by L. E. Thomas
Skylar placed her hand on his mouth. “I think you’ve had enough, sweetie.”
“Sweetie?” Bear raised his eyebrows. “That sounds nice.”
“Yeah?” Skylar laughed. “What about Brylee? Think about what you’re doing. Okay?”
A sudden realization seemed to hit Bear like a slap in the face. Chewing on his bottom lip, he stared down at the empty bottle in his hand.
“You’re right.” He looked at Skylar. “I’m sorry, Sky.”
She smiled. “No worries, big guy. I still love you.”
Bear’s eyes widened. “Hey!” He pointed at both of them. “Why don’t you two dance?”
“Oh, brother.” Austin shook his head. “You’ve had too much.”
Skylar stared at him. “Is dancing with me that hard to imagine?”
“No. I just, uh …”
He rapped his fingertips on top of the bar. The first song ended, replaced by a slower melody with what sounded like a violin. Skylar looked at him, a smile forming.
“All right,” he said, reaching out his hand. “Come on.”
With her hand in his, Austin led her from the bar and out between the tables. He turned to face her. Looking down at his feet, Skylar stepped in close and pressed against him. She glanced at him, placing her free hand on his shoulder.
“Long ways from Tizona Academy,” she said. “Don’t you think?”
“Definitely.”
She glanced at his mouth. “You ever think about those days?”
“The academy?” He laughed. “Sure I do. All the time.”
“Do you ever think about us?”
He looked at her. “How do you mean?”
She stared at his chest. “I don’t know. I owe you a lot, Austin. I wouldn’t have left that night if it weren’t for you. I would have gone on my Christmas break. You and Bear would be here without me. It’s hard to imagine.”
“I wouldn’t be dancing with Bear, though.” Austin shook his head and smiled. “His feet are too big, and I bet he would destroy my toes.”
“You’ve always been ridiculous.”
“I guess that’s true. Part of my charm, I suppose.”
“I think you’re right.” Her face softened. “Ryker was a lucky girl. She talked to me once, you know, after we thought you had died. I would never want to replace her—”
He placed his hand on the side of her face. “Enjoy the moment. If there’s one thing I learned since the Academy, it’s that life can end in a heartbeat. One decision—one snap choice—and you cease to exist.” He looked away. “Anyway, I’ve just learned to enjoy the moment.”
Skyler grinned.
The music continued playing. She rested her head on his chest and sighed. Austin placed his arm around her back as they swayed on the dust-covered floor.
Stars filled the sky as they left the bar in Gen’s Folly. A collection of a half dozen rundown buildings lined each side of the dirty street. Two miners strolled in the opposite direction, heading toward the darkness. Only the neon sign from the bar and a single lamppost provided light on the street.
As they moved away from the bar, Bear draped his arm around Austin’s shoulder and gazed up. Skylar stood nearby with her hands clasped in front, like a mother watching her child stumble across the floor for the very first time and wondering how much assistance she should lend.
“Which one is Earth?” Bear asked, each word coming out mumbled.
Austin laughed. “Come on, man. We need to get back to base. You are going to hate going to that oh-five-thirty briefing.”
“Whatever, man,” he grumbled as they meandered toward the Fortson Base. “I could go to the meeting right now, man. I’d still be better than you.”
“Of course, you would.”
They walked in silence for a moment. A drone of insects buzzed.
Skylar leaned close to Austin. “Is he going to be all right?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t really done anything like this before. Not since I’ve known him, at least. I’m not sure if his body can handle it.”
Bear spit as he exhaled. “I can handle anything.” He pulled Austin and Skylar close, his strength nearly pulling them all into the dirt. “Listen, you know you guys are my best friends. The best of the best. You know that, right? Cause if you didn’t … if you didn’t know I’d, uh, that would suck. We’ve been through a lot and, ah, you’re the best friends I’ve ever had.”
“Thanks,” Austin said, leading him forward.
“Seriously. I’d die for both of you.”
“Well,” Skylar said, “let’s not bother doing any of that tonight, ‘kay?”
Bear chuckled, nodding his head as he stood straight for the first time since leaving the bar. “You guys think I’m drunk, don’t you? I’m really just happy.”
“Oh, you’re happy all right,” Austin said, shaking his head as Skylar straightened Bear’s uniform. “Let’s just get back and hit the rack before—”
Boots sounded in the nearest alley, followed by a man shouting. Soon after, Austin heard rustling and a grunt echoed through the streets.
Austin moved away from his friends toward the noise.
“Let it go, Austin,” Skylar said. “We need to get back.”
“I just need to check it out,” he said, moving toward the commotion.
Trash and wooden debris littered the space between the buildings. Two figures loomed over a man. In the darkness, Austin saw the man on the ground holding his hands toward the figures above him. The two men kicked the miner, sending the sound of snapping bone through the air
“Hey!” Austin yelled without thinking.
The wounded man scurried back against the wall as the two standing figures turned and walked toward Austin. When the light hit them, he gasped. Even in the dim light, he clearly saw the men wore the blue of the Tizona uniform. His jaw dropped as he looked at the scowling Star Runners. Glancing down at their hands, he saw split skin on their knuckles.
“What the hell are you doing?” Austin asked.
The Star Runners shot a glance between them. The taller man with short dark hair and a slender face took a step, his lip twitching.
“And who are you?” he asked, his voice deep. “The police?”
Austin stared into his dark eyes and looked back at his companion, who stepped around to the side. He took a step back, a tingle creeping up his back. “We’re with the Legion.”
The taller man looked down at Austin’s chest. “I don’t see any insignia. I don’t see a squadron. Captain Jameson said we’d be getting special visitors. We’re supposed to steer clear of you.” He snorted. “Don’t see what the big deal is.”
Austin shook his head. “What were you doing to that man?”
“None of your concern.”
He pointed toward the wounded local on the ground. “That man is a Legion citizen. It is my concern—especially if you are disgracing the Tizona uniform.”
The Star Runner glanced back at his friend and laughed. “You hear this guy? He says I’m a disgrace!”
“You need to leave him alone,” Austin said. “They hate us enough already.”
The Star Runner smiled. “Sure, man. I don’t know what came over me. Let me buy you a drink.”
Austin sighed, glad the tension had passed. The hurt miner clutched his arm. He probably needed medical attention. Here they were on a distant world, and drunk Star Runners harassed the local population. It wasn’t something Austin had signed up for, but he hated cruelty in all forms. He remembered Nicholas Pavlosky picking on Etti Mar on Tarton’s Junction and the rage flowing through his body.
He shook his head and turned back to Bear and Skylar still in the street. “I don’t need a drink—”
A force struck the back of his head. He tumbled forward, crashing into the pile of trash. Rolling over on his back, Austin caught a glimpse of the Star Runner moving to kick him.
“Hey!”
Bear rushed into the alley in a blur, his massive frame smashing into Austin’s
attacker and falling in a heap of flesh. The second Tizona Star Runner stepped toward Bear, but Austin leaped to his feet and tackled him.
The four men rolled into the dirt, pummeling one another. Austin pulled the man to his feet by gripping his uniform and punched him square across the jaw. The Star Runner fell back into the trash and didn’t move.
Turning around, Austin saw Bear looming like a conquering warrior over the remaining attacker. He breathed heavily, staring down at the grumbling Tizona man.
Bear held out his hand, and Austin clasped it.
“Told you I had your back,” Bear said with a nod. He grinned, a wound on his lip spilling blood down his chin. “Always.”
Skylar stood behind Bear, her eyes wide. “You guys okay?”
Austin nodded. Gasping, he tried to catch his breath and turned back to the local man at the other end of the alley. He staggered toward him as his head and face throbbed with pain. Stopping in front of the man, Austin stared down at him.
He was probably in his forties. A blond beard speckled with gray curled out from his bruised face. The miner recoiled as Austin approached, backing into the wall as if he thought he could disappear.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Austin said, kneeling in front of the man. “Are you okay?”
Nodding, the man spit into the dirt. A bloody pool of saliva formed in the dry soil.
“Don’t much know why you care what happens to me,” the man said in a scratchy voice. “You people never seemed to care before.”
“What happened with them?” Austin asked, gesturing back to the Star Runners.
“Jumped me to take my credits.” He shrugged. “Happens to all of us from time-to-time.”
A cold feeling crept into Austin’s gut. Star Runners were mugging the local population? It couldn’t be possible.
He turned back to Bear. “Check their wallets.”
“What?”
“Just do it.” He turned back to the man. “What’s your name?”
He hesitated a heartbeat before speaking. “Colm.”
“We’ll get you your money.” He reached out a hand and helped the man to his feet. “You need a doctor?”
“Seen worse at work. Those guys were just getting started. Lucky for me you showed when you did.” He looked at Austin, his bloodshot eyes softening. “Reckon all you fancy Star Runners aren’t so bad. Or maybe you’re just one of the good ones.”
“Hey,” Austin said, touching the man’s shoulder, “we’re all trained to be the good ones. I’m going to make sure this doesn’t happen to you again.”
Colm smiled, but the expression faded as he looked at the dirt. “Be nice if I could believe you, but this isn’t my first day on this world. I know how things are way out here on the edge of the Fringe.” He tapped Austin’s shoulder. “I appreciate the thought.”
The miner took the money from Bear and slowly made his way into the darkness.
“You did what?” Major Wilkos stood inside the hangar, glaring at Austin, Skylar and Bear. He placed his hands on his hips. “I’m waiting.”
When no one else spoke, Austin cleared his throat. “Sir, we saw two Star Runners attacking a local miner. We intervened.”
Wilkos stepped closer to Austin. “You intervened.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you broke the sacred loyalty of the Star Runners by fighting in the alley like a bunch of sewer lykers! We aren’t thugs in the streets! You should have reported the issue to me and not taken it upon yourselves to be vigilantes!” Wilkos’ face reddened, and he took a deep breath as if to calm himself. “Do you know how this looks to Captain Jameson and the rest of the Fifty-Fourth? We come here, and on the first night, we seriously injure two of his Star Runners. This is going to cause problems.”
Austin swallowed. “Permission to speak, sir?”
He sighed. “I suppose.”
“We couldn’t just let these Star Runners beat on this man.” Austin raised his jaw. “I couldn’t do it. It’s my fault. My comrades just rushed in to help me. I … I have trouble allowing things like that to happen when I feel I can do something about it.”
Wilkos eyed him. A howling wind blew dirt into the hangar. The major took a deep breath, staring at Austin before he looked back toward Captain Senza.
“Have the crew close the hangar doors,” Wilkos said. “See Bear and Cheetah to their quarters.”
“Right away, sir,” Senza said, snapping off a salute.
Skylar glanced at Austin before moving away.
“Walk with me, Stone,” Wilkos said, turning and walking away before Austin could respond.
Austin frowned but stepped in line with Wilkos as they strolled into the massive hangar. The doors rumbled to a close behind them, ending the raging wind.
“You need ice for that?” Wilkos asked, his voice full of concern.
“I’ll live, sir,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “Thank you.”
“I think it’s time we had a chat.” He looked down at the ground as they walked. “I received new orders from Command and had to start reviewing the personnel files on the Scorpions again. You and I had discussed a few of your past assignments, but we didn’t discuss your previous mission. Before we were assigned to Omeya, I had a chat with Major Nubern.”
Austin felt his heart skip a beat. “Nubern, sir?”
“That’s right.” He nodded. “I saw you served with him. He sends his best.”
Austin smiled, thinking of his friend. “He’s a good man.”
“Definitely.” Wilkos wiped at his mouth.
He stopped walking and looked at Austin. “Nubern told me of your past engagements and even a little about … your previous mission.”
Austin swallowed, unsure what he was at liberty to say. “I see, sir.”
He paused, tilting his head as he looked at Austin. “You’ve had quite an impressive career thus far. Very impressive. I can see why Command selected you for this new squadron.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“But as of late, Legion intelligence has been concerned with some developments happening with our friends across the border.”
Austin raised his eyebrows, wondering where in the world the major was taking this conversation. “Oh?”
“Yes. Strange things have been happening with our Star Runners. Some of it just odd, other things are downright peculiar. There has been a rash of reports of Star Runners at remote posts disappearing for days and sometimes weeks at a time, only to return and claim they had experienced equipment failure.” He sighed. “Command has been running a thorough check through all the recent activities of our Star Runners across the entire Legion. There’s something not right about the Fifty-Fourth Tizona. It’s the reason the Scorpions were sent way the hell out here.”
“What are we supposed to do about it?”
Wilkos shrugged. “Command gave me leeway on this one. We are supposed to continue assessing our readiness as a squadron, but they asked me to observe and report any anomalies here. As you can imagine, Command is extremely concerned. Star Runners are our first and best line of defense against the Zahl and the scourge of the Fringe. If this line of defense has been compromised in any way, Command wants to know about it.”
Austin thought about the disappearance of Star Runners. Space was a big place, impossible to imagine. Traversing the stars was a risky game and pilots were bound to vanish on a mission for countless reasons. But numerous Star Runners disappearing only to reappear later? He looked at Wilkos, saw lines of concern stretching out from his eyes.
“Why haven’t you told the rest of the squadron about this?” Austin asked.
Wilkos nodded toward him. “Because of you, to be frank. Because of your recent time across the border, you were the only one of my Scorpions who we felt could have been compromised. Knowing you still have your honor has convinced me you are still on the right side. I’ll be making an official announcement during our morning briefing. I’ll need all of you to report directly to
me or Captain Senza any strange behavior from the Fifty-Fourth.”
He leaned closer to Austin. “Nubern couldn’t give me specifics, but he said you completed an incredibly dangerous black ops mission in Zahl space recently and that, my friend, makes me euphoric.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“I served with him, you know. Long time back now. Sure miss him on the active service scene. He was one of the best Star Runners I ever worked with.”
Austin stared at him. “What happened?”
Wilkos looked at the wall. “Quite a long story, actually. I mentioned my time on Tavoy Four to you, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
He sighed. “Nubern and I were in command of a mixed detachment of Tizona and Tarnex Tridents on an escort mission to Tavoy Four, which is remote and similar to Omeya. The contents of this escort mission were so secret, I wasn’t even told about what was on the freighter. Marauder activity in the area had been on the rise, but we were used to rumors.” He bit his lip and blinked several times. “But these suckers were smart. They created a diversion, sending out a false distress signal. I split our forces. Neither of us had been in command long at this point. We should have known better, but they swept in on us so fast. To this day, I swear these so called ‘marauders’ were too good. They were flying unmarked, modified Zahlian Interceptors. They moved in so, so fast … half of my men fell before I knew what was happening. I don’t know how many there were—maybe two dozen. I don’t know. We didn’t stand a chance and lost everyone including the top secret cargo.”
“What was it?”
Wilkos shrugged. “I think Nubern was given the information, but he was sworn to secrecy. He never broke the rules to tell me what we were escorting. Still bothers me, actually.” He wiped at his nose, turning away from Austin and toward the new Tridents. “To save my command, Nubern took the blame for the operation. Jon moved into recruitment after that. He says he’s happy, but I’ve never forgiven myself for allowing him to take the fall. I don’t think I ever will.”
Austin’s mouth dropped open. In all the time he had known the man, Nubern had never hinted about his past other than to say he used to command Star Runners. He had always known Nubern to be a man of honor, but to sacrifice his command for a colleague? Austin wanted to call his friend and mentor, tell him how proud the story made him.