Star Watch (18 page)

Chapter 25

Alchieves System

Planet Trom, Cloud-Port E5926

_________________

Leon, grasping on to a vertical support beam within the cloud-base’s control tower, was having a hard time staying on his feet. The distant SkyTrans, already separated from its berth, was only somewhat staying aloft on its own, slowly moving away from the falling cloud-port. For the last several minutes, Leon, without any notable success, tried using his internal NanoCom to request assistance from the
Minian
, while Larkbadder conversed with one of the tall, AI-controlled,
mecher
robots at the back of the tower.

Larkbadder looked concerned, his voice rose as he continued to interrogate the robot. He looked over to Leon, “We’re in free fall … we’re about to smash down onto the surface.”

Leon nodded. “I know that! I’ve been trying to get someone’s attention … anyone’s, actually.”

They’d opted to stay in the control tower even as the last stragglers hurried up several gangways onto the SkyTrans. Then, the free-fall began, and even walking was nearly impossible. Leon looked through the smashed-out observation window and could see the quickly-approaching planet’s surface below them. He estimated the cloud-port they were on was no more than ten to fifteen thousand feet above the surface and was falling fast. Which meant they had mere minutes, if even that, to survive.

Leon turned away from the window and let out a controlled breath. “So, what is the bot saying?” he asked, not really interested.

“Basically … that we’re fucked.”

That made Leon smile, in spite of the dire situation. Clumsily, the mecher stumbled its way over to Leon and introduced itself. “Hello, I am Trommy5.”

“Uh huh,” Leon said, turning away. He looked down toward the concourse below, trying his NanoCom again. He felt a hand tug on his shoulder and spun around. “Hey, just back off … okay?” Leon said, expecting to see the annoying mecher.

But it wasn’t the mecher. Billy Hernandez, Sergeant Jackson, and Rizzo stood there in their battle suits. “We need to go … now!” Without another word Billy and Rizzo moved in close and wrapped their arms around Leon and Larkbadder.

Larkbadder almost pulled free. “That one too! Don’t leave that bot!”

Jackson hesitated, but then, coming to some sort of mental resolve, went ahead and wrapped his arms around the tall, awkward, mecher. The six phase-shifted away, fifteen seconds before the cloud-port splashed into the largest of Trom’s oceans below.

* * *

Leon, years earlier, spent time on
The Lilly
; he was assigned to her for sixteen months, so he was familiar with the beautiful aesthetics provided on a Caldurian vessel. But the
Minian
, at least one hundred years newer, took him by surprise. Sure, she was huge—over a mile long—but her symmetry and graceful lines … the attention given to every detail, to the smallest degree, stunned him. Typically, starships were all about utility. But the
Minian
was much more than that; almost feminine in design, the ship had curves and padded bulkheads; muted colors were used throughout … everything was flush and integrated … impeccably constructed. As Leon walked the long corridor, he was quite sure she was one of the most advanced starships in the galaxy.

They had phase-shifted into the flight deck. Billy and Rizzo immediately sprinted away, having to attend to other emergencies. Jackson, big as any NFL linebacker, was their escort and walked several paces in front of Leon and Larkbadder. The mecher, Trommy5, was noisily clanging along behind.

Jackson, his visor raised, turned his big head back toward Leon. “Hey, man, the hospital is right there, off to the right. I’ll take the commander and the … um … bot down to the barracks. You’re supposed to be escorted, so let me know when you’re done here.”

Leon nodded, slowed to a stop and watched them as they headed in the direction of a nearby DeckPort. Leon watched as Larkbadder looked unsure about entering into the elevator-like opening. Only this opening wasn’t solid—more like a constantly moving distortion field—one that would transport the user to any deck on the ship … as long as the user had a clear intention of where he wanted to go. There were more conventional ways to use the DeckPort for the novice, as well, and Leon continued to watch as Jackson, undoubtedly, explained the other methods to Larkbadder and the bot. Eventually, Sergeant Jackson grabbed both Larkbadder’s and Trommy5’s wrists and together they stepped into the DeckPort. Leon knew the instant they stepped from this level they would step out onto another level—just as if they’d walked through a door.

Leon turned toward the doublewide hatchway on his right and entered the
Minian
’s Medical area. Easily five times the size of that on
The Lilly
, this hospital had several large, adjacent compartments. The first one was equipped with numerous MediPods, all seeming to be in use, and there was a laboratory, of sorts, on the left. A more conventional hospital layout, with railed beds, also all in use, was off to the right. Medical personnel scurried here and there, some escorting injured Tromians to MediPods or, next door, into hospital beds.

At the far end of the compartment, Leon spotted a flash of violet skin. He headed off toward the exotic-looking doctor …
what was her name? Oh yeah … Dira.

She was obviously the one in charge here. Leon watched as she gave instructions to one of the med techs. “This one’s almost done … get the elderly lady in the recovery room prepped.” The med tech hurried off. Dira did a double-take when she saw Leon approaching.

“Mr. Pike. Heard you almost went for a swim in one of Trom’s larger oceans.”

“Well, I do like to make a splash … but opted to keep breathing a while longer.”

“You’re here to see Hanna?”

Leon nodded.

“You found her,” Dira said, gesturing toward the MediPod behind him that he’d just passed.

Dira gestured for Leon to join her at her side. They both peered down into the small elongated window at the top portion of the MediPod’s clamshell-like top. Leon first noticed Hanna’s straw-colored long hair; several strands had fallen over her still face, her expression peaceful.

“Is she okay? Will she—”

“She’s fine. That is, at least health-wise,” Dira said, glancing back to Leon.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Dira’s reply was interrupted by the approach of Captain Reynolds. Leon estimated him to be around forty, and physically very capable. As tall as Leon, he had dark hair and eyes, and didn’t seem like the typical skipper. Definitely didn’t do things by the book and, from what he’d observed, was friends with much of the crew. They were loyal to him and he to them. And there was definitely
something
going on between him and Dira.

“How is she?” the captain asked, looking into the small window on the opposite side of the MediPod.

“Hello to you, too, Jason,” Dira said.

Jason smiled and held Dira’s eyes for a moment … “Hello, Dira.” His eyes shifted to Leon. “Mr. Pike.”

“She’s fine. I can let her out of this thing now,” Dira said, reaching for the MediPod’s control tablet.

“Wait just a minute, Dira,” the captain said—his eyes still on Leon. “How well do you know this woman?”

“Know her?” said Leon. “I don’t … not really. I saved her life … rescued her from a falling building. Since then she’s helped me kill plenty of Pharloms. I assumed she was a university student on Trom.” Leon shrugged, letting the captain know that was all he knew.

Jason turned as a skinny guy in his late teens, or early twenties, approached. His face, perpetually scowling, and his beak-like nose, gave him a birdlike quality. Pimples, several ripe for the picking, clustered around his chin and nose.

“Bristol … thanks for coming,” the captain said.

“I was busy; what do you want?”

“I want you to take a look at this woman.”

Leon didn’t know what to make of that statement. What could this scrawny kid have to do with Hanna? But then he saw it too. Probably the same thing the captain had previously noticed. Beautiful Hanna, lying in the MediPod, and this homely kid shared something between them. They both had the same eyes. Mostly it was the same distinctive light blue color, but something else too: the structure of their brows and cheekbones. Their resemblance, in that regard, was uncanny.

Bristol peered down into the MediPod, little changing in his sour expression. “Yeah … so what?”

Hanna opened her eyes and looked around her surroundings. Initially, fear showed in her expression but then understanding—perhaps she remembered what happened to her on Trom—being transported here to the
Minian
’s
hospital to be treated for severe burns.

She looked to her left first and saw Dira, then her eyes moved to Leon’s. She smiled. Turning her head she looked out through the other window and saw Bristol. Hanna’s expression turned to confusion and then … intense emotion, as her eyes, so similar to the skinny young man’s above her, brimmed with tears. Her hands came up, covering her mouth, and she began sobbing within the confines of the MediPod.

Chapter 26

Alchieves System

The
Minian
, Medical

_________________

The clamshell slowly separated, coming to a stop once fully opened. Jason watched as Bristol continued to stare down at the MediPod’s lone inhabitant.

Hanna, composed to the point she’d stopped crying, swung her feet over the MediPod’s side and down onto the deck. Dira held out her hand, giving added support to Hanna, who slowly stood. She turned and, finding Leon, a fleeting smile returned.

Jason didn’t like surprises—when it came to Bristol. His brother, a murderous pirate currently spending the rest of his life imprisoned in what used to be HAB 12 on
The Lilly
, single-handedly killed too many crewmembers, and almost killed Mollie and Nan, and Boomer, more than once. So if this woman was involved with Stalls or Bristol, Jason needed to know the particulars.

“Hanna,” Dira said, “this is Captain Reynolds. He’d like to speak with you.”

Hanna looked at Jason, using her fingertips to brush back stray hairs from her face. “Hello, Captain. Thank you for saving me … for saving us.”

He watched her, particularly how she avoided making eye contact with Bristol who, only moments before, drew such an emotional response from her.

“Please excuse my abruptness, but I’m sure you understand that the security of my ship is paramount.”

She nodded.

“What’s the story with you and Bristol?”

With a quick glance, Jason watched Bristol’s reaction to the question. Hanna’s eyes darted to Bristol, who also stole a glance in her direction. Neither said anything, but Bristol’s face had flushed bright pink.

“What’s with the third degree, Captain?” Leon interjected. “Why don’t you give the poor girl a second to—”

“Mind your tongue, Mr. Pike … Need I remind you, you are a guest on this ship?”

Leon didn’t answer, but he didn’t argue either.

Jason turned to Bristol. “Who is she to you?”

Bristol used a fingernail to probe at his pimply chin. He shrugged. “I think she’s my sister.”

Jason saw tears begin to well up in Hanna’s eyes again. “I thought you were dead, Bristol. They said you were dead.”

Bristol crossed his thin arms over his chest. He was clearly uncomfortable with the situation and, by the way he was biting his lip, looked on the verge of tears himself. Jason let the silence hang in the air.

Abruptly, Hanna took two steps forward and threw her arms around Bristol. She cried into his neck. He slowly pulled his arms free and hugged her back. Jason and Dira exchanged a quick glance.

When they separated, Jason raised his brow, a silent prompt for one of them to explain.

Hanna said, pointing, “I haven’t seen him, my younger brother, Bristol … in six years. Actually, he’s my half-brother.”

Bristol’s sour expression was back. “Look … it’s no big deal. We share the same father … making me and Stalls her half-brothers. We had different mothers.”

“I spent the first twelve years of my life a captive at Flatigan Castle … my brother’s lair. My mother, abducted from her home planet, was held captive by the elder Captain Jerome Stalls,” Hanna said, disdain in her voice. “My mother died four years ago, during childbirth … she was well into her fifties.”

“Stalls said I have another half-brother, somewhere, too,” Bristol said.

“I don’t know anything about that. Hell, we all could have dozens of half-sibs out there,” Hanna retorted, dismissively.

Jason said, “You understand, any connection a crewmember, or a crewmember’s family, has with the Stalls clan needs to be scrutinized.”

Hanna nodded and looked at Bristol. “So Eston is still alive?”

Bristol somewhat grimaced. “No one calls Stalls that … But, yeah, last we checked.”

“I need to see him,” she said flatly.

“That’s not going to happen,” Jason said.

“If you’re thinking I’m going to help him escape, think again. I detest the man. But there’s something I need to ask him. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“Life and death for whom?” Jason asked, sounding suspicious.

“I can’t tell you that right now.”

Convenien
t, Jason thought. “And Bristol here doesn’t know the answer? The two were together when we crossed paths in open space. Both together … causing mayhem … pirating … plundering.”

She shot Bristol a disapproving look. “Captain, you can come with me; five minutes with Eston … Stalls, is all I need.”

“What makes you think he’ll tell you what you need to know?” Jason asked, his curiosity now somewhat piqued.

“Because like it or not, we’re family.”

Jason rubbed his forehead and shook his head. “I’m sorry, this is sounding like a lot more trouble than it’s worth.”

Hanna seemed to consider her next words. “Have you heard of the Sahhrain?”

That certainly got Jason’s attention. Considering his own father was most probably abducted by them, maybe killed, he was now very interested. “Yes, I’ve heard of them.”