Co’Dak was of average size and build but he was hands-down the best officer and fighter Merrick ever commanded. His frame was unintimidating but his speed and ability never diminished. That trait, along with Co’Dak’s experience made him deadly.
Co’Dak flew a Class II Jay Hawk ship he called, the Jokey. Jokey was a slang term for defiance as Co’Dak, along with many others, were known as rebellious after the dissolution of his beloved Peridian Defenders Corps.
The Jay Hawks were a bird-shaped ship with four M50 series guns recessed within its two wings – two guns inside each wing. He only used armor-piercing rounds and they were very effective in space as well. The Jokey also had two mounted phase cannons - one under its bow and one under its stern.
Co’Dak found an open spot inside a dense forest on the outskirts of a small village and landed. Merrick was waiting. Merrick was not one to use many words.
“Co’Dak,” he muttered. They embraced. Merrick gazed and smiled at him as if he were a long lost son.
Co’Dak said, “This must be important, I haven’t done a mission for you in a while. But, that’s good. I was getting restless!”
They both chuckled then Merrick became sullen. “Co’Dak, this is more than ‘important’ to me. You see that I’ve come alone!”
Co’Dak nodded, “I noticed. I already understand. This is the queen’s business?”
“More mine than hers but yes. It is. Though it involves my son-in-law, it also involves a young woman. She has more INTEL in her head about the 5th Prime we could ever imagine. She is even more important than Ander.” Merrick’s face turned cold and troubled. “Co’Dak, I am asking you to think about this one. You can turn me down, for once. This is a mission you may not complete or even return from.”
“Oh!” he laughed. “One of those! Well, my old Captain, then this is the one I’ve been waiting for!”
Co’Dak smiled and patted Merrick on the shoulder just to make him feel better. Merrick handed him a coded chip – instructions, money, and more money. Co’Dak took it, smiled, and they embraced one another again. Co’Dak returned to his Jay Hawk and Merrick watched him ascend into the sky. Merrick left soon afterward.
Chapter 24
Terra and Phia chatted as Terra rinsed one last plate and handed it to Phia. She quickly dried it and put it into a secure storage bin.
“I’m always doing Jona’s dishes on this trip,” Terra complained. “I wonder if Boone does his dishes, too.” Phia leaned against the counter and mused. “Hello? Phia? Did you and Boone argue again? You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.” Phia gave a guilty smirk. “Oh, I see. What happened?”
“Terra, he got vicious. He yelled,” she blew out a long sigh, “and I cried.” She dropped her head in dejection.
Terra wiped her hands with a small towel, leaned up against the wall, and faced her. “Phia, do you want to know why? I went through the same thing.”
“No, I know why. I’ve been very demanding, pushy, always interrupting everyone. He said, ‘barging in’ and… I agree. He’s right. I understand how I’ve been acting. I apologize to you, too, but I wish I knew why he’s so… uh!”
“Mean, sometimes?”
“Yes, that’s one thing he is. But, he is also very secretive. I mean about his past and that last mission. He told me he was dealing with some things and I should just leave him alone. For now.”
“Yes! Do that! Please? Because he will be a much better person if we leave him alone. Understand?”
“I do,” Phia replied. “I’m going to. I just wish I understood better. I’m going to read everything about your last mission.”
Terra strolled over to the table and sat down. She pointed to the empty chair and Phia sat down next to her.
“I want you to do a favor for me. OK? If we were High Guard officers right now, I’d order you. Understand?” Phia quickly nodded. “Don’t ask Boone any more personal questions ever again. Period! I mean it, Phia. I see what Boone sees in you. You are very, very, very intrusive.”
Terra smiled and giggled which brought a giggle to Phia. Phia flipped her hair back and folded her arms across her chest. She smirked and stared at the table in front of her.
Terra chuckled again, “Did I say, very intrusive?” They laughed again. “Phia, if you want to be an investigator, you’re on track to be one of the best. Like me, you’re very nosy. Pryce got through to me one day. He was yelling and I was crying.” Terra chuckled. “I never thought about the people I encounter. I never thought about the lives they live, their hardships or their feelings. I have seen a lot of things as an investigator but Boone and Pryce have shown me there is another side to justice, the innocent people whose lives get ruined. Boone will not admit this and he will not want me to tell this story.”
Terra got up from her chair and checked the corridor to see if Boone or anyone else was listening. She sat back down and Phia was on the edge of her seat, waiting to hear the story.
“I talked to Boone when our mission was over. He was acting just like he is acting now. He’s a different person when you remove him from danger. He told me some things, Phia. Some things he couldn’t share with anyone else.”
“Why you? You’d be the last one I think he’d confide in.”
“Yes, but I gently and lovingly, um, encouraged him. Love works, not forcing. You see? I changed and so did Boone. That day, I learned who he really is, what he really believes, and why he does these dumb things he does. Like, yell at you, get mean at times, and be so… so private.” Terra became emotional. She blew out a stressful sigh, gazed at Phia with sadness, and cleared her throat. She whispered, “Phia, when he was on Isoter, somewhere out in those woods, the Axeons left seven dead bodies on the ground.”
Terra paused, leaned back into her chair and let Phia react. Phia gasped, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Terra’s eyes were moist.
“I was ‘furious’ at Boone after we blew up Cumi’s ship! He left us all! He left using that teleportation device and I had to explain everything to Commander Ke’ador once we got to Abdom Center! I was ready to… uh! I was so mad at him for bolting. It wasn’t until a week later I learned what he did.”
“What he did? What did he do? I didn’t know all of this.”
Terra became very sullen. She wiped a tear and uttered, “He went back to Isoter. He searched for those bodies.” A tear surfaced for both of them. “Phia, he buried those parents and their three children. It’s my belief he can’t get those images out of his head. He’s so afraid that one of us will end up like,” she wiped another tear, “like Burgess or Metri, our scientists. He put their bodies on his ship and returned them to O'bipherion.”
Phia gazed at Terra with tears of sadness streaming down her face. They both sighed simultaneously then chuckled.
“Phia, that’s who Boone is. He hates the danger and the drama but more than that, he hates the evil taking place out here. That’s his dilemma and right now, it’s my dilemma, too. I’m becoming more like him.”
Phia nodded, “Wow. That’s amazing. I feel like I need to go and read those reports right now. I can’t stand not knowing things. That’s my problem.”
Terra nodded, “Yes. Fix that! Please?” She laughed. “So, leave him alone for now. Because I believe there is another big event like that buried deep inside him. Maybe it’s Kova but we are not talking about it again until this is all over.”
Jona stepped into the galley, “Hey, enough chatter!” He wiped a small tear in the corner of his eye. “Boone wants everyone to report.”
“Jona!” Terra jumped up and approached him. “What did you hear?”
“Hah! Enough!” He smiled. “I won’t tell.”
Phia stepped up to the big man, “And if you do, I’ll tell everyone that you cried.” Then she walked passed him.
He turned and said, “Did not! Phia, come back here!”
Terra laughed. She followed them up the staircase as they continued to threaten each other. Lincoln was sitting next to
Boone at the cockpit controls.
In the cockpit, Boone announced, “We’re coming up on the debris field but something’s going on. Pryce and Mace made their turn hours earlier than they were supposed to. I talked to them and they thought they were being followed. So far, they haven’t. They will be here in an hour. Hopefully, Lincoln and I will have retrieved the device by then and…”
“What?” Jona blared. Jona stepped up to the front of the cockpit and stood right next to Lincoln. Lincoln cowered wondering what Jona might do. “I was going with you, Boone. You changed things?”
“Yes, Jona. Not right now, though, Lincoln? Can Jona have the copilot’s seat?”
Lincoln nodded and left the seat. Jona strapped in as did everyone else. Just then Lila started chiming an alarm. A soft and gentle tone indicated they were upon the debris field.
“Jona, I’m setting NAV to detect large pieces. Last time I was out here I had Lila construct a map of the field so we wouldn’t…”
“I know!” Jona huffed. “I’m very smart. You know? Or maybe you don’t know?”
Boone knew he was mad about not going with him to retrieve the device. It was because Boone had another mission for him.
“Jona,” he softly replied. Jona looked at him. “Will you ‘stand by,’ please? OK?” Boone asked gently as he shook his head up and down.
Jona smirked and nodded. On the hologram displayed above them, they could see hundreds of objects indicating large pieces of debris. They entered the heart of the large debris field. The Kenos Verisian slowed to a stop and all exterior lights were turned on. Everyone looked out and saw a group of ships damaged and drifting aimlessly in the blackness of space.
Lincoln and Phia were speechless as they gazed at ships, ship parts, gunners and pieces of destroyed cargo ships, shuttles, and many other types of ships.
“Boone!” Lincoln gasped. “That’s a huge cargo ship!”
“Yeah,” he replied. “These pirates have been busy.”
They slowly came upon a space gunner. Boone turned the ship very slightly so Terra, Phia, and Lincoln would not be able to see it. Boone positioned the ship so only Jona and Boone could see it off their starboard side.
Jona, being an observant copilot, noticed what Boone did. He looked at Boone and Boone was glad that Jona noticed. Boone gazed at the space gunner and slightly nodded his head toward it. Jona then gazed at the space gunner. As the Kenos slowly passed by, Jona saw a dead pilot still sitting in its cockpit. Jona looked back at Boone and understood what his mission was.
Jona, flabbergasted, sunk deep into his cockpit chair and sat amazed. It was only moments ago he overheard Terra explain to Phia what Boone did on Isoter. Jona also remembered how Boone shared that experience with him, Mace, and Pryce after the gamma mission while sitting around a campfire at Pryce’s ranch. Now, he was about to do the same thing Boone did. He suddenly felt proud and humbled.
The Kenos ventured closer to the huge cargo ship – a ship ten times the size of the Kenos Verisian. Terra said, “Lincoln, it’s the Kawe’im Tines. It’s a cargo ship belonging to the Kovan Star System. It was launched from Abdom Center with 118 souls aboard.”
Boone added, “Lila said 3,241 days ago. It was declared missing. The device is inside. Lincoln, Jona? Ready to suit up?”
The three left the cockpit as Terra took control of the ship. Phia took the copilot’s seat. They strapped in and turned on all monitors and outer lights. They watched the three suit up while in the cargo bay. Once suited up, the COM’s were checked, the cargo bay depressurized and the three launched out of the back of the ship.
One gentle thrust pushed them away from the ship. Boone motioned for them to watch him. He kept his COM quiet. He held his finger up to his helmet, asking them to remain quiet. He pointed to Jona then he pointed to the space gunner. Lincoln observed and understood. Jona left.
“This way,” Boone said.
Lincoln followed Boone and they quickly approached the side of the massive cargo ship. The breach in its side was large enough for the Night Star to fit into.
“We’re going through here.”
“Jona,” Terra asked. “Where are you headed? I…”
“I’ve got it, Terra,” Boone answered. “He’s doing something for me. Where are the guys? Have you got a fix on them?”
“Uh,” Terra said. “He’s changed the subject. What’s going on? Jona? They are making good time. Foroty-seven minutes away.”
“Great.”
Boone and Lincoln slowly maneuvered through the opening. They were in the forward section of a large cargo bay. Boone turned to his left and came to a corridor twenty feet wide. There was a very large room on one side filled with opened and emptied containers. Each container nearly eight feet tall, wide and deep.
“Lincoln,” Boone said. “I checked all of these container bins. They’re empty.”
“Something tells me they’ve been looted?”
“Yeah,” Boone replied. “Wicked pirates! Whatever was in these containers,” he blared, “must have been more important that those 118 souls.”
Lincoln looked at Boone and grimaced. “I know. I hate it, too. Something tells me there’s one that’s not empty?”
“Ha,” Boone replied. “Yes!”
Jona slowly came upon the dead pilot. The space gunner sat motionlessly is space. He grabbed hold of an opening in the canopy – a large hole in the glass probably made from a blast from an enemy ship. He was careful not to cut himself as he pulled himself closer. He reached in and pulled the canopy lever. The cover came loose and he pushed it up and out of the way.
Jona gazed at the man inside. He looked like a ghostly figure, slightly wrinkled, mouth open, head cocked to one side, eyes bulging. Jona swallowed hard and looked away for a moment.
The bright stars were a great contrast compared to what he was doing. They were beautiful and wondrous and one’s mind could get lost in its amazing view. The man, on the other hand, was deeply revolting. Jona uttered to himself, “Father of the Heavens! Are you there? Boone says You are. Look at this! Will ya?”
Jona released the straps that kept the body from drifting out of the ship and pulled the weightless figure out and headed toward the Kenos. He made it a point not to shed a tear while wearing his helmet. It was very difficult because the man wore a Kovan Defense Force uniform. He also had a small chrome blaster holstered to his ankle. Jona considered him to be a brother in arms because of the gun. He felt a kindred spirit while moving the man through the darkness of space. The Kenos was lit up a short distance from him. Jona had time to compose himself.
Terra noticed a figure on the screen on one of the monitors – Jona pushing a figure into the cargo bay. It glided through the air effortlessly. Upon realizing what was happening, she quickly turned it off, preventing Phia from seeing it. It was something that would just distract, she thought.
Boone placed a foot on the wall, grabbed the side of the container and pulled. The large container glided away from the wall with ease.
“Makes you feel strong. Huh?” Lincoln said.
“Hey, I am strong. Let’s open it.”
“Boone!” Terra shouted. Lincoln and Boone immediately panicked because of Terra’s tone. They thought the worst – the Ambulas was there.
“What?” Boone asked.
“The Ambulas! It just attacked a city! Nepa’pa, on Efferium! It devastated buildings. Lots of them.”
Boone and Lincoln gasped and gazed at each other. Boone said, “Lincoln, you don’t want to hear this but…”
“I get it, Boone. I’m with you. Terra,” Lincoln said. “We’re on our way out. Let the Sim-Sa Gale know we are going after it!”
Terra sent the message and the Sim-Sa Gale replied with a request for the device.
Once the container was opened, Lincoln laid his eyes upon a cone-shaped apparatus approximately six feet tall and four feet wide. It was encased in a frame constructed of white metal piping.
“Huh?” Lincoln uttered.
“I know. You were expecting more. Huh?”
Lincoln nodded, his helmet barely bobbing, though. They grabbed the device and gently pushed it out of the room, down the corridor, and out through the hole of the cargo ship. Boone kept his hand near his gun. His gun was tied to a strap which tried to continuously drift away from him. Jona was just outside the cargo bay, phase rifle in hand, poised to blast Lincoln if needed.
“Boone,” Terra said. “They insist on us taking the device to them. What do I tell them?”
“Tell them, OK.” Lincoln looked at Boone with disgust. He very much wanted to use the device to go after the Ambulas.
Lincoln and Boone slowly entered the cargo bay of the Kenos, set the device down, and pressurized the bay. They removed their helmets.
“Lila, open ship COM, initiate.”
Lila: “COM open.”
“Terra?”
“I hear you.”
“Where are they?”
“Nineteen minutes away.”
“Hail them. Tell them full stop. Get their exact coordinates and tell Pryce and Kola I’ve got a mission for them. OK?”
“Got it.”
Lincoln looked at Jona who had a phase rifle strapped over his shoulder. It was then he also saw Boone’s gun. He asked, “What’s that for? Have you had that with you the whole time?”
Jona answered with a wry smile, “Boone said to protect this thing with my life! I’m doing that.”
Lincoln looked at Boone then at his gun. “You don’t trust me? I thought we were together regarding this? We’re not?”
Boone answered, “Lincoln, answer this question.” Boone stepped up very close to Lincoln. They studied each other’s eyes. “Do you ‘completely’ trust me right now? Not just trust me but ‘completely’ trust me? And Jona, too?”
Lincoln glanced at Jona then looked at Boone again. He frowned. “No,” he softly admitted. “I’m getting there, though.”
BOONE NOVA AND THEPIRATE QUEEN Page 24