Cutlass Sharpened (Book One of the Star Pirate Legends)
Published by H. Lee Morgan at Smashwords
Copyright 2015 H. Lee Morgan
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Prologue
Friction caused by reentry in a thick atmosphere turned an ancient starship to look like a fireball hurtling to the planet’s surface. A trail of cloudy white followed in the wake of the great object’s descent. Inside rode a calm and somber skeleton crew carefully reading the holographic monitors displayed in a vertical, semicircular window from where three crewman up front touched the transparent energy field of lights. The ship could not peer through the main front window due to the blast shutters being closed or would have otherwise temporarily blinded those inside.
Half way to the surface the most respected person in all the known universe sat down in a throne to say in a calm voice of an alien tongue that carried in the silence. Translated meant “Report.”
Up in the front-most chair the pilot ran two fingers down the holo-screen and activated the forward thrusters to bring the nose of the ship up. The ship’s speed greatly reduced to the point where they nearly matched the planet’s rotational speed and used the jets to keep them aloft while saying casually “Reentry complete, My king. Would you like me to show you the terrain?”
“Yes, do.” The pilot touched a dot of light on the left and without noise the cover over the window sunk down. Heavy metallic boots of the Galactic King loudly let the crew know he stood and approached with hands behind his back. For hundreds of years the three other seated men could not help glancing at the powerful and lithe build of their great king as he stood before the windscreen, staring out at the world they would soon land on. They respected him, but knew he would not speak of why they came. It was a sad mission indeed and none took it as hard as their ruler who’s brow was set, brooding. Regal armor that made him seem even grander was mostly hidden beneath a dark brown cloak. But the three man crew knew well that any armor of theirs only reflected the one clothed. The armor made him the absolute and uncontested ruler. That, and the great blade hanging from his hip. The king, while peering outward, said in their native tongue “Can you confirm the reports of this world to what I was given for this mission? Is it identical or was I misled?”
The men knew no one would foolishly slip misinformation to the king on something like this or risk meeting his wrath, but the king had a right to make absolutely sure. Likely he asked just to set his mind at greater ease.
A man to the right of the pilot let his eyes roll around the projections relaying information from the ship’s many sensors. “This desert planet has a natural oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere similar to our original world. Has high levels of iron, which makes the sand have the reddish hue… It will be subject to a great many great sandstorms that will strip any future colony who decides to inhabit it. No chance for any long-term living. Gravity is rather strong, but is nothing we cannot handle.
“But the star of this system, as reported, has minimal radiation to gradually mutate the cellular organisms it has since we first seeded it three million years ago. It has changed less than six billionth of a single percent in all that time. The amount of water on this world is finite for the algae which has altered it from a methane atmosphere and complex life forms remain at single cell. Even if we brought more ice from the outer asteroid belt it would make no difference with the star. There is almost no chance this world will create any sentient creatures because of it. On the other hand, my readouts have never seen such a stable solar system.”
“Good.” The king said without looking away from outside. “Sandstorms can be an issue though. Find somewhere where weather would not be any problem… somewhere we could return if the council…”
“My King…” The pilot barely whispered, but in the silent room it was still loud.
“I know.” The galactic king retained posture though he seriously wanted to hunch over and relax. “It must be done.” He turned from the planet of red sand dotted with countless rolling hills like a sea… or the scales of some great behemoth. “I’m thankful they allowed me something. It will have to be enough.”
‘Clank’ ‘Clank’ His heavy boots resonated on the deck returning to his central throne. “Scout for a suitable place.”
The man to the left of the skilled pilot furiously input the desired criteria and microscopic drones shot out of tiny ports near the back thrusters and shot off at hypersonic speeds all around the planet in search of the optimum area. The man in a simple white suit worked fast, narrowing the search further and sent a few billion drones below the planet’s surface to figure out how it’s molten core moved and he marked off any areas with even minimal tectonic shifting, let alone major fault-lines. Being microscopic, they passed though most solid matter and were extremely durable. He searched for the most stable place. Within five minutes he narrowed the images down to two locations and swiped his hand sharply to the right and the king’s holo-screen activated. “These areas are the most likely suitable for your… needs.”
Rubbing a chin that was rough from four days without removing stubble was like loud sandpaper. “Hmmm… I do not truly like the plains, won’t be isolated enough from our prey. That mountain infused with heavy iron and titanium would be much more suited. Bring this ship around to the dead volcano caldera and bore a hole to the bottommost chamber.
The pilot changed course near instantly in the opposite direction, but inside the cabin, nothing shifted at all due to dampeners that canceled momentum. In two minutes at supersonic speeds the ship began to slow as it spotted a chain of extinct volcanic mountains deep in the heart of a desert. What little moisture was in the air had been gathered in snowcapped peaks. The ships thrusters reduced power to the point where the wings sticking out to either side began to carry them over.
Alignment was spot on till the driver touched a few colored dots on screen and anti-gravity stabilizers activated as the rear thrusters cut out. Hovering silently above the snowcapped caldera the small starship held position, perfectly synchronized with the planet’s rotation.
Not needing further instructions the pilot pressed a gloved thumb down by the weapons console after looking back to find his ruler gently grasping a sphere made of crystal beside the throne and it glowed with a strong gold power.
Below the hull, in a curved weapons recess about ten meters across, azure psionic energy gathered to a point in the center. As it reached optimum output the power slammed up into the curve under the ship’s belly and a brilliant beam of energy cut through the mountain below with no form of resistance able to deny the king’s power. Smoke, dust and ice blew up and out, quickly whipped away by strong air currents.
It took just a second to cut out the beam, but the leftmost man said “Flawless execution. Straight to the bottom twelve point three two kilometers below average of this world.”
“I chose the best of my servants for a reason.” The men swelled with pride at the praise, but they didn’t smile because of how sad the tone was. “Recall the observers.” Drones returned to the ship.
This time when the king stood he was not alone. The th
ree followed him into the cargo hold behind the throne and sitting dead center was a long crate three meters long, one wide. Beside it was a box containing crystals. Crate and box were made of organic polymers, like the ship, but were stronger than metal. One man took up the box while the remaining two each reverently lifted the much larger case.
The king stretched out an arm and several meters away the floor separated and dropped down, making the hold howl with wind from outside. Each of their long braided hair flew wildly and the king grabbed the edges of his cloak while the others let them go free. He approached the edge first and looked down to the mountain below. Doing similar acts more times than could be counted, he threw himself down headfirst. Angling just right for the hole punched, he fell vertically for a few short minutes, allowing gravity to suck him into its bowels.
Behind fell the other men.
Pitch blackness stole his vision, but sight was not needed with an even greater sense. He used it and fell without a trace of fear, though it did bring a sadness. A surety.
At one kilometer he let his gathered power go and used it to slow the descent to the point he landed as if taking a single step down a flight of stairs. Tapping a few points on his wrist, out shot a half dozen miniature orbs from the armor the size of marbles.
The landing area of the chamber is all that was smooth, which would help. While the three landed as expertly as he did, the king’s sharp vision adjusted near instantly to look closely in the chamber to find it not as big as the readouts said, but the volume would be correct as it wasn’t uniform. Obsidian rock, not seen before, had a glossy sheen. The base of the cavern was much more narrow, widening higher before leading to a smaller lava tube, but the bottom would be ideal for needs.
“Get started.” Came the command.
The man with the smaller box opened it, extracted a blue crystal the length of his thumb, found a crack in the wall nearby and fit it in. Using an audible command he said “Stasis building, begin.”
The crystal flared with light before burrowing deeper and started a series of highly detailed and specific sequences. The rock’s minerals were refined and altered. Tendrils wormed their way up to all the nearest sources of water, mainly the snowcapped peaks. Another had made holes to the surface to allow breathing. As soon as the tendrils started gathering water it made chemical reactions, transforming ancient rock, metals and minerals into an organic stasis chamber that was self sufficient.
Silence lasted over an hour till the bio-chamber hissed gasses that told everything was now complete. Then out shot a snakelike tube that latched onto the larger crate and began sucking it into the mass.
“Return to the ship.” Ordered their ruler. The three hesitated till gaining a deadly look and saw beneath the cloak that a hand went to the sword. The men returned as commanded.
Just as soon as they were gone and he no longer sensed any form of observation, the king sighed and threw back his cloak. He mumbled more to himself than anything as the crate was gradually sucked in completely. “Just in case the fools are wrong.”
Hidden under the cloak was three cloth-wrapped bundles. One a meter long and rigid. One squared and soft and one asymmetrically covered.
He lifted the crate’s lid and quickly stuffed the objects inside so no one but he would ever know. His men would just believe he was needing to say a few things and the council would know if he tampered with the stasis generator. He had just a few seconds to do something without anyone being the wiser.
Heart clinched and a tight chest seemed to catch up as he saw the crate being fully absorbed and protected before it’s luminescent light went dark, allowing his six light orbs to guide the way.
Back on the smooth part of ground the beam made, he tapped his wrist to soak up the orbs into the armor and held the remaining crystal which was rather large, larger than the other. He said “Seal to the surface.” dropped it and flew straight up.
Behind, the crystal activated, sealing everything in the wake of the flying patriarch who’s emotions were let loose as tears shed and fell behind.
“Let nothing happen. Stay safe. Stay oblivious for all out sakes.”
It would be a prayer that would last for more than forty thousand years.
Chapter 1
Earth year 3217
Renee checked her equipment one last time, making sure she had everything for any unforeseen circumstance and snorted at the thought. “Unforeseen means unforeseen. Just do what you can with what you got. Just like papa taught.” She mentally did a fourth check, just in event the first three times overlooked something. Being the medic was the hardest job, not that she complained. Everyone else did it… for other reasons.
The door to her cabin hissed open and in walked a voluptuous blue eyed blonde wearing a skin-tight flight suit that left little to the imagination. Little meaning the slit in her sex was also conformed to. The youthful looking woman rolled her eyes finding Renee bent over her medic box. “Again? Really? How many times must you do it? Doesn’t the synthetic matrix automatically refill your solutions if you use so much as a drop of anything?”
Renee stuck her tongue out rather childishly though she was already thirty years old and didn’t look a day over eighteen. “So what? Papa always says safe over sorry, Stephanie.”
“Ha.” Stephanie sighed dramatically and shook her head. “Can’t fault that logic. Steven had to leave his fighter behind because one of the faulty sensors in his jet didn’t alert him to replace a coil of some kind. I guess I’ll let it slide since our lives are in your hands.”
“Poor Steven.” Renee grinned as she picked up her compact surgical and medicine box and hung it on a clamp made on the lower back of her suit and holstered her injector at her right thigh. “He won’t get to blow something up for once in his life.”
“You sure there is no cure for insanity? Seriously, I’ve never met anyone who likes destruction more than him.” Wondered Stephanie as she fell in beside Renee out in the ship’s hall, heading for the launch pads.
“Nice try. It’s what makes Hunters so needed nowadays. You need a little insanity to keep from being bored.” Changing the topic. “So how is Jessica?”
“Mad.” Stephanie lightly laughed. “She wants to go with us so bad, but she’s not a heavy worlder like us. Hopefully the captain’s latest mission he’s sent us on will be just the score we need to get her the modifications to survive heavy planets without her heart giving out or bones breaking under the strain.”
“Bones I can knit back together. Heart failure on the planet we’re going to… not so ideal. 5 G. At least you know she’ll keep an eye on us.”
“Yeah. That’s why I love her.” Stephanie said wistfully.
In their internal ear-coms, or coms for short, came a soft feminine voice. “I sure as hell can’t trust these other morons to keep an eye on everyone. Renee, you just be sure you bring her back to me in one piece… or in enough of one that can be fixed.”
“Hey, play nice.” Stephanie sounded hurt, but didn’t mean it. “Babe, what have surface scans turned up?”
“Nada.” Jessica let known. “No sign of any form of civilization activity. Not even on deep ground penetrating radar… the air won’t kill you right away and I’ve not found any Beasts so far… but too much interference in the sandstorms. I think the captain brought us to another of his wild pipedreams that won’t earn us a single credit.” Her heavy sigh relayed over the coms and Renee smiled to Stephanie who also sighed. “What good are pirates if we can’t ever score some loot to live in luxury.”
“You could always go back to mining asteroids.” Stephanie reminded.
“I’m good!” Jessica said hurriedly. Then all three busted out in giggles. When it calmed the woman in their ear said “Everyone is prepped and ready. Waiting on you.”
“Sparky too?” Renee asked.
“Like that overgrown lizard goes anywhere without you.” Jessica said, dripping with sarcasm. “You know he would with your connection. Why bother asking me?�
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“It breaks up the time walking in silence when your wife doesn’t know the meaning to Girl Talk.”
“Ain’t that the truth. I’d swear she was a guy if not for her amazing attributes. If she’s not reading she’s got her nose so far up an artifact I get jealous.” She said it in a very sexual reference.
Stephanie shrugged, not willing to rise to the bait.
Mostly it was Renee and Jessica enjoying the latest gossip or otherwise just simply talking. Sometimes Stephanie would talk about one of her favorite artifacts, mostly it made it difficult to roll one’s eyes in front of her when she spoke with such passion.
Talking ate up the thirty minutes it took to reach the docking bay. Only emergency docking was nearest Renee’s medical wing for obvious reason. Normal decks were on the opposite side of the ship. Where they went was a private deck where three high-speed precision fighters and one large shuttle stayed.
Three Hunters stood nearest Renee’s private shuttle. Stone, Deegen and Steven were rather large men overall, born and trained on a heavy planet environment that excelled on breeding the finest Hunters. Physique alone would strike fear into most men and give women the itch to see if they were scratch worthy. Add their size to their beat up armor to show their lives and women either would swoon or faint. And they were far from brainless brutes. They were like inseparable brothers.
Stone Callicko had the skin color of onyx and carried two hatchets big enough to decapitate in one swing. Slightly pointed ears allowed for great animalistic hearing, like most of his brethren. At a hundred and ninety eight centimeters the proportions to the blades were ideal, matching. Stone led the other two Hunters on the ship, being largest and most fearsome made it so.
Like Stone, Dorgen Castor stood an intimidating hundred and ninety two centimeters. A chakram hung from either hip and a whip wrapped around his thick torso. Chakram were round rings to be thrown. The blade-rings were deadly and even more vicious in close quarters.
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