Star Runners: Dark Space

Chapter 12

12

"Good job, bait," Foster said without turning the high-backed black leather seat away from the wall communication screens, some holographic and floating in the air in green clouds while others appeared on the obsidian glass. "You gave us enough time to smack two ships with homing devices.”

“Took your time,” Josh grumbled.

“Pisceans are swarming over the planet. Took some tricky flying to get down to you without being forced to fight those things. I want to track them. Not kill them.”

“Where are we now?”

“Curved back to Latabelle.”

Wrapping the heavy blanket tighter around his shoulder, Josh stepped through the hatch, suppressing a shiver still lingering from the frigid ocean waters. Matta followed, her jaw dropping at the array of technology filling the communications room.

The glass partition slid shut, closing them off from the purple light in the corridor.

Occasional wave chatter hissed and popped. A video screen depicting a riot sizzled on a hologram to Foster's left, the words "Jubal Rald" appearing as a caption underneath the boisterous crowd holding signs in a language Josh couldn't read.

"What’s all this?" Josh whispered, taking a step closer to the emerald aura pulsating from the screens.

"My comm room," Foster said, again without turning. "I'm waiting for a signal. I hit two of those Piscean ships with five trackers total. They lingered around Ashia for a while, but they just left the system. My trackers will transmit a great deal further than those you Barracudas have. Hopefully, one will survive the journey and tell us where Rodon and his minions are hiding."

“They zeroed in on my ship in minutes."

"Guess Rodon’s holding a grudge.”

Josh scowled. “I guess so.”

Foster grinned. “Probably didn’t appreciate you people taking down his operation.”

“I’m glad you think this is funny. Do you think he’ll continue hunting all Barracudas?"

"I don't care."

Shaking his head, Josh settled beside Foster with Matta peering over the other side, her eyes wide as the projections’ colors reflected on her face. He remembered her excitement, sitting cross-legged and staring up at the projector when they accessed the holographic map back in the Tyral Pirate asteroid base so long ago when he first discovered Earth was a target.

"I really hope these things are in range," Foster said, interrupting Josh's thoughts. "I've never seen ships hit FTL like that ... if that's even what you’d call it."

"What do you mean?"

Foster grumbled, thumbing his jaw. "After they took you down, the ships flashed with a bright light like a strobe. Then, they disappeared like lightning. No curve, no Lutimite lane—pop!" He snapped his fingers. "They were gone."

Josh frowned. "Like they teleported."

"Whatever you want to call it," he said, shaking his head, "they were gone. Haven't seen that kind of travel before. But my devices should transmit their location, wherever that might be. It might take a while for the signal to get back to us.”

Matta leaned on the glass control board, propped up by her elbows. Foster glared at her, but she ignored him.

"This going to take long?” she asked, slipping a piece of what looked like silver gum into her mouth.

“You got somewhere else you have to be?" Foster reached forward and pulled her away from the control board.

Josh focused on the images of the rioting crowd again.

“I just hope the video Legion Intelligence provided can be trusted and Rodon’s still alive,” Foster said, looking at the multiple screens. “He hasn’t been sighted in the flesh since he murdered a Zahlian Agent.”

Josh eyed him. "So you are working for the Legion."

"No point hiding it now. I accepted the sizable contract after they intercepted a vid feed of Rodon and these Piscean mercs killing an entire crew in a depot. Then, he disappeared.”

Rocking in his chair for a moment, Foster continued, “Nobody in the known galaxy has worked with Pisceans before. I checked every record I could. Nothing on these things anywhere. Hell, he might have bioengineered them himself if he had the credits. It might be a thin lead, but I think I'll find him when I find them."

“You seem to be taking this personally?”

Foster scoffed. “Job’s taking too long.”

Shaking his head, Josh asked, “What do you think this has to do with Ashia?"

"No idea," he said with a frown. "Far as I can tell, you're the only group regularly trading with that world. Word gets around. Rodon probably found out and decided it’d be a good place for a little payback.“

They sat in silence, the computers in the communications room humming.

Josh’s eyelids were heavy. “How long’s this going to take?”

"Could be hours. Could be days." Foster shook his head. "Depends on how far the signal has to travel. The patient hunter always catches his prey."

“Whatever,” he muttered, rolling his sore shoulders around. "Thanks for coming for me back there."

Foster snorted. "Sorry to interrupt your fun with the local wildlife.”

"What was that thing, anyway?"

"Does it matter?" he asked, his eyes still on the screens. "Another worthless creature on a useless Frontier planet."

"Why do you keep calling it the Frontier, anyway?"

"That's what it is."

"It's the Fringe where I'm from."

"Not to the rest of the galaxy that matters," Foster said, typing something on the glass and leaning back. "It's the Frontier cause, sooner or later, the Empire will swallow it up just like it will with your Legion."

Josh’s face flushed. "That'll never happen."

"We'll see, Star Runner."

Taking a deep breath, Josh stood in silence as he watched the screens, realizing this could take some time. He didn't like the way Foster spoke about the Legion, arrogant and dismissive of the government protecting Quadrant Eight and Earth. It bothered him to think of the Legion as something small and insignificant because what did that make Earth?

"Wait a minute," Foster said, his body growing rigid. He leaned forward. "We've got something here."

"What is it?"Josh asked.

Ignoring him, Foster typed on the green keys projected on the glass. Seconds passed. Josh held his breath as he exchanged a glance with Matta.

"Oh … no,” Foster exhaled as a star system with four worlds circling a bright yellow start appeared on the primary hologram in the center of the board. "That's where your attackers ended up. Osiris."

Matta clapped her hands. “That’s where you think Waylon is? And Tocol—and the others?"

“Yes, it's safe to say your friends are there if they’re still alive. I’d be willing to bet Rodon's there, too." Foster sighed. "Probably, anyway. Shame, too."

Josh frowned. "Why?"

Foster swiveled his chair around and stared at Josh, his colorless eyes unblinking. "Cause that star system lies in Dark Space."