what would have happened if it had fallen into the wrong hands.”

  Jake placed the device on the desk, but he kept his hand on it. “Does this mean that we can stay?”

  The Space Dogs were granted access to the monastery while Scargus and Manik repaired the Dark Horse; however, the cyber-monks were wary of strangers and kept their distance. Jake tried several times to talk with the novices, hoping to borrow their technology to search for clues about his father, but they rushed off whenever he entered a room.

  “It’s funny,” he told Kella and Nanoo, as they took a walk around the crater. “This place reminds me of the monastery on Remota, but at the same time it’s completely different, like the universe changed when I wasn’t looking.”

  “Maybe it you who change,” said Nanoo.