Space Jackers

by Huw Powell

  ‘I don’t understand. Where have they gone?’

  Farid sat forward and pointed. ‘What’s that?’

  Jake caught sight of two objects floating in the distance, which he could have sworn were people.

  ‘Are they waving at us?’

  ‘Let’s find out.’

  Farid gave the throttle a squeeze and the shuttle moved closer. Jake could now clearly see two men in naval spacesuits.

  ‘I don’t believe it.’ Farid slapped the dashboard. ‘It’s Callidus and Capio.’

  ‘What?’ exclaimed Jake. ‘But how?’

  It seemed impossible that the two men could have survived the kalmar attack and escaped the ISS Colossus, but there they were. As the shuttle pulled up next to them, Callidus and Capio grabbed hold of its sidebars.

  Farid tuned into their helmet communicators. ‘Hello, mates, what happened to the kalmar?’

  ‘We killed it,’ said Callidus, pulling himself up to the cockpit window. ‘Can you let us in?’

  Farid shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘I’m afraid that’s not possible.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘There’s no airlock and we don’t have spacesuits,’ said Farid. ‘I can’t open the door without suffocating everyone inside.’

  ‘I knew it was too good to be true.’ Capio kicked the side of the shuttle.

  ‘We’re not done yet,’ said Callidus. ‘We can hang on to the sidebars, while Farid tows us to safety. It’ll be OK, as long as he doesn’t accelerate too fast.’

  Farid shook his head. ‘There’s nowhere nearby and we’re almost out of fuel. I was hoping to salvage some supplies from the warship wreckage.’

  ‘What happened to the ISS Colossus?’ asked Jake. ‘How did you kill the kalmar?’

  ‘I told you that I met someone who tried to catch one,’ said Callidus. ‘He used fish as bait and discovered that kalmars detest seafood.’

  ‘So what?’ said Farid. ‘I don’t like salad, but it wouldn’t kill me.’

  ‘No, but high explosives would.’ Callidus smiled. ‘We set the timers and went down to the rear cargo hold. The kalmar was outside the doors with its mouth wide open.’

  ‘It was horrible,’ said Capio, shuddering inside his spacesuit. ‘The most revolting mouth I’ve ever seen. All that thick saliva, yuck . . . and that deafening screech . . . horrible.’

  ‘So what happened next?’ asked Jake.

  ‘We fed the kalmar a cocktail of frozen fish and high explosives,’ said Callidus. ‘I opened the doors and Capio pushed the crates into the waiting mouth. A few moments later, the kalmar cried out and released the ship, thrashing and writhing as it tried to escape the taste. The explosives detonated and blew the beast into a thousand pieces, but it was still close enough for the blast to knock out the ship’s electrics.’

  ‘You two disabled the ISS Colossus?’ laughed Farid.

  ‘Not intentionally,’ said Callidus. ‘But it presented us with an opportunity to escape.’

  ‘A leap of faith, he called it,’ snorted Capio. ‘Have you ever taken a leap of faith? What’s that, I say. It’s when you enter a situation without knowing how it’s going to end, he says. No, I say, my mother doesn’t approve of gambling. Well, it’s a good job she’s not here, he says, and drags me out of the cargo doors.’

  ‘You jumped into open space?’ said Farid. ‘Are you mad?’

  Callidus shrugged. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.’

  ‘Where’s the warship now?’ asked Jake.

  ‘It’s somewhere over there.’ Callidus pointed towards a patch of space. ‘You’ll struggle to find it with its lights out.’

  ‘So where do we go from here?’ asked Farid.

  No one spoke.

  ‘There must be something we can do,’ said Callidus. ‘We can’t just wait here until our oxygen runs out.’

  ‘We could activate the distress beacon,’ suggested Jake. ‘And hope a passing ship picks up the signal.’

  ‘How do we know another naval warship won’t hear it?’ asked Farid.

  ‘That’s a gamble we might have to take,’ said Callidus.

  Capio glanced over his shoulder and let out a whimper.

  ‘Don’t look now,’ he groaned. ‘But the ISS Colossus has regained power.’

  Chapter 18

  The Rescue

  Jake spotted the naval warship in the distance, partially lit and turning slowly towards them. Its mighty laser cannon were prepped for battle and its launch locks were wide open, releasing a swarm of fighter craft. He knew they were about to feel the might of the Interstellar Navy.

  ‘I’m sorry, Jake,’ said Callidus, placing his glove on the cockpit window. ‘We almost made it.’

  Farid thumped the dashboard in frustration. Jake knew it wasn’t in a Space Dog’s nature to give up without a fight, but what other choice did they have? The first mate leant forward and let his hand hover over the communicator, waiting until the last second to contact the Interstellar Navy.

  Jake stared at the cloud of approaching fighters, desperately trying to think of a way to escape, when the communicator crackled to life.

  ‘Ahoy there, naval shuttle,’ croaked an unmistakable voice. ‘What are you lazy layabouts doing out here? I’m missing a first mate, a master-at-arms and some pesky passengers.’

  A wide grin spread across Farid’s face.

  ‘Ahoy there, captain,’ he said. ‘It’s nice of you to join us.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah, save the slushy stuff. We’re coming up fast behind you, so brace yourselves for a rapid rescue.’

  Jake spotted the Dark Horse on the scanner. Granny Leatherhead wasn’t exaggerating, the cargo hauler was approaching at speed. He quickly warned the others to hold on to something.

  ‘Where did they come from?’ asked Kella, strapping herself in.

  ‘They must have been following us,’ said Jake. ‘Waiting for the right moment.’

  ‘What are they going to do?’ Kella peered out of the window. ‘Their loading ramp is wide open. Can this shuttle fit inside their cargo hold?’

  ‘Not easy,’ said Nanoo. ‘Pilot require great skill not to crash at fast speed. What you reckon, Jake?’

  ‘I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.’

  Callidus and Capio flattened themselves against the shuttle as the Dark Horse approached. Jake knew they had just moments before the naval warship and fighters opened fire. He could still hear Granny Leatherhead’s voice booming through the communicator.

  ‘Hoist the flag and show ’em our colours, boys,’ she ordered the crew. ‘Activate the shields, roll out the big guns and fire!’

  Jake watched as a protective force field coated the ship, shimmering like a layer of crumpled green glass. Underneath it, camouflaged panels lifted to reveal space pirate markings, while hidden gun ports slid open to uncover a row of sawn-off laser cannon. The Dark Horse fired at the fighters, forcing the naval pilots to break formation and scatter among the stars. The cargo hauler swooped down on the stranded shuttle, scooping up the small craft into its belly.

  ‘Good work, Nichelle,’ croaked Granny Leatherhead. ‘Now bring her about hard. We need to get our cross-boned butts out of here, before someone scuttles us.’

  ‘Aye, captain.’

  A laser bolt caught the side of the Dark Horse, knocking it sideways. Nichelle took evasive action, steering first one way and then cutting to the other.

  ‘Full speed ahead,’ barked Granny Leatherhead. ‘Let’s put some stars between us and that warship.’

  Nichelle opened the throttle to maxiumum, but it wasn’t necessary. The ISS Colossus broke off its pursuit and recalled the fighter craft. The warship needed to stop for repairs, after taking damage from both the kalmar attack and the explosion.

  The Dark Horse had escaped for now, but Admiral Nex would never give up. He would search every known planet and spaceport until he had hunted down the Space Dogs. Now that they had been identified, there would be nowhere safe for Jake a
nd the others to hide from the Interstellar Navy.

  A few hours later, both crew and guests were summoned to the dining area on the first deck. They crammed into the room, sitting or standing wherever there was space. Farid and Kodan were strapped into chairs and wrapped in blankets. Jake sat between Callidus and Kella, waiting for the captain, wondering what she wanted. He had already told her about Baden Scott and Amicus Kent.

  ‘Cal.’

  ‘Yes, Jake.’

  ‘I’ve been meaning to ask about the metal studs in your head. What are they?’

  ‘I wish I knew,’ said Callidus. ‘I’ve had them for as long as I can recall, but then I don’t remember much before the Interstellar Navy. I was in a bad way back then.’

  ‘Maybe you were a cyber-monk. The brothers on Remota had skull implants, so they could connect better with technology.’

  ‘Me? A cyber-monk?’ Callidus laughed at this idea. ‘Brother Stone? It’s possible, but not very likely. I prefer to write my own moral code.’

  ‘It’s funny not knowing your past, isn’t it,’ said Jake. ‘I didn’t know that I was the rightful ruler of Altus until Amicus came along. Mind you, there’s still a part of me that wishes I didn’t know, because life used to be a lot simpler.’

  ‘At least it’s given you a purpose,’ said Callidus. ‘I’m not sure what I’ll do once we find Altus.’

  Granny Leatherhead stomped into the room. Her faded combat suit was held together by a collection of clips, straps and patches, which covered most of the fabric. In one hand, she clutched a battered silver skull-shaped helmet, and in the other, a bulky laser pistol. Her long leather coat hung from her shoulders, like the cloak of a military commander.

  ‘Good news, folks,’ she said, climbing on to a table. ‘It looks as though we’ve shaken off the Interstellar Navy.’

  Everyone cheered and banged the tables in celebration.

  ‘Nobody m-m-messes with the Space Dogs,’ stammered Woorak.

  ‘I thought that would please you, but let’s not get carried away. It won’t be long before they catch up with us and we might not be so lucky next time. Admiral Nex is a nasty piece of work and I have no desire to feel the wrath of his laser cannon, so I’ve called you all here to agree what we’re going to do about it.’

  ‘All of us?’ said Callidus.

  ‘Aye, everyone.’ Granny Leatherhead’s grey eye scanned the room to see if anyone dared to object. ‘All of our lives are in danger, so it’s only right that we work together to sort out this mess. From now on, guests will no longer be confined to their quarters, but treated as part of the crew. Is that clear?’

  ‘Aye,’ said everyone, except Kella.

  ‘And the same goes for special cargo,’ added Granny Leatherhead, blinking.

  ‘Is she trying to wink at me?’ whispered Kella.

  ‘I think so,’ said Jake. ‘It’s difficult to tell with that eyepatch, but let’s assume it’s a good thing.’

  Kella nodded and smiled.

  Jake was thrilled to become an official spacejacker. He glanced across to Scargus and Manik, who gave him a proud thumbs-up.

  ‘OK, what are our options?’ asked Callidus.

  ‘We can run, hide or fight,’ said Granny Leatherhead. ‘Personally, I don’t mind running and hiding, but I’m not sure I want to do it for the rest of my life.’

  ‘If we stand and fight, do we have any assets?’ asked Callidus. ‘You know, like powerful allies or secret weapons?’

  ‘No, not really.’ Nichelle chewed her thumbnail. ‘We don’t tend to mix with other crews and our biggest advantage has always been surprise, but now our cover has been blown.’

  ‘We’ve got six sawn-off laser cannon and a resourceful crew,’ said Scargus. ‘That must count for something.’

  ‘What about Admiral Nex?’ asked Manik. ‘Callidus, you know him. Does he have any weaknesses?’

  ‘I know he’s a cruel man, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants,’ said Callidus. ‘He’s obsessed with power and glory. Altus would be his ultimate trophy, immortalising him in history.’

  ‘What about you lot?’ asked Granny Leatherhead, turning to Jake, Kella and Nanoo. ‘What can you do?’

  ‘Well, I’m the rightful ruler of Altus,’ said Jake. ‘Kella is a talented healer and Nanoo knows about Novu technology.’

  ‘Novu technology, eh?’ mused the captain. ‘Tell me, castaway king, can you help us?’

  ‘Me?’ Nanoo was caught off guard. ‘I not sure, perhaps I can increase laser cannon power and make ship defences strong.’

  ‘Is fighting really our best option?’ asked Kella.

  ‘No,’ said Jake. ‘It’s not.’

  Granny Leatherhead stepped down from the table. ‘What’s brewing in your brain, Kid Cutler?’

  Jake liked having a pirate nickname.

  ‘There are probably thousands of naval troops searching for the Dark Horse. If we try to fight, we’ll be captured or killed. We should make a run for it.’

  ‘Run where?’ asked Nichelle. ‘Not even the independent colonies are safe now.’

  ‘Altus,’ said Jake. ‘If we find Altus, it will be the ultimate hideout, because nobody knows its location. Commissioner Dolosa reckons it’s somewhere between Remota and Papa Don’s spaceport, which is nearby.’

  ‘Altus?’ croaked Granny Leatherhead.

  ‘Jake has a point,’ said Callidus. ‘Admiral Nex wouldn’t expect us to return there so soon. It would give us time to explore the area.’

  ‘What if we don’t find it?’ argued Granny Leatherhead. ‘We’ve not had much luck so far. If our search failed, we would be stuck in the open with nowhere to hide.’

  ‘That’s true,’ said Callidus. ‘But would we be any worse off than we are now?’

  Granny Leatherhead tapped her nails on her space helmet while she considered the idea. It had been their intention to look for Altus, so Jake’s suggestion wasn’t completely crazy.

  ‘What about Kear Cutler?’ asked Capio. ‘Don’t get me wrong, nobody wants to locate Altus more than me, but even if we find it, Jake’s uncle won’t be pleased to see us.’

  ‘The coward has a point,’ said Granny Leather-head. ‘If Jake is serious about taking his place as the rightful ruler, we would have to fight for it. I’ve never spacejacked a planet before, surface raids are usually too dangerous.’

  ‘It’s a risk,’ accepted Callidus. ‘But I would rather take my chances on Altus, than battle the entire Interstellar Navy.’

  ‘We might not have to fight anyone,’ said Kella, ‘if the Altian people accept Jake as their rightful ruler.’

  ‘OK, OK, I’ve heard enough.’ Granny Leatherhead waved her laser pistol in the air. ‘We need to make a decision. All those in favour of searching for Altus, hold up your hands.’

  Callidus and Jake lifted their arms, followed by Kella and Nanoo. The crew swapped uncertain looks, before slowly showing their support, until only Capio was left.

  ‘If we must,’ he groaned, raising his hand.

  ‘It’s unanimous,’ said Granny Leatherhead. ‘We’ll set course for Papa Don’s.’

  The room cleared and everyone returned to their quarters. It would be a few days before they reached the illegal spaceport, but then what? The entire plan relied on Jake finding Altus. He was now under serious pressure to work out its location . . . and he had no idea how.

  Chapter 19

  The Death Trap

  Over the next couple of days, Jake spent his time either practising with the cutlass or researching Altian legends. He still didn’t feel ready for the challenges ahead, but who would? If they somehow evaded the Interstellar Navy, located Altus and defeated his uncle, would he really be expected to rule an entire planet?

  Nanoo spent his days building gadgets out of spare parts with Manik. So far, they had created a lie detector that was accurate within two metres, a personal force field generator that could be clipped to a belt, and an X-ray device that was able to see through most k
nown materials. Jake admired Nanoo’s technical skills, but he couldn’t see how these gadgets would help them to find Altus.

  Kella accepted the role of ship’s medic and devoted her time to clearing up the medical bay. Apart from crystal healing and basic first aid, she had no medical training and used Jake’s handheld computer to teach herself more.

  ‘If I become the ruler of Altus, I’ll help you to find Jeyne,’ said Jake over dinner. ‘And get you back to Taan-Centaur, Nanoo.’

  ‘Promise?’ said Kella, chomping on a freeze-dried biscuit.

  ‘Promise.’

  ‘How you get me home?’ asked Nanoo, slipping food into a neck slit. ‘Taan-Centaur is far away. My spaceship had superior engine for intergalactic explor­ation. Your ships need to travel for many years without stop and Dark Horse not carry enough supplies. It sad, but I not see my home again.’

  ‘Don’t give up hope,’ said Kella, putting an arm around him. ‘We’ll find a way.’

  Jake nodded. ‘We could build a Novu engine that is powerful enough to make the trip.’

  ‘It possible,’ said Nanoo. ‘Not easy, but challenge is good.’

  ‘If anyone can do it, you can.’ But Jake knew his words meant nothing if they failed to locate Altus.

  ‘Do you know something?’ Kella flashed him a smile. ‘You independent colonists aren’t so bad after all.’

  ‘Ha,’ said Jake. ‘And I suppose not everyone from the United Worlds is stuck-up.’

  Kella poked out her tongue.

  ‘Hey,’ said Nanoo, pointing at the porthole window. ‘We pass asteroid field.’

  Jake looked through the scratched glass. ‘I’ve never seen so many space rocks in one place.’

  He watched the lifeless boulders float past the ship like a sea of stone. It made him think about the asteroid field that claimed his father. He tried to picture someone in a spacesuit drifting helplessly out of sight.

  ‘Hey, there something in asteroid field,’ said Nanoo. ‘It look like kalmar family.’

  Jake scanned the rocky mass and spotted movement. Nanoo was right, there was an adult kalmar with two young. How could anything live in such a dangerous place? Jake watched the little ones playing amongst the asteroids, as though they had no cares in the universe. It was difficult to imagine such innocent-looking creatures growing up and attacking huge spaceships.