Red Star Sheriff Chapter Eighteen ~The Calm Before The Storm ~ Part Two: Story Time With Tim

Here we go with Act Three of my first MAJOR novel that I self-published a few years ago! I’ll be posting the whole work here with links to where you can find the novel on sale, to read completely, and author pages to check out all the other work I have available out there! Feel free to support the cause! Or just enjoy all the free reads I’m giving you. No worries. No hate. Just continue coming back and reading my work! I am Timothy Scott Purvis and THIS is Story Time With Tim!

Red Star Sheriff is a work inspired by several sources. First off, it is a sort of light homage to the Dark Tower series written by Stephen King. It doesn’t go overboard with the inferences, but the travails of a lead character who isn’t very emotional overall lends the weight to a protagonist who will go out of her way to get the job done. Secondly, this work was initially inspired by the video game series, Wild Arms. I had once considered this sort of an anime’ in literary form. A high octane lead character driven to become the best gunslinger in the solar system. Third, and definitely not least, I drew significant inspiration for overarching details from the show Westworld.

Many elements came together to make this work what it is. It is a long story coming in at just under 190 thousand words in total. Yet, it is a quick read, if I do say so myself with a lot of intense action and interesting characters. I’ll post links below for where to find this novel in its complete form so feel free to support the cause and check them out. I will also include links for prior chapters and postings throughout this venture so that it will be easy to keep pace of where the story has been so that the reader can keep up with the story.

Anyhow, Aidele Wilson is the lead protagonist. Her father was murdered so the story starts out with a quest for revenge. Then, a journal he’d written becomes the focus of a fast paced journey across the Wastelands trying to evade Union soldiers who want the journal for what lies within its pages: key technology specs that will alter the balance of power in all of the colonies.

Thanks for reading and read to you again next week! See you then.

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ACT ONE

RSS Chapter One Part One, RSS Chapter One Part Two, RSS Chapter Two Part One, RSS Chapter Two Part Two, RSS Chapter Two Part Three, RSS Chapter Two Part Four, RSS Chapter Two Part Five, RSS Chapter Three Part One, RSS Chapter Three Part Two, RSS Chapter Four Part One, RSS Chapter Four Part Two, RSS Chapter Four Part Three, RSS Chapter Five Part One, RSS Chapter Five Part Two, RSS Chapter Six Part One, RSS Chapter Six Part Two, RSS Chapter Seven Part One, RSS Chapter Seven Part Two

ACT TWO

RSS Chapter Eight Part One, RSS Chapter Eight Part Two, RSS Chapter Nine Part One, RSS Chapter Nine Part Two, RSS Chapter Ten, RSS Chapter Eleven Part One, RSS Chapter Eleven Part Two, RSS Chapter Eleven Part Three, RSS Chapter Twelve Part One, RSS Chapter Twelve Part Two, RSS Chapter Twelve Part Three, RSS Chapter Thirteen

ACT THREE

RSS Chapter Fourteen Part One, RSS Chapter Fourteen Part Two, RSS Chapter Fifteen Part One, RSS Chapter Fifteen Part Two, RSS Chapter Sixteen Part One, RSS Chapter Sixteen Part Two, RSS Chapter Seventeen Part One, RSS Chapter Seventeen Part Two, RSS Chapter Eighteen Part One

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RED STAR SHERIFF: ACT THREE: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN~THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM~ PART TWO

#

AIDELE CAME TO a stop in the middle of the foyer, scowling so hard it hurt her jaw. It was impossible to fathom let alone accept. How could the Council ignore the evidence, turn a blind eye to how everything was interconnected? How could they not see that a Union assassin was sent to murder one of their senators? How could they refuse to act unless there was a vote on the matter? It was positively ludicrous. Durante came to a stop next to her and she kept her gaze firmly fixed on the floor, fists clenched.

  “How can they be so damn blind?” her voice so low Durante had to inch closer. “How can they be so… unwilling to act?”

  “Price you pay for freedom, I guess.” She lifted her gaze to him and he raised his hands as if to ward off a punch. “The Council regards individual independence so highly it’s willing to stand back on matters such as these. Let the local authorities make the determination of best course of action. Unless there’s a consensus among the civilian populace that it’s an issue needing addressed. In the Union, you’re well cared for. Hell, I don’t even think there are any homeless people. But the cost there is absolute fealty to the Union and individual freedoms are limited to what the government tells you they are. One time, I wanted to take a day trip to the Philadelphia Americas Amusement Park and I was told that there was a three-month waiting list and that I’d need a state’s visitor pass first before I could even be added to the list. Just for a day out. I went to a movie instead. Less paperwork.”

  Aidele pursed her lips, her demeanor a darker seriousness. “And… did you swear fealty to the Union?”

  “Oh… Uh… actually, funny story. As soon as you’re a Union citizen for longer than six-months, they send you a summons to appear before the High Court. You kneel on one knee and swear to honor the Union until you die.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess there was an oversight with regards to me, because, in the ten years I served the Union and lived there, I never once received a summons. Soon as I got my masters, they had me onboard science vessels and frigates working out technical solutions to burning problems. This last tour was the first time I’ve ever served aboard a dreadnought. Given the Invicta is a capital ship, you would’ve thought they’d noticed I’d yet to swear fealty.”

  “And if you’d taken that oath, what would happen if you broke it?”

  “Well, typically you can’t live longer than six-months in the Union without swearing fealty. No one ever said anything to me, but if they’d found out and I refused to swear fealty, I’d have been forever banished. If I’d already sworn fealty and betrayed that oath, there’s only one punishment: execution.”

  “Execution!?” Aidele brushed the back of her hand across her forehead. “That’s a bit… extreme, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Yeah,” Durante laughed. “Guess it’s a good thing I’ve never sworn fealty.

  Grandfather walked up to them and gave a shallow smile. He’d been standing back, looking over the holopanel interface for information Aidele assumed, and probably giving them a moment to converse.

  Or maybe just trying to work out his own emotions over the whole sordid affair… Generally, Grandfather was quite jovial. Now, he seemed lost in a deep despair.

  “I’m sorry, Aidele,” he started. “I swear, I thought the Council would find this important enough to act on. Now that an assassin attempted to murder one of their own. It would seem I was sorely mistaken. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. A republic with democratic ideals is only strong when it stands in the face of a threat to those ideals. And Hinon has never been challenged like this before. Therefore, I ask you, will you act upon Durante’s suggestion? Go after Berricks ourselves?”

  “I…” Aidele looked up to him, then to Durante, and found herself wandering in circles just taking in the foyer as if she’d never really looked at it before. “I don’t know… I don’t know that we have a choice. No one seems inclined to want to deal with Berricks and his soldiers. It’s only a matter of time before they invade, I fear. I can feel it.”

  “Spirits forgive me,” Grandfather said prompting Aidele to stop and stare at him. “Should the Union bring the rest of their dreadnoughts to bear, I fear our defense forces would be no match for them.”

  “If we attempt to take the Invicta, do you think we can stop the Union before they can begin such an invasion? Or do you think it’d be a hopeless endeavor?”

  Grandfather frowned. “I… really don’t have an answer for you, Aidele. I wouldn’t even know how to infiltrate their dreadnought let alone how to prevent an invasion without military technology and intervention.”

  “If it’s only Berricks in charge of this insurrection, as I suspect,” Durante added calmly, “then disabling the Invicta could stave off any potential military responses from the Union. It would buy us time, as well as Hinon, to discover the total truth of the matter.”

  “That’s true,” Aidele replied crossing her arms, “but even if that’s the case, how do we get onboard the Invicta? As Nielson said, only their shuttles can penetrate their defensive shielding. Even if the waverider can make the hop up to orbit, how would we handle that prospect?”

  Grandfather looked thoughtful for a moment as a silence fell across the group. “Perhaps what we need to focus on first is finding backup in moving forward with any plans.”

  “And who would you recommend is crazy enough to follow me up to space?” Aidele raised a brow.

  “Why, Ms. Lynch and Mr. Polk, of course. Didn’t you say they’re still in town?” Grandfather asked.

  Aidele frowned. “Yeah… but I really don’t want to take them away from their kids. They’ve only just now been reunited and it’s bad enough their daughter is in the hospital.”

  “It doesn’t necessarily have to mean they come with us to orbit, I don’t suppose. But they’re crafty people and may have some insight on how to tackle our overbearing issue.”

  “Maybe. It couldn’t hurt, I don’t guess. So, right now, we need to figure out how to board the Invicta and what we’re going to do once we get there.” Aidele rubbed a hand across her face.

  “I think the most logical thing to do would be to take the Invicta’s operation systems offline. Remove it from the arsenal of Berricks grip,” Durante said looking sullen.

  Aidele cocked a brow and watched him closely. “Brazen suggestion, Mr. Weiss. Made twice in a row now no less. In such a hurry to alienate your masters in the Union?”

  He sighed. “Aidele, you see everything in black and white. Never the subtleties that bind civilization together. I’m not taking sides, if that’s what you expect. I’m not bending any knee or swearing any fealty. I’m a scientist, damnit! I went through the Academy to be an engineer. To make people’s lives easier. To help better humanity. Not choose who lives or dies. Berricks means to start a war. We can’t let him. I know you believe it’s the Union. I just can’t afford that line of reasoning. If that turns out to be the case, then, well, what was it all for? What did Professor Wilson spend his life developing new technologies to ease the burdens of everyday life accomplish? Certainly, it wasn’t to wage war despite working for the defense department! What was the point of Hinon seeking independence if it’s only going to wind back up under Union control? What was the point in expanding out into the solar system, if we’re just going to hand the keys back to a maniac?” Durante started pacing. “Ugh. I know. Nothing I’m saying makes any sense. None of it makes sense! Why would one man seek so much power for himself? Why would one nation seek dominion over all others? Why all the violence, all the suffering, all the chaos, when we can all benefit from your father’s technology!? Sometimes, human beings defy all logic…”

  Aidele gently placed a hand on his arm and he stopped pacing to look at her. His eyes were moist and he looked as frightened as she’d yet seen him. But he was determined now. That much she was certain of.

  He continued, “I don’t understand it, Aidele. And I don’t want to understand it. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done to stave off conflict. To preserve lives. Protect the people who’ve meant something in my life. Yeah, I’m an idiot. I’m sure you’re thinking it, and you’re right. However, I need you to understand something. I’ll help you. But should we get up there, should we find a way in… Please, Aidele, those people onboard… They might be Union scientists but they’re good people. People with families, and dreams, and ambitions. People just trying to get by in an existence that increasingly favors the powerful over the compassionate. You… you’re powerful. A survivor. But, you’re also compassionate. Those scientists… they’re not your enemy. Sure, some of them are pricks. I can think of a few off the top of my head. However, they joined the Union ranks because they believe they can make a difference for everyone across Sol. Just… keep that in mind, would you?”

  Aidele was unable to speak for a moment. The truth was, she hadn’t considered the innocent crew onboard. People who likely were forced to bend the knee to the Union. People who believed in a future free from pain and chaos. And she supposed protecting them was her responsibility. Something her mother would have done without a doubt. And still her shadow hangs over me. Not to blind me, but to allow me to be better able to see for the blinding ugly light of tyranny…

  She shook her head and offered up a smile that felt puzzling even to herself considering their conversation. “I swear, Durante. My only target is Berricks. However, I hope you can understand this: should his soldiers make a fight of it, I’m fightin’ back.”

  Durante nodded in a slow, methodical fashion. “Fair enough.”

  Grandfather stepped forward and rubbed Durante’s shoulder. “I think it’s past time we returned home.”

  “That apartment doesn’t feel like home. At least, not yet,” Aidele replied. “However, you two should head back. I’ll go to the hospital. Talk to Asta. Perhaps with all our heads together, we’ll figure something out.”

  They started back down the stairwell and towards the zipcoach hub out front. Grandfather cleared his throat about halfway down.

  “Just do me a favor, Aidele. Try not to get into anymore gunfights.”

  “No promises there,” she offered up a wry twist of her lips. “Not sure if you noticed or not, but trouble has a real nasty habit of finding me.”

#

“HOPE I STILL have a job when Senator Sonoros gets back,” Amelia sighed hobbling along, still getting used to the plasma brace around her thigh. “Would have been nice for him to make sure I was all right, though. I did put my neck on the line for him, after all. Could have gone home. Should have gone home. But, oh no, Ifelt dutybound to get him out of his pickle. But, I ain’t mad.”

  Her father pat her on her back while her mother gritted her teeth in that way of hers when she wanted to put a real hurting on a person.

  “Ta hell wit’ that cowardly sumbitch!” her mother scowled as they walked down the hospital corridor. “Ya jus’ come home wit’ us’n we’ll take care o’ya!”

  Amelia paused and looked up to her mom with a smile. “Mom, I can’t go tearing off back to the Wastelands. I have a life here.”

  Her mother frowned. “Some life. Playin’ filly ta some smarmy senator who was gonna fire ya fer protectin’ his ass. Ah say ta hell wit’ all these huuks! Ain’ nothin’ but a waste o’breath! Shoot ever’ last one o’em given half a chance!”

  “Mom, please listen. This is my home. Curt’s home too. I know I love it here.” Amelia sighed. “It might be grimy and a little bit seedy, but by serving in the Senatorial Chambers, I can work my way up to a position where maybe I can even get a place on Earth.”

  Her mother guffawed. “Who in their gawddamn right mind would want ta live on Earth!?”

  “Are you suggesting I’m not in my right mind?”

  The grin on her mother’s face was almost feral. “Well, ya did leap outtuva window on the ninety-seventh floor, sweetie.”

  Amelia waved her off and started walking again. “Yeah, yeah.”

  A chuckle issued forth from her father and brother lagging behind the two of them. Curtis grinned. “I think mom has you there, sis.”

  “I don’t want to hear it from you too.”

  “I agree with you, though,” Curtis said. “I have a lot going on in Tulley’s Peak and around the domains. My job takes me all over. I may even be able to serve on a colonial cruiser someday. All sorts of risks they face!”

  Their father nodded. “Kent fault ya there. Neither o’ya. What say we git these kids back home? Pretty sure the threat is dead now.”

  Their mother chuckled. “Very dead. Probably safe now, ah reckon.”

  “Well, don’t go rushing off just yet,” Amelia paused again and looked from her father to mother. “Why don’t we go out and get something to eat? We hardly see each other anymore.”

  “Ah don’ know, sweetie,” her mother said. “We’re not exactly dressed fer big city eatin’. They’d probably frown’n kick us out second they saw us.”

  Amelia laughed. “I know this rustic little restaurant on the bay that specializes in Wastelander cuisine. Bet they wouldn’t even notice.”

  “What d’ya think?” Her mother looked to their father and saw he was looking past her. He lowered his eyes and jutted his chin beyond.

  Amelia turned to look with her mother too. At the end of the corridor they saw the young Chuhukon woman from before, still wearing her red duster and holding her Grey Lance between both hands. She was standing silently, waiting. For a brief moment, Amelia thought she might be there to check up on her. Then her mother raised a hand to them.

  “Wait here fer a sec.” Then she walked towards the woman.

  The two spoke for several long moments and Amelia saw her mother wearing one of those looks that suggested business was yet concluded and more needed to be done.

  “Damn…” Amelia shook her head fighting the choked sensation in her throat. “Really wish we had just a normal family that didn’t have to run off and get into gunfights all the time.”

  Her father rubbed her back, but said nothing. Her mother soon turned towards them and returned. The Chuhukon woman left. Amelia frowned wondering what was going on and suspecting her parents were leaving them once more. Well, maybe Curt will want to grab some grubbage then.

  Her mother came back. “Looks like we’re gonna hafta postpone that dinner, after all.”

  “What’s going on?” her father inquired.

  “Aidele wants ta powwow ‘bout a certain general,” her mother crossed her arms and forced a smile as she spoke. “We’re gonna take ya two home. An’, ah promise, once we’re done wit’ this business, we’ll come back’n git all dolled up so’s ya ken take us out on the town.”

  “How long will this business take?”

  “Kent say fer sure, Amelia. But hopefully not as long as it sounded.” Her mother exhaled and uncrossed her arms. “Awright, let’s git ya two home. We ken drop ya off first, sweetie. Then take ya back ta Tulley’s, Curt.”

  “If it’s all the same to you guys,” Curtis smiled, “I think I’ll keep an eye on Ami until you two get back. So, we can go straight to her apartment.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter, Curt.”

  Curtis shook his head. “We’ve already been through a lot today. And knowing I had someone looking to kill me… Well, the company would be nice.”

  Amelia smiled and nodded. She understood exactly what he meant. It had been a trying day and maybe having someone to pass the time with until she knew their parents were safe wasn’t such a bad idea. “Okay. Maybe I could use some company too.”

  Their mother chuckled. “Show us where yer apartment is then.”

  Amelia grinned and led the way.

#

AIDELE ANSWERED THE door and found Asta and Drevan waiting. The time display on the back wall said it was half past five. They were early, but that was fine. After getting back, Durante had insisted she sleep some. At first, she resisted. However, as soon as she laid down for maybe a short nap (so she told herself), she’d fallen into a deep sleep. That was probably just after ten. And she’d only been up for the last fifteen minutes, demonstrating how much she’d needed that sleep. Still, she was exhausted. They still didn’t have a plan of attack and Aidele hoped Asta and Drevan had some ideas because that feeling of being out of time was stronger than ever. There was a sense that, if they didn’t put Berricks down soon, they’d all be Union folk by the weekend and expected to swear fealty to their president.

  “Hey, welcome to my humble abode,” Aidele said gesturing for them to enter. They stepped inside still wearing their Wastelander gear making her feel out of place in a pair of dress pants and a scrunchy blouse she’d found in her father’s closet. Apparently, her mother had a stash of every article of clothing wherever she’d went.

  “Awright,” Asta started coming to a stop just inside. Drevan looked around the apartment common room like he’d never seen anything so fancy in his life. “We’re here. What’s the plan? Storm the ship, kill the fuck?”

  “Well, that’s mah plan. But Grandfather thinks we need something a little more substantial than that,” Aidele grinned at Grandfather where he sat on the couch.

  He flipped through her father’s journal and looked up to raise a brow. “One should never run headlong into a conflict with no idea how to get out of it in one piece.”

  Asta crossed her arms and walked into the center of the room taking in a lay of the place, Drevan right behind her. He stopped upon seeing an easy chair recliner. He walked over to it and there was an audible sigh from him as he sat down with a broad smile and triggered the reclining footrest.

  “This’s a nice chair. Ah need one o’these.” He nodded to himself.

  “Pretty high end, Aidele. How’d ya git it?” Asta’s eyes darted all around the room before settling on Aidele.

  “It was mah father’s. An’ since ah ain’ got nowhere else ta go, ah figure ah ken use it fer a spell. Besides, the Holdings Bureau said it had been bequeathed to me. So, I took it.”

  Asta nodded sagely as Durante entered the room to greet their visitors. He went to shake hands.

  “Hi! I’m Durante! A pleasure to meet you two!”

  Asta gave a slight smile. “Good ta finally meet face ta face. Though, we know who ya are, obviously. What with that whole huntin’ business’n all.”

  “Don’ take us huntin’ ya personal, though,” Drevan said taking the proffered hand into a firm grip. “First, it was only fer the money. Then, well, din’t exactly git a choice in the matter.”

  “Hey, hey, no. I get it. I do. Just glad you guys are on our side now!”

  “Ah’m jus’ doin’ this cuz ah owe…” Asta glanced at Aidele and bit her lower lip. “Ah owe Aidele’s family fer the wrongs ah brought ‘em.”

  “Well, for right now, we’re just discussing what our options are. Not looking to take you away from your family and wrong them in the process,” Aidele responded.

  Asta shook her head. “We got yer back, Aidele. Our children gonna be fine, no matter what we decide here. They got good heads on their shoulders’n more smarts’n us at their age. Sides, we owe the general our personal attention after the hospitality he done already showed us.”

  “Ayup,” Drevan leaned forward and retracted the footrest. “Yer gonna need extra guns, ‘sides. Both Asta’n ah are as eager as you ta settle the score. Jus’ tell us what the plan is’n we’ll ride right ‘long side ya.”

  “That’s something we’re still trying to work out,” Aidele frowned walking around the couch. “What we know is that the Council won’t acknowledge the activities of the Union… Berricks…” She glanced at Durante briefly. “Which leaves us with no help officially. However, they’ve made it known they’re not going to stand in the way of Wasteland Justice.”

  “Well, that’s right kind o’em,” Asta grimaced.

  “Yeah. And that little fracas last night? Didn’t phase ‘em one bit. Said it was obviously a case o’self-defense and left it at that.”

  A hissing gasp escaped Drevan’s lips. “Yer shittin’ me? Gunfight in their own halls’n they ain’ concerned?”

  “Not in the least. Said it was our business,” Aidele shook her head.

  “We’re getting sidetracked by the Council’s complacency,” Grandfather put in. “We need to address Berricks soon, or cry off and let it be.”

  “So, what’re ya sayin’?” Asta asked perplexed.

  “We basically got tonight ta figure this out or it ain’ happenin’,” Aidele responded solemnly.

  Drevan cursed and Asta growled. “There ain’ no way we gonna come up wit’ sumtin’ over night! Uh uhn. Ya got our help, Aidele. But… ah mean, are ya hopin’ we’s got ideas? Cuz, ah ken tells ya, we’re more the ‘shoot-first, ask-questions-later’ sorta people. Yer momma was the idear plotter.”

  “Our hunts were usually almost always straight forward affairs,” Drevan nodded. “Mirra always made things so much easier when it came ta bringin’ in our quarry. …Ah miss those days.”

  Aidele frowned and glanced at Grandfather. “We were hopin’ ya might know where we ken get a hold o’a Union shuttle. It’s the only thing that can penetrate the force field around the Invicta.”

  “Bad news, darlin’,” Asta gave a sympathetic look, “both shuttles we came to the labs in were destroyed when the labs went down. Not sure if’n they gots anymore anywhere else. If’n so, ah reckon none o’us gonna find it in time.”

  Drevan leaned back and rubbed his cleanshaven chin. “Mirra always was fond o’lurin’ prey out. Maybe there’s sumtin’ we ken convince ole Mr. General Berricks ta come on down’n sit fer a spell wit’. Course, not sure how that gits us on the Invicta. ‘Less we jus’ surrender ta ‘im. Dangerous that one, though.”

  “Ah thought about it,” Aidele mumbled. “Only thing I can think of offerin’ up is the waverider. But that’s a huge gamble to be playing, too.”

  “The journal,” Durante added. Everyone turned to look at him including Grandfather, who didn’t seem surprised it was being brought up.

  Aidele cocked her chin towards him. “Go on then. Whatchou thinkin’?”

  “Well, while you were sleeping, Garret and I were talking our options over. We figure, if we offer up the journal, the first thing Berricks was after, maybe we can lure him down to the surface.”

  “Still leaves how we git on board the Invicta,” Drevan said.

  “Well, I’ve been thinking that over, too. So, if you’ll bear with me, I’ll lay out what I think we can do.” Everyone nodded. Aidele and Asta stood near one another, neither sitting down. Grandfather leaned back waiting to hear Durante’s big plan. And Drevan leaned forward once more in anticipation. “Okay, then. Here’s what we should expect compiled with what we already know. Berricks is aware of the fact we found the gravitic core. Has to be since his soldiers were sent after us at the labs. You don’t send an entire regiment for just a book. You have to know what you’re after is there. So, the journal alone might not be enough, but it’ll make him curious. Cautious as well. He won’t know if we’re alive or not, providing he’s been informed that the labs were destroyed.

  “What we also know is that Nielson is dead. What we don’t know is if the general’s aware of that yet or not. It happened just last night, after all. We also don’t know if Nielson spilled the beans that we’re in town. We have to conclude that he didn’t given his final conflict with you and Ms. Lynch. Therefore, we have a wild card in play. He knows Nielson’s dead. He doesn’t know Nielson’s dead. Either way, it’s an in.”

  “How d’ya figure?” Asta asked, her face showing how intently she was listening.

  “Well, let’s make a supposition here. The labs were destroyed while Nielson was sent to kill Senator Sonoros. That means two loose ends are potentially tied off. He doesn’t know we escaped and he doesn’t know Nielson failed in his mission. We’re going to use that to play a very close game of poker. Based on the variables I’ve been analyzing, I can draw the conclusion he’s only superficially aware of surface details. Therefore, let’s say that you, Asta, were part of the forward invasion of the labs. Which you were. Things go south fast because Aidele’s fighting back. His regiment is killed when the labs collapse. But, before you escaped, you found me cowering,” he grinned at Asta.

  Asta smirked. “He’ll definitely believe that.”

  Slight chuckles from everyone and Durante blushed trying to keep things on track. “Yeah, heh, okay. Pick on me once I get this all out. Anyway, you discover I have the journal but you figure the waverider and Aidele are lost to the destruction of the labs. Well, I could always have told you that, I suppose. You flee with me.”

  “Flee?” Asta’s brow shot up.

  “Fine, you take me to Aquila Mons,” Durante started pacing, hands gesticulating as he spoke. “Your plan, contact Berricks to make a deal. Me and the journal for him to leave you and yours alone because you don’t want to be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life. You’re racing against time because Nielson is still holding your family hostage and if you can make a deal with Berricks, he’ll call Nielson off. You don’t know where your children are and you’re scared for their lives. During that final conflict at the labs, you heard some of the soldiers talking about how the general returned to the Invicta. It’s not an impossible story to believe.

  “While you’re in Aquila Mons, you run into Nielson quite by happenstance. He sees me, makes the assumption I must have the journal on me or know where to find the core. You’d come to the Praetorium seeking asylum and a way to contact Berricks. However, Nielson’s there trying to kill Sonoros. There’s a gunfight. Nielson winds up dead and you’re more panicked than ever and forced to leave. This story is easy enough to verify because Nielson got gunned down in the Praetorium and will now be part of the public record.”

  “That’s a real good tale,” Drevan said looking impressed. “But how do we know how to contact Berricks on the Invicta? Nielson wouldn’t exactly be handing over that information to us, would he?”

  “But didn’t he?” Durante smiled. “He told Aidele right where Berricks took off to. Suppose he taunted Ms. Lynch with this information in his dying breaths? She searches Nielson’s body… finds this…”

  Durante produced a small rectangular object.

  Aidele looked at it closely, her eyes widening with recognition. “Looks like one of those proxy swaths.”

  “Very close, Aidele. Uses similar technology only via a holoprojection. It’s an ID chit. It can be used at a solnet terminal to make intersolar communications. Maybe Asta doesn’t know what it is at first, but any operations manager at a holo-café would be able to inform her exactly how it works. Hell, it would be easy enough to say I told her. Interfaced with the right terminal and it’ll cast an image of yourself for the contactee to view. You’ll also get a live feedback of them, as well. There’s a holobar downtown. We can go there, make a call to Berricks, well, Asta can. Because it’s her prey she’s going to entice him with.”

  “How in the hell did you get ahold of that?” Aidele asked. “When we were in the Praetorium foyer you were vomiting all over the damn place and never even got close to Nielson’s corpse.”

  “Amazing the things the local authority will let you ask for when they just don’t give a damn.”

  “An’ what makes ya think Berricks will even go fer this gamble?” Asta frowned. “He ain’ gonna be too happy ta see me.”

  “You’re right. He won’t be. But you’ll have me and the journal to barter with.” Durante paused a moment. “And… he’ll have you.”

  Drevan guffawed as Asta unfolded her arms and waved her hands towards him. “What!? Me? Ah thought this was makin’ him believe ah want him to leave us alone! A reprieve sorta thing! Save mah family, etcetera, etcetera.”

  “It is. But he’s not letting you go. After all, you killed Nielson, ran off during the fight with Aidele, and a real pain in his ass. He’ll bring us all up to his ship just to make it clear we’re his prisoners.” Durante chuckled. “I can almost guarantee he’ll take us to the brigs.”

  “Why not jus’ kill us outright?” Asta shook her head, the sell just not quite there yet.

  “A trophy to take back to the Union president. Proof Hinonites are just an aggressive people deserving conquest. Or, just for personal edification. Whatever it takes to demonstrate his righteous fury towards Hinon.” Durante placed a hand on his chin. “Or, imprison us long enough to verify our tale and ensure the labs were really destroyed. Then have us executed. Regardless of his idea for the final outcome, what’s not in doubt is that he’ll bring us onto the Invicta.”

  “Only, we’re not going to give him any time to see those machinations through,” Grandfather said. “This is busy work either way for him. Enough time to see to it you three are set free. Which begs the question, then. If this is how you three get onboard, what about Aidele and myself?”

  Aidele had been listening intently to all of this and had the crazed notion she understood exactly where Durante was going with all of this. It was brazen. It was cocky. It was suicide. And she was loving it because she knew, deep down, this was going to work. But first…

  “Grandfather, you’re not coming,” Aidele shook her head. “I’m pretty sure I see what he’s getting at and I don’t want to lose any more of my family.”

  Grandfather affixed her with his impenetrable eyes. “I’m going, Granddaughter. Just as you’ve chosen your fate, I will not allow you to face it without the maximum chance of escape. So, what is our role in this?”

  Aidele sighed. “Durante wants us to take the waverider up behind Berricks’ shuttle to infiltrate the Invicta and free them once onboard. Then, we storm the bridge. How close am I?”

  Durante smiled broadly. “One hundred percent. And you’ll be unseen too.”

  “Because, early this morning, you figured out how to modulate the plasma shields.” Aidele stared at Durante. She was both impressed and frightened. Yet a nervous anticipation washed across her and she eagerly awaited the mission now. Durante beamed at her.

  “What the hell does that mean?” Asta asked looking lost.

  “It means we’ll be invisible,” Aidele replied. “Both to eyesight and to the Invicta’s sensors. It’s an isolated gravitational system. Modulating the shielding will allow the electronic systems to be self-contained, masking our energy signatures. Essentially, they’ll be blind to us. Even if they detect anything, we’ll show up as a void on the scans and the scanning crew will likely just dismiss the readings as an isolated anomaly. A dark energy glitch. They won’t be expecting a recreational vehicle to be trying to infiltrate their dreadnought right behind a Union shuttle. So, how close do we have to be to their craft?”

  Durante almost hopped with excitement. “You have your parent’s cleverness, Aidele! We’d need to be within forty-feet.”

  Aidele exhaled sharply looking to the floor. “That’s pretty damn close. But… I can do it. What about weapons? Surely they’ll confiscate Asta and Drevan’s guns?”

  “Without a doubt. But it’ll need to happen if we’re going to make this look real. We’ll have to purchase some new arms and store them in the waverider’s storage compartments.”

  “They’ll be taking our guns?” Asta asked, bewildered.

  “Yes. Don’t worry, though. It’ll be taken care of,” Durante replied looking to her. “Aidele’s loaded now… heh. Kind of in every way possible, right?” Aidele raised a brow and tried to hide the grin tugging at the corner of her lip. “We can hit the gunshop just down the street. Of course… I don’t want to speak for you, Aidele. It’s up to you if you want to do this.”

  Aidele shook her head. “You’re right. We need to play it the way you just suggested to ensure this ploy is as genuine as possible. This… damn, Durante. I like this plan. I never anticipated you being this conniving. Berricks won’t see it coming.”

  She smiled broadly and Durante couldn’t help staring back into her deep brown eyes. “Th, thanks. But, don’t underestimate the general. He’s proven more clever than I’ve taken him for before. I don’t think he’ll see through this, but we have to make it look as real as possible. Any action we take, any misspoken word, and his suspicions will be up. He’s not the solar system’s greatest thinker, but his instincts I think would rival yours, Asta.”

  “That’s good ta know…” Asta took a deep breath steadying herself, but Aidele figured she would play her part well and be convincing enough.

  Aidele and Durante smiled at one another for a long moment not realizing they were just standing there in silence. Asta cleared her throat. “Awright, kids. Time ‘nuff fer long loving stares later. We gots a mission ta fit ourselves fer.”

  Durante turned quickly away and protested, “What? No! It’s nothing like that!”

  Aidele stared to the floor as Grandfather laughed and stood up. Aidele grew a deeper shade of red and found she had no words. Was she really just staring into Durante’s eyes? Grandfather clapped Durante on his back.

  “We have our mission laid out then,” Grandfather said. “Whatever details lay ahead of us, we can discover how to deal with pushing forward. You still remember the layout of the Invicta, yes?”

  “Y, yes,” Durante stammered. “Once we’re onboard, you and Aidele can come free us. I’ll make up a basic layout for your HUD overlays to help you navigate the Invicta, Aidele. I can take over the engine rooms and astronomics. But I’ll need protection while doing it.”

  Drevan stood up and nodded towards him. “Ah’ll git yer back, son. They won’t touch ya. Ah promise.”

  “When do we move?” Asta asked, her eyes showing she was aware and ready.

  “As soon as we arm ourselves and settle on how the call to Berricks is going to go,” Aidele said pulling herself out of her revelry. “We should move before morning. The Invicta will still be on the dark side of Hinon, I’m sure.”

  “Then, let us prepare to trip young Mr. Weiss’ cunning trap.” Grandfather nodded.

  Durante smiled broadly as the room filled with motion.

#

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Thanks for reading and hope you had fun! There will be more to come next week! Until then, have a good week!

~Timothy S Purvis

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Amazon Kindle Author’s Page–> Timothy S Purvis

Smashwords Author’s Page–> Timothy S Purvis

Red Star Sheriff On Amazon Kindle–> Red Star Sheriff Volume One Kindle

Red Star Sheriff On Amazon Paperback–> Red Star Sheriff Volume One Paperback

Red Star Sheriff On Smashwords–> Red Star Sheriff Volume One Smashwords

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SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION STARTS!

I would appreciate if you have Kindle or even if you want some paperback goodies if you’d head on over to my page and maybe show me some love there. I mean, if you’ve been reading a while and see something you like, wouldn’t you like to have it in your personal library? I have some cool short stories available for cheap. Also Tales From A Strange Mind that collects my short stories (there’s also a Kindle edition but, for some reason, Amazon wouldn’t let me link them together) , Tales From A Strange Mind II which collects my old novellas, Red Star Sheriff (Which also has a Kindle edition but Amazon, am I right?) my first novel ever released, though, yes, it does have some grammatical errors and drags on for way too long, sigh. But I still love it and I will be writing a follow up sometime within the next few years. I have a collection of my poems called MisAligned: The Heart Waxes Poetic which collects my old poems but not some of my newer ones included those flash fictions! I’ll probably do that in the future as well. And if you love the perfectly inane, why not check out my Star Cloud scripts presented in book form? Star Cloud The Original Scripts. Another one where Amazon was being difficult with me in connecting the Kindle and PB versions. Still, the paperback they let me sale for cheap and it’s well worth a look if I say so myself. Or, if you don’t want to click on individual links (all of which will take you to my author’s page anyway), just click on my author’s page directly by tapping my name: Timothy S Purvis See for yourself what all I’ve published since I began this venture in 2016.

I mean, if you like my work, of course. No pressure. Just trying to find my way in this world without working menial tasks and suffering physical and mental issues as a result. If only I could merely stay home and write. That would be my most epic fantasy brought to life. Well, if you don’t want to do that, you could also donate to my cause down below after all is said and done. It would help. You know, if you liked what you saw and all. Up to you. I don’t have a lot of reviews on my materials because of low sales. I mean, very, very low sales. In the single digits. Right now, I have to rely on Pubby for reviews and those people only read your synopsis and recap it for a five star review. I want honest opinions. Not mean ones, but honest. So, if you ever find yourself buying some of my work, I’d certainly appreciate some feedback. Again, up to you.

Also, I’m selling my work for cheap over at Smashwords.com! Check out that page here: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TSPurvis

END SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION!