by Trevor Scott
Saturn retrieved a small object from a pocket in her leather pants and held the circular copper disc in her open palm. It projected a hologram up a few centimeters into the air, which she manipulated with her other hand, expanding the view and scrolling down a long list of items. Her dark brown eyes scanned the list until they found what she was looking for.
“It seems every one of Zega’s favors has been met with an appropriate counter-favor,” she said. “While you let us stay here, we spent half our time delivering goods, or should I say bribes, to the other sectors’ proprietors. While you fed us, we stole food from the incoming supply ships. And best of all, while you lent us your ship, Ju-Long fought in the tournament despite our slate being wiped clean two months ago. Since you’ve already designated what your next favor will be in exchange for the information about Narra, it seems you’re fresh out of favors, Zega.”
Saturn closed her fingers around the device and the projection dissipated. She gave Zega a sinister smile and continued, “And for the record, Zega, my Argentinian grandmother would have taken a sharp knife to your neck by now. Pray I don’t follow in her footsteps.”
Nix curled his long tongue into the side of his cheek. His deeply tan scales shimmered under the orbs of light as he let out a small laugh. “Ouch,” he said. “That’s a first.”
Zega was at a loss. His mind appeared to be scrambling for a loophole but was unable to find one. The fat Dinari’s eyes shot back and forth with unseen calculations. Liam could tell he wasn’t used to owing anybody else. Finally, he said, “Fine. One favor. What is it you ask?”
“It will depend on what we find out on Narra,” Liam said. “When the time comes, though, you better pay up.”
Zega smiled despite himself. “I’ve said it before. I don’t give you lot enough credit. You’re turning out to be fine mercenaries.”
“I prefer freelancer,” Liam replied.
Ju-Long rummaged behind the bar for another bottle of liquor and chimed in, “I prefer space pirate.”
5
Sector Seven Hangar, Akaru Colony
Liam gazed up at the massive hangar doors and nudged Nix in the side. He’d nearly passed out on the ride over and jumped at Liam’s touch. He held his hand over a square sensor and the doors groaned, the grooved metal sheet lumbering up along its track and finding its home two stories above. The Dinari guide stumbled through the entryway, leading the crew inside. He approached a control panel on a pedestal and fiddled with the controls, first accidentally eliciting several sparks from an adjacent console, then finally turning on the hangar lights.
Dozens of orbs slowly illuminated along the ceiling, casting light down over a ship stolen from legend. The Garuda was a slice out of another time, a remnant of the War of a Thousand Years. The folded wings of the Corsair-Class ship were tucked away toward its rear while its curved copper-colored underbelly flickered with purple light as Nix continued to press buttons on the panel, firing up the main engines remotely. The ship’s ramp descended, cutting into the compacted sandy floor of the hangar.
They were at one end of the massive structure, but the hangar extended for several hundred meters with dozens of unique ships housed within. The internal structure of the building was all metal, stained with sand at least halfway to the ceiling, easily a few stories above. Apart from the console Nix was toying with, there were crates of supplies lining the sides. Liam reflected on Earth’s hangars and something bugged him. No one on Earth would be dumb enough to leave their supplies laying around. Then again, surely everyone knew this was Zega’s hangar.
When Nix was finished, he turned to Liam and slurred, “Narra is about a three-week journey. We should have plenty of provisions on board from our last job.”
“Three weeks?” Ju-Long objected, wiping a drip of blood from his lip. One of his recent wounds had cracked in the dry air. “What about the finals?”
Liam raised up his hands in an attempt to calm his crewmate. He assured him, “Zega will stall the fight. Besides, it looks like you could use the rest.”
The cuts along Ju-Long’s chest had begun to bruise around the coagulated blood. His lip bore a particularly nasty gash that still hadn’t completely clotted, sending drips of blood down his chin every time he smiled or talked. His ego was about the only thing ready for another fight. When Ju-Long wiped more blood from his lip, Liam noticed his hands were burned from where the electrified barbs were wrapped around them.
“This?” Ju-Long said in a muffled tone with his thumb pointed at his own face. “This is nothing. I could fight tomorrow.”
Liam shook his head and started toward the ramp. Ju-Long’s newfound fame was already getting to his head, which didn’t bode well for a long journey through space. For a moment, he wished Saturn hadn’t decided to hold her tongue so she could bring Ju-Long back down to reality. Instead, she stood there next to Ju-Long with her arms crossed, fighting the urge to say something. At the bottom of the ramp Liam turned and said pointing at a stack of supplies, “One thing at a time, Ju-Long. Grab that crate and put it in the hold.”
Ju-Long scoffed and retorted, “Nix said we’ve got enough supplies. Let’s go so we can get this over with.”
“Do what he says, Ju-Long,” Saturn snapped, finally breaking her silence. “The last thing I want is to be stuck in space hungry while having to put up with you.”
Saturn looked to Liam as she turned her back to Ju-Long, shrugging as she did. Saturn could come off as abrasive sometimes, but she really did mean well. That is, he hoped she meant well. After observing her for months it was clear that she understood if there were a question of leadership things could get out of control quickly, which is why she must have supported him on the little things. Saturn had spent months going out of her way to make sure Liam knew she had his back. It couldn’t have been easy for her given her strained relationship with Ju-Long.
Nix, on the other hand, tried to stay out of group politics as much as possible. Ever since the last mission he’d been engrossed in his own thoughts. Distant. The Dinari had never told him why, but Liam suspected trouble with the Ansarans was to blame. He’d given up a lot to help Liam and his crew and a part of Liam started to think their new friend had buyer’s remorse.
Nix completed the initiation sequence and joined Liam on the ramp. “We’re all set. Let’s go.”
Ju-Long was still struggling to get the crate of food on the square hover lift. After much effort, he finally muscled it onto the square platform and pressed a button on the side. The lift rose up to Ju-Long’s waist and he began pushing it toward the ramp. When he passed Liam, he said, “I don’t know why I’m the one doing this. Doesn’t Saturn have to pull her weight around here?”
Saturn eyed Ju-Long irritably.
“I thought you could fight tomorrow? You can fight and yet you worry over lifting a small crate?” Liam joked.
“Maybe you can help me prepare for the next fight. Cargo bay in an hour?”
“I wouldn’t want to damage your ego.”
Ju-Long shook his head and maneuvered the hover lift up the ramp. Liam and Nix followed him and helped him unload the crate at the top. He shoved the platform down the ramp to Saturn, who caught it and pushed it aside where it hit a wall and dropped out of the air, making a thud against the packed sand. When Saturn reached the top of the ramp, she hit her closed fist against the controls and it retracted up into the belly of the ship.
Several metal struts curved along the ceiling of the cargo bay, offset by tiny lines of glowing purple which illuminated the room beyond the several glowing orbs of light that hung from above. The crew milled around preparing the ship for takeoff, strapping down crates and closing open hatches. By the way they moved around one another angrily, it was clear to Liam that morale was at an all-time low.
Finished with their preparations, they began making their way along the curved corridor to the bridge, but Liam stopped them. If he didn’t speak up now, things were bound to get a lot worse. It was something they co
uldn’t afford given a three-week journey ahead, cramped into a small ship.
“Hold on. I need to address something.”
“You’re killing me,” Ju-Long said, throwing his hands up into the air.
“I am the Captain of this ship which means I speak uninterrupted.”
Ju-Long’s mouth closed and his jaw tightened.
Liam continued, “Things haven’t gone exactly the way we’ve planned in the last couple of months. I take responsibility for some of that. I’ve been hard on all of you to keep us focused. This mission gives us hope. Hope that we’ll find a way home someday, even if that day seems far off into the future. Each of us has other things on our minds, but for this mission we need to act as one. If we don’t, we’ll be torn apart and then everything we’ve gone through will be for nothing.”
Liam looked around at his crew as he spoke. Saturn was the easiest to convince. She had a certain desire to stay in Liam’s favor that he couldn’t explain. Ju-Long had stopped throwing his arms around and pacing, instead leaning against the wall of the curved corridor and listening intently. Nix was hard to read; not just because of his alien movements, but because he was drunk and perhaps incapable of understanding anything that was said.
Liam persisted, “This is about more than getting home now. I think our purpose here is far greater than we can even fathom. But I will not drag around dead weight and so I’m giving you all a choice. If you’ve changed your mind, if you’re not into this, then leave. But know you leave a coward. That you’ve given up a chance to be something, to do something no one else has.”
“And what’s that?” Saturn asked.
Ju-Long looked up at her question, eager to hear the answer. Nix swayed where he stood, fighting just to maintain his balance.
“I won’t say we’ll be heroes, because I certainly don’t feel like one. But we have a chance to be instigators. The catalysts for change. These past couple of months have opened my eyes to a lot of things. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Zega’s right. War is coming to this system and if we don’t do something it will spread to ours as well.”
“What’s Earth done for us?” Ju-Long responded angrily. “Vesta Corporation owns Earth and they imprisoned us. If we get back to our system it’ll only be a matter of time before we’re back on a mine somewhere.”
Liam nodded and put a hand up to his face, itching the long scar on his right cheek. Finally, he said, “What if we took it off the table?”
“What do you mean?” Saturn asked.
“I mean let’s get the Quantum Trigger for the sake of keeping it out of Ansaran or Kurazon hands. After that, we’ll do what we have to do.”
“Finish my fight,” Ju-Long said eagerly.
“Help my people,” Nix mused soberly.
Saturn looked at Liam glowingly and simply nodded.
“I’m asking all of us, myself included, to put aside our frustrations and to do what’s necessary. Nothing more or less,” Liam said to the crew.
Ju-Long nodded and said, “As long as they hold the fight.”
“It’s Zega we’re talking about. He isn’t going to let one of his fighters miss a bout. He’s owed favors from just about everyone in the colony.”
“You’re right,” Ju-Long said, resolved. “Let’s get this ship off the ground. We’ve got a long way to go.”
Nix led the way down the corridor, stumbling into the cockpit and falling into his seat toward the rear on the starboard side. Liam took the helm with Saturn by his side in the co-pilot’s chair, examining the many copper switches and contrasting holographic displays. The cockpit had four seats made from the leather of a local mammal, but they were cracked after countless years of neglect. Saturn brought up a map of the colony and prepared to play the role of navigator.
Liam touched a control on the console and the hangar door opened in front of them, several dusty chains dangling from the sides and making tracks in the sand as the sheet of metal slid toward the ceiling. Liam slipped his arm through a copper loop and grabbed the handle on the other side, the circle closing around his forearm. He lifted up slightly and felt the ship rise into the air.
Ju-Long, who was usually last to strap in, was already buckled and tightening every strap for the second time, just to make sure. When Liam noticed, Ju-Long said, “Hey, I remember the last time you drove. You know what they say, fool me twice.”
“That’s not what they say,” Saturn said under her breath.
Liam ignored them and forced the accelerator forward with his left hand. The Garuda shot through the opening and immediately Liam brought up his right arm and maneuvered the ship into the yellow sky.
6
Liam flipped a copper switch and The Garuda’s wings spread out wide, their metal frames holding seemingly organic elements which flowed with purple energy along the struts. He wove the ship in and out of the many massive spires as they climbed up past the tip of the tallest tower. Warning lights flashed on his console and a holographic image projected itself up before the cockpit’s bay window. Despite the orange hue of the image, the alien projected clearly had soft blue scales that could almost be construed as white, with an angular face and elongated pointed ears pinned back along his head. His solid black eyes bore the same orb-like shape as the Dinari, but were far colder.
“Toras,” Liam said scathingly.
“I see you haven’t filed a course trajectory. I’m curious where exactly you intend to go with that interesting ship of yours.”
Toras was the current Caretaker of Akaru Colony and former head of security, hailing from a noble Ansaran House called Zumora. Despite his promise that Liam and his crew could come and go as they please, there seemed to be an increasing number of caveats. The last couple of times they flew The Garuda, Liam felt as though they were being followed. He wouldn’t have put it past Toras to send his men to tail them.
“My apologies, Caretaker. I’m sending the coordinates now.”
Liam cut the feed and pressed a few buttons on his touchscreen.
“What are you sending him?” Saturn asked.
“Toras should be receiving a message with our flight plan to the planet Taleris.”
“What’s there?”
Nix spoke up first, his eyes closed and his head tilted back in his chair. He garbled, “Shipyards mainly. They haven’t been in use since the war. We can mask our signature when we leave the atmosphere and change trajectory.”
Liam pulled back on the controls and lifted the ship into a steeper ascent, flipping a switch and folding the wings back to reduce drag. Warning lights flashed again and an image of Toras appeared in front of Liam once again. The Ansaran did not look pleased.
“We both know there is nothing on Taleris. What are you up to Kidd?”
“A simple supply run. The Dinari on Taleris sent a request for more Nerva plant. We can’t keep our customers waiting.”
“A long way to go for such a petty mission. Perhaps you’re losing your touch.”
“Toras,” Liam began in a heartfelt tone. “I assure you, we’re traders, nothing more.”
“Prepare for an inspection upon return, Outsider.”
Toras’ hologram dissipated and Liam was left looking at a sky which was quickly turning from yellow to black as they approached the outer atmosphere. The ship shook slightly from the ascent but the minor quaking hardly rattled Liam. It was nothing compared to their first foray through that atmosphere. It took only moments for them to break through into outer space.
“Saturn, check for signs of other ships.”
After checking her panel for a moment, she responded, “None. Either Toras took us at our word or his spies have evaded our sensors.”
“Let’s not take any chances. Ju-Long, work on masking our signature. I’m setting a course for Taleris along with a scheduled course change toward Narra at one million miles.”
With the course set, Liam released his grip on the control handle and the copper ring expanded around his arm. He let his fo
rearm float out of the circle and leaned back against his cracked chair. He pressed a hard lever to his right and the gravity generator came online, his feet hitting the floor along with his insides.
“That should do it,” Liam declared. “Estimated time of arrival, three weeks.”
“Would you stop saying that?” Ju-Long said. “What am I going to do for three whole weeks?”
Nix unbuckled his straps and stood up, stretching his back and gesturing at Ju-Long. “Let’s start with getting you fixed up. I’ll cook up some Leguma and you can tell me more about this Starlight drink.”
Ju-Long perked up at the sound of his new favorite dish. Made primarily from boiled Nerva plant, Leguma had certain healing properties. Ju-Long was making a regular habit of having a bowl and spreading the boiled purple plant over his wounds. Liam was beginning to think his crewmate was becoming even more reckless now that he knew minor wounds weren’t much of a concern. It seemed like every mission they went on, no matter how small, Ju-Long ended up injured in some way. It had become something of a running joke.
Ju-Long followed Nix back toward the kitchen and Liam and Saturn were left alone in the cockpit. Saturn was busy examining their route on her screen, the computer’s faint glow reflecting off her caramel skin. Liam unbuckled from his chair and put his hands behind his head, watching the stars slowly drift by.
“Thank you,” Liam said while continuing to stare out the window.
“For what?”
Liam turned his head toward her and smiled. Her rough white tank top turned orange from the light of the hologram. The shade complemented her skin. After a moment of silence, she turned toward him questioningly.
Liam blinked and said, “For having my back. I know we don’t always see eye to eye.”
“It’s nothing,” she said, smiling when she thought Liam wouldn’t notice.
A few minutes passed in silence until Liam finally worked up the courage to ask her what he’d been meaning to ask for quite a while.