Of Hearts And Stars (Classic Editon) (The Cadet Starship Chronicles) (20 page)

Just then Revy entered the teleporter room with a fierce look in her eyes and said “The rebels are preparing to pull off. They'll escape at this point.”

Just as Allie and Jay had managed to sit Swift down he tried to stand up.

“
Swift!” Allied tried to stop him, but it wasn't necessary because he couldn't stand up despite his best efforts.

“
Pursue...them.” Swift said.

Allie crossed her arms and said “Not an option. We'll send out a distress call. A fleet ship-”

“
I'm captain.” Swift took out a pair of shades, somehow unbroken, from his pocket and put them on “...deal with it...”

Allied snatched the shades from his face, threw them on the deck, and crushed them with her boot “Don't you pull rank on me Leoric Swift! You need medical attention! We're done here. We're basing!” she said.

The look of fury on her face was equally matched by the look of defiance on Swift's face “What I need is to save those hostages. What I need is to bring Benny back.” he said, and grabbed his sides, doubling over in pain. Revy couldn't bare to watch anymore and left the room. Jay then brought up a live stream of the captured ship and called their attention to it. One imperial ship, followed by another, and yet another came onscreen. They then proceeded to outmaneuver the captured ship before boxing it in. Swift leaned back in his seat with a sigh of relief.

“
This is the IFS Clear Light, what is your status LaCroix?” an imperial soldier asked over the communications link.

“
We're fine... Mission complete.” Swift said carefully as to not injure himself any further.

Swift had broken four ribs, had a laceration on his liver and kidney, and one collapsed lung. On top of this, his pay was docked for not following student procedures in a combat situation. All in all, the imperial forces did arrive and rescue all of the hostages, but found no one fitting the description of Benedict Fisher among the rebels arrested.

Fisher sat down in the pilot seat of his PFCC. The advanced phase cloaking technology that he'd equipped to it would at allow him a speedy, yet peaceful get away. Just as his thoughts and emotions began to wash over him a voice spoke up from behind.

“
Was that him?” the voice asked.

“
That was him.” Fisher confirmed.

The speaker, a thin young female in a Rebel shift suit, stepped forward and sat in the co-pilot's seat with two cups of coffee in her hands, passing one to Fisher.

“
A little rough on your old buddy don't ya think?” she asked as she brought her own cup close to her face to test the temperature.

Fisher took a sip of his coffee and said “I had to be.”

“
Did you now?” she lowered her cup and asked.

“
After all this time, he is still being reckless and trying to play the hero.” Fisher said, staring down into the dark depths of his drink “It pisses me off.”

“
I seem to recall you liking that sort of thing.” the girl said “At least that's what all of the academy stories you've told me say.”

Fisher lowered his cup and looked at the ceiling “Things change. People change.” he explained “I'm not that guy anymore.”

The girl nearly spat coffee on him and had to cover her mouth as she giggled “You're still a kid Benny.” she said.

“
I told you to call me Fisher, Elliot.”

“
And I told you to call me L, or Ellie.”

Fisher frowned and said “Can't you even be the slightest bit professional? I mean a war is going on.”

Ellie pouted and said “Awwww I'm sorry! I'm super cereal for you Fisher!”

“
Whatever.” he said rolling his eyes and added “That's the thing though. A war
is
going on. What happened two years ago...that was meant to give Swift the life he deserves. A life as a normal, happy student.”

“
You can't make people live normal, happy lives. If that were possible, then the galaxy wouldn't be at war.” she said and made a face “Duh.”

“
True, but I don't think he understands the gravity of it all. What if he keeps this up and gets kicked out of the academy? Is he just going to go back to Earth and be a bum? What if he ends up killed off for real?”

“
I think...” Ellie took a sip of her coffee “that he understands. As for the school part, I don't think he cares. And after seeing him today, I don't believe he'll ever wind up a bum
anywhere
.”

“
And him getting killed?”

Ellie didn't answer at first, but simply took another sip of coffee. This annoyed Fisher more than he actually knew. Perhaps, despite his claim that he wanted to kill his former best friend, he found the thought of Swift's death very distressing.

“
Do you think we should let him help us?” Ellie asked.

“
What!?” Fisher shouted, spilling coffee onto the deck “You didn't even answer my question! Now you're asking about letting him help us?”

“
He is the strongest person I've seen. Ever.” Ellie answered.

Now it was Fisher's turn to laugh “Don't let him hear you say that.” he said “His head will swell and most likely explode.”

“
Hey!” she smiled and said “I'm serious here.”

“
I am too. The stalemate between The Empire and The Rebel Faction is only being held by the chaotic nature of the Belt Line. With what we learned about The Empire's latest interests that could change, and not for the better. Not for them, not for anybody.”

“
I just want you to think about it.” Ellie said “He seemed willing to help us in our noble cause of ending this war.”

“
Tell you what- I will if I see him again.” Fisher said and held out his free hand “Provided he lives.”

“
Okay, deal.” Ellie said, and they shook on it.

PART FOUR

Return To The Red Planet

-
40
-

“
It really doesn't matter what the armor index on the new tungsten-glass compound is.” Felix munched loudly on a handful of Chex Mix and added “Hybrid series light cannons apply a mark that either detonates after or a few seconds or when struck with another attack. It'll eat right through that mess.”

Jay grabbed the bag of Chex Mix and said “Nope.”

“
Hey!” Felix shouted, spraying crumbs everywhere.

“
You get these back when you learn to chew with your mouth shut.” Jay folded down the top of the bag and added “Anyway, you can mitigate the damage from that mark with heavy beam forming applied to your shields.”

“
That's when I use armor penetrating rounds. Smash.” Felix said and made an attempt to grab the bag.

Jay moved the bag further out of Felix's reach and said “That's when I use a gravity field and you're like 'Why are my attacks so slow?'”

“
That's when-”

“
That's when I EMP you both-” Swift interrupted and took the bag of Chex Mix “and use electromagnetic fields to drain your energy resources. Then I'll fling you both into the sun with tractor beams.”

He looked at Jay and then Felix “And if I catch you eating my Chex Mix again Felix, I'm taking your finger nails off one by one.” he said as he made a clamping gesture with his hand.

“
My bad bro, I was starving.” Felix said.

Swift put the half eaten bag of Chex Mix into his pocket and said “Ya know, you could try buying your own food if you're hungry. I'm your captain, not the snack fairy.” he looked around and asked “Have you guys seen Revy?”

Jay said “She was here earlier, and she seemed pretty mad. Mentioned something about an idiotic moron having gone too far.”

A look of panic spread across Swift's face and he ran to the door saying “I'm gonna get it this time...”

Gin nearly collided with Swift on his way into Ready Room One “Hey guys.” He greeted Jay and Felix.

Jay raised a hand and said “Sup.”

Felix nodded and said “Yo.”

“
What was Swift in such a rush for?” Gin asked.

“
Well, Revy really cares about Swift. So much in fact that it drives her crazy whenever he pulls his dangerous stunts. He was most likely going to find her and apologize.” Jay explained, and then added “And get beat up probably.”

“
Wow.” Gin said and asked “They going out or something?”

Jay and Felix exchanged a look and Felix said “Ha! Ask'em both and the answer is no. But everyone knows how close they are.”

“
But they're not dating right?” Gin persisted.

Jay frowned and was about to say something when Felix spoke up with a wide grin on his face “Nope. Revy is single.”

“
Hm. Well I've gotta go to English. I'll catch you guys later.” Gin said and left.

Jay turned to Felix and said “Nothing good will come of this.”

Felix put his hands behind his head and said “Shut up fool. I've got a plan.”

-
41
-

Gin walked into his English class looking for an empty seat, when a voice from the back of the room called out to him.

“
Hey Gin! Come sit with us cool kids!” Swift exclaimed with one hand cupped around his mouth while waving the other.

The cadet next to Swift made an X with his forearms and shouted “No! Don't do it! If you do, then you'll surely become an outcast like us!”

“
Heh heh. It's a bit too late for that.” Swift said as Gin took the seat next to him and added “Gin this is Raati, a friend of mine and so called rival. Raati this is Gin, the newest member of my crew.”

“
Nice to meet you Raati.” Gin said as he attempted to log into his student console. It gave him a password error at first, so he attempted to input his password again. The password error then vanished and the log in process started, which was then plagued by a connection error. Gin gave up and took out a spiral notebook.

“
Nice to meet you and allow me to tell you what a mistake you've made! Doom and madness await! You'll never be normal again!” Raati declared as he logged into his own student console, which actually worked. The three cadets huddled over the console and looked at the assignment screen.

“
Oh boy. It's time, once again, for the 'Personal Career Goal' survey! Yay!” Raati said with sarcastic enthusiasm.

The Personal Career Goal survey was an educational tool designed to aid students in planning their future. The three boys completed it on time, but were still stopped by the instructor on the way out of the classroom.

“
Dosa, O'Hare, Swift. Front and center.” Instructor Fughorn said to them, and the three boys exchanged glances as they walked over to the Instructor. “I'm sure you know why I called you three out.” Fughorn said sternly.

“
Because you're issuing us Outstanding Effort Awards?” Raati asked.

Mr. Fughorn gave him an agitated look and asked “I take it you haven't reached your detention quota for this quarter yet Cadet Dosa?”

Raati held up his hand, pinching his index and thumb together “Almost there Instructor Fughorn!”

“
Stand at attention Dosa!” Instructor Fughorn barked and Raati did so in quite the dramatic fashion.

“
I'll start with you, funny guy. For the question 'what do you want to be when you grow up' your three answers were: The Nikeman, The Basedgod, and despised. Aside from the first two making no sense at all, just what kind of sick person actually wants to be despised?”

“
I've come to find that people who are well liked run a higher chance of being assassinated or taken advantage of.” Raati smiled and then added “Plus being bad is way more fun than being good.”

“
That is stupid and idiotic.” Fughorn replied and moved onto Gin.

“
Your three answers, Cadet O'Hare, were: a professional millionaire, someone like me, and grown up. None of these are actual careers, and what's with you kids giving these sarcastically philosophical answers? Am I to take this literally as you wanting to be grown up when you grow up, as in mature?”

“
I've got a lot of work to do in order to accomplish that goal Instructor Fughorn.” Gin said.

“
You've got that right cadet.” Instructor Fughorn snorted and picked up Swift's survey “And then there was Cadet Swift.”