by L. E. Thomas
Ryker swallowed. The thought of a full-scale war was almost inconceivable. The entire might of the Zahlian Empire against the Legion? It didn’t sound promising.
“What about the Wraith?” she asked.
“The Wraith,” he sighed. “We’re dealing with it.”
“Firing the disruptor at least made the Wraith as blind as we were.”
“At the expense of blinding ourselves.”
“The Wraith is already invisible.”
“But the disruptor makes us vulnerable to conventional attacks.” Braddock shook his head. “Commander Horace said command wasn’t too pleased with that being our only alternative to fighting the stealth ship. But if it works, we’ll need to get ready to use it again.”
Ryker eyed him, wondering if she should share her feelings with the man. “What can I do, Major? I am afraid of getting too close to my squadron, afraid I might show some weakness. I don’t know if I am up for command.”
For the first time, Braddock smiled. “Get some sleep. You’re too hard on yourself. Deep down, you know how good you are, how much these officers need you. Watch over your Star Runners in the next few days. We’re not sure how long we’ll be on the border, but you can bet it’ll be interesting. Heard the entire fleet’s been on edge up and down the border. We’re all dealing with it, but we’re the only wing who’s gone up against the Wraith.”
“At least we know there’s not more of them out there.”
Braddock looked away, his thoughts apparently on something far from this conversation. “Let’s hope it stays that way.”
“All right, Tizona,” Captain Ryker Zyan said as she brought the Trident around to face the new waypoint. “Heading into our final leg now. Stay frosty.”
“Copy that,” Skylar Kincaid said, her voice sizzling over the gamma wave.
The four Tridents had spread out wider than normal in an attempt to prevent the Wraith from using a stunner to take out more than one fighter at a time. The Formidable was on standby to launch a disruptor if needed, which would impede sensor use in a five-hundred thousand MU radius. Ryker was on point. Skylar was on her wing ten-thousand MUs behind her on the right. Farther back, Keith “Orator” Bell and Bryce “Java” Walker flew in a similar formation. In addition to patrolling the area, the idea was to draw out the Wraith and destroy it, if possible. Ryker wasn’t so sure it would work, but she had her orders.
Since the Formidable had arrived in this sector two days ago, Major Ty Braddock had been sending patrols around the clock all up and down the Zahl-Legion border. In the past two days, tensions around the ship heightened. The flight briefings had been silent; the only questions came in the form of Star Runners asking about the most recent sightings of the Wraith. Relations continued to worsen between the two governments and Regent Tulin’s reputation for desiring to ignite a war had made the entire navy feel the pressure. With the Ramelle science station the closest Legion base, Braddock felt the stealth ship would once again be on the prowl. So far, the Wraith had not been seen.
The closest Zahlian world was Claria, and it was several light years away from the border. However, it was known throughout the galaxy as a crucial shipyard for the Empire and was the origin of the Wraith footage. If the Wraith was anywhere, chances are it would still be in this area. All Star Runners had prepared in the simulators, going through hours of flights without their sensors and brushing up on basic dogfighting skills. But it still felt strangely like fighting with a blindfold.
Ryker settled into her cockpit, fighting the fatigue falling over her. Being on constant vigil isn’t the easiest thing to do in deep space. She watched the digital readout of the Zahl-Legion border flash to her left on the HUD, wondering what was out there.
For the countless time in the past couple months, she had started her day reading the intelligence report about the Wraith. It was invisible to known sensors, requiring Star Runners to dogfight by sight—a nearly impossible task in the depths of space. Faster than the standard Zahlian Interceptor, it appeared the Wraith used a mini-Lutimite drive to provide an incredible amount of power to allow it to use shroud-like technology to get in close, turn it off, fire and then disappear.
Since the fighter remained invisible to sensors even after the shroud was turned off, it made the Wraith the perfect hit-and-run weapon. However, it took the Wraith time to recharge its shroud. This required it to escape the scene on its power, which was quite possible due to its stealth nature and incredible speed. Radar lock was impossible. The Formidable’s engineers had suggested firing heat seeking missiles since the Wraith had to have an exhaust, but they haven’t had the chance to fight the stealth ship since the proposal, so it remained just a theory.
Ryker’s stomach rolled. The previous spy footage had provided nothing regarding information but did prove the Wraith existed. Most of the useful intelligence in the report came from Austin’s gun camera footage. Since he survived the longest fight with the Wraith, his camera footage had been poured over the moment he landed. With his uncanny ability to stay alive in a grim dogfight, Austin had provided the Legion more intelligence on the Wraith than they could have imagined.
But he was gone now, destroyed by a motley band of marauders.
“Scorpion, Cheetah.”
“Copy.” Ryker blinked, the back of her neck tingling. Something in Skylar’s voice.
“Thought I saw a flash to starboard.”
“Copy.” Ryker leaned on the stick. “I’ll veer off. You stay on course.”
“Copy.”
Ryker changed her trajectory slightly, bringing her more toward the sighting. It was probably nothing. We’re all a little on edge out here on the border, she thought. The sooner the Formidable is relieved, the better they—
“I’m hit!” Skylar yelled.
Ryker glanced at her sensors, resting her finger the trigger. Skylar’s Trident had been hit by something and was spinning away from its path.
“Report!” Ryker pulled back on the stick, looping her Trident to turn around. “Cheetah, report.”
Keeping a close eye on her crosshairs, Ryker studied her sensors. Skylar’s powerless Trident was spinning away from her, a sure sign she’d been hit by a stunner. Ryker searched the space in front of her. Skylar’s Trident was a speck in the distance. Ryker held her breath, waiting for the inevitable fire.
“Tower, Scorpion.”
“Go ahead.”
“Need a disruptor fired system-wide. Prep a medical Karda for Star Runner rescue.”
“Copy. Firing. Karda being prepped.”
The disruptor’s pulse shot through the system. Her sensors went dark.
Let’s see how you do blind, she thought as she searched the darkness.
She saw a flash of light reflect off her canopy a moment before it completely registered—the flicker of an incoming missile. Dropping countermeasures, she slammed the throttle forward and pulled back on the stick. The Trident shot up at a ninety-degree angle, blasting away from its former position. She stretched her neck, swiveling around to stare behind her.
She saw it. The burning trail of a missile passing through space she just vacated. It crashed into the chaff she dropped.
“Orator, Java, this is Scorpion,” she said, bringing her Trident back around to face what had to be the Wraith’s position. “Make hard for my position. Bogey is in the area.”
“Copy, Scorpion,” Bryce said. “On our way.”
Leveling out the Trident, she guessed the missile shot had come from directly behind her. She scanned the area, squinting as she searched for anything that seemed out of place.
Come on, come on, she thought. I need a break. We all need a break.
A feeling of vengeance rushed through her bloodstream. This Wraith killed Star Runners under her command. Ryker was determined to end that today.
And then, just above her location, a flash illuminated the darkness. It had to be the sparkle of space debris crashing into a fighter’s shields. She pulled back on the stick
and made for the location. Her lasers were at full charge. She was ready. A glimmer like a small blue flame sparked in the darkness. Wait …
Engines.
She brought her crosshairs on the flame and pulled the trigger. Her lasers flashed in the darkness, spitting mortal fire. The bolts hit something, sparks showering into the blackness like a swarm of fireflies and illuminating the shape of a fighter.
“This is Scorpion,” she said, gripping the stick. “I have engaged the enemy!”
The Wraith spun around, knowing its cover had been blown, and unleashed a torrent of laser fire. Ryker flinched, the laser bolts bashing her forward shields. She fired back, the two fighters locked in a dangerous game of chicken.
Before she knew it, the Wraith shot over her head. She pulled around, trying to keep the enemy ship in front of her.
“Scorpion, this is Cheetah,” Skylar said, her voice snapping through the gamma wave. “I’m inbound and have recovered some of my systems.”
“Negative,” Ryker said, shaking her head. “Head back to the ship. Your shields could not have recovered fast enough. You won’t last out here.”
Ryker shifted her crosshairs on the Wraith and fired. The bolts shot into infinity, passing just under the black ship’s wings.
“I can’t leave you,” Skylar said.
“That’s an order, Cheetah.”
Ryker’s jaw dropped. The Wraith was heading toward Skylar’s position. “Cheetah, take evasive action. Now!”
“Copy that.” Laser fire erupted from the black once again. “I’m taking fire!”
“I’m right behind the bandit—hold on!” Ryker fired her lasers twice, worrying she might hit Skylar.
“I’m hit!” Skylar yelled. “My shields are gone!”
Ryker clutched the stick, leaning forward. “Bug out—get outta here! I’ve got this!”
Skylar’s Trident plunged away from the engagement. The Wraith hovered in place above Skylar like a predator for a second, but it was all Ryker needed. Switching to missiles, she squeezed the trigger three times, unleashing three heat-seeking projectiles toward the Wraith. The enemy ship paused for a fraction of a second and pulled up, dropping countermeasures as the missiles sought out their target.
The engineers were right.
She pursued the Wraith as it spun, banked, rolled and climbed to avoid the pursuing missiles. The ship was swift—almost as fast as the incoming missiles—and made maneuvers Ryker had never seen.
“You’ve got your out,” Ryker said as she watched in awe at the Wraith in its evasive dance with the missiles. “Cheetah, curve back to the ship. Now!”
“Copy, Scorpion,” Skylar said, not attempting to hide the disappointment from her voice. “Curving out.”
Ryker nodded, trying to bring her crosshairs on the Wraith. The heat-seeking missiles had done their job, even if they hadn’t found the target. She fired three laser bolts toward the enemy ship, but it had apparently decided it had lost the day. The Wraith activated its Lutimite Drive and evacuated the area, disappearing into deep space.
*****
Ryker pulled off her flight gloves and set them on the bench in front of her locker. The cool air refreshed her sweaty skin. As she took off her flight suit, her mind lingered on the Wraith.
We were so close, she thought. I almost had him.
She changed into her Tizona blue tank top and workout shorts. Even though she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to hit the rack, she felt a short run would clear her mind before writing her report. Besides, running seemed to be the only time Austin wasn’t at the front of her mind.
The techies were currently downloading her gun camera footage, so the images from the brief dogfight would provide more than enough to keep intelligence busy. No one would miss her if she disappeared for a little while.
With a quick tie of the laces, her running shoes felt snug on her feet. She tossed a towel over her shoulder and headed for the exit.
She paused.
Skylar strolled into the locker room, her eyes expanding as she looked at Ryker.
Ryker swallowed, unsure what the reaction would be after the heated words they exchanged immediately following Austin’s death. Would she lash out? Since they were alone, would Skylar snap and attack her?
Instead, the corner of Skylar’s mouth curled upward in what must have been a grin. Her eyebrows lifted slightly, tension leaving her face. Strolling over to her locker, she slipped off her gloves and unzipped her flight suit.
Ryker exhaled, suddenly realizing she held her breath. She knew Skylar had been close with Austin—that was obvious when they arrived on Tarton’s Junction. But the depths of her feelings toward him surprised Ryker, probably would have surprised Austin, too. Ryker watched her for a moment, thinking back on their times on Tarton’s Junction.
She didn’t blame her at all. Austin is … was … an amazing man.
Ryker wanted to say something to ease the tension in the room. Each movement Skylar made seemed like a laser bursting in the middle of a quiet library. She wanted to tell her she was sorry. She wanted to say how much she would have done to bring Austin back. But she couldn’t find the words to speak, so she remained silent and turned to leave.
She took a step toward the hatch.
“Captain?”
Ryker froze, turning slowly to face Skylar. “Yes?”
Skylar locked her fingers together, fiddling with her hands as she stared at them. “I, uh, well, I wanted to thank you for your help out there today.”
Ryker shrugged. “You’re in my squadron. You would have done the same for me.”
Skylar pressed her lips together and stared at the floor. “I suppose so.”
Ryker lingered for a moment, wondering if she should say more. Skylar broke through the quiet.
“You really are great, you know?” Skylar said, her voice trembling. “I see why Austin … you are so well thought of. You are so strong. You didn’t hesitate to save me today even though, uh, I said those things.”
Ryker swallowed, stepping toward the Star Runner in front of her who suddenly seemed so fragile, so lost.
“You did great out there today,” Ryker said. She placed her hand on Skylar’s shoulder. “I mean it. We stick together, and we’ll be fine.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
“I’ll always have your back.”
“No, I’m not talking about today,” Skylar said, shaking her head. “Thank you for not throwing me in the brig for what I said in here.”
Ryker nodded.
“I shouldn’t have said it,” Skylar continued. “It was wrong. I was upset. I feel sick about it.”
“Star Runners require short memories,” Ryker said, managing a grin. “Don’t give it a second thought.”
“Well, I don’t think it was your fault. I was wrong about what I said.”
Ryker sighed, gazing down at the deck. “No, you were right about all of it. Everything you said was true.” She locked her eyes with Skylar’s. “And I would trade with him in a heartbeat, but I can’t. That’s what I have to carry with me now.”
She cleared her throat, the familiar emotion welling up inside her.
“You weren’t the only one who loved him,” Ryker whispered. “Remember that.”
Skylar’s jaw dropped as she nodded quickly. Ryker held her stare for a moment longer, then hurried out of the room.
Gasoline pumped through his bloodstream.
And then someone ignited it.
Screams surrounded him. Familiar images ripped through his mind, surging around like a tornado.
A voice echoed, the sound bouncing around like footfalls in an empty cathedral. The words indecipherable, the meaning unclear.
The pain returned, blazing through his skin. Somehow, an assurance washed over him, a single clear, undeniable feeling it couldn’t last much longer. The agony would end, and the pain would cease.
You’re alive.
The statement came from an unknown place, spiritu
al, meaningful. He focused on the words, trying to hope for a connection, something to latch onto in the swaying darkness threatening to wash over him.
“Hello?”
It was his voice. Was it out loud? Had anyone heard him?
The pain lessened, fading away into tiny pinpricks on his skin. He made a fist with his toes, the movement sending a wave of sensation over his feet, spreading up his legs like an army of ants.
“You’re alive.”
The voice was louder this time, booming through his ears like a bass drum. He tried to open his eyes, but they refused, held tight like a vice.
“Did it work?” he breathed.
*****
His muscles throbbed. Swinging his legs off the blue cot framed by cold steel, he touched his feet to the frigid floor and quickly lifted them. The room smelled of rotten vegetables, gasoline, and sweat. A wave of nausea burned up from his gut into his throat. He swallowed, forcing down the acidic taste for another time. He probably needed to vomit, but his body hurt so bad he simply hoped he could hold it off a little longer.
Wrapped in an oil-stained blanket that was perhaps once white, he shivered sitting on the edge of the cot for a long moment and took in his surroundings. A crusty, brown mustard substance stained the green walls. A rusty sink was in the corner of the room. Despite the dryness in his throat, he glanced at the furry mold inching out of the faucet and decided it would be better to die of thirst.
The constant hum and slight vibration under his feet confirmed he was on board a vessel of some kind. Well, the plan must have worked. He snorted.
I hope it worked, he thought.
Since he awakened, the memories came back to him in spurts. He thought of the Formidable where he began the mission Major Braddock had sent him to accomplish. He had been shocked when Commander Horace and Braddock had said Legion command wanted him to fly the Wraith. He wanted to know why they chose him. They said he was the best Star Runner in proximity to the secret Zahlian fighter.
On board the Formidable, Austin had covertly trained for weeks to fly a Zahlian Interceptor, quietly spending time in the simulators and discussing the plan with Braddock when he was able. No other Star Runner knew about the mission, so Austin kept to himself. He had wanted to confide in Ryker, tell her of the dangerous mission he was about to carry out. Of all the people he wanted to speak to about this insane mission, Ryker was at the top of his list.