by Huw Powell
‘That space scum?’ Amicus drew a laser pistol from inside his linen coat and tossed a second gun to Callidus. ‘We should stand and fight. I have a score to settle with the Interstellar Navy.’
‘A couple of pistols against a warship?’ scoffed Capio. ‘Are you mad?’
Farid stopped by a walkway window and swore out loud.
‘The captain must have seen them coming,’ he said. ‘The Dark Horse has gone.’
‘She’s abandoned us?’ exclaimed Jake.
‘Never trust a space pirate,’ said Capio.
The lights in the passageway flashed red and a klaxon wailed. Plasma rifles and palm grenades rocked the service port, reminding Jake of the night the monastery was attacked, except there would be no secret escape tunnels this time.
‘Hey, look over there.’ Kella pointed down the walkway to a group of mechanics, who were being pursued by naval troops in midnight blue uniforms.
Jake watched in horror as the troops opened fire, cutting the unarmed workers down in a hail of plasma bolts.
‘Take cover!’ shouted Callidus, ducking behind a small motorised truck with Amicus.
Jake crouched next to a barrel, hoping it wasn’t full of anything flammable, while Kella pulled Nanoo into a shallow doorway. Capio hid behind a narrow pillar, leaving only Farid and Kodan exposed. The two space pirates drew their weapons and fired at the naval troops, but they were heavily outnumbered.
‘No,’ cried Jake, as Kodan took a hit to his shoulder, followed by another to his leg.
The huge man stumbled backwards, blood gushing from his wounds, but still shooting. Next to him, Farid yelled out when a plasma bolt creased the side of his head.
‘Stop it,’ screamed Kella, as further shots ricocheted off the doorway.
‘I’ll teach them to attack children,’ growled Amicus, breaking cover.
‘No, wait.’ Callidus pulled him back. ‘Get everyone inside the canteen. I’ll draw their fire.’
The fortune seeker ran across the walkway, shooting his pistol. At the same time, Amicus rolled the motorised truck in front of the canteen entrance, using it as a shield while he led the others to safety. Once they were inside the canteen, Farid and Kodan dropped their weapons and slumped on to the floor, their clothes drenched in blood.
The canteen was now empty, except for the house robot clearing glasses. Amicus grabbed one of the largest tables and threw it on to its side, before piling on smaller tables and chairs. It was a crude barricade that wouldn’t stop a sneeze in Jake’s opinion, let alone plasma rifles and palm grenades.
‘This is our first line of defence,’ said Amicus, with a crazed glint in his eye. ‘We’ll hold them here as long as we can, before falling back to the serving counter.’
‘Is there no other way out?’ asked Jake.
‘Perhaps, but where would you go? The Interstellar Navy has control of the entire service port. There’s nowhere better to stand our ground.’
‘I thought I said no trouble this time,’ groaned Farid.
‘Jake, lend me your pendant.’ Kella held out her hand. ‘I can use the crystals to heal their wounds.’
Jake removed his gold pendant and passed it to her. Kella ignored the plasma fire outside and held the object over the two men. Her face was determined and her hand movements were deliberate. Jake had no idea how it was supposed to work, but the bleeding appeared to slow. He had never seen anyone heal with crystals before. In Kella’s hands they sparkled brighter than ever.
‘Good work, Kella,’ said Amicus. ‘But there’s not much more we can do here without medical equipment.’
The Altian general knelt behind the pile of furniture and took aim at the door. Capio reluctantly joined him, picking up a broken chair leg, while the others crouched low and braced themselves. A few seconds later, Callidus came running into the canteen, his pistol smoking.
‘Look out, here they come,’ he shouted, throwing himself behind the barricade.
‘Just like the old days,’ howled Amicus, tasting battle once more.
The squad burst through the door, their plasma rifles blasting. Amicus picked a target and fired, taking out the first trooper with a single shot. Callidus injured another and Capio hurled his chair leg, but it made little difference. The plasma rifles quickly demolished the pile of furniture, showering the floor with debris.
‘Fall back to the serving counter,’ ordered Amicus, as the largest table exploded.
Jake, Kella, Nanoo and Capio scuttled across the floor, dragging Farid and Kodan behind them. When they were safely behind the counter, Callidus and Amicus ran over to join them. The fortune seeker landed heavily on the floor next to Jake, his pistol flashing empty.
‘Where’s Amicus?’ asked Jake, looking around.
The Altian was lying a couple of metres away, clutching his chest and writhing in pain.
‘Blast it,’ wheezed Amicus, blood trickling through his fingers. ‘I must be getting slow.’
‘We’ve got to help him,’ said Jake.
‘Yes, but how?’ asked Callidus. ‘We’re pinned down.’
‘We should surrender.’
‘I don’t think they’re looking for prisoners,’ whimpered Capio, cowering under a drinks tray.
‘We have to try,’ said Jake.
Callidus nodded. It was pointless trying to take on so many troops.
‘Hold your fire,’ he shouted, throwing his pistol over the counter. ‘We surrender.’
The troopers either didn’t notice or they didn’t care. Their plasma rifles continued to rip into the thick wooden surface, blasting off great chunks. Kella screamed as a bottle exploded above her head and showered her in glass. It would only take a single palm grenade to finish them all.
‘We’re coming out,’ said Jake, standing up with his hands in the air.
To his astonishment the weapons fell silent.
Kella and Nanoo also surfaced from behind the counter, followed by Callidus and Capio. They walked towards the naval troops with their hands raised, stepping over broken furniture and shattered glass. Jake stopped to check on Amicus, but it was too late; the Altian general was dead.
‘Hold it there,’ called out one of the troopers. ‘You’re under arrest.’
The interior of the ISS Colossus was the exact opposite of the Dark Horse. It was bright, spacious and clean, with a working artificial-gravity system. There was no rust, or wires hanging out of wall panels, and each member of the crew wore a smart, midnight blue uniform. It was everything Jake had expected to find on a naval warship and he despised every detail. Once he had craved a career in the Interstellar Navy, but not now he knew what a bunch of cold-blooded killers they were.
Jake, Kella, Nanoo, Callidus and Capio were marched through the ship in handcuffs to a holding cell, while Farid and Kodan were carted off to the medical bay.
The five of them remained in the holding cell for an hour, taking it in turns to sit on a narrow bench. Jake paced the floor, unable to rest. His mind was plagued with the questions that he should have asked Amicus, questions about Altus and his father, questions that may never get answered now. Jake had had so little time with him, but Amicus had been a connection to his past and proof that Altus existed.
‘I’m hungry,’ complained Kella.
‘You’re always hungry,’ said Jake irritably.
‘We wait long time,’ moaned Nanoo. ‘What happen next?’
‘How should I know?’ snapped Jake.
The cell door unlocked and slid open with an angry hiss. Two guards entered and stood to the side, making way for a man in a mauve uniform. He was accompanied by a woman in a designer suit with a large diamond brooch. The man looked old and sour, with pallid skin and white hair. A row of medals decorated his extravagant jacket and a long sword hung from his belt. His narrow dark eyes scanned the prisoners’ faces, stopping when they reached Callidus.
‘I know you,’ he said in a scratchy voice. ‘It’s Captain Stone, isn’t it?’
&
nbsp; ‘Yes, sir.’ Callidus stood to attention. ‘It’s been a long time, Admiral Nex.’
‘Captain Stone?’ exclaimed Kella. ‘You work for the Interstellar Navy?’
‘Not any more,’ said Callidus. ‘I used to be an officer in this fleet, but I left years ago to seek my fortune.’
‘Yes, what a pity,’ sneered Admiral Nex. ‘Did you ever find out what your head studs were for?’
‘No.’
‘You had talent, Stone, and you could have gone far. But look at you now, a common fortune seeker, resisting arrest and opening fire on my troops.’
‘They fired first,’ said Jake angrily. ‘Your troops attacked the service port and killed our friend.’
The admiral regarded Jake with a wry smile. ‘I’ve been looking for you, boy. It’s good to finally meet you.’
‘Get away from me,’ warned Jake. ‘You’re nothing but a liar and a murderer.’
Admiral Nex glared at him with venomous eyes. ‘You don’t know the half of it.’
The woman cleared her throat.
‘Is this the boy from Altus?’ she asked, playing with her diamond brooch. ‘That’s strange. His eyes didn’t look that bright in the picture.’
‘My name is Jake,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘Jake Cutler.’
Jake could tell instantly that she was the richest person he had ever met. Her face sparkled with glittering make-up and her strawberry blonde hair had been moulded to her scalp. The scent of expensive perfume swamped the room and her accent was pure first solar system. He wondered what she meant about his eyes. What picture?
‘This is Commissioner Lamia Dolosa from the Galactic Trade Corporation,’ said Admiral Nex. ‘We would like to learn the location of Altus.’
‘It doesn’t exist,’ claimed Callidus. ‘Altus is a myth. Everyone knows that.’
‘Nice try, Stone,’ said Admiral Nex. ‘I’ve spent my whole life searching for that planet. It’s the only independent colony worth conquering. Altus is real all right and I’ll execute anyone who says otherwise.’
He grasped the hilt of his sword and waited for any further outbursts. Commissioner Dolosa stepped forward to get a better look at Jake. Her nose twitched uneasily, as though she was afraid she might catch poverty off the prisoners.
‘Jake, you seem like a sweet child,’ she said, stooping down in her unnecessarily high heels. ‘Can you help us to find Altus? We know it has to be somewhere between Remota and that awful mafia spaceport, but we can’t seem to find it. I promise we’ll make it worth your while.’
‘Garbish,’ shouted Jake. ‘Amicus died protecting his home planet and I’ll do the same.’
Admiral Nex’s face reddened.
‘Insolent brat,’ he snarled. ‘We’ve not waited this long to fail now. You will help us, whether you like it or not. The next time we meet, you’ll beg to tell me the location of Altus.’
‘Hey, leave him alone,’ said Kella.
‘How dare you talk to me in that manner?’ Admiral Nex was now scarlet with anger. ‘Guards, take them to the main prison level and prepare them for maximum interrogation. I’m tempted to send the lilac boy to our science team for dissection.’
‘You just try it.’ Jake stepped in front of Nanoo.
‘Admiral, please,’ said Callidus. ‘You can’t subject children to maximum interrogation.’
‘Do it now,’ roared the old man, shaking with rage. ‘I am Admiral Nex of the Interstellar Navy. Nobody tells me what to do.’
Jake and the others were ushered out of the holding cell and taken to the main prison level, where the rooms were equipped for longer stays. Jake had no idea what maximum interrogation involved and he was in no hurry to find out.
Chapter 16
The Kalmar
Jake entered the new cell and discovered two familiar figures slumped on the bunks.
‘Farid, Kodan, are you OK?’
‘Hello, trouble,’ said Farid, holding his wounded head.
Both men were wrapped in bloodied bandages and looked as though they had been spat out by a space monster.
‘You looking bad,’ said Nanoo.
‘Thanks, kid.’ Farid attempted to sit up and failed. ‘The medics did a pretty good job of patching us up, but it still hurts like a dose of Kalos scurvy.’
Kodan groaned and rolled over to face the wall.
Jake handed Kella his pendant again, so she could relieve some of their pain and speed up their recovery. As she began to manipulate the crystals, Jake rounded on Callidus.
‘Why didn’t you tell us you were in the Interstellar Navy?’
‘I’m not proud of it. I wasn’t in my right mind when they signed me up for a six year tour.’
‘That must have been one nasty hangover,’ said Farid.
Callidus nodded. ‘The first few years were the toughest and I’m ashamed of the orders I carried out. I’ve tried to forget that part of my life, but it haunts me every day. Now it feels strange to be aboard a naval warship, especially on this side of the cell door.’
‘That’s karma for you,’ said Farid. ‘What goes around, comes around.’
‘Were you serving under Admiral Nex when my dad’s ship was attacked?’ Jake hated the idea of the fortune seeker working for the enemy.
‘No, that was before my time,’ said Callidus. ‘I’ve been in many battles and I’ve destroyed lots of craft, but never an Altian ship.’
‘So what now?’ asked Jake. ‘Are they really going to torture us?’
‘It looks that way,’ said Callidus. ‘Unless you can tell them where to find Altus.’
‘They already know it’s somewhere between Remota and Papa Don’s spaceport,’ said Capio. ‘Which is more than we’ve found out. If the Inter-stellar Navy is unable to locate Altus with all of its resources and technology, what chance do we have?’
‘We have Jake Cutler.’
‘I think you’ll find that we don’t have anything,’ corrected Kella. ‘The Interstellar Navy has the lot of us.’
‘I’m sorry, Cal,’ said Jake. ‘But I can’t help you or anyone else to find Altus. I wish I knew the way home, so I could make my uncle Kear pay for what he has done, but the truth is, I have no idea.’
His words lingered in the air like an unpleasant smell.
‘It’s OK,’ said Callidus. ‘Whatever happens, I have faith that you will somehow find your way home.’
‘Faith?’ Jake was surprised to hear this word used by the fortune seeker. ‘I didn’t know you were a religious man.’
‘We all have to believe in something.’
The mighty warship engines rumbled to life, sending reverberations throughout the vessel.
‘Where they take us?’ asked Nanoo.
‘A prison moon?’ said Jake.
‘I doubt it.’ Callidus climbed on to a bunk and closed his eyes. ‘If Commissioner Dolosa has her way, I expect we’re setting course for somewhere between Remota and Papa Don’s spaceport.’
For three long hours Jake and the others remained in their prison cell, wondering whose name would be called out first to face maximum interrogation. It was impossible to concentrate on anything else and Jake suspected that this was part of the torture.
Capio was particularly restless.
‘We should make a deal with Admiral Nex and Commissioner Dolosa, before it’s too late.’
‘What makes you think we could trust them?’ said Callidus. ‘Not that we have anything to bargain with anyway, but if we did, I would rather make a pact with Kear Cutler.’
‘That was my next suggestion.’ Capio lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘There might be a bounty for the boy.’
Jake couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
‘Capio,’ scolded Callidus. ‘Do you think for an instant that I would send a thirteen-year-old boy to his death, so we could collect his blood money?’
‘Well, when you put it like that . . .’
Callidus tapped the side of his head with his finger.
; ‘Use your minuscule brain for once in your life. I’m sure our reward for helping Jake to defeat Kear will be far greater than any bounty for his death.’
‘Far greater?’
‘More money than even you can imagine,’ claimed Callidus. ‘Wealth beyond your greediest of dreams.’
‘That’s a lot of money,’ said Capio, smirking. ‘I hadn’t thought of it that way.’
‘I’m right here, you know.’ Jake stood in front of them, waving his arms. ‘I can hear what you’re saying. If anyone will decide the size of your reward, it will be me, OK?’
Capio stopped smiling.
‘Greed futile,’ said Nanoo. ‘Novu value education above all things. Knowledge is wealth.’
Capio snorted. ‘Tell that to the directors of the Galactic Trade Corporation.’
‘Is that why you want to find Altus, Cal?’ asked Jake. ‘Are you going to sell out my home planet to make your fortune?’
Callidus didn’t answer.
‘Why not?’ said Capio, on his behalf. ‘Don’t get me wrong, a reward would be nice, but why stop there? If we don’t mine those crystal moons, someone else will. It might as well be us, right?’
‘Why does it have to be anyone?’ Jake felt betrayed. ‘No wonder Amicus was prepared to die for Altus, with greedy people like you trying to destroy it.’
‘Now wait a minute,’ said Callidus. ‘Let’s not start fighting each other. We have to focus on escaping and getting Jake home.’
‘What about your reward?’ asked Kella.
‘Yes, of course I want a reward,’ said Callidus irritably. ‘I’m a fortune seeker and that’s how I make a living. It doesn’t mean that I’m prepared to commit genocide to fill my pockets. I’m not a blasted space pirate – no offence, Farid and Kodan.’
‘None taken,’ laughed Farid. ‘I can’t speak for the rest of the crew, but I would sell my own grandmother for a crate of jewels. Would any of us destroy a whole planet out of greed? Nobody can say for sure, until they see those big old crystal moons for themselves.’
Callidus turned to Jake, as serious as a cyber-monk.
‘Jake, I’ve always been fascinated by your planet, as long as I can remember, but it’s not just about the treasure or the size of the reward. Trust me, there are easier ways to make money.’
