Bounty's Call

by Max Jager

  It seemed so…inelegant. A waste.

  While tumbling, Jameson briefly caught sight of Axus's yacht firing up its repulsors. Soon it had zipped off into the sky, lost as the world continued to roll over in Jameson's vision.

  Sense finally caught up to him as he realized how close he was to the water. Sending several abrupt commands to his body armor, he hardened the outer shell as much as possible, filling the spaces in between with a protective cushion of air and gel. It wasn't much, and even if he survived the impact, he'd probably drown.

  But it was all he could do.

  The water swallowed him with explosive force. Bones shattered, muscles screamed in agony, and medical alarms sent warnings across Jameson's HUD. His vision quickly blurred to black, sunlight becoming faded as the surface disappeared above him.

  The last thing he thought he saw was the bright blue eyes of an angel come to take him away.

  Burning

  Chapter 12

  Burning

  * * *

  Gibraltar space

  Columbia Star System, Planet Warwick

  Orbital Peacemaker Fleet Station

  * * *

  Four Years Ago

  The view from space was gorgeous.

  The rest of the Station was darkened at this late hour, Warwick's sun somewhere far behind the stretch of the planet. Even then, stationary and work lights scattered about the massive Station illuminated the rows of starships in their final stages of construction.

  "It's incredible," Sal breathed from nearby, her voice a little scratchy through their suit's comms.

  Jameson glanced over, his helmet partially obscuring his field of view. It had taken a little extra time to put on the environment suits, but the view from the exterior platform was entirely worth it. And right now, as happy as Jameson felt, it was hard to let the annoyance of their suits dampen his mood.

  He scooted closer to Sal, putting an arm awkwardly around her shoulder. As much as her suit would allow for it.

  She sighed happily, leaning in against his body. "How long until sunrise?"

  Jameson chuckled. "Not for another four hours. It's early, but not that early."

  "Oh well…I wouldn't mind staying out here all night."

  Jameson grinned to himself. Truth be told, he wouldn't mind sitting out with Sal for the next few hours either. With the countless stars against the backdrop of Warwick's dark orb below, and the expansive super structure of the Station interlined with near-ready warships, the view wasn't getting old anytime soon.

  The Fleet was finished. The thought of it was staggering. For nearly three years, he and his friends had called the Peacemaker Station home, waiting for this day when they would have a fleet of ships ready to command. If Gibraltar High Command saw immediate war threats from Draconia, they would sail forth into the void. When the final ceremony for the Fleet's completion began next month, then Jameson and his friends in the Eighth Flotilla would receive Fleet Command positions. They hadn't named who would take the Fleet Commander title, but Jameson was certain his name was near the top of that list.

  Axus's private war was over.

  The thought made Jameson grin wider. Axus had gotten very aggressive over the last few months. He still remembered the dark day of Chris's funeral; realizing Axus might have had something to do with his death. Fleet Security never produced any evidence to point a finger at foul play, but Jameson always suspected the worst. Luckily, the others had taken to extreme precaution. Torik, Rappel, and Jester in particular made sure to keep an eye out on all of Axus's cronies in case of dangerous set ups.

  And of course, the moment Jameson had first asked out Sal, Axus showed up on the scene, up to some scheme or another. Too bad Sal had watched every time before as Axus played Jameson's girls. She knew better; had no interest showing up on that ridiculous list on Axus's right arm. That alone had earned her a place on his left arm, with the other list of Jameson's friends Axus was supposedly going to "knock off."

  "I'm glad they accepted it," Sal said aloud.

  Jameson stirred from his thoughts. "Hmm?"

  "The Kraven Approach. I'm glad they accepted it."

  "You're not just saying that because I'm going to be one of the Fleet Commanders? Trying to get some kiss ass before the show starts?"

  Sal shoved him playfully. "I'm serious. Axus had half of the top brass convinced of a dozen other options. But none of them would have worked. So yes, I'm glad they accepted the Kraven Approach. It's going to keep everyone's home worlds safe if Draconia starts firing their Strategic Cannons."

  "Right," Jameson replied, nodding to himself.

  A silence fell over them for a moment. Then,

  "I hope it never comes to war," Sal whispered.

  "Doesn't matter now," Jameson replied, trying to sound reassuring. "We have the Fleet. Even if Draconia does, we'll be ready."

  Sal shook her head. "Doesn't mean I still hope it doesn't. Even with all of this…it would be terrible. Especially with the threat of H1 radiation…"

  Jameson pulled her closer to him protectively. "If it comes to war, we'll make sure nothing terrible ever happens. I'll make sure of it."

  Sal didn't say anymore about it afterwards, but it left Jameson a little unsettled as they eventually headed in. He understood how worried she and the others must feel. But they had the Fleet now. That was supposed to alleviate all fears.

  Now they were ready to crush Draconia's forces.

  It was a lengthy process through decom and replacing their environment suits. Eventually, though, they were back inside; Jameson leading Sal along the main promenade of Mike Section. It hosted another gorgeous view of the night sky and endless stars. He was halfway through reminiscing of their first date when he saw a figure down on the far side, working furiously on a tablet.

  "Guess we're not the only ones awake this late," said Sal.

  The figure glanced up, light from his tablet illuminating his face. Jameson blinked, recognition kicking in.

  "Hey, I know who that is," he muttered. "That's Commander Vahka Atoa. One of Axus's men in the Intel Flotilla."

  Atoa froze up in whatever he was doing. Then he turned on his heels and bolted down a separate corridor, deeper into the Station.

  "Well that doesn't look suspicious," Sal added sarcastically.

  Jameson clicked his tongue, activating the personal comms built into his uniform. "Jester, wake up. Sal and I just saw something weird."

  He got only silence.

  At first, Jameson assumed it was because Jester had simply rolled over and gone back to sleep. But when he didn't reply after a few more calls, Jameson checked his system and found his comms weren't working.

  "Shit. We've been jammed."

  Sal opened her personal tablet, checking some diagnostics. "It's a security worm; something that's sabotaging surveillance and comms systems." Her blue eyes flashed up to Jameson, wide with terror. "What the hell is going on?"

  Several bright lights winked on outside the long rows of promenade windows. Jameson quickly hurried up to the glass, focusing his eyes as he stared off far past the Station and Warwick's immediate orbit. He could see them now: four old surplus Republic warships, stripped down of all markings. And they were moving in fast towards the Station.

  "It's an ambush," Jameson mused. "They've crippled Station systems to slip in under cover of night."

  Sal didn't glance up, still focused on her tablet. Her earlier panic seemed replaced now by an intense hyper-focus. Jameson watched her for a moment, uncertain of what was distracting her.

  She finally looked up, a flashing with triumph. "I can kill the worm!"

  "You're sure?"

  "Yes! But I'll need to do it from a primary security terminal: one that has a direct link into Station comms and security hardware."

  Jameson reviewed their location in the Station. "You'll need to take a tram a kilometer upspin to Golf Section."

  Sal nodded, killing her tablet's screen. "You should probably go afte
r Atoa. Find out what he's doing and see if you can't delay it."

  Jameson nodded, preparing to turn and bolt. He hesitated suddenly, leaning in and kissing Sal once. He wasn't sure why; they were going to meet back up again when it was all over. But something felt important about it. He couldn't leave her without it.

  "Sound the alarms as soon as you have the worm rooted," he said.

  Sal nodded, a little flush from the sudden kiss. She turned on her heels and disappearing back up the promenade. Jameson watched her leave, suddenly worried that he should have said something else.

  He pursued after Atoa.

  Halfway to the next tram station, Jameson was shocked to find dead guards outside a minor security terminal, each bearing smoking wounds in their uniforms from lethal set weaponry. There were more wild shots blasted into the bulkheads, which meant Atoa wasn't alone.

  Jameson drew his own sidearm. It seemed things were spinning rapidly out of control.

  He never made it the rest of the way to the tram station. Dropping down to a small alcove outside a two-story galley, Jameson found Atoa and several others with drawn weapons huddled near a particular bulkhead. It took a moment, but Jameson soon recognized the others. Srecko, Miron, and Danya; all from Axus's Flotilla.

  "Where the hell is Macormak?" Atoa was stammering. "I was just seen up in Mike Section! We need to get out of here!"

  Danya smacked him hard. "Idiot! Why didn't you kill them? We just took out three more sub-guard stations!"

  "It doesn't matter."

  Jameson blinked, surprised as he recognized the new voice. A figure stepped into the galley below; it was Arkus. Axus's number two.

  "Macormak just arrived. He's a few minutes out, but we're to rendezvous at the airlock in November Section for departure. Axus has the rest taken care of."

  Jameson watched in stunned silence as the others agreed with Arkus and made for the tram station. A moment later, Jameson followed, taking another tram right behind them. There were too many of them for him to take on his own. He silently hoped to hear the security alarms blaring any moment, Sal having succeeded in disabling their security worm. But if she wasn't fast enough…

  Jameson amped up the energy levels on his sidearm. He would have to be quick.

  Arriving at November Section a minute after Arkus and the others, Jameson immediately started firing shots. He took down Srecko, his body sizzling from the high-energy burst. Atoa fired back a cover shot, but Jameson was surprised when more didn't accompany it.

  They were still running.

  Jameson pursued, dodging behind better defensive cover at the main airlock. They were in a two-story atrium now, one of the blast door airlocks open to a ship docked just outside. Atoa stayed back, firing off shots that forced Jameson to hide around the corner. The others used Atoa's cover fire to hurry through into their escape ship, ushered in by none other than Axus.

  "Vahka!" Axus called out. "Get aboard! I'll cover our exit!"

  The moment Atoa stopped shooting, Jameson leapt around, making for his next line of cover. He fired off a couple of shots, both going wild. Axus responded with several quick bursts that forced Jameson down and behind a large barrier set up in case of pressure loss.

  Axus cackled loudly. "Jameson, my boy! My favorite choppin'-doc-block. Figures you would show up during all of this. I always assumed you'd be sound asleep when the fireworks began…but I like this even better!"

  "What the hell are you doing, Axus?" Jameson called back. He shifted his eyes between both sides of the barrier, expecting Axus to jump around either side. He was surprised when he didn't.

  "Leaving," Axus responded simply. "And since you won't have much longer to ponder on it, you and your friends can take your preciously little Kraven Approach and stick it up your collective asses. Have fun with the barbeque!"

  Axus cackled again, followed by the sound of the airlock sealing. He was gone.

  Jameson swore, leaping to his feet and bolting for the hatch. He arrived in time to watch through the window as their small transport kicked off from the Station, heading out to parts unknown.

  That was when the alarms started sounding.

  "Jameson! Jameson, can you hear me!"

  Jameson switched on his comms. "Sal, thank God! Are all the systems up and running?"

  "Yes! Station security just pegged the four ships now entering the main ring. But a fifth one is headed out."

  Jameson exhaled, walking wearily over to the opposite wall, where another set of windows looked out towards the center ring of the Station. He could see the four ships now set in the center stage, flanked by smaller security ships now active.

  "I didn't get to them in time," Jameson began. "Axus and the others, they—"

  Jameson felt the last word die on his tongue, a new alert taking center on the security terminal's main screen. It was a radiological warning for the detected presence of H1.

  And it was coming right from the four ships outside.

  "Sal!" Jameson screamed. "Get out of there!"

  The first explosion nearly blinded Jameson. The other three did, making him jump back, shielding his eyes as plumes of fire licked out at the Station.

  As the blinding light cleared, Jameson was briefly aware of Sal's agonizing screams. Then the comms cut out.

  The wall in front of Jameson ruptured, triggering his suit's emergency automatic pressurization system. He felt stale air rush into his lungs as artificial gravity died and he was blasted back by intense searing heat that threatened to melt his suit.

  Something hard hit his head. It was the wall, now rushing past him as the Station faded behind him, the vacuum of space surrounding and tugging at him on all sides. In a whirl of tangled motion, Jameson watched the super structure of the Station implode as flame and destruction consumed it all.

  His friends, his girlfriend, his Fleet…

  It was all going up in flames.

  Madeira

  Chapter 13

  Madeira

  * * *

  Gibraltar space

  Aquarius Star System, Planet Aquarius

  Unknown Planetside Location

  * * *

  Present Day

  Jameson wasn't dead.

  That was the first thought that crossed his mind. After Axus had shoved him off the side of his yacht, the fall alone could have killed him. Even after his armor had spared him most of the impact, sinking into the ocean with no one coming to rescue him surely would have finished the job.

  Of course, this wasn't the first time Axus had left him for dead. And just as before, he had awoken surprised that he was still alive. But Jameson had the Fleet to thank for his life that time.

  Who had come to his aid this time?

  Jameson blinked open his left eye. His cybernetic right eye wasn't responding, leaving him with only a single line of vision. It left him a little dizzy, the ceiling overhead a blur.

  A door opened and closed somewhere. Jameson tried to turn to see where, but he realized he felt too tired and sore to move his body to look. He did manage to turn his head, glancing over in time to see a girl standing over him.

  She wore a plain sheer white gown, covering what looked like a blue green bikini set underneath. Her long blonde hair was done up in some sort of wild bun and her intense blue eyes were smiling just as wide as her grin.

  "Looks like someone slept well for the last fourteen hours."

  Jameson was suddenly aware his faceplate wasn't down. He wasn't wearing any of his armor, actually. Feeling self-conscious, he made to glance back up at the ceiling, leaving at least his good side visible to her.

  "Where am I?" he managed to say aloud feebly.

  The girl set something down near his bedside, taking a seat next to him. "You're in the official ambassadorial suite of Aegean," she said, her tone playful. "Of all the places you chose to fall into the ocean, you sure picked an important city."

  Jameson exhaled aloud. Half of what this girl was saying didn't make any sense. So he
was still on Aquarius apparently. But there weren't any cities out in the middle of the ocean. Unless…

  "Aegean is a Nereis city," he said.

  "Mhmm," the girl replied, thinking his statement a question. She was fidgeting with something Jameson couldn't see, clattering metal on a tray. "This suite is owned by the grand tersha, which means you are one very important guest. Only the best for you."