Chapter 3
“Were we ever that young and green?” Jason asked Billy, referring to their geek squad of new recruits. Before he could answer, Jason was being hailed.
“Go for Captain.”
“Well? Are you coming back over here, or not?”
There were few crewmembers Jason would allow the leeway he permitted Bristol. “Leaving soon, Bristol. Just cool your jets for a few minutes.” He cut the connection without further comment.
Jason and Billy joined Ricket and Two-ton, as well as the yet-to-be ranked Ryan Chase. It was now common knowledge that Two-ton would not leave Ryan’s side, which sometimes raised its own set of logistical issues, though nothing that couldn’t be dealt with. The two had become valued crew assets, each in their own right: Ryan, for his exceptional piloting skills; Two-ton, the robot, for its keen AI intellect—an intellect nearly on par with Ricket’s.
“All right … we need to get the hell off this ship. Have your boys been issued their SuitPacs, Billy?”
The small group looked over to the fifteen green horns. One of the larger boys had another boy in a headlock, while another three were bobbing their heads to unheard music.
Billy said, “Looks like they discovered the NanoCom music channel.”
Ryan said, “Yeah … the Hip Hop station, by the looks of them.”
Ricket wore an appreciative smile. A moment later, Jason saw his friend’s oversized head begin to keep beat to a rhythm perhaps only he himself heard.
Billy said, “They’ve been issued, but I wouldn’t trust any of them to know what to do with them.”
Jason noticed each recruit did, in fact, have a SuitPac device dangling from his belt. He jostled Michael—reluctantly waking him up—and set the boy down, making him stand up on his own. Jason depressed the two inset tabs on his own SuitPac device. Nothing happened. Thinking little of it, he repositioned the tips of his fingers and repeated the process—which, this time, initiated his combat suit. The suit’s hardened tiny segments extended out, covering his entire body within two to three seconds. The others in the group, including Two-ton, did the same. Jason then initiated the SuitPac device clipped on to Michael’s waistband.
Looking down at his newly warriorized son, Jason realized Ricket and Michael were about the same height. Unless someone peered directly into their dimly lit combat suit helmet visor, they’d have a hard time telling the two apart. Michael by now had fully awakened. Wide-eyed and looking around, he seemed to revel wearing his new armored suit.
“This is so cool, Dad! How do I shoot the wrist guns?”
“You don’t,” Jason said. He had disarmed the suit’s weaponry and just about anything else a six-year-old boy could get into trouble with.
Next, Jason accessed his HUD’s phase-shift settings sub-menu and made the necessary phase-shift configuration changes. Before he could commence the phase-shift, his HUD settings reset to zero. What the hell. Slower this time, he reentered the information and then waited to make sure they were accepted … “Okay … here we go, everybody!” All at once, the fifteen recruits were taken by surprise when their bodies suddenly became clad in the latest matte-black Caldurian combat-suit technology.
Billy said, “They almost look badass, suited up like that.” But several immature hoots and hollers, followed by a series of high-fives, stole away any semblance of them being badass.
“Okay … we’re out of here,” Jason said, taking ahold of Michael’s hand in his. The flight bay flashed brilliant white as twenty-one individuals instantly phase-shifted out of the Jumelle’s flight bay.
* * *
At virtually the same moment, an equally intense bright flash occurred thirty miles away within the Parcical’s flight bay.
Jason looked around the nearly identical flight bay space, surprised to see how empty of personnel the compartment was. Although he shouldn’t be, since he knew the Parcical’s entire crew was off on leave. Billy, he noted, was the first one to deactivate his combat suit. The Shark’s leader headed right towards his new team of recruits. He’d be escorting the lot of them to the barracks first, then later into Medical, where Ricket would assist in getting them into their respective MediPods.
“Ryan, why don’t you head on up to the bridge and get yourself situated. For the time being, you’ll be our sole officer on deck. The rest of us, let’s head over to the Zoo. Bristol is waiting for us,” Jason said.
Ricket and Two-ton quickly became immersed in a conversation about something far more technical than Jason could begin to comprehend. Something to do with the mirror components of the five different gravitational elements. How that corresponded to the ship’s current problems, or issues, Jason didn’t understand either. As the four of them—Ricket, Two-ton, Michael, and himself—left the flight deck, Jason saw there was a whole lot more head-nodding coming from Two-ton than from Ricket.
“What you need to understand, Two-ton, is that the individual five elements can act quite divergent to what the physical laws of physics would seem to dictate. But don’t be fooled. It’s an illusion … a phantasm. There’s true trickery and magic within the universe.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah, big guy?”
“Ricket’s pretty smart, huh?”
“Yeah … smart as anyone I’ve ever known.” Ricket, he then noticed, had simultaneously been tracking his and Michael’s far less technical conversation. Turning, Ricket flashed Michael a conspiratorial smile, before reengaging with Two-ton.
On approaching the aft main corridor DeckPort, nobody made a move for it. Prior to leaving the Jumelle’s flight deck, Jason had lectured everyone that until repairs could be made, all Parcical DeckPorts were off limits.
By the time they reached the Parcical’s Zoo, Bristol had become uncharacteristically cordial. Jason suspected the skinny Chief of Engineering was more than a little happy to have added company. When they first arrived, he ushered them over to the problematic HAB portal. Ricket, Two-ton, and Bristol dove right into their work. Two-ton, who’d been lugging a large equipment case, opened it up and removed a spherical hover drone.
“What’s that?” Michael asked.
Bristol, without looking up, said, “Um … it’s a fetch-it.”
Jason merely shrugged when Michael looked up at him for further clarification.
Two-ton said, “It’s simply a tool, Michael. One that will fetch things for us throughout the ship. And because its technology is brought in from outside the Parcical, there should be no issues with it. Useful, since DeckPorts are now not an option for the rest of us.”
Seeing that his continued presence was unnecessary, and probably a distraction, Jason asked, “The other HABs here … any issues with them?”
Bristol said, “No. Only this one is FUBAR.”
Jason watched for another few minutes as the three techies began to dismantle the outer cowling around the habitat portal.
“How about I show you Mollie’s drog … Alice.”
“What’s a drog?” Michael asked, intrigued.
“Come on … let’s figure out what corresponds to the Jumelle’s HAB 4 in this ship.” As they walked away, he heard Ricket call after them, “That would be HAB 439!”
Chapter 4
Sommis of Adriark space
The Jumelle’s AI announced, “Omni on the bridge!”
Gunny Orion stood up, relinquishing the captain’s chair, as soon as she saw the fleet Omni enter the bridge and head directly for her.
“I’m not staying, Gunny …” he said.
Three other officers entered behind him—each dressed similarly, in crimson dress uniforms, but minus the long cloak the Omni was wearing.
“Situational status?” he asked.
“We’ve emerged from an interchange wormhole, sir. We’re officially entering King Gallderaunt’s realm, within the Sommis of Adriark.”
Gunny noticed the Omni’s eyes were alive with anticipation as he took in the bridge’s three-hundred-and-sixty-degree wraparound d
isplay that looked out on Sommis of Adriark space. It was a unique planetary system with its three tightly grouped blue stars and thirteen orbiting planets—most of which were inhospitable to organic life. A spectacular space station was cast in shades of azure star light—growing in scope as they approached. Impressive, the space station most definitely took center stage.
Smiling, he glanced back at his three senior officers, who similarly wore the same affirming expression on their faces.
“What is it … sir? What’s going on here?” Orion asked, feeling like the last to be let in on an inside joke.
The Omni brought his attention back to her and held her gaze. Continuing to stare at her—to the point she began to feel uneasy—but she stared back at him nonetheless.
“I guess I can tell you … now, though it’s still not common knowledge, Gunny.” He took a step closer to her and lowered his voice. “The Alliance is about to expand … exponentially.”
She looked out over the Omni’s broad shoulders to the unfamiliar space beyond. She heard him speaking although she was only half-listening.
“… the Alliance will grow in magnitude, covering huge spatial distances, but it’s far more than even that. There are millions of inhabitable planetary bodies, right here within the king’s realm.”
“Don’t we already have enough to handle within Alliance space? I mean, I know that Star Watch is already pushed to the limit of their security capabilities.”
“You’re thinking far too small, Gunny. Sommis of Adriark space is a literal gold mine of prosperity. The standard of living here is well beyond anything we are used to. Crime is practically non-existent. No … there’s much we can learn from these people, I can assure you of that.”
“Okay, I partially understand why we’d like to hitch our wagon to that kind of success, but what will they get in return?” Just as soon as the words left her lips she already knew the answer. Damn! It’s the same old thing. At that moment she knew why the Omni’s son hadn’t been invited along for the ride. “Sir … you can’t. You simply can’t do what I think you’re contemplating. The Captain … Jason … would—”
“Jason’s not here. Jason’s not the Omni. And I am not asking your permission, Commander.” The Omni’s good-humored expression then quickly left his face. It was obvious to her she had nailed the situation. The Omni would be offering up technology—Caldurian technology—in exchange for the prospect of overflowing the Alliance coffers. “And the other governing members within the Alliance?” Orion asked.
Unconsciously, the Omni raised his chin up and to the side—as though suddenly his collar had grown too tight around his thick neck. “For the most part, concordance. But the Alliance is governed using democratic principles, so yes, there were several dissenters.”
Orion had to inwardly smile at that. “Sol … Earth?”
The Omni was visibly getting annoyed. “I didn’t come here to be interrogated, Orion.”
Now it was Orion who held a steady gaze on the Omni.
The Omni said, “Sol System abstained from voting. And Earth … well, they clearly were not in favor of merging our two great systems.”
Orion had never known the fleet commander to do anything in opposition to the best interests of his home planet. “Can I at least suggest you wait … before any final agreements … contracts … are signed, sir?”
“Sir, it is time to go,” Admiral Clemens said behind them.
When the Omni’s smile reappeared back on his lips, Orion knew things had progressed far beyond the contract signing stage. So this was already a done deal! Had the Omni really sold out the Alliance—Earth—even his own son?
* * *
Dira appraised herself in the mirror. It had taken her the better part of two hours to get ready. The floor-length gold lamé gown she was wearing had been custom designed to her specific measurements, then manufactured via the captain’s quarters garment replicator. She took a step backwards and turned so she could view the strapless open back. The dress’s gold color had been a good choice, contrasting attractively with her light-violet skin tones. And the sparkly gold fabric clung to her body in all the right places. She thought of Jason and smiled. He would have loved seeing this dress on her. And, even more so, would have loved taking it off her.
The Jumelle’s AI announced the Omni was waiting at the suite’s hatch. They’d arrived within Sommis of Adriark space at midday, and were currently berthed at an expansive space station called Xavier Station 35.
The hatch door automatically slid open as she approached it. Standing out in the corridor was her father-in-law—the U.S. fleet Omni. Apparently startled by her altered appearance, he took her figure in, from head to toe. His eyes momentarily hesitated at her somewhat-exposed cleavage.
Dira knew she cleaned up well. She rarely wore makeup and typically underplayed her natural beauty. Being a medical professional—the fleet’s lead doctor—playing down her appearance to one more understated was a judicious practice. But this evening was all about making a good impression. At least, that was what the Omni had informed her. They were to mix and mingle with royalty, along with the who’s who within Sommis of Adriark’s high society.
“You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on, Dira,” the Omni said. He held out an elbow for her and she politely obliged, sliding in her arm.
“So what is this evening all about, Omni? You’ve been mysteriously tight-lipped about our mission here.”
“Think of it as a grand celebration, Dira. The culmination of months of behind the scenes diplomacy.”
“So you’ve been making the trek over here for some time now?”
“Yes, well … only once for me, prior to today. But our representatives aboard the Aquarius have visited more often.”
“Oh … is the Aquarius here, as well?”
The Omni, hesitating, replied, “I believe so. Either that, or they are en route back to Sol. I’ve not spoken to Captain Granger for several days now.”
“I see.” Dira let her father-in-law guide her toward the nearest DeckPort. She felt his steps slow as they approached the opening and gave him an inquisitive look.
He shook his head. “It’s the Parcical. She’s having trouble with her DeckPorts. Momentarily forgot we’re on the Jumelle … we should be fine.” Increasing his pace, the two entered the energized portal together, emerging on another deck. Then, continuing to walk aft, they entered the Jumelle’s flight bay where Dira encountered other formally dressed fleet officers, who, apparently, had been awaiting their arrival. She recognized several fleet admirals, as well as Alliance representatives from other planetary systems.
The Omni and Dira next headed up the gangway of the fancy-looking vessel. “Swanky … the Elegante is your new personal craft, Omni?”
“That’s right.”
Once inside the main cabin, Dira took in the softly lit interior with its fine accouterments. “So posh!”
The Omni beamed. “Well, I like it. One of the perks of the job, I guess.” He gestured to a grouping of overstuffed seats ahead, and said, “Let’s make ourselves comfortable. It’s a good ten minutes’ flight time down to Thorian Banal. Just enough time for a cocktail.”
“That’s where we’re going?”
“Yes, my dear. You are my date for the evening, at Lardel Hold … the king’s impressive and most imposing castle.”
Chapter 5
After punching in the appropriate access key code, Jason waited for the series of audible beeps, signaling the code had been accepted.
Beep, beep, beep.
“Here we go.”
Holding hands, Jason and Michael stepped into the now-open HAB 439 portal window together. Once inside, the window closed.
“The air’s funny in here, Dad.”
“That’s called humidity, Michael. You’ll get used to it in time.”
Some time had passed since Jason had last been there. Both Mollie and Boomer—and Nan as well—loved visiting. On
e of the few existing habitats from Earth, the time era this habitat existed in was closer to post-prehistoric times. There were Indian elephants in the HAB, as well as some large cats—like tigers. Jason thought about Nan and Mollie off together on an interstellar diplomatic jaunt. He wondered where they were right now—he knew he had that information, somewhere. Nan had requested Rizzo—for him to lead a small security team.
“Stay close to me, Michael. You wander out into that deep foliage and I may never find you.”
With some trepidation, Michael looked around at the tall leafy trees, dangling vines, and the seemingly impassible wall of low-hanging greenery.
Jason pointed toward a nearby wooden split-rail fence. “See that fence over there?”
“I see it.”
“Your mother used to come here and sit on that fence for hours … just thinking. It was her place to get away from everything. Everyone.”
Michael walked over to the spot on the fence his father was pointing to and, climbing up, positioned himself atop it. Sitting there, he looked around. “Yeah … this is a good place for thinking.”
“Stay there for a second, son,” Jason said. Cupping both hands around his mouth, he yelled, “Alice! Come on, girl! Alice!” He listened intently to the jungle noises beyond them when, about to call again, he heard scurrying sounds in the near distance. Thirty seconds later, a blur of black fur broke free of the foliage and out into the clearing. Loud barking erupted. Taken off guard, Jason was knocked to the ground then needed to cover his face with his arms as a slobbery licking tongue lathered his cheeks with saliva. When her excited barking resumed, Jason pulled the animal into a bear-hug, saying, “Good to see you too, Alice! I’ve honestly missed you.”
The six-legged, Labrador-sized drog, now over-the-top excited, began to run circles around Jason. Clumsily, she darted first one direction and then another. Michael was laughing so hard he was having a hard time staying perched atop the fence.
Scrapyard LEGACY (Star Watch Book 6) Page 3
