“Well…” Lincoln uttered. He paused as he captured everyone’s attention. He enjoyed the enthusiastic attention he was given.
“C’mon, man!” Mace argued. “Don’t keep us going!” he chuckled. “What’s the news?”
Lincoln laughed. “We have Kwelling!” he blurted.
The cheers they yelled were nearly heard by everyone on the floor. Apprehension and anxiety were quickly replaced with joy and hope.
Boone let his head fall and rest on his pillow and he let out a very loud and long sigh of relief.
“Finally,” he muttered. “After all these years.”
He turned and looked at Terra who was already studying his reaction. Her tears greatly impacted him as he then started wiping tears away.
“Boone,” she asked. “I never thought about you and Kwelling. How many years for you?”
Boone thought as everyone looked on. “Well. I think the first time I had a run-in with him was… hmm… seven years ago? Sabin was there too and guess who got blamed for helping her?” he griped
“Her?” Phia asked, not wanting to miss any details or stories about Boone.
“Never mind,” Boone replied. “It’s too long a story. But, Terra. How about you? How long have you been after Kwelling?”
“A year-and-a-half. And I got real close many times, including the time I had to go and rescue you on that dusty dirtball of a moon.” That comment piqued Phia’s interest. Terra turned to Officer DeKator, “Sir. He’s beyond tricky…
“Ha!” Mace added. “And resourceful! You can’t have enough guards watching him. You…”
“I will go and watch him!” Jona blurted.
Everyone laughed. Boone thought that was a great idea.
“Uh, What?” Lincoln asked. “Who’s this?”
“I’m Jona! And I’m gonna…”
Mace gently placed his little arm around Jona’s large shoulder. “Easy, Jona. They’ve got it covered.” Everyone laughed again as they enjoyed Jona’s enthusiasm.
I’m not done,” Lincoln added. “I’ve got more news. Big news! Some good and some disturbing.”
The tone in the room changed as once again he held everyone’s attention.
“I originally came here, Boone, to announce that we have ‘officially’ declared you acquitted of any crimes related to Copiannis.”
Everyone smiled and Boone nodded his head with agreement and relief. He was previously told they cleared him of any wrong-doing but now the constellation’s chief investigator confirmed it.
“That’s not all,” he continued. “I discovered where the communiqué came from – the one that announced the Night Star attacked Copiannis.”
Everyone tensed, Boone glared at him - waiting to hear who it was that tried to incriminate him. Terra became agitated - very much wanting to go and be a part of that particular investigation. Jona, as usual, grunted loudly and took a few steps forward, waiting with anticipation. He would be the one to dart from the room, find the person responsible, and make them pay using his own brand of justice.
“The message came from within the royal palace. A small COM station adjacent to the royal palace.”
Everyone was shocked by the news. They started looking at one another, wondering what it meant.
“Someone is after you, Boone. And I’ll even add the 5th prime and his daughter, Lorin. It had to be a High Guard member, though, or…”
Phia boldly interrupted the senior investigator, “Uh, Sir?” she asked. “You said the 5th prime and Lorin? Why is that?”
Terra answered, “Ms. Sa’vo, while Boone was waiting for the prime and Lorin, back when this whole mission and search for Dr. Zay'Geis started, Boone was shot and the prime and Lorin were abducted. Someone knew about it, someone was waiting for them there. Somebody tipped them off.”
Phia nodded her head, yes, remembering, and just then beginning to understand what every one of them went through. She recalled the light red rings on Boone’s back when he told her not to shoot him. That story, the one he told her on the Night Star when she held him at gunpoint was beginning to have merit.
Pryce added his thoughts to the conversation while staring at Terra. Everyone watched him as he unashamedly stroked her long black hair, carefully avoiding the bandage still wrapped around her head and part of her face. Her many tiny facial cuts and bruises were making slow progress in the healing process.
He said, “I hadn’t seen Boone in months when he and this… this… beautiful smart woman landed in my back yard and told me we needed to find his ship and two passengers.”
Terra smiled and blushed at his gesture and quickly grabbed his hand and held onto it. She didn’t want any more attention drawn to her.
Mace added, “Beautiful? Smart? I guess but Pryce! Don’t you mean fighting machine, high-flying daredevil, outrageous action-packed adventurous…”
Pryce’s glare shut him up quickly but everyone else was laughing loudly.
Mace addressed the Chief Investigator, “You do know who we have here? Don’t you? This lady, Terra Je’en, our O'bipherion investigator took out over a dozen space gunners!”
Lincoln nodded his head in wonder and smiled at the accomplishment. He read some of the briefs concerning their three-week mission but he hadn’t had the time to read all of the reports.
Jona could not restrain his silence when they started talking about Terra and the mission.
“That wasn’t the best part,” Jona said as he looked at Lincoln and filled him in. “She did it with that puny little shuttle on top of Boone’s ship! That slow weak hard-to-fit-into shuttle with just a few rockets and…”
“It’s only hard to fit into,” Mace chuckled, “because you’re the size of Pereon juga bear! Boone would have to take both of those seats out in order…”
Jona took a step toward the much shorter black man. “Guys?” Boone glared.
Everyone started laughing again.
“As I was saying,” Lincoln continued. “Ms. Je’en, and Boone, I’m going to read all of those reports. If they are all completed. So, before I was interrupted, someone in the palace is not who they say they are.” He looked directly at Terra, his investigation comrade. “We’ve got a spy, Officer Je’en.” Disgusted looks and heavy sighs filled the room. “I’m not done, either. We also caught another man beside Kwelling. We’re trying to find out who he is. While Kwelling went for you, Boone, this other man went after you, Terra. Good thing we had both your rooms covered.”
“I’ll say,” Pryce replied. “Good idea, Terra.”
Lincoln added, “Having both of you moved saved your lives because facial recognition didn’t identify Kwelling. Our facial image of him was too old. He’s changed a lot!”
They all smiled and nodded at the wisdom and good results from Terra.
Lincoln added, “I’m very glad you called me about that, Ms. Je’en. But, here is the other news… and you’re not going to like this. Someone helped Sabin escape.”
Chapter 2
“Adere?” Rena softly uttered awaking Aderian from a disturbing sleep.
“Hmm,” he mumbled.
“You’re moaning again, and gasping. Reliving the nightmare?”
He tried to sit up but she and Nell held him down. “No,” Nell said. “You won’t be moving for days!”
“Adere,” the queen pirate added. “You’re barely alive. We thought about taking you to a hospital but we would need a hover bed to move you. The slightest movement might open up your wounds. Understand?”
He nodded. “So, I’m pretty cut up. Huh?” he snickered. “Maybe that’s why I feel as though I’m on fire!”
Jak stepped forward. “Man, you’ve got a pretty high fever. We’re trying to make some ice for ya’.”
Aderian nodded. “Thanks. I’ll just sit tight.”
“Good,” Rena said. “We’re going to look for the device. You…”
“What?” he asked. “You can’t go out there when those creatures are running havoc! We…”
“Jak went and retrieved our phase rifles,” she argued.
“Yeah!” Jak uttered. “And besides, we came up with a pretty good plan. We’re going to use the gunners to fly overhead and scope out this whole area.”
Nell added, “We’re gonna scope out more than that! There won’t be a furry tarin-beastie for a hundred miles of this place when I’m done with…”
“Nell,” Rena glanced at her. “Enough.”
“I’m just saying! We’ll get rid of all of them.”
Aderian muttered, “I can’t believe how many of them are around! And you had them take Zay'Geis here? How did they deal with them?”
Rena pondered, “I don’t know.”
“I know,” Jak said. “They just recently bedded down somewhere near here. You have dead bodies around, a large crop field over there unattended, and who knows what else draws them here. Rena, that device can’t be here. Nova wouldn’t have the patience to deal with them and hide that thing around here.”
Aderian raised his arm to object. Rena grabbed it and held it down.
“Jak!” he said. “Nova has got the patience of a crawling sloth-bug. And he’s smarter than we think he is. I’m betting he has it here somewhere and these…” he glanced at Nell, remembering her reference to the creatures. “These furry beasties are his pets!”
“Adere?” Rena asked. “Can our gunners detect the teleportation device somehow?”
Aderian thought real hard as did all of them. He shook his head, no. “I’m positive he’s deactivated anything that can give off a signal or be scanned. We’ll have to find it the hard way.”
…
Officer Tanner sat in the COM station adjacent to the royal estate. The COM center was only a short walk from the main corridors of the royal palace and all of its amenities. It was very easy to scroll through the data and find the images that coincided with the incriminating communiqué that accused the Night Star of strafing Copiannis and killing hundreds of people.
He discovered there was one guard on duty during the time of the communiqué. He stepped out to retrieve his dinner leaving the room unattended for a mere four minutes. He also observed a young woman with short black hair enter and exit the COM room during that time. He printed out an image of her and went to the officer in charge of the royal guardsman – Kola D’su. The officers working in the royal COM with Tanner also copied a communiqué she made. It lasted only a minute and they didn’t know whom it was she talked to but they had their voice and location at the time it was sent. It read:
“I cannot establish a data burst now! And you should not contact me, I don’t care what she says! You also need to end this communication before you’re discovered! We can’t afford that right now. Reply to her and tell her I will contact her when I have the time. The device works. It’s been tested and Nova and the investigator are next! Now get off the COM! And don’t call my COM again!”
…
Meanwhile, midway in the O'bipherion-Xeraxes corridor, life pods had formed a single line and were headed for the safety of O'bipherion. At their quickest pace, it would be a seven-week journey.
Captain Eisen yelled, “Devin! I can’t just ‘sit here.’ I’ve got to go after them.”
“I’ve got some ideas, Mial. We’re talking to HGCO (High Guard Command O'bipherion) right now. They will send some gunners and transports. Mial? I want you to stay there!”
“Stay here?” Commander J’Dar stepped in and yelled. “Are you out of your mind? We’re not just going to sit here!”
“Commander, we are coming,” he boldly countered. “Listen to me. I’m coming! The Edsen Tide is at Abdom Center. It launched hours ago. We have twenty intergalactic runners from Xeraxes following her. Let’s talk out a strategy.”
“Captain!” Ellswood, his NAV officer exclaimed. “The Ambulas just fired at us again.”
“Report!” he ordered as he scanned the bridge. No one indicated any damage.
“A miss, Sir,” Ellswood replied.
“Mr. Grainer, you’re doing something right if we’re evading them.”
“Sir,” he answered, “I am slowly adjusting our position above and below the orbital plane as well as slowly moving from port to starboard. I also have the ship slowly rotating. Presently, we are flying vertically.”
“Excellent,” the commander answered. “Keep doing it.” He turned his attention to Captain Kapavon. “See, we are making some progress. It’s possible to avoid most of these laser strikes, Devin.”
“Yes, Commander but it only takes one well-placed strike to decimate you. Are you willing to take that chance?”
Commander J’Dar and Captain Eisen studied each other momentarily then they studied the hologram of the evil Ambulas displayed above the NAV console. They were pondering the suggestions from Captain Kapavon.
“Sir,” Devin added. “They will not likely target the rescue ships from O'bipherion. I’m sure they want to deal with us. We’ll keep them busy, Sir. What do you say?”
“Captain Eisen,” Ellswood reported. “A fleet of ships have left O'bipherion and are headed toward the Ganes.”
Devin added, “They’re going to retrieve the pods, Mial.”
Devin patiently waited for the captain to see it. The wiser captain, Devin Kapavon, had already ascertained the best strategy. Now, the captain of the Sim-Sa Gale and the commander of the fleet just had to see it as well. Otherwise, the Ambulas could take down the Gale.
“Ms. Ellswood?” Captain Eisen asked. “How many ships have left?”
She had already counted them on her NAV. “Sir! 417.”
Commander J’Dar and Captain Eisen both nodded. Eisen looked at Devin, “OK. We’ll stand down. For now. It will give us time to talk about our next move.”
…
Officer Logan Dowey, an old officer and commander of the High Guard Investigative Command, and Lincoln DeKator, the constellations Chief Investigator stood in front of a dejected pirate, Jurias Kwelling. Kwelling was not going to cooperate.
Commander Dowey explained, “I suppose you know how this works?” Kwelling only smirked and stared at him. “For the log, I will only ask you this question three times. If you do not confess all, you will be held in isolation detention for fifty days. Then, I will ask you three times again. If you do not confess all, you will be held in isolation detention for one hundred and fifty days. Then, I will ask you one final time and if you do not confess all, you will be sent to the most secured space detention center we have – forever! Now, I ask you… Jurias Kwelling… do you have any crimes against any peoples to confess?”
Kwelling smiled and chuckled, “That’s just… ridiculous. And, ha! No! Lock me up.”
Kwelling was taken away. Lincoln and Commander Dowey looked at each other.
“Sir?” Lincoln asked. “I need the information he has in his head. We’ve got to do things differently.”
Dowey nodded, “I’ll talk to the prime. He will discuss it with the court.”
…
Nell, Jak, and Rena ran to their small ships with guns drawn and ready. They carefully scanned in every direction as they got to the gunners. Rena quickly jumped into her small space gunner and closed the hatch with determination. Though she previously studied the handheld scanner and discovered there were not any kukupas near the ranch house, she wasn’t about to trust the small device completely, especially after what happened to Aderian. She felt safe inside the ship.
Once she ignited the engines and she got her instrumentations up and running, she immediately scanned the area again. She accessed the nearest COM center and searched its database for the terrifying creatures. She found the data for the kukupas and shuttered when she read about their abilities. She was going to do some hunting with revenge on her mind.
She also had one other task to complete. She contacted her nearest hidden post and requested all available pirates and associates to come and join her in the search. She told them the reward would be unimaginable. She ended the communiqué and hope
d for a host of able-bodied men and women. She lifted off as Nell and Jak took up positions beside her. Together they started to locate and eradicate kukupas.
…
Dr. Weimar had ordered everyone out so his newest patient could recover faster. Boone was ‘the first patient to be infected with Nanos and live.’ Of course, Dr. Vensin added ‘intentionally infected’ to the statement. Dr. Weimar and Dr. Vensin were extremely proud of the new procedure and were already broadcasting and teaching the results to every major medical center in all seven solar systems.
Boone was lying face up; his right arm still held tightly on a board with a white stretchy material draped over it. It was much too tight for his liking but it was necessary in order for the healing process of his damaged nerves to take place. Suddenly, alarms began to ring out from nearby devices – Dr. Weimar and Dr. Vensin ran into his room with several nurses following.
Dr. Weimar lowered the head of his bed while another nurse placed the white stretchy material over his arms, chest, and legs. His body was tightly strapped to the bed.
Boone yelled, “What’s happening?”
“Hologram!” Dr. Weimar screamed. “Where are they?” he asked Dr. Vensin.
Dr. Vensin held a long flexible needle in his hand. “There!” he shouted as the hologram exposed several Nanos running havoc within his body. He handed the long flexible needle to Dr. Weimar.
“Quickly!” Dr. Weimar shouted. Boone screamed as Dr. Weimar inserted the long flexible needle into his bare abdomen. “The Nanos are moving very quickly! I can’t catch up to them!”
While gazing at the hologram displayed above him, he saw them starting to multiply. While screaming, he saw hundreds of Nanos attacking his organs and muscles. Boone screamed again, uncontrollably, as the needle was inserted deeper. Dr. Weimar was frantically pushing it in and twisting it, attempting to catch one of the fast-moving bugs that crawled within his body.
BOONE NOVA AND THEPIRATE QUEEN Page 2
