Kestrel Class

by Toby Neighbors

  When they knocked on the door, they heard the series of locks turning again. Ben looked nervously up and down the hall. They were alone, and he was thankful for that. It was getting close to midnight, and while there were still people out, they hadn’t seen anyone in the apartment building.

  “Here you go, two passes,” Florence said, handing them out. “Make sure you memorize the names on them. They’re common enough that it would take a security officer a while to ensure that you aren’t on their database.”

  “Thanks,” Ben said.

  The door closed and they heard Florence re-engaging the locks.

  “She’s a real chatty Cathy,” Kim said.

  Ben looked at the passes. One was for Peter Smith, the other for Amy Jones. He handed the small plastic card over to Kim.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Amy,” he said.

  “Who would have thought such nice young people would be up to no good?” Kim teased.

  “Tell me you aren’t having fun,” Ben challenged her.

  “Oh, it’s fun alright. Right up until we get caught.”

  “Let’s get it over with,” he said. “If we hurry, we might be off this rock by this time tomorrow.”

  “You’re delusional,” Kim said.

  Chapter 18

  The walk to the central lifts didn’t take long. The city was built to be commuter friendly. And vehicles were unnecessary. The lifts were the only public transportation. They approached the booth that led to the lift. A guard was seated inside, working on something they couldn’t see. He didn’t even look up as they swiped their passes. The light on the scanner turned green and beeped pleasantly.

  They moved past the security booth to the lift and stepped inside. Another patron was waiting. The man wore stained coveralls and carried a lunch pail. He looked bored. Ben stepped to the controls and scanned his pass, then pressed the button for the Quad. Once more, it turned green.

  He wondered briefly if they couldn’t have just ridden up with someone else who had a pass and gotten into the Quad that way, but he quickly realized it wouldn’t have worked. They wouldn’t have made it past the security booth without their passes. It had been expensive, at least in Ben’s mind, but then he didn’t deal with money very often.

  The lift moved up slowly, stopping on the second level to let the man in coveralls off. When the doors opened, Ben looked at Kim. He could tell she was tense, and he was uncomfortable too. He didn’t like being trapped high above the ground. If things went wrong, they couldn’t run.

  When the lift came to a stop again, Ben took a deep breath. It wasn’t the first time he had been in danger. There had been many times when he found himself in difficult circumstances. Living in the salvage yards was not safe, anyone could be dangerous, and he preferred to avoid the danger whenever possible. Stepping off the elevator felt like he was rushing headlong into danger, and it was extremely uncomfortable.

  The Quad was different from the other levels. Ben saw the greenery not far away. Large manicured shrubbery in ornate pots lined the walkways. Ben was used to seeing weed, sagebrush on the hills of the canyons, and the occasional gnarly tree, but nothing looking as lush and vibrant as the ornamental shrubs.

  There were guards just outside the lift, but no boxy booth. The guards seemed much more alert as well.

  “Passes, please,” said one of the guards.

  Ben held out his pass. The guard took it and began looking at it closely.

  “Name?”

  “Peter Jones,” Ben said, trying to sound bored.

  “Occupation?”

  “Janitorial services.”

  The guard scanned the pass. His device beeped, and Ben saw a green light on the small screen. The guard handed the pass back to Ben and took Kim’s. He repeated the procedure, then waved them on. The guards were bored, and for them the encounter was mundane, but it left Ben short of breath, his heart racing.

  “I thought you were going to pass out back there,” Kim said with a snicker.

  “I forgot you like to razz me when you’re nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous.”

  “Sure,” Ben said. “You’re a real cool customer.”

  “This is nothing compared to flying in the canyon races.”

  They didn’t have to go far to reach the Technical Institute campus. It was dark, but the pathways were lit with small lights and each building was named. The signs on the buildings were lit to reveal not just the purpose of the building, but the names of the donors who had provided the funds to build it.

  “Convenient signage,” Kim said.

  “I’m not complaining,” Ben said.

  They passed the Goldman Auditorium, the Elle and Nicholas Mercer Student Center, and the Orville Adams Administration Building, before seeing the Pavel Rocman Laboratory. They went to the glass doors and went inside.

  Ben had never seen such a clean, modern facility. The floors were brilliant white, the walls a soft beige with dark lettering like signposts to guide people to the various places inside.

  “Can you believe this?” Kim said.

  “Not really,” Ben said. “I didn’t know such places even existed.”

  He put his hand on the wall. It was so different from the slums far below. So clean and light, so open and airy. Even with another level above the Quad, it seemed to be a huge, expansive place, a virtual wonderland compared to the endless salvage yards that surrounded the city.

  “Let’s stay focused,” Kim said. “The sooner we’re out of here, the better.”

  “It doesn’t seem right, does it?”

  “What doesn’t seem right?”

  “Hey!” The call came from a short man who was fatter than any person Ben had ever seen. The man came wobbling toward them. “Who are you?”

  “Peter Jones and Amy Smith,” Ben said.

  He saw Kim stiffen and realized his mistake almost as soon as the words came out of his mouth. The man was walking at a fast wobble toward them.

  “We were just hired,” Kim said.

  “Well, it’s about damn time,” the man said. “I’m Eugene, building supervisor. Come on, I’ll show you where the supplies are kept. This whole place needs a good scrub. It’s getting dingy.”

  Ben thought the man was insane. He had eaten off of plates that weren’t as clean as the gleaming white floors. They followed Eugene, who huffed and puffed his way to a door that said MAINTENANCE. He pulled it open and turned sideways to shimmy inside.

  “We’ve got everything you’ll need,” Eugene said. “What was your name again, dear?”

  “Amy,” Kim said quickly.

  “Yes, Amy, take the trash bin around and empty the wastebaskets. The professors get testy when they see trash building up in their beloved labs. When you finish that, get started on the windows.”

  “Yes, sir,” Kim said.

  “And you’re Pete, right?”

  Ben nodded.

  “You start on the floors. We’ve got less than six hours left and you’ve got three floors to mop. So don’t dawdle. Both of you, keep hand radios on your person all the time. If I need you, I don’t want to have to go looking.”

  He pointed to a set of personal communicators in a charging rack. Ben took two out and handed one to Kim. She nodded.

  “I’ll get started,” she said.

  “If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask,” Eugene said. “I’ll be cleaning the faculty lounge.”

  The big man shimmied back out of the maintenance closet. Kim leaned close and whispered in Ben’s ear.

  “We should split up. If you find the gas, radio me for help with a spill. I’ll do the same.”

  Ben nodded and couldn’t keep a grin from forming on his face. Kim pushed a large barrel-shaped garbage bin on castors out of the room. Ben was anxious to follow her, but he had to fill his mop bucket with water and detergent first. Once he had it full, he set out with high hopes that they could find the gas and get out of the city, before anyone found out what they had been up to.<
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  Chapter 19

  Magnum followed Liam back into the Underground. The older man knew the dark maze well, and moved along at a rapid pace. Magnum still had the rifle under his arm. He was excited about the weapon, but he wouldn’t get to do much with it until they were back on the ship. Once there, he would be able to disassemble the rifle and actually see what he had traded for.

  He still couldn’t believe his luck. When he’d seen the Scalpers assaulting Ben he had jumped into the fray simply because he hated to see anyone get bullied. The Scalpers were the worst sort of criminal—aimless, cruel, just looking for someone to torment or take advantage of. The real surprise had been Ben himself. The smaller man had been in a horrible spot, and yet he had looked after Magnum.

  Initially, all Magnum wanted from Ben was a free meal. He had never intended to trade his pistol for food, that would have been insane, but if he made a stranger think that he was that desperate, he was more likely to get the help he was hoping for. Not that Magnum really needed help, he was perfectly capable of fending for himself, but before he knew it, he was in an actual, working starship and treated like an equal. In all his years roaming the wastelands of Torrent Four, he’d never been in a place that felt like a home. Yet his quarters on the old Kestrel class ship had quickly grown on him.

  When Ben asked him to join the fledgling crew, it was a simple decision to make. The smaller man was a gifted engineer, and Magnum’s skills would be a welcome addition to their crew. He had no idea if the ship would ever fly, but it didn’t matter. Suddenly he had a home, and a family. They were the things he had been searching for his whole life, even though he didn’t know it.

  Even after only a couple of weeks, Magnum had strong feelings for Ben and Nance. Kim wasn’t so bad either, if a person didn’t let her smart mouth bother them. She was pushy, and a little cocky, but she was a pilot after all. And she had stepped up when it mattered most. Getting attacked in the old transport had been vicious. One moment he was sound asleep, the next some punk had kicked him hard in the stomach. Magnum had been just about to pull his pistol, even though the chances of getting a shot off were slim. Even if he had managed to shoot one or two of the Scalpers, the others would have killed him.

  It was surprising to Magnum that Ben and Kim hadn’t used the distraction to sneak away. The Scalpers were all focused on him, and it would have been the perfect time to run for safety. Instead, Kim and Ben had risked their lives to save him. He knew at that moment, with the smell of blood and gun powder in the air, that he had found his people.

  Liam led him to what looked to be a storage room. It was the size of a small warehouse and close to the water treatment plant, which smelled horrible. Inside, an old man was sitting at a table, reading on a portable device. There were crates stacked neatly on the far side of the room.

  “Magnum, this is Horace. He’s in charge of things around here.”

  The old man got to his feet. Magnum wasn’t sure what to do. He always felt out of place around people.

  “He’s big,” Horace said.

  “He’s part of a new crew,” Liam explained. “They need supplies. How much protein can you spare?”

  “I’ve got a crate I could part with. Spices too. I suppose he’s got money?”

  “Yes,” Magnum said.

  “Fifty credits and the food’s yours. Spices too. As long as it’s going up.”

  “It is,” Liam said.

  Magnum paid the old man fifty credits and was rewarded with a case of protein bricks and a sack of individual spice packets. The crate had wheels and a handle. Magnum pulled it behind him.

  “What else do you need?” Liam asked. “If your friends get the gas, you may not be back on solid ground for a while.”

  “Ammo,” Magnum said.

  “Now that’s interesting. Are we talking bullets?”

  “Reloading supplies,” Magnum said.

  “Interesting. I think I know a guy.”

  They wound their way through the Underground. Occasionally, they saw other people. Almost all eyed the crate with envy, even though there was no way to know what was inside. But most looked at Magnum and decided it wasn’t worth finding out. A few made comments, but Liam kept moving. When one man stepped into their path, Magnum drew the rifle from under his coat before Liam could speak. The man raised both hands and slowly backed away.

  Liam glanced at Magnum, chuckled, and kept going.

  Eventually, they came to a dark corner between machines. It was essentially a dead end, but Magnum could see there were barrels and crates. It was dark and hard to see clearly, but as they approached, a man with one leg came out, leaning on a crutch made from scrap metal.

  “Liam, I’ll be damned,” the man said. “What brings you down here?”

  “Looking for a few things,” Liam said. “Thought you might have what we’re looking for.”

  “Maybe, maybe. Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Magnum Wallace. He’s with a new outfit.”

  “Vetted?”

  “In the process now,” Liam said. “He’s looking for reload supplies.”

  “Ammo?”

  “Yes, sir,” Liam said. “You got anything lying around?”

  “I’ve got an old ammo press. Some brass casings too. He’s welcome to them if he wants. I can’t help with powder or priming caps.”

  “We’ll keep looking,” Liam said.

  The one-legged man rummaged through an assortment of junk. It wasn’t until he came close enough to Magnum to hand the big man the supplies that it became obvious the man was blind. He handed over the press and a canvas sack full of spent brass.

  “The Security Force is careless,” the blind man said. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

  “Thank you,” Magnum said.

  “Anything for the cause. Hell, I wouldn’t know what to do with it anyway.”

  “How much?” Magnum asked.

  “Oh, you can have it. If I could have traded it, I would have done so long ago. There are some things I keep for occasions just like this. The Imperium took my eyes and my leg, then cast me off like garbage. So I take from their garbage and use it to make their lives as difficult as possible.”

  Magnum didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, Liam stepped forward, embraced the blind man, and told them they had more to do. Magnum said thank you again, and the blind man waved. Once they were several turns away from the blind man’s grotto among the huge machines, Liam spoke up.

  “Sal was with the Fleet,” Liam said quietly. “Worked with the Security Force until he got hurt by a terrorist bomb. Lost his leg and both eyes. The Imperium dumped him down in the slums and assigned him to waste disposal. Once he got his bearings, he moved to the Underground. He goes through their garbage like your friend searches the salvage yard.

  “He can’t see,” Magnum said.

  “Not with his eyes. But his hands are just as sensitive as eyes, and he doesn’t need light. The Underground is perfect for him now. He can’t fight back in the traditional way, but he’s always anxious to help the cause.”

  Magnum knew Liam was more involved in the rebellion than he let on with Ben. Why he was revealing so much to Magnum was a mystery, but then Magnum knew better than to question things when luck was leaning his way. He kept his mouth shut and followed the merchant.

  They went back up to the main level of the city, then out to a booth that was closed and locked. Liam pulled out keys and opened all the locks. Inside, the booth was stuffed with goods of all kinds.

  “I’ve got gun powder in here,” Liam said. “That won’t help with the laser, but if we can find some priming caps, you can make some bullets for your guns.”

  “Thank you,” Magnum said.

  “Ah, here we go,” Liam said, pulling out a canister. “Gun powder. I can’t remember when I got this, or from whom. But it’s yours for twenty credits.”

  Magnum handed him the paper money. He was down to just five credits, but he had almost everyt
hing he needed to make ammunition for his guns. It was exciting to think of getting it all back to the Echo and setting up a reloading station in his cabin. He hadn’t had a place he could keep equipment in since he was a child, and the thought made him almost giddy.

  “Sorry I couldn’t help with the priming caps,” Liam said.

  Magnum just nodded.

  “We better get back to meet your friends. I’ve got a good feeling about this venture. I think it will pay off in spades. Yes, I do.”

  Magnum followed the merchant, thinking much the same thing.

  Chapter 20

  Kim was moving quickly, going from room to room. In each lab, she did a quick search for any sign of Zexum gas, and even occasionally emptied a trash bin. She came across files marked SECRET, but they were of no interest to her. She discovered a room slightly larger than the maintenance closet, where the walls were covered with old-fashioned photographs of a lush and beautiful planet. There were notes taped to pictures with district names, and she deduced the pictures were of Torrent Four before the war. It was heartbreaking, and she felt she could have spent hours in the room, but she forced herself to leave.

  The only thing that mattered was the Zexum gas. If they didn’t find it, they might never get off the junk world Torrent Four had become. And although she was loath to admit it, the truth was she had not just come around to the idea of leaving on Ben’s ship, she was actually dreaming of it. To fly a real spaceship, and not just a cargo bird or a transport, but a ship that could fly between systems and transition from hard vacuum to atmospheric flight. It was thrilling. And to have the opportunity to show the Imperium Fleet just what she could do would be incredibly satisfying. They had their chance, she thought. They had many chances to do the right thing, but her efforts had all been rebuffed. So she would fly for the Confederacy of Free Planets. Not that any of the planets were actually free, or that she was signing up to join the rebellion, but she believed deep in her heart that the enemy of her enemy was her friend.

  If the Confederacy could get them gas and keep them flying, she would be more than happy to run the blockade for them. And all they needed was a little bit of the rare gas that fueled starships. And somewhere in the building was a supply of it. The very idea made her tremble with excitement. She was determined to find it, no matter what.