Star Runners: Mission Wraith (#3)

by L. E. Thomas

Austin raised his eyebrows and pointed at his own chest.

  “Yeah. Sorry about your girl there.” The bouncer gestured toward the club. “You coming in?”

  Austin shrugged, knowing he couldn’t speak the language. He tried to act thankful, frowning and holding his hands out in front of him as he made his way into the nightclub.

  *****

  The music blared into his ears, causing him to wince when he first entered. The translator tried to keep up with the chaotic conversations around him, but he only understood pieces of what people said. It didn’t make any sense. At the center of the room, a mass of patrons danced close enough to touch. A bar the color of Earth’s sky on a clear fall day ran along the side of the dance floor. Dancers lined up to purchase drinks.

  Slate blue laser beams shot over the heads of the dancers, who swayed as the music launched into a percussion solo laced with bass. He flinched each time the bass hit. A chorus joined in with the music, a synthesizer producing a rolling sound synchronized with the laser beams. The bass hit twice, and the blue lights went dark, replaced by an emerald green hue pulsating through the club as the song morphed into another.

  Austin threaded through the crowd, a dozen hands touching his shoulders and back. He squinted, trying to act like he was having fun. A blonde woman wearing what looked like a black trash bag, grabbed his shoulders and started dancing with him. He spun around, allowing her to lead as he surveyed the back of the club. She blinked vertically, pulling him close. Her pupils were black slits extended from the top of her eyeball to the bottom, making her look like a snake.

  Behind her, tables lined the wall opposite the bar. Austin gently passed his dance partner to the left and moved through the crowd, bobbing and ducking like a boxer. He whirled around, trying to look like he was dancing as he made his way off the dance floor. A waitress stepped in front of him, a collection of pink drinks on her serving table. Austin shook his head. The waitress winked at him and moved off.

  He surveyed the scene. The dancers packed the room so tight he couldn’t see the floor. Wiping beads of sweat from his forehead, he looked at the series of tables. At the back of the area where Tia had told him to search, he saw a circular table in the back corner. He moved smoothly toward it, avoiding the dancers as they spilled into the table area.

  He walked in front of the circular table and stopped.

  A woman with skin the color of mocha sat at the table. Her black hair fell onto her shoulders. She gazed at him with brown eyes. Austin smiled, surprised how happy it made him to see a woman with normal eyes.

  She said something, but Austin couldn’t hear. He leaned down.

  “Hi honey,” she said, her voice soothing.

  Austin stood up straight, unsure if he should speak. “What?”

  “Sit down.” She nodded toward the seat across from her.

  Keeping his eyes on the woman, he slid into the table as if it would swallow him. She wore a classy black dress that wouldn’t have been out of place on Earth. He stared at her for a long moment, the green lasers flashing and illuminating the room like jade lightning. The music shifted, playing something smoother and slower. She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. Her skin felt soft. Their eyes met, and she looked knowingly at him.

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” she said, exhaling. She nodded at the waitress, who placed a drink with pink liquid in front of him. “I’m so glad you made it.”

  Austin pulled his hands away and leaned on his elbows. “What is going on?”

  “What’s going on?” she asked, glancing toward the dancers and around the room before turning back toward him. “My husband has come home—that’s what’s going on.”

  Austin listened as if the words fell over him one at a time. Husband.

  This was his contact, the one Vakar and Tia had said would be waiting for him at the club. But … husband?

  The woman placed her finger over her full red lips. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said loudly. “You’re thinking, ‘why did Val want to meet me here?’”

  Austin took in a slow breath and released it. “Yes, Val,” he said, “why did you want to meet me here?”

  She reached out for his hand and squeezed it, running her thumbs along the top.

  “It has been a long time.” She nodded to the strange drink. “Finish that, and we’ll go home.”

  *****

  They boarded a royal blue train. Once inside, Austin noticed the train’s floor was transparent. Holding Austin’s hand, Val led him to a bench near the back and sat close to him. Austin stared past his feet and watched the ground as the train moved. He sat in silence, watching the city lights play across the car.

  He took a deep breath for the first time, considering what had happened to him since he awoke on Ravi’s ship. From the spaceport to the apartment complex fight with the agent and Tia’s strange escort to the night club, the weight of the events fell over him for the first time. If one thing had gone wrong, if one event had played out differently, he would be dead. He probably should be dead. His eyes grew heavy, the rocking of the train lulling him into a trance.

  Val grabbed his hand tightly. For the first time, Austin felt her hands shaking.

  He looked around the car but saw nothing.

  “Okay,” she breathed, her lips quivering.

  He squeezed the hand of this stranger, trying to offer a sense of confidence. His mind raced as well, but he tried to offer her support he didn’t feel. In fact, he didn’t even know if he could trust her.

  But there was something about her, something familiar. He cast a sideways glance at her. Out of the corner of his eye, she looked like Ryker. Perhaps he saw Ryker everywhere now or maybe it was just a coincidence. The blue lights played across Val’s face, reminding Austin of the night on Oma when Ryker took him to the Glistening Orb. He gazed out the window, replaying the events of that night in his mind. Everything had changed for him that night. Nothing had been same.

  The train slowed. Val squeezed his hand again and stood. They exited the train with a dozen passengers. Compared to the bustling district they had just left, the block outside the train station seemed quaint, boring even. Dimly lit black buildings lined the street. Two cars moved in opposite directions.

  She led him down the stairs in silence. They walked together on the empty sidewalk, their footsteps echoing in the silence.

  Val stopped in front of a plain black building with a white door and pressed her hand on a panel to the right. The door opened, revealing a sparsely furnished room.

  “Welcome home,” Val said quietly.

  “You may speak freely here,” Val said, placing a coin in each of the black mugs on the countertop. The mugs bubbled and glowed, creating a small cloud of steam. “This apartment is swept twice a day and a noise jammer prevents any long range observation. You are safe.”

  “Let’s go back to the part where I’m your husband,” Austin said, falling into a black chair at Val’s kitchen table.

  Val returned to the table carrying the two steaming mugs. She pulled back on her black hair. The wig slipped off to reveal silver, wavy curls beneath. Austin stared in awe.

  “Yes, I’m old,” she said, her eyes suddenly appearing more mature. “Older women on this planet enjoy the wonders of DNA reconstruction without regulation. It has come in handy for a woman in my line of work. Anyway, we were not able to provide you information before your arrival for fear it would be intercepted. It was the reason for several teams. I only knew you would arrive this week, so I had to spend the past three nights at that disgusting club.”

  Austin took the mug and nodded. “So I’m your husband?”

  “You’re a Star Runner.” She sipped on the drink and raised her eyebrows. “I hope a good one, too. The government project I’m working on knew my cover included I had a husband who had been away on business. Your appearance matches the fabricated image in my files.” She sighed and stared into her tea. “My real husband is probably dead.”

 
Austin held his breath for a moment. “What happened?”

  “He went missing years ago. Your Legion took care of the rest of my cover story.” She pointed at him. “Our ‘marriage.’”

  “My Legion?” Austin blinked. “You're not a Legion citizen?”

  Val shook her head as she sipped gently from the hot mug. “I was born on Claria. I am a citizen of the Zahl Empire.”

  He frowned, staring at the wall. “Why are you doing this? Why fight your own people?”

  “I am not fighting the Zahl Empire, but Regent Tulin. When he came to power in this sector, he crushed all opposition and enacted his Sedition Acts, which prohibited all questioning of the government.” A wave of sadness fell over her face. “That is why they took my husband away. He was always vocal, trying to be an active part of the government and our community. He spoke against Regent Tulin, and Tulin’s goons swept him up on his way home from work. I was told he had been sent to re-education camps, but he never came back.”

  She hesitated, sliding her finger around the rim of her mug. “Claria was once a beautiful place, full of life and possibility. Now, well, now it’s no more than a shipyard for Tulin’s toys. There are many in the Zahl Empire who are starting to listen to him, beginning to believe that expansion and war are the only ways the Empire will survive.” She shrugged. “I care little about such nonsense. I care about Claria. I care … I cared about my husband.”

  Austin allowed the story to sink into his mind. He had never considered the Zahl people to be honorable, or even good-natured. Throughout his training, he had been taught the Zahlian Empire was full of evil, war mongering individuals bent on conquering all who stood in their path. But this woman had risked everything to avenge her husband, to take the fight to Regent Tulin, to risk everything to battle against her oppressors. She had placed all of her faith in the mission—his mission—and expected him to succeed.

  “What’s your real name?” Austin asked.

  “Does it matter?”

  “I see,” he said, allowing the bitter tea to wash his mouth. “So I guess you’ll be able to fill me in on the rest of the operation.”

  “That’s the plan.” She took a deep breath. “We have a lot to cover and not too much time to do it. Quite honestly, it’s going to be a long night. My name is Val Stanaad.”

  “Austin Stone.”

  She nodded. “I have been under deep cover for your government for eight years. Two years ago, I was activated for this project and have been working on it ever since.”

  “And that project?”

  “Is the Wraith.”

  Austin shook his head. “So you probably know more about this fighter than anyone else I’ve run into. What exactly can it do?”

  “Start a war,” she said without hesitation. “Or, rather, end one. There is nothing in the known galaxy that can compete with this ship—it is faster than most missiles. It is invisible to all sensors, uses a shroud like your Tridents but the power capabilities allow it to recharge quickly, and it is impervious to stunners or disruptors of any kind. The Wraith's only weakness is heat seeking missiles. We are currently working on masking the exhaust.”

  Austin stared at the table, the reality of Val’s news shocking him. “How is that possible? Our Tridents can’t maintain a power supply of that magnitude. Using normal flight operations, charging lasers, engines, maintaining shields and simultaneously keeping the shroud ready would make for a short mission.”

  Val blew steam from her mug. “We have developed a miniature Lutimite Reactor, which allows the Wraith to deactivate the shroud and fire within moments. It doesn’t drain energy from the main system like your Tridents, so it can fire lasers almost immediately after it appears. Besides, no sensors can pick it up when it deactivates the shroud, so it really doesn’t matter.”

  Austin exhaled. “Who developed this?”

  “The funding comes from Regent Tulin. He has secretly funded a number of projects with the hopes of starting a war of expansion into Legion space. The Wraith is his most successful.”

  “Why is he doing this?”

  “Most Zahlian citizens disagree with expanding into Legion territory, but Tulin believes it is crucial to the survival of the Empire, so he has quietly begun preparing for war.” She shrugged. “If he can’t manufacture one, he’s going to use the Wraith to start one himself. And the Wraith will make sure he can finish it quickly—especially if the fighter is mass produced.”

  He stared into the murky tea, allowing time to comprehend Val’s words. Everything he had been through had been a result of Regent Tulin’s attempts to start a Zahlian-Legion war, from the Tyral Pirates to the threat of the Wraith.

  “How many are there?” Austin asked.

  “Stealth fighters?” Val’s eyes widened. “Two, but only one is flight ready. The other has been utilized to test onboard computers. It hasn’t left the complex.”

  Austin nodded. “Tell me the plan.”

  “Right.” She set her tea down and walked over to the kitchen. When she came back, she carried a tablet with a lens on the end. “Here we go.”

  The tablet warmed up and the lens illuminated. A hologram schematic appeared over the table.

  “This is the building where the Wraith had been housed.”

  “Wait—the Wraith is here in the city?” Austin asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then how has it been running up and down the border?”

  “The Wraith has gone out on several series of tests to gauge its readiness. It just returned this week for final analysis. Tulin hasn’t wanted anyone to know about this operation, so the Wraith itself has been hidden in this complex for the majority of its existence. But we have to move quickly.”

  “How quickly?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  Austin shook his head. “Tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “The prototypes will be moved the day after tomorrow. The tests are completed, and the final corrections will be made before the fighter is sent back for mass production.” She nodded. “Since the project is being moved for mass production, part of the security team is setting up shop at the new location. It is my hope they will not be ready for any excitement.”

  He exhaled. “All right. Go ahead.”

  “Okay. We will arrive in the morning for my shift, and you will be hidden in my vehicle. The trunk is reinforced, and no sensors can penetrate or detect you. The building itself blocks all gamma waves or transmissions of any kind from entering or leaving the complex. The pilots are located within the complex, and their breakfast will be poisoned. While they are in distress in their quarters, you will enter through the waste chute at this location near my vehicle.” She pointed at the hologram to a room just off of the garage. “See?”

  “Yes,” he said, nodding. “How do I know which chute leads to the pilots?”

  “It’s thirty-four-B. Remember that.”

  “Got it.” Austin frowned. “How do I climb the chute? I doubt there’s a ladder.”

  “I will supply you magnetic gloves, knee pads, and toe straps.” She eyed him. “I can’t promise you won’t be hit with anything on your way up. It’s tight, and the chute will still be in operation.”

  He sighed. “Lovely.”

  “Once you enter, you will take one of the pilots out with this.” She passed Austin a pen. “Click the end and a fifty-thousand volt bolt will discharge from the end, rendering your victim unconscious and incapacitated. Use these ties to secure the pilot inside the trash chute.”

  “Wait a minute,” Austin said, staring at the pen, “I have to enter the waste chute on my own? Won’t someone notice me?”

  “A distraction is planned.”

  “What kind of distraction?”

  “Not important.” Her face grew rigid. “Many people have died to give you this chance, Lieutenant. They were good people, two other agents embedded for this mission.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “What were their na
mes?”

  “Gree and Ula.” She wiped at her face. “You must succeed.”

  Austin swallowed. “I understand.”

  “Good.” She pressed the tablet, and the image shifted to an overhead view of the pilot’s quarters. “Once your pilot is unconscious, you will dress in his flight suit, put on his helmet, and await my signal.”

  “What is your signal?”

  “You will hear me say the words, ‘Breakfast is being served cold.’”

  Austin frowned. “I’ll just, hear those words? How?”

  Val pointed at his ears. “Implants.”

  He touched his ears and smiled. “Clever.”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought the building blocked gamma waves?”

  “Only leaving or incoming.” She smiled. “Internal transmission functions for security purposes. This project is so secret, so off the books thanks to Regent Tulin and his grand plans, that we think most of the plans are localized in this building—very little has been transferred to other locations out of a fear the plans would be intercepted.”

  “So I hear the words and then what?”

  The schematic traced a path from the pilot’s quarters to a larger room containing the Wraith prototype. “You will have ten to twelve minutes. Walk along this corridor, enter the room and steal the fighter.”

  “Won’t they see me?”

  Val looked at him, her eyes pleading. “They will be distracted, and you’ll be wearing a helmet. If you are worried, pull your star visor down to shield your face. Do not worry because most of the Marine guards have left. Security is being toned down as the project is getting ready to move. It has to happen tomorrow.”

  “What is this second distraction?”

  Val shook her head as if shooing away a fly. “Following this second distraction, the hangar doors exiting the building will be opened—that’s all you need to know. Then you fly the fighter out of here.”

  “Antiaircraft weaponry of any kind?” Austin asked.

  “Nothing that can track you or catch you,” Val said. “Once you’re in the air, activate the shroud and head for these coordinates. You won’t have enough fuel to complete your journey. A tug will be at this remote moon to refuel you for your rendezvous with a Legion ship at these coordinates. If something should go wrong and you’re marooned or there is no way out, take this.”