A Study In Solar

Chapter 10

Edited for grammar and content

Because of all the typos in the original I've reposted an edited version without all the typing mistakes. The extra chapter is to break up the story into more manageable bite sized chunks.


"I knew you'd see reason and come back with me," Sergey leered at Lestrade, who was strapped into her seat.

The shuttle cleared from the bay and rose up into the pink sky, which turning into purple and fiery red as the sun was set. Lestrade shivered at the symbolism, feeling like the sun was setting on her chances of being free of this man.

"Don't flatter yourself," Lestrade snapped. "I only came with you to stop you from doing something even more stupid."

"I will prove to you that we belong together malishka," Sergey insisted.

He gunned the throttle and sending the craft up quickly in altitude. Glancing out the front, she could see the ground receding, and the domes of Lowell city only a tiny set of toys. Soon they drifted out of sight as he headed across the terminator into night.

"How?" she asked. "You've kidnapped an officer of the law, and you're facing multiple charges!"

"Rosschild was an idiot. I did not know he would try to destroy the city generators. That was why I cam to the hotel to see if you had survived. To see if you were all right," Sergey explained.

"Fine way to show your concern," she gritted. "What's in this for you?"

"You, back for one thing," he answered, and she shivered in fear. "And a lot of money from insurance settlements and a tidy sum for trade."

"Why?" she asked.

"My parents business is flagging. Solar power is threatening to outdo hydrogen fusion. My father has a major stake in that, which cannot be pushed aside by these flimsy toys of the rich… so what better than to undermine solar shipping?"

"So you're trying to ruin solar shipping? Why destroy the Wallace?" Lestrade demanded.

"Rosschild wanted to claim the insurance for himself. When I found out you were on the ship I sent the very team that rescued you and your detective. I saved your lives… from the one who masterminded this scheme," laughed Sergey.

"Who was it Sergey… if you tell me, I'll put in a good word for you," Lestrade offered.

"I think not, Malishka," he laughed. "You're never need to know their identity."

"You're impossible… you know what they'll do to you when they catch us?" Lestrade gasped. She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut at the scenario running worst case through her brain.

"When we leave with millions of credits, and I make the necessary changes to our DNA and use false Ids, we can hide anywhere… in the Solar System," Sergey chuckled. He pointed to the forward viewport, with a sweep of his hand.

Glancing where he indicated Lestradesaw the two moons of Mars. They weremere asteroids pockmarked with multiple craters, slowly orbiting cross the path. Sergey halted the drive, and drifted on inertia alone toward the closer moon. Up from the sunlit surface she saw a gleaming flash, and saw it was a docking cradle.

Expertly Sergey maneuvered the ship on thrusters to land inside, and lock against the clamps. Slowly the cradle sank into the black dust covered surface. As the trap door closed overhead, she felt as if she was descending into hell itself.

"Welcome to my hideaway… which will be the place of our consummation," he said wistfully. He reached over and unclipped her belt, while training the gun on her.

He then instructed, "Get up; slowly… there is artificial gravity on the ship, and in the base. Nothing but the best for us."

"All right, whatever you say," Lestrade swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt a sinking sensation that she might never see her friends or family again. Not to mention Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

She reluctantly got up, seeing the sonic blaster aimed at her chest. He pushed her ahead of him, walking her into the back of the ship, and the door opened onto a transparent tube leading away from a docking hanger. The gravity under their feet was almost Earth normal, and she wondered how much it cost to keep the field going.

Down a long hallway illuminated with pale blue lights they marched, till a round hatch opened onto a large chamber. Lights flashed on, and she gasped to see the sizable cavern, hewn out of the asteroid's heart. A bank of screens occupied one far wall, and she noticed passages winding out from the main room.

Just ahead was an entryway, which ended in a sumptuous sitting room with walnut coffee table, Persian rugs and overstuffed sofa and armchairs. Moving her into one of the armchairs, he fished out handcuffs and latched her into place. He also latched her legs together with a second pair, and stood across from her.

"There you will sit and think about your choices," he said finally. "I shall be back."

Lestrade struggled against the cuffs as Sergey wandered over to the bank of screens and computer terminals. It looked like the central record station of New Scotland Yard, with at least three terminals. He punched up various views including a rangefinder, and screens showing multiple approach vectors.

"You'll be sorry that you did this," Lestrade said.

"Who will be here to find you?" he laughed.


Meanwhile, Holmes and Watson tensely flew towards the source of the ion trail. Watson announced,"The trail ends here, according to my sensors."

"That must be Phobos," Holmes muttered, trying to access his recent study of astronomy.

"Accessing… there is no record of any habitation currently on Phobos, although an operational science station exists on Deimos. There was one built ten years ago here, but it was abandoned."

"Not so abandoned apparently," Holmes said gravely. He unclipped his seat belt and walked to the back of the craft. "Take us as close as you can Watson."

"Be careful, Holmes," Watson urged.

He maneuvered the craft closer. Then Watson pressed buttons to activate the jammer, a device very similar to that which Rossini had used. Holmes worked his way into the space suit, and approached the air lock. Watson put the ship into drift mode as they rounded the dark side of the asteroid moon.

"If I'm not back in a half hour, come after me." Holmes urged him. "But be wary… we may well be detected by now."

"Make sure you know what you're doing… I don't like you going in alone."

"Someone has to alert the authorities," Holmes said. "You're my second… should anything go wrong."

Watson opened the door to the airlock, and Holmes stepped in, swinging his visor down. The door clanged shut, and a few moments later the air pressurized to the vacuum of space.

As Holmes watched the outer door slide open, he gasped at the myriad stars burning in a velvet black sky. The limb of Mars obscured the lower half of his view, swirling with dust storms. He fired an air compressor gun and it shot a dart towards the surface of the moon, trailing a rope behind. Clipping one end to his suit, he pulled himself along the tether, while having most of the slack attached to the ship.

Closer and closer the moon approached, till he saw its black powder covered surface. The small detector in his other hand flickered to the ion trail's source. Carefully he pulled himself along the surface of the moon, watching the detector for any sign of an entrance. Black dust kicked up, and he weighed only a few measly ounces. Only the special pitons on his boots kept him from launching himself into orbit with a misplaced step.


"The fools think they can sneak up on me?" Lernov laughed as a beeping alerted him to the ship's presence.

"Probably someone who got lost," Lestrade said weakly, as she felt her resistance fading.

"Nepradva li," said Sergey, punching buttons of the various views on his tracker. A clear blip was visible, though the cameras showed only a blurring static.

"They've found you. You might as well give up now," Lestrade said with a slight smile.

"It will do them no good," Lernov said gravely. "They cannot help you now… if they are no longer around to do so.

"What are you doing?" Lestrade gasped, as he punched more buttons, and she noticed crosshairs focusing on the small ping. "No! Don't do it!"

Lernov focused in, and held his hand over the button. With a slow smile he pressed the flat switch, and Lestrade saw a beam stream across the visual scanner. A bright blinding flash lit up the screen for a moment, and Lestrade felt her heart suddenly crack from grief. Numbness spread over her body after the pain, and she ground her teeth in sheer anger and rage.

"Murderer!" she screamed. Sergey wandered over, approaching her as she thrashed in her chair, eyes blue fire piercing him.

"You see, stay with me, and live. If you try to escape, or if anyone tries to come and take you away, they will be as easily dealt with as these unfortunate souls," he shook his head, reaching for her cheek.

She jerked her head away, closing her eyes tightly. How could she face a life with Sergey on the run with Holmes, one of the few bright spots of hope in this mess suddenly extinguished in an instant?

"Oh god no!" she gasped.

"Ya she govoril. Do you not see that you belong to me?" Sergey asked, grabbing her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze.

"No… never!" she spat in his face.

"You should be nice to me… otherwise I may lose my temper. I have been patient," he said as he raised his hand and was about to bring it across her face.

"She was never yours for the past two years, and she most certainly is not yours now!" shouted a voice that Lestrade thought she never would hear again. Lernov's head snapped up as he gazed at the figure wearing a long Inverness and hat he'd sworn he'd seen before.

"Chert! You… I saw you destroyed!" he shook his head. "What does it take to get RID of you?"

"The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated," Holmes said as he advanced on them. "Now… step away from the lady, very slowly, or suffer the consequences of your unspeakable acts…"

"I grew tired of this game… Detective," Sergey gritted, backing away from Lestrade. She smiled up at him, through her tears, relief in her eyes. His blue gaze met hers, anger and concern clearly there in his face, and outrage for what had been done.

"So do I!" said Holmes.

"Look out he's got a gun!" Lestrade shrieked, as Sergey covered Holmes and fired. He dodged to the side as the sonic beam crashed and caused the sofa to explode.

"You're quick, Detective… but that will not save you," Sergey taunted, eyes gleaming with the thrill of the fight.

"Only a coward would hide behind a gun… and fight an uneven battle," Holmes called out. "Are you man enough to face me without your toys?"

"Man enough to deal with you," Sergey gritted, tossing the gun aside.

He advanced on Holmes, who held his cane in defensive posture. Both men circled, staring each other down. Lestrade glanced anxiously around the room, feeling anger at her helplessness. Like it or not, he would fight for her.

Sergey attacked first, swinging a right cross at Holmes. He dodged out of the way, and moved to the left. Sergey then changed his tactics, sweeping out his foot to try and trip the Detective.

Holmes simply leapt over the leg sweep, and swung a quick swipe that connected with Sergey's cheek. It was but a bee sting as Sergey's left jab thrust forwards and Holmes easily blocked it with his right hand. Holding the cane before him in both hands, he shoved it towards Sergey, who backed away, and then turned on his toe to launch a roundhouse kick. Holmes ducked under the swath, and snagged Sergey's other foot with the crook of his cane, and then landed a punch to his solar plexus. Surprised, Sergey was momentarily winded.

His next punch connected with Holmes' shoulder, and the detective sent his fist cracking into Sergey's face, point blank. Blood dribbled from his nose as another punch, with the brunt of the cane snapped into his jaw. The Russian soldier thrust his hand forwards, while holding his nose, and Holmes barely moved out the way in time. The shot from Sergey's palm grazed his cheek, and knocked him off balance. His cane swung and landed in Sergey's chest, but was brushed easily aside. Another punch winded Holmes in the chest, and he staggered back, holding his stomach.

"You can't hope to win… I'm stronger and faster…neprdva li?" Sergey panted. Compared to Holmes, the Russian was hardly breaking a sweat.

"Perhaps not!" Holmes shouted as he leapt up onto the coffee table.

Sergey leaned down and flipped it up. Holmes again jumped, and launched himself on the edge of the table as it crashed over, and flipped over Sergey's head. Before he could react, he dropped the cane, held in both hands before Sergey's neck, and yanked backwards, using his own weight to put pressure on his windpipe.

Sergey gasped as Holmes pulled back on the cane, and hooked the breath while he grabbed it and tried to throw him over his shoulders. Lestrade hopped and dragged her chair across the room hoping to get to the control panel as the two fought. She rocked till the chair crashed on its side and the sonic blaster was within her reach.

"Now we end this," Sergey leered. With a last burst of strength he flipped Holmes over his shoulders and slammed him into the far wall. Dazedly Holmes shook his head and Sergey advanced upon him, cracking his knuckles.

Lestrade desperately closed her hand around the gun's handle, and jammed it into an upright position. Holmes couldn't center his concentration, and his body ached as he saw Sergey advancing on him. Time seemed to stand still. As Sergey came within two feet of Holmes, Lestrade squeezed the trigger, hoping her angle was high enough to save Holmes.

"It ends now you monster," she gritted.

Sergey clutched his stomach, groaning as his insides churned from the force of the sonic blast. It seemed as if the pit of his gut was on fire, and spread all over his body. His legs buckled and he crashed to the floor, not far from where Holmes lay.

Slowly Holmes crawled over to where Lestrade lay on her side, realizing that the blast had come from her. She let the gun fall out of her hand, and lay limp, closing her eyes. Letting her body finally collapse into weariness, she let herself cry.


"Scotland yard!" shouted Watson's familiar voice. Sergey moaned and lay on his side, unable to stand up.

"Arrest that man!" Holmes cried as he reached Lestrade. "He's one of the perpetrators!"

Watson rushed over and aimed his stun ray, bathing Sergey in a red glow that subdued him. Taking out a pair of cuffs from his utility cache he flipped the criminal on his belly and cuffed his hands behind his back. "Good Lord Holmes what happened?"

"Lestrade… it's all right," Holmes whispered.

The Detectivecaught the key Watson tossed him and slowly unlocked Lestrade's cuffs. She rolled out of the chair and collapsed into his arms, hugging him tightly. Holmes held her close, his eyes shutting as he did not want to let her go. Watson rushed over to where they huddled on the floor, and leaned over them both in concern.

"I think we had best leave him for the authorities," he said. "Are you two all right?"

"We're safe and well," Holmes panted, shaking his head. "But that's more than I can say for that unspeakable abomination."

"I'd best take a look at you both. Your body temperatures are plunging below normal… most likely shock."

"Watson, I was never so glad to see you in my life," Lestrade gulped as she quivered against Holmes. With Watson's help, they both stood up shakily, leaning on one another. It was over… at long last. Or was it? There was still one more collaborator out there, and Holmes hated loose ends.