“Well, they do,” Ben said. “I’ve got a decrease in power across the board.”
“Can you reroute some of the systems to give us more?” Kim asked.
Ben hit a few keys, shutting down the water plant, hydro-generator, and reducing life support. He routed the extra power straight to the main drive, which brought it back to full power with a little extra.
“It’s possible,” Ben said. “Let’s see how much the lasers tax the system.”
“Initializing the targeting computer,” Nance said.
The big display screens on the front wall of the bridge changed. The view from the exterior camera was overlaid with tactical information, including two reticles that were used for aiming the lasers mounted on the wing engines.
“Well, that’s cool,” Kim said as she worked her pedals and moved the reticles up and down on the screen. “But I can’t see the target.”
“The new cameras should have infrared,” Ben said.
“They do,” Nance said. “Changing to infrared now.”
The distant starlike pinpricks of light in black void of space were still visible, only they were much brighter. The crew sat in shocked surprise by how much more they could see. Space dust drifted like a cloud, glowing in the darkness. Radiation shimmered like a mirage. And directly ahead of them, looking strangely dark, was the bundle of junk Ben had put together as a target.
The tactical display enclosed the metal object in red brackets and displayed the distance in kilometers.
“Would you look at that,” Kim said.
“Target is six kilometers,” Nance said.
“That’s well within range,” Ben said. “Kim?”
“Yeah, okay,” she said, moving the left reticle to line up with the object. “Here goes nothing.”
The firing trigger for the lasers had been added to her joystick. She had to lift her thumb up and press the button, and as a safety measure, Magnum had to initiate the laser system from his console, which he had already done.
Two blazing beams of light shot out from the cannons. Ben blinked from the flash of light. The target was vaporized, but the result was like an old-fashioned fireworks display. Every bit of matter glowed in the infrared light as they shot out in every direction. They cooled quickly and disappeared.
“How about that?” Kim said triumphantly. “Now that’s some good shooting.”
Ben frowned. “The lasers use about ten percent of the fusion reactor’s output.”
“Could be worse,” Magnum said.
“Ten percent?” Kim asked.
“Yeah, and if you were chasing a moving target, firing multiple blasts, I don’t think I could route enough power to keep the shields up.”
“We need the secondary reactor,” Nance said.
“What about utilizing the auxiliary batteries for the weapons?” Kim said. “There’s enough power, right?”
“For a short time,” Ben said.
“I’ll run the numbers once we make the jump to hyperspace,” Nance said.
“Power down the defensive systems,” Ben said. “No sense in draining more power than we need to.”
Magnum nodded. His big fingers weren’t agile on the keyboard, but he made it work.
“Jump point is set,” Nance said. “We’ll reach the Knoxx system in four hours.”
“Great, let’s get going,” Ben said.
“I’m on it,” Kim added.
She made the jump to hyperspace with no problems, and Ben left Nance manning the bridge. She had a lot of information to work through. Not only from the test of the weapons but also with regard to her computers. She was constantly upgrading them, and with the additions of the weapons programs, she would need to work out a few bugs.
Ben’s stomach growled, and he decided to have some breakfast. He was halfway up the stairs to the galley when Kim caught up with him.
“Hey, you got a minute?”
“Sure, I was going to fix some breakfast,” Ben said. “Want to join me?”
“Actually, I thought we might talk in private.”
“Okay,” Ben said, with a sinking feeling in his gut.
The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with Kim. She had seen him with Rena just before they came out of hyperspace, and he was afraid it might have been the last straw. Kim was a woman of many moods. It was one of the things that Ben really liked about her. She was not predictable, which made her a great fighter pilot, but it also made Ben nervous. Especially since his track record with her wasn’t so great lately.
He turned and followed her back down the stairs. She went across to her quarters, and Ben followed her inside. When she shut the door, he felt as if he had stepped into a trap.
“You’re an idiot. You know that, right?” Kim said.
“You’ve pointed it out on numerous occasions,” Ben said, feeling the knot in his stomach tighten.
“You didn’t turn your com-link off when you were with Miss High and Mighty Freedom Fighter down in the engineering bay.”
“What?” Ben asked, his knees feeling weak.
“Oh, yeah. Nance started to shut it off for you, but I intervened,” Kim said stepping closer to him. “Did you mean what you said?”
“I don’t remember what I said,” Ben said, his mind suddenly going blank.
“Look, I don’t get you,” she said, speaking a little too loud. She started pacing as she continued. “One minute it seems like you’re into me. The next minute you’re cold as ice. Then I hear you tell our guest that I’m the best pilot ever and that you’d never do anything to hurt me. But what I really want to know, what I have to know, is what you mean when you say I’m your friend. Are we just friends, Ben? Is that all you want, a friend? Because if it is, I understand that. I’ll back off, adjust my expectations, and focus on the work. The last thing I want is to make life on this ship difficult for anyone. I really like it here, and I don’t want to do anything that might mess that up.”
“Do you think it would be a mistake if we were more than friends?” Ben asked. “I mean, if things went bad between us, we might not be able to work together.”
Kim stopped pacing. She turned and looked at him. Ben wasn’t sure, but it looked like there were tears in her eyes.
“I don’t know. Everything is new.”
“I feel the same way,” Ben said. “I’m just finding my way here. But I know one thing—you’re more than just a friend.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“I don’t know,” Ben said. “But I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not either,” Kim said.
“So there’s no need to rush into anything, right?”
“No need to rush,” Kim said. “But I could use a little more encouragement.”
“I can give you that,” Ben said. “I’m sorry I’ve been so preoccupied. It’s been a long time since I’ve needed to be more than just a mechanic.”
“That’s understandable,” Kim said. “We’re still figuring this space thing out.”
“So we’re good?” Ben asked.
“Yes,” Kim said. “We’re good.”
“Want to get breakfast?”
“No, I’m not hungry,” she said, stepping toward him. “And I don’t really like mixing with the riffraff in the attic.”
“They’re not bad people,” Ben said.
“I know, but I need a little space.”
“That’s cool,” Ben said.
She stepped closer, and he wrapped his arms around her. Kim put her head on his shoulder, and he could feel her trembling.
“You okay?”
“It’s just...” she was speaking softly, almost a whisper. “You know, people you care about never seem to stick around.”
“I know,” Ben said. “But we aren’t on Torrent Four any longer.”
“Yeah, my head knows that, but my heart isn’t quite convinced.”
“It’s hard to let the walls down,” Ben said. “I’m struggling too.”
“So
let’s not let each other grow too cynical, okay? If I’m pushing too hard, or seeming too distant, I want you to tell me. Call me out on it, and I’ll do the same for you.”
“It never crossed my mind you wouldn’t,” he said with a chuckle.
She punched him playfully. “It’s not funny.”
“Of course it is,” Ben said. “Who else gets to see this side of you, Kim? You’re all bluster and cockiness to everyone else, but I’ve always seen past that.”
“That’s what keeps me safe.”
“But it’s not the only thing,” Ben said. “You can count on me too.”
She hugged him tighter, and it felt good. There was a comfort in their shared experiences coming from a world where holding onto love was nearly impossible. And their future wasn’t set, or safe. So he didn’t rush through the motions, but instead, tried to burn into his memory the feeling of her body against his, her breath on his neck, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her arms wrapped around him, as their hearts beat together. It was a perfect moment, one that he didn’t want to end.
Chapter 14
Four hours flew by faster than Ben thought possible. He barely had time to go over the information he received from Brimex concerning the delivery on KX21 before he had to return to the bridge as they approached the hyperspace exit point.
“Five minutes,” Nance said. “All systems green.”
“This is an Imperium-controlled system,” Ben said. “Let’s be ready for anything.”
“What’s there?” Kim asked.
“A gas giant with a large mining operation,” Ben said. “The Royal Imperium has an interest in the company and is using the Fleet to protect the valuable gases.”
“What the hell are we going there for?” Kim said. “I’m all for poking the bear, but I don’t want to stick my head in its mouth.”
“May I join you?” Lieutenant Liachov asked.
“Sure,” Ben said without looking up. “KX21 is orbiting a completely different planet. We should be able to get in and out without alerting the Fleet forces guarding the mining operation.”
“What are you delivering?” Liachov asked, the skepticism evident in her voice. She clearly didn’t approve.
“Weapons,” Ben said.
“To whom? It has to be a militant group,” the lieutenant pronounced.
“I don’t really know what they do,” Ben said. “That wasn’t in the information I was given, so I don’t think it’s important.”
“It’s always important,” Liachov said.
“One minute,” Nance said.
“Debate later,” Kim added. “We should be ready for visual scanning.”
“Roger that,” Magnum said.
“If you’re on the bridge, you’re working, Lieutenant,” Ben said.
“I can’t be part of something like this,” she announced.
“Then I’m asking you to leave the bridge,” Ben said.
“You’re making a mistake,” Rena Liachov said as she walked away.
Ben didn’t know if she was angry with him for personal reasons, or if doing something purely for financial gain was somehow abhorrent to her.
“Did you know Brigton has a socialist economy?” Nance said. “I looked it up in my spare time.”
“I didn’t think you knew what spare time was,” Kim said.
“Let’s focus,” Ben said.
“Ten seconds,” Nance announced.
“Time to play,” Kim said.
“All systems green,” Nance said.
“Magnum, you ready?”
The big man nodded, his gesture slowed by the stretch of time as they exited hyperspace. The glowing clouds that had filled the screens displaying the feed from the ship’s exterior cameras suddenly changed. Ben’s starboard view showed a planet with thunderheads rolling through the atmosphere. There were even flashes from lightning visible from his perspective, but no ships of any kind.
“Starboard’s clear,” Ben said.
“Clear,” Magnum echoed.
“Nothing above us,” Nance said. “I’m checking the posterior cameras now.”
“I’m checking behind us,” Ben said, hitting the controls on his panel in rapid succession.
“All clear,” Nance said.
The rear camera feed showed a small moon. Ben couldn’t be sure but he thought he saw a dark cluster of manmade buildings on the moon. Fortunately, there were no ships.
“We’re clear,” Ben said.
“Take a look ahead,” Kim said calmly.
She pressed a button, and the image on the big forward display screens, which showed a massive gas giant in the distance, zoomed. There was a huge space station and what looked like a flurry of movement around it. Close by was a large Imperium cruiser. They could see its main drive exhaust, which meant the ship wasn’t facing them. Ben could only hope it hadn’t picked them up on radar.
“Let’s not tarry,” he said. “The moon is behind us.”
“Roger that,” Kim said.
“There could be more Fleet ships behind the planet, or even the moon,” Nance said.
“So keep looking,” Kim said. “I’m trying to fly a spaceship here.”
They approached the moon cautiously, settling into a low orbit and waiting for a signal from the people they were supposed to deliver the goods to.
“Are there any habitable worlds in this system?” Kim asked.
“None,” Ben replied. “Why?”
“I’m just wondering what would possess anyone to build a base on this moon.”
“It’s too far from Knoxx Five to be a support installation,” Nance said.
“Pirates,” Magnum said.
The rest of the crew fell silent, pondering the big man’s idea. It wasn’t a pleasant thought. Pirates were common enough, but that didn’t mean Ben wanted to rub shoulders with any. And he certainly didn’t want to be on a first-name basis.
“The mining outfit has a refinery,” Nance said.
“Which means they’re moving valuable gases out of the system,” Ben said. “But surely they’re jumping to hyperspace long before they come anywhere near this moon.”
“It’s not unheard of for outlaws to hide in plain sight,” Kim said. “A base this close to the scene of the crime might be overlooked.”
“Either way, all that matters is that we make the delivery,” Ben said. “We’re not here to pass judgment. We drop off the cargo and get out of the system as fast as possible.”
“Incoming transmission,” Nance announced.
The transmission was nothing more than coordinates transmitted on shortwave radio, guiding them to the landing zone. As Kim brought the ship down for a landing, Ben and Magnum double-checked their weapons.
“You two, stay here and be ready to take off on a moment’s notice,” Ben said, as the ship settled onto a bare patch of rock near a small building painted dull black.
“Any atmosphere on this moon?” Kim asked.
“No,” Nance said.
“We’ll suit up and use the air lock,” Ben said.
“That will take longer,” Kim said. “We could all suit up and vent our atmo.”
“No,” Ben said. “I don’t want anything that might endanger the ship. It might be in our best interests to keep the ship’s cargo and passengers a secret. I’ll deal with the locals; Magnum will back me up.”
Ben hurried down to the engineering bay and pulled on his space suit. Unfortunately, he couldn’t use his pistol with the thick gloves of the suit, but he strapped his knife into the tool belt that wrapped around the midsection of the space suit.
Magnum was waiting in the cargo bay. He had a makeshift rifle that didn’t have a trigger guard, so his big, gloved fingers wouldn’t be impeded. It was an old-fashioned projectile weapon, cobbled together from a variety of parts. Around one shoulder was a bandolier lined with shining brass bullet casings and dark lead.
“Good,” Ben said. “I can’t use my pistol.”
“Stay close,”
Magnum said.
They crammed themselves into the air lock and cycled through depressurization. The outer door had a small port of transparent steel, and Ben saw a group of people in hard-vacuum suits approaching. When the outer door slid open, Ben stepped out but didn’t go far. Magnum stayed inside the air lock with his rifle held out of sight.
“You from Brimex?” asked one of the approaching figures with a large piece of sealing tape across the left shoulder of his suit.
“We are,” Ben said.
“It’s about damn time,” said another of the approaching figures. “We been waitin’ nigh on two months.”
“We just got the job a couple of days ago,” Ben said. “Came as soon as we could.”
“Let’s see the merchandise,” said the man with the tape on his suit.
“No problem,” Ben said. “But we can’t open the hatch. We’ll have to bring everything through the air lock.”
“What kind of crap hauler are you flying?” said the second man. He was close enough that Ben could see his face. Greasy hair hung down over his left eye, and there was a puckered scar across his nose and one cheek.
“Just wait here,” Ben said.
He stepped back into the air lock and worked the cycle. When the inner door opened, Magnum propped his rifle against the bulkhead just inside the cargo bay. Then he and Ben grabbed the first crate and carried it to the air lock.
“There’s not enough room for both of us,” Ben said. “I’ll go, you follow.”
“Careful,” Magnum said.
Ben sat on the crate and pulled his legs up so the air lock door would close. Once the outer door opened, he scooted off and pulled the crate out of the ship. The group from the moon facility just watched. Ben flipped the latches and opened the crate. It was full of Lancet assault rifles. The weapons were large, with composite stocks, pistol grips, combat sites, and thick, helium-cooled barrels. The case had two dozen arranged neatly inside.
The scar-faced man snatched one up and began looking it over, while the man with tape on his shoulder looked at Ben.
“We’re supposed to have four crates of rifles, plus power supplies, chargers, some hard-vacuum explosives, and detonators.”
“It’s all inside,” Ben said with a nod. “Give us a few minutes and we’ll get it all unloaded.”
Jump Point: Kestrel Class Saga Book 2 Page 9
