THE LEGEND OF GRAND MECHAPOLIS
STAR BLAZERS/GALAXY EXPRESS 999
Founding of the Dual Monarchy and Galaxy Express System
By: Frederick P. Kopetz
Chapter Seven: A Mission of Mercy Begins…
Input contributed by Gail Kopetz, Jamie Tucker, and Margaret and Steven Diviney
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PLANET PELLIAS
BELTANE: THE HIGH QUEEN’S PALACE
JUNE 3, 2233
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On Earth, on the other side of the International Date Line, it was the morning of the fourth of June in Tokyo.
In the meantime, on Pellias, in the city of Beltane, Desslok had shown up in the High Queen’s Practice Room.
He was clothed in a padded fencing suit and protective mask, and he stood holding a rapier as Starsha appeared, with her trim build also clothed in a fencing suit. Her long hair was in a ponytail, but it trailed behind her as she put on her fencing mask.
She saw Desslok, and raised her rapier in salute.
Desslok did likewise, saying, “I see you have come.”
“I strive never to break a promise, if possible.” Then, she paused and said, “My technique may surprise you.”
“Given that I never knew you had a technique before…” Desslok purred.
“We shall see who is the greater here,” Starsha said. “En Garde!”
Desslok snapped into a first attack position, but Starsha snapped into a second attack position of her own, starting on her own attack rather than with a defensive move.
“It appears you have learned from your mother,” said Desslok.
“And from my father, even though I’m nowhere near as fast as mother yet. But, I think this shall suffice!” she said as she struck out first.
Desslok parried her blow, and their sabers rang as their duel began.
Desslok pressed his own attack with two swipes and a stabbing move. Starsha parried away his rapier with a clang and she went for Desslok’s midsection with a stabbing attack.
Desslok jumped back, parried, and he snarled as he attacked; Starsha parried, he again attacked, Starsha again parried and turned her parry into a drive of her own. Drive, slash, drive.
Desslok was backpedaling as Starsha came at him with a ferocity the Leader of the Gamilons had not expected. She almost knocked his weapon out of his hand, but Desslok recovered and renewed his attack, jabbing and hissing as he advanced.
Starsha blasted in and tapped his shoulder with the practice tip of her rapier, drawing “first blood.” Desslok slapped away her rapier and drove in himself, tapping her arm.
Starsha jumped back, hissed in her mask, and she jumped up and did a somersault in mid-air, flew over Desslok’s shoulder, and landed behind him, coming at his arm from another angle.
Desslok turned and faced her attack, slashing and swiping as she met his counterattack. Then, he jabbed at her midsection, tapped it, and then flipped his rapier up and knocked Starsha’s rapier out of her hand.
Starsha backpedaled backwards, hoping to get at her weapon. Desslok tapped her heart with a “killing blow” just as Starsha remembered to put out her hand and call the rapier back to her hand; she used her power to telekinese the sword back to her hand after Desslok “killed” her. The two stood breathing hard, but then Starsha saluted with her rapier, and said, “I yield.”
Desslok nodded and saluted himself. Then, with their duel over, Desslok pulled off his mask and said, “You’re good, Starsha…but never allow an enemy to disarm you like that; you could be hurt badly.”
Starsha pulled off her mask and said, “Thank you for the compliment…O friend, Desslok!”
“Why didn’t you recall the weapon to your hand more quickly?” said Desslok.
“I forgot I could do that,” Starsha said.
“In a real duel, you can’t forget the abilities and strengths you may have, or you will be defeated,” Desslok said. He patted her arm and said, “Critiques aside, that was very good.”
“Yes, I fought my father to a draw once; we both disarmed each other, and I was ready to beat him once…when my mother stepped in and she tag-teamed my father. She “finished me off” so to speak.”
Desslok nodded. “You’re learning. Real enemies may also not play fairly, Starsha.”
“Thanks for your concern, Desslok,” Starsha said.”I need a shower. Look at me, I’m perspiring in a most unseemly fashion!”
“Warriors are never concerned with how they look; just in doing their job,” Desslok said. “Years ago, well before you were re-born, your father confronted me badly wounded on my flagship, with blood seeping through his uniform. He faced me down until he collapsed…and then, your mother defended him with her blaster and her body. I do recall she was also perspiring in a rather unseemly fashion, as devoted to her cause, her world, and her beloved as I was to Gamilon. Truth be told, she reminded me much of you in that moment.”
“Mother is fond of telling me that story,” Starsha said. “I shall take that as a compliment.”
“I said then that “Love is the first casualty of a war”,” Desslok said thoughtfully. “I was thinking of you, then…and of my decisions…”
“Which were, perhaps, not that well-considered?”
“Yes, Starsha…you are quite correct. I compliment you on your insight. It is as good as it always was.”
“Maybe now it’s even clearer, Desslok…you have taught me much today. Shall we meet tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow is fine,” Desslok said.
“Good. You will excuse me, but I need time to…rest…”
“Of course,” Desslok said. He bowed to her and they parted.
The Yamato was now passing Earth’s Moon, having
just blasted away from Earth a few minutes beforehand.
“She’s running great, Captain,” said Captain Chris Eager. Other than Derek and Nova, he was the oldest officer on board, and he was now the Navigation Group Leader.
“Nothing on the battle radar; for that I am grateful,” said IQ-9. The robot was now the battle radar officer and assistant pilot.
“Warp calculations completed,” Nova said from her old post at the Cosmo-Radar, where she also served Derek as his XO, having commanded the Yamato herself in the past, seven years beforehand. “I’ve also been advised that Doctor Yamaguchi has everything under control as my second down below in Sickbay.”
“My scans indicate that we’ll be in place for our test warp to Mecanner V in three minutes,” said Commander Steven Wildstar from his post at Technical as he peered at the various screens through his glasses.
“I’ll have full engine power in ninety seconds,” said Commander Diane Sandor from her place at Engineering.
“All weapons are ready in case we need them,” said Lieutenant Commander Yvona Josiah (that is, her clone) from her post at Gunnery. Yvona had been granted Commonwealth citizenship by Nova, who had recommended that she be commissioned as an officer to Derek after probing her thoughts and intentions. Yvona was awed by Nova’s mercy and power, so she had sworn to serve her for as long as needed to help atone for her previous wickedness and the wickedness of her forebear and pattern, the original Yvona Josiah, who had been killed in battle by Nova twenty-nine years ago. Nova knew the Technomugar clone of her aunt had special abilities of her own, and that she would be quite useful.
Serving as the Combat Group Leader and chief of the Black Tigers was Derek and Nova’s son Alexander, who was proud to serve along with his younger brother Steven. Alex looked at Yvona and said to his father, “Captain, I confirm Miss Josiah’s report. The Black Tigers are also ready in case we need them.”
Sitting in silence next to Alex was Lieutenant Klaus Keyman, who was serving as the ship’s Analysis Officer. He just nodded at Alex, whom he didn’t like all that much.
Last of all, at Communications, was a bearded Pellian officer named Commander Hyman Rahlich. Rahlich was an expert crypto analyst who had served the Pellian Royal House for decades, going back to the time when Aliscea had been the High Queen in Being on old Pellias. Mister Rahlich tapped his headset and said, “Admiral Wildstar…we have a communication coming in from Earth! It’s Admiral Sandor!”
“Put him up on the video panel,” said Derek.
A moment later, Sandor appeared on the video panel, clad in dark green as Derek and Nova’s Chief of Staff and Pro Tem Commanding Admiral on Earth.
“I wanted to wish you luck,” said Sandor. “Prime Minister Fisher also sends her regards, and Parliament just belatedly approved a resolution granting authority for you to depart.”
“Not that we needed it,” Nova said. “We’re leaving on the authority of the Crystal Throne of the Commonwealth. Where I go, the Throne goes. However, for shipboard business, I have placed myself under Derek’s authority, so long as he fulfills my mission objectives.”
“I have no doubt he’ll do that, Nova,” said Steven Sandor with a smile. “Going back decades, when you asked Derek to give those flowers to Trelaina, you rightly said Derek never forgets anything you ask of him. Admiral Wildstar, Godspeed and good luck.”
“Thanks, Steve,” said Derek.
Sandor said, “Certainly. Steven, look after my old post while you’re out there. Diane…get back home as soon as you can. I’ll keep a light on for you,” he said with a smile.
“Thanks,” said Diane as she stood and saluted with tears brimming in her eyes as her husband nodded at her. “All the best, Steve…”
“Likewise,” said Steve as he ended the transmission.
A moment later, Derek said, “Nova, those warp coordinates are with Eager?”
“Sure are,” Nova said with a wink. “A ship is approaching; IFF signature indicates that she’s a friendly!”
“What is it?” Derek said.
Nova brought up an image on the main video panel. “It’s the new Galaxy Express 217, the Cosmic Schuylkill, passing us on her second trip from Earth to Pellias!” Nova said with a smile. The bridge crew stood and saluted and Rahlich brought up audio so that Yamato’s crew could hear as well as see the new Galaxy Steam Locomotive blowing her six-chime whistle in her atmospheric shield as she steamed past the space battleship. Rahlich also said, “The Conductor wishes us Godspeed on our journey, everyone!”
“Send our thanks,” said Lord Admiral Wildstar.
“Bringing up power to the wave engine,” said Diane from the Engineering post.
“All hands, make preparations for warp!” Eager said over the ship’s speakers.
“Wave energy up to one hundred twenty percent,” said Diane.
“No communications coming in,” said Rahlich.
“Systems normal,” said Steven from his post.
“Warp in thirty seconds!” said Eager, who began the
countdown.
Finally, when he got to zero, Derek snapped, “WARP!”
“Warpin’ out!” said Eager.
Nova shut her eyes as the weird, familiar sense of disorientation passed over her. At least it’s not as bad as it was thirty years ago, she thought.
Then, an impulse came to her, through the Matrix. Open your eyes, the Power within her told her.
Why? Nova thought back. We close our eyes for a reason. What you see in warp can drive you insane!
You need not fear this any longer, the Matrix sent back. With the Authority you have been given, you are no longer the servant of the warp process, but its Mistress. Look upon what you can sense now…
Nova then opened her eyes…
And she beheld beauty, weirdness, and disorientation all at
once, and she realized for the first time, 
with the
Imperishable Crown burning at her brow, she had the Authority to control the
process to an extent.
So, even though Nova barely knew what the heck she was doing, she reached out with her new powers, praying that the Almighty might use her as an instrument to ease the crew and the ship herself through the process.
Please, Lord, Nova thought in all humility. Grant that I can make this easier on all of us…please…
The answer seemed to come at once as the sense of weirdness eased somewhat for the crew.
Then, a moment later, the Yamato came out of warp four seconds earlier than planned, right on course with Mecanner V ahead of them. The cold grey planet, which was being Terraformed with an artificial sun as they passed it, already had a few colonists living there, mining various rare minerals and beginning to break up parts of the rocky world for eventual seeding with plant life.
Normality and solidity returned all at once, and Steven looked at his controls. “Hey! Something sped this up!”
“Yeah! What gives here?” said Eager.
“Hmmm…I gave you guys a little help,” Nova said out loud with a chuckle.
“You’re getting as bad as the Dark Lord was!” said Yvona with awe and fear in her voice. “He used to like to screw around with the time-space continuum like that!”
“Wasn’t entirely me,” Nova said as she looked back at Derek and winked. Derek caught her thought and winked back, as he said, “Let’s just say we have Someone looking out for us, huh?”
“Nova, you scare me now!” said IQ-9. “I think I’ll think twice before I chase your skirt again!”
“You’re silly,” she said. “Didn’t we have this talk a while ago? Aren’t you on the wagon with that?”
“I wonder how I’d feel if I was a human being and someone was doing that to me?” he said.
A flash of insight came to Yvona, and she said, “Maybe you’ll find out soon, you rolling junkheap!”
“Don’t call him that, Auntie: call him a tinwit instead,” Nova said.
“Did this happen a lot when you was growin’ up?” Eager said to Alex.
“All too often,” said Alex as he thought back to a scene from his childhood that he remembered quite vividly.
It was at a press conference that he was at with his parents as a toddler. He had been cared for by his grandparents while his mother and father were off in space in a mission they had just returned from.
The reporter from the Times saw Nova playing with Alex and asked, "Commander Wildstar, we heard something of your role in this defense of Earth described when the Commanding General awarded you, Commander Sandor, Lieutenant Commander Henson-Sandor, and Lieutenant Commander Katrina Foxworth-Savela the Victoria Cross for your bravery in pursuing Zoltar. Since you have your young children, what are your future plans?"
Nova, pretty in a summery green dress, held little Alex's hand and said, "I have reverted to Reserve Status because I am entering Medical School. I will be attending my first class this afternoon. However, be assured that Derek and I are looking at hiring some domestic help to help us with the children in case we are ever deployed again. I would like to learn how to be a doctor, but I await the call of my planet if I ever have to put down my textbook and scalpel and pick up my helmet and Astro-Automatic again." Nova smiled with Alex as he, in his little brown suit jacket, shirt, tie, and black shorts, put up his sandaled foot to have his toes played with. "And, be assured, our children understand this…"
Alex looked at the crowd, crossed his eyes, and burped into the microphone, breaking everyone up as Nova murmured, "Oh, Alexander!"
"GOOGLEPLEX!" gurgled Ariel.
The crowd laughed.
“I used to break people up at press conferences,” Alex said. “I’d get at the mike, burp into it, make farting noises; I once blew raspberries at someone on a world-net TV broadcast.”
“So… what happened to ya?” said Eager.
“Mom spanked me during the commercial break,” Alex said.
“I corrected you,” Nova insisted. “You now, at twenty-six, you still need correction. Don’t worry, your father was just as bad at your age.”
“Yeah, I’ll never live that one down,” insisted Admiral Wildstar.
“Live what down, sir?” said Keyman, very perplexed.
“Wait until you’re married,” said Derek enigmatically.
“Hey, Poopdeck!” teased Steven, calling his brother by his flight callsign.
“I wish you guys would quit that,” said Eager.
“That is my callsign. It’s better than “Poopyhead”,” said Alex.
Eager began to laugh. “Yeah! I remember that one!”
Alex began to blush. Nova caught on and whistled. “Time out, guys! You’re embarrassing him! Most kids have accidents when they’re under two! Even…I…had them. My Mom told me.”
“Isn’t part of this mission supposed to be the retrieval of my sister?” said Yvona.
“I didn’t know you had a sister,” said Diane.
“I have two sisters; Teri and Louise. Teri is Nova’s mother. I met Louise a few days ago and mended bridges with her. My Lord, we had a lot to talk about,” Yvona said.
“Speaking of family,” Derek said. “Nova, we didn’t hear from Starsha. She was supposed to be boarding the ship this morning. Can you go please down to the VIP quarters and check on her?”
“After our next warp?” Nova said.
“Oh, yes,” said Derek.
The due preparations were made, and the Yamato warped again, arriving a few minutes later at the edge of the system.
“Would you mind checking on Starsha now?” Derek asked.
“No problem, Derek.” Nova said as she stood.
“IQ-9, go man the cosmo-radar while she’s gone,” Derek snapped.
“Roger,” Nova and IQ said as one as IQ-9 took Nova’s seat and Nova ran off.
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II. STARSHA’S PRIVATE BUSINESS
SPAVE BATTLESHIP YAMATO
THE EDGE OF THE TERRA-PELLIAS STAR SYSTEM
JUNE 3, 2233
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Four minutes later, Nova was at the doors to the Yamato’s VIP cabin. “Starsha?” she said as she tapped at the door. “Are you all right in there? Are you space sick? Starsha?”
No answer, Nova thought as she shook her head. She’s usually very punctual and courteous! “Starsha, I hate to intrude,” Nova said as she used her power to unlock the hatch and make it whiz open. “Are you okay in there?”
Nova stepped into the cabin to look for her. There was no sign of her daughter in the lounge. She carefully undid the doorknob to the bedroom and looked in on her. The lighting was dim and the bed was not even slept in.
Nova reached out for Starsha with her thoughts. Starsha, where the heck are you? You missed the liftoff!
Starsha’s thoughts came to Nova a moment later. I’m sorry, Mother. I’m still on Pellias. I stayed behind because something came up. Sorry I didn’t notify you or Father.
Nova sat down on the small couch in the VIP cabin with a huff, and she said out loud to her daughter, “You’re supposed to be heading to Iscandar to enroll in the Academy of Sciences there at the end of the month! What’s gotten into you?”
“Mother, I have business of my own,” Starsha snapped as her astral image in her blue gown appeared in front of her rather annoyed mother. “I’ve foreseen that some things may well happen soon. Whatever happens, I’ll be leaving Pellias next week…with Leader Desslok on his ship. He can drop me off on Iscandar just as well as you could.”
“So, it begins?” Nova sighed; the news was not entirely unexpected given their conversation almost two months ago.
“Yes and no,” Starsha said. “We have a friendship, but are not yet lovers. There is too much history between us…”
“It is wise that you and he are cultivating a friendship, first. I cultivated a mere friendship with your father for several months from the time we met until the time I kissed him for the first time. He had just asked the LORD into his heart, and I began to pray and wish that he would fall in love with me afterwards. I’m sure you read it in my book on the first Iscandar mission, dear.”
“I did, Mother. I had memories of what happened, but I re-read the book from cover to cover to get a better idea of what happened when you came to me on Iscandar for the first time.”
“Desslok already believes…you don’t have that issue…and I know you believe…”
“Yes, Mother, you baptized me again in the sea on Pellias late last year to reiterate my faith,” Starsha said.
“Just as I did for your father on Iscandar,” Nova said with a smile on her lips as memories ran through her head. Nova could still remember wading out a few meters into the sea from the beach in the simple shorts and t-shirt she had worn over her swimsuit and helping Derek under the waters of Baptism gently yet firmly. They both came out of the water wet, happy, and laughing, and they had embraced.
“Love…joy,” Starsha said as she bowed her head and tears came. “You have had your fair share of love, and so have I…The most recent loves being Alexander…and Desslok…,” Starsha sighed.
“Love, as you know, is like a glass of wine, although it can have bitter dregs,” Nova said. “You have had, and I have had, both the sweetness, and the bitterness…”
“The laughter of joy…the ecstasy of the marriage bed,” Starsha said.
“The pain of childbirth…the desolation and desperation when you feel your beloved may be dying,” Nova responded. “A Terran poet wrote this long ago… Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…Or…to take arms against a sea of troubles…”
“Prince Hamlet,” Starsha said. “How ironic. Desslok. He wished to wipe out your people, but he loved that soliloquy and would quote it all the time…Mother…”
“I never knew that,” Nova said. “He loved us and hated us at the same time…”
“His mind is filled with riddles like that, dear Mother,” Starsha said. “And…that is why I worry for him…”
“Take your time coming to Iscandar, then,” Nova said. “I think you have a charge that you are just becoming aware of…”
“And that charge is…?”
“Watching out for him. As I watch out for your father,” Nova said. “Take your time. Be well. And you are both in my prayers,” Nova said as she shut her eyes. “I’ve much to do…we’ll talk later.”
“Thank you,” Starsha said.
In the meantime, in another part of the Palace on Pellias, Desslok was drinking some wine, all alone, even though the local time was ten in the morning.
He was staring hard at something he had taken off Astrena’s body at the time of her death; her dark-green crown…broken in three places.
Desslok sipped at his wine and he said aloud, to himself. “Prayer. What is that? I pray to the Heavens, and they are closed, like brass…”
“Astrena…you cannot be with me, now…” Desslok said as he caressed the other item lying beside his wine bottle and goblet…a sharpened Gamilon dagger. “You are there, with Him, awaiting my arrival, no doubt. Will you embrace me? Or will you accuse me of not doing enough to protect you when I arrive there beside you?”
He sat in dark thought, and he caressed the dagger and picked it up. “That Terran playwright, and his Scottish play…”Is this a dagger which I see before me? The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still…””
Desslok laughed bitterly. “Perhaps it reads better in the Gamilon translation…Starsha. I knew you. I loved you. I even slept with thee once, twice…thrice? I strive to remember. Then, you became aware of what I was doing in my attempt to save us both, and things turned cold between us. You sent Astra to Earth with the plans for the Cosmo-DNA. You defied me. You broke my heart. We were at odds…even enemies. Then, you broke my heart again when I learned you were with that Terran. My heart was closed and locked. Your mother and father, Starsha, began to open my heart again…a chink…a mere chink of light in my soul. Only Astrena opened it again, slowly, and then I met the Great King, Who saved me from death when I again pursued the darkness. Undeserved Grace. Amazing love. Chesed. Mercy. Then, what happened? I believed we defeated that vile woman Promethium. Yet, she extended a killing strike, either from Hell, or from Exile, and this happened,” Desslok said as he looked at Astrena’s shattered crown. “Starsha. We might be connecting again, but do you feel for me like before? Probably not. You are most likely aboard Yamato, which is now taking you far, far away from me…in the hour of my need.”
Desslok sipped at more wine and he threw down the crown.
“I wonder what the point is?” he said as tears ran from his eyes. Desslok again quoted, from Hamlet, this time…” The heartache and the thousand natural shocks...That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation…Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep…To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub! For in that sleep of death what dreams may come? Aye, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil…Must give us pause. There’s the respect…That makes calamity of so long a life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely…The pangs of despised love…”
Desslok then sipped at the wine again, and he picked up his dagger. “Death, my friend! I have met Thee twice…now, I meet thee again…only now, transport me to Astrena…to bliss…to hope beyond this Sea of Pain…”
Desslok then tickled the side of his neck with the dagger. He shut his eyes…and then, he awaited the cold, killing stroke as if his impending suicide was an act beyond his control. “Wildstar,” he murmured. “I understand now why you did what you did when Nova died. But the Most High brought her back to you. He is not doing the same for me…for Astrena. Astrena, hail! Starsha…fare thee well!”
Desslok was about to end it all when the door whizzed open and Starsha ran in with a gasp that turned into a scream.
“DESSLOK, NO!” she cried.
“What?” he said.
Starsha flew towards him, wearing her blue gown and heels.
She threw herself at Desslok, punched him, and then grabbed his dagger and used her telekinetic power to whip it across the room like a dart, where it punched into the wall.
Then, Starsha shoved Desslok off his chair, and she landed on the floor on top of him.
Desslok grabbed her wrists, with rage in his eyes. “Starsha, what sort of mockery is this?”
“What sort of mockery are you pulling off?” Starsha snapped at him. “Have you gone utterly mad?”
“I want to go to Astrena…leave me! You care for me not…why aren’t you on the Yamato?”
“I have my reasons for not leaving!” Starsha snapped in his face. “Desslok, people need you! Your children need you! Your Empire and the Grand Alliance need you! Talan needs you! My mother and father need you! I NEED YOU!” she screamed as she began to cry.
“Repeat that, would you?” Desslok said as tears flowed afresh from his eyes.
“Desslok…I need you,” Starsha said.
“As do I…” Desslok said. “Please forgive me. If you do not desire this…strike me!”
At that, Desslok raised his head to Starsha’s lips and he kissed her…very hard.
Starsha’s eyes went wide, and then, she reciprocated, slipping her tongue between his teeth, touching his tongue with hers, and thus re-igniting a flame which had been dark and cold for thirty-five Terran years. Then, the kiss broke, and they just lay there staring into each other’s eyes.
A moment later, Desslok gallantly stood and helped Starsha up off the floor.
“This
time,” Desslok said, “Please do not leave me be…”
“I shall not…I swear it. I was given a specific charge to care for Thee, Desslok.”
“By the Highest?” Desslok said as he stood up and kissed Starsha’s hand.
“No, my mother,” laughed Starsha.
“Nova, wherever you are, may Adonai bless you!” he laughed. “It appears the answer to my prayers was right in front of me?”
“As was the answer to my prayers,” said Starsha as she pecked Desslok on the cheek again.
Desslok smiled at her. “Starsha, yes…we have much…much to discuss…to…catch up on, as the Terrans say?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Starsha said with a smile. “Let’s request some food from the servants.”
“Yes…we do need breakfast,” said Desslok.
The two of them smiled at each other and kissed again.
The look on both of their faces was something like relief.
THREE DAYS LATER…
“Warp completed!” Eager said with a smile.
“I’ve never seen this planet before…any idea where in Hades we are?” Yvona said.
IQ-9, who was at the Cosmo-Radar since Nova was below with Doctor Yamaguchi giving exams to new crew members, said, “This comes up on the chart as the NGC-23785 Star System. There is one inhabited planet; Planet Mugal.”
“What sort of place is that?” said Alex.
“We received a call from the planet yesterday when your mother had the conn,” Derek said. “Planet Mugal is a small, Earthlike world who sent a petition to the Commonwealth to join as a member. Our first stop will be here to meet with the planetary leader and perform a survey to see if the planet is truly worthy of joining the Commonwealth.”
“What’s the name of their leader?” asked Ensign Mike Kalsky, a young Pellian officer who had been assigned to man the Combat Radar.
“You won’t believe this one,” Derek said. “Nova played me the recording of their transmission. We’ve met this strange man twice in our travels years ago. He calls himself…Melvin.”
“What the heck is a Melvin?” said Keyman.
“Melvin is a very strange alien who aided us twice,” Derek said. “A survey group is being prepared. We’ll be heading down in the Cosmo Hound shuttle. Keyman, you and Yamamoto will be flying it.”
“Who’s going down?” asked Eager.
“Remain in command for now, Eager,” Derek said. “I will be heading down, along with Nova, Yvona, IQ-9, and, of course, Keyman and Yamamoto.”
“I wish you people luck, sir,” said Kalsky.
“Let me accompany you…sir,” said Alex.
“No, stay here with Eager,” Derek said. “In case we have a jam, I’ll need you there to fight.”
“Of course,” said Alex.
A while later, they were in the Cosmo Hound, flying down towards the surface.
Derek leaned on Yamamoto’s and Keyman’s pilot’s chairs as he said, “We’re on the planet’s nightside now. The signal coordinates that Rahlich traced indicate the capital of the planet is on the other side of the planet. ETA is about forty minutes from now.”
“That’s good,” said Yvona as she sat at a table in her helmet shuffling cards. “Admiral, sir, you agreed you’d join the three of us in a game of Astrojack.”
“If we’re under control, Keyman, I’ll join the others,” Derek said with a quick nod.
“We’re
good,” said Yamamoto. “Nothing should happen, sir.”
Keyman snapped a salute at Admiral Wildstar as he watched Yvona handing Nova the deck to cut the cards.
“Be careful of her, Admiral…she cheats,” said IQ-9 as every light went off in his dome.
“IQ-9, I do NOT cheat at Astrojack!” Nova snapped. “How much are you throwing in the pot, Derek?”
“Five bucks,” Admiral Wildstar said as he tossed in a new Commonwealth five-dollar bill.
“Minimum bet is a dollar,” Nova said as she handed the cards back to Yvona and then pulled a ten-dollar note out from the medkit she wore on her belt. “I see the House threw in a twenty. Thanks, Yvona.”
IQ-9 raised his dome up on its anti-gravs and money and poker chips fell out.
“Where did you get that from?” Derek said.
“Playing the Black Tigers yesterday. They all lost to me, ha ha! I’m a total genius at cards, and your son Alexander owes me a hundred dollars, Admiral. Please dock his pay.”
“I can get him to pay me later,” Derek said. “Who’s the dealer?”
“Me,” said Yvona as some strands of her coppery blonde hair came out of her helmet. “I taught this little squirt here,” said Yvona as she pointed a thumb at Nova. “You and my son Samuel used to be good at this.”
“Yes, you were halfway nice before you fell under the thrall of that wacky pastor,” Nova said as Yvona began to deal while Yvona looked a little sad at recalling the old memories of her forebear.
Yvona laid down her two cards. “Beat this. A ten…and some hidden card. Good luck!”
Nova looked at her two cards and smiled a little. “Hmmm, not bad.”
“What’s not bad?” Derek said innocently.
“Can’t guess my hand through our bond, love…sorry,” Nova said.
“All is fair in love, war, and Astrojack,” IQ-9 said. “Yvona, hit me!”
“Okay, good luck, tinwit,” Yvona said with a grin.
“What should I do with you, sir?” said Yvona as she glanced at Derek.
“Hit me,” Derek said.
“That
could be dangerous,” Nova warned as she pulled out her sidearm, and took a good
look at it, making sure the safety was on. Satisfied the power level on the
weapon was satisfactory, she holstered it again and then took off her helmet to
check the air supply in case it would be needed.
“I live for danger,” Derek chuckled.
“Here you go, sir…might be your funeral,” Yvona said. “Nova, want me to hit you?”
“I’ll stand,” Nova said with a calm smile.
“Hit me,” squeaked IQ-9.
“BAM!” Yvona said as she tossed the robot a card.
“Oh, no…I’m over twenty-one…busted…” said IQ-9 as he threw down his hand. It was a Ten, a Jack, and a Three.
“What was that about you being a genius at this?” Nova teased as she pushed some of her hair back into her helmet.
“Maybe I’m not what I thought I was,” IQ-9 said.
“Admiral, sir, what is it?” said Yvona as Derek stared hard at his hand and stared sidelong at Nova, who was just benignly smiling.
“Hit me,” he said. Yvona dealt him a card. Derek picked up the card, and went, “Hmmm…on that note, I shall stand,” he said as he set down his hand. “Behold. I have a Queen, a Five, and a Three. That makes eighteen. Beat that, Peppermint!” Derek snorted. “I’m sure I beat the house!”
“Maybe,” Yvona said as she turned over the hidden card. “A Seven. That’s seventeen. Derek, you win, unless Nova beats you, that is…Your Majesty, show us all your cards!”
“Two Queens,” Nova said softly as she put down her cards. “A Twenty. All of you are smeared, and I take the pot,” Nova said as she grabbed up all the money. “Forty dollars. When we get back to Commonwealth territory, I can buy a new pair of shoes with this….I think.”
“I guess we’re equals,” Derek said. “You can never beat me at Space Chess, Nova, and I never beat you at Astrojack.”
“We play other games, too…can’t talk about those in public,” Nova said with a wink at Derek.
“You two must have a rather interesting life,” Yvona said.
“Oh, we do,” Nova and Derek said together. They looked at each other and laughed.
Then, the Cosmo Hound shook and slammed around.
“What the flying…?” Yvona snapped.
Derek, not believing he was doing this with his former enemy, grabbed Yvona and steadied her. Nova kept her feet, but she was laying her hands on the table.
“Those guys are pulling evasive maneuvers!” Derek snapped. “Nova, please see what’s going on up there.”
“Okay,” Nova said. “Derek, check her to see if she’s hurt.”
“Gotcha,” Derek said as he helped Yvona sit down while Nova got up and ran off, steadying herself against a bulkhead when the ship keeled hard to starboard.
“What do you two think you’re doing?” Nova said as she ran into the cockpit. “This boat is not your own private Love Rollercoaster!”
“Saving our skins, lady!” Akira snapped in a very angry voice. “Look at that radar screen if you don’t believe me; two bogies at 5,000 kilometers’ distance! One of ‘em shot at us!”
Nova looked at the screen. “Geez Louise, you’re right!” she hissed. “You two keep on flying; secure your belts…we’ll give you a hand!” Nova said as she held onto Keyman’s seat to keep from falling over as the ship heeled to port.
A moment
later, Nova ran back to Derek and to Yvona and she cried, “We’re under attack!
Two interceptors from the planet below are shooting at us!”
“Damnit, this is crazy!” Derek snapped. He gritted his teeth and said, “Nova, could you go below and run the nose ball turret, please? I know you can operate it. Yvona, I’ll show you where the upper ball turret is. It’s a dual 12.5-millimeter mount similar to the small point defense mounts on the Yamato. IQ, you follow me! Take the port side ball turret; I’ll run starboard and run fire control from there.”
“Right,” said the two women and one robot as they saluted Derek and took off. In a moment, Klaus breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that all four of the point defense mounts were manned. Now we can fight back, he thought.
TO BE CONTINUED…
