by Sarah Noffke
Lars looked at the two humans. “There’s no avoiding it. They’ll find you if we run now.”
“Right,” said Eddie, cocking his weapon. “Guess we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.”
The three of them ran out into the field outside the wall, and the same voice from before called out to them from high above. “There! There they are!”
Eddie turned, his rifle primed and ready, and in a single, fluid motion, let loose a barrage of firepower, sweeping from one side to the other.
In seconds, a hundred shots hit the wall, breaking it apart and sending debris in all directions.
“Those don’t look like stun rounds,” observed Julianna.
“That’s because I switched them to armor piercing!” yelled Eddie, his voice only slightly louder than the weapon.
Chunks of the wall broke off and fell to the grassy field below as the aliens ducked for cover, screaming in a panic as the unexpected fireworks unloaded on them.
Julianna stepped up beside Eddie and, with the flick of her wrist, primed her rifle as well. “Save some for me.”
The Q-Ship stood in the middle of the field, its cloak hiding it from any eyes or sensors that might be watching. In the distance, shots erupted near the alien outpost.
Inside, the ship was dark and silent. Without anyone around to use it, the vessel could only sit and wait, doing nothing until its pilots returned.
Or so it seemed.
There, in the darkness, a light appeared. The activation icon for the ship’s engines.
A second later, several more lit up, indicating weapons and thrusters. Soon, the Q-Ship was fully online, preparing for departure. In almost no time, it began to lift off from the grass.
No human or alien had told it to do this. No orders from space had been sent.
The command had come from another program. The one known only as Pip, who had, during his short integration with the Q-Ship, written an emergency command package, which would respond only in case of emergency.
And that emergency had come.
The ship, still invisible, hovered off the ground and began to move towards the alien facility, its cannons aimed and ready.
The aliens were beginning to reform, despite Eddie and Julianna’s assault on the wall. It wouldn’t be long before they managed to reorganize or call for reinforcements.
Despite his bravado, Eddie was pretty sure his team was running out of time. They’d have to make a run for it soon, exposing their backs to the enemy while they made their escape. Things could go very wrong, no matter what they did next.
He stopped firing, but not on purpose. “Shit,” he muttered, glancing down at the rifle.
“What is it?” asked Julianna as she continued firing at the wall.
“I’m out!” he replied.
Julianna gave him a look that said, Well, isn’t this just fucked?
But before he could answer, Eddie felt a vibration in his chest, growing stronger by the second. It felt like thunder, roaring in the sky, shaking the very ground beneath his feet, but it wasn’t. No. This was something else. Something familiar.
He looked up and saw a strange blur in the sky, bending starlight, but only slightly. It was like looking through a glass window.
He opened his mouth, pointing. “Is that…?”
The stars disappeared, turning black as the darkest night, and something else replaced them.
The Q-Ship.
Eddie watched as the unmanned spacecraft released a missile directly at the wall. It flew, trailing smoke, and blasted into the facility without mercy. Half the western wall came crashing down, sending a dozen men flying in several directions, mostly in pieces.
“Hot damn,” muttered Eddie, watching as the scene unfolded.
“Is this your ship?” asked Lars.
“It sure is,” answered Eddie. “But I don’t know who’s flying it.”
“That would be me,” said Pip, his voice booming from the Q-Ship above their heads.
Eddie looked at Julianna. “Did you know about this?”
“This is news to me,” she answered.
A blast fired from the base, nearly hitting the Q-Ship. Pip responded with a counter-shot, sending another missile and evaporating four aliens as they attempted to load an anti-aircraft gun.
“May we discuss this at a later time?” asked Pip, bringing the ship right above them and opening the lower hatch.
“Fine with me,” Eddie agreed, signaling the others to get inside. “Let’s get out of here.”
Julianna leapt up and onto the side of the ship. She let out her hand to Lars. “You heard him!”
Lars looked reluctant. “I can’t go with you. I…”
“Get your ass on the ship!” ordered Julianna. “If you stay, those bastards will kill you.”
Eddie grabbed his shoulder. “She’s right, Lars. You’re one of us now. You understand?”
“One of you?”
Eddie nodded. “You said you had a family waiting for you. A brother, right? Come with us and I promise we’ll do whatever it takes to help you find them.”
“You would do that for someone you don’t even know?”
“I know enough,” said Eddie with finality. “Now, get your ass on this ship so we can get the hell off of this rock!”
Chapter Sixteen
Loading Dock 02, QBS ArchAngel, Seolus system.
The screen on the wall came on, revealing the A.I. ArchAngel. She stared down at Hatch as he finished the final install on the Q-Ship. “Come to see how the work was going?” he asked, fanning a tentacle at her. “No need. I’m all done.”
“On the contrary,” she remarked. “Captain Teach has requested your presence in Loading Dock 01. His ship is about to arrive.”
“Teach wants to see me?” asked Hatch. “He better not have broken my ship.”
“I don’t believe that’s it,” said the A.I.
There was a loud clank as Hatch tossed his screwdriver into a nearby case. “Tell him I’m on my way,” he said, lifting off the floor with his lower tentacles.
This wasn’t the largest ship Hatch had ever been on during his time with the Federation, but it certainly felt like the most personal. Projects that he had worked on previously, or at the very least contributed to, had since been implemented on this ship. The cloak was only the biggest, along with the Q-Ships themselves, but there were also other, smaller features. The material in the bulkheads that doubled as computer screens, for example, had originally been one of his pet projects. He wanted to create a thin material that could be plastered on any surface, whether it was inside a ship or in the middle of a wet cave. There weren’t any caves here, of course, but it seemed the basic idea had been used. That was why ArchAngel could pop up on just about any wall inside the ship.
Hatch had always wondered what became of his work, but now he knew. This refurbished ship, the one taken from the wreckage in an ancient battle, had become something of a personal showcase for him—the manifestation of his legacy.
Maybe that was why he felt so comfortable here, like he was home again. Except it was better than that, he knew, because Yondil was never where he truly belonged. It was damp and dirty, filled with too many people and not enough quiet. Not enough stars.
Because A’Din Hatcherik was made for all of this. He was back where he belonged.
“Whoop whoop!” called Eddie as the Q-Ship door opened. He leapt down the steps and onto the floor, landing in a loud smack.
“You’re late,” grunted General Reynolds, whose face was displayed on one of the walls.
Hatch stood just to the left of the screen, observing the ship, puffing his cheeks.
“Sorry, we were tied up,” apologized Eddie.
Julianna stepped down from the Q-Ship, following him. “Almost literally.”
“You were captured?” asked Hatch.
“Yep, but not to worry,” said Eddie, raising his finger. “We had a man on the inside helping us out.”
Lan
ce cocked his brow. “What are you talking about, Captain?”
Julianna turned and motioned at the ship. “Come out and say hello.”
Four red fingers reached from inside the ship and grabbed the side of the open doorway. The large Kezzin soldier known as Lars Malseen stepped forward, presenting himself for all who could see.
“This is Lars,” said Eddie, grinning at his new friend. “He helped us escape.”
“He was also the one who captured us in the first place,” added Pip, his voice coming from the ArchAngel’s speaker system. Apparently, the E.I. had already transferred back into the main system.
“Sure, sure,” said Eddie, waving his hand dismissively. “We all make mistakes. The point is, he helped us get out of there and successfully complete the mission.”
“I gotta say,” said Lance, eying the alien with some reservation. “This is a surprise, Captain. We’ll have to discuss this further during your debriefing.”
“A Kezzin, eh?” muttered Hatch, tapping one of his tentacles to his cheek. “Interesting.”
“Why’s that?” asked Eddie.
“Oh, I’ve just heard they aren’t very keen on humans. It’s strange.”
Lars frowned. “The Brotherhood hasn’t represented my people in the best light, but they’re largely the only Kezzin who leave our territory. The rest stay mostly to themselves, aside from traders.”
“Sounds like the Kezzin government needs to take action,” suggested Hatch.
“You’re not wrong,” admitted Lars. “There’s a political movement to do just that, but the Brotherhood’s grip on Kezzin space is so strong that most are afraid.”
“Let’s save the politics for later. I’m starving!” said Eddie, who was ready to eat his way through a pound of beef and down a few beers. “General, are you coming to the ship to do the debrief?”
Lance shook his head. “No, you’re coming to me. Strap in and get ready to jump to Onyx Station. I’ll be in my office when you get here.”
ArchAngel’s face appeared next to Lance’s. “Shall I set a course, sir?”
“Do it,” said Lance. “And Captain, I’d like your Kezzin friend to wait in his new quarters until you arrive. I’m sure he understands.”
“I do,” answered Lars. “I’m essentially the enemy, after all.”
Julianna looked back at him. “Don’t say that.”
“Yeah,” agreed Eddie. “We’re not at war with the Kezzin species. Just the Brotherhood, it seems.”
“Nonetheless, your general is right. You met me while I was an enemy soldier, and you haven’t known me for long. I’ll do as you ask until I have proven myself.”
“A sensible answer,” said Lance.
Eddie didn’t press the issue. He already felt a trust with Lars, foolish as it might be, but he understood it would take time. General Reynolds would see the value in Lars eventually. “Come on,” said Eddie, tapping Lars on the arm. “Let’s get you settled. ArchAngel, can you pick out a new room for our friend?”
“I have two hundred and thirty-seven rooms currently available,” said the A.I.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot we had a skeleton crew.”
“Try to get some rest before you arrive at the station,” suggested Lance. “I’ll see the four of you soon.”
The screen clicked off and the wall returned to its former state.
Hatch came closer to Eddie, puffing his cheeks. “Now that you’re back, you should know the second Q-Ship is updated and complete. I finished it less than an hour ago.”
“That’s great! I like that one better.”
“Of course you do. I designed it from the ground-up, not like the one you just rode in on. If you want, I can tell you about the additions I made in more detail.”
Eddie felt his stomach growl. “I’d love to hear it, Hatch, but maybe after dinner. I need food and a beer before I can do anything else.”
Eddie bit into a half-pound cheeseburger, ripped a piece of turkey leg off, and then followed it down with a swig of cold Blue Ale. “Ah,” he gasped, swallowing the crisp beer. “That’s damn good.”
“Easy or you’ll choke,” suggested Julianna.
“Who are you to talk?” asked Eddie, motioning to her plate, which was twice the size of his. “You eat more than any woman I’ve ever met!”
“That’s because I’m not like any other woman you’ve met,” she explained. “My body needs fuel.”
“So does mine,” he said, biting into the turkey leg. The meat was sweet and tender. It was so much better than the kind they had out on the fringe. Aliens weren’t partial to human foods, so the only spots to find good quality beef and fowl was on a Federation ship, but those were rare. Eddie never realized how much he missed the taste of quality Federation food until he was out on his own, far from the border.
Lars was sitting next to Julianna, barely touching his meal. Eddie had decided it would be okay to have the Kezzin with them, so long as he stayed nearby. Surely, the general wouldn’t mind that.
“How’s your food?” asked Eddie, glancing at the alien.
“I’ve never had human food,” he admitted. “It smells odd.”
“Want me to see if Chef can make something more your speed? Maybe he’s got a few Kezzin recipes.”
“No, please, this is enough,” said Lars, trying to smile. He took a spoonful of beans and ate them, chewing slowly. As the taste hit him, he made a strange face.
“Something wrong?” asked Eddie, having little experience with Kezzin reactions.
“Oh, no, it’s just—” He paused. “—is this meat or a plant?”
Julianna looked at him, raising her brow. “Beans? Those are plants. Why?”
Lars dropped his spoon and spit the beans out, back onto the plate. He wiped his tongue with his sleeve, trying desperately to get the juice and beans off.
Eddie started to get up, a bit concerned. “Are you okay?!”
Lars was breathing heavily. “Kezzin can’t process plants…we’ll get sick. We have to have meat.”
Eddie breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, man, I thought you were dying or something.”
“We can get you some meat,” assured Julianna. She got up and went to the window connecting the dining room to the kitchen, then proceeded to order something new.
“I guess there’s a lot I don’t know about your species,” Eddie said, scratching the back of his neck. “How sick do you get if you have beans?”
“I’ve never eaten beans before, but when I was young I had some fruit. It gave me a stomach cramp; it felt like I might die.”
“Seriously? From some fruit?” asked Eddie.
“We’re strict carnivores,” explained Lars. He opened his mouth and pointed to his sharp teeth. “We can’t process anything but meat.”
Julianna arrived with a large plate of chicken, turkey, and beef. “There’s more back there if you want it. We don’t have any meat from Kezza, but I’m sure we can order something. Just tell Chef what you want and he’ll get it.”
Lars beamed down at the plate with a wide-eyed expression. Eddie didn’t have to think too hard about what that meant. The bulking soldier was clearly happy for the gift. “Thank you so much! This is perfect.” He tore into the chicken, far more excited than he’d been with the beans.
“Okay, so no more plants. Gotta remember that,” said Eddie.
“Unless you want to poison him,” corrected Julianna.
Both Lars and Eddie looked at her.
“What? I was only kidding.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to tell with you,” said Eddie.
She smiled. “Good. I prefer to keep people guessing.”
Later that night, after having dropped Lars off at his room, Eddie returned to his quarters to rest. He grabbed a cold can of Coke and sat on the small sofa across from the television, taking a long drink and letting out a relaxing sigh. He was glad to be back from the mission, but uncertain about what came next.
With two missions behind him and a ton
of new data to sort through, he and his team would soon have their work cut out for them. Even with a weapons cache destroyed and the Ox King dealt with, they still didn’t know who was pulling the strings. Maybe Pip and Archangel would be able to find the answer in the newly acquired data they downloaded from the Kezzin Battlebase, or maybe they’d have to search blindly for answers, hoping for the best.
Either way, he was already anticipating the next job. The sooner they could stop the Brotherhood, the better.
There was also the matter of Lars. He had abandoned everything to help Eddie and Julianna escape, putting his family at risk, should the Brotherhood ever discover his betrayal.
Hopefully we can stop them before that happens, thought Eddie, but there was no way of knowing that for sure. It was all a gamble, but they all knew that. To Eddie, it was a risk worth taking, for better or worse.
The comm beeped, indicating a call. It surprised Eddie, since it was so late and he should’ve been asleep an hour ago, but no matter. He accepted it.
“Captain Teach,” said ArchAngel, her face appearing on the television in front of him.
“Yes, what is it?”
“I wanted to let you know, Pip and I have decoded the first segment of data you collected. We have something to share when you’re ready.”
Eddie sat up. “What did you find?”
“There appears to be a short correspondence between the leader of the outpost you attacked, a man named Commander Orsa, and an anonymous contact located somewhere in the Pal System.”
“Anonymous?” asked Eddie. “You don’t know who it is?”
“The transmission appears to be partially redacted. Certain information is beyond retrieval, but there’s enough here to warrant an investigation.”
“It’s not much, but it’s a start.”
“Indeed, sir,” agreed ArchAngel. “I’ve already forwarded this information to General Reynolds, but he asked that I share all my findings with you directly.”