The Pirates of Mercury: The Kelvin Voyages Book One

by Kyle Larson

  It was very much like a stampede. The dragons smashed through asteroids and knocked every ship near them hard. The ships spun out of control, bouncing off of each Star Dragon in the large herd, and being tossed helplessly through space. The blast missiles all impacted the on the multiple star dragons, but their explosions didn’t even cause the animals to take notice. They were attracted to the large amount of energy from the electro blasts and were only concerned about their next meal. They thrived on energy, whether it was from the rays of the sun or the intense radiation of the Antioch Belt. The battle that had just taken place was akin to ringing the dinner bell.

  The star dragons didn’t even notice the many ships they now threw into disarray. Everyone aboard the ships watched, frightened that their ship could be torn apart at any second. The ships weren’t though. Some were badly damaged, others knocked so far off course it would take them hours to get back. Because of the radiation produced by the star dragons’ intestines (which were coated in the energy they consumed). The star dragons moved like bulls, running through a crowd of objects that couldn’t hurt them in any possible way. The electro blasts had been like ringing the dinner bell, and the star dragons were on the hunt, even though they passed by the very things that stirred their hunger.

  The Pirates of Mercury felt the damage the most. The bulk of their fleet was hurled into the depths of the Antioch Belt, with most ships so badly damaged they would be useless in any sort of attack against the Lunar Gale and the Monarch. Aren and Riz had just returned to the Empress, but they didn’t even make it to the bridge, as most of the fleet was tossed about. Ships collided with each other or went ricocheting out into the belt.

  With this potential disaster, both the Monarch and the Lunar Gale saw an opportunity.

  “Full damage report,” Earlos bellowed from his chair.

  No one on the Lunar Gale was hurt, as they’d all been strapped in. They’d just received word that everyone on the Monarch was safe and unharmed as well. In fact, both ships had escaped rather unfazed by the whole thing, save a few dents and scratches. Both ships had full power still and were only spared because the Pirates of Mercury had not been in closer proximity. Had they been, there’s no doubt the Monarch and the Lunar Gale would be in just as bad of shape.

  “Some minor damage on the hull,” a crew member said. “A few windows were blown out of some portholes on a lower deck, but there was no one nearby. Besides, our physiology was built to withstand that.”

  “The Monarch has transmitted us a route out of the Belt, Lord Earlos,” another crew member said. “It’s a much faster transit time than the route we took in.”

  “Both ships are at your command, Lord Sellwood,” Earlos said, when he turned to his nephew. “What are your orders?”

  “Let’s get out of here,” Kelvin said. “Tell the Monarch to follow us. It’s time to go.”

  “Lord Sellwood.” Earlos’ tone became much more solemn. “Do we send a message to your sister?”

  The question had been in Kelvin’s mind as well: Should he try to find Aren and offer her one last chance? There had been true remorse in her voice before Kelvin blew himself out of the airlock; but then again, she had sent Riz after him, seeing how the man had been rough with him before. If they stayed to search for Aren, it would give the Pirates of Mercury more time to regroup, and blow their window for escape. Kelvin knew both ships would follow his orders, but it wouldn’t be fair to risk everyone’s lives like that. His people took their duty to him seriously, but Kelvin took his to them equally so. Staying behind to look for one person at the risk of thousands made no sense.

  “It’s too late for that,” Kelvin said, sadly. “We need to leave here. This might be our only chance.”

  Earlos signaled to the pilots and communications officers. Both the Monarch and the Lunar Gale turned and started their journey out of the Antioch Belt. They left behind a badly wounded fleet that was so consumed with their repairs, hadn’t even noticed the two ships leave. By the time they did, the Monarch and the Lunar Gale were long gone. The fleet was in no condition to pursue.

  The Pirates of Mercury had lost, this time.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  REPAIR BOTS HOVERED over the hull of the Monarch like insects, as they polished the chrome finish of the giant ship and repaired any damage the Star Dragon stampede caused. The repairs were all superficial, since the Monarch’s thick hull only bounced off the star dragons.

  The bright sun loomed larger on Mercury than it did on Earth, Kelvin noticed for the first time. Once they cleared the Antioch Belt, Queen Evet requested Kelvin return and that Mercury would assist in whatever repairs were needed. Kelvin had yet to officially inform her he did not complete her request to bring the Pirates of Mercury to justice. Not only had he failed her, but Kelvin felt he had been duped into a trap. What happened inside the Antioch Belt was something Kelvin felt not only reflected poorly on him, but the people of Earth as well. He felt they had been made a fool of, and that made Kelvin very angry.

  He stood on the observation deck that extended from Queen Evet’s palace, several hundred feet above the Monarch, and watched the automated bots do their jobs. Kelvin glanced at the crew of the Lunar Gale, on the other side of the deck, while they looked on uneasily, still never accustomed to seeing their kind in some sort of servitude. They believed in balance, that organic life and artificial life should share the workload. Mechanical labor was still permitted in the Nine Kingdoms, but only on basic programming, not sentient machines.

  The Security Council of Mercury and the Security Council of Earth were debriefing the bridge crew of the Monarch about what happened in the Antioch Belt. Before, they had spoken to the Lunar Guardians and their crew. Next up, it was Kelvin and Amelia. Holloway had been counted among the crew and was being questions along with them, so she would be able to give Kelvin and Amelia a heads up as to what the Security Council would ask. The Security Council of Earth was connected through holo-projection, and both Amelia and Kelvin’s mothers were on the council. Kelvin also suspected his father would be there.

  “Lord Sellwood,” a familiar voice came from behind him.

  Kelvin turned to see Queen Evet, in all her royal garments and crown, approaching him with her entire court of attendants. As soon as her presence was known, everyone on the deck – including Kelvin – bowed out of respect. Queen Evet kept her eyes fixed only on Kelvin, with her expressionless face getting closer and closer to him.

  Kelvin dreaded this moment as soon as the joy of surviving the encounter with the Pirates of Mercury faded. He hadn’t seen the queen since their arrival on Mercury. The Traditions of Service were over. If you can’t complete all of them, you are not considered to have completed any, and it can actually make a kingdom look worse if they succeed for some but fail for others. It creates mistrust, so Kelvin knew he was finished and would have to wait until he was old enough to leave Earth to explore the rest of the Nine Kingdoms.

  It was so quiet on the observation deck, except for the gentle breeze of Mercury’s sky. All eyes were on Queen Evet and Kelvin.

  “Welcome back, Lord Sellwood. On behalf of the people of Mercury and myself, we would like to express how happy we are that neither you or your people were hurt.” There was no hint of anything in the queen’s words. No disappointment or sympathy or anger. Kelvin wished there had been, because he didn’t quite no how to respond to the cool formality of her tone.

  “Thank you, your majesty,” Kelvin said, matching the stiffness of her words. “My people and I are most gracious for your hospitality. Once we conclude our debriefing with your Security Council, we will depart for Earth. Our crew should be able to finish the rest of the repairs en route.”

  The queen suddenly looked surprised. She stepped away from the rest of her entourage and closed the distance between her and Kelvin.

  “Shouldn’t you be headed to Venus, Lord Sellwood?” Queen Evet said, finally breaking the decorum.

  Kelvin’s first thought was to
think the queen was mocking him for failing the task. His face began to fall. He was already exhausted and disappointed – and now a queen was making him the butt of her joke. Kelvin looked into her eyes to express that he felt tired and beaten.

  “I failed you,” Kelvin said, quietly, but with sharp shame in his voice. “I failed the Traditions of Service. The Pirates of Mercury are still out there, and if you haven’t heard what my uncle, the other Lunar Guardians and their crew – and now, my crew, have said…they’re more dangerous than ever.”

  “Kelvin” Queen Evet said in a very quiet voice. “You didn’t fail anyone. As far as I’m concerned, you just completed your Traditions of Service for the entire Nine Kingdoms. You and your people exposed a threat to all of us, and now we can prepare for it together. Whatever the Pirates of Mercury are planning….they’re no match for the Nine Kingdoms united. We’ve already won, Kelvin.”

  Queen Evet touched his shoulder affectionately for a moment, giving him a reassuring pat. She stepped back and composed herself again, striking the rigid and royal posture, as if all the Nine Kingdoms were watching.

  “As Queen of Mercury and representative of its people to the rest of the Nine Kingdoms, I declare Prince Kelvin Sellwood of Earth has completed his tradition of service. You are hereby released from your service to Mercury. We will remember you and your people’s honor and bravery in this kingdom. Today, you leave a friend and ally of Mercury. We wish you and your crew godspeed, Lord Kelvin.”

  Queen Evet smiled and gave him a friendly wink, before she turned and left the observation deck. Kelvin turned to see Amelia, who had been standing behind him the entire time. Her smile was wide and proud of them both.

  “Looks like we’re headed to Venus,” Amelia said, excitedly.

  Kelvin didn’t know what to think. It didn’t seem real to him that he’d been granted this. It was a testament to the bravery of his people, and suddenly relief and purpose came into his mind. Kelvin knew what he had to do. Queen Evet was right: there was no one who could defeat the united Nine Kingdoms. Kelvin could be the one to bring them together and show them how much of a threat the Pirates of Mercury really were. The Traditions of Service could be the way for him to do it.

  There was still the Security Councils, though. Just as these optimistic thoughts flooded Kelvin’s mind, the large doors to the council chambers parted and the bridge crew of the Monarch walked out. Kelvin and Amelia searched for Holloway, whose forlorn face they spotted. She saw them and moved quickly to reach them.

  “They’re ready for you,” was all Holloway said when she reached them.

  “How’d it go?” Amelia said, anxiously.

  “They know what happened. It’s not the whole council. The Mercury members adjourned. I think it’s just your mothers now,” Holloway said, as she tried to force a smile. “I think they just need to see you are both okay, for themselves.”

  It was obvious to Kelvin and Amelia something was wrong. Holloway’s face matched everyone else who continued to exit the chamber – beaten down and worried.

  “What’s wrong, Holloway?” Kelvin said.

  “I don’t want to keep your mothers waiting,” Holloway said reluctantly. They could tell she was nervous, but felt obligated to respond. “It’s not over, you guys. Both the Security Councils confirm the Pirates of Mercury already have agents out in the Nine Kingdoms. We can’t find their identities from Riz’s drive. And…they know who the Colonel is and what he’s capable of. We have to be strong and be prepared for some very rough times.”

  The optimism in Kelvin didn’t leave him, but Holloway’s words definitely brought him back down to reality.

  “We’ve given the two councils everything they need. You two should go in there now. Your mothers are waiting,” Holloway said. She began to walk away and then stopped, realizing she’d forgotten something. “Oh, Amelia, they promoted Commander Ali. She’s captain of the Monarch now. She wants to see you when you get back on the Monarch.”

  Holloway didn’t give either one of them a chance to respond, and rejoined the rest of the Monarch crew, who all took turns passing concerned glances over at Kelvin and Amelia.

  “What do you think Captain Ali wants to see me about?” Amelia said.

  “Are you kidding?” Kelvin said. “I wasn’t onboard, but pretty much everything Holloway told me was that you saved the Monarch. She said everyone on the bridge froze up, but you held it together and helped them. If it’s anything less than a recommendation letter to Earth Naval Academy, I’d be surprised.”

  Amelia knew this, but it was one of those moments where she needed a friend to reaffirm it. The last twenty-four hours were so bizarre, not the least of bizarre being that she’d commanded the flagship of Earth Navy. Earth Naval Academy was very hard to get into, but with the recommendation of the Monarch’s captain and good grades, Amelia would be almost guaranteed a spot in their program. Amelia thought it was crazy that her life’s ambition was going to be fulfilled and just needed to know she wasn’t imagining it or getting her hopes up.

  She put the excitement aside and decided it was time to start thinking like a naval officer. Her queen and her mother both waited. Naval officers didn’t keep their queens waiting.

  “Come on, Kelvin,” Amelia said. “We should go. They’re waiting.”

  “Oh,” Kelvin said, as he’d forgotten too. Holloway’s warning was all that floated in his mind, aside from his friend’s potential success of gaining entry into the Naval Academy.

  They rushed across the observation deck, trying to ignore all the bystanders watching them. The observation deck was crowded with people who wanted to get a glimpse of Kelvin and the heroic crew of the Monarch that had survived an encounter with the Pirates of Mercury. No one really knew what had happened out in the Antioch Belt, and the press and Tube reporters were hungry to broadcast any details. There was no doubt in both Kelvin and Amelia’s minds they would have to keep the details secret if anyone were to ask, to try and avoid a panic spreading throughout the Nine Kingdoms.

  The large doors to the Mercury Security Council Chamber rumbled to a close behind them. The room was completely empty, but they took in how massive it was, designed to hold over one-hundred thousand people, it the balcony seating rose hundreds of feet and the room was like a giant, upside down pyramid. There was a long stair case that lead to the center of the room, where desks for the security council and a throne for the queen were. There was no one there, until two holo-projections of Queen Eleyn and Taija Chapman appeared.

  “Come children, please,” Queen Eleyn said.

  Both Kelvin and Amelia didn’t expect how good it would be to see their mothers. As they got closer down the long flight of stairs, they could see both mothers were equally pleased to see them. There was no way to hug a holo-projection, but if either side could, they would.

  “Your father and I are very proud of you, Amelia. He wanted to be here, but he’s in meetings with Earth Navy fleet admirals all day,” Taija said. “The testimony of the officers on the bridge and the recordings we reviewed showed you saved the Monarch, Amelia. For that, the Security Council is going to give you a commendation: the Jocia Medal of Bravery.”

  The Jocia Medal of Bravery was one of the highest honors a citizen of Earth could be granted. It was only given out once every five years and for acts of courage that were noted in Earth’s history. Amelia couldn’t believe it. Kelvin clapped his hands and gave her a high-five. Queen Eleyn smiled and looked on.

  “Amelia, I’ve known you since you were a baby,” Queen Eleyn began. “You are like family to me and you’ve been a friend to all of us in House Sellwood. On behalf of the people of Earth, King Erelm, myself, and the families of everyone you helped protect on the Monarch, we thank you. In addition to the Jocia Medal, I’ve instructed Fleet Admiral Raha Enner to offer you an interim commission of lieutenant aboard the Monarch. You no doubt wish to join Earth Naval Academy, so we would like to offer you this opportunity to serve aboard the Monarch as a li
eutenant to begin your education. When you have reached the age of nineteen, I’ve no doubt you will be admitted to the academy, but this experience you receive aboard the Monarch will enlist you in the fast track for command as soon as you graduate. Captain Ali will have all the details, but you would be working as a lieutenant on the bridge three days out of the week, under the crew’s supervision, and doing your basic studies with Holloway the other two days of the week. How does that sound, Amelia?”

  Amelia couldn’t have asked for more. Not even if they’d handed her the command of the Monarch. This was her dream come true. She wouldn’t have to toil away in simulators or workstations trying to prepare for Earth Naval Academy. Amelia’s preparation would be on the bridge of the ship. She would be learning from officers and real experience, and by the time she got to the academy, she’d be years above anyone in her class. In a sense, this was Queen Eleyn giving Amelia her own ship, it’s just that she would have to work for it a little longer. It was a huge and rare opportunity.

  “You don’t need to decide now, dear,” Taija said. “You can take some time–”

  “I accept,” Amelia said, excitedly.

  “Excellent,” Queen Eleyn said, exchanging smiles with Taija. “Captain Ali has all the information and will coordinate your school schedule with Holloway.”

  “Congratulations, Amelia…I mean Lieutenant Chapman,” Kelvin said, giving her a salute.

  “Thank you, Lord Sellwood,” Amelia said, with a playful smile that matched Kelvin’s. It wouldn’t matter what titles or responsibilities met them in life, Kelvin and Amelia would never be able to call one another by anything other than first names.

  “Kelvin,” Queen Eleyn said, the smile dropping and her face becoming more serious. “Your father and I are very grateful you are safe and are very sorry you had to go through what happened with Riz…and what’s become of Aren.”