LAST STAND
Radu licked his lips nervously as he stared into the face of his former best friend. The renegade Andromedan suddenly became aware of himself and almost blushed in embarrassment. For twenty years he had been roaming around the galaxy, earning money where he could, often by pirating or smuggling. In those long years, his appearance had changed. In his youth, Radu had kept his long, blond hair loose and clean, often showering twice a day. He used to have clear, innocent, blue eyes that saw only good, and a pure and untouched spirit that kept him kind. Now, he was twenty years wiser and no longer as immature as he had once been. His hair was dirty and tied into a loose ponytail that streamed down his back, nearly to the floor. His eyes were hardened by all he had seen and a scar ran from his right chin to his cheek, a constant reminder of the danger in his trade. His heart was cold and closed off; he refused to be close to anyone or anything again.
Harlan Band sank into the empty co-pilots chair, his eyes never leaving Radu's face. Radu remembered his last co-pilot and how he had been forced to kill her only a year ago. He had regretted killing her, since she had been very good at her job, but he had sworn loyalties to no one and she had threatened to turn him in.
"I – I can't believe it," Harlan stammered at last.
Radu smiled, thinking about how Harlan had used to insult him when he had stuttered. Radu cocked his head slightly and heard Catalina and Suzee waking up. He still had no idea how his three former friends had arrived on his ship, but he knew he would eventually find out.
Catalina came out and her eyes widened as she saw him. Suzee followed, looking first at Catalina in confusion before following her friend's gaze to Radu's face. Radu's face remained unreadable, neither showing joy nor sorrow in rediscovering his friends.
"Radu!" Catalina gasped.
Another shot hit their ship and Radu turned his attention back to the fight, ignoring his passengers. An alarm sounded.
"Shields are at twenty percent and falling," Radu muttered. "Terrific."
"Head to the UPP flagship," Harlan said.
Radu glared at him over his shoulder. "I don't think so, Admiral. I'm wanted by the UPP in three sectors and I'm not about to turn myself over to them."
Harlan blinked back a shocked look and sat back in his chair. Radu scanned the surrounding area for a place to hide. He spotted the isolated moonbase where he had once stayed, twenty years ago.
Without bothering to inform his passengers, Radu swung the ship around and headed for the moon. He avoided the Spung base, landing instead on the far side that was still shadowed in the darkness of night. The moon was covered in dense vegetation, making landing difficult, but Radu managed to set his ship down. Catalina and Suzee were both thrown off their feet at the rough landing, but were unhurt. Radu powered his ship down and turned to the other three.
"I can give you supplies for a few days," he said. "If you walk far enough from my ship to prevent another ship from spotting her, you can contact your flagship to come and get you."
"Radu – " Catalina began.
Radu shook his head. "I'm not Radu. I'm called DogStar and I'm a mercenary, fighting against you. I don't know how you got into my ship, but I'm giving you a chance to leave."
Suzee put her hand on Radu's shoulder. "What happened to you?" she asked, staring into his eyes.
Radu glared at her and turned his head away. "No mind tricks, Suzee," he said softly.
Suzee straightened. "We're going to help you fix your ship. Then, we'll all leave together and you can explain where you've been the last twenty years."
"I give the orders on this ship!" Radu yelled, jumping to his feet. "I want nothing to do with my old life. Nothing! No friends, no family, no associations of any kind. I am no longer Andromedan. I no longer feel the ties of loyalty that I once did. I am not the Radu you know and I never will be again."
He stared at Suzee for another second before sitting down and turning back to his controls. Harlan and Catalina exchanged a look of concern.
"What about Rosie?" Catalina asked softly. "What about her? She's married, you know."
Radu lowered his head and slammed his fist down on the control pad. The strike was enough to leave an imprint in the metal. Without raising his head, he answered his friend.
"I don't care about Rosie, or anything. That Radu was weak and has died because of it. DogStar is strong and that's what I want to be. Leave now, or I'll be forced to do something all of us would regret. The supplies are in the back."
Harlan said nothing, but stood and moved to the back of the ship. He picked up a bag and began to put food, water, and a communications device in it. Suzee did the same, leaving Catalina staring in shock at the Andromedan. A tear slid down her cheek as she turned and followed Harlan and Suzee out of the airlock.
Radu heard them leave and took a deep breath. A part of him missed his friends, but the majority of him was over them and he was content to stay that way. He waited a few hours, until the sun rose over the moon, and then began to repair his ship.
**********
The transport ship that carried Suni and about two hundred Spung refugees shook as another laser struck their shields. Suni looked around her at the faces of the Spung and saw mothers holding terrified children and old men trying to look brave. She could see the fear in all of them and felt it herself. They had left the Spung Homeworld only a few short hours ago and had yet to break orbit. All around them, the fighting raged on, forcing the transport pilot to dodge enemy fire on all sides.
Suni stood and walked to the bridge, where the ship was being piloted by an old Spung captain named Tarke. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker and Tarke began to push buttons while hissing curses under his breath.
"Electrical failure," he said. "Our generator has been damaged."
"Let me," Suni said.
She put her hands in the mass of wires that connected the generator to the controls until she found the wire she wanted. She used her Uranusian heritage to jumpstart the wires and power the ship.
"Don't move," Tarke said. "I'm going to need all the energy I can get to break orbit and head for the UPP rendezvous point."
Suni nodded and sat on the floor. Her powers had never been tested like this before and she wondered how long she could hold out.
Another hit rocked the ship. "Shields gone!" Tarke said.
Another hit. "We're losing altitude!"
Suni gasped as the transport ship slammed through the Spung Homeworld's atmosphere and crashed into the city they had just left.
**********
Radu waited until the moon's orbit had taken it to the far side of the planet before lifting off. He had seen the UPP rescue ship come to take Harlan, Catalina, and Suzee back to their ships, but nothing had come close to him. Now, as he sailed back into space, Radu wondered how he was going to get paid for the services he had already given the Kaesar without rejoining their assault.
Radu's small craft crested the planet only to be confronted by one of the UPP's large transport ships. Judging by the markings, Radu saw it was the Chance, the Admiral's flagship. Cursing, Radu tried to avoid detection, but was too late. A high powered tractor beam latched onto the hull of his ship and dragged him into the holding bay.
Once inside, the UPP guards swarmed his ship and pointed stun guns at him. Radu was much stronger than he had been in his youth, having reached full Andromedan maturity a few years ago. He managed to injure five soldiers before being shot. The room spun as Radu's knees gave in and he fell to the ground, blackness taking over his vision.
**********
Elmira was standing serenely in her throne room when word came to her that the defenses had fallen and the Homeworld was left vulnerable. She knew what was to come. The alien invaders would seize the city and all its inhabitants, perhaps killing them or holding them hostage. The UPP would attempt to negotiate the freedom of the floating city, but would fail. She knew that she would likely be held for ransom or publicly executed to plunge her people into despair. Without allowing her anger to show, she told her remaining ministers to take as many citizens as they could and flee the Homeworld. It was she who the aliens wanted, and she would remain to greet them.
As the screams of terror and violence began around her, Elmira sat on her throne, her royal robes artfully arranged around her. She could feel the pain of her people as if the damage was being inflicted upon her, but could do nothing. She waited until she heard the sounds of soldiers running through the halls outside the throne room. Taking a deep breath, Empress Elmira, ruler of the Spung Empire, waited for her captors to break down the door.
**********
Suni shook her head and opened her eyes. She lay outside the transport wreckage, thrown from the ship as it hit the ground. She felt light-headed, but no pain as she rose to her feet to figure out where she was. As pain washed over her skull, she gingerly touched a finger to her temple and felt blood. Suni closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself and opened them to check the wreckage for survivors. It took only a few grisly moments to locate the bodies of all the Spung who had been on board. She saw no survivors at all. Suni turned her back to the smoldering wreck and looked around. Immediately, she knew she was back on the Spung Homeworld, in the poorer part of the city. She could see smoke rising from the area closer to the palace and wondered what was going on. Suni Ianni sighed and began the long walk from the wreckage to the Imperial palace.
**********
Radu was thrown roughly into a holding cell on one of the lower levels of the Chance. He was bound in handcuffs made of the resilient metal that Andromedans could not break, and heavily guarded. He snarled at the guards for a few minutes, trying to intimidate them into doing something stupid. When he received no reaction, Radu sat down in the far corner of his cell and said nothing. He had been thoroughly searched before being locked up and the UPP officers had removed all of his weapons. Radu found he had nothing left to do but contemplate the dishonesty of the UPP Admiral as he stared at the floor.
The soldiers suddenly snapped to attention and Radu raised his eyes to see who was coming. A small Mercurian stood at the cell door, looking into the cell with a sat expression on her face. Radu's face twisted into a bitter half-smile.
"Radu?" the Mercurian said hesitantly.
"Well, well, well," Radu said, rising to his feet. The guards around the visitor leveled their guns at the prisoner. "Long time, no see, Rosie."
Rosie looked her former friend up and down in shock and disgust. She held up a medical kit.
"I'm here to make sure you're okay," she told him.
Radu took a step back from the force field that kept him in his cell. The field flashed for a split second before disappearing. Rosie and five guards came in, each of the guards keeping a gun pointed at Radu. The field snapped back to life, locking all seven of them inside. Rosie opened her kit and turned to Radu.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"Everywhere," Radu replied. "Quite a life, being a pirate. No wonder Reaver enjoyed himself so much."
Rosie glared at him with hatred in her eyes. "Never compare yourself to Reaver. He was a horrible man and deserved what he got."
Radu rolled his eyes as Rosie referred to the capture of the infamous space pirate Reaver and his first mate, Ubi. They had been executed together in the first and last public hanging in UPP history. The act had been criticized as barbaric, but the majority of UPP citizens had been in favour of their deaths.
"Why am I here? Is saving the Admiral warrant for arrest now?" Radu asked.
"You're here," Rosie said as she examined Radu's ears, "because you are wanted in three star systems. The UPP can't let a dangerous criminal escape because he used to be friends with the Admiral."
Radu was hurt by the term used to be', but hid his pain from Rosie. He was DogStar now, and didn't need friends. Rosie completed her check up and packed up her kit. Radu remained where he was, watching her but not moving. The force field opened to allow Rosie and the guards to leave. As she stepped free of the cell, Radu called to her.
"Rosie?"
The Mercurian turned to him.
"Heard you got married. Congratulations."
Rosie smiled. "I hope you get to meet our daughter someday."
Radu didn't answer, but turned his back to Rosie. She sighed and left the detention area.
**********
Gyana teleported herself into the bridge of the Chance where Harlan and Rosie stood. Suzee and Catalina's faces appeared on a split screen, waiting to hear the Guardian's report. After they had been rescued from the moon where Radu had left them, Rosie had explained that Gyana had used all her energy to teleport them from their doomed fighters to the closest non-hostile ship – Radu.
"Well?" Harlan asked impatiently.
"The aliens have landed on the Spung Homeworld," Gyana replied. "I have heard nothing from inside the city, but I do not doubt that they already control the palace."
Harlan swore and punched one hand into the other.
"What about our fighters?" Suzee asked.
"Those who have not been destroyed have returned to their ships. I have assisted several with minor damages, but all the ships you have now are the ones who survived," Gyana replied.
Suzee's eyes widened. "That's it?"
"I am afraid so."
Suzee joined Harlan's cursing.
"We lost over half our fighters in one fight," Cat said. "We should call Bova for reinforcements."
"Not until we know more about the invaders," Harlan said. "I've got Radu and he should be able to tell us about the people who hired him."
"But will he? He's changed," Cat said sadly.
"I think he will," Harlan replied. "He was friends with us, once, and you know that loyalty is an Andromedan's greatest strength."
**********
Radu sat in his cell, staring up at the Admiral of the UPP. Harlan Band returned the stare easily, his face betraying no emotion over sentencing his former best friend.
"You are charged with treason, murder, smuggling, and theft," Harlan repeated for a third time. He had been there for hours, but Radu refused to speak. "Two of these crimes are punishable by death, the others get you life in jail. We are willing to be lenient if you provide information that can end this war."
Radu narrowed his eyes and turned his head to face the wall. Behind him, Catalina sighed. Harlan turned to see the Saturnian sitting on the floor in frustration, with Suzee standing next to her and Rosie nervously fingering a medical kit.
"Can't I just get the answers from him?" Suzee asked. "I know it's wrong and I hate to do it, but while we're staring at each other, hundreds of Spung are dying."
Radu turned to face her. "Good."
Harlan laughed bitterly. "Radu, you of all people should be tolerant toward the Spung. Remember Elmira?"
"Yes," Radu spat. "She is like all the other Spung. Lying, cheating killers."
"At least we know why he's fighting with the invaders," Rosie remarked, trying to lighten up the mood.
"Who are the alien invaders?" Harlan shouted.
Radu winced as his sensitive hearing was bombarded by Harlan's voice. "That's for you to find out. I have no ties of loyalty to you."
Harlan's body sagged in defeat. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He motioned over his shoulder to something just outside of Radu's vision.
"I hate to do this, buddy," Harlan said with genuine regret, "but the UPP comes first and if this is the only way to get you to talk, then this is how it has to be."
Harlan left the cell and led Rosie away before she had a chance to see what was coming. Suzee did the same to Catalina and Radu watched them go. He had heard the machine powering up minutes earlier, but had no idea what it was. Now, as it rounded the corner, Radu could see needles protruding from a large machine, and he realized that he was about to be injected with truth-serum, a drug that would make him unable to lie. Radu steeled himself, preparing for the worst, and wondered how he could make his escape.
**********
Harlan sat alone in his quarters, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. It had been difficult for him to sign the order of interrogation, but he had to keep his priorities. The UPP came first, the ties of former best friends came second. Still, he had decided not to be present at the actual event, but to let his second-in-command ask the questions. He would read the report later.
Seeing Radu again had made him think back to all the times they had spent on the Christa, over twenty years ago. Harlan found himself reminiscing often these last few days, finding amusement in the story of five smart aleck cadets who snuck onto an alien vessel and became lost in space. He remembered his brash youth and how Radu had been a calming presence in his life. He remembered their adventures in space, battling Spung, exploring planets, listening to boring lectures . . .
Harlan sighed. Everything was different now. Both Ms. Davenport and Commander Goddard were long dead, Catalina lived in another dimension, Suzee never stayed in one place long enough to settle down, Rosie and Bova were married, and he was in charge of the entire UPP.
"I wish life was simple again," he said to himself.
"You and me both," Catalina replied.
Startled, Harlan turned and wiped his eyes. Catalina's face was red and puffy from crying as she handed Harlan a compupad.
"The results from Ra – uh, DogStar's interrogation, sir," she said. "I believe your First Officer did a thorough job."
Harlan took the compupad and nodded. Catalina looked at him for a second longer before leaving. As the door slid closed behind her, Harlan leaned back in his chair and began to read the report. A few lines into it, something caught his eyes. He straightened himself and pushed the comm. button on his desk.
"Cat? Come here, please."
The door opened. "You didn't let me get very far, you know."
"What's this about voluntary confession?"
Cat walked over and read the sentence over Harlan's shoulder. "He refused the truth serum and told us everything. He wasn't very happy about it, but we got what we needed."
"Radu? Afraid?" Harlan questioned.
"Not afraid," Cat said. "I guess he decided to get his loyalties straight. You know mercenaries, always jumping sides."
Harlan smiled and read the rest of the report. Cat waited until Harlan raised his head to look at her. "Let's go see if he's interested in working for the UPP for a while," he suggested.
**********
Radu was unbound in his cell, waiting. Catalina, Gyana, and Harlan entered the detention area and motioned for the six guards to leave. When they were alone, Harlan stood in front of the cell and stared at his friend in the eyes.
"Why the cooperation all of a sudden?" Harlan asked.
Radu shrugged. "I don't want to fight the UPP. They've done nothing to me. I was trying to back out before, but the Kaesar threatened to destroy me if I did. Now, all I want is to be paid."
"You told us the Kaesar are attacking Spung settlements, but you didn't tell us why. What do they want?"
Radu shrugged. "Why would they tell me that? I'm just a hired gun. Can I go now?"
"Not yet," Harlan said. "Why not change sides and work for the UPP?"
"How much?" Radu asked.
"Double what the Kaesar offered," Harlan replied, "and a full pardon from crimes committed against the UPP."
Radu pretended to think about it. "Deal. When do we start shooting?"
Harlan smiled and turned to Catalina and Gyana, who were waiting by the far wall near the door.
"Andromedan! They're all crazy!" Harlan muttered under his breath as he faced Cat and Gyana.
"I heard that," Radu said.
Harlan lowered his voice even more. "How could you not with those ears?"
Harlan turned and saw Radu smiling at him. The Admiral was reminded of his friend in that smile, as if the persona of DogStar was completely erased.
"I heard that, too," Radu said. "Will you let me out now?"
**********
Suni hid in a hollowed out building. Despite the fact that the city was theirs, the invading aliens seemed to have a need to destroy everything in sight. Buildings were being used for target practice, and citizens who had not yet escaped had become pawns in cruel games. Suni dodged another patrol and made her way slowly to the palace. She knew that Elmira had not escaped, and she saw herself as the Empress' only hope.
The invaders were an ugly race, in her opinion. They were lizard-like, not unlike the Spung, only their skin was an ashen gray, spotted with browns and blacks. They had many small, pointed horns coming from the top of their heads and their eyes were all dark and beady. Their faces were elongated into a snout, with two tiny nostrils on the end and a large mouth underneath. They walked upright, carrying blasters in their spindly hands. They had no tail, but had a ridge of boney plates going down their spines, creating a fan like effect. Suni doubted they could see behind themselves very well.
Suni stuck her head out from behind the destroyed wall and checked for patrols. When she saw none, she dashed out from her safe hiding spot and into the open streets. As she saw another patrol heading her way, she dove behind an overturned carriage and landed on a person already hiding there. She scrambled out of the person's lap and turned, readying herself to attack if necessary. When her brain finally registered who the person was, she had to clamp her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. The patrol passed without incident and Suni found herself face to face with a Kaesar.
She pointed at him, electricity snapping from her outstretched finger. His eyes widened in alarm and he scurried backwards into the corner, trying to lose himself in the brick.
"Please, stop, please," he stammered in the Spung dialect.
"Why are you hiding here?" Suni demanded, keeping her voice down. "If you call any other alien, I'll fry you to a crisp."
The Kaesar held up his hand in surrender, his eyes never leaving the sparking finger that was pointed at his snout.
"Not Kaesar," he said, fear making his speech broken. "Leave them behind. Please, stop, friend."
Suni lowered her finger and the little alien visibly relaxed. She guessed he was one of their young, since his horns were tiny stubs and he didn't have back plates. She sat back and the alien began to fiddle with a nearby rock.
"Your name is Kaesar?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No, Kaesar is my race. My name is Spek."
"How did you learn to speak Spung?"
"Computer has many languages. Can also speak Basic, Kaesar, and – "
Suni waved her hand to cut him off. "Why did you leave the Kaesar, Spek?"
"Fighting bad. I like peace. Spung are nice, too. I spoke with some on the ship. Nice peoples. You are not Spung, what are you?"
"Mercurian," Suni replied, "and Uranusian. My name is Suni Ianni."
"Nice to meet, Ianni," Spek said. "You take me somewhere safe?"
"Not now," Suni said. "First, I have to rescue the Empress from the palace, then we'll head to the UPP flagship. I think they'd like to talk with you."
Spek clapped his hands excitedly. "Spek held stop fighting? Bring peace?"
Suni nodded. "But first, we have to get to the palace."
**********
Radu walked around his quarters. Two guards were posted just outside the door as a precaution, but Radu was free to roam the ship otherwise. His quarters were spacious and clean, with new clothes and food waiting for him. He ate well and sat back to listen to the ship.
What caught his attention almost immediately was the sound of his own voice. It was younger, but it was him. Radu tuned out the rest of the ship to focus on the conversation.
"The Commander was fixing the airlock," a young Radu was saying.
"And those two flushed him out," Harlan added. His voice was equally young and Radu smiled in memory.
"It was an accident!" young Catalina said defensively.
There was a brief pause in the conversation.
"For Heaven's sakes," Ms Davenport's voice cried. "Do something!"
"We're trying," Radu said.
"We've got a tractor beam on him," Harlan said.
"But we're not sure how it works," Radu added.
"And Suzee says if we're not careful," Catalina finished, "we might accidentally rip the Commander into shreds."
"You have got to get him back into this ship!" Ms Davenport ordered.
"Okay, Ms D," Harlan said. "If you say so."
Radu heard the sound of the control crystals of the Christa being pushed down and a faint boom. A small whimper from Ms. Davenport was heard, and the sound of jumptubes in the background.
"What's all the commotion?" Commander Goddard demanded.
Radu heard Ms. Davenport scream and could almost see Harlan's cheeky smile as he remembered this scene from his youth.
"A computer simulation of you, blowing up in space!" Harlan laughed.
Young Radu and young Catalina's laughter was added to the mix before the entire recording was shut off. Radu heard a sigh and realized it was Catalina who had been listening. Rising to his feet, Radu left his room, flanked by the two guards, to see if Catalina was all right.
**********
The door signaled the approach of a visitor. Catalina turned her head and ordered the door to open. She was shocked and surprised to see Radu standing there, looking ashamed of himself.
He had washed and brushed his head, pulling it back in a long braid down his back. His worn black clothes that he had worn before were gone and he wore a gray jumpsuit-style uniform devoid of markings. As Catalina looked at him, she saw the Radu she had once known, except for the cruel scar that ran down his face. He cleared his throat and Cat motioned for him to come in. The two guards followed.
"Wait outside," Cat told them.
"But, Ambassador," one protested, "the Admiral told us not to leave anyone alone with the prisoner."
"He's not a prisoner," Cat said. "If he wanted to, he could have killed you both hours ago and fled in his ship. If he attacks me, I'll give him a sonic blast. It may not be as powerful as it was when I was younger, but it should be enough to knock an Andromedan down. Dismissed!"
The two guards saluted and left the room. As the door slid shut, Cat motioned for Radu to sit down.
"I heard you playing the logs from the Christa," Radu said quietly.
Cat nodded. "Those were some fun times," she said. "Too bad they had to end."
Radu said nothing. Cat looked at him for a few seconds before rising to her feet.
"Do you want something to drink? I brought some teas from Yensid with me. They're very relaxing," she offered.
"No, thank you," Radu replied.
"I'm glad you've dropped the DogStar personality, Radu," Cat said as she poured her tea. "I like you better when you're nice."
"I haven't dropped anything," Radu said defensively. "I'm just changing loyalties."
"Or reuniting old ones," Cat added. "When I first saw you in that ship, you scared me, Radu. You haven't scared me since the time you were hunting us on that moon, or when you were sick on the Christa. I want to know what's wrong with you? What made you change?"
"You wouldn't understand," Radu said, turning away.
Catalina leaned forward and put her hand on his kneed. "Try me. I can understand a lot."
Radu stood, jerking her leg away from Cat's gentle touch. He licked his lips and paced in front of her.
"You want to know what's wrong with me? I'll tell you. I misjudged her. I trusted her. I loved her, and what did I get back? Nothing. She turned her back on me, pushed me away. She always said it was meant to be, but when it could have been, she turned away. I was angry, angry at her, at you, at my family, at everyone. My life had spun out of control and I didn't like that feeling. Everyone was pushing me in different directions, telling me where to go, what to do, my duties as the first Andromedan StarDog. I got scared and left. I turned my back on everything that was important to me, and took off."
Catalina watched her friend without saying anything. Radu sat down again and sighed. He buried his face in his hands.
"Now that you're back, do you think you can get your life back in control? Could you come back to us?" Cat asked.
"I don't know. In twenty years, I've gotten a reputation as a space pirate and a smuggler. There's a warrant for my arrest in six systems who've never even heard of the UPP, and three who have. I don't think I can go back."
"So you're giving up?" Cat asked. "You're sticking to your DogStar life without even trying to come home?"
Radu shrugged. "Maybe if I go to another dimension and start anew."
"Maybe if you erased DogStar from your personality, you could start anew here."
Radu stared at Catalina and she saw his face harden. With an inward sigh, the Saturnian wondered if she had been to harsh. After twenty years, she didn't want him to vanish again.
"Maybe you're right," Radu said at last. "But what about - ?"
"Elmira?" Cat said. "There's nothing you can do, but maybe this will help you. She made a deal with Lord Kairn, you knew that. Part of the deal was that he become Warlord. It was the only condition he would not give up. I don't know much about Spung law, but there's something in there that says only the Emperor can be Warlord or, in this case, the husband of the Empress. She had to marry him, Radu. It wasn't because she wanted to."
Radu nodded grimly, his face unreadable. He rose to his feet, said a quick good night, and left the room. Catalina sat back, watching the door close, and hoped he would be all right.
**********
Spek motioned for Suni to come forward. They had made it out of the poor area and were just outside the walls that led to the houses of the aristocracy and the palace itself. Unfortunately, the Kaesar had also discovered the wall and had posted guard everywhere to keep people from getting in or out. The wall had been damaged in the recent bombardment from the orbiting Kaesar ships and Spek had just discovered a hole large enough for them to sneak through.
They crouched behind some fallen rubble on the other side of the wall. Between them and the palace was a large, empty field that used to serve as a parade ground for Spung warriors. The Kaesar had converted it into a camp, where hundreds of soldiers lounged as they waited for further orders.
"Now what?" Suni sighed.
Spek rose to his feet and grabbed Suni by the hand. Without offering a word of explanation, he dragged her out from their cover and into the campsite. Suni looked around in fear as the little Kaesar half lead, half dragged her across the open field. An angry call suddenly sounded behind them and Spek froze in place. A large Kaesar dressed in armour and holding a blaster walked up to him and began to question him. Spek spoke quickly, gesturing with his free hand while his other hand held Suni tightly. The larger Kaesar seemed to accept Spek's hasty explanation and waved them past. Spek walked more quickly now and in a few minutes they were safely hidden in the hollowed out homes of the Spung nobles.
"What was that about?" Suni whispered as Spek looked for patrols.
"He wanted to know where we were going, so I told him," Spek said. "He thought you were my prisoner and I said we were going to the dungeons of the palace, which is where we'll probably end up."
Suni smiled. "Don't worry. Once we get the Empress, it'll be smooth sailing to my mother's ship. We'll be safe."
Spek didn't seem reassured by Suni's optimism, but followed anyway.
The houses of the Spung nobility were empty and silent as Suni and Spek tiptoed past. The patrols here were almost non-existent since anyone who entered would have had to pass the wall. In no time, they reached the interior of the city – the Imperial Palace. It was guarded heavily by Kaesar troops and Suni found she had to once again play the part of a prisoner as Spek led them through. Once inside, Suni again resumed the lead.
"The throne room is in here," she whispered as they crouched outside the massive, ornate doors.
They swung open without a sound as a group of three Kaesar soldiers walked out. Before the doors could swing shut again, Suni grabbed Spek's hand and ran into the room. They ducked behind a large column and surveyed the scene.
Elmira sat on her throne, dressed in her royal robes and crown. She stared at a large Kaesar who seemed to be in control of all the guards. Suni counted quickly and saw only five other Kaesar in the room. Spek tugged at her sleeve.
"That's Jesek, the Commander of the Kaesar fleet," Spek whispered. "He is like our king."
Suni nodded. "This may be more difficult than I thought."
Jesek started speaking rapidly to the Kaesar in the room. Before Suni could ask, Spek started translating.
"He is saying that victory is ours. Now that we have the Queen as well as the planet, there is no way the infidels can win."
"That's what he thinks," Suni grumbled under her breath.
"Do you have a plan, Ianni?" Spek asked.
Suni didn't reply, but focused all her attention on the Kaesar Commander. Jesek was laughing as he turned to Elmira.
"I will see you at dinner, Spung-Queen," he said with a stiff bow.
Elmira narrowed her eyes and said nothing. Jesek turned and left the room. Suni smiled to herself.
"Now's our chance," she said. "There are only five guards left. I can take out two of them with my electricity and another in hand-to-hand combat."
"I will disarm the other two," Spek said nervously. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle two Kaesar in combat?"
Suni flashed him a confident smile. "My uncle taught me everything he knows about martial arts. I'm practically a black belt."
"I don't know what that means," Spek admitted, "but good luck."
Suni jumped out from behind the column and pointed to the two guards closest to Elmira. Thick bolts of electricity sped from her fingers, striking each of them in the chest and knocking them down. The other three guards looked at each other in alarm and charged at the girl. The first to reach her struck with an overhand punch that Suni easily dodged. She kicked the lizard-like alien hard in the stomach and heard him grunt in pain. The Kaesar struck again, turning quickly to slap his opponent with his hard back plates. Suni was unprepared for the move and fell as the boney ridges struck her in the side. The guard lashed out with his blaster, hitting her in the right arm. Jumping up, she spun in mid air to deliver another kick to his head, this time pushing him to the floor. The Kaesar lay still for a second, just long enough for Suni to bend down and grab his gun. She didn't hesitate to fire.
Spek fought at the other side of the room. The two guards aimed their blasters at him, intending to strike him down instead of fighting. As two bolts were fired, Spek stuck his hand straight out in front of him and opened his arms wide, sweeping the bolts away. They struck the walls harmlessly. Without moving, Spek reached out to one of the Kaesar and the guard lifted off his feet, hanging in mid air. Spek raised his arm and the guard flew higher while his companion stood and stared in shock. Making a throwing motion with his upraised arm, Spek threw the Kaesar guard into his friend, sending both flying across the floor and into one of the columns that held up the ceiling. Both guards were knocked unconscious.
Elmira stood up in surprise as Suni ran towards her, a blaster in her left hand and her right arm dangling uselessly beside her.
"Come on," Suni said. "There's no time to lose."
Elmira said nothing but followed the Mercurian and the small Kaesar through the hidden passages behind Elmira's throne. After a few minutes Suni slowed, gasping for breath. She leaned against the cool stone wall of the tunnel.
"My ship is not far," Elmira said. "You can make it."
Suni raised her eyes and smiled. Spek reached out just in time to grab her as she toppled forward.
"She was struck by his plates," Spek said. "No doubt she had broken several bones inside of her."
"Can you carry her?" Elmira asked. Spek nodded. "Good," Elmira said. "Follow me."
Elmira's personal spacecraft was hidden inside the Imperial Palace for just such an emergency. Long ago, one of the Spung Emperors had foreseen a situation that would require the ruler to make a quick escape and had hidden the ship. It had never been used, but was regularly maintained. Elmira keyed in the access code and the door slid open, revealing the small craft.
"Quickly, put her in," Elmira said.
Spek did as he was told as Elmira began to power up her ship. She had designed this ship herself during her first year as Empress. It was equipped with several things that earlier models did not have. Spek buckled himself into his seat after securing Suni, and Elmira lifted off.
"Will the Kaesar not see us?" Spek asked.
"No," Elmira replied. "I have added a special feature to this ship. Nothing will be able to see us."
The Empress of the Spung pushed several buttons and the ship disappeared. It became invisible not only to radar and sensors, but to the naked eye as well.
"We call this the chameleon feature," Elmira said. "Our scientists have only just finished it and this is the only ship it is on. We will be safe."
For the first time since he was forced to join the army, Spek sat back and relaxed.
**********
Radu sat in his ship, repairing the damage he had received in the fight against the Spung. His original plan had been to make his ship flyable and limp to a nearby star system to complete his repairs. His rendezvous with the UPP flagship had forced him to alter that plan.
He ran his fingers over the controls, a part of him wanting to blast into space again. He was forced to admit he felt better after talking to Catalina, but he still dreaded seeing Elmira again. With a sigh, Radu slid to the floor and pushed himself under the control panel. He had never been good at engineering in school, but necessity had made him learn how to repair and maintain his ship.
A miscrossed wire sent a jolt of electricity through his arm, burning a hold in his gloves. Radu sat up quickly, knocked his head on the control panel, and saw spots. He blinked to clear his swimming vision and looked at his hand. The skin was burned and painful, causing Radu to wince. He rose unsteadily to his feet and left his ship for the medlab, cradling his injured hand.
The medlab was nearby the docking bay and Radu made it as his vision began to swim again. His arm throbbed with pain and he could no longer feel his hand. The doors slid open in front of him and he was greeted with a flurry of movement as doctors and nurses busied themselves. One saw him by the door and motioned for the Chief Medical Officer to come. Radu felt his knees beginning to buckle and was grabbed as he fell.
"Put him here," Rosie said.
Still conscious, Radu watched as the two crewmembers who had caught him gently placed him on a soft bed.
"What happened to you?" Rosie asked as she examined the cut on his forehead.
"Small accident," Radu replied. He found his voice sounded hoarse as he spoke. "I was fixing my ship."
Rosie smiled at him. "Engineering has never been your strong suit, has it? Don't worry about your hand, we can fix any nerve damage. You probably have a headache by now. I'm afraid all I can do for that is let you sleep it off."
Radu returned his friends smile. "Thanks, Rosie."
The Mercurian nodded and gently lifted his head. A sweet, thick liquid was poured down his throat and Radu drifted to sleep.
**********
When Radu woke, he found himself in his quarters. His injured hand was bandaged and he was surprised to discover it no longer hurt. He still felt a dull ache in his head, but Rosie had assured him before that all he had to do was sleep it off. Gingerly, he touched his forehead and found the cut had been closed and healed.
The door to his room slid open and Rosie came in, carrying a medical kit. Radu sat up in his bed as she entered.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Better," Radu answered. "My head still hurts, but I guess that's to be expected."
Rosie nodded and shoved a thermometer in Radu's mouth. Radu blinked in surprise, but said nothing as Rosie patiently waited for his temperature to register.
"Hmmm" Rosie said, looking at the thermometer. "Forty-seven Celsius. That sounds about right." She put the instrument away and looked at him. "I want to talk to you."
Radu said nothing. Rosie bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes to her lap.
"You've missed so much," she began. "You've changed so much. I see the Radu I know in you, but I also see the DogStar you've become. I've missed you and I still miss you."
Radu licked his lips. "Everyone changes," he said.
"You were my best friend," Rosie continued. "You were the only person I wanted at my wedding, the only person who wasn't there. I wanted you to be there to meet my daughter when she was born. I wanted her to know you as I did. I wanted us to be together, not you off in the galaxy somewhere and me wondering everyday whether you were alive or dead. You deserted me and everyone else."
"I had to," Radu replied. "I'm not going to apologize for what I did. Life isn't always happy; it's not always what we want."
"It is if you work for it. You didn't even try."
Radu opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent. He knew that she was right.
"I did what I thought was right. I've lived with the consequences. There's nothing you can say that will make me regret my life."
There was an uneasy silence in the room for a few minutes. Rosie stood and stared at her friend.
"Her name is Suni," Rosie said at last.
"Who?"
"My daughter. Her name is Suni and she's eighteen years old. Bova and I were married right after graduation and had Suni a year later."
"I can't wait to meet her," Radu said.
"She's on the Spung Homeworld, the UPP Ambassador to the Spung. I don't know if she's okay."
Tears streamed down Rosie's cheeks and Radu was torn. He wanted to hold her until she stopped crying, but too much had changed to make him reach out. Rosie wiped her eyes and picked up her kit.
"A few more hours of sleep should cure your headache. I'll see you later," Rosie said.
She turned and left the room. Radu sighed and wondered who else would come and demand that he justified his life.
**********
Suni could see herself from where she stood. She lay on the small bed in Elmira's ship, with Spek beside her as the Empress hailed the UPP flagship. She could no longer feel the pain of her broken ribs and internal bleeding, or the numbness of the arm that had been shot. She felt relaxed and peaceful as she floated above the chaos.
She blinked, and as she did time shifted. She was no longer on Elmira's ship, but was in the medlab of the Chance, under the care of her mother. She watched the medics hurry to save her life.
"Quite a show, isn't it?"
Suni turned and saw another ethereal form beside her. He was Mercurian, and appeared to be the same age as her. His blue eyes stood out from his pale pink skin and Suni found she could see through him.
"I remember watching my own death," he continued. "Your mother was there, along with your uncle Harlan, aunt Catalina, and Radu. It was terrible for her."
"Who are you?" Suni asked.
The ghost smiled at her. "My name was Mattar, back when I lived."
Suni turned her attention back to where her mother fought to save her. "Am I dead?"
"Not yet," Mattar said. "I don't want to alarm you, but you may be soon. That fight you had was pretty intense."
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here to bring you to the other world, should you die. If you live, I'm here to protect and guide you. I'm sure you've heard me before, that little voice that helps you made decisions."
"My Aunt Catalina tells me about Saturnian Guarding Spirits sometime," Suni said. "Are you one of them?"
Mattar shrugged. "If that's what you want to call me."
Suni turned her back to the scene below her.
"Don't you want to watch?" Mattar asked.
"Tell me how you died," Suni said.
"Well," Mattar began, "it was a long time ago. The Spung had invaded Starcademy and were holding all the cadets hostage, myself included. Your mother and all her friends were planning to overthrow the Spung."
Suni felt herself being drawn away from the ghost. Mattar smiled and watched as Suni was pulled down to her body. She looked back to Mattar in alarm, only to find him slowly disappearing, waving goodbye. There was a final pull and Suni's eyes snapped open.
**********
Harlan, Catalina, Suzee, and Elmira spoke at length with the little Kaesar, Spek. They locked themselves in Harlan's small office and learned everything they could about the Kaesar. According to Spek, the invasion began because Jesek came into command of the Kaesar. He decided to reclaim the ancient land of the Kaesar, which included almost every planet the Spung had seized during the past millennia. Jesek mobilized his fleet and began to attack with the intention of wiping out the Spung and liberating the planets back into the Kaesar.
"Didn't Jesek realize that any Kaesar that had inhabited these planets were long dead?" Suzee asked.
Spek shook his head. "I suppose not." He spoke in Basic so they would all understand.
"Do you think we can negotiate with him?" Catalina asked.
"No," Spek answered. "Kaesar are stubborn and now that he has the Spung Homeworld, he will not surrender."
"What can we do?" Suzee sighed.
"We must fight," Elmira said. "I must free my Homeworld and my people. We must chase them back to wherever they came from."
"Where did you come from?" Harlan questioned.
"Through a big white hole," Spek answered. "Jesek said it would lead us to our ancestral home. It brought us here."
Harlan sat back in his chair. "So this isn't even the right system. The Spung have always been here."
"This is not our home?" Spek asked.
Catalina shook her head. "The White Circle brought you to a random part of the galaxy. It had no way of knowing where your ancestral home is."
Spek seemed depressed. "We must tell Jesek," he said. "The Kaesar are noble and do not want to reclaim something we have no claim on."
"But how do we prove that this is not Kaesar land?" Suzee said. "I think this Jesek will want proof."
"Legend says that the ancestral home makes an image of our greatest leader when see from space," Spek said. He left his seat and ran to the small window that revealed the planet where the floating Spung Homeworld was situated. "I don't see him."
"That should be proof," Cat said enthusiastically.
Spek nodded and Harlan led the way from his office. He ordered his crew to hail the Kaesar ship. As the face of an angry Kaesar soldier appeared, Harlan pushed Spek forward so he could explain.
Spek began to speak rapidly in the Kaesar dialect. Harlan and the others stood behind him, hoping that this plan would work. Spek gestured to the planet and to the image of the Kaesar. The soldier blinked a few times and cut the transmission. Spek turned back to his friends.
"I believe that they will withdraw," Spek said. "Jesek apologizes for the invasion. He believed himself to be a liberator fighting against invaders. You can understand."
Elmira said nothing, but Harlan came forward. "As long as we never see them in this part of space again, we can forgive."
"But we'll never forget," Elmira added.
Spek bowed respectfully. "I understand. I have one favour to ask. May I stay with your UPP? I have no place among the Kaesar."
Harlan smiled. "Of course. We'll put you in the Starcademy when we return to the SOL system."
Spek bowed again and grinned happily. On the view screen, the massive Kaesar ships began to depart.
"That seemed too easy," Suzee remarked. "Why give up all that they have taken because they were mistaken?"
"It is not our way to be aggressors," Spek replied. "I know that we have come off that way to you, but we are really a peaceful nation. No doubt Jesek will be removed from office upon returning home and a new king will be elected."
The last of the Kaesar warships blasted into hyperspace and Harlan turned to Spek.
"Welcome to the UPP."
**********
Radu paced in his room. After learning that Elmira was on board, he refused to leave his quarters. He did not want to see her again.
Now that the Kaesar threat was over, Radu decided to return to his ship and sail the stars again. This time, he amended, he would return to visit his friends. Perhaps he would dimension travel with Suzee for a while. There was an infinite number of possibilities now that he was absolved of his crimes.
The door chime rang and Radu called for the person to enter. He regretted the decision as soon as he saw Elmira standing in the doorway.
"Your Majesty," he said stiffly.
"Radu," Elmira replied. "What happened to us?"
"There is no us," Radu said shortly. "You married Kairn, didn't tell me, and I left. You broke my heart."
"I'm sorry," Elmira apologized, "but I had no choice. It was part of the arrangement I made to secure my throne. Everything is different now."
"Why is that?"
"Kairn is dead," Elmira said. "His ship was destroyed in the fight against the Kaesar. I didn't love him, but I respected him. He will be missed."
"I'd be lying if I told you I was sorry," Radu said harshly.
Elmira sat down and Radu glared at her from where he stood. "We need to work this out, Radu. Can't you trust me?"
"Never again," Radu replied.
"Our destiny is to be together," Elmira pleaded. "Remember on the Christa?"
"An act," Radu dismissed the prediction. "There is nothing left to say."
Elmira rose to her feet and walked to where Radu stood. He didn't move, but looked distinctly uncomfortable as he approached.
"I didn't love Kairn," Elmira said. "I love you. If you had stayed, I would have kept you as my Lord Protector and we would have been together. Kairn didn't care what I did. I never once shared his bed, nor did he ask me to. It was a business relationship for the past twenty years and I'm lonely."
Radu looked down into her eyes and saw that she spoke true. He closed his own eyes and sighed.
"What do you want to do?" he asked.
"Come to the Spung Homeworld with me," Elmira said. "Help us rebuild and maybe you could become the next Spung Warlord."
Radu looked away from her. "I don't know if I can."
"Please try," Elmira begged. "It's all I ask."
Radu licked his lips and nodded. Elmira hugged him, but he didn't return the embrace. She thanked him and left the room.
**********
Suni sat in one of the beds in the medlab. Her ribs were bandaged and she was slowly getting feeling in her right arm. Her mother had told her she had lost a lot of blood and it was a miracle she survived at all. Suni said it was no miracle, but a good doctor.
Rosie walked into the medlab to prepare for the evening shift. She had taken the night shift every day since Suni had been brought in to stay close to her daughter.
"Mom?" Suni asked.
Rosie came over. "Yes, honey?"
"What happened to Mattar?"
Rosie was taken aback. "How did you hear about him."
"He told me, when I was dying, he came to me and helped me through it. He's my Guarding Spirit, like Aunt Catalina always says."
Rosie pulled up a chair and sat next to her daughter's bed. "Mattar was a dear friend of mine," she said. "We met him and Clito after we had gotten home from our adventures on the Christa. He died saving me from Warlord Shett."
The door slid open and a silhouetted form stood hesitantly in the doorway. Rosie motioned for the person to enter and he did. Suni saw it was the Andromedan her mother spoke about so often.
"Suni, this is Radu," Rosie said simply.
Radu bowed his head and smiled. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Likewise."
"I was just telling her about Mattar," Rosie said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Like the time he and Bova almost killed each other?" Radu said.
Suni sat up straighter. "He almost killed Dad?"
Rosie laughed.
"This is what happened," Radu said.
The trio spoke well into the night, reliving old memories and new ones, content to be where they were. Outside, the dark stars twinkled like they had twenty years ago, when a group of misfit kids snuck on board an alien ship.