Center Moon: The Stone of Cordova

by Stephen Gambuti

  Jonas pushed down on the ignition with his palm. The transport hummed and hovered. Even though he did not see the escort ship, he knew it had come. The types of crafts that flew by were loaded with heavy engines. That meant they had to come from home. They needed to be powerful enough to break Earth’s gravitational pull. Jonas lifted the handle up and pumped the floor pedal. The transport moved swiftly, and now smoothly, along the runway.

  Up ahead he could see the bay doors opening just like the first time he had entered the city. He pumped the pedal harder, not to miss his chance. Leo continued to snore. The largest craft went into the city first, immediately followed by the other two. Jonas brought up the rear as the door’s opening began to narrow.

  Something did not feel right about the port. There were no merchants selling their garbage. Crows were not crowding the bay area. It was unusually quiet. Jonas watched the crafts settle down slowly. They lowered near the ship that belonged to Liotta’s father. The feeling of uneasiness returned. He was praying that Carlen was ready and waiting inside the ship. If something had happened to his friends, he would never forgive himself.

  Jonas noticed Republican Guards leaning in the shadows of the port. He realized they were waiting for him. “Leo? Leo, wake up. Wake up.” He nudged his half-breed friend with an elbow.

  Leo slowly opened his eyes, grinning at Jonas. “Thanks for extra time.”

  “Forget that. I think we’re in trouble.” Jonas motioned to the guards.

  “Forget them.” Leo pointed to the three ships that had docked near his getaway vessel. “Look at them.”

  Armored guards poured out of both the small ships and formed two solid lines in front of the largest craft. The ramp lowered, revealing ten more guards exiting the huge craft. These guards were not armored. They wore robes.

  Their robes were smaller, tighter and colored brightly. Their yellow garments came accessorized with black sashes, which held two-foot swords on one side and fancy blasters on the other. These guards did not wear hoods, either. Their heads were outfitted with purple skullcaps. The backs of the caps had a colorful assortment of dino feathers dancing up and down their backs. They appeared more like warriors.

  “Turn around! Turn around!” Leo barked without a giggle. Jonas knew he was serious. “Ship is carrying the Emperor. Turn around.”

  “I can’t. The door is closed.” Leo’s excitement was turning Jonas’s uneasy feeling into outright panic. “What? What should I do, Leo? What should I do?”

  “Turn around.”

  Jonas wished it was that easy, but the Crows’ best soldiers now surrounded his stolen vessel, which had Liotta and Carlen in it.

  The guards broke from their lines. They formed in a circular pattern around an empty lot.

  “Appears they expect to put this thing down in that spot.” Leo put his head down.

  The guards aimed their weapons at the transport. They looked like they were about to bring it down themselves.

  Leo slowly gripped the metal rod that sprouted from his side of the console. He then gently wrapped his thick knuckles around the red trigger. Jonas noticed this and followed suit.

  “Word of advice, boy.” Leo’s face became stern. “Darden said he would meet us on the planet. This transport has power to get there.”

  Jonas observed the men getting ready to bring him to his death. A transmission came across the port speakers. “You are defeated. Surrender now and your friends will be spared.”

  Leo went to squeeze to trigger. Jonas threw his arms up and slapped Leo’s hand. “Stop! Please don’t.” Jonas gave Leo a pleading look.

  Leo released the trigger. “Okay.”

  Boom!

  A loud explosion rang out through the bay. The guards below scrambled for cover. Leo started laughing uncontrollably. “Look. One of their ships blew up.”

  Jonas anxiously glanced around him. How the hell did that happen?

  They unloaded all their power on it. The ship’s pieces blew in all different directions. His gut knotted up. He’d just lost his cousin and the first girl he actually liked.

  Jonas’s mind started twirling quickly. His father’s voice popped in his ears. “Kill the no good bastards. Kill them all.” Jonas firmly gripped his blaster control. Darden’s voice sprang out loudly. “The most evil man alive.” The window filled with images of his mother running for her life. His father presenting him with another moon rock. Darden, saving him from the probe in the hospital. Liotta, laughing. Carlen fighting with Aunt Cleonia.

  “Kill them all. Get them before they kill you.”

  “Get them.”

  Jonas twitched himself back to reality.

  “Kill them, boy.” Leo shouted as he sprayed the guards with the ship’s blasters.

  Jonas squeezed the trigger, sending a powerful blast into the second small craft.

  The large craft lifted into the air. Half of the fancy dressed guards hopped on its ramp. The craft spun around facing Jonas and Leo.

  “Gods of all.” Leo fired upon it. “Damn!” He missed by a mile.

  Whack.

  The transport they were in flipped sideways. A hole ripped into the rear of the craft. Jonas let go of the controls and held onto his straps. Leo violently hit the roof of the transport, then immediately whacked into the side of the chair. Flames engulfed the vessel’s interior. Jonas lay in his chair. The craft descended into the concrete floor. The huge ship redirected its guns toward the crippled transport.

  Looking out of the mangled frame that had once held the cockpit window, Jonas could see the ship’s turrets pointing and clicking. The only thing he thought of were the probes that had wrecked his life. He rotated his bloodied head to look out of the other mangled frame. Guards were once again advancing in the circular pattern. This time there were less than half the number there had originally been. Beside him was his friend. “Leo.” Jonas reached over and moved his hand along the texture of Leo’s scalp.

  With his other hand, the teen grabbed his hand blaster by the console. Sticking its barrel though the windowpane, Jonas squarely targeted the window of the opposing craft. He squeezed the weapon’s trigger with every bit of energy that remained. The Republican craft’s cockpit lit up when the blast connected. The vessel dropped straight to the ground.

  Jonas unclipped his straps and rolled onto the console. He fit his body through the broken glass and bent frames. The oncoming guards greeted him.

  One of the guards pointed his weapon right at Jonas, then he suddenly flew into the side of the transport. Jonas noticed his back was completely blown out. Another guard approached. Jonas lifted his blaster.

  “Jonas, it’s me,” The familiar voice behind the hood said.

  Jonas realized Liotta was alive and well. In fact, she had just saved his life. Jonas went to acknowledge her when Liotta sharply turned right and fired at something or someone Jonas could not see. The sound of screams served as proof that another guard had met his fate.

  With a sense of protection, Jonas completely pulled himself out of the transport. “Where’s Carlen?”

  “Around … somewhere.” Liotta’s smile gleamed from under her disguise. “He’s actually quite brave. I was surprised.”

  Jonas smiled back at her with a new attitude. He stuck his head into the transport and noticed Leo was still lying lifeless. Tears began to leave clean streaks along his dirty face.

  “Jonas?” another familiar voice called.

  Jonas wiped his face with the back of his hand. He sniffed in any moisture in his nostrils and turned to greet his cousin. “The plan?”

  “Don’t worry. Got it all worked out. I think,” Carlen said.

  “How many more guards are there?” Jonas lifted himself to his feet.

  “A couple hiding out here and there. They thought we were with them.” Carlen laughed. “You should have seen the looks on their faces when we blew up their ship. They turned to look and we pretended to be just as surprised as they were.”

  Jonas picked up
his weapon and headed over to the huge craft. As he advanced towards it, he cocked the trigger. He was heading over to finish the Emperor.

  “Jonas, we gotta get outta here.” Carlen watched as his cousin approached the ship.

  Liotta blasted two more guards that had been hiding on the other side of the transport.

  Jonas ripped open the panel of the huge craft. He raised his weapon. “This is from Captain Troupe.” Jonas released his energy, his frustrations and, most of all, his blaster on the remaining fancy guards that clung to life inside the damaged vessel. Jonas continued killing them one at a time, without any sign of emotion.

  When the smoke cleared from his rampage, Jonas entered the craft. He investigated every inch of it only to discover that the Emperor was, in fact, not aboard. The cockpit smelled like seared flesh. Two pilots sat slumped in their seats. The front of their bodies were charred from his blaster.

  “Jonas?” Carlen signaled it was time to go.

  Jonas exited the craft wearing one of the guard’s skullcaps. Liotta was waiting for him. “Nice cap.” She approached Jonas, flipped her hood back and gently kissed him on his lower lip.

  Jonas leaned in to get the fullness of her kiss.

  “Jonas?” Carlen’s voice interrupted.

  “What?” he yelled back at his cousin.

  “Come here,” the distant voice responded.

  “Go ahead.” Liotta playfully pushed him backward. “Your cousin needs you.”

  Jonas followed the location of Carlen’s voice to find him by the transport. Carlen had pulled Leo from the wreck. “This man is still alive.”

  Jonas’s face glowed.

  “What kind of man is this?” Liotta stood behind Jonas. She was very confused.

  “He’s a Leo. He’s alive.” Jonas fell to his knees and draped his arms around his friend. “Thank Gods. Leo? Leo?”

  Frustrated that Jonas was hugging this strange man, Liotta leaned down.

  “Jonas, who is he? He doesn’t look like one of us.”

  Carlen looked into his cousin’s eyes. “He’s out cold. He isn’t responding but he is still breathing.”

  “We’re taking him with us,” Jonas insisted.

  Carlen agreed. He knew Jonas would take his head off if he didn’t. Both teens lifted Leo off the ground and hauled him through the port. Liotta led the group to a small craft on the outskirts of the bay.

  “That’s a nice one.” Jonas grinned, not letting Carlen see the strain of carrying Leo.

  Carlen didn’t conceal his weakness. “Got it all ready. Rumors were running around that the guards were impounding our ship.” Carlen grunted, “This guy is heavy.”

  “We found something you might find interesting in our craft. Right where the officer was strapped down.” Liotta held up a folded piece of parchment. “It must’ve fallen out of his pocket.”

  “We’ll look at it later.” Jonas focused on getting his friend, Leo, into the craft. It was smaller than their last one. Instead of a ramp leading to an entrance, this one had a hatch that opened along the side. “We will barely fit.”

  “I didn’t know you were bringing company,” Carlen snapped defensively as he heaved Leo’s top half into the hatch.

  “Neither did I,” Jonas said apologetically. “But I’m glad I met him.” Jonas carefully pushed the rest of Leo’s injured body through the hatch.

  “Are you gonna read this thing or what?” Liotta waved the paper in the air.

  “Let’s get home first.” Jonas focused on Leo. Liotta pouted and stuck the paper back into her pocket. Jonas smiled at her, realizing he had hurt her feelings. “Sorry.”

  “Okay … Sure you are.” Liotta lifted her head with extreme pride as she climbed into the craft. Jonas was just about to hop in, when Liotta popped her head out of the hole. “If you don’t read it, you will be sorry.” She whipped her head around as she went back into the craft.

  Jonas climbed into the craft. Carlen, who sealed the hatch behind him, quickly followed him. Carlen bent down so as not to hit his head against the ceiling. He tapped Jonas on the shoulder. Jonas was apparently sitting in his chair. “Mind if I fly?”

  “You?” Jonas chuckled but did not budge.

  “Yes. Me.” Carlen leaned into Jonas’ chair. “After all, it was me who found this ship, secured it and studied it.”

  “Ahem.” Liotta coughed for some attention.

  “Okay fine. She helped me punch in the coordinates,” Carlen confessed.

  “Aahhhemm!” Liotta rasped again.

  “Fine. She stole the ship and brought it in here.” Carlen’s skin turned red from embarrassment.

  Jonas turned to her with an adoring face. “Well, well. I didn’t know you were so talented.”

  Liotta blushed as she always did when Jonas complemented her. She looked away because her face was too easy to read. “My father teaches about small crafts, stupid.”

  Jonas loved every second of Liotta’s denial of her feelings. “Then I think you should fly.” Jonas stood up halfway, so as not to hit his head. He shuffled down the tight aisle towards the back. Carlen had an opportunistic look upon his face. “Carlen … I will break your arm.” Jonas flashed a quick grin. Then he put his right arm on Liotta’s shoulder and waved her out of the back seat with the other.

  “Fine.” Reluctantly she bent halfway and stepped up to the pilot’s chair. She sat in the seat, gripping the controls with a satisfied smile. “Buckle up, boys. We are going for a ride.”

  “Yahoo!” Jonas shouted.

  “Yippee,” Carlen added sarcastically.

  Jonas fastened Leo in as best he could. The teen reclined the man’s backrest as far as it would go. Then Jonas flipped Leo’s strap along his waist and clipped the chest harness. There you go, pal.

  Liotta pressed an orange button with her index finger. The craft lifted off the ground and rotated toward the bay doors.

  “How are we going to get outta here?” Carlen sank in his chair when he noticed the doors would not open.

  “Not a problem.” Liotta squeezed both triggers on the back of each side of the control handle.

  A blast of energy sprang out of the craft that was twice the size of any regular laser. A direct hit blew the steel doors off their huge tracks. Flames created a fiery border around the opening. Liotta pushed the red rectangular button on the right side of the control handle. The small craft’s engines illuminated. The ship darted out of the bay and down the moon’s runway.

  “Slow down,” Carlen warned as he clutched onto a steel bar alongside his chair.

  “Relax. These little crafts make up in speed for what they don’t offer in room,” Liotta answered as her eyes glowed with excitement. She looked over her shoulder to discover Jonas staring at her with two thumbs up.

  The ship cruised down the runway. Liotta tightened her grip, pulled the control handle back and the craft shot straight out into Cordova’s atmosphere.

  Carlen, feeling more at ease, loosened his grip on the bar. “According to my teacher, you have to—”

  “I know. I know,” Liotta cut him short. “Slingshot back into Earth’s ozone.”

  Carlen twitched and decided he should just remain quiet. He figured the less he said the smarter he seemed.

  “Leo’s making noises. He’s coming around.” Jonas was patting his friend on the head.

  The craft orbited the moon at half speed as they noticed a huge spotlight out in the distance. The light was so powerful that its beams shot miles out into space. “When we reach that light we throw this baby into full zone. That will set off the chain reaction, which will propel us into the atmosphere at a fifteen degree mark,” Liotta described the slingshot effect.

  Jonas thought his ears were playing games with him. She is a natural. She’s terrific. He forgot about his friend for a moment and kept his attention on what Liotta was doing.

  “Oh no.” Liotta’s excitement faded.

  “What? What’s happening?” Carlen sat straight up.


  Coming in the opposite direction were three Parliamentary fighter crafts. They were racing closer.

  Jonas unclipped his straps as he rose in his seat. “Liotta? Dodge them. Get to the light.” Jonas knew if she made it to the light, then their ship would reach enormous speed. Enough to escape.

  “If I dodge them, our coordinates will be off mark. Then we will have to orbit again.” Liotta remained steady on the controls.

  The center fighter fired straight across their stolen craft. The blast just missed its target.

  “Oh my Gods. Oh my Gods.” Carlen began scratching his head as he always did when he grew nervous. “They are going to kill us.”

  “Get out of here.” Liotta shot Carlen a dead stare. “Jonas, would you please switch seats with your cousin?”

  Jonas appeared directly behind her. “Thought you’d never ask.” He tapped Carlen on the shoulder. “Up. You heard the lady.”

  Carlen was so willing, he practically rolled out of his chair. He did not want to stand, so he crouched down and made his way to the back.

  Jonas hopped into his cousin’s seat and connected his straps. “Where are the—”

  “Here.” Liotta pointed to the weapons controller.

  The weapons seemed awkward to Jonas. The controls were different from the other ones. He did not want to say anything to Liotta just yet. Jonas was fine with letting Carlen look foolish, but he was not about to look that way. He explored the numerous options. What’s this one do? Jonas lightly pressed a circular purple button. A torpedo blast hurled out of the ship hitting the center fighter. The craft’s window was full of flames and debris. “Got it.”

  “You just blew up one of ours,” Carlen claimed.

  “Shut up.” Jonas kept firing straight out into space.

  “What are you doing? The light is coming up,” Liotta quipped as she maintained their course.

  “Keeping a clear path.”

  “Once we reach that light we will be moving so fast, we will probably run right into our own blast.”

  Jonas thought about what Liotta just said and released all the buttons.

  The remaining fighters split off and looped around to the rear of the stolen craft. This time they did not give a warning. The closest fighter shot a blast into the rear of the craft. It skimmed the side where the hatch was. Liotta’s body jolted. Her forehead hit the main panel. Jonas’s face was flung into the side bar that Carlen was holding earlier. Carlen’s head whacked the ceiling, knocking him out cold. Leo was still mumbling, unscathed, in his seat.