Dragon Fire (Galaxy On Fire Book 5)

by Craig Robertson

  “Als, repeat that on a loop until we depart.”

  “Aye,” replied Al.

  Within five minutes, a sea of figures was surging toward Stingray. I anticipated this getting messy, but I think even my estimates were conservative. This was going to be bloody mayhem.

  “Als, deploy a partial membrane with a single portal. I’ll grab some flares and a rifle. Hopefully I can get people to line up without shooting anyone.”

  “Good luck, Jon,” replied Al. “This is looking kind of ugly.

  Before the first wave hit, I had flares lined up in an expanding cone to serve as a chute. That way, I only had to try and control the front of the line, as opposed to being rushed from all directions at once. As soon as the crowd was in ear shot, I began shouting as loud as I could. “Walk. Do not run. If anyone pushes, I will shoot.”

  Most on-rushers slowed, some didn’t. I fired several shots into the air. That got everybody’s attention.

  “Single file. No pushing. I can only take one hundred at a time. I prefer to bring families but can’t guarantee it.” I kept repeating that.

  Once an agitated but stationary line formed at the membrane opening, I started letting people past in twos and threes. “Go all the way to the back of the ship. This will be a very short flight. Do not worry about comfort.” I said that periodically. The vortex filled up quickly and without problems.

  I raised my rifle. “Stop. I’m full. Leave my landing spot clear, and I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

  Because people are people, that’s when the shit hit the fan, naturally. A fat, middle-aged male started pushing his way forward, knocking anyone in his way to the ground. “Wait, you must take me,” he shouted frantically. “I’m a council member. I’m an important person.”

  I planted a blast at his feet. That stopped him. “First-come, first-served or I’ll shoot higher, pal.”

  “You don’t understand, you must take me immediately. I’m someone around here.” He started to advance again.

  “You are about to be someone with a gaping hole in his worthiness.”

  He stopped.

  “I’ll take you on the third flight.”

  “This is an outrage. I demand to know why I will not be on the second flight.”

  “Because you’re an ass, and I don’t like you. Now you’re on the fourth flight. One more word, and you’re on the flight after my last trip.”

  He sure wanted to say something. Lucky for him, he refrained.

  I stepped to the ship’s hatch. “Everybody, take a deep breath in and move backward.”

  That created room for a few more. Then I backed in and sealed the wall. “Stingray, take us to the landing site on Kalvarg.”

  In an instant we were there. I had the passengers rush out as quickly as possible. Sapale had organized a temporary staging area and made sure everyone moved there without stopping. Stingray was empty in two minutes.

  “You okay here?” I yelled to Sapale.

  She gave me two thumbs up. I closed the opening and returned to Kaljax. By the time I arrived, the local police had begun organizing the ever-growing crowd. Bless their hearts. That really helped. They were getting relatives together and triaging the line in terms of societal value. Hey, it was going to be their new world. They could have me transport whomever they wanted. All I was concerned with was numbers, the bigger the better.

  As people filed in, I called over to a police officer. “I want four officers on this trip. We need to maintain order on the other end too.”

  She waved that she understood and buttonholed four cops. She pointed toward me as she gave them their orders. One seemed to protest. She shoved him away angrily and accompanied the other three policemen to the opening.

  “What was that all about?” I asked her as she passed.

  “Damn fool said he didn’t want to leave without his family. Makes me sick to think any officer would put family ahead of duty during war.”

  I had to agree with her. “Welcome aboard,” I said, gently pushing her in.

  Over the next two days, I made nonstop shuttles between the two planets. I only stopped when the Adamant gunfire was so close the crowd had to disperse for its own safety. I did good. All in all, I rescued over five thousand people. Toward the end, when it was clear there wouldn’t be many more trips, the police had the passengers arranged in tight groups. They’d selected mostly women and children but mixed in individuals who would be needed in the new world. Doctors, soldiers, educators, those type of people. Funny, because I asked specifically after we were finished, they did not send a single lawyer. Go figure.

  Then the harder phase of my recovery efforts began. Sapale joined me for that part. Caryp demanded to come too, but she realized pretty soon she wasn’t up to the physical demands of the task. But it was nice to have her for her instant credibility. As a compromise, she recorded a short holo for us to show any stragglers we found to help convince them we were legit. We landed in relatively quiet zones and sought out survivors. It was slow going. It was also remarkably dangerous.

  The damn Adamant figured out what we were doing quickly and made efforts to foil our recovery operations. They had troops spread out thinly, so there was less room for us to sneak around. We couldn’t broadcast where we’d be, because the enemy would be there in greater number if we did. Over almost a month, we collected another two thousand random Kaljaxians. That was it. Granted, they would be forging a new society with more individuals than we had in the case of Azsuram, but still, less than ten thousand souls to start a brave new world with was dicey. But there were no other options. Plus, these were tough cookies. They’d be fine.

  It hadn’t taken the Kalvargians long to notice their uninvited guests. Fortunately, though it turned out they were not pleased, at least they didn’t say hello with nuclear weapons. I was in for a rare break, which was fine by me. Since I wasn’t one of the unannounced settlers, I wasn’t involved in the negotiation process. I say negotiations because I honestly don’t know another word for the interactions. They were not fun and giggles, that’s for sure.

  The region I pulled most of the Kaljaxians from was from a different clan than Caryp’s. Their leader was a male even more ancient and withered than her. His name was Mesdorre. Together, they spoke for the mixed clans. Kaljaxians from other clans just had to accept that their leaders weren’t present and that those two were the de facto spokespersons. Eventually, the clanless would pledge themselves to Mesdorre, since there were so few Kaljaxians left. A typical clan back on the home world numbered in the hundreds of thousands.

  Once I was finished shuttling survivors, I got my first look at a Kalvarg local. I had a lot of experience aquatic species years ago, the Listhelons. They were vaguely humanoid. Not these guys. They were bullet shaped, like dolphins and whales. That made sense for an oceanic apex species. It meant, however, that they were particularly ungainly on land. Kalvargians had fins, and nothing like legs. Consequently, they moved across dry land on platforms with treads. They did have adaptive breathing devices, reverse-SCUBA, so to speak, as opposed to rolling around in bulky tanks. But if you took away their rides, they were—I just had to say it—like fish out of water. It was clear why they had ventured so little onto the surface of their planet. That did not, however, stop them from taking offense that someone migrated there without their permission—permission they most likely would have denied.

  My only involvement in the interspecies lovefest was when I considered demonstrating my superior war technology. That would imply that the immigrants also possessed such weapons. Such an act might sway the proceedings, but I decided against it, at least to start with. Hopefully the negotiations were the first act in a play that would go on indefinitely. I wanted both parties to work matters out between themselves and to do so free of coercion. If need be, I could blow a big crater in the ground as a show of force. I loved doing that, the boom-boom stuff, not the shows of force. Producing a massive smoking hole where there was once but flat boring dirt wa
s always most cool.

  When the locals first rolled up to the encampment, the mood was tense. Every able-bodied Kaljaxian picked up a weapon and formed a straight line on either side of the two leaders. It was clear the Kalvargian carts were well armed too. Each had several turrets of varying sizes. There were over fifty vehicles. Fortunately, neither side was trigger-happy. They both also understood the need to translate the other’s language. Mathematical symbols and formulae were exchanged to accomplish the preliminaries. Within thirty minutes, they were speaking effortlessly.

  **********

  “I am Urpto. I am the Assistant Subtender for this region of Epsallor. State your identity and intention.”

  “I am Mesdorre.” He rested a palm on his chest. Touching Caryp’s shoulder, he said, “This is Caryp. We speak for the Kaljaxians present.”

  “You mean as opposed to those who are now dead?”

  “No, I mean those whom you see before you. Those present here, now. Our intentions are to survive as a species.”

  “It is the same with all species. It is the same with us. Your words to not disclose why your invasion party has appeared.”

  “We are not invading your world. Our own world has been conquered and assimilated into the Adamant Empire. Are you familiar with them?”

  “No. But we are not prepared to accept the representation you offer. We do not welcome you to Epsallor.”

  “Might I ask, is Epsallor this planet or simply this part of it?”

  “This desert is part of the Kingdom of Epsallor. This planet is Morvip. You are not welcome in Epsallor. I doubt you are welcome anywhere on Morvip, but I do not speak for all the kingdoms.”

  What he referred to as a desert was a lush forested grassland. A desert to him, perhaps, being a merman.

  “I will explain. First, however, may we find a comfortable place to talk? My bones ache from age.”

  “Why would … ah, the effects of gravity. I am comfortable. If you wish to be also, that is permissible.”

  Hey, their first compromise. Where was my Polaroid?

  “Now,” began Caryp, “I will tell you that a ruthless hoard has taken our planet and killed most of our race. Those you see here are the last of our species. We choose to come to Morvip not to control it but because it is one of the rare safe planets that remains free. We appeal to your sense of morality to allow us to stay.” The cagy old bat waited a few seconds before adding, “We do not wish to take Morvip from you by force. But we must have a place to live. Surely you can see how small our numbers are and how large the available land is.”

  “We have no interest whatsoever in living in or on the water. The resources there will remain yours alone,” added Mesdorre.

  “I do not find it reassuring that you are granting us permission to use that which is already ours. It implies primacy and desire for control.”

  “I intend no such meaning. I simply want to point out that your species and ours will not be in direct competition for resources.”

  “If access to your world is lost to you, in time your numbers will swell. Will there not arise competition then?”

  “Perhaps. However, that will take a very long time to become an issue, let alone a problem,” responded Mesdorre.

  “Yes, time is long. So has the presence of our species been. To resolve a problem when it is small is much easier achieved than when it is large.”

  “Your words are true. But I hope in time our two species will become fast friends.”

  “Which two species? Are you subverting the Kingdom of Epsallor by forming an alliance with the Dodrue?”

  “Who are the Dodrue?” asked Caryp.

  “You must know. Are you trying to be deceptive?”

  “No, we came here in a great rush with no more information about Morvip than it was safe for us to breathe here.”

  “That is possible, however unlikely it may seem. The Dodrue are our mortal enemies. Their kingdoms war with us constantly. It has been since before time was recorded.”

  “A clarification, if you might,” asked Caryp. “What do you call your species?”

  “I am a vidalt.”

  “And are the Dodrue also vidalt?”

  One of the fellow cart occupants cried out in protest. It must not have been a question one asked.

  “I will assume you mean no insult. No. The Dodrue are wiqubs. Larger, less intelligent, and more ruthless than we are.”

  “And which side leads in the fighting?” asked Mesdorre.

  More protestations were heard from the locals.

  “In many years, for many generations, the war has been static. Neither side wins and neither side loses.”

  “And do any of the battles of this war occur on what you call this desert?”

  “No. That would be pointless. No one wishes to control worthless turf.”

  “Neither do we. But we also would appreciate the opportunity to survive here, in this unwanted wasteland,” said Caryp. “Urpto, as an Assistant Subtender for this part of Epsallor, do you have the authority to permit us to remain here, at least pending formal discussions with all of the governments of Morvip?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Then please grant it. I realize our arrival is challenging, but I know that with sufficient time we can convince you that we will be good stewards of this land. We will also be nothing but friends to the vidalt. I pledge that we will continue to search for other planets that might sustain us. If, later, the vidalt decide we must leave, we will do so when it is safe,” said Caryp.

  “To battle here and now, neither party knowing the capabilities of the other, would be shortsighted,” added Mesdorre. It was a nice way of saying don’t force us to kill you.

  “Very well. You may stay in this location for now. My superiors will contact you soon to establish formal diplomatic talks. Is this agreeable to you?”

  “Most agreeable,” replied Mesdorre.

  “Then I shall wish you happy hunting, and we will take our leave.”

  So, a tenuous peace was established. But a tenuous peace was preferable to death in battle by either party. It was an excellent start.

  SIX

  Sapale and I were sitting around a campfire outside Stingray a few days after the first encounter with the big fishes. Of course, we could be perfectly comfortable inside the cube. But there was nothing in the universe better than sitting lazily around a campfire with the one you loved. It reminded me of the old, old days when we did the same thing with our young family on Azsuram. That choked me up, so I tried to ignore those thoughts. Sure, our kids, and their kids, and their kids’ kids had lived long and productive lives. But they were all so long gone, so far from us sitting there by the roaring fire that the weight of it crushed me.

  Sapale had her arm around my waist and her head on my shoulder. “This is nice,” she purred.

  “Yes, it is. It’s the best.” I kissed the top of her head softly.

  “Are we going to stay here and take the vacation we both earned for the next six months?” There was tension in her voice.

  I waited a moment to respond. “No, at least not me.”

  That brought my spirited brood’s-mate’s head off my shoulder good and quick. “You’re not thinking of leaving me behind are you, flyboy?”

  “No,” I said, gently pressing her head back down on my shoulder. “Hear me out. I have a little less than six months before payment is due. There’s something big I need to do before that time is up. You are welcome to come with me. I’d actually prefer it that way, but it’s your call.”

  “My alternative being to remain here and re-resettle my people to another new world?”

  “Your call.”

  She shook her head. “No way. Been there, done that, got the holovid. Eight thousand six hundred twenty-four people stand just as good a chance at success as eight thousand six hundred twenty-three people do. Plus, those two old relics are equal to the task.”

  “They’ve spent their entire lives deciding who can marry
whom and what the main dish will be at the annual conclave. World building is altogether different.”

  “Don’t sell them short. They will do just fine. We need to shuttle in some supplies, but they can form a self-sustaining society here, for sure.”

  “Yeah, I figured they’d need food and medicine replicators, a few FTL ships, and other basics. We can buy them from Vorpace and bring them here in one or two days.”

  “What’s your mysterious plan then?”

  “I have to find EJ.”

  She pulled away and sat straight up. “I knew it. Jon, why can’t you just let him go?”

  “Are you really asking me that?”

  “Yes. Okay, you hate him. You have every reason to. But with so little time left, why waste it on revenge?”

  I sighed. “It’s not revenge. It’s survival.”

  “You mean you want the satisfaction of killing him?”

  I smiled vacantly. “Something like that.”

  She burrowed back into my shoulder. “Well, wherever you’re going, I’m going.”

  “Thanks,” I kissed the top of her head again. “It’ll be great.”

  “So, when do we leave?”

  “We head to Vorpace in the next few hours. When the colony here is set up with the essentials, we blow this banana stand.”

  “Sounds good to me.” She cuddled closer and held onto my arm as tightly as she could.

  It was nice, sitting by that fire, there on whatever the hell planet we were on.

  Three days later we’d transported literally boatloads of materials to the new colony. We said our good-byes to the two clan leaders, they thanked us, and we climbed aboard Stingray.

  “Take us to Namufar,” I called out. That was a planet EJ and Sapale had spent a lot of time on. It was possible he was holed up there.

  “Ah, Captain, a word before we depart,” said Al. That was odd, kind of out of place.

  “Sure, I guess. Can’t it wait?”

  “Probably, but we prefer to discuss it presently.”

  “Fine, what crawled up your butt and has set up house in your colon?”

  “Ignoring your unprofessional snark, there’s something wrong with this solar system.”