Wings of Steele - Destination Unknown (Book 1) (32 page)

"Criminals
are criminals," said Jack, dryly.

Gant
agreed again. It was obvious the young pilot saw some terrible
things.
His sensibilities would be raw for some time. Discussing it now
could only serve to make things worse. Gant put his hand on Jack's
shoulder, "Listen, you look beat, go get some rest. We can talk
more after brunch." A report would have to be filed but details
could wait until morning. He also told him nothing of the ship that
had been shadowing them on the fringes of their sensor range. It
simply wasn't necessary or productive at this point. "Go ahead
son, in fact, I'm going to get some rest too."

Jack
left and Gantarro retired to the Captain's ready room, a
private
office and quarters attached to the bridge. He left strict orders to
be notified if their
shadow
made any changes in status. He stretched out on the cushy leather
couch and was asleep before Jack had even climbed into a waiting air
car down the hall.

■ ■ ■

Flexing
and yawning, Fritz was there to greet Jack when he stepped
into
his suite. The tired pilot reached down and gave the dog's head a
playful tussle, "Hey pal, how's it goin'?" The Shepherd
grumbled through a yawn as Jack wandered through the living room
into the bedroom. Maria slept snuggled in a ball, right where he
left her in the center of the bed. Jack could see where the dog had
curled up on the bed by the woman's feet. "So, you been keepin'
her company?" The Shepherd looked at him with sleepy eyes,
climbed gently up onto the bed and wagged his tail. Jack said
nothing as he sat on the edge of the bed and stripped off his
clothes. He was too tired to argue with the animal, who had already
made himself more than comfortable. "G'night dog," mumbled
Jack, as he slid under the covers behind Maria. He fell into a
fitful sleep interrupted by visions of tortured figures. This
eventually and thankfully, faded into a deep, dreamless void.

■ ■ ■

"Sir?"

Gantarro
opened his sapphire blue eyes and looked up at his first
officer.
Rubbing his eyes, he swung his feet off the couch and to the floor.
"What is it?" He said, glancing at his watch. Four hours
had passed.

"Our
shadow, sir, he's dropped completely off the sensor grid.
D
isappeared
about ten minutes ago."

"Hmmm..."
This puzzled him. Gant frowned and the furrows on his brow
deepened.
"What to do next..." There were so many possibilities to
consider. "Increase speed... gradually. Maybe we can put some
distance between us before he realizes it."

"So
your going under the assumption that it's a pirate?"

"It's
a good bet. This is a standard stalking maneuver, it could be
nothing...
But, if it's planned, I'd rather try evasion now - we have more
options." The first officer nodded his understanding and
approval of his Captain's wise actions. Gant continued, "Let's
see if we can plot a new course, throw these rats off our trail a
bit eh?" He rose up off the couch, went to a small plotting
table and turned it on. A miniature three dimensional section of
universe shimmered into view above the table in the shape of a cube.
Stars, planets, moons, and Genesis Gates, all in various colors were
shown in relative scale. A pink icon representing the ship, floated
among the stars, a pink line showing its present course. The
holographic universe, however, had boundaries. These could be
altered by changing the chart number the computer was referring to.
The two officers studied their present course and using several
holographic charts, discussed several alternate routes. It seemed
each route had some drawback of one kind or another, but the
decision lie in which was the least objectionable and most likely to
succeed.

The
key to evasion seemed to be the use of one of several Genesis
Gates
in the area. This kind of detour would get the Princess Hedonist out
of the area in a hurry. The drawback was, it would take them
galaxies out of their way, and they'd have to take two other Genesis
Gates somewhere along the line to get them back on course later. But
of course, the possible alternative of being boarded by pirates was
much less desirable.

Genesis
Gates were a wondrous miracle of space, harnessed by an
ingenious
method. Once thought to be holes in space, it was actually
discovered they were more accurately described as tunnels, linking
galaxies and whole universes together. Special Gates were designed
to mark and stabilize wandering entrances. Once installed, they are
numbered for navigation purposes. Some tunnels have more than one
destination and passage can be made in either direction. Before
entering, programming a ship's navigation computer with the proper
gate number will deposit the craft at the desired exit. Travel time
can be reduced by months by using a Genesis Gate, versus a standard
trade route.

Or
as in the case of the Princess Hedonist, lengthened because of a
necessary
detour. The Genesis Gates' numbers were displayed on the holographic
chart and Gantarro chose the one which provided the most difficult
pursuit. It had three destinations on the other side. He ordered
full speed for its entrance. This would place them at the gate in
just over four hours. There was one gate closer but it had only one
destination and was too obvious a choice.

Gant
laid back on the couch and closed his eyes, "Call me when
something
happens..." he instructed. Then he fell back asleep. He too saw
visions of horror in his dreams, except it was his crew, his
passengers, his ship. He tossed and turned, his body attempting to
evade the subconscious assault.

PRINCESS
HEDONIST:
HERE
THERE BE MONSTERS

The
Ensign, sitting at the sensor array console, stiffened in his
seat,
"SIR!"

The
First Officer sat in the Captain's Command Chair, he looked up
from
the log notes he was writing, "Yes, Ensign?"

"I've
got a
fast
mover
,
just appeared on the sensor grid. The
unknown
is approaching from our stern, starboard quarter!"

"Damn!
That's where our shadow dropped out of sight!" The officer
punched
buttons on the Command Chair, calling up the Ensign's sensor display
screen on his own video monitor. It was too small to be the same
ship that had shadowed them, in fact it was so small in comparison,
it could have easily been missed. "Good eyes, Ensign. Projected
time of interception?"

"Just
over six minutes, sir."

"Damn."
With his elbows on the console, the First Officer bowed his
head
to rest on his folded hands. The Genesis Gate was still over an hour
away, and with the Princess' engines running at close to full
throttle, the small pursuer was gaining easily. Additional throttle
would only run the risk of overheating the engine's forcing cones,
it would do little to prolong intercept time. There was nothing he
could do. "Security..."

"Yes,
sir..."

The
first officer lifted his head, "Wake the Captain."

■ ■ ■

Gantarro
opened his eyes and raised his head when the security
officer
touched his shoulder. "What is it, Petty Officer?"

"The
First Officer requests your presence on the bridge sir... W
e've
got company," he added.

Gant
sat up. "Our shadow's back?"

"No
sir. A small, fast ship, on an intercept course. It's overtaking
us
from the stern."

"How
far to the Genesis Gate?"

"Over
an hour yet."

Gant
nodded as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "So... the
games
begin..."

"Excuse
me, sir?"

Gant
rose and headed for the door. "Nothing... nothing at all."
He
knew
what came next, the chase, the attempts at evasion. Whoever he was,
the other Captain had timed it just right. The Princess was between
the two closest gates, about an hour run to either one. Very
vulnerable.

The
bridge door swished open and Gant stepped onto the bridge from
his
ready room. The First Officer relinquished the Command Chair. "Helm,
full throttle."

The
First Officer blanched, "Full, sir?"

"Yep,
every bit."

"What
about overheating sir?"

"Well,
if we make that gate, we have a chance... if not, we're
finished.
And if we don't go wide open, we'll never make that gate. So... I
want every ounce of thrust those drives'll produce. Got it?"
The bridge became a flurry of activity as Gantarro prepared for the
worst.

"Intercept
in one minute, thirty seconds."

"Communications,
hail that ship. Science, get us an on screen view."
The
view screen shimmered as the video pickups brought the ship into
focus.

"It
looks like a fighter craft of some kind, sir."

Gant
nodded. "It's an old Warthog. Looks like their using it
like
a scout."

"Isn't
a Warthog a UFW craft?" asked a young Ensign.

"Yes,
but they're outdated, no longer used. Most were junked, some
were
sold to underdeveloped cultures for defense. So don't expect this
one to be friendly. It's probably stolen or war spoils." The
pilot of the craft did not acknowledge any attempts at
communication. Gant was not surprised.
At
a distance of only about a quarter mile away, the Warthog
fighter
shot by the starboard side of the Princess Hedonist like she was
standing still.

"Damn
that thing's fast!"

Gantarro
smiled at the officer's remark. "Son, the Princess doesn't
exactly
set any speed records... you could pass her with a land speeder,"
he exaggerated.
As
the bridge crew watched, the glow of the Warthog's twin engines
disappeared
as the pilot cut boost and throttle. Doing a wing-over, the fighter
went into a tight banking turn and reversed course.

"I'm
reading an increase in systems power on that ship..." The
Science
Officer was calm. He studiously watched the readings on his vid-scan
console. "He has weapons! He's powering up weapons!"

Gant
remained calm, "Easy, Lieutenant. Drop all non-vital ship's
systems
to half and give me full power to our deflection shields." The
rattled officer complied with shaking hands. Gant knew the shields
were not meant for combat, but they should have no problem repelling
a lone fighter, probably even two fighters. The Warthog flashed by
the port side of the Princess feigning an attack run. It did not
fire.

The
bridge crew nervously watched the fighter on the vidscreen as
it
passed and cleared the stern of the Princess, repeating its first
wing-over maneuver. Banking smoothly, it fell in line behind the
Princess Hedonist and matched her pace, neither firing or attempting
to communicate.
Gantarro
motioned the bridge security officer to his side,
"Ensign,
wake our pilots. Tell them I need their immediate presence on the
bridge." The first officer looked at him with one eyebrow
raised. "Don't look at me like I'm nuts, boy... They're from a
warring world, they may have an idea or two." He waved the
Ensign on his way, "
Go
,
and make it fast!" He looked at his chronometer. With luck, it
was about fifty minutes travel time to the gate. At this pace maybe
they could safely reach the gate before the fighter's mother showed
up.

The
Science Officer sat bolt upright at his station and swiveled
around
in his chair, his eyes wide with concern. "Sir, I have three
more fast movers inbound... on the edge of the grid about ten
minutes out." To the bridge crew, it appeared their luck had
run out.

■ ■ ■

Jack
was vaguely aware of Maria's singing and the sound of the
shower.
He consciously listened to the sounds only because he found them
pleasant and soothing. Her voice lilted softly in Spanish, and the
steady hush of the running water sent waves of warm sleepiness
through his mind.

The
pilot gently prodded the Shepherd sleeping across his feet when
the
dog began to snore loudly. Jack stifled a drowsy chuckle when Fritz
rolled onto his back and with his feet in the air, continued to
snore without interruption.

Jack
was almost asleep again when he heard the door chime. He
listened
carefully, not sure if he had really heard it over the sound of the
shower or not. It rang again, repeatedly, urgently. Struggling to
free himself from the bed linens and covers, Jack kicked vigorously
and dumped Fritz on the floor with a thud. Grabbing a robe to cover
his nude form, he headed for the door. "For cryin' out loud,
take it easy will ya'?" He fastened the robe and opened the
door.

"Sorry
to bother you, sir. The Captain needs you all on the bridge,
pronto..."

"What's
going on, Ensign?" Jack rubbed his eyes.

"We've
got company, sir..."

"Company?"

The
Ensign nodded, "Pirates." Jack's eyes widened and the
security
man
flashed a quick salute. "Soon as you can, sir."

Jack
found himself saluting an empty doorway and stared blankly into
the
hallway. "Right away," he mumbled. After a moment, he
snapped out of the trance and rushed through the suite. Throwing his
robe on the bed, Jack headed for the shower.

Like
most women who took their appearance seriously, Maria hated to
be
rushed, but Jack felt she did an admirable job in expediting her
morning routine. While they dressed, Jack filled her in on the facts
as he knew them, including a brief account of the visit to the Eliza
Meru, minus the ghoulish details, of course. Like most men who
looked upon their masculinity with pride, he did an excellent job of
being overprotective and withholding his true feelings. But then
again, she knew that.

As
a personal best for probably both of them, they left their suite,
properly
showered and dressed, only about ten minutes after the Ensign's
visit. Leaving Fritz with the waitress at the Ecosphere Lounge, Jack
and Maria headed for the bridge. Joined by the other pilots
en-route, they increased their pace. The group could be heard for
some distance, their flight boots echoing in the corridors. The talk
of pirates had prompted them all to wear their sidearms and
passengers stared at the armed officers hustling through the ship.
It was not an activity they were used to seeing.

■ ■ ■

The
bridge crew, which was normally animated and amiable, sat
silently
at their stations, eyes glued to the view screen, as if staring
blankly and wishing could change what they saw. Only Gant moved when
the pilots entered the bridge, turning to greet them. His face was
ashen and grim. "In my ready room, please." He pointed the
way without his normal joviality.

Jack
paused to look at the screen as the pilots made their way across
the
bridge. The Princess had been forced by the threat of great physical
damage to cease all movement, little more than thirty minutes from
the safety of the Genesis Gate. With all engines at full stop, she
drifted gently in the quiet, starry void, encircled by four
out-of-date but very dangerous Warthog fighters. The stubby little
fighters were inferior by current standards, but were completely
capable of inflicting tremendous damage on the defenseless cruise
ship.

Pirates.
Jack's stomach tightened and he took a deep breath as he
entered
Gantarros's ready room. He had a feeling this was going to be a very
long day.

Could
these be the same savages who committed the atrocities on the
Eliza
Meru? Jack answered his own question; it was very possible. He had
hoped to meet the culprits someday, but he didn't expect it to be so
soon. Nor did he expect the sides to be so uneven.
`Aint
this a bitch
,
he thought. Whenever you wish for something and it comes about, it
never waits until you're ready.

Several
security people were already there, including Raulya and
Myomerr.
There weren't enough seats for everyone, so some sat, some stood,
but everyone was silent and still.

Gantarro
sat on the edge of his desk and cleared his throat
uneasily,
then spoke softly, "Gentlemen, as you may have noticed, we are
in serious trouble. Those are pirate fighter craft out there... I
don't know exactly what they want, but I can guess." Despite
the cool circulated air, he wiped perspiration from his brow. "Food,
fuel, any type of valuable goods or cargo, women and children
too..." his voice trailed off. "Jack... Trigoss gave me a
full report on the Eliza Meru this morning. If these are the same
pirates, either they had some kind of vendetta, or we're dealing
with a whole new breed. More ruthless, more vicious, more dangerous
than any I've seen before."

A
swirl of talk enveloped the room, and everyone seemed to have
something
to say at the same time. Predictably, it turned competitive and
adversarial.

"Great,"
moaned Brian, "Just fucking wonderful."

Mike
stood with his hands on his hips, angry at the general feeling
of
helplessness. "So what can
we
do? I mean, we don't even have any birds to fly!"