Preservation_Age of Expansion_A Kurtherian Gambit Series

by Sarah Noffke

  “Good point, doctor.” Eddie flipped a switch overhead, waiting until the green light flashed. “Foreign Q-Ships, this is Black Beard with Ghost Squadron. Do you read me?” Julianna looked at Eddie with silent disbelief. He flipped the switch and shrugged. “What? If they want to play a game, we might as well have fun. Help them keep up their pretenses.”

  “What exactly are you planning?” she asked.

  “Well, I thought I’d try the civilized approach.” Eddie lifted his hand, resting his finger on the comm switch.

  “Maybe you weren’t safe from that radiation, after all; I think it all went to your brain,” Julianna joked.

  Eddie flipped the switch again. “This is Black Beard. Do you copy? We aren’t able to make out your ship idents. Permission to—”

  Two red lasers streaked out from one of the imposters—not a type of firepower the Q-Ships possessed.

  The ship vibrated from the attack, but the shields remained intact.

  “You cold-blooded sons-of-bitches!” Eddie exclaimed.

  “Again, I am still here, guys,” Penrae said, her tone bordering on joking.

  “Right,” Julianna chirped. “We didn’t mean you. You’re a kind Saverus with a warm heart.”

  “And possibly even a soul,” Eddie added for good measure while firing cannons at the fleet.

  Both his rounds ricocheted off their targets, having no effect.

  The Saverus fired again, their shots flying straight through the projections.

  “Well, hell, now they know they’ve got us outnumbered six to one,” Julianna grumbled, turning off the hologram technology and making the other ships around them disappear.

  “We can still take them,” Eddie said.

  “Not without suffering serious damage, and this Q-Ship doesn’t have all its weapons upgraded yet—only the cannons,” Julianna pointed out. “We can’t take too many of those laser attacks.”

  “Okay, fine,” Eddie acquiesced. “Let’s at least make them chase us.”

  Julianna agreed with a nod, activating the thrusters. She spun the Q-Ship in a full rotation, enjoying watching the pursuing ships try to echo her movements as she sped past and jinked to outmaneuver their shots.

  “A bunch of copycats is what they are,” Eddie said, sending another barrage of cannon fire after them. “Let’s watch them dance.”

  When Julianna had pulled the Q-Ship a good distance past the Saverus, she halted, letting them suddenly catch up. Then she threw up the cloak, disappearing at once.

  Dropping out of their position, she negotiated the Q-Ship easily, sneaking out of sight and cruising back to Ricky Bobby.

  Eddie laughed. “That shit will have them scratching their heads.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Hatch’s Lab, Ricky Bobby, Paladin System

  “No, no, no,” Hatch bellowed, shaking his head. “That’s impossible.”

  “It makes sense, though,” Jack reasoned, leaning against the DeLorean. Hatch cut his eyes at him, making the chief strategist rethink his decision. Jack straightened, clearing his throat.

  “Noah’s ark with native Savern flora and fauna?” Hatch asked, looking between Eddie and Julianna. “Nothing about that makes sense.”

  “Are you certain that there isn’t something the Savern could have engineered to protect animal and plant life while being transported using the Tangle Thief?” Julianna questioned.

  “I’m certain enough to stake the captain’s life on it,” Hatch said.

  Eddie laughed. “Hey now!”

  “I don’t know, Hatch,” Cheng argued. “We haven’t run every scenario or looked into all potential resources. It could be possible.”

  Hatch shot him a furious expression. “How?”

  “Well, I’m not sure, but I’m not ready to admit that there is no plausible way,” Cheng stated, pulling up his pad.

  “Knox and Cheng were lucky enough to use the Tangle Thief and not be harmed,” Hatch stated. “In most instances, more than just memory loss and cognitive malfunctioning would result from such an experience. If someone tried to transport a house of living beings, those inside would be nothing short of doomed.”

  Without looking up from the pad, Cheng said, “I realize that it’s not how we intended the device to be used, but it doesn’t mean the Saverus couldn’t have engineered a workaround.”

  Hatch huffed and turned his attention to the client sitting on the workstation behind him. Knox appeared to be waiting for the mechanic to rejoin him in tinkering with it.

  Jack watched the two work for a moment before saying, “While you’re trying to find ways to link this client with the other parts of the Tangle Thief, I’ll keep an eye out for reports on the missing pet shop.”

  “You do that.” Hatch didn’t sound at all interested, his attention focused on his work.

  Jack let out a weighted breath, combing his hands through his black hair. “I’m not going to lie; waiting for the Saverus to make the next move is a risky position for us to be in.”

  Eddie agreed with a nod. “Yeah, I don’t like sitting around.”

  “Do we have surveillance on Savern?” Julianna asked.

  “We do, but it’s not doing us a lot of good. That planet is huge,” Jack informed them. “It’s easily three times the size of Earth.”

  “Imagine the tear it will leave behind when the Saverus steal it,” Hatch said without looking up.

  Cheng bristled and turned for the exit, clearly wanting to retreat from the morbid conversation.

  “If,” Jack corrected. “If they steal Savern.”

  “Don’t listen to him, good doctor,” Eddie said, waving a hand in Hatch’s direction. “He’s just grumpy because Pip wrecked his car.”

  “That has nothing to do with this or my mood,” Hatch said, indeed sounding more irritated than usual. “You are all throwing out impossible assumptions which are distracting you from finding out exactly what the Saverus are up to, or what will happen if they are successful. The size of the tear that planet would leave behind would be enough to split the galaxy in half. Nothing will survive it.”

  Julianna rolled one of her shoulders back, trying to ease the tension in her neck. “Hatch, I think you have the intention of trying, in your own weird way, to be helpful, but I’m not sure your approach is good for morale.”

  “That is an important topic, and I’m glad you’ve brought up,” Jack stated, clearing his throat again. He gave Eddie and Julianna a hesitant look. “It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me that stress is running high on the ship.”

  Hatch attached a wire to the end of the client, his focus intent on the device. “That tends to happen when the crew is trying to stop a race of deceptive shapeshifters who could end us at any moment.”

  “I realize that,” Jack stated with a confident nod. “Still, if we don’t take care of ourselves, we’re not going to be in a position to stop the Saverus.”

  “Spoken like a man regurgitating something Liesel would say,” Hatch muttered, earning a small chuckle from Knox.

  Jack cut his eyes at Hatch, releasing a steadying breath. “Although Liesel was the one who gave me this idea, I do speak as the Chief Strategist.”

  “Tell me, Jack…What happened to your slacks?” Hatch asked, sounding particularly cranky.

  Jack looked down at his clothes. He did appear a little more casual than usual, in his woven, trim pants and loose button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. “I thought I’d try something different. These are supposed to be breathable, which is good for your skin.”

  “For your skin maybe,” Eddie said, diverting his eyes as he suppressed a grin.

  Hatch puffed out his cheeks, his gaze still focused down. “I’m just glad you ugly humans cover your bodies in the first place.”

  “I bet you’re glad you don’t have to wear pants,” Eddie said, letting out a deep laugh. “I mean, humans put theirs on one leg at a time, but Londils—”

  “Shut up, Captain,” Hatch groaned.

/>   Jack coughed to clear the air. “Anyway, as I was saying. I’ve had Ricky Bobby monitoring our stress levels, and he reports that they’re at an all-time high. Therefore Liesel has volunteered—”

  “And there we go,” Hatch interrupted. “I knew she’d be behind this.”

  “As I was saying,” Jack stated. “Liesel has put together some stress relieving techniques for the crew, and will offer them starting this evening.”

  Eddie laughed. “If you think I’m doing yoga, you’ve got another thing coming.”

  “No one wants to see you in yoga pants, or whatever that getup is that Jack is wearing,” Hatch remarked.

  “Amen, doc!” Eddie exclaimed.

  Jack shook his head. “It’s not yoga, although Liesel will offer those sessions in the morning, if she gets more requests.”

  “It’s funny, I thought we recruited her to be the engineer, not the activity director,” Hatch stated.

  Eddie laughed. “She’s quite the bargain.”

  “Anyway,” Jack said again, trying to steer the discussion back on track. “Liesel is offering a Pinot’s Palette class tonight in the lounge.”

  “A what?” Knox asked, looking up suddenly from the workstation.

  Jack nodded with a smile. “Apparently, it’s been proven to help people unwind and channel creativity. Liesel gave me some data suggesting that letting out creative steam improves morale. Ricky Bobby was able to back up her findings, so I’m confident this is a method worth trying.”

  “And yet we still don’t know what it is,” Eddie stated. “What’s Pinot’s Palette?”

  “Wine and painting,” Julianna said, her tone dull.

  Jack shot her a smile. “That’s right. Wine is shown to decrease stress hormones and lower blood pressure, putting artists more at ease. While you sip on a glass, Liesel will guide you through the process of creating your own masterpiece.”

  Eddie waved his arm forward, encouraging Jack to say more.

  “That’s it,” Jack stated with finality.

  “Where’s the part when you say, ‘Just fucking kidding’?” Eddie asked, his tone serious.

  Jack shook his head, striding for the exit. “I’m not at all kidding. I take your mental well-being seriously, and don’t want you overdoing it. I think this event is what you all need; a way to relax while also team building.”

  “We’re busy working on the Tangle Thief,” Hatch grumbled.

  “Yeah, I’d love to, but I’ve got to help them with the Tangle Thief,” Eddie joked.

  “The hell you do!” Hatch exclaimed.

  “I’d go, but I don’t want to,” Julianna stated blankly.

  Jack sighed. “As you are the captain and the commander of this ship, I can’t force you two to do anything. I can only give you the data showing that stress hormones are elevated in every single member of your crew. I hope you’ll lead by example, though—you might not need this, but there are others on this ship who could benefit.”

  Julianna gave Jack an insolent expression. “Fine, I’ll go, but I’m sipping whiskey, not fucking fruit juice.”

  “If she’s going, I’ll go too,” Eddie agreed.

  Jack beamed. “Good. I think you both made a wise decision,” he said before turning and striding away.

  “We’ve been had, you realize that, right?” Eddie asked Julianna.

  “Yeah. Let’s go grab a few bottles of whiskey,” she said. “I need to get started early if I’m expected to hold a paintbrush and not use it as a deadly weapon.”

  Eddie looked impressed. “I’d actually pay good money to see that.”

  “I’d take your money,” Julianna said as they sauntered away.

  When the captain and commander were gone, Hatch’s head snapped up. “Damn, I thought they’d never clear out!”

  Knox let out a relieved breath. “Yeah, I was running out of ways to look busy with this thing.” He pointed to the Tangle Thief.

  “I already told them it won’t lead us to the other parts of the device, but they don’t listen.” After a beat, Hatch’s face brightened for the first time that day. “Ready to get to work on the DeLorean?”

  “Hell yeah,” Knox enthused. “I’ve got an idea for using cold fusion to bypass the problem we’re having with fuel.”

  Hatch combed a tentacle over his chin. “Interesting. I’m not sure if that will work, but we can take a look.”

  Knox hopped up off his stool. “I left the plans in my room. I was working on it all night.”

  “All right, then,” Hatch stated, waving the boy away. “Go get them while I pull out the tools.”

  Knox disappeared, leaving Hatch alone in his lab.

  Jack was right about the crew’s morale. For Hatch, it was at an all-time low. But working on the DeLorean was his Pinot’s Palette…and doing it with Gunner helped.

  Hatch was leaning over the engine of the DeLorean, trying to remember what they’d been working on last, when he’d been rudely interrupted by the group going on about Noah’s ark. He shook his head at the ridiculous notion.

  “I’m sorry,” a muffled voice stated, yet another interruption.

  Hatch pulled his head out from under the hood, straightening and listening intently. “What? Who was that?” he finally asked.

  “Me,” the familiar voice of Pip called from overhead.

  Hatch’s tentacles wound together tightly, their version of making fists. “Oh.”

  “I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry,” Pip said, his voice uncharacteristically melancholy.

  “For being a coward?” Hatch asked gruffly.

  “For scratching your car,” Pip stated.

  “It’s a bit more than a scratch!”

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  “That’s what cowards say,” Hatch seethed.

  A long stretch of silence filled the space.

  “I know you don’t make mistakes,” Pip finally said. “But maybe you can understand that, as someone new to emotions, and brand new to having access to a body, it’s a bit much for me. I wasn’t thinking, and allowed the thrill of the moment to get the best of me.”

  Hatch puffed out his cheeks, keeping his eyes low in an attempt to cover his own emotions. “I trusted you.”

  “And I let you down,” Pip said, his tone subdued but still strong. “I understand that you’re very disappointed in me and that earning back your trust will take time.”

  Hatch thought about dragging out Pip’s misery with a round of insults, but the AI sounded more grown up than the mechanic had ever heard him.

  “I wish you hadn’t run off,” Hatch finally said.

  “As I am confined to the networks of the Etheric, we both know I can’t run,” Pip said without humor. “But you’re right. I should have stood up like a man—I mean, like a man or a woman. Don’t tell Julianna I said that first part. Anyway, I should have taken responsibility for my actions, which I intend to do now and in the future.”

  “Yeah, well, everyone makes mistakes,” Hatch allowed.

  “You don’t,” Pip reiterated. “I checked over your records for the last ten projects, and there wasn’t even the slightest miscalculation. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you to share space with the rest of us.”

  Pip sounded so unlike himself that suddenly all Hatch wanted was for things to return to how they were. “I’m no island,” Hatch admitted. “I still need the rest of you, in order to do my job.”

  “I’d like to continue helping you with that, if you’ll forgive me for making mistakes… although I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again,” Pip said.

  “You know what?” Hatch asked.

  “What?”

  “It’s a sign of great strength when someone can hold their head up after making a mistake, take responsibility and learn something,” Hatch offered.

  “I’m not sure I was really good at holding my head up afterward, but I’ll work on it,” Pip stated.

  “I’ll help you.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN


  Q-Ship, Cantjik Sea, Planet Sagano, Behemoth System

  Lars flew the Q-Ship steadily over the turquoise waters of the Cantijik Sea, his eyes scanning the expanse that seemed to go on forever. Fletcher hadn’t been still since he took the copilot’s seat, but his nervousness was justified. His mission to stop Rosco had purpose now, whereas before it was simple revenge.

  Vengeance had built empires and also turned them to dust. It was an emotion both productive and terrible. Life is full of fine lines like that, Lars thought. Good and bad share a paper-thin fence.

  “There they are.” Fletcher pointed to a group of four islands to the north. One was quite large, and the other three half its size.

  “I bet Rosco’s hiding on the biggest island,” Nona said from the back.

  “We’ll have to fly over it to find out,” Lars stated, cloaking the Q-Ship.

  From their position, it was clear that the three smaller islands had suffered. Most of the trees were broken, and there were scorch marks on the soil. Several structures lay in ruin, and trash and debris were strewn a great distance from them.

  “Whatever happened to those islands doesn’t look pleasant,” Nona observed.

  “Maybe someone has already taken Rosco out,” Lars mused hopefully.

  It’s not that he didn’t want closure for his friend—it was more that he wasn’t sure if this was the path to get it. The closer they got to Rosco, the brighter the scorching fire in Fletcher’s eyes. Lars feared that his friend’s need for retribution might burn him alive.

  “I doubt it,” Fletcher stated, narrowing his eyes at the islands. “The terrorist group he runs has been active, though aloof. We need to cut off the head of the beast…then we’ll be one step closer to justice for all.”

  The larger island appeared untouched by the violent forces that had ripped the smaller ones apart. Two towers stood on either end, a lookout stationed in both. The vegetation stood tall and lush, and in the center of the island stood a large, open compound made of bamboo. It was flanked by guards holding automatic weapons.

  “Looks like we found the base of operations,” Nona stated, sitting up in her seat to peer out the windows.