Blackthorn (Taurian Empire)

by Nate Johnson

  He’d also have to replace the air scrubbers once they had cleared the smoke. Another item on his ever-growing to-do list.

  When he got to Kaylee’s room, he stopped and thought of the vision he had witnessed just a few minutes earlier. God, she was beautiful. He knew it wasn’t right to be thinking about her like that. But he doubted he would ever be able to get the vision from his mind.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he knocked on her door.

  “Yes,” she said as the door slid open. She stood before him, dressed in pants and a flowery blouse that fell from her shoulder. A strong scent of vanilla overwhelmed him, making his eyes water.

  Kaylee saw his reaction and shook her head.

  “A perfume bottle broke when the gravity came back on. The previous occupant had a thing for vanilla.”

  “I’ve always preferred lavender,” Logan said as he examined her, she appeared to be fine. No bruises, no blood. His heart relaxed a little.

  “Listen, about earlier, I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” he said.

  Her cheeks grew bright red as she looked down. “I understand. Let’s pretend it never happened, shall we? “

  He nodded. He could pretend all she wanted. But that wouldn’t erase the picture in his mind.

  “Okay,” he said. “Whatever you want. But you need to know. The primary gravity generator is burnt. And the second one doesn’t look too good. If it goes, we are floating our way to Taurus.”

  “Can you keep it working?” she asked.

  “Probably not,” he replied with a shake of his head. “We need to stop at the next planet and pick up some spare parts.”

  “The next planet? Isn’t that ... Corona?”

  “Yep, but I don’t really think we can wait.”

  “I am sorry,” Kaylee said. “I know how much you wanted to avoid that.”

  “It’s okay, besides. There is something else I want to do when we get there.”

  Kaylee studied him for a long moment. He could tell she wanted to ask him a dozen questions, but she bit her tongue and simply nodded.

  The two of them stood there for a long moment, both of them thinking of things they wanted to say. Things that needed to be said. But neither made a move.

  It was a minor beeping alarm from the bridge that finally brought him back to reality. He nodded, gave her a weak smile, then hurried to the bridge. At least there he had some kind of idea what he was doing.

  .o0o.

  Kaylee stood at the bridge doorway and watched Logan sleep. He was tipped back in the command chair, his feet up, resting on the console. It was the only time she had ever seen him at rest, she realized. Normally, he was always doing something, his hands had to be performing some task.

  He’d been working around the clock, ever since the loss of the gravity generator. She could have sworn he’d torn apart and put back together half the equipment onboard.

  She wondered briefly if he had been avoiding her for some reason. Really, when you thought about it, she should have been avoiding him. After all, he was the one who had come in on her when she was naked.

  The feeling of shame and embarrassment threatened to return until she remembered the look in his eyes. He had liked what he had seen. Of this, there was no doubt. And that simple fact made everything else almost acceptable.

  Smiling to herself, she wondered if she should wake him and make him go back to his room. But the man looked at peace. No, let him rest, she thought. Heaven knew he deserved it.

  Sighing to herself, she turned to go back to her room. But she knew she wouldn’t rest. Not tonight.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lieutenant Commander Robert White stared blankly at the screen in front of him. His mind had wandered off again.

  Things just weren’t right. It didn’t fit. Nothing made sense.

  To top it off, morale was in the crapper. Petty Officer Washington was almost healed. Doc had informed him that the Nanos were almost done and the cast could come off tomorrow. But the man didn’t seem happy about the prospect. His ever-present smile had seemed to have disappeared.

  Yesterday, Peterson and Jonesy had gotten into a loud argument about something. Both of them had shut down as soon as he came on them. Neither willing to say what the argument had been about.

  The skipper was rather certain it had been about Miller. He knew what they thought. They shouldn’t have left him on Montlake. They should have marched Miss Williams directly to the Embassy and to hell with the local government.

  They were Imperial Navy after all. They might only be a lowly beacon tender. But they belonged to the most powerful military in the history of the human race. The undisputed power of the galaxy. Who was going to stop them?

  Shaking his head, he tried to deny the feeling that the crew was right.

  The men didn’t blame him. In fact, if they had, it would have made things easier.

  No, they blamed the system, and that was worse. There was nothing they could do about it. That sense of helplessness was never good. Especially for men who put their lives on the line on a daily basis.

  Taking a deep breath, he called up the message traffic once again. There was the alert from Montlake telling the galaxy that Miller and Miss Williams had stolen a vessel and were making for the Montlake’s wormhole and the galaxy beyond.

  He remembered how he’d almost laughed with relief to find out they were both alive and had escaped.

  But then, a short time later, the message canceling the previous alert. Why? What had happened? Had they been captured? Killed?

  He then called up the dozen messages he had sent to Navy headquarters. Each of them asking about Miller, the Starship Princess, and Miss Williams. Asking for details. Asking for instructions.

  But nothing in return. No answer to any of his queries. It didn’t make sense. Even if they wanted to pretend the whole thing never happened. They should have at least sent him something to tell him to stop asking.

  He sighed heavily. He knew that what he was about to do might very well cost him his career. But really, what choice did he have? Miller was his responsibility.

  “Lieutenant Stevens, can you come to my cabin,” the captain said into the intercom.

  “Yes, Sir,” the young lieutenant responded. The skipper smiled to himself. One thing he had learned this trip. Lieutenant Stevens could be relied upon. He was a good officer, a keen mind, willing to take charge and take action. He must be careful not to endanger the young man’s career.

  There was no need for them both to go down in flames.

  “Captain, you wanted me?” the young officer said as he stepped into the cabin.

  “Yes, lieutenant. How long until we reach Taurus?”

  “Three days, Sir.”

  The skipper nodded. “Very well, please reduce to two-thirds speed. And when we get to beacon seventeen. We will not be entering Taurus space, at least not yet. I want you to pull us to the side. Out of the way and darken ship. No active sensors, no lights, no radio signals. Understood?”

  “Yes, Sir,” the lieutenant said with a furrowed brow.

  The skipper gave him a few seconds to work it out. At last, the furrowed brow relaxed to be replaced by a large smile. “Yes, Sir. What will we say if headquarters asks why we stopped?”

  The skipper scoffed. “You mean if they ever deem to talk to us again.” It really bothered him that they had ignored his messages. “I think a minor failure. Something that is going to take a few days to fix. In fact, that was the reason we were at reduced speed for the last few days.”

  The lieutenant nodded. “I’m sure Chief Bowen can find something wrong.”

  “Lieutenant,” the skipper said with a serious frown. “I don’t want anyone getting in trouble over this. No gun decking of the logs. No false reports. If a message needs to be sent to HQ, I will send it, over my signature. Do you understand? As far as the crew understands. I gave an order to park the ship outside the wormhole to Taurus.”

  “Yes, Sir, but the crew is going
to figure it out, Sir.”

  “Well, of course, they are. They’re not idiots. But it is our responsibility to make sure they aren’t held accountable for our actions. Especially when those decisions are breaking about a dozen regulations.”

  “Yes, Sir,” the lieutenant said as he came to attention then performed a parade ground ‘about face’ and left the cabin.

  The skipper shook his head. He had absolutely no idea what was going on, but he had an idea what might happen, and if he positioned his ship correctly, he just might be in the right place at the right time to fix either eventuality, maybe even both.

  .o0o.

  Logan’s stomach tightened into a hard ball as the ship passed the Imperial Cruiser I.S.S. York parked above Corona. Every nerve ending was on high alert for any indication something was wrong. A radio call. A shuttle sent towards them. Even a beam of plasma blasting them into a hundred pieces.

  Finally, they were past with nothing happening. He sighed and studied the planet below them. He’d spent the last eight years avoiding this. But some things couldn’t be put off.

  He scanned his screen. The familiar brown landscape of sand and scrub bushes made him smile. Some things never change.

  As the city came into view, his attention was drawn to the iron fence surrounding it. The solid metal fence had begun to turn red with rust. They’d never taken it down, he realized. Instead, they’d cut holes in the damn thing to let people through. But someone had decided it wasn’t worth the cost of tearing it down.

  Of course, that person hadn’t lived for two years locked up behind it.

  The rage that began to build inside of him was hard to keep under control.

  “Is everything okay?” Kaylee asked from her seat next to his on the bridge.

  Logan nodded. He could tell that she was watching him. Waiting for him to fall apart. It’s only Corona, he said to himself. It’s only home.

  The A6127 came online, “Clearance has been granted to land, but credits for mooring must be deposited prior to touchdown.”

  Kaylee glanced at him, her eyes growing large with worry.

  “Don’t worry, I can pay for it,” he said to her. “A6127, issue the payment.”

  “But, that’s your money,” Kaylee said. “The money for your land.”

  He laughed and shrugged his shoulders as he continued to stare at the screen.

  “Will the Navy pay you back?” she asked.

  Logan laughed. “If they don’t court martial me. I’ve broken enough laws. I don’t think they are going to be in the mood to compensate me much.”

  Kaylee was silent for a long moment. “If they don’t, my father will. You shouldn’t have to lose your savings because you rescued me.”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got about twelve hundred obstacles to overcome before we get to that point. We’ll worry about it when we get there.”

  She nodded, but he could see her mind working behind her pretty eyes. What she failed to understand was that if he was in prison, money was going to be the least of his concerns.

  “The payment has been received,” the A6127 said. “Dock Lima twelve has been assigned to this vessel.”

  Logan nodded, “Thank you, please take us in.”

  The ship began its decent. Kaylee grimaced and said, “Are you sure no one is going to arrest us when we get there?”

  “No, I’m not sure. But we really don’t have a choice, I’ve got to get some spare parts. If that second generator goes, we are completely screwed.”

  “I know,” she said. “I understand. It’s just ...”

  “Listen, Kaylee, I’ve been monitoring the radio traffic. Nothing has come out of Montlake since I installed that blocking program. The last thing these people knew, the Starship Princess is free and clear. But am I positive? No, there might have been something else. Some other thing we don’t know about. After all, we don’t even know who is chasing you. For all I know, it could be the government of Corona.”

  Kaylee looked at him, he could see the doubt in her eyes, but she held her words. She was good at that, he realized. Good at knowing when to poke and prod and when to accept the situation.

  He knew perfectly well that if she thought he was making the wrong decision, she’d let him know in no uncertain terms. But if she thought he was headed in the right direction. She wouldn’t question, wouldn’t second guess.

  No not Kaylee.

  Sighing, he watched his city come into better view.

  The docks were on the east side, meaning they had to cross the city to reach them.

  The place was still half rubble. Even after eight years. It looked like no one had decided it was really worth rebuilding. The streets were clear. At least people had pushed the rubble aside to let the vehicles through. But, even then, there was very little traffic.

  As they flew over the city, he picked out sights. Places that brought out special memories.

  The park where they’d fought over air drops. The block of buildings that had burned down when there was no one to put out the fire. Jenny had died in that fire, scavenging, she’d been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  Other blank spots showed the destruction. The buildings hadn’t been replaced. The rubble still stood there. Much like the iron wall outside the city. A reminder of what hell was like.

  He shuddered, and Kaylee reached over to put a comforting hand on his arm.

  “The city hasn’t really repopulated itself,” he said. “It’s been eleven years, and there is still only half as many people as from before the plague. And almost all of them are carpetbaggers, swooping in and taking up businesses and stuff.”

  Kaylee smiled sadly. “I don’t think Corona is very popular. People are afraid. Plus, there are other new planets. Other places to begin a new life. They don’t want to go to somewhere that is considered unlucky.”

  “Yeah, I can’t say as I blame them,” Logan said as he watched the two retaining arms stretch out from the dock and pull the ship into place.

  He smiled at Kaylee and said, “Welcome to Corona, The destroyer of dreams and the killer of hope. The unlucky bastard to a forgetful Empire.”

  Seeing the pity in her eyes, pulled him up short. This was stupid he thought. It was only a city, and it wasn’t as if he was going to be here long.

  “Come on,” he said as he hopped down from his chair. “Let’s go see the sights. It will be nice to feel a warm sun on my back. Even if it is this one.”

  “Unless the authorities are here to meet us of course,” Kaylee added with a frown.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Logan glanced up at the blue sky. Yes, he had been right. The color of Kaylee’s eyes matched perfectly.

  He closed his own eyes and let Corona seep back into his bones. That hot, dusty smell. The sense of the unknown and unspeakable just a heartbeat away.

  Shaking his head, he pulled himself back to reality and looked both ways up and down the dock.

  Empty. Not a soul. No authorities waiting to arrest them. No pirates looking to kill him and take Kaylee. Nothing, just a quiet dock in a backwater city.

  “Come on,” he said to Kaylee as he tucked the pistol into the back of his pants and pulled his shirt over it. “If it’s still there, I know where we can get what we need.”

  The Chandlery was on the same corner he remembered. Tucked away between an empty art gallery and a tea shop.

  The clerk smiled when he saw the list of items Logan needed. The man entered them into the computer then presented the bill.

  Logan’s heart fell. He studied it for a moment then nodded. “Have them delivered to Lima Twelve dock this afternoon.” He sent the funds from his tablet and felt his world leaking away.

  “That was the last of your money,” Kaylee said with a frown. “Wasn’t it?”

  Logan nodded and shrugged his shoulders. “It won’t do me much good if we’re dead. The ship comes first, or we don’t make it.”

  Kaylee grimaced as she fell into step beside
him.

  “What now?” she asked.

  “There’s something I’ve got to do. It won’t take long. I can take you back the ship, or you can come with me.”

  She smiled sweetly. “I’ve always wanted to see Corona.”

  He scoffed but didn’t say anything. His mind was focused on keeping the memories at bay. Get there, get what he needed, then back to the ship.

  Logan could tell that Kaylee wanted him to explain what he was doing. Just like she wanted him to tell her about the city. His experiences, his memories.

  The less she knew, the better, he thought.

  For the next several minutes they walked in silence. The city acting as if everything was normal. People going and coming, vehicles moving about, a distant hum from the metal works. A work whistle from the docks.

  Normal.

  His shoulders shuddered as he stopped and looked up at the brownstone residence.

  “We are here,” he said as he slowly walked up the steps and pushed the bell.

  Kaylee stood silently next to him, waiting for what would happen. Trusting him. He should tell her, but he couldn’t speak, not at the moment. He just needed to get through this.

  The door opened, and an older woman, with brown hair going gray, stood there, examining him with curious eyes. She looked at him for a long moment then smiled.

  “Logan Miller,” she gasped as she brought her hands to her mouth.

  He nodded. “Your Honor,” he replied simply.

  The woman laughed. “I told you to call me Carol.” She glanced at Kaylee then back at Logan. “This is a surprise, come in, come in.”

  Logan placed a hand on Kaylee’s back and let her enter first. She glanced at him, her eyebrow raised in question.

  He ignored her as the three of them entered a parlor off the main hallway. It was just as he remembered it. Books, a leather couch, a china doll sitting on the table in the corner.

  “Logan, it is so good to see you again. How are you?” the woman asked.

  “I’m doing good,” he said. “Is it still here?” he asked as he held his breath.

  The women smiled. “Of course, just where you left it.”