The Starhawk Chronicles

by Joseph J. Madden

  She looked younger than Jesse by a year or two, but that fact made her no less stunning. Long, dark hair hung almost halfway down her back, framing the sweetest face Jesse had ever seen. Her coffee brown eyes had a mischievous gleam to them, and her small, perfect mouth looked as though it turned up in a smile far more often than ever showing anger or sorrow. She wore a bright pink jumper outfit that showed off her girlish frame without being obscenely tight.

  At that moment, a small crowd of Khurpani tourists passed between them, Jesse straining to see around them, to keep this beautiful young thing in sight, nearly toppling over sideways in his efforts. When the crowd refused to obey his mentally directed orders to disperse, he pushed past Podo, forcing his way around the tour group. When he was finally clear, his heart sank into the pit of his stomach. The girl was gone.

  Jesse spun around, looking in all directions, hoping to spot a flash of that bright pink jumper, to no avail. Cursing to himself, he kicked at the ground in frustration, sending up a small cloud of dust.

  Podo came running up from behind, face scrunched up in a quizzical fashion. “Was I boring you? What was that all about?”

  Jesse gave the area one last search, coming up empty yet again. “Nothing. I thought I saw someone.” He sighed as he looked down at his brother. “Come on. Let’s go get some fizzes.”

  Two goortberry fizzes later, they walked away from the vending area, each with a third fizz in one hand and a tub of popcorn in the other as they made for the fighters displayed on the airfield. Jesse’s mood had eased now, and the two talked animatedly about the glorious adventures they intended on having someday when they were old enough to go off on their own.

  Podo was in heaven. He had gotten his wish, having been allowed to sit in the cockpit of a Harkonian Saber fighter while the pilot graciously posed with him as Jesse snapped a holo of the moment. Now he was plotting to do the same in a Tomcat, the Confed equivalent of the Saber.

  They approached the trio of Tomcats sitting on the far side of the field when Jesse stopped in his tracks. She was there, standing by the nearest Tomcat, arms folded across her chest in a measured display of boredom, brown eyes boring holes in the back of the head of a girl about Jesse’s age that had to be her sister. The eyes gave that away, but there the physical similarities seemed to end. The older girl had shockingly red hair sticking out from under a baseball cap that bore the insignia of the 59th Fighter Squadron, the famous Wolf Pack, which Thom had served with during the war. The girl’s bib overalls were torn at the knees and stained in several places with engine lubricant. The redhead was firing off a string of highly technical questions at the pilot standing there, looking more distraught than if she were the lone pilot going up against a fleet of battleships.

  “Hey, I know her,” Podo said, pointing to the girl in the ball cap. “That’s Kym Tirannis. She’s in my Intro to Hyperspace Physics class.”

  “You know her? She goes to our school? How come I’ve never seen her before?”

  For Jesse to have not known someone in their school would not have been as impossible as he made it sound. The William Rogers Intermediate School, named for a famous lost space explorer from the early twenty-first century, encompassed grades six through twelve, with a student body of approximately four thousand.

  “She transferred in a few weeks ago. Just moved here from the Magellan colony on Mars.”

  Gesturing to the other girl, trying to sound indifferent, Jesse asked, “She related?”

  “That’s her sister Lohren. She’s a grade behind us,” Podo tugged on Jesse’s shirtsleeve. “Come on, let’s go say hi.”

  Jesse hesitated, amazed to find himself fearful of being face to face with this girl; of talking to her. He was, as his parents were fond of pointing out to him, often rushing in where angels feared to tread. There was little he would not do or attempt, never thinking of the consequences of his actions until after the deed was done. Now the thought that this young girl might think him a fool, or actually laugh in his face, chilled him to his very bones.

  Podo tugged at his sleeve again. “Come on. What’s wrong with you? They won’t bite,” Podo scolded, picking up on his brother’s apprehension.

  You have proof of that?, Jesse wanted to ask. Instead, he gave a simple shrug, mumbled “Yeah, sure,” and followed along behind Podo.

  By the time they approached, the girl named Kym had finished her drilling of the pilot, who looked much relieved. The two girls stood close together, talking between themselves, when Kym spotted their approach and favored the two with an awkward half-smile.

  “Hi, Podo. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

  She looked uneasy, and Jesse decided that she was probably a very close-mouthed person, only speaking when absolutely necessary, or when she was in a favorable situation.

  Podo flashed her a smile. “Our dad brought us.” He pointed to the cap she was wearing. “Did I ever tell you he served with the 59th back during the war?”

  Kym’s eyes brightened and her whole demeanor changed with it. “The 59th? The Wolf Pack? No, you never told me that. That is so frigid. I’d love to talk to him. He must have some awesome stories to tell.”

  Jesse snorted, drawing curious looks from the girls, an annoyed glare from Podo. Suddenly embarrassed, he cleared his throat. “Sorry. I was just thinking that if you grilled him the way you did that last pilot, he may not have a whole lot to say.”

  Podo sighed, poking a thumb at his brother. “This is my exceedingly obnoxious brother, Jesse. I know I’ve told you about him.”

  Kym crossed her arms across her chest, her eyes looking him up and down appraisingly. She’s got her sensors and shields at max, Jesse thought.

  The redhead favored him with a quick smile. “I’ve heard much, and not just from Podo.”

  Standing to one side and slightly behind her sister, Lohren let out a soft giggle. Jesse could feel himself shrinking in stature.

  Clearing his throat, directing his full gaze on Kym, he was trying hard to be intimidating. From the look on her face, he knew it was not going to work. Abruptly he shifted gears. “So, what’s with all the interest in the 59th? You thinking of joining the Confed Navy?”

  Kym shrugged, lowering her shields just a fraction. “Maybe. I haven’t decided yet. If I do, I want to go in as an engineer. I’d love to work on one of these babies,” She gave a quick wave at the fighter beside them, then gestured in her sister’s direction. “Lohren here is the one who’s at max warp about joining, though.”

  It was a mistake the minute the thought popped into his head and he knew it. Despite the realization, Jesse found his mouth following suit. Snorting again, he looked Lohren up and down. “Gonna need a booster seat and a pair of blocks on her feet if she’s gonna fly anything bigger than a shipping crate.”

  Jesse felt as though a cold front had moved in that very moment, as he got a distinct chill from those around him. Podo gaped in stunned disbelief at his crudeness. Kym glared lasers at him.

  Lohren regarded him with neither anger nor malice, but with a quizzically thoughtful look on her face. Stepping around her sister, she walked up to Jesse until she was so close that he could smell the strawberry scent of her dark hair. She smiled a sweetly disarming smile at him. “How about I give you a booster?”

  The abrupt iciness in her tone warned Jesse of what was to happen next, and even if he wanted to, he could not have prevented it.

  The fist to his gut knocked the wind from his lungs. For a moment, a wave of nausea passed over him and Jesse feared that the two goortberry fizzes he had consumed would come back up. That fear dissipated as Lohren struck him across the jaw so hard that he thought he was going to black out. He felt as though all his bones had suddenly vaporized, leaving him a mass of quivering muscles.

  By the time he hit the ground, the two girls had turned and began walking nonchalantly away through the crowd, several of whom had stopped to gawk at the spectacle. Looking down at his brother, Podo shook his head. “You certa
inly do have a way with people.”

  Struggling to regain his breath, Jesse gave him a sheepish look. “Dad always says introductions are very important.”

  “At least for you they’re memorable.” Turning, Podo ran after the girls, sputtering an apology.

  Jesse watched the trio depart, but his focus was directed on Lohren, and the oddest thought sprang into his still-reeling brain.

  I think I love that girl.

  *

  Jesse was still smiling at the memory when he heard the approach of footsteps from behind. There was no attempt at stealth. Rather they were hesitating, unsure of whether to approach or not. “It’s okay, Karson,” he said. “I’m just about done here.”

  “Pretty neat trick,” Kayla said as she came up behind him. “Could you tell it was me just by the sound of my footsteps?”

  “Nope,” Jesse answered, pointing to the stone before him. “I saw your reflection.”

  Kayla stopped, kneeling next to him, cocking her head quizzically as she examined the stone. “I didn’t know the two of you were married.”

  “We weren’t,” he answered. “We left so suddenly after that whole affair that the people who made this up didn’t have time to ask. I guess they just assumed we were married.” He paused, a smile crossing his lips. “Besides, I don’t think she would have been too displeased by the mistake.”

  For the first time since she approached, he turned to look at Kayla. “So what brings you here?”

  “Podo asked me to find you. He said your communicator must have been turned off.” She was running her fingers along the stone’s smooth surface, tracing the letters. For a moment, Jesse felt a flash of indignation that she should do this, but it quickly faded. He knew there was no disrespect intended.

  She caught his close gaze and pulled her hand away, and Jesse thought he saw her blush, but the moment passed too quickly for him to be positive. She cleared her throat and continued.

  “Anyway, Podo wanted me to inform you that the freighter that was coming in to help called to let us know that they just had a run in with Rahk’s corvette. They were just coming into orbit when that ‘vette tore past him, taking a few pot shots. The freighter took some minor damage, but they’re still able to land and should be dirt-side within the hour. Last he saw of the ‘vette, it was headed for the third moon.”

  “Wonder why the ‘hawk’s sensors didn’t pick it up as it went airborne?” Jesse said, slowly rising to a standing position, letting out an involuntary grunt as he did so. The fatigue of the last few hours —indeed, the last few days— was getting to him. He half expected a wisecrack from his companion, and was relieved when none was forthcoming.

  “Kym says the sensors are screwy from that projectile hit we took as we were coming in. She’s still trying to get them back online. Plus she thinks the mountain may have helped to block the signal,” Kayla explained. “She’s working on re-tuning them now.”

  Jesse looked at the stone, then over to Kayla. “I suppose it’s time we make our departure.”

  A sudden uncomfortable look fell over her face. “I’ll leave,” she said, turning. “Give you some time to say goodbye.”

  Jesse held up a hand, halting her as she began to walk off. “No, I’m ready,” he said. “I’ve already said my goodbyes.”

  He took one final look at the stone, placing a hand on its face. “Rest,” he said, his voice a whisper.

  He turned back to Kayla, who, out of respect, had found something else to look at on the mesa wall as he said his goodbye. “We’ve got work to do. Rahk’s out there somewhere. It’s time to finish this.”

  Together, they started back to the ship.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Arriving back at the ship, Jesse found the rest of his crew onboard and ready to go. K’Tran and Morogo had already brought the engines online and started to lift the Starhawk off its landing pad the moment Jesse set foot on the bridge.

  “We’ve got a fix on that corvette’s ion trail,” K’Tran announced. “Looks like it’s heading for the outer system. Don’t know why it hasn’t activated its cloak yet though.”

  “It’s not going to,” Jesse said, settling into his seat. “Rahk wants us to follow him.”

  “The gods know why,” Podo said. “We just kicked the nards out of his entire gang. You’d think he’d want to lay low for awhile and reorganize.”

  “He wants me,” Jesse answered. “The final battle is coming up. I can feel it in my bones.”

  “What you feel in your bones is probably exhaustion,” Kym joined in. “You need to get some rest. We all do. Rahk can’t do anything now with his entire crew gone. He’s going to find himself a black hole to crawl into and stay there. It’s over, Jesse.”

  “Perhaps,” Jesse replied, staring out the viewport, fingers stroking at his chin. The light blue-gray of the Piraxis morning sky changed to the deeper blue-black of space as the Starhawk broke atmosphere, and the stars came into sharp focus along with two of Piraxis’ moons. He’s out here. He’s waiting.

  A sensor light on K’Tran’s panel began to flash as they approached the nearest of the moons. Jesse saw him checking his scanners, and the older man shook his head in amazement.

  “Picking up that corvette bearing one-nine-three-mark-two,” he announced. “She was hiding behind the moon where our sensors couldn’t read her.”

  Without waiting for orders, the crew assumed their battle stations. K’Tran brought the shields online and began powering up the weapons. Kym shot Jesse an annoyed glance as she strapped in at her engineering console.

  “How do you do that?” she asked.

  Jesse gave her a faint smile. “It’s a gift.”

  Through the viewport, the corvette was coming out of the sensor shadow provided by the moon it was orbiting. K’Tran rose, starting for the gun chair, but Jesse caught his arm as he started past. “Wait,” he said. “She’s not on an attack vector. She’s larger, faster, and better armed. If they wanted to, they could have vaped us before we had a chance to detect her.”

  “Then what are they up to?” asked Podo. His question was answered by his comm board, which began pinging in response to an incoming hail.

  “It’s from the corvette,” he said. “It’s designated for you, Jesse.”

  “Put it on the holo,” Jesse said, stepping forward to view the incoming transmission.

  The holo-stand momentarily sputtered with static, then the image cleared and Rahk came into focus. Rahk’s one good eye focused squarely on Jesse and he felt a shudder run down his spine.

  “Hello, Rahk,” Jesse said, with as much haughtiness as he could muster, praying his voice wouldn’t crack. “You ready to turn yourself in?”

  Rahk’s head rose up and down, as though silently chuckling to himself. “That would make things easier for you, would it not?” the Kleezha replied. “I’m sorry Forster, but I’m afraid that you will still have to work for your final bounty.”

  “Final bounty,” Jesse heard Kayla repeat softly from where she stood behind him. “Boy, if that doesn’t sound ominous . . .”

  “I am issuing a challenge to you, Forster, and you alone,” Rahk continued. “A duel. Just the two of us. The rest of your crew need not get involved, and I, as you know, have no crew left.”

  K’Tran turned in his seat. “I don’t like it. Not one bit.”

  Jesse held up a hand to silence him, staring back at Rahk’s image. “What do you have in mind?”

  Rahk paused, and his image reached out of range of the holo-stand momentarily, then he looked back at Jesse.

  “You will note on your scanners that I have released a small, one-man maintenance pod, on its way to you now. It is programmed to dock with your cargo hatch. You will board and it will bring you back here to the Malcontent. When you are onboard, we will settle all disputes once and for all.”

  Jesse looked out the viewport; the one-man work pod was indeed making its way from the direction of the Malcontent. He watched it for a long moment as
it approached, working things over in his head.

  “It really wouldn’t be much of an even match. I know Tesk is still alive and probably with you.”

  “This is true. Tesk is here with me,” Rahk acknowledged. “However I have given him explicit instructions not to interfere. And you know as well as I do that combat is not his area of expertise. He will not be a bother. As I have said, it will just be you and me.”

  Jesse stared at the holo-image, trying to gauge the truthfulness of Rahk’s words. He knew he had no reason to trust the Kleezha ―the Garrakis clan was not highly regarded for its sense of honor― but something deep inside told Jesse that, for once, Rahk was on the level. If he went over there, it would be a fair fight, or at least, as fair as possible, considering Rahk was a half-meter taller than Jesse. Either way, the long-running animosity between Jesse and the Garrakis clan would finally end. And it beat risking his friends should he refuse and they had to battle the full might of that waiting corvette out there.

  The thought of his friends’ safety was the deciding factor. It had been a miracle that they had come through the entire episode this far with no one seriously injured, or worse, killed. If it came down to a firefight between the Starhawk and the Malcontent, Jesse had little doubt as to which ship would emerge victorious.

  “Okay,” he said finally, returning the cold stare Rahk was giving him. “I accept your challenge.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Podo rise from his seat; he felt the shocked stares from the others. “Give me some time to prepare, and I’ll be aboard.”

  “I give you thirty standard minutes to prepare,” Rahk replied. “If you are not aboard the pod by then, I shall blow your ship from the stars.”

  “I’ll be there,” Jesse answered. He gestured for the transmission to end, waiting for the attack to come. He was not disappointed.

  Podo was the first to start. “You’re joking, right? I mean, you’re not seriously considering . . .”

  He was cut off by K’Tran. “Off your friggin' gourd is what I think. You’ve got some kind of death wish, that’s your problem.” He stabbed a finger out the viewport towards the waiting corvette. “Well, you go over there and that’s exactly what you’re going to get. Rahk will tear you apart like a rag . . .”