Runaway

         

Runaway





“Look out!”

Eyes shot left—looked through the windshield into space. Warning lights flared red. Proximity alarms wailed.

“Marley, release the claw.” Corbit fired the aft, port thrusters, drove the steering column over—lurched the spaceship starboard. The intact cargo hold of the wrecked space freighter Danzig Clipper filled the viewport then flew out of sight to the darkness of space.

“Fifty meters….”

“Brace for impact.”

“Come on,” Corbit muttered.

“We’re free.”

Corbit slammed his hand on the console, fired the main engines and the Equinox lurched forward then jerked to the side. All hell broke loose. The sound of crunching metal tore through the air, the ship whipped into a spin.

“We’re gonna’ crash.”

Corbit cut the main engines—closed his eyes and waited for the ship to explode—death.

In a moment, computers righted the ship, brought it to a stop. The spaceship Equinox floated in space, far from the Merkkion Wormhole, a portal large enough for interstellar ships to navigate from near earth to halfway across the universe.

Sabastion Corbit, an ex-soldier, once wounded and thrice decorated made a living from salvaging wrecks at the end of the wormhole, where all others started their dreams or ended them. Opening his eyes, he swiveled his chair around. “Everyone okay…?”

Doyle righted himself. “I feel like someone’s given me a bad merry-go round ride.”

Sanders had picked up the wire-rim eyeglasses floor. Tall, muscular, handsome, a soldier, he gave the eyeglasses to Doyle, a smaller man with short spiked, blonde hair.

Doyle turned to the controls, an array of computers, touch screens. “There are no decompressions in the ship. We are secure.”

Sanders had gone to another consol. “Weapons are online and are fully charged.”

On the fringes of the cockpit, at the controls for the salvaging equipment, a brown haired woman sat eyeing one of the screens. Beautiful as a model, Marley got her name from a Dickens’ classic and kept it because her father always called her by it. “Claws are intact and operational,” unbuckled, Marley turned out of her chair. “We are going after the cargo.”

“Whoa," Doyle spoke. "The port engine just shut down. It’s the intake manifold valve.”

“I’m on it.” Marley headed to the exit.

The shrill sound of an alarm tore through the air.

“Proximity alert. We got incoming.”

“More wreckage,” Sanders half-said—questioned.

Corbit looked to the viewport. “No, it’s a ship. It’s Decker.”

“He must be coming to help us.”

Marley pointed to a screen near Doyle. “Decker’s ship is not slowing down. He's headed for the cargo hold.”

“That’s our wreckage.”

“It’s not ours anymore,” Corbit looked towards Marley. “Remember, we lost the hold when the pile of junk struck it.”

“Then we need to get the cargo before Decker does.”

Corbit grinned. “How will we do that with one engine? Besides, there is no proof Decker did anything more than watch the cargo hold hit us.”

“You are talking about Decker?”

“Shit!" Sanders cursed. "Weapons overload. I have to discharge them.”

Sanders struck the fire button and nothing seemed to happen. As sudden, the intercom came to life with the most obnoxious of voices.

“Corbit, what the hell is going on? You shot out my engines.”

“Sorry about that, Decker. We had a weapon’s discharge.”

“My ass, Corbit. You shot me on purpose.”

“It was an accident, but if we had shot you, it would be payback for your flinging that wreckage our way.”

“You can’t prove we did. Now, my ship’s damaged and someone has to pay for it.”

Shutting off the com-link, Corbit looked at Sanders. “For an accident, it was a good shot.”

Sanders grinned. “Would you expect anything less from me?”

“It took out the power coupling to his engines." Doyle announced. "It will be a couple of hours before he moves again.”

Corbit stood. “Then we have time to fix our engines. Marley….”

“I know, perform a miracle.”

Doyle turned to the consol, the buzzing sound that could only mean more bad news.

“We have readings. Someone’s alive out there.”

“That’s impossible,” Sanders spoke. “No one could have survived that.”

“They must have because they are alive.”

“Why didn’t we pick them up before,” Marley followed.

“The survivors are in the wreckage, two kilometers away. It must have just drifted into our sensor range.”

“They must have survival suits on or are in a bubble raft. Either way, we better go after them.” with the response, Corbit turned to return to his seat.

“We don’t have time to save them.”

Marley’s words went unanswered as Corbit sat down, put on his headset, spoke into the com-link. “Ark 12, this is Equinox. We’ve got two live ones in the wreckage out here. You’d better send help.”

“Roger that, Equinox, Med-Evac is on its way.”

“Roger, Ark. We will put out a beacon so your boys can find us. Over and out.”

Corbit turned. “Doyle, keep in contact with the Med-Evac. Marley, Sanders, prepare for a recovery. I'm taking us in.”

With only a murmur of opposition, Corbit set the ship to intercept the wreckage holding the survivors. A short burst from the one working engine pushed the Equinox to the large piece of the old ship that had a docking ring and escape port. On full auto, the Equinox docked with the wreckage and brought the debris on an even keel to be boarded. A gravity field was extended to make the wreckage earthlike.

Armed with Mayden assault rifles, Corbit, Marley and Sanders entered the wreckage.

“Hello….”

Gunfire erupted. A single shot brought twenty quick rounds from Marley—Sanders.

“Hold your fire!” Corbit held up his hand. “We came to rescue, not kill them.”

“It’s okay for them to kill us?”

Corbit stared at Sanders then turned. “You with the gun, there are only two ways out of here. Surrendering or being killed.”

A whisper of voices came from behind the litter scattered about the floor.

“Are you Territorial or Federal Police?”

“Neither,” Corbit lowered his gun. “We are Junkers, here to salvage this wreckage. Now, give up and we'll take you to safety. Or we can seal you in until you suffocate then recover you as victims of the shipwreck.”

“We surrender.”

A blackened object shot into the air, crashed to the floor and wall of the compartment. No one moved or fired.

“Show yourselves.”

A young girl and man stepped from behind some ruined lockers. Corbit, Marley and Sanders stood—moved towards them. Corbit aged the pair at twenty years old. They wore ordinary clothes like passengers—not military or ship’s crew.

Sanders went for the gun on the floor, picked it up. “Look at this. They nearly killed me with a zip gun.”

“Can it,” Corbit waved him off, faced the girl and boy. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The girl and boy refused to answer.

Corbit exhaled. “Marley, Sanders, ID them.”

Marley powered up the Data–link computer on her belt then pointed the ring imager on her finger towards the girl. Sanders followed her movement, scanned the boy. Through an instant or two, the Data-links on their belts projected two humanoid figures made of light into the air.

“There is no need to ID us. I am Ellen and he is Michael, my brother,” the girl said. “We were going to see our Aunt Mae planetside, in the Rydale colony.”

Sanders flicked the gun barrel their way. “You don’t look like brother and sister.”

“Michael is my half-brother, on my father’s side.”

The com-link crackled to life. “This is Doyle. There’s no one name Mae in any of the colonies.”

Corbit eyed the girl. “Well?”

“I lied. I am Becky Corner. He is Robert Smith. We are stowaways,” the girl took the boy’s hand. “We plan to marry once we get planetside.”

Arms and legs appeared on the holograms of the boy and girl.

“Please,” Becky spoke. “If you turn us in, the Federal Police will arrest us.”

“You should have thought about that before you got on this ship.”

The girl looked to Marley. “Please, you know what it is like to be in love. Help us.”

Just as she spoke, the Data-Link stopped processing, displayed the girl and boy’s faces. To the side their names and other stats appeared.

“Elizabeth Bellamy,” Corbit spoke.

“She’s the president’s daughter." Sanders cursed. "You know what'll happen to us if we are caught with them?”

“I"ll tell the police you kidnapped us for ransom if you don’t. Now, take us planetside and we'll forget we ever met.”

“That’s just great,” Sanders complained. “We can help or refuse them, but either way, we're screwed.”

"I don’t think Elizabeth will do anything.” Corbit half-smiled. “If you do, the police will know you are and your boyfriend are running from your father, who probably doesn’t want you and Jasper White to marry.”

“Eloping to the colony is the only way we can get married without my father’s permission.”

“This is Doyle. We got company.”

“Who, Decker?” asked Corbit.

“No, military ships. One is inbound to our position. It looks like an assault ship.”

“Okay, Doyle. Don’t do anything stupid, we’re not here to fight.”

Corbit turned. “Well, Elizabeth. It looks like your plans for marriage are over.”

“You have to help us." she said. "If they find Jasper with me, they’ll arrest him.”

“Better him than us,” Sanders replied. “If we are lucky, they’ll only take our ship.”

The girl moved close to the boy, looked from him with saddened eyes. “Please.”

Corbit eyed Marley, watched her shrug then nod towards the exit. Turning, he stared at the girl and boy. “Doyle, I need you to do something. I need you to do it quick.”

“Roger that, Cap. What is it?”

The sound of metal against metal reverberated into the air. A moment passed—another after that before on the right wall, lights erupted in a large oval pattern. Sparks and fire flew as the heavy military laser carved through the metal like it was paper. The cut section of wall clanged to the floor and with weapons drawn, ten Marines raced into the opening.

“Hands up, you’re under arrest.”

“We surrender,” Corbit threw up his hands. Marley and Sanders did the same as the Marines surrounded them.

Following the soldiers, an officer of rank entered, walked forward. “You can put your hands down. I don’t think you are a threat to us.”

“Sam Collins,” Corbit smiled. “I never thought we’d meet again.”

“You shouldn’t be surprised we did. It is a small universe and did you really think we would not keep track of you?”

“Colonel, eh…? It’s funny, when I never thought you’d make it past Corporal.”

“You would have made Colonel had you stayed with the program.”

Corbit grinned. “Sorry, the program didn’t stay with me.”

“Where’s my daughter? I want to see her.”

The words came from the passageway—and looking, Corbit watched as a tall, brown haired, blued eyed, middle aged man moved into the wreckage from the adjoining ship. Escorted by four more Marines, who stopped just beyond the opening, the President wore a white suit that turned business black when he entered.

“Mr. President, it isn’t safe for you here.”

“Yet, it is safe for you and your men, those three…and my daughter. Elizabeth, do you know how much trouble you’ve caused me and your mother. And who is this,” a finger stretched out towards the boy. “I want him ID’d before you arrest him for kidnapping my daughter.”

“Sergeant,” Collins turned to another soldier. “ID him.”

The soldier, named Bragg, swiped the boy with a ring scanner like Marley and Sanders had done to the pair earlier.

“The men who kidnapped the girl are dead, destroyed with the ship. The boy is mine. He’s a mechanic and was the first to reach the girl. She would be dead if not for him.”

The ID projector flashed the boy’s image and stats. Corey Taylor, age twenty one, from Chicago.

“It looks like he is telling the truth, Mr. President.”

Corbit gestured towards the exit. “Well, I guess, since you have your daughter, you will be leaving.”

“Not quite. I need to know what my daughter is doing here.”

“Father, these men rescued me. My abductors are dead.” Elizabeth cried, hurried to and hugged him. “The men took me and said they would kill me.”

“Don’t worry, dear, it’s over now. I’ll take you home.” The president looked from his daughter, pointed. “Colonel, arrest these men. We need someone for the papers to hang.”

“No, father, not them…. They saved me. My kidnappers were on this ship, not theirs.”

“No one else survived this wreck, Mr. President,” Corbit announced, pushed out a smile that disappeared to the president’s scowl.

Bellamy glared. “Colonel, I want their bodies of those men.”

“Yes, Mr. President.” Collins turned. “Sergeant, call in a recovery team.”

“Yes, Sir…Sir, Control has a Med-Evac inbound.”

“Wave them off, Sergeant. We have this under control.”

“There’s another ship out there, Colonel. I want to talk to the men on it.”

“That’s Decker,” Corbit broke into the conversation, turned silent to the men’s icy glare.

“Sergeant,” Collins called. “Raise that ship.”

“We have a direct link to Decker’s ship, Mr. President. We have talked before. Doyle,” Corbit spoke into the com-link. “Raise Decker, put him on speaker.”

“Right, Cap…you’re on.”

“Decker, you need to get over here.”

“Fat chance, Corbit…. I’m not turning back just so you can get hold of the cargo. It’s worth a fortune and we’re not going to share it with you.”

“That’s our cargo hold and you know it, Decker,” Sanders cursed “We had it first.”

“You don’t have it now and looks like you never will.”

“This is the President, Mr. Decker. You will bring your ship here at once.”

“Nice try, Corbit. It’s a good impersonation, but I don’t believe he’s the president any more than you’re the tooth fairy. Now, our engines are repaired so don’t try firing on us like last time. I won’t be so forgiving. Decker, out….”

“Cap, Decker is powering up his ship. He’s going to leave.”

“I want that ship, Colonel." the president ordered. "Persuade him to come here. Destroy the cargo hold he’s after.”

“That’s our cargo hold!”

Corbit threw out a hand towards Sanders, turned then smiled. “The cargo is worth a fortune planetside, more than a ton of the scrap metal we’re standing in.”

Collins gestured towards the sergeant, and Bragg relayed a message through the com-link he wore.

“Now,” the president spoke. “What do I do with you?”

“We’d be happy just to be on our way, Mr. President,” Corbit tipped his head in a sort of a salute then motioned at the boy. “This life is not the best for a kid like Corey. He needs to be educated to fit in with society.”

“Yes, father, he can study at the Academy. I can help him fit in.”

The com-link erupted with voice.

“Corbit, you blew up the cargo hold. I warned you about messing with me.”

“I’m Colonel Collins and I gave the order to destroy that hold, Mr. Decker. Now, power down and prepare to be boarded.”

“Fat chance, buddy…. I don’t believe you’re a colonel any more than the other guy being the president.”

“Sergeant, have the fleet lock weapons on that ship.”

Sgt. Bragg relayed the message like before. It took a moment for Decker to respond.

“Don’t shoot! We’re powering down. We won’t cause any problems. Tell the president, hi.”

“Sergeant,” Collins spoke. “Send a ship to bring Mr. Decker back to the fleet.” He turned. “Your ship is damaged, Corbit. You need a tow back to the Ark?” He nodded once. “With your permission, Mr. President…?”

“Of course, Colonel, it will look good for the Press.” Bellamy left his daughter, walked forward and extended his hand to shake. “Thank you, your crew for saving Elizabeth.”

“We’re glad to help, Mr. President, but as my crew, they wish your fleet had not destroyed the cargo hold. It’s a money maker that only comes so often. But, before we go, I was wondering about Corey.”

“I guess a spot in the Academy could be made for him.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. His mother would appreciate it and certain to vote for you in the next election.”

“It makes me happy to hear that, and of course, to know I can count on your votes.”

“Of course, Mr. President, we could not think of voting for anyone else,” with another tip of his head, Corbit turned with Marley and Sanders, left the wreckage.

Their movement took a few minutes back to the Equinox.

“That jerk,” Sanders said. He is no better than all the other scumbags in politics. He made out like a bandit and we got nothing. The only good thing is that Decker is in more trouble than us.”

“Stop complaining,” Marley ordered. “There’s plenty of wreckage to collect and make some money on.”

“Cap,” Doyle called out. “We just got a message from the World Bank, says someone just deposited one hundred grand into our account.”

“Who would give us money?” Marley asked. “It must be some kind of a mistake.”

“It came from the Office of the President." Doyle answered.  He must have given us the money as a reward for saving his daughter.”

“What do you know,” Sanders grinned. “That Bellamy is a really good guy and I liked him the moment I saw him.”

“Yeah, right,” Corbit climbed into his chair, worked to power up the ship. “Prep yourselves, I’m taking us out.”

With the docking mechanism released and the short burst of the forward thrusters, the Equinox separated from the wreckage and drifted into space. Corbit looked outside from the viewport, knowing that with the one engine out, there was nothing more to do until the gunship Targas came to tow them to safety.





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