Star Runners: Scorpions

Chapter 1

1

Seaside’s aqua-blue water pulled away as the shuttle ascended into the clouds. A collection of beach craft bobbed on the surface. The cloud cover broke, revealing a blanket of pure white. The angle of ascent increased, gravity pressing down. The vessel rocked, and Lieutenant Austin Stone’s forehead pressed against the glass as he watched Oma disappear.

It had been the first place he and Ryker were truly alone together.

It had also been the last place…

Taking one last look at the clouds, he closed his eyes.

“Sleeping already?”

He opened his eyes and turned to David “Bear” Keller. His friend grinned his familiar and goofy smile, shoving Austin’s elbow off the armrest between them. While he had the short haircut required of all Legion personnel, his obnoxious Hawaiian shirt screamed tourist.

Austin glanced at the black shirt covered in dancing hula girls. “Where did you get that?”

Bear gestured to his shirt. “Like it? My parents brought it back from Hawaii when I was in high school. It’s one of the only personal shirts I still have from home.”

Austin grumbled an affirmative. He understood the feeling. Objects from Earth were beginning to take on a special meaning. He looked at his plain blue T-shirt and tattered jeans he wore at the fruit stand after Dad died.

He glanced around the shuttle’s cabin. Skylar sat across the aisle, her attention on a tablet in her lap. She wore a red T-shirt with jeans, her blonde hair tied behind her head like when they had studied together at the Tizona Academy.

Passengers of all types filled the shuttle, but none wore Legion Navy gray or any of the squadron colors. It had been odd to receive his orders to travel by a commercial flight. Considering the fact Austin was legally “dead,” Major Ty Braddock had given the orders in person, providing temporary papers to travel under the name “Jon Smith.” Since he was joining a covert squadron, he would only be required to use his false papers while in public areas. In Legion military locations, his new squadron would be treated with the same secrecy and reverence as the legendary Serpents.

Following a shower and a quick meal overlooking Seaside’s water canals, Austin and the others had left for their new assignment.

“Bear?”

“Hmm?” he asked, his eyes focused on his tablet.

“Sky told me about our new assignment,” Austin whispered, slouching down. “What have you heard?”

Bear ducked his head. With his size, this maneuver did little to hide his massive frame. “I know the three of us are the only Star Runners from our squadron to go.”

“Why?”

“I have no idea.” He leaned over. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but I’m glad you’re not dead.”

He snorted. “I’m happy you’re not dead, man.”

“No,” Bear said, placing his hand on his shoulder, “I’m not good at this kind of stuff. It’s just, uh, you’re a good friend.”

Bear’s eyes lingered on the seat behind Austin. “You going soft on me?”

“Nah.” He waved his hand in front of his face. “We don’t know how long we’ve got, you know? I mean, we go out and go on this mission and that mission. It can’t go on forever. Sometime we’ll have a bad day or some stinkin’ pirate on the Fringe will get lucky, and we’ll forget to check our six and—boom! It’ll be all over, and I think we should take the time to let our friends know we appreciate them. That’s all.”

Austin frowned, his thoughts returning to Ryker. He blinked, her face flashing in his mind. Nodding, he turned back to the window. The sky had gone black. A second later, he felt the twinge in his stomach as the shuttle’s artificial gravity replaced Oma’s.

“I agree, man,” he said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “How’s Curly taking your new orders?”

Bear’s face reddened at the mention of his girlfriend. “Oh, she understands. You know, it’s part of our job.” He frowned. “I still didn’t like telling her what my assignment would be or, well, what I’m supposed to say it’ll be.”

“Right.”

While Austin’s new job had proven easier given his unique legal status with the Legion Navy, Bear and Skylar had received vague orders about joining a science vessel bound for the farthest reaches of known space. Their file would be updated so any enemies seeking information about their whereabouts would see they had been assigned to remote escort duty along the Fringe. The truth would be a bit more interesting.

Skylar had told him of the rumor about the Legion forming an elite fighter squadron known as the “Scorpions.” Braddock confirmed it but said little else other than mentioning the Legion hadn’t created a new squadron in generations. Austin had started to wonder how much the Wraith had indeed changed things in the universe. It seemed the ripple effect of his mission was still moving across Legion and Zahlian space.

The shuttle’s engine faded, then stopped. The familiar whine of the curvature drive whistled throughout the cabin. The interior lights dimmed and the space outside his viewport shimmered.

Austin pulled out his travel ticket and stared at the destination. “You ever heard of this place?”

Bear glanced at the card. “Divokost Junction?” He shook his head. “Not a thing. You’re the expert on espionage now. Surprised you don’t know.”

“I think I remember seeing it at the edge of a map on Legion Space. Kind of like the end of the line. I believe it was the farthest station in our territory—even farther than Earth.”

“Must be out there, then.”

“Yeah.”

Bear stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. “I couldn’t believe that was you back there.”

He tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“When we curved in to…that place.” He glanced over his shoulder as if he held the galaxy’s greatest secret. “I never seen such a fight…even back in the days when this was just a game. Corvos and Tridents launched everything. And then, right in the middle of it all, there you were.” He smiled. “You got some serious balls, dude.”

Austin laughed, leaning his head back. It had been so long…he couldn’t remember the last time he laughed.

“I have to tell you,” he said, wiping his mouth. “I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into.” He shook his head, the smile vanishing as he thought of Tia, Val and the others who died to make Mission Wraith a success. Lowering his brow, he added, “I…really didn’t.”

Bear jabbed a finger in Austin’s shoulder. “You’ll have to tell me about that sometime, man.”

After pausing, he locked eyes with him. “No, I don’t.”

Divokost Junction looked like the location where all spare parts in the entire Legion ended for recycling. As they debarked the shuttle and strolled into the hangar, Austin stared at the oil-stained deck and various pieces of machinery strewn in front of them. Most of the rooms along the dirty corridor had no lights while others had their hatches closed. The smell of fuel and rotten eggs filled the hall. White towers of gasses shot up from the deck as they walked away from their terminal.

“Not like Tarton’s Junction,” Skylar said, lifting her leg high over a collection of metal cylinders. “Are we sure there hasn’t been some mistake?”

Austin shook his head, watching as the other passengers from the shuttle moved toward a connecting freighter. He glanced at his ticket again and adjusted the satchel hanging over his shoulder. “Our orders have us arriving here.”

“Maybe we’re supposed to wait?” Bear asked.

He looked at him. “I find it amazing sometimes that you can fly a fighter.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He smiled. “You’re right. Let’s find a place to wait.”

“How about there?” Skylar asked, pointing toward the only bright room in sight. “Maybe we could find some information?”

“Good a place as any,” Austin said.

Yellow light glowed from three rectangles embedded into the grimy ceiling as they entered. A man holding a filthy brown towel stood behind the bar washing a glass. He didn’t even look up as they stepped through the doorway. Discarded cans and paper trash littered the floor, which was covered in what Austin hoped was water, but thought it might be urine.

“Wanna sit?” Austin asked.

“No.” Skylar shook her head. “We’d be better off waiting in the corridor.”

“Come on,” he said, gesturing to the man behind the bar. “I’m sure there’s some great food waiting back there.”

“Not hungry.”

“Drink, then?”

“I’ll pass.”

Bear laughed and strolled to a table. “I’ll have a drink.”

The bartender glanced up at this comment. He had a white beard like sandpaper covering his round face. Using his identification card or, rather, Jon Smith’s card, Austin bought three drinks.

“Worked here long?” Austin asked.

“The hell you care,” he grumbled, passing over bubbling green drinks in mason jars.

“Any other shuttles coming through here today?”

“I don’t pay attention to that stuff. I get paid to serve drinks, and that’s what I do.” He turned around. “Scram. I got things to do.”

Austin took the emerald drinks over to the table. Bear leaned back, studying his bubbling beverage. Skylar, on the other hand, sat at her seat’s edge with her back rigid as if the chair would swallow her whole.

Austin took a drink. The liquid burned his tongue like battery acid but tasted better on his second sip. They sat in silence, listening to the hissing gasses from the corridor’s deck.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“What’s that?” Skylar asked.

“The vastness of it all.”

Bear took a long drink and coughed. “Vastness? Of space?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He leaned on his elbows. “You ever think about it? Remember when we first got to the Tizona Academy? I thought I had come so far. Then, we get zipped to California, Atlantis, and Tarton’s Junction. Now look at us, at a station so far out it’s like the Legion forgot to maintain the thing.”

Bear glanced at Skylar. “He’s already drunk.”

“No,” he said, staring into the murky green liquid. “Not drunk at all. Just pondering, I guess.”

“That’s what the heavy stuff’ll do to you.” Bear raised his glass and drained it. His face contorted and blushed. Slamming his fist on the table, he coughed. “That is some serious stuff.”

Skylar waved her hand toward Bear. “I know what you’re saying. I do. I’ve been trying not to dwell on the future and the past. I’m trying to focus on my duty. That’s what—um, that’s what I’ve been taught.”

He looked at her. “By Ryker?”

Skylar slumped her shoulders. “Yes. She taught me a lot while you were gone. A lot…about everything.”

“I miss her, too.” He reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. “More and more every minute.”

Bear slapped his hand on the table again. “I’m going to hit the head before you guys start crying. Been enough to complain about the past few weeks without searching for it.” He stood up and shifted his balance. “Whoa…be back in a bit. Stuff’s a bit stronger than I thought.”

“That’s tolerance, man,” Austin said. “You haven’t had a drink since I’ve known you.”

“What about you?”

“I hide it well.”

Bear nodded. “Be right back.”

Austin stared into his third jar still three-quarters full. He looked at Skylar.

“What?” he asked.

She tilted her head and grinned. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too.”

“I can only imagine what you went through or what you’ve seen. If you ever need to talk about it, I’m here. I’m always here.”

He squeezed her hand. “I know, Sky.” He took another drink. “When was the last time the three of us sat quietly like this?”

She shook her head. “I have no idea. Tarton’s Junction, maybe. I don’t know.”

“We’ll take the time to do this more often.” He glanced out in the corridor. “How long do you think we’ll have to wait here until we get some orders?”

“No idea.” She shrugged. “I don’t think there’s anything normal about our new assignment. We’ll find out soon enough.”

“What’s that?”

Austin rubbed his eyes and raised his head from the cold bulkhead in the corridor of Divokost Junction. The emerald drinks from the bartender of “Stink Station,” as Bear had called it, provided a dull headache.

“Right there,” Skylar said and repeated, “what’s that?”

Peering through the viewport, Austin watched as blinking position lights bore down on the station. The distance was too far to identify the vessel’s shape, but he squinted all the same. He glanced over at Bear, who was sprawled out on the floor like he was ready to spend the night.

“Hey, man,” he said, kicking at Bear’s leg, “check this out.”

Bear pressed his fingers to his eyeballs and rubbed. “Why don’t you just give me a report, huh?”

Austin smiled. They had finished their final drink and wandered out into the corridor, dodging a robotic floor buffer as it moved across the deck. For the past hour or more—he hadn’t bothered to check the time—they lingered in the corridor staring at the darkest space he had seen since joining the Legion. The buzz from the drinks morphed into a lingering headache. He had considered getting something to eat from “Stink Station’s” bar, but he didn’t know what kind of meat would exist on such a remote station…or what state the meat would be in when it finally arrived out here, in the middle of nowhere.

“Transport of some kind maybe?” Skylar asked, pressing against the viewport.

Austin shook his head. “Looks like a Karda from here. No matter what, it’s the first traffic we’ve seen through Divokost Junction since we arrived.”

She rapped her fingers on the wall. “This is a Legion station, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I just, well, I never considered we’d have such a, uh, well, I never thought we’d let a station fall into such disrepair.”

“Huh.”

Austin knew there was still a lot he had to learn about his employers. Legion Space, as he was beginning to realize more and more, was an incredibly vast place. Perhaps there were numerous rural areas that had fallen by the wayside.

A stray memory clicked. Mom and Dad had taken him on a road trip to Florida when he was in middle school long before Dad got sick. They had decided to drive backroads because Dad liked to eat at old restaurants off the beaten path. He grew tired of the Interstate Oasis where every few miles you could get the same fast food meal. Some of the towns where they stopped seemed forgotten by time, full of abandoned motels and huge, dark signs like “Steven’s” no longer lit up at night. Places people once constructed with care and love, now forgotten.

Just like Divokost Junction.

I wonder if the Zahlian Empire have derelict places like this neglected station, he thought. Their territory dwarfed Legion Space, so he figured they had to have many dilapidated areas like Divokost Junction.

He shook his head and focused on the inbound vessel. It changed course, moving across their viewport.

“Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” he said, kicking at Bear once more. “Let’s go, man.”

They hurried toward the terminal. Blinking lights surrounded the hatch. A robotic voice instructed them to keep clear of the opening. They took a step back, watching in silence.

The lights ceased blinking, glowing bright and bathing the corridor in blue. Metal bolts popped and screeched. Gas released with a snap followed by a slow, hissing sound like air discharging from a tire. Austin gripped the strap on his satchel, wondering what waited for them on the other side.

“I’ve never heard an airlock sound like that,” Bear said.

“No one has,” Skylar said and glanced at them, a mischievous look in her eye. “No one born in the last fifty years, anyway.”

Austin smiled and looked back at the hatch. It shuddered once, and then, with the sound of shrieking metal, it opened like the lens on a camera. He took a step back, expecting a flood of passengers to bring life into the quiet station.

He frowned.

A lone figure in a tight-fitting black flight suit with no insignia or rank strolled down the ramp. His polished boots pounded the steel deck. As he stepped into the light, white hairs glistened throughout his neat mustache. Faint lines crept from the corners of his gray eyes. He halted five feet from them, clicking his heels on the deck.

They all stood in silence, staring at one another.

Austin glanced over the man’s shoulder.

“I’m the only one,” the man said in a loud, confident voice. He looked at each of them, the movement revealing a black tattoo of a sword on the base of his neck. “Are you Stone, Kincaid, and Keller?”

They exchanged glances. Remembering the Phantoms on Earth who had come to kill him, Austin wondered if this man was an assassin sent to target Star Runners. If that was the case, all three of them were unarmed in an isolated space station.

“Well?” the man asked, still standing at attention and sliding his hand through his crew cut.

Austin cleared his throat. “Yes, sir.”

“I’m Major Cayo Wilkos, but you will call me ‘Major’ or ‘Sir.’ You now belong to me. Before we leave, we need to get some things straight. First, I hate disrespect and will not tolerate it in my command. Some of you have had leniency in the past given your accomplishments. That means jack here. I don’t care what you’ve done or what you think you deserve. That means you ask questions if you’ve got them. I don’t give a damn for a Star Runner who is too scared to ask a question. Worse, I’ll eat you alive if you’re too full of pride to ask when you aren’t sure. You aren’t perfect. You never have been.” He took a long stride forward, his eyes taking in each of them for an awkward moment. “Questions?”

Austin locked eyes with Wilkos. “No, sir.”

“Good.” Wilkos nodded and took a step back, extending his hand toward the ramp. “Board the shuttle. We leave immediately.”