BORN OF HEROES

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 16
 

  “Roger, Crescentis Authority. We have the beacon and are beginning our descent. Guiding Angel out,” Cerise said and posted the trajectory data sent from the Crescentis ATC to the forward viewports. “We’re clear for landing at the Windward spaceport, pad number nine.”

  “Thanks, Cerise,” Elias said and altered course slightly to follow the beacon signal that would guide them in. “Saul, as soon as we hit fifteen thousand feet, begin the purge of our internal tanks. We’ve been out a long time and the air is getting a little stale.”

  “Got it, Boss,” the jaguar said.

  The Guiding Angel hit the atmosphere of the mostly oceanic world and began to glow with an angry red-orange nimbus as the ship’s shields dissipated the heat from entry into the thickening atmosphere. From the surface of the world it looked like a particularly bright meteorite leaving a fading ruby hued track. From the bridge, the crew watched as they slipped deeper into the night of the planet beneath them, then moved far and fast enough to catch up with the sunset, watching the sky lighten before the sun rose in reverse over the western horizon in a riot of soft pastels and washed out colors save for the clouds, which were lit a dazzling magenta and deep purple.

  Before long the ship swung in over the large island of Windward, a patch of land surrounded by deep blue water that was given over more to tourism and vacationers than the primary industry of fishing.  That’s not to say that there weren’t fishing vessels in the little sheltered harbors of the island, but most of those boats, large and small, were given to charter boats for sport fishing and day sailing.

  Elias set the Okami H model freighter down on the assigned landing pad with hardly a jolt, and quickly shut down all but the essential systems of the ship. The white fox then turned to his First Officer.

  “Saul, you get to handle the safety brief. Everyone is to have a sidearm, stunner and their DataComs at all times. No exceptions. Pass out the credicards when you’re done. I’ll ping everyone two days before we lift. Think you can handle it?”

  “No problem. I’ll seal the ship when I’m done and set up security protocols with Randy,” the jaguar told his Captain as he finished shutting down his own console. “So what do you plan to do while we’re here?”

  The fox smiled, “As little as possible, though that’ll probably be quite a bit.” He stood and stretched, eliciting several pops from his spine. He and Cerise had already talked about spending two or three days at the spa of the resort they had already booked a suite at and Elias was anticipating spending as much time as possible under the ministrations of a professional masseuse. “What about you?”

  Saul gave his superior a wide grin. “Randy and I are taking Treena and Lena on a fishing trip. Randy’s father ran a fishing boat on Dennier and our combat leader is suffering water withdraw. Seeing as how I’ve never been fishing, I think it’ll be fun.”

  “Um, you do know that means diving into the water to catch the fish, which also means the fish has an even chance of catching you, right?” Cerise asked. “The kind of fish that they catch on Dennier are kind of large with lots of teeth. I’ve heard the ones here on Crescentis are even bigger.”

  The jaguar’s grin faded and his eyes grew large. “What?”

  Cerise let him worry for a few moments before laughing. “Just kidding, Saul. I really don’t know what they have here. And the biggest fish on Dennier is a Black Wally that really isn’t very good for eating at all.”

  “Captain,” Saul said looking at the fox, “your wife has a bit of a cruel streak.”

  Elias grinned. “Or I just have a gullible First Officer. You have a good shore leave.”

  Elias and Cerise went to their cabin and threw a couple of bags together and had just cracked the airlock only to find a serious looking wolf at the foot of the ramp. He was gray with a broad white streak that split his face. He wore a leather flight jacket and had, of all things a captain’s hat crammed on to his head between his ears and cast at a jaunty angle.

  “Captain Tivnan?” the wolf asked.

  Elias’ hand twitched toward the holstered sidearm he wore under his vest, but refrained from actually touching the weapon. “Yes?”

  The wolf smiled and took a couple of steps up the ramp while extending his hand. “I’m Merlin Sinclair, Captain of the Blue Horizon.”

  Elias relaxed immediately and answered the smile with one of his own. “I’m glad to finally meet you, Captain,” he said as he shook hands with the wolf.

  “Call me Merlin, please.” He stepped back down to let Elias and Cerise on to the tarmac. “It might be a little forward of me, but my ship and crew are going to be here for a few more days on shore leave and I was wondering if you and your mate,” he nodded towards Cerise,” would like to join me and a friend, for dinner this evening?”

  “I think that is a lovely idea,” the vixen said before her husband could answer.

  “I know this is short notice, but I saw your ship when it came in. When Samantha gave me the gift you dropped off back on Dennier and said that you had wanted to meet, well, I thought dinner tonight would be as good a time as any.”

  “It would be my honor, Merlin. We need to check into the Fair Winds Resort first, then we can meet you wherever you’d like,” Elias told the other Captain.

  Merlin chuckled. “Then you’re in luck as that’s where Sam and I are staying. May I offer you a ride?”

  “As long as it’s no trouble,” Elias told him.

  “Not at all!”

  The wolf took Cerise’s bag for her and led the way to the small four person ground car that was parked just outside the terminal fence and security point and helped stow the pair’s bags in the trunk. As soon as they got in and fastened their safety belts, Merlin activated the flywheel motor and guided the softly whining vehicle out of the starport parking area and into the coastal city streets.

  “Have you ever stayed at the Fair Winds before?” Merlin asked as he deftly steered through the light traffic, mostly bicycles and small electric jitneys, they encountered.

  “No,” Cerise said. “I’ve never even been on Crescentis.”

  Elias shook his head no. “The few times I’ve been on this world were spent at the SPF barracks in less than luxurious accommodations.”

  Merlin laughed. “And here half of my crew thinks that your people have it made.”

  Elias also laughed. “Maybe if they’re assigned to a field office on a rich world and big city. Most of us are just old space trash berthed in aging ships, to be honest.”

  “That reminds me. Samantha said that you weren’t with the SPF anymore. Is that true?” the wolf asked as he made a turn towards the shoreline.

  “Not anymore,” Elias told the other male.

  “Pity. The SPF is shorthanded as it is. I thought they’d do everything they could to keep an individual like you. Especially after the Scimitar incident.” Merlin pulled the car up to the front of a large hotel that was constructed of marble and half concealed in leafy tropical plants that were contained in planter boxes that gave the impression that the resort lay in the middle of a garden gone wild or barely tamed jungle.

  “I felt that my abilities could be put to better use in other endeavors,” Elias said vaguely.

  Merlin handed the keys to the car to an awaiting valet attendant after Elias and Cerise retrieved their bags. “Sam and I will be out on the mezzanine that looks out over the water when you get settled and want to join us. So, I suppose we’ll see you in a little bit?”

  “Give us about half an hour,” Elias said with a small smile.

  “Take your time. You’re supposed to be on leave, remember?” Merlin said with a mock salute he turned into a wave.

  Elias and Cerise checked in and were shown to their rooms without any delay. Elias tipped the bellhop, a young otter who beamed at them after realizing that he had just gotten a 20 credit gratuity, and quickly withdrew after ensuring that the couple didn’t need anything further.

  “I’m going to take a quick shower before we join Merlin and, what was her name, Samantha?” Cerise informed her mate, who nodded letting her know that she got the female’s name right. “Would you like to join me?” she asked archly.

  “I would love to,” Elias said taking his wife in his arms. “But, if I were to that it wouldn’t be a quick shower at all, and we shouldn’t keep Merlin and Samantha waiting too long.”

  Cerise sighed theatrically. “I suppose your right. But you belong to me later, fox.” She kissed him, then grabbed fresh clothing out of her bag and sauntered into the bathroom.

  Elias discovered that there were two bathrooms, and each was equipped with tub, shower, and dryers, so while his mate was getting clean, he also took a quick shower, then stepped into the dryer unit so the warm air could remove the vestiges of water from his fur. Once dry, he threw on a pair of loose brown colored trousers and a light tan shirt that Cerise had gotten him back on Dennier. His normal choice of soft suede boots dyed black finished the basics. Elias then added the shoulder rig with pistol, and his stunner in a belt holster at the small of his back. A clean vest of dark gray went on to conceal the weapons.

  Less than fifteen minutes had passed and Elias stepped out of the bathroom to find his wife putting on a pair of sandals. She was dressed in a simple sleeveless sundress of deep red that was belted at the waist with a gold colored chain. She pulled the chain of a matching hand bag over her shoulder and gave her mate a smile.

  “I hope this is all right?”

  Elias looked at her and was reminded yet again how beautiful she was. Her hair flowed freely save for one lock that was caught with a simple gold ring that had three small wine colored garnets dangling from the end and smiled.

  “You could look nothing less than stunning,” he told her as he took her hands.

  She dropped her head demurely, though he noticed the smug little smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

  “Come on. Let’s go find Merlin and Samantha. I think I already like them and I haven’t even met them yet. Not to mention that I’m famished.”

  Elias held out his arm for her and led her out of the room to meet with the wolf and his friend.

***

  “Sagan…now there’s a name that I would just as soon forget,” Merlin said over his after dinner coffee, a growl adding a distasteful flavor to his use of the name.

  Samantha and Cerise were deep in conversation and left the males to their own conversation, oblivious to the weighty matter that the wolf and fox were discussing.

  “I lost my best friend to him, and came close to losing my First Officer,” the wolf said after taking a sip from his cup. “He’s the whole reason that I armed the first Blue Horizon.”

  “The first?” Elias asked, his after dinner coffee was doctored with a rich brandy that was not only pleasant in aroma but also very smooth and well-aged.

  Merlin nodded. “He had it out for me, and my crew, something fierce. When he hit us it was almost the end. We wound up crashing on this very planet. In fact if you want to see where we hit, just fly an hour east of here. Look for the island with the trench that runs through the fishing town there. There are probably still parts of the ship washing up on the beach.”

  Elias could tell that this was still a painful memory for the wolf, and decided to change the topic.

  “Merlin, with your record, your credentials, how is it that you never wound up in the SPF? Talk about needing good pilots and dependable officers! You fit the bill perfectly. I know if they were to throw you on a recruiting poster the number of female applicants would triple!”

  Merlin laughed and sipped his coffee. “I had enough of combat flying for the Dennieran military during the war with Mainor.  And more than enough time in uniform. I don’t lament my time with the fleet, but I’ve always wanted to be out on my own. Running a freighter lets me do that. To be on my own, to see the worlds and people of the Alignment. It’s not just the sense of freedom, it’s making it or not because of my own merits and skill.”

  “I think I can understand,” Elias offered.

  “So why do you run a freighter, Elias? I know it’s not the same for everyone. I know some captains that think it’s easy money, but don’t realize the amount of work involved, which is why they’re suffering so much. Mismanagement will ground a freighter as quick as anything else. But why did you choose this life?”

  Elias chuckled. “It’s a little more complicated than I can really divulge. I’m certainly waiting for business to pick up fairly shortly, though.”

  “Maybe I can help out with that. I’ve got more cargo than I can handle at the moment, even with three ships running all over the PA. I can send some runs your way if you want. It certainly won’t hurt my income to pass a couple of runs your way.”

  Elias looked at the wolf appraisingly. Then as if something told him that Merlin Sinclair was trustworthy he nodded to himself. “Do you think I could steal some of your time tomorrow? You might indeed be able to help me with something.”

  “Let me check. Sam? Can you do without me for a while tomorrow?”

  The Border collie looked up from her conversation with the vixen. “Sure. It’ll give Cerise and I a chance to do a little shopping,” she said with a smile.

  Merlin smiled back. “There you go. What time is good for you, Elias?”

  “Not until after breakfast I think. Does that sound all right?”

  The wolf nodded. “That will be just fine.”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.