by Gary Weston
‘Something going on?’ demanded Millet.
‘Life, I’d guess,’ said a happy Dorran. ‘Those we see are on the mend.’
‘Now we can go home?’ said Shorty.
The noise outside suddenly intensified. They could only watch horrified as some of Joe’s kind fell dead in the dirt.
Millet demanded, ‘What the hell is going on?’
‘There, Sir,’ said Dorran. ‘A whole swag of the sods, heading for the caves. The enemy.’
‘We can see them?‘said Shorty.
Dorran said, ‘There they are, big and ugly on the screen.’
Tilly said, ‘Joe and his people are in no fit state to fight.’
‘So?’ said Shorty. ‘We give our friends a helping hand.’
Millet said, ‘You’re dreaming. The cannons are wasted.’
‘But not these,’ said Shorty with her trusty laser rifle. ‘Agent Jordan. I heard you were a good shot. Wanna convince me? Coated suit and a rifle, we can kill what we can see.’
They pulled on the marsillium coated suits in a hurry.
Millet said, ‘Can we still see the enemy, Captain Dorran?’
‘A few fading in and out, but if you two women hurry…’
Shorty said, ‘Spin this bird around and open the airlocks.’
Dorran said,‘Is that really such a good idea?’
‘You wanna argue with me?’
‘Spinning around, Shorty. Go kill some bad guys.’
‘My favourite pastime.’
Protected in the marsillium coated suits from any possible acid spraying, Shorty and Jordan stood on the edge of the open airlock with their laser rifles ready to fire. Charging towards the lake, the caves and Joe and his weakened people, were hundreds of the enemy. Not thinking they required the unique ability of becoming invisible, they were there for the final countdown, having brought their mortal enemy to their knees with the parasites.
Shorty and Jordan had other ideas. From the ledge of the open airlock door, the two feisty women brought down wave after wave of the enemy. Many behind were trying to use their invisibility ability, but as long as either human shooter had anything to shoot at, they kept mowing them down.
As if they had charged into a wall, the enemy suddenly stopped. Their dead littered the ground as the others limped away.
‘Damn,’ said Shorty. ‘I was just warming up.’
‘Time to move on,’ said Millet. ‘Look. Is that Joe?’
‘My kind of guy,’ said Shorty. ‘Big, cute and with a great backside.’
‘Nice,’ said Millet. ‘By the way. Were you also describing me, just then?’
‘If you gotta ask the question, you already know the answer. Captain Dorran. I gotta wedding planned. Home, please?’
‘Yeah, ok. Buckle up, people. Buckle up.’
Below them on the ground, Joe watched the ship and his human friends fly away. All around him were the dead, some of his kind, some of the enemy. They would be buried together when everyone had recovered. Across the small lake with the safe drinking water, at least two hundred lay dead, cut to pieces by the lasers. Joe knew that for the time being, the fighting was over. Slowly, he walked into the cave.
Chapter 298
Raven and Joy circulated, after a full-on day. The Millet’s, Frank and Shorty, had been married in the morning, Shorty looking remarkably feminine and pretty in her pink flowing dress. Frank had worn a new suit of blue, made for the big day. Then, after the wedding, it was time to celebrate being married and the successful end of the mission.
Raven and Joy went over to Dorran and Jordan.
‘Well, Tilly and Mick. I couldn’t help noticing you two looking something of a couple. A little romance in the air?’
Tilly said, ‘Let’s say we started to get to know each other on the trip back.’
Dorran said, ‘We just clicked. I’ve always admired Tilly, but with the time we had to spend together, we discovered we liked each other quite a lot.’
‘I’m pleased for you,’ said Joy. ‘About time you had a man in your life, Tilly.’
‘I have my confidence back now. It was time to move on. We’re off to Tryzon to see my parents.’
‘Nice,’ said Raven. ‘Give them my regards. Oh, Mick. I was looking over the mission reports, yesterday. You all did a great job. You managed to do all that without landing the ship?’
Dorran winked at Jordan. ‘I can honestly say, our feet never touched the ground. Isn’t that right, Tilly?’
‘Tagg. Take that suspicious look off your face. Mick told you the truth. We never landed.’
Raven grinned. ‘Fair enough. Well. You two have a great night. Enjoy the fun while we can, because there’s always another adventure coming our way.’
Joy Dainty said, ‘The band’s playing my favourite song. Come on, Tagg. Let’s see if you remember how to dance.’
‘I got the moves. Come on.’
They danced around the room, thinking only of the love they had for each other and their baby, Dixon. It was a time to celebrate love and life, and not think about whatever adventures might be heading their way in the future.
The end?
Deep Space Intelligence : Home
Chapter 299
‘No’
‘You will.’
Raven wasn’t having it. ‘No, Miss Saltoe. I don’t want to know.’
‘He’s in your office, Boss. Listen to him.’
Raven fumed. ‘I am Boss.’
‘I’m sure I heard that somewhere.’
‘So. I don’t want to listen.’
‘Stop pouting. Go in there and talk to him. I’ll even make you coffee.’
This was a deal maker. ‘You? You’ll make me coffee?’
‘I might.’
Raven took a deep breath before entering his office. ‘Before I took over, I used to think Boss’s ruled the galaxy.’
‘You do,’ said Saltoe. ‘But only if your P A lets you. Now go in there and talk to him.’
‘Coffee. The real stuff. He’ll have syncoff.’
Saltoe stood up, puffing out her magnificent forty-four double D’s. ‘All three of us will have real coffee. Go. Talk to him.’
Raven opened his office door. A frightened young man stared back a him. Before him sat a geek. He couldn’t be more of a stereotype had he planned it. Small, pale, ginger…Oh, come on. Why did all geeks have to be ginger? Small, pale, ginger people had only one ambition, it seemed. Annoy normal people. Raven sat in the antique green leather swivel chair, made yet another mental note to have maintenance look at it, clasped his hands behind his head and stared at the young man. Raven could smell fear. Maybe a hint of urine, too.
‘Name?’
‘Frogmorten.’
‘That’s a name? You got anything else?’
‘Aristotle Frogmorten.’
Raven leaned over on his forearms. ‘You did sue your parents, right?’
‘No. I love mom and dad. Why would I sue them?’
‘Ok,’ said Raven. ‘Moving on. You have something to tell me?’
‘Well…’
‘Wait.’ Raven went to the door, did an embarrassing half wave at Frogmorten and closed the door on him.
‘He’s twelve years old. Miss Saltoe.’
‘He’s twenty three and quite brilliant. Go and talk to him.’
‘About what? And where’s my coffee?’
‘Stop arguing with me and go do your job. Coffee in five minutes.’
Raven sighed. ‘Ok. Stop nagging. You know, I haven’t even heard ginger, and I sniff an adventure coming up.’
‘I know it. You know it. Go talk to the man.’
Boss did as he was told, sat down and took a deep breath. ‘Aris…’
‘Aristotle.’
‘Like I said. Aris. You have something to tell me?’
Frogmorten wriggled uncomfortably in the chair. ‘I run the astronomical society at the university. We are from several science disciplines, mine being astrophysics.’
Raven stifled a yawn, his mind full of images of ginger haired scientists, fizzing with enthusiasm about…everything. ‘But you made a discovery?’
‘Scortrax.’
‘Is that a planet? I never heard of it.’
‘Not a planet, Sir. A probe.’
‘Go on.’
‘It was the very last probe sent off from Earth. Twenty fifty-nine. Before the hostilities began. Again.’
Miss Saltoe entered with the coffee and set the tray down on the desk, then without being invited, sat in the spare seat.
‘This is real coffee,’ said Frogmorten.
‘Don’t get used to it,’ said Saltoe. ‘What have I missed?’
Boss shrugged. ‘Some space junk from Earth, apparently. Aris here discovered it.’
‘Good for you, young man.’
‘It isn’t junk. It’s still working,’ said Frogmorten. ‘It is still transmitting and receiving.’
Boss said, ‘After almost one hundred and fifty years? It’s still working?’
‘Yes. You can imagine the excitement in the society.’
‘Sadly, I can. Well. Err, Aris. Thank you for telling me of your discovery. Now, we do actually have work to do, so if…’
Saltoe saw the expression on Frogmorten’s face. ‘Boss. I think there’s more to come. Yes, young man?’
Frogmorten managed a nervous half-smile. ‘Yes. Thank you. The thing is, Boss, Scortrax has been gathering useful data from all over the galaxy. It would be a shame to lose it.’
‘Lose it?’
‘Yes, Sir. Me and the society have been tracking Scortrax for a month, almost. In a few days time, it will crash into a moon of a planet in sector seven.’
Boss stood up and started pacing, causing Saltoe to smile. ‘Sector Seven?’ said Boss. ‘Nobody goes out there.’
‘I know, Sir. One to five are the sectors most inhabited and frequented for trade and business. Sector six a little, seven not much at all, really. Sir. Only you can authorise a mission to get the probe and bring it here.’
‘Why would I do a thing like that? It’s just an old probe. We don’t need it. The cost doesn’t warrant it.’
‘But the information…’
‘No, Aris.’
Saltoe saw the disappointed expression and said, ‘We’ll give due consideration to your request.’
‘No we won’t,’ snapped Boss.
Ignoring that, Saltoe said, ‘Just how long do we have before the probe crashes, exactly?’
‘Eleven days. It would take a ship at least nine days to get there. Two days from now, it will be too late.’
‘Understood,’ said Saltoe. ‘We’ll get back to you.’
Boss said, ‘No we won’t.’
Frogmorten said, ‘There’s something else you…’
‘Not interested.’
Saltoe started, ‘Boss. I really think we should give…’ when a call came through.
Raven snatched up the receiver. ‘Boss. Yes,’ he growled. ‘It’s for you.’ With an intensity of anger Raven usually saved for the Bad Guys, he passed the receiver to the slightly shaking hand of Frogmorten.
‘Hi, Jackie. Right. But only a little? Ok. I was hoping…I know. Hey. It was a long shot. Err, no. Not quite. I, err, I really need to go. Thanks, Jackie.’ Frogmorten placed the receiver down. ‘That was Jackie.’
‘No shit!’ said Boss. ‘On my personal line.’
‘Sir. Jackie Cracker has been hacking into the probe. Have you any idea how difficult…? Never mind. Scortrax was designed to do several things. Send out messages of peace…’
Boss scoffed. ‘Rich, from people busy killing each other.’
‘I, err…’ Frogmorten looked to Saltoe for support and she nodded, encouraging him to continue, so he did. ‘Scortrax was also designed to receive input, from those with the technology.’
‘You say your colleague hacked into the probe?’ Saltoe said.
‘Yes. To a degree.’
‘Well,’ said Boss. ‘Can’t you just get the information from Scortrax before it crashes? It would save a fortune doing it that way rather than sending ships after it.’
Frogmorten said, ‘That was our intention, Sir. We can only get bits and pieces, not the whole thing.’
‘Pity.’
‘We did find out a few useful things, though. As I said before. It was designed not only to send out information, but also to receive.’
Boss groaned. ‘And you’re about to tell me that somebody did communicate with it.’
‘Yes, Sir. One input, but a mention from them of another race. So there are unknown races from two different planets.’
Chapter 300
Raven met with Commander Felix Gordon and General Frank Millet at the communication’s centre.
‘We’re the nearest,’ said Gordon, pointing at the huge screen. ‘According to the coordinates I got from Frogmorten, the probe is here on the edge of seven, heading there. By the time this planet and moon have moved to here, the probe will crash into it.’
‘Probability?’ asked Boss.
‘Ninety three percent,’ said Gordon. ‘All the years that thing has been travelling, it was inevitable it would hit something, one day.’
Millet said, ‘Boss. We’ll need to be out of here within twenty-four hours, if we’re to have any chance of catching that thing.’
‘It’s too big for your fighter’s hold,’ said Gordon. ‘We three know that. Boss. You thinking of sending Karma Casey?’
‘Where is she?’
‘Mars. Got a load of marsillium for us. Be here in four days.’
Millet said, ‘She’ll have to unload anyway. Is she the only option?’
‘Yes,’ said Gordon. ‘Everyone else is way too far out.’
Boss said, ‘She’ll not be impressed with me. Frank. Are you taking Shorty?’
‘She’s itching to go,’ said Millet. ‘We’ve two fighters and crews ready to go.’
‘Ok,’ said Boss. ‘There’s obviously something out there we aren’t sure of, so we need to send both fighters and try to stop that probe crashing. You get going. I’ll use my charm and influence on Karma and have her on her way as soon as we can.’
‘You have charm?’ Gordon said, with a grin.
‘By the shed-load. Frank. Are you ok taking Aristotle and Jackie?’
‘The pet geeks? Sure. It’ll be good for them. Felix. You mentioned some special gear we can take?’
‘My cue to butt out,’ said Boss. ‘I’ll see you before you take off.’
* * *
Raven stood before the seasoned professionals. As usual, they were more than just D S I to him. Raven imagined how his predecessor Councillor Freeman, then Boss, must have felt, standing in front of people like this. The youngest was just twenty one, Jackie Cracker. Raven was pleased to see her hair was dark brown, not ginger. Millet was the oldest and most experienced at forty eight. By his side stood Shorty, suited and booted and itching to go.
‘People. Why do you get all the fun jobs?’ They all laughed. ‘Off you all go, racing through space, the anticipation of wondering what the hell you’ll meet this time. Me? I have the lovely Miss Saltoe, nagging me about quarterly budget figures.’
‘Which of course you’ll ignore,’ said Saltoe.
‘Of course. So. Go stop that probe smacking into that moon. She doesn’t know it yet, but Captain Karma Casey will be just a few days behind you. Ok. Off you go and make the D S I proud. Good luck.’
The two fighters filled up and Raven stood with Commander Gordon as they lifted off the launch pads, then blasted off into deep space.
Chapter 301
‘Ready?’ Joy Dainty asked.
Raven had the recorder locked and loaded in his hands. ‘Is Dixon ready, is what I want to know. Ok, pal. This is a biggie. Your first steps recorded. And, action.’
Dixon Dainty looked at Daddy, then over at Mommy. This was one small step for a baby, one giant leap for a kid with a recorder aimed at him. But, cauti
on to the four winds, Dixon ploughed forwards, one, two, three and on the fourth, fell into a very proud mother’s arms.
‘Five steps,’ said Joy.
‘I only saw four.’
‘Did you hear that, Dixon? Your Daddy rules the whole galaxy and he can’t count up to five. Silly Daddy.’
Dixon squealed, delighted with his performance.
‘Ok. Time for bye byes,’ said Raven.
Joy picked up Dixon and carried him to Daddy for a goodnight kiss, which Raven happily planted on the chubby cheek. Joy took Dixon into the nursery and tucked him in for the night. Back in the lounge, she lay back in her partners arms with the glass of red wine.
‘This is my favourite part of the day,’ said Joy.
‘Mine, too. It isn’t easy, but I really try to put my work stuff behind me.’
Joy kissed Raven’s cheek. ‘You are what you are. The Boss. I understand more than you think I do.’
Raven sighed. ‘I remember that time on Nyzon Five. We were falling in love and having one hell of an adventure. Always good when we survive those.’
Joy slapped his chest. ‘We nearly didn’t survive, you taking a live bomb on a ship.’
‘How was I to know?’ said Raven, innocently. ‘But now I have people do that stuff for me. Two, soon to be three ships, out there somewhere.’
‘And you worrying yourself sick over all of them. You think I don’t notice?’
Raven stroked Joy’s cheek. ‘I can’t be Boss without you. I’d give the job up in a second, if you asked me to.’
‘And who in their right mind would take over? You’re brilliant at what you do. Born for the job.’
Raven chuckled. ‘We’ll see how good I am when Karma is told to get back out there again, the minute she lands. You know how much she hates me when I do that to her.’
‘Then it’s a good job she loves you like a brother.’
Raven said, ‘She does?’
‘You have three women who love you. Me.’
‘Always good to know.’
‘Tilly Jordan.’
‘Beats hating me.’
‘And Karma. She has a man and their kid, so I’m not sure about that one. But, in some peculiar way, Karma loves you.’
