Sci Fi & Fantasy / Star Claw: Part 3 (chapter 4)

Chapter Four: Zhym

What is this? Am I dead?
Your soul was pure, you have been allowed to join the collective since your molecules have merged with it. Your essence is now inset with the collected body.

I don’t understand.

In time you will. We are the Zhym. The mass you are now a part of. The body that you have been united with. Your mind is good, we have assimilated your thoughts, passions and memories with ours. Carbon life intrigues us, yet we fear its incompetence.

How long will I be like this? I can’t see! I can’t move my arms or legs, but I feel things, I feel… lots of things.

You feel what the body feels, the air that surrounds us. The light that the fusion brings us. The infection, like you once were, that festers upon us. You are Zhym now. You will have little use for carbon utilities.

I am thirsty.

You will thirst for a long while, until the atmosphere begins to bring Zhym rain. Do not worry; your thirst will not harm you. The minerals will survive. Zhym has spared you because Zhym wishes to learn more of your kind. Why do you bring this body so much pain? Why do you ruin what Zhym has worked long and hard to complete? Why do you scar the body’s attempts to bring beauty to the universe? Zhym has been appointed a task, and the master will not be pleased if Zhym fails.

What, do you mean mine?
Is that your term for butchery?

I guess. We mine because we use the ore to create things. Things that make our lives better. How long have I been here?
I am not sure, your measure of time has little meaning to the collective body. Zhym has been here for a very long time. Zhym plans not to leave until the collective body has been completed.

Can I ever leave?

Zhym is not sure how you would begin to accomplish leaving the collected body. Zhym does have an artifact that has also recently joined the collective body. It is an intelligent non-carbon like Zhym. It does not communicate like carbons. It communicates through pulsing energy like Zhym. It is friendly and easy to understand unlike carbons. It calls itself Star Claw.

#
        “There are seven corporate soldiers Captain. A Kir’Shann and others seem to be hiding in the kitchen of the restaurant.” Lilic said to the Captain. They sat and waited in one of the four main access halls that ran to the common’s quad.

        “Any human women among them?” Ajax asked.

        “A human woman and a human child with long hair were taken into the kitchen.”

        “That has to be them,” Ajax grinned. “No other ID of women on this station were close matches, were they?”

        “No sir. All women accounted for were either too old, fat or young.”

        “Excellent,” Ajax sneered.  

        “Eclipse, take these group of fine men and wait to assault on my command. Lilic, find those women. Gio, is your charge complete?”

        “Yes Captain.” The small Gray stepped forward, an energy glowed around his closed fist and small fires wafted off his arms. A blue aura reflected in his black eyes as he replied, “this charge will suffice.”

        “Cast the Power Flare in the middle of their position.”

        “It will be done,” Gio walked forward. He cast a cloak psionic technique across his body, disappearing before their eyes.

        Lilic turned to Eclipse. “His technique is superior, for he can move and still remain hidden. If I could master the mysterious powers the psionic.”

#

        “What’s is the next move Sir?” Macimara asked Davis, who was looking at the identification cards of Zera and Pen.

        “I don’t know Mac. I don’t know.”

        “Captain, we need to get the hell out of here. I don’t won’t to die out here. Please Captain,” Macimara pleaded as he drew closer, looking Davis in the eyes. “We need to get to the dock. Maybe there’s a ship there we can use?”

        “There’s a Bre’Keen Death Knight out there waiting to put our heads on pikes. The only prayer we have is to hold out long enough until Federal Military arrives.”

        “That could be weeks Sir.”

        “I know. What else do you want me to do?” Captain Davis stood, “if we attack, we’ll just lose more.”

        “We need to try and get to the surface. Somehow,” Macimara said. “What about the Emergency Escape Pods?”

        “They’re at least three hundred meters down an open hall, but we could try it.”

        “The psi-scan is going off the chart. Sir,” Watson said to Captain Davis as the psionic reading jumped over ten mega-PSI. “This is a big field.”

        “Portal type or physical?”

        “Looks physical.”

        “Everyone brace for attack,” Davis commanded.

    A bright blue ribbon of destruction smashed into the corporate soldier’s position. Everything touched by the flare of energy was instantly incinerated. A great wind blasted through the common’s hall followed by a deep band of snapping energy. The brightness quickly faded, but it was still hard to see.

#
        “What was that?” Brando asked over the fading rumbling. Tygun quickly drew his Katra Blade.

        “Stay,” the Kir’Shann said. He exited the office and headed into the kitchen. Through the sway doors, he could see a few small fires of what was left of the restaurant.
The bodies of the corporate soldiers were scattered about.

        A large group of pirates advanced through the smoke with weapons drawn and pointed at the Kir’Shann.

        “Put down your sword,” Captain Ajax demanded as he rose above his ranks.

        “I will not relinquish my defense. You must face me.”

        “So it will be,” Ajax turned to his left. “Lilic come forward. I believe you have unfinished business.”

        The Bre’Keen walked forward, looking Tygun in the eyes. It drew its Siphan Sword and stood before the Kir’Shann.

        “I will show you what your honor means to me,” Lilic said to Tygun.

        “And I will show you your own backside when your head is rolling down it,” Tygun replied.

        Tygun advanced, holding his sword out. Lilic stood in a defensive stance as Tygun rushed into him. The two parried and lunged again, their large swords clashing against each other with sparking results.

        The Scirra sword’s quarter moon shape gave it a good weight and slashing attack; yet the nimble Siphan sword could still maneuver and counter the attack effectively.

        The two danced in combat, throwing everything they had at each other.

        The Bre’Keen blocked one of Tygun’s attack and, with a palm to the neck, sent the large Kir’Shann to the floor. He swooped up his Siphan sword and sent it back down, ready to cut him in two. However, Tygun’s powerful agility rolled him to the side. Tygun swung his blade across the Bre’Keen’s midsection, clearing the armor and spraying dark purple blood across his feral face.

        Tygun smiled at the sound of Lilic’s scream and wasted no time in striking again, sending his sword straight through the Death Knight’s neck and pulled to one side. The rip of flesh and bone silenced the screaming as Lilic’s head rolled to the ground in a waterfall of gore. Tygun picked himself up growling at his other opponents as they raised their weapons at him. With bloodshot eyes full of battle lust and a blade dripping with foe’s blood, he charged them. As the shots wrung out, the ex-Honor Guard warrior managed to take two others down before the overwhelming firepower quelled his attack.

#

        Michelle walked through the dark abandoned mineshaft; her flashlight provided a guiding light. Her muscles ached from the sprint and fall, yet she did not care. She felt a haunting sensation overcome her as she passed into a large chamber. The ceiling was no where to be seen. Dark and mysterious all the way to the top, just as she remembered.

        She walked into the middle of the chamber the room, which sunk a few meters.

        There before her, just as she had left it was the Star Claw. She walked closer to it, inspecting the large narrow fuselage with four large talon shaped wings projecting at ninety degree angles. She walked around to the front and started to punch in her system code to the unusual entry consul.

        Before she could finish, she noticed the temp gauge on her pressure suit climbing rapidly. She turned around, not seeing nothing. She looked forward again towards the Star Claw. When she noticed a strange light dancing in the metal reflection of the fuselage; she and still did not see anything.

        Why do you come here? You disturb our friend.

        “What?” Michelle asked, “I am not afraid of you, show yourself. Now!”

        Why do you come here?

        “I am here to take the Star Claw. Who are you?”

        You wish not to take the Star Claw for greed, you wish to take the Star Claw to spare the ones you love. This is felt. Zhym observes your memories.

        “I need this ship to save my daughter and a friend. Look, what are you? Are you cloaked?”

        We are what have always been here. We are that which builds all worlds, ordered to by the Master. You are not afraid? Can you not see the fire?

        “Not afraid of a voice. What fire?”

        This fire.
        A large creature roaring with flames, moved out before Michelle. She barely flinched.

        “If this is one of Ajax’s telepaths, you’re not going to take me over. I’m not controllable. I have a sim-block in my head, it’s impossible. As for trying to scare me, that was pathetic,” she said as she looked around trying see or find any sign of a communicator. She gave up and continued to enter in her code but the consul was inoperable. It would not boot up, even after she checked the power conduit connections. They were still installed.

        You are brave carbon. All who have come before you have run with fear. Your heart is pure. You do wish to save those you love.

        “What are you?” Michelle yelled kicking a rock, “What have you done to my ship!” Any possible fear in the universe of death or monster was overridden by the fear of loosing her daughter.

        Zhym. It appears to us that you have two friends here. They wish to say hello.

        The Star Claw immediately came to life and the side door opened. Michelle looked around with amazement, and stepped into the ship, “thank you.”

        She walked through the narrow hull to the cockpit. She sat down and the computer booted up before she could touch anything.

        “Hello Michelle,” a strangely familiar voice said.

        “Computer, what is going on?” Michelle asked as she activated the engines.

        “Michelle, its me… Ric.” She froze. “The computer, the Star Claw I mean, is fine. She says hello too.”

        Michelle was silent.

        “Michelle it’s me, I swear.”

        “No Ric, you died. This is a trick.”

        “No trick, I swear! It’s me. I’m, I’m Zhym now.”

        “What?”

        “I’m an entity living in the planet. They spared me. You have to believe me. I can help you. I know that you need to get back to the station.”

        “Ric, Ric is that really you?” Michelle looked at the computer, “How?”

        “It will take too long to explain now. It’s me, look,” Ric projected a hologram of himself before her on the consul. “Star says that I can take her, we’re friends now.”

        “You made friends with the computer?” Michelle smiled, “or am I just psyching myself out?”

        “Well, there’s only her and Zhym to talk to down here. Believe me, this is real. It feels like I’ve been done here for a really long time though. How many days has it been since the crash?”

        “Days? Ric, it’s only been a few hours.”

        “Wow, yeah, you’re right. Star is showing me the date and time. Zhym can really lose track of schedules. Enough of that though, let’s get you back to Thatcher.” Ric said, flaring the engines of the Star Claw. He started laughing, “Star says that tickles.”

        “She has a personality?”

        “Yeah, a great personality. She must be state of the art, super-secret, I see why you wanted to hide her. I’ve never seen anything like her before.”

        “She’s not from around here. She never said much to me.”

        “Because you never asked,” Ric explained. He piloted the Star Claw into the air as the door closed.

        “So you’re driving?”

        “Might as well, I am a pilot,” Ric told
her, “I like the feel of her already.” He moved the ship forward, utilizing its agility. “It’s so easy now since I can feel the data that Star reads. I can time everything to a millisecond. Its really strange, like a conscious thought between us. How come her instrument panel is so different?”

        “I’m not to sure, I just stole her. Just make sure you don’t get carried away. You’ve already crashed one ship today.”

        “Star will catch me if I fall.”
The Star Claw’s neon-red thrusters punched to maximum velocity, screaming out of the long abandoned mine shaft and heading to the exit, high atop a mountain. She blasted out of the shaft. Trailing clouds of dust chased the bright violet halos of thrust filtering through the dust entrapped by the twilight of the rising Chrycian sun. Star carried the panicked heart of a vengeful but caring mother to into dark sea of the eternal stars, understanding Michelle’s emotions.  

        “Wish she caught me,” Michelle muttered.

        “We need to pick up my friend. This is
his position,” Michelle said, punching in Baron’s coordinates.

        Ric broke hard right, barrel rolling to the ground as he headed to the beacon on the head’s up display.

        “Whoa, easy there tiger,” Michelle said with a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. The inertia dampers tried to keep up with the ships performing movements.

        “This is awesome! It’s like I’m a bird! I have total control,” Ric said. “She’s the most maneuverable thing I’ve ever seen.”

        “Just get us there in one piece. I got a call to make.”

#

        “Mira here,” The video communication channel opened, “Oh my god! It’s Michelle! Where are you? Are you okay?”

        “I’m fine, I was wondering the same
about you,” Michelle replied.

        “We’re okay, we managed to get down to the surface and hide. We’re somewhere in the Olivia Trench, four hundred kilometers south of the Olivia Hydroponics Center,” Mira said to her, looking at her GPS read-out.

        “Good, here’s our coordinates,” Michelle transmitted the coordinates, “about… three hundred kilos north of you.”

        “Yeah, I see you. Where’s Baron?”

        “He’s lying down. He had a rough fall, but he’s okay.”

        “Do you want us to head to you?” Mira asked, flipping the power switch to her nav-consul.

        “It’s okay, we’ll be on our way soon.”

        “You guys have a trans? I thought you rock-docked?”

        “I have a small craft, don’t worry, I’ll explain when I get there.” Michelle assured her, ending the video transmission.

#

“Baron!” Michelle leapt from the Star Claw with the engines still running.
He lifted his blast visor and smiled, “you made it.”

        She hugged him and helped him up, “Ric came back for us.”

        “What?”

        “Come on… we don’t have a lot of time.”

#

        “So I don’t think he’s coming back,” Brandon said to his surviving companions.

        “Fluffy!” Alexx cried, looking around with watery eyes.

        “Oh no, he’s okay,” Brandon tried to comfort her. He turned to Ponzo and whispered “So what now?”

        “I’m thinking we should just wait here. Why leave?” Ponzo suggested as the door broke open.

        “Ha! Looks like I found a lot of ‘em,” a Black Sail pirate exclaimed through his radio with a pointed weapon inside. “The young child! Ajax, come back to the restaurant, they’re here.”

        “So much for that idea,” Ponzo said with raised arms. A pirate shoved him into line as they walked out of the common’s quad.

        Ajax observed Alexx, seeing much of Michelle in her. “Captain, Captain.” A pirate said, rushing to his side. “We have confirmed the Star Claw’s location on tachyon, its beacon has surfaced and it is on the move.”

        “It is Michelle; launch the fighters, no penetrating or explosive ordinance, electro magnetic pulses only. Tell the rest of the crew that the man who destroys that ship, forfeits his life. Let’s get back to the Space Skull, we’re defenseless docked to this station.”

        “Aye sir.”

#

        Star Claw entered the void of space. Baron took one last look at the arid atmosphere of Chrycian Prime, still trying to cope with the reality that Ric was in the computer. He turned painfully to Michelle, watching her carefully managing the control consul.

        “Ric do you have any dog-fighting training?” Michelle asked as she charged the forward phase batteries.

        “I’ve taken seminars and read some books, but I’ve never been in a dog fight.”

        “Okay, let me take over, Ajax is going to see every fighter that he has at us. I need you to oversee the ship’s engineering and operate the ILSA drive; I have no idea how to make them work. There going to be shooting EMPs at us, I need you to make sure our power systems stay online.”

        “Roger that. Star is explaining the ILSA to me.”

        “You’re a?” Baron asked Michelle.

        “I’ve been flying fighter-craft since I was sixteen. Don’t worry, I’ll know what do to, just try to hang on.”

        “I see lots of incoming,” Ric said. Two bleeps showed up on the heads up display, sweeping down in attack formation. “I’m not sure what type of weapons these are, but their good to go. Let’s see how those bastards like it when we can shoot back.”

        “Target the left one, standby to engage ISLA on my mark.” Michelle angled Star Claw up to meet them head on. “Come and get me.”

        “EMP missiles fired.” Ric said.

        Michelle squeezed the trigger. A blast of energy shot out from Star Claw’s left wing and struck the pirate fighter blasting him to pieces. “Now Ric.”

        “Wait, Star has a different idea, she’s engaging some sort of offensive force field or something?” Ric said.

        Michelle watched out of her forward window, a wave of energy lashed out at the enemy fighters obliterating them and the incoming missiles. “Whoa, that’s some serious firepower.” Michelle said.

        “She’s pissed.” Ric said, “hang on Michelle.”

        “What?”

        “She’s going after the other fighters.” Ric explained.

        “She took over the controls?”

        “Apparently, she says it will be okay.”

        Star Claw approached the fighter squadrons ahead of them. “Scanners count twenty six fighters in the vicinity.” Ric said. “All of them have just fired EMP missiles.”

        “I hope she knows what she’s doing.”

        Star Claw moved in and out of light speed. Popping up right behind enemy fighters; quickly firing and destroying them. Then popping back into light speed before it could be targeted. In a matter of seconds all of the pirate fighter crafts had been destroyed.          

#

        “Captain Ajax, we have lost the Star Claw,” a pirate fighter said. “The ILSA drive is operational.”

        “Disengage, return to the ship.” Ajax ordered. “We will let them follow us to the Cove, we have bait now. No sense to fight the perfect weapon.”

#

        “Where did you come from?” Mira asked over the comm, “is my scanner malfunctioning?”

        “No, that was the ILSA drive,” Michelle told her, “instantaneous light speed accelerator. I’ll explain later. Meet us on the station, the pirates are leaving.”

        “Good to hear from you too.”

#

        Michelle was silent as they walked through the ravaged station. Lights flickered, smoke filled most spaces and debris cluttered the floors. The walls left standing were covered in bullet holes. The tempered glass that had provided homely casual windows were now shattered and jagged.

        Michelle tried like usual to show no emotion, yet Baron could see the raw anger in her eyes. Tears ran down her face as her clenched fist shook. Her thumbnail dug into her pointer finger.

        The crew of the Tyson moved quickly with weapons in one hand and flashlights in the other. They searched the station room to room, trying to find any signs of survivors or pirates. Every search came up empty; yielding only the bodies of the fallen. Lying on the ground or bent over on tables.  

        The site went from disastrous to horrific when they reached the common’s quad.
Michelle came to Tygun’s body and bit her lip, while taking a deep breath. She looked down on the Kir’Shann, seeing a bloody sword in his hand. Not far from him was the body of a headless Bre’Keen.

        “Looks like you finally got what you deserved Lilic, you bastard.” Michelle said, spitting on the Death Knight’s body, an old personal enemy. “I hope you gave him one hell of a fight Tygun. He has dishonored many.”

        She bent down to close his eyes and rest his arms in a position that he would have wanted. “Thank you friend, May the honor of your life guide you to Kala. Kynamith niath togoran,” she recited for Tygun, resting his bloodied sword on his chest.

        She walked away from his body only to hear noises from another. She quickly looked down, and saw a moving hand under a pile of debris. “Help! Help me! I’ve got a live one!” Zru’th, Mira, Doc and Kraze ran back to Michelle’s position.

     “Zru’th help me,” Michelle said trying to lift an extremely heavy piece of mangled metal. The large Reptillian easily removed the rubble.

    “Eaz’y go.” Zru’th flung the debris; it crashed into a table near bye.  

     “Oh my God…Davis! Davis!” Michelle cried, running to the fallen soldier’s side.
Doc quickly followed her. “Oh my God, oh God! Not you,” she said, not knowing how to help the blood covered captain.

     “Michelle…” Davis spoke, coughing up blood, “there were too many, too many. Too… powerful.”

     “He’s bad. Lay down Sir. Some sort of electrical burns, three bullet wounds, four broken ribs and a punctured lung. He’s lost a lot of blood already,” Doc said while looking over his medical analyzer.

    “Don’t speak, you need your strength,” Michelle said.

     “They wiped out the entire station. Everyone is dead. The pirates only took two prisoners. I’m dying Michelle, it’s too late for me,” Davis struggled.
        
     “No! please, hold on.”
        
      “Hang in there Sir,” Doc said as he reached for his medical supplies.

        “No, you must listen to me… they got Alexx… and another girl. Ajax told me to give this to you,” Davis raised his bloody arm.  His bloody and scorched fingers held the note. “I’m sorry Michelle… I tried,” his eyes rolled into his head.

        “Watch out, let me try and get him back. Shit! come on man,” Doc prayed as he retrieved a Cardio stimulator from his med kit.

        Michelle carefully backed away from Davis, letting Doc get closer to him.  Her shaking hands took the note.

        “Clear!” Doc yelled.

        As Doc tried in vain to bring him back, Michelle read the note. ‘I have killed your husband. Do not make me kill your child. If you want to see Alexx or the girl again, bring me the Star Claw. You know where to find me, you miserable wench. The future of their breathing lives depend on it. You have one week.”

        “Come on god damnit! Clear!”

        Michelle fell to her knees, crushed by the weight of her regret.

        “He’s gone, Michelle. Michelle, you okay?”

        “I’ll kill you Ajax,” Michelle muttered to herself, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Get back to your ship. I need to get some things from my apartment. There’s no one left here.”

        Michelle walked away, wiping the tears from her eyes.

        “Do you hear that? It sounds like screaming?” Mira asked. Michelle stopped.

        “It’s coming from the kitchen.” Michelle replied.

#

        “My God is it cold in there,” Brandon said as he jumped out of the freezer once Kraze and Doc removed the welded door. “Thank God, thank you so much,” Brandon hugged Doc, “I thought we were locker meat for sure.”

        “So cold…” Ponzo shivered and walked out of the freezer. He looked to Michelle recognizing her face from Ajax’s picture. “So the waitress is Michelle.”

        “You’re those scientist from the company, aren’t you?” she asked as she looked at the two blue men. Doc quickly grabbed table cloths and brought them to the frozen scientist.

        “Yeah, did you get your message? Ajax said that we had to tell you.”

        “Did you see him take a little girl?”

        “Yeah, she was with us. Her and her older sister. Alexx right? He says… ” Ponzo coughed, “he wants, the Star Claw.” He coughed deeper. “I’m sorry, they were holding us at gunpoint otherwise…”

        “Save it, thank you though,” Michelle said, “I’ll get you some hot water. This is Doctor Jenkins, he will assist you.”  

        Mira’s communicator rang. She turned around to answer. “Any survivors?” the voice on her wrist-talkie asked, it was Thy’Tok.

        “Two, tell Baron… tell Baron, we’ll be back soon.” Mira said.

        Mira turned back to the group. “Doc, Zru’th, get these guys back to the Tyson, Where is Michelle going?” she asked watching her walk away.

#

Chapter Five: No More Nightmares

        “What are you going to do?” Mira asked. Kraze trailed behind them.

     “What I’m good at. What I should have done years ago,” Michelle replied. She opened the door to her apartment. She quickly walked inside, trying to look past the happy pictures of Alexx on the wall. She opened her closet door and dragged two heavy boxes out. She opened them to make sure her ordinances were in there. “Here carry these,” She handed the box to Kraze.

        Kraze picked up the heavy boxes, wondering about the long covered pole Michelle took out next. “What is that?” he asked.

        “A Wind Lance,” she replied. Last, she grabbed a box full of her and Alexx’s keepsakes. She turned to the door, looking around at the remnant of her short life that littered the small apartment. “Okay, lets go.”

        “You’re going to kill Ajax I suppose?”

        “No, I’m going to give them back the Star Claw and let Ric kill Ajax. His goons will try to kill me and whoever does will die.”

        “What about Alexx and Clara?” Kraze asked.

        “That’s where you come in,” Michelle said upon reaching the lift that headed back down to the docks, “you guys will get them to safety.” The lift door closed.

        Michelle opened one of her boxes as the lift descended. She took the Braun HK-MAG sixties out of the steel container and slapped in their ten millimeter clips. She then fastened their holsters around her legs. She drew a large pistol out of the same box.

        “Ah, an Armington,” Kraze identified it, “I used to have one of those.”

        “A P model one two nine, blue laser propelled twelve-millimeter magnum slug, with modified ten round magazine and hyper reload assembly,” she bragged, cocking it. “The devil himself would piss his pants if he found himself on the other side of the barrel.”

        “So why the pointed stick?” Mira asked.

        “That is for whoever really pisses me off.”

        “No body armor?”

        “Just my lucky Tri-Kev Vest. I had it fitted with a poly-carbon layer so it does its job good enough for me.”

        “What is in my box?”

        “Alexx’s special things. Do not lose those.”

#

        “Can’t you shut her up?” a Black Sail pirate asked his friend. The fusion thrusters roared as the four seat hopper descended into a hangar under the ground of a barren and frozen world.

        “I want my mommy! I want my mommy now!” Alexx’s lower lip trembled. Tears ran off the sides of her rosy cheeks. She paused for a moment to inhale, then let out another painful cry, “you’re all stupid mean heads!” she kicked the seat in front of her.

        “Can’t we at least duck tape the little one Eclipse?” the warrior asked. “For the sake of our ears sir.”

        “No. Ajax specifically said she was not to be harmed. The other one is for the Sail’s pleasing. Be a man Lucas.”

        “The duct tape won’t harm her. Look, the other one is fine.”

        “She’s as old as you so stop whining.
We’re already here,” Eclipse said as he shut off the fusion drive.

        Lucas wasted no time in opening his passenger door. He walked away massaging his ears and temples, “bloody little banshee.”        

#

        “So you want me to openly give Ajax Star?” Ric asked. “The first thing they’ll do is wipe Star’s memory.”

        “I know. That’s why we’re backing her up. They don’t know about you though,” Michelle said, sitting in the cockpit of the Star Claw. The stars were flying by. “Once Baron has Clara and Alexx on the ground, activate your beacon and deactivate your scramblers. They’ll see you and immediately pick you up. I will hide in your central utility conduit. There’s a secondary maintenance airlock at the end of it. Once we are onboard the Space Skull, I’ll slip out and find the girls. Then Ajax will run his system wipe, override the computer and lock down the ship. Take him for a ride and then open the airlock.”

        “You’ve done this before?”

        “I was his prized hop-jacking specialist.”

        “Why don’t you just trade me for them and call it a deal?”

        “They’re not going to trade. They’ll try to kill all of them or worse, once they’re on the ground and the Star Claw is in their hands. A prisoner doesn’t do anyone any good. Especially prisoners who have been to the Cove,” Michelle looked to her left seeing the planet of Chrycian Prime disappear. The communication array sounded.

        “What is our intended destination?” Thy’tok asked from the Tyson.

        “Here are the jump coordinates to the Cove,” Michelle transmitted. “It’s about ten hours jump time. Tell everyone to get some rest. When we come out of jump I’ll contact you again.”

#

        A Black Sail warrior laughed as he threw the half-dressed Clara back into the cell. “Not so high and uptight now are you?” he smirked as he locked the cell.

        Alexx looked over to Clara, who was stone silent. Her eyes were dilated by a sedative they administered to her.

        “Clara?” Alexx asked, “Clara…” Alexx didn’t know what to say.

        Clara sat down in the corner of the cell and curled into a ball. Her body shook with disgust as an expression of horror remained frozen on her face. Alexx dragged the blanket off the cot and brought it to Clara, wrapping it around her beaten body.

#

        Baron walked with Michelle to the Tyson’s airlock. “I don’t know about this. You want to take on a pirate den by yourself? I don’t want anything to happen to you. Please take some of my crew with you.”

        “I’ll be okay. I know the Cove better than anyone and I can move much better alone. I lived there for ten years. You just make sure that you don’t get yourself into any trouble, I don’t want anyone else to die on my account.” Michelle smiled. Baron leaned forward to kiss Michelle.

        “You’re amazing,” Baron said. Michelle smiled one last time as the airlock door slowly fell from above.

        Michelle sat down in the pilot seat. She powered up the Star Claw and deactivated the connection clamps, feeling the spacecraft drift into space. Out of the forward window she could see the Tyson moving away. The Fusion Drive flared up and Michelle punched the engines.

        Mira appeared on the video communications screen, “Give ‘em hell, we’re right behind you. Thy’Tok’s remote will be taking over in a second. Initiating communications silence now.”

        The blue ice world of Niavah was a far away spec in the star field. Michelle breathed deeply, trying to control her nerves. She checked everything again and opened the floor hatch to the utility conduit. She crawled inside, locking the door behind her. It was cold and quiet inside the conduit, only a meter in height and width. At the aft end was the space-exit airlock that opened right under the engines and at the forward end, the hatch into the cabin.

#

        Ajax sat near the windows of an ice covered stone tower that protruded out of the cove. In his power-hand he held a cigar, slowly smoking it as classical music played at his side, late twentieth century. Outside it was dark, the stars slowly faded as the morning twilight approached.

        He thought of which major corporate financial facility he could raid first. Or maybe even a weapons manufacturing plant. With the Star Claw, he could raid any site he wished and live to tell about it. He could engage any vessel he wanted. With the ILSA, Star Claw could not be hit with conventional weapons; even by a Gray warship. It would only be a matter of time before his engineers could crack the technology. The reverse engineer it and provide an ILSA on any ship Ajax wished.

        The bright corona of LCS Seven Two Eight crested the ice mountains of Niavah, bringing light to a frozen world. Rays of light filtered through the lavender haze. The star was found on the northernmost Eastern Government Border, as far from the Federation as the Grays were. Chrycian was somewhere to the west, between Federal and Eastern Government borders.

        In the morning light, mountains emerged as large blue spires with jagged bases. More than a world of ice, it looked like a world of broken glass; yet in its desolate valleys there was a strange beauty. Ajax puffed his cigar once more, hearing someone approach from behind him.  

        “Captain Ajax,” a Black Sail communications officer said, “you have a call.”

        “Thank you Riley,” Ajax opened the video channel. It projected against the glass window in front of him.

        “Captain Ajax,” Baron said on the screen. “So it is true… There is a legendary Cove.”

        “Yes. Who are you?”

        “I am Baron Campbell, a friend of Michelle’s.”

        “Where is she?”

        “She’s in our sick bay because of wounds she sustained from a crash on Chrycian Prime. That is, after one of your missiles took out our engines.”

        “Spare me. She knows what I want. Where is it?”

        “We have the Star Claw. She is going to give it to you, don’t you worry. But we want our kids back. You have my sister and you have her daughter. No girls, no ship. Is that understood Captain?”

        “We are in accordance.”

        “The Star Claw is open for remote guidance. It’s here beside my ship so all you have to do is guide it in. We want you to do the same for Alexx and Clara.”

        “Fair enough. The trade is agreed. I will see to it that your girls meet you in space-“

        “Alive.”

        “Yes, alive and you bring my ship down. Note that currently there are two cloaked attack cruisers locked on your position and ready to engage if at any moment you try attempt any heroics,” Ajax warned.

        “Yes, we’re registering them as well,” Baron replied. “You do your part, we’ll do ours.”

        “Agreed, Ajax out.”

#

        The airlock door opened. Mira and Baron quickly moved inside, first pulling Alexx to safety then aiding the shell-shocked Clara. Alexx clung to Mira like a vice. Doc activated his bioscanner. Zru’th carried Alexx out of the transport pod and headed to the sick bay, ducking his towering head past the metal headers on the door.

        “Why isn’t she talking?” Baron asked. “Clara… Clara… can you hear me?” he asked. Her soft blue eyes drifted to look at him. “What the hell did they do to her?”

        “She’s in shock,” Doc said, catching up to Zru’th. “No major physical harm, just bruises, scrapes and…” the Doc said shaking his head as the report from the bioscan finished. “My god…”

        “What Doc?”

        “She’s been raped Baron,” Doc said.

        “Those fucks!” Baron yelled as he slammed his already wounded fist into the wall, “I’ll get that fucking bastard!”

        “I think Michelle is going to beat you to it,” Mira said.

#

        “So this is the legendary Star Claw?” Eclipse said. The pirate ran his hands across the white fuselage. “Beautiful and mythical, she is a unicorn,” he smiled.

        “Long have I searched for this unicorn,” Ajax said. “Many have I had to kill to have her.”

        “We can rob anything we please now Captain,” Eclipse said.

        “More than that, the secrets Star Claw holds go beyond simply robbing. Do you know the real origin of this ship?”

        “She is more than an experimental ship?” Eclipse asked.

        “This ship was found adrift near the Eastern Fringe. Aboard were two dead alien pilots, hopelessly lost, who knows how long they had been adrift? Millions of years maybe? Not anything from this galaxy, but something from beyond the limited borders of the Milky Way. It is rumored that the ship is from Andromeda, and that it itself is alive. The Federal scientist promised the Federation that once they were done refitting the ship, the Empire would no longer be a threat. Ivy stole her from the Federal scientist, before all of her secrets could be unfolded. I intend to pick up where they left off. With the advanced technologies this ship can yield; the Empire, Federation and any other political faction of this galaxy would be at our mercy. The flag of the Black Sail would rise on every planet, nothing could stop us…”

        “Captain Ajax?” Ajax’s communicator sounded.

        “Now what?” he said to Eclipse as he answered the comm. “What? What?”

        “Sir, this is Hommel. Do you want us to follow the Tyson? She will soon be out of weapons range.”

        Ajax thought for a moment, “is she aware of your cloak?”

        “Yes Sir.”

        “Is the PDJ charged?” Ajax asked.

        “Yes Sir. Their jump drive is fully charged. They can jump when they please.”

        “It does not matter now. Let them go
Hommel.”

        “She has the coordinates to the Cove sir.”

        “It’s okay, she wouldn’t hand it over to the Federal authorities anyways. She is still black marked on more than her life can pay for,” Ajax told him. “Stand down Hommel, we have everything we need now,” Ajax said as he turned his eyes back to the ship in front of him.
Great evil surrounds us. They wish to abuse Star. They wish to use her to harm others. We will not stand for this. We will act.
Wait a sec, Ric said. The carbon has a plan already, let it take its course and help when needed.

        Agreed.
#

        Michelle sat in the utility conduit waiting for the right moment to strike. She remembered the last time she was in the hangar.

        “Pull yourself together Michelle. Damnit, they’re worthless Federals,” Kalen said to her as tears ran from her eyes. The Star Claw sat a few meters away. The other pirates had gone back to the barracks once they had landed from the raid.

        “No, I can’t Kalen. It’s too much. Those people are all dead. They’re all dead, we killed them.”

        “So? You’ve killed people before. Besides, they were corporate soldiers. What’s the problem?” Kalen looked into her eyes, “you’re stronger than this.”

        “I can’t do it anymore.”

        “What?” Kalen’s confused eyes narrowed.

        “I can’t do this Kalen. I can’t live like this, I mean it! I hate this fucking life! I hate sleeping and seeing their faces in my dreams; their children’s faces.”

        “Michelle, you’re the best damn assassin in this galaxy. I’ll be damned if I let you give it up,” Michelle turned away to wipe her tears. “Look at me… look at me Michelle, we’re good together. We’re perfect together, like twin suns. You get me? We were meant to be assassins. We were meant to kill.” He kissed her.

        “I… I can’t do it.”

        “Of course you can.”

        “No Kalen, no. Please.” Michelle begged and cried more.

        Kalen held her. “Look, a few more jobs
and we’ll call it quits. That’s it… a few more.”

        “But we can’t leave. Ajax won’t let anyone leave the Code.”

        “He’ll let us or he’ll die trying to stop us, he’s knows that. He knows he can’t stop us from doing whatever we want.”

        Michelle smiled, “he told me never to fall in love with you. I should have listened to him.”

        “What? No, of course not. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me Michelle,” Kalen said. “Now, let’s go downstairs, get a drink, and enjoy the party. Ajax said he had a special gift.”

        “Kalen… Kalen, I can’t.”

        “Come on, stop being a puss,” He pulled her hand. She remained stagnate, pulling her hand away. “Come on,”

        “Kalen… Kalen I’m pregnant.”
His body froze.

        Michelle cracked the utility access airlock slightly to look around the hangar. She took a deep breath as a calming fire spoke to her. End your nightmares now. We will be with you.

#

        In the caution of silence, Michelle slowly slipped her body out of the Star Claw’s air lock, her feet landing without noise. She crouched under the fuselage, taking a look around.

        “Mommy, mommy.”

        “Its okay, its just a scratch.”

        She fast-stepped to a nearby wall on the hangar that was shrouded in a shadow. The lights in the hangar had been turned down low. Her advance was paused by the sound of two men walking. She drew her pistol, quickly attaching a silencer to it.

        Still as spider on the wall, she waited as the men past her by at a distance of ten meter. She listened closely to their conversation.

        “Haha, at least you got a piece of that ass. She screamed like a little bitch the entire time I was with her. What a whore.”

        “What’s wrong baby?”

        “I can’t sleep, the shadows scared me.”

        “Its okay, you don’t have to be afraid of the shadows, I promise I will always protect you.”

        “You promise?”

        “Of course.”

        “Yeah, I was like, bitch, ‘don’t make me hit you again’. Too bad her little sister was like six, otherwise,” they laughed. Michelle’s eyes narrowed as she took aim.

        “So, are we going to the casino on Ticon Deroga next week?” one asked the other.

        “Yeah man, I’m going to gamble myself to death,” the other said right before his eyeball ejected from his skull as he fell to the floor.

        “Nate? Nate? Shit!” the other panicked. He glanced around and frenzied to take his video communicator from his side. A bullet ripped through his chest and then smashed through his comm. just as he was about to dial the emergency code. He gasped, trying to scream, choking on his own blood as he fell next to his friend.

        Michelle quickly advanced. A hall led from the hangar, turning into a long shaft that descended into the bowels of the Cove.

        The next chamber was the barracks, home to four hundred or so Black Sail pirates. She walked into the empty entry. Two stolen Azarian statues were at the entrance, tall proud Azarian kings of long past. They were stolen from the Museum of Galactic Antiquities on New Regal. Stolen by the great Deangelo Simons, the man who had trained Michelle and been the closest thing to a father she had ever known. Deangelo was betrayed by Ajax because of his unwillingness to continue in the Code. Michelle promised Deangelo with his dying grip not to meet the same ends. “Whatever happens to you princess, never succumb to that madman’s heresy of the Code. Never let him take you down as he did me.” The statues were Deangelo’s Star Claw.

        “No more nightmares,” she chanted and pressed on.

        She tucked the pistol away and pulled the Brauns out. She clicked off the safeties, waving at the security camera as she walked past it. Immediately an alarm sounded. She turned the corner into the central hall, opening fire in all directions.

        Bullet casings fell to the ground in a waterfall of spent metal with jets of fire bursting from the nozzles. Her arms shook with fierce repetition spraying down everyone in the path of vengeance. The fleeing pirates fell in groups, unarmed and caught off guard by the sudden rampage that had enveloped upon their home. A few managed to draw weapons, but Michelle mercilessly picked them off with one gun while the other continued rapid firing.

        Moments later the Brauns were empty. She dropped them to the floor and drew  her pistol, snapping off shots at a few pirates who were trying to escape. “Where are you Ajax? Where are you, you son-of-a-bitch!” she yelled out, kicking a dead body as she walked past it.

        About a hundred dead bodies lay on the floor of the central hall. Michelle reloaded her Brauns and pistol.

        “You are very brave Ivy, but far more stupid,” Ajax’s voice yelled out to Michelle. A hundred armed pirates emerged from the corners taking aim. “I always expected more from someone like you. I always expected a princess that could lead in my place. But you could never dream like me. You became my biggest disappointment. Such talent, wasted. Even now as I looked at my slaughtered men, I cannot help but be inspired by your art.”

        “Only a sick, twisted half of a man could call murder art.”

        “Oh, but it is,” Ajax replied. “And you have just painted your last piece. Worry not, I will ensure your work is remembered, Ivy, the Deadly.”
        
       “My name isn’t Ivy.”

        Fire erupted from the center of the hall. The pirates panicked as hellish creatures raged in flames about them. Gunshots rang out as the ranks broke. Michelle quickly advanced, taking down more pirates as the spirits took their revenge.

        “What are they? What are they?” a pirate screamed as he was chased down.

        Ajax looked around in disbelief. Michelle met him, face to face, Wind Lance in hand.

        “I have gone to hell because of you, and met up with some old friends. They wanted to pay you a visit,” Michelle lunged forward. Ajax dodged to the side, grabbing the lance with his power fist.

        “You dare to engage in melee with me assassin?” he asked as he threw her against a wall, breaking the lance in two. “Get to the ships! Whoever’s left, get to the ships!” Ajax said as he took flight. Michelle laid on the ground in pain, but smiling at the sound of his panicking voice.

#

        Once he was inside, Ajax locked down the Star. Members of his crew were pounding on the doors as their bodies lit up in flames. He powered up the Star Claw, quickly taking it out to space.

        “Hello,” Star said to Ajax, “where do you wish to go?”

        “Away from here.”

        “I’m afraid that is not possible,” Ric’s voice took over. “Do you know who I am?”

        Ajax was silent. He tried to reboot the computer, wondering what was happening.

        “Listen to me you monster, my name was Ric Anklam. You killed me when you shot down my ship at Chrycian Prime. I’m dead because of you.”

        “What, that doesn’t make any sense. What do you want from me?”

        “I want you to die,” Ric said.

        “Airlock manual override engaged,” Star said, “decompressing.”

        “No, no! Please, I can bargain with you. I have money, lots of money,” Ajax said pleaded as he began to lose his breath. “What are you?”

        “We are the Zhym. Where we come from, money does one no good,” Ric replied. “Are you getting enough oxygen because I really don’t need any,” Ric laughed. The airlock opened completely and Ajax choked to death while his eyes filled with blood. Ric and Star watched as the monster’s bloated body slowly floated out into the dark depths of space.

        “Let’s go back and get Michelle,” Ric said to Star.

#

        A United System’s Naval Ship headed for Chrycian Prime. Its mass was four times the size of the Pataki. The ship bore three large fighter bays on each side. Two larger rail cannons were mounted on the dorsal and ventral sides of the ship Across its navy-gray bow was painted USNS HENLEY CVN 308.

        “This looks like a total sack,” Spaceman Jacobs said. “What do you think, Ensign?”

        “I think the corporation lost a pretty penny,” the ensign looked over his scanner, noticing the large amounts of free-floating debris, “dumbasses.”

        A tall muscular man came to the ensign’s side. “Take the Henley to full alert. I want two patrol squadrons patrolling the planet-space. Ready a Marine recon team.”

        “Aye, Captain.”

#

        A pair of Phantom fighter-craft flew
past the station at high speeds. They broke right, regrouping with a third Phantom.
“Colonel Malikoff, this sector is clean. Whatever happened here, we missed it.”

        “I know. We will head back to the Henley once the Marines have completed their search of the station. Sit back and relax boys.” The colonel said.

        “Yes Sir,” the pilot responded.

#

        “The reports have been coming in all morning Sir,” Corporate security commander Morris said to Neil as he sat at his desk overlooking the data streaming to him directly from the Henley. “The news will be all over it by the end of the hour.”

        “Do they know anything about Project Star Claw?”

        “Nothing Sir, as far the media will report, ‘a horde of pirates have terrorized another corporate deep space operation.’ Nothing too new, but still headlines.”

        “At least we know where it was. It’s a start,” Lenard commented as he looked over an official company report. “How many are dead?”

        “Three hundred and sixteen company
employees are unaccounted for, as well as the missing Federal military personal from the Pataki that docked a few days prior at Thatcher Station,” the commander read from the report.

        “Tragic. These pirates cause us more
problems than they do to the Federation. I hope this is the last straw to enact an operational corporate military. At least we can protect our investments where the Federation shows little concern. Do we know what clan?”

        “Black Sail, sir.”

“How many Marines were there from the Pataki?”

        “Records are unsure. All we know is that the Pataki was docked to the station. We’re not sure how many Marines there might have been. Maybe the locals armed themselves with marine munitions.”

        “Possible. How were these reports sent? Who’s still at Chrycian Prime?”

        “A handful of deep soil miners, a few who escaped the station on EEV pods, and robotic plant operators who were planet-side during the raid in the Olivia and Oliver facilities and therefore spared. It is clear to us that the pirates were only interested in the Star Claw. I theorize that a common worker onboard the station hid there to escape the clan. Whether the pirates were successful in capturing the Star Claw is also unclear.”

        “I want reports on all employees and residents who have transferred to the station in recent months, as well as documentation on all station docking activity in the last year. I want a list of all unknown prior residents.”

        “Don’t worry, we’ll find the Star Claw and those responsible. Just provide me with a fleet and things like this would never happen.”
        “You’ll get your fleet Morris,” Neil told him, “good day Commander.”

#

Epilogue:  First trip to Earth

        Eastern Government people passed by Michelle in the busy streets of Louisville as Michelle knelt down next to Alexx. The brown dusty sky overhang blew gray clouds across the sky. Ticon Deroga Prime’s skies held a year round gloom that reflected in the faces of the poverty-filled populace.

        “Don’t be sad or scared baby,” Michelle smiled, pulling Alexx’s tear filled bangs away from her eyes, “you’ll like Earth. Australia is full of pretty flowers and animals. There’s even an ocean. You haven’t seen a real ocean before.”

        “When will you get there Mommy?” Alexx asked.

        “In a few weeks. Mommy has to take a different way in. You stay with Clara and Doc, okay? They’ll take good care of you I promise. I’ll call you everyday. Just listen to what they say,” Michelle said, placing her finger on Alexx’s trembling lips.

        “I’m afraid Mommy.”

        “Don’t be afraid. They are the safest people you can be with. Me and Baron will see you there soon. Be brave baby, it will be better soon.”

        “Come on Alexx,” Clara said as she picked her up. Alexx buried her face into Clara’s shoulder. Clara turned to Michelle, “she’ll be fine. Don’t worry. She’s going to love Baron’s house.”

        “Thank you Clara,” Michelle said hugging her new best friend. “I want you to have this. Just in case,” she whispered, poking a card at her side.
        “What is it?”

        “An account. My account, from a long
time ago. There’s enough there for Alexx for the rest of her life. Just make sure she’s okay.”

        “Okay,” Clara nodded, “you’ll make it to
Earth. Baron has smuggled plenty of people in the past with no problem. I’ll see you in Sydney,” Clara smiled.

        “Bye baby,” Michelle said as she kissed Alexx’s cheek one last time and held her little body. “I’ll see you there.”

        Clara walked off, heading to the space port where the others were going to take a civilian transport back to Earth. She helped Barron off of the bench where he had been sitting and they headed back to the landing pad where the Tyson was.

Zhym has recorded the necessary information. You are free to pass on, once-carbon.
         Pass on, I thought I was already dead?
You are very much alive. Your life was simply moved to inhabit a different utility. Zhym does this often.
Where do I pass on too?
Caladon.
What is that? Can I stay here for a while?
You may stay. You must not mention to anyone the Zhym form. We have observed that carbon life in this galaxy is far from understanding what is beyond their plane of existence. It will be long before the Metrian galaxy can know all truths. Stay and inhabit in Zhym form and enjoy mortal life, once-carbon.
I will for a while.
If you inform anyone besides those who are already aware of Zhym, your stay will be revoked.
I understand. Thank you.
You are going to leave with Star Claw again?
Yes, it is not safe for her here. I will keep her safe.
Good, Zhym will return to its service of the Great One. Prosper once-carbon spirit.
Yes, goodbye for now Zhym.
End.

-For Michelle and Alexx-

        

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