The Search for FTL

by Ted Iverson

  “Who me? No, no, just some small business matters, that’s all.”

  “Well, Mr. Bindl, anyone who will be meeting with senators all week is pretty important in my eyes.” She walked away to put in his order.

  He saw the big grin on her face as she walked away. She’d been playing with him. She’d known all along who he was and what he was doing in town. Not that it was a secret, but she’d pretended not to know. He should be mad, but he couldn’t be. For some reason he liked that. He might have to get to know her, or better yet, maybe he’d let Alec reintroduce himself, that is, if time allowed. After the scene his brother had made last night, though, Sam might not want to deal with him. But one never knows, he mused.

  He picked up the paper again, but wasn’t really reading. He was trying to decide why he would be flirting here when Joanne might be waiting back home. He’d been thinking about her a lot since he’d left. That might not be such a bad thing he realized. Yes, theirs was just a working relationship right now, but Ty had been thinking that it could turn into more. For the time being, though, he’d need to concentrate on business.

  Alec opened the back hatch of the Turtle and slowly, by remote, backed the Hare out of its holding bay. Continuing to use the keypad, he methodically turned the Hare and pointed it toward the hangar bay door. A ray of sun leaked through a crack in the old hangar’s roof and widened as it came to rest on the Hare.

  Alec stepped back and looked at his ship. With the sun’s ray reflecting on it, it appeared ready for action and a bit frightful. Alec’s hair stood on end. He punched another button, and the Turtle’s hatch started to close. As it did so, a man stepped out of the shadows of the hangar. Must be the attendant from last night, Alec thought as he watched the shadowy figure.

  “Hello,” Alec called out. “I was just coming to talk about how long I might need your hangar. Could we go to your office?” No answer.

  Alec suddenly realized that only three people should know he was here: Orion, Zach, and the attendant, none of whom were this man. Suddenly, the man pointed a weapon at him. Alec instinctively dove to the floor and rolled to the right, where he’d be protected by the Turtle. A bolt immediately hit the spot he’d just vacated. He jumped up onto the Turtle’s wing. Another bolt hit where he’d once been.

  Not fun, he thought.

  He was forced into quick, defensive maneuvers, just trying to stay out of the line of fire. Shots hit wherever he’d been. The hangar was small, though, and Alec knew he couldn’t dodge the bolts all day. Somehow he’d have to get on the offense rather than just trying to save his skin. He lunged over the cockpit canopy then shifted and slid down the curved surface of the ship on his stomach and with feet first. As he slid, his right hand went into his jacket, felt cold steel, and pulled out Simon. Clutching his weapon, Alec landed on his knees atop the Turtle’s wing.

  He heard his opponent circling the nose of the ship. Without hesitating, Alec aimed his weapon over the nose, but not at his adversary. It was pointed over the man’s shoulder and to the left. Alec pulled the trigger. A flash shot silently from the barrel, a feature Orion had perfected. The flash hit a shelf, knocking it off its brackets. The shelf and its cargo of old airplane parts hit the floor with a loud crash. The stranger darted out, dodging the shelf. This was all the time Alec needed. He was down off the ship’s wing, firing shots as he backed toward the Hare.

  The stranger returned fire. The old hangar was aglow in small laser fire and bursts of energy bolts and dust rose from all of the commotion. It was impossible to know how close they were to each other.

  This has to end quickly, Alec thought as he continued a barrage of laser fire toward his unseen opponent.

  While continuing to fire, Alec managed to withdraw the remote which controlled the Hare. He fumbled blindly until he heard the click and hiss as the Hare’s canopy slid open. He just needed to get there but he’d be vulnerable when he made his move to the Hare. He needed a diversion.

  He cracked a smile. His brother Orion was a complete genius. Built into Alec’s small weapon was a feature Orion had called “sunspots.” When activated, great bursts of bright, nonlethal energy were released from the barrel, bursts so bright an unsuspecting person would be momentarily blinded, long enough to allow for an escape, if needed. Alec mused: escape was desperately needed.

  He made his way behind two antique gas pumps and stopped firing, waiting for the thick dust to settle a bit and hoping the stranger would approach.

  After what seemed a lifetime, his opponent made his move. Alec saw him creeping slowly forward, approaching from the nose of the Turtle, weapon drawn. Alec was now able to get a clearer view of the man. He was short and stocky and wore some sort of camouflage outfit with insignias. Alec couldn’t make them out. When the man was about ten yards away, Alec made his move. He thrust his hand out from behind the pumps, hoping the barrel of his weapon was pointed in the right direction.

  The movement caught the man’s eye. He turned to look right into the barrel. Alec pulled the trigger. Three pulls seemed about right to do the job. The flashes were brighter than Alec remembered. He heard a shriek and a clatter of the man’s gun as it hit the floor. Alec peered out to find the man thrashing about on the ground, his hands clasped over both eyes.

  Wasting no more time, Alec leapt into the Hare, and the canopy closed, narrowly missing his head. He fired up the ship’s twin conventional jet engines while desperately punching the switches to put the plasmat engines at the ready. Taking no time to worry about possible consequences, he fired the craft’s plasma cannons as he headed toward the hangar’s doors. The doors came off their rusted hinges in a thousand pieces. A moment later, Alec was airborne.

  He wasn’t worried about the security of the Turtle, which he was leaving behind. It had everything and more to keep it safe. What worried him was the fact that he’d been followed and almost killed. First Ty and now him. All their worst fears were being realized and way too quickly. Alec was also worried about Ty. Should he have left him to fend for himself? Hopefully, Ed had already started his mission. If so, Ty would be safe. As soon as he could, he’d need to contact Ty and fill him in. Then it occurred to Alec that he should try to get some information out of the man he’d left blinded back in the hangar. He turned the Hare around and headed back.

  Ty finished his meal and thanked Sam for the great service. As he handed her a generous tip, he suggested, “See you again tomorrow morning?”

  “You might see me sooner than that if you’re going to eat tonight,” she said with smile.

  “To be honest, I have to catch up with my brother, Alec, and I’m not sure where or when.”

  “Breakfast it is then!” Sam chirped out happily.

  Ty gave a quick wave and was out the door. This will be a great day, he thought to himself as he made his way down the steps.

  He was about to hail a hover cab when another hover abruptly pulled up. It had the AxMet logo on its side. Out of the craft stepped a large man: 5’ 10” and about 300 pounds, with brown hair so dark it might be mistaken for black. His hair and beard were streaked with grey. Ty guessed he was probably in his mid to late forties. A little rotund, but distinguished looking just the same.

  “Mr. Bindl, Mr. Spencer asked me to take you wherever it is you need to go while you are in town. My name is Ed, and I am happy to serve you!”

  “Thank you, Ed. Please don’t call me Mr. Bindl though. My name is Ty.”

  “Will do, Ty.” Opening the passenger door, he motioned for Ty to enter. “Shall we?”

  Ty stepped into the roomy hovercraft, marveling at its beautifully rounded instrument panel. It contained no gauges, sensor lights, or anything. Instead, all the instrument readings could be projected onto the panel. In the old petroleum-fueled cars it had been called a head-up display and it had been projected onto the windshield, but now it was all holographic imagery.

  “And your first stop will be?” Ed asked matter-of-factly.

  “Well, Ed, I’m actua
lly early right now, so take the scenic route to Senator Fillmore’s office, if you don’t mind.” Ed started the vehicle and headed off.

  Ty sat for a while, taking in the sights of the capital. Eventually he asked, “Ed, are you a driver for Paul Spencer, or are you one of... oh how do I put this, one of his many informants?”

  Laughing, Ed replied, “Ty, I do many things for Mr. Spencer, but as of now I am at your disposal. Later, though, as per Mr. Spencer’s instructions, I do have some other sights of interest to show you. Just sit back and relax. You have a busy week ahead.”

  Ty nodded in agreement. His week would be busy, and he should try one more time to get his thoughts together. This first meeting with Fillmore and Thoma could be crucial to securing the continuation of the grant they so desperately needed. He turned and peered out of the window.

  Smiling, Ed added. “I think you’ll find your stay here most exciting.”

  Alec circled the small airstrip once. He was hoping the man who had tried to kill him was still there and that he’d be able to find some answers. He saw no signs of anyone though, which seemed odd considering his exit hadn’t exactly been stealthy. Without trying to hide his return, he set the Hare down next to the main hangar. He was hoping he’d be confronted again. This time he was ready. He jumped out of the cockpit and headed for the hangar he’d recently shot his way out of.

  Shards of wood and aluminum were scattered for yards in every direction. Alec made a mental note to have Uncle Nate authorize a check to repair the damage. That is, if it’s worth repairing. Alec looked around and saw no movement at all so he entered. The Turtle looked intact and untouched. Areas of the hangar were still smoldering from the fight. As he made his way around the Turtle, he could see the imprint where the would-be assassin had fallen and struggled to get up. Alec kept walking, looking for anything that might be of some help, but there was nothing, just footprints and patches charred by lasers.

  He gave a disappointed sigh. Nothing to gain here.

  He turned and headed out of the hangar and toward the main office, hoping to find someone there. As he neared the building, he could see the door had been left slightly ajar. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he reached into his coat, palming Simon and adjusting the weapon’s settings.

  Slowly, Alec approached the door. As he reached it, he turned and flattened his back against the wall. With Simon in his right hand, he reached out with his left hand, pushed open the door, and rushed into the room.

  He looked around quickly, moving forward at the same time. The sights and smells told him the office had been empty for some time. He let Simon drop to his side. Taking a minute to think things through, he leaned against the bookcase along the back wall. Unexpectedly, he felt the bookcase and the wall give.

  When he stopped falling, he looked around and found himself in a hidden back room. He scrambled to get up, stumbling over the countless books. Finally he managed to get to his knees. With Simon at the ready, Alec clambered to his feet.

  The distinctive smell hit him first. An empty coffee pot sat on its hot pad, burning. Alec scrambled over books and pieces of broken shelf and shut it off. He glanced around quickly and found the airstrip attendant, tied up, gagged, and unable to hide his fear. Alec made his way over to untie him. As he bent down, he saw the man’s eyes grow even wider. Alec reassured him that he was just going to untie him, but the man lashed out and kicked Alec’s feet out from under him. As Alec hit the ground, he felt something brush his head. Rolling over quickly, he glanced up into the gleaming eyes of his foe and at the weapon pointed at him. Slowly, without expression, he tightened the muscles in his wrist, activating a small button under his watch. Then he sat up.

  Ty had been taking in the sights, but not really processing them. There was just too much at stake. Upcoming meetings weighed too much on his mind. Ed could see the concern in Ty’s face and decided some conversation was in order.

  “Ty,” he started, “I’m very familiar with your family’s work and I think the possibility of faster-than-light travel is an amazing thing. Amazing.”

  Ty’s face became animated, “Thank you, Ed, but it really isn’t just a possibility. FTL is going to happen. As I’m sure you know by now, that’s why I’m here. I have to convince the Senate that what my parents were doing wasn’t just a dream and that what happened to them and the StarDancer was just a delay. I must not let the Senate decide to discontinue the grant. It can really happen, FTL that is. Just curious, Ed, my brother is here too. Are you familiar with Alec?”

  “Actually,” Ed replied, “I’m familiar with all of you. I need to be, part of my job you kn—” Ed abruptly cut off his sentence. His eyes rapidly scanned the cockpit.

  “Ty,” he said with just a hint of concern, “we’ll be making a short detour. Please, brace yourself.” Before Ed had even finished his sentence, the vehicle made a sharp turn, nose over tail. The half loop left the roof facing the ground. Almost instantaneously, the ship flipped back onto its belly, so the roof now pointed skyward. Ty was thrown violently against the roof and then back into his seat.

  “What the—!” Ty screamed.

  “I’m truly sorry, Ty. Seems we have a little emergency we need to attend to and quite quickly. Your brother Alec just activated his homing beacon. I’m afraid he’s in need of assistance.”

  “Assistance? What do you mean assistance?”

  Ed wove through traffic, dodging vehicles in his way, “Well, I don’t know exactly what type of help he needs, but he does need it—right now. Ahhhh, nice stretch of open road finally. Hold on. We’re going up!”

  As he said that, Ty saw him pull back on a lever. The vehicle shuddered. Alarming sounds came from the sides of the craft. Ty thought the doors were coming off their hinges. Instead, the outer shell of each door slid horizontal. The vehicle’s tail lamps flipped up into the trunk and the jets kicked in. Ty knew by their sound and by the acceleration that they were plasmat jets. After all, his company had invented them. The craft rose suddenly and was airborne. Ed swung eastward.

  “Mr. Bindl, Mr. Alec Bindle, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have a message from my employer, but I doubt you’ll find it very agreeable.” The man’s right leg swung out and caught Alec in the chest hard, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him once again on the floor. Without hesitation, the man lifted his weapon and swung the butt quickly down towards Alec’s head.

  He missed. The guy was fast, but Alec was faster. As the gun came down, Alec moved aside and grabbed the assailant’s wrist, twisting it until he dropped his weapon. A hand-to-hand battle ensued. Alec, now on his feet, swung first, catching the man in the jaw, jarring him back, but not dropping him. He followed with another hit to the ribs. The man stumbled, but again didn’t seem to take much damage.

  Fuming, Alec’s opponent regained his footing and approached Alec. He stopped suddenly and, from under his sleeve, drew a long thin blade. Alec moved back, circling to the man’s left. With small, fast thrusts he tried to take Alec out. Finally he leapt. Alec dodged the first jab and barely avoided the second. As Alec moved away, he tripped and fell backwards onto the broken bookcase.

  With Alec on his back, the enemy saw his opening. He moved with precision, swinging the blade down with killing force.

  The knife stopped short. Alec had picked up one of the books scattered around him and had held it up just as the knife fell. The force buried the knife up to the hilt into the book, mere inches from Alec’s face.

  It took a moment for the enemy to realize his blow had been unsuccessful. That gave Alec the advantage. He jumped to his feet and hurled himself at the other man. They both fell on the floor, fighting bitterly, exchanging even blows.

  Directed by the homing beacon, Ty and Ed found themselves quickly closing in on the airstrip. Firing the plasmats for a short time had ensured their fast arrival. Ed landed their craft next to the building where Alec’s beacon flashed. They made a beeline for the door, passing a man sprinting across the tarmac. Unbek
nownst to them, it was the airstrip attendant, who had managed to free himself during the brawl.

  Ed put a hand out to stop Ty. “You follow and catch up to him,” he said, motioning toward the runner. “See what he knows. The dirty work is mine,” he added, now pointing toward the building.

  Having had enough excitement already, Ty nodded. Without hesitating, he ran after the escaping man. Ed watched Ty take off then he entered the building, moving swiftly and stealthily. He heard a noise from the back and came to a stop just short of the now missing bookcase and out of the view of the two combatants. He saw Alec and a man struggling to get up from the ground. Once up, they began exchanging blows again, throwing fists right and left. Alec got off a roundhouse punch that made the other man stagger as it turned him 180 degrees. Recovering, the man caught Alec with a boot to the chest, which sent Alec stumbling backwards. He quickly gathered himself and went straight toward the man.

  Ed decided to step in. His appearance startled Alec. The other man, whose back was toward Ed, never saw a thing. Ed picked up a heavy oak shelf from the broken bookcase. Stepping silently over the debris, he closed in behind the assailant, lifted the shelf over his head, and brought it down with one powerful swing. It connected with the assailant’s head and his movements ceased immediately.

  Ed rolled the now unconscious man over with his foot to make sure he was out cold then smiled. Indeed, he is out. He tossed the shelf aside and it landed loudly among the clutter on the floor.

  Alec, totally winded and coughing through the dust, wiped his bloodied mouth with his torn and dirty sleeve. In spite of the battle, he managed a cool greeting: “Why, hello, Ed. Thanks for coming, but I really did have it under control.”

  “Of course you did, but I couldn’t let you have all the fun,” Ed replied as he dusted himself off. He let out a laugh, walked over to Alec, and extended a hand.