Star Runners: Scorpions

Chapter 8

8

“Any questions then?”

The Scorpions glanced around the briefing room. Major Wilkos placed his hands on his hips, the hologram of his instructions still glowing behind him. It all seemed pretty simple for the squadron’s first mission.

A Fringe warlord just over the border of Legion space had been curving over the line to harass shipping lanes in outlying planets, and it was within range of the Scorpions’ Nest. This warlord—Wilkos said they believed the man’s name to be Jezzie Daln—had united two planets in his campaign to tame the wilds of the Fringe. Lately, he has been using his mercenary forces to flex his muscles into Legion space and this was just the sort of mission Command thought would be a great test of the Scorpions.

Wilkos chomped down on his bottom lip as he surveyed the Star Runners before him. “This is our first time out there, people. I’m aware of that. But all of you have seen combat before. Command will want to review gun camera footage following any engagements. Good hunting and, per our standing squadron rules, leave all forms of identification back here at the Nest. Best we get used to it. Understood?”

The Scorpions grunted an affirmative and came to life following the hour-long briefing. They grabbed their flight tablets, conversing in soft tones.

Bear moved next to Austin. “Think it’s too late to go back?”

“Back where?”

“Tarton’s Junction for a trip back to Earth.”

“You serious?”

“No.” He smiled. “You really believed me?”

Austin shrugged. “I guess I did. Thought you might be wimping out.”

“For this?” He gestured toward the hologram. “We’ve scrapped with low-level pirates and mercenaries before. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“No,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Shouldn’t be at all.”

“Come right for a direct line to Alpha Point,” Wilkos transmitted. “Team Two, move for Beta Point and continue your final leg. Blade out.”

Austin adjusted course, tightening the spread formation of Team Two as they shifted in unison toward the last waypoint of the exercise. Warlord Daln and his band of mercenaries had thus far not made an appearance.

Wilkos had divided the Scorpions into two teams patrolling near the Legion border where Daln’s forces had been active. Wilkos took Team One and Senza led Team Two in this boring patrol.

He sighed and watched his scope sweeping in an arc in front of him, bringing back nothing but a field of black.

Thirty minutes to go, he thought.

In a way, this patrol reminded him of the months on Tarton’s Junction after the Tyral Pirates took Josh.

Fly to this point. Good. Fly to this point. Stay in formation. Good. Fly to this point. Come home so we can talk about it in the classroom.

While the classes have been more intense with the Scorpions, much of this assignment hadn’t been too much different than—

Warning bells sounded, and his HUD burned blood-red. He frowned at his sensor.

“Spinner, Rock. Picking up a strange signal.”

“I don’t see—wait.” Senza paused. “Thought it might be space debris, but something’s bearing down on Team One.”

He swallowed, staring at the green cloud on his sensor. “It’s something big.”

“Right.” A click sounded on the gamma wave as Senza switched to the long-range Whisper. “Blade, Spinner. We’re picking up a large force bearing down on you.”

“We got it, too,” Wilkos shot back. “Just appeared on our scopes. They haven’t responded to our communications. We’re moving to intercept.”

As the eight Tridents from Team One changed course and headed for the bogeys, Austin studied the massive force coming from the Fringe. To appear in the way they did meant the incoming ships might be using a curvature drive rather than the Zahlian Lutimite Drive. Something seemed odd about the bogeys’ trajectory.

“Roger, Blade,” Senza said. “Team Two, get ready to move in. All power to your engines on my mark.”

Austin looked at his sensors, frowning as he tried to figure out what was bizarre to him about the bulk of the incoming ships. Then it hit him: The bogeys were heading directly for Team One.

“Spinner, Rock.”

“Go ahead, Rock.”

“They don’t see us, yet.”

“Repeat?”

“The bogeys. They haven’t changed course. They only see Team One.” He glanced over at Senza’s Trident and could just make out the captain’s helmet in the canopy. “They probably don’t have long-range sensors, or they’re hoping they can take out Team One before we get there. Either way, they think they have the jump on our friends.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Split up our team.”

“That’s crazy. I’m not splitting us up.”

“Hear me out.”

Senza’s helmet turned toward his Trident. “We don’t have time. Bogeys are moving in on Team One right now.”

He smiled. “Permission for Bear and I to curve to the far side of the enemy force.”

“Repeat your last?” Bear asked.

“Cut the chatter,” Senza said, her Trident banking slightly toward Austin’s. “You sure about this, Rock? No one curves that close to an enemy. You’ll be disoriented. You miss your calculation by a fraction of an MU, and you’ll be out of action for this engagement. Are you certain you can do this?”

He pursed his lips and cracked his knuckles. “Absolutely.”

She sighed. “Permission granted. Bear, Rock, break formation and set your curve. The rest of you—full power to engines and follow me.”

The Tridents of Team Two shot away, leaving Austin and Bear.

“What the hell did you just do?” Bear asked.

“Shut up.”

Austin plotted a course for the far side of the enemy force and watched the computer calculate the movement. He looked to Bear’s Trident as it moved in on his wing. “Once we go through the curve, I want you to reverse thrusters and head back toward the bogeys. Don’t delay.”

“You think I’m going to delay?” he grumbled. “Look at that force on your sensors—there have to be a dozen of them.”

“But they don’t know we’re coming. We’ll take them out before they know we’re there cause they’ll be too scared to react.”

“You know that for a fact, huh? If your calculations are wrong, and we end up in front of them, I’ll be too scared to react.”

He shook his head. “We’ve seen worse.”

“No,” Bear said. “This is worse.”

He glanced at his computer. “Ten seconds. Warm the drive.”

“Copy.”

The Trident vibrated, the wings glowing as surrounding space wavered. He stretched his fingers one more time, feeling sweat on his palms.

“See you on the other side,” he said, closing his eyes and saying a silent prayer.

“You got it, buddy.”

The curve opened in front of his Trident’s nose. The fighter passed through. Light flashed like a thunderstorm around his cockpit for an instant. Space glowed, and normalized.

“Now!” he yelled.

Yanking back on the throttle, he pulled on the stick. He looped around before the curve completely closed behind it. He slammed the throttle forward. The Trident shot through the curve’s remnants, flickers of light spinning into the darkness.

The thrust slammed him into his seat. His vision returned to normal. Although he had been training to fly without his sensors, he risked a glance. Fourteen bogeys loomed in a row, heading away from their position. Bear’s Trident formed on his left, the wings rocking.

“Bear, you with me?”

“Copy, Rock.” He paused. “Missiles warmed and ready.”

“You take the left of the formation. I got right.”

“Here goes nothing.”

Austin took one glance at his friend. “Happy hunting.”

Lowering his gaze, he veered toward the formation’s edge. The enemy force looked like a mismatch of stolen Tridents and other small craft. Any second, the enemy would notice two bandits on their six. Team One and Two were still out of range.

His crosshairs fell onto the closest bogey, blinking yellow. The target panicked, breaking formation.

Surprise.

The crosshairs burned red. He squeezed the trigger, moving immediately to the next, not watching his missile scream toward its target. Working his way up the line, he fired until he extinguished his missiles.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw projectiles filling the darkness from Bear’s position. His friend added to the c*****e, unleashing a barrage into the formation. Fireballs flashed, the warlord’s fighters spinning in fiery deaths.

Switching to guns, Austin pulled in behind two bandits moving away from the rest. Looked like a modified Trident and a smaller triangular fighter. He poured all remaining power into the engines. The engines roared, filling his canopy with a whooshing sound.

“Two trying to leave the party,” he said, his helmet shaking as the fighter increased speed. “I got’em.”

“Copy. One fleeing below.”

“Go get’em, Bear.”

“You know it.”

The smaller triangular vessel broke off from his wingman, panicking as Austin’s crosshairs fell onto his tail. Squeezing the trigger, he fired into the fleeing bogey. Three bolts crashed into the engines, erupting a shower of fire and sparks. The fighter twirled twice, spinning end over end before it exploded.

“Ha!” Austin yelled.

He pulled up, moving his Trident behind the final bogey. The modified Trident in front of him launched into evasive maneuvers, zipping back and forth across his canopy. As he pursued, he preserved the remaining energy in his laser banks in hopes he would get a clean shot.

But this final bogey was good.

“Splash one!” Bear yelled.

Austin didn’t respond, leaning forward as he worked to stay on his target’s tail. He fired, the bolts missing low and soaring into infinity. The bogey fired reverse thrusters and shot overhead, landing behind him. Pulling up, he tried to compensate for the sudden maneuver, but the enemy stayed right on him.

Caught me sleeping, he thought.

“Got a problem, Bear.”

“I see it. Hang on.”

Austin evaded, pulling back and rolling as laser fire filled the space around his canopy. He diverted what little shield power he had to his rear. A moment later, two lucky bolts vaporized his shields. Sparks flew from his canopy.

“Lost shields!”

“I got it!” Bear yelled.

Pulling back on his stick, Austin put his Trident into a long, sweeping loop and sent the stars spinning. Sparkling debris from their attack shot past his canopy.

“I need you to stop in five seconds,” Bear said, his voice straining. “Level out and head toward Team One’s coordinates.”

Austin heard it in his voice—Bear had a plan.

“You got it, Bear.”

Counting down, he gripped the stick. Two. One.

He pushed forward, leveling his Trident. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the bogey closing behind him. Bolts shot from the modified fighter. Two sizzled over him. One clipped his wing. He rolled, bolts passing beneath his wing.

“Any day now, Bear!”

The enemy laser fire ceased. Breathing heavily, he brought his fighter around to see the pieces of his pursuer sparkling in deep space. Bear soared over the remains as the fires died in the vacuum of space.

“Not bad, eh?” Bear asked as he rolled.

Austin shook his head, picturing the goofy, arrogant smile on his friend’s face. “Yeah, man. Not bad at all.”

He switched to his long-range gamma wave. “Blade, Rock. We have an all clear up here. Repeat, we have an all clear.”

The whine of the Tridents powering down filled the air as Austin unscrewed his helmet. He opened the canopy. Starman Earl hustled over with the wheeled ladder, bumping the steel structure against the fuselage.

“Thanks, man,” Austin said, unbuckling his restraints and standing. He rolled his neck around and his joints popped. “Been a while.”

“Since you been in a scrap?”

“I guess it has been. I was talking about the distance flight. Lots of sitting.”

“Wouldn’t know too much about that, sir. Been stationed here on Lola for quite some time now.”

“Oh?” He climbed down and jumped to the deck. “When are you due for R and R?”

“Going by local time standards I’d say I’m about a half a cycle.”

“Got any plans?”

Earl shrugged and rubbed his grease-covered fingers through his sandpaper stubble. “I’ve always wanted to see Oma, honestly. Just can’t afford it.”

Memories of the clear water filled his mind. “You wouldn’t regret it if you go. I’ll promise you that.”

Earl started work on the Trident, and Austin strolled away, keeping his eyes on the fighter as if it were his baby. The men on Lola did a great job taking care of the Tridents, but he still felt protective of his fighter.

“Lieutenant.”

Austin knew the voice. Spinning around, he saw Wilkos marching toward him in his black flight suit.

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Wilkos stopped in front of him. As they passed by, the other Star Runners glanced at Austin as if he were in trouble.

To Austin’s surprise, Wilkos smiled. “At ease and speak freely, Lieutenant. How you holding up?”

“Doing just fine, sir.”

“Hell of a thing you did out there today.”

“Seemed like the thing to do at the time, sir.”

Wilkos studied him. “I haven’t seen many Star Runners your age perform in such a way. You stay cool under pressure. Takes years to get that kind of attitude and some never find it. We’re going to need you in the days ahead.”

“Thank you, sir. I had good teachers.”

Wilkos opened his mouth and closed it, looking away as he seemed to try to decide what to say.

“Makes all the difference,” he said, staring at the deck. “They didn’t tell me a thing when I was assigned this job, Lieutenant. All they said was that the best Star Runners were being assigned to this squadron for covert operations.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I, well, I…”

He trailed off for a heartbeat.

“Lieutenant Stone,” he said, looking at Austin. “I saw your age on the first day, and I thought Command had made a massive mistake. I figured there was no way a Star Runner of your age could have the skills required to be in an elite squadron, and your performance didn’t immediately change my perception.” He shook his head. “I was wrong, Lieutenant. Dead wrong. You’ve improved during training, and you left no doubt in my mind today. I’m proud to have you as one of the Scorpions. Keep up the good work. I need to go congratulate Bear as well. You both did great today.”

“Up late?”

Austin looked up from his tablet full of diagrams depicting various flight maneuvers. Wearing a black track suit and her sweaty hair matted against her skull, Skylar stood at the end of the standard rec room. A damp towel hung around her neck.

“Hey, Sky.” He gestured to the tablet in his lap and smiled. “I was just reading how Star Runners should never use a curve to enter an area within one hundred MUs of hostiles.”

She shook her head. “That’s ironic.”

Pointing to the wireframe chair across from his couch, he asked, “Care to join me?”

“Sure.” She glanced at her outfit. “Not sure I smell too good to be around.”

He laughed. “We’ve been through a swamp together. I think we know each other well enough.”

Skylar collapsed into the chair across from him. She propped her feet on the table between them and looked around. The rec room wasn’t much. A collection of a dozen wireframe chairs and circular tables along with one rectangular coffee table next to the lone couch. No TV or vending machine, but Wilkos said it should be used as the place to wind down.

Austin closed his tablet. “Something’s on your mind. I can feel it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You adding telepathy to the list of Austin’s incredible powers?”

He c****d an eyebrow. “You didn’t know?”

She smiled. “I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d run it out.”

“Always a good idea.”

She tilted her head. “You haven’t talked much since we got back. I saw Wilkos talking with you on the hangar deck. Everything okay?”

“Sure. Why?”

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the towel around her neck. “I never told you what happened after we, uh, thought you died.”

He waved her off. “Rather not talk about it.”

“I know.” She looked at him. “But I need to speak about it.”

He looked at the ceiling. “Okay.”

“I lost my temper.” She shook her head. “I said things to Ryker I shouldn’t have. I always wanted to take it back, but…there wasn’t time.”

“I think I heard about this.”

“Not everything.” She pursed her lips. “My whole world had been you for so long. I don’t want to embarrass you—I really don’t. But when I thought you died, I wanted to quit and never fly a Trident again. It bothered me that I had become so wrapped up in you. My world felt empty without you, hollow. I took it out on Ryker. I admit it. I did. And now I can never take it back.”

He rubbed his index finger and thumb together. “One thing about Ryker was that she was aware of people’s feelings a lot more than you’d think. I’m sure she knew how you felt no matter what you said.”

She stood, allowing the towel to drop to the floor. Stepping as if she walked through traps, she stopped in front of him.

“I don’t want to assume anything anymore.” She knelt, her eyes locking with his as she placed her hands on his knees. “I still love you more than anything. I love you more than my life. I know that might be weird for you to hear, but I need you to hear it.”

Raising up, she leaned over him. Her lips lingered at his cheek. “I’m still here if…if you need me.”

Nodding, he gently guided her to sit on the couch next to him. Her lips parted as she looked at him, her eyes wide.

“I know, Sky. I know. What brought this up now?”

She smiled. “Everyone’s talking about what you did yesterday. As always, the infamous Rock has done something people want to talk about.”

“And this bothers you?”

Pursing her lips, she looked at his hand and grabbed it. As she spoke, she slid her thumb over his skin. “I would never say this around others, but I’ve noticed something in your flying lately.”

“And?”

She tightened her grip. “What you did out there yesterday was fantastic. No one’s going to deny that. But it was also dangerous. Careless, even. What if you had misjudged your mark? What if you hadn’t recovered from the curve and ended up in front of those fighters?”

He shrugged. “Would have been an interesting day.”

“No.” She shook her head. “It would have been tragic. I would have lost two of my best friends. You could’ve gone in with the rest of us.”

“I saw an opening, and I took it. What we do is all about taking risks. If I hadn’t done that, we might have lost a Star Runner today, or more. I wasn’t going to give them a chance to shoot back. I’ll never lose another friend if I can help it.”

“That’s what worries me.”

“What?”

She sighed. “I think you’re willing to die—maybe you even want to—to save your friends. Do you want to die?”

“Of course not.”

“Is it revenge?”

He looked away. “Does it matter?”

She placed her fingers under his chin and pulled his face toward her. “I’m not going to lose you again, and I’m definitely not going to lose you because you threw your life away. I won’t allow it.” Her eyes flickered to his mouth. “I don’t know what our future holds, and I don’t care. But I know I’m not going to sit back and wish I’d said these things to you. Okay?”

He nodded. “Got it.”

Squeezing his shoulder, she stood. “I’m going to hit the shower.”

He leaned back. “I appreciate what you said. Seriously, I’m not trying to go out in a blaze of glory or anything. I just, well, I…never mind. I’ll be okay. I promise.”

She eyed him. “Okay.”

She turned on her heel and walked to the corridor. Turning around, she grinned and leaned against the doorway. “One more thing, Austin.”

“Sure.”

Shaking her head, she pointed at him. “What you did out there was pretty amazing.”

He smiled and offered a half-hearted salute. “Thanks.”