Interstellar Starpilots

by F Stephan

  When they emerged on the passenger deck, Emily had gathered everyone in the center of the lounge, harnessed in new seats. Brian saw broken harnesses flying all around.

  “What can I do?”

  “Get into the pilot’s chair and monitor the situation. You can’t do anything more in your condition.” The order was sharp and clear, and he obeyed before even thinking.

  “What are you doing?”

  “The most efficient thing I can.” Then, she went on her knees and wrapped her arms around the two kids cowering in fear in their own chairs.

  Taz went to the chair where the injured woman was now strapped. They had drugged her to reduce the pain, and she slept. She won’t survive another crash in the cabin. He took the same position as Emily, protecting her.

  Emily cleared her throat. “Reentry is going to rock terribly. Whatever happens, everything will be okay.” There were quiet sobs in the cabin. Brian linked to the console. With nothing to do, he renewed his attempts to get other parts of the ship to work again.

  They hit the atmosphere, and flames instantly surrounded them. Brian confirmed they had entered on a ballistic approach and hoped that Emily had done her job well enough. Minutes passed by. Strain increased with the pressure from the atmospheric braking. Groans erupted everywhere. The kids were now screaming. New straps broke under the pressure and Brian saw Taz launching himself to block another passenger in his chair.

  A loud metal clank echoed in the cabin, and normal gravity returned suddenly. “Parachutes,” said Emily to all. “Automatic release at the right altitude. Now, we will land shortly.”

  Brian had quickly got up to where Taz lay now unconscious. He felt no pulse. He has exhausted all his energy. He laid him in the corridor. The woman he had protected was breathing slowly, still asleep. Beside Emily, the kids were crying but unhurt, and she was soothing them along with their father. Others had suffered cuts and concussions. Brian slowly went around, comforting them. He had two passengers move to seats that were in better condition. Then, he moved back to his chair and waited for the last impact. Wonderful restaurant for lunch, eh?

  The other

  Alkath orbit, 2140 AD, January

  “Masterful execution, I’d say.” After eons of solitude, the silence was unbearable. Talking to himself had become a better option. “The pests from Earth won’t trouble me anymore. And the council will be confused. All in one stroke.”

  A giant 3-D showed him the star elevator in real time and the mad shuttle rushing toward its destruction.

  “What, a century of preparations and sabotages wasted? No, used. You know, slow action escapes detection. She has set a tight watch here.” Another 3-D was projecting his multiples threads of actions, spying, corrupting Federation agents and other covert operations.

  A blip on the console alerted him. “Connection lost with the shuttle? Someone broke the googles. What anguish for them! Even better.” He cackled, rejoicing in their misery. As he had suffered during long ages, they would dread those minutes. The laughter lasted, running wild until two blips stopped it short. The shuttle escaped abruptly the rail while the Defense Array awakened to clean the cable and search for him.

  “So, you’re looking for me, sis? You honestly think you can do it?” He easily scrambled the Array’s signal. “I’m your big brother still.” New cackles stopped short again. The tracking radars began to change frequencies to counter his interferences, faster and faster.

  “So, you’ve learned, did you? Let’s get some room for maneuver.” He moved away from the planet, pushing the ship as fast as he could. If he used his thrusters for maximum speed, they would find his heat signature in an instant. If he didn’t, he might be found by chance before he was far enough. Long minutes ticked by, with this unusual feeling of the hunt on him. Those feelings were unwelcome. He was the hunter. Never had been hunted since their exile even before the Imperium. He changed his camouflage and direction time and time again. Each time gave him a few minutes to get farther away from Alkath.

  “You’re down in the dirt, sis. I’m up here, and I’m getting closer to a jump point by the minute. You won’t catch me, not this time. No, no, no. Too bad for you!” He was still tracking the shuttle. It was now on a reentry course, and he soon saw where it’d land. He laughed again.

  “Missed the plan? This is even better. They’ll still be confused. Even when contradicted, I’m still the best.”

  Before he could congratulate himself further, his console lit with a new threat. She has launched drones, Ancient imperial drones. Where did she find them? They would track him down and jump through hyperspace behind him until they hit, or until he lost them. He swore and engaged his full drive, lighting up the sky. Then his network caught a random signal. She’s signaling the lab.

  “Dear sister, I’ll let you believe you’ve won. I know now in which systems you’ve hidden my lab.” After so many years, she had given him the first clue he needed. I’ve learned patience, he thought while jumping into hyperspace.

  Heikert

  Alkath, 2140 AD, January

  Master Heikert wasn’t sleeping well that night. He never did on his first night back on a planet. There are so many bad memories attached to the archipelago and to Netrash Island. The trip back to Alkath had gone well. He would deliver his report the next day, visit a few friends here at headquarters and at the academy. And then back home to Adheek.

  He decided to get out of bed and look at the stars. It used to calm him. The temperature was warm enough for him to just lean on the window frame and think of this past he had denied for so long.

  Suddenly, two streaks of white caught his attention. A shooting star was rare on Alkath. Two, and in opposite directions? One close by. One in far orbit. That was very strange. He began to dress. Someone knocked on his door.

  “Good day, Master.” A young woman in her early twenties waited for him at the door. Like his wife, her eyes were entirely black with no whites. She had an oval, golden face. Alkath, white tunic, Internal Security. Trouble.

  “This is quite early, Madam. What can I do for you?”

  “The attaché has asked me to bring you to her as soon as I could. This is urgent.” Her voice was quiet, but he felt unease underneath.

  “Shooting stars?”

  “I do not know, Master. All I know is that we need to hurry.”

  “Give me a minute.” He hurried inside to finish donning his pilot uniform. A normal tunic would have been less conspicuous, but he felt better this way. “Ready,” he called while walking out. She was already on the move toward the main shaft.

  “Where are we going?”

  “The platforms.” She was puzzled. You don’t use often, it seems. Further restrictions? He wondered. Soon, she turned in an empty corridor, and in front of her, a glowing door opened. “I’ll leave you here. The attaché should join in an instant.” Heikert moved inside and the door slid closed behind him, leaving him in the phosphorescent cave. He arrived in front of a vertical shaft. Even Lel’plan reached it at the same time on a circular platform. As soon as he joined her, it dropped with increasing speed, air rushing by them.

  “We don’t have much time. Your protégé is in trouble and we’ve to go and get him. The elevator’s shuttle had to be detached from the cable and will land soon.”

  “You’ve got plenty of pilots. Why do you need me to grab a ship in the ocean?” Anger rose in him, still fresh after all that time, and it showed.

  She snapped back, “Because it’s not going for the ocean and I don’t have anyone right now with the authorization to fly inland.”

  He swallowed. Another time, another life. “How far?”

  “Very. At least a thousand klicks. They’re in real trouble. We’re cleared for immediate departure.”

  At last, long-denied memories came back to him and he knew where they were going. There was an Ancient base hidden under the island where they had found high-speed surface skimmers. They could launch them through a shaft leading to a des
erted island close by.

  “Brian?”

  “With Emily and other Federation personnel. With two kids also.” He swallowed. Mainland. Death would come within an hour of their crash, if not faster.

  The platform landed at the edge of the main hangar where three Federation marines waited. They were in full battledress and their insignia on their shoulder showed them to be special forces. Only three. Probably the only ones found with the right clearances. He nodded to them and hurried onto the ship, motioning them to follow. He quickly entered the slick aerodynamic shape and moved to the cockpit, activating his nanites to link to the command console. At his side, Even had taken the copilot seat, while the marines took over all other onboard functions. He accelerated the preflight check and launched the ship immediately upon completion.

  They left the base with a thunderous roar. They were all sharing the same network for discussions, but no one spoke, and the ship was eerily silent. It surfaced at half the sound of speed and boomed high up to ten times that speed.

  “How far behind are we?”

  “Ten minutes. We need to reduce that time.”

  He engaged another thruster and the ship accelerated again. It was now fuming with the intense heat produced by its speed, even at high altitude. The acceleration slammed them into their seats. Soon the ocean disappeared, the coastal jungles receded, and the attacks began while he slowed. He had to decelerate for landing, and they used it against him. They were a species of gulzari, maddened with nanites, blurring by the minute. Talons became knives, swords, monofilaments as the beast remembered long-gone technics of war. He swerved and avoided them as best he could. They tore at the external armor while the marines engaged the outer defenses. The beasts absorbed bullets and bolts of energy, getting stronger by the minute. Only pure plasma bolts destroyed them entirely. This was their territory, an ancient desert radiating enough energy to keep them alive. They couldn’t leave but they could forbid access to anyone. Except Nellym trained me to do this. He defied them, in her memory.

  Heikert saw the shuttle crash into the ground in front of him. He focused to brutally break the speed of his aircraft. Deceleration tore at them and only their nanites kept them alive. As soon as they were on the ground, he took over with Even with plasma launchers. There weren’t that many creatures here, but they would swarm the place fast.

  Sirens screamed their warnings on radiation, nanites, and other poisons, while the marines ran to the shuttle. They breached it and came back bearing the Earth pilots and the kids, all unconscious. Heikert remained alone with the launchers while Even went about installing the passengers in protective harnesses for the flight back. Another successful trip brought back four passengers while beasts appeared on the ground, running toward them. Heikert activated the rocket launcher and raised a ring of fire around the craft to gain time for a third trip. It wasn’t enough, and two marines were forced to fight a giant bear armored like a tank. It held the plane in a crutch, blocking their escape.

  “Everyone installed and secured.” Even was back at his side. Heikert engaged the main engine, sending a stream of hot gas into the creature. It released the ship and the marines jumped into it. Heikert engaged the forward thrusters at the maximum acceleration. The marines, unattached, tumbled toward the back like dolls despite their nanites. Readings showed that one of them was seriously wounded and might not survive the ride. Heikert swallowed and pushed farther. Fast in, faster out. This is the only way. Nellym had repeated that so many times it had become a joke. New flying beasts had arrived, and he had to clear the sky before they could blur into something that would penetrate armor. Sweat beads rolled down his face.

  At last, he reached the edge of the desert, leaving some creatures behind. At the back of the ship, the wounded marine stopped breathing, consumed by his own nanites. His armor sealed itself on him. We always bring everyone back. No matter what they’ve become.

  The animals followed in pursuit until Heikert reached the coastal line and the defense platform kicked in. A bolt of plasma scorched the sky behind him, clearing the pursuers. Waves of superheated air swarmed around him and would disrupt the region for months. He checked quickly. The closest town was three hundred klicks away. It would be spared the worst of it.

  A minute later, they were safe, flying at a more moderate pace back to their base. Gulzaris flew to greet them and escort them back. Making sure no one is following us, aren’t you?

  Illoma

  Alkath, 2141 AD, January

  The island was mostly deserted because of the holiday. A few, like Illoma, had stayed to catch up on their homework. She was barely keeping up with the rhythm set up for the east wing, and these few days had allowed her to get back on track while enjoying the most extraordinary skies she’d ever seen. Every morning, she rose before six and went running along the cliff to enjoy the sights. Her cold planet was very cloudy, and she had grown up rarely seeing open skies.

  During that time, she also tracked Adheek Central above them. It was a large white dot close to the horizon. Emily and Brian were there together, meeting their friend from Earth. She should have felt nothing, but she was a bit jealous of them.

  She had just set out on her morning walk when she saw fast boats converging on the island. At that time of day, boats left the harbor rather than going in. Curious, she monitored their arrival while continuing her trek. Close to thirty men and women jumped out. They wore long gray trousers and shots, pistols at their belt, useless sunglasses. Security officers, she guessed. The Psy police on Pelor looked like that. On the wharf, Roul'al'Namer, the stern headmistress, greeted them, accompanied by an extremely old man, walking with an exoskeleton. And a welcome committee—trouble! She hurried back to her room, skipping the rest of her morning routine.

  Just before seven, one of the security types came to her room and ushered her into one of the larger gymnasiums. He was very polite, too polite. There, the few who had remained on the islands had been gathered.

  Their teacher for space operations, Nisar'al'Latol, was watching the crowd. Illoma walked straight up to her and asked, “Mistress, what’s happening?”

  “We’ve got an inspection. Every room, every building. I don’t know what they’re looking for.”

  Someone in the crowd added, “They’re carrying weird devices. I’ve never seen their likes.”

  The mistress confirmed, “Those guys aren’t regular security. They must be internal security.” That sentence fell like a stone to the floor, catching everyone’s attention. Conversations fell to whisper. Illoma took in the news. Someone’s in real trouble. With nothing else to do, she sat in a corner and raised different screens to continue working on her assignments. Several others copied her, and some calm settled on the place.

  After hours of waiting, four guards escorted the occupants to one of the cafeteria, a cozier room. Yet the tension was visible in the room as all seemed afraid of the inspectors who remained with them.

  At last, someone who seemed to be the leader released them back into the compound. “Good day, pilots, crew, staff. We apologize for the inconvenience you’re facing today, and we assure you we’re doing everything as fast as we can. We’d appreciate it if you didn’t activate your nanites while we work. We’ve also blocked all communications on the island. We’d like you to try to connect to the networks and confirm this for yourselves.” Illoma did as he asked and received a shock as she was rejected by the network. “Again, our apologies. We’ll keep observers with you at all times in case you need anything. This shouldn’t last for more than a few days.”

  Brian

  Alkath, 2140 AD, January

  Brian awoke in a darkened room. His body ached and trembled with cold. Where am I? What happened? His thoughts were slow. He tried linking to the network with his bracelet, but he wasn’t wearing it anymore. His nanites didn’t seem to answer to any request for improved vision. A nurse arrived with a tray of food. With her, a gentle light bathed the place, a large infirmary with blue stone
walls decorated with shells.

  “Good evening, Pilot. How do you feel?”

  “Not so well?” He laughed. “Where am I? When?”

  “On Alkath and Shaian precisely. You’ve been asleep for the last forty hours.” The petite brunette smiled at him. “How is your vision and your hearing? How does your body feel?”

  He considered these questions slowly as he started eating. “All seems fine.” Memories came back at him. “I am not losing control over my shape, if that’s what you’re asking. I didn’t push the nanites too far.” His voice had a slight edge to it.

  “Good. And you know what I’m talking about. This is positive. We’ll run a series of exams to clear this issue. Don’t try to use your nanites. We’re suppressing them until you get better. You’ll also receive more painkillers to remain conscious enough to answer our questions.”

  The nurse was professional and noncommittal, her voice cold behind her efficient stance. Brian hated her instantly. A 3-D sprang into life in front of him. He spent the next hour on exercises and questions. By the time he was finished, he was tired and slept again.

  The next morning, he was authorized to walk on his own in the hospital. An old doctor had come and cleared him for light activities. “You’re doing much better than you ought to be, young man,” he had said in his snobbish accent. “Don’t wander too far, please. We’ll have visitors for you.”

  There wasn’t much to see but he found Emily in her room, lying in her bed. A tall woman was seated at her side. She had silver skin that contrasted with her dark tunic, her hair cut short, and an air of absolute confidence. Emily closed a 3-D like the one he had seen on the previous day.

  “Come, Brian, and sit with us,” The stranger said. She paused. “It is Brian, isn’t it? I am Even lel’Plan, attaché to Internal Federation Security.” The spy mistress? Emily had told him about her.