Space Battle (Space Race 2) Read online

“Varn’s ego. I think we’ll own it forever after this butt-kicking,” I joked.

  As if he’d been listening, I heard his voice carry through my dash speakers. “Hawk, I’m picking up some interference.”

  I rolled my eyes and hit the comm button. “Give me a break, Wallish. That’s the oldest—” The message turned to static, and I glanced at the radar. “It’s a Velibar drone!”

  “Damn it, Hawk. How did it get so close?” Varn asked.

  “I don’t have any idea.”

  We’d encountered these drones near Saturn as they’d gathered from various corners of the solar system, attempting to form a gateway for the Velibar fleet. My acquaintance Jinx from Titan discovered their existence, and each of our ships now had tracking embedded into the scanners. That system was the reason we were able to spot the voyeuristic drone.

  “Only one?” Luther asked.

  “Looks like it,” I informed him.

  “Then let’s blast it.” Luther switched the guns, opting for the Core-fueled disarray tool we’d built since learning of their weakness.

  “Roger.” I sped toward the target, finding Varn slightly ahead. “That’s how he wants it.” Everything with Varn Wallish was a competition. I couldn’t let him beat me.

  Pilgrim sped faster, screaming through space as we approached the drone. We’d discovered another forty or so of the units in various locations since returning to Earth after fending off the Squid, and we assumed they were left behind from the main conflux of drones. We expected they’d relay information to the Velibar, and we needed to take any advantage from the enemy.

  I saw the drone square in the viewscreen, and heard Luther lock his disarray weapon on target. He pulled the trigger, but Varn’s crew was faster by a hair. Killer flew by, blowing up the enemy spy craft before we’d had a chance.

  Luther slammed a palm against the dash and cursed.

  “Relax. We’re all on the same team,” I told him.

  “You’re telling me it doesn’t hurt losing to that windbag?” Luther barked.

  “Of course it does.” I tapped the communicator as an incoming message arrived.

  “Nice shot, Killer. Session is over.” It was Eclipse, watching us from Luna Corp.

  “Time to regroup,” I advised the crew.

  I landed Pilgrim on the Moon’s surface and stood, glancing at my people. Holland’s absence was like a black hole, but there was nothing we could do about that. Not yet.

  “Any word on the Velibar location?” I asked Jade, doubting she’d have gained more information in the last five hours.

  She shook her head, her dark earrings jangling. “We’re close. I think we’ll know soon.”

  Luther clapped me on the back. “But we’ll be long gone. Meeting our new friends.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “When is dinner?”

  Jade grinned. “You really don’t have to come, Arlo. It’s not…”

  “I want to.”

  “So do I.” Luther rubbed his stomach. “I hear the Luna CEO likes seafood, and so do I.”

  “My uncle likes a lot of things. Doesn’t mean you should dine with us just because he asked.” Ever since the invitations were sent, Jade had been trying to convince me not to attend, but I was curious how she’d grown up. She refused to talk about being related to one of the wealthiest CEOs in the world.

  She swore Erik Trevors was like the rest of them: power-hungry and selfish. I wanted a glimpse into their lives, even for a dinner. It was the last night on the Moon before we headed to Mars for meetings, and I was looking forward to relaxing for a brief moment.

  We exited the Racer, and Varn leaned against Killer’s hull, grinning like a fool.

  “What are you so excited about?” I asked him.

  Varn dismissed his crew and walked over. “Nice shooting out there, Hawk. Couldn’t have done it better myself.”

  “That’s obvious. Because you didn’t.” I shoved him in the shoulder.

  “Cool your jets, pilot,” he said, chuckling. “I nailed the drone. That’s the important thing. The others were digitalized objectives. My kill was the real deal.”

  I laughed despite my annoyance at the man. He was a couple years older than me, but it never felt intimidating. Maybe that was because I still thought of him as a cocky young kid when I was around him. He was taller than me by an inch or two, his hair longer and darker. I rarely saw the guy without a smirk on his face.

  “Maybe I can convince Octavia to send Kole Brenner with me instead,” I mumbled.

  “Brenner? That blowhard couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn!” Varn exclaimed.

  “I don’t think there are many barns at Oasis,” I reminded him. “Fine. If we’re going to be stuck with one another for this mission, maybe you should tone it down. Accept that I’m the best, and it’ll be much easier for us both to move on.”

  Varn crossed his arms. “I don’t think so, Hawk. Besides, competition is good for you. You’ve been out of the circuit for longer than me.”

  “What, by two years? You never made it to the Primaries either,” I said.

  His gaze shifted, and he stared at the floor. “So what? I needed to work.”

  I saw a hint of emotion I hadn’t witnessed from him before. Humility. “What happened? Why didn’t you keep pursuing it? You were good. Great, even.”

  That brought his spirits up. “Never mind. I gotta run, Hawk. Nice flying today but not strong enough to beat the best.” He wandered off, and I watched him go, not bothering to retaliate. With a guy like Varn, you rarely snuck in the last word.

  Everyone was gone, and I spotted the rover near the exit. I had a dinner to prepare for.

  ____________

  I’d seen pictures of Erik Trevors’ personal dome before in the feeds, but nothing primed me for the extravagance of it. While the rest of Luna Corp was under the main dome, his palace was planted a dozen kilometers away, a private oasis on the Moon.

  “Quite the place,” Luther said as we spied it through the rover’s wide windshield. He drove, slowing to a stop so we could appreciate the view from a distance. The dome had to be twenty klicks in diameter and had four or five executive transports parked outside. I noticed the symbol for Sage on the first, then Lotus, Orion, Oasis, and surprisingly, HyperMines.

  What was inside the dome really drew my eye. The solo structure was gigantic: a white exterior with four rounded spires. It was over-the-top, but for the second largest Primary and Luna Corp’s CEO, I assumed money wasn’t a problem.

  “No sign of SeaTech,” I whispered.

  “Not that I can tell.” Luther threw the rover into drive and continued rolling to our destination. “I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk to him. When did you see him last?”

  I thought about it but couldn’t recall. “A month. Maybe longer.”

  “What’s he’s doing?” Luther asked.

  “Let’s think of it from his perspective. He spent his entire life trying to climb into the Primaries, and he finally does, managing to get a team included into the great Space Race. Then the incredible crew of Pilgrim somehow defies all odds and wins the rights to Proxima, only to discover we’re being invaded, and his wife is alive. Oh, don’t forget that his son vanished unexpectedly. He lost Proxima, his wife, and his son. I’d be crushed too.”

  Luther let out a deep sigh. “Man, hearing it laid out like that is depressing. At least he doesn’t have to run to another system using untested galaxy drives, to meet an alien that might be more disturbing than the Velibar.”

  “They’re going to help us,” I assured him.

  “How do you know? They’ve gone dark. What the hell is Refuge anyway?” Luther and I had discussed this topic a dozen times a week, so I didn’t bother engaging.

  The dome grew closer as we neared the entrance, and four guards approached. One of them tapped the side of his helmet, and his voice carried into the rover’s speakers.

  “Name,” he said.

  “Luther Payne.” Luther glanc
ed at me and pointed. “And Arlo Lewis.”

  The guard smiled behind his tinted facemask. “Hawk Lewis. Please, proceed. Have a wonderful evening, sir.”

  We drove past them, entering an extension to the dome through a yellow energy field. Luther parked at the end of a short line of rovers and killed the engine. “Sir? I was there too. No one knows about the awe-inspiring things I did for Pilgrim.”

  I laughed as we exited the rover and threw him a bone. “I know, Luther. You were integral to our success against the Velibar.”

  “Are you mocking me?” he asked.

  “Never.” I checked my reflection in the dome’s surface and tried fixing a stubborn hair. “Let’s see what it was like growing up for Jade Serrano.”

  “I can’t wait,” Luther said softy.

  We sported formal outfits: black pants and white tops, with a Luna Corp patch sewn on the jacket’s breast. We were guests and wanted to make a good impression. It was all Jade’s suggestion, so we heeded her advice. The last thing we wanted to do was make fools of ourselves in front of her uncle.

  We entered the dome, and almost instantly, an Auto Shuttle Pod arrived, the doors sliding open for us. “After you.” I motioned to Luther, ignoring the advertisements playing on the dash.

  The Pod carried us the short distance to the palace and let us out at the front entrance. There were twenty steps leading to enormous double doors. No one greeted us, so we just walked into the home.

  “I thought this was a party,” Luther whispered as we entered.

  “It is…” The space was silent. A cleaning bot rolled by, its motor whirring as it vacuumed the floor.

  “Hello?” I called, but no one answered. The foyer was gigantic, and my voice echoed through the open cavity. Everything was white: the walls, the floors, the ceiling, the furniture. Another robot rolled nearby. No wonder they needed so many of them. I couldn’t imagine keeping a place like this immaculate.

  I reached for my PersaTab, about to call Jade, when I heard voices from down the hall. I went cautiously as someone shouted. Glass shattered.

  Luther jogged past me. The former security officer was in his element as he chased down the disturbance. I ran after him, bumping into his broad back as he stopped at a doorway.

  “We mustn’t let this happen, Erik. Do you understand the ramifications of disbanding the Primaries? We can’t get our positions back without a fight once we’re removed.” It was Frank Under, the Sage CEO. Luther stepped away, and I hid from sight. They hadn’t spotted us. There was brown liquid on the floor near the door, and shards from a crystal tumbler. One of these rich CEOs had thrown it in rage.

  “Calm yourself.” Erik’s voice was deep and reassuring.

  “Don’t tell me how to act. I’m leading the biggest and most powerful Corporation ever in existence. Sage Industries doesn’t bow to the Board for anything. Not before the invasion, and not after!” I could picture the jerk’s face, a vein throbbing in his oversized forehead. I despised the man. He’d put on a good show at the boardroom table with Octavia Post and her sister Eclipse a few months ago, but the true snake would always shed its skin.

  “I understand your trepidation, Frank.” I recognized the Espace CEO’s voice. “But this is about more than quarterly profits and stakeholder buy-in. It’s an attempted hostile takeover.”

  “And how do we deal with those?” Erik Trevors asked.

  “We crush them. We cut their throats, and we spill their blood until there’s nothing left.” I’d never officially met the Orion CEO before but knew it had to be her, since she was the sole female CEO. Her words had a prophetic ring to them.

  “That’s right. The Velibar are trying to abolish us. We won’t let that happen. So the ranks and the Primaries be damned.”

  I risked a glance into the room and spied Frank as he rose from his chair, almost knocking it over. “Promise me we’ll return to our regular practices when this is done.”

  Erik stayed calm, standing beside Frank Under. “We’ll discuss it. You are the biggest Corporation, and we all appreciate that, but I have to concur with Post on this decision.”

  The others chorused their agreement, and Frank’s face turned beet red. “This isn’t the end of this conversation.” He stormed from the room, and I spun on a heel, hurrying from the doors. Luther and I stared at the wall, pretending to discuss the basic art piece, but Frank paid us no attention as he rushed in the opposite direction. He was so self-involved, he didn’t see anyone unless he wanted something from them.

  “That was quite the show,” Luther said softly.

  “What are you two doing?” It was Jade, and she was frowning from halfway up a set of stairs.

  “Nothing! We… uhm…” I couldn’t make a coherent sentence. I glanced over to find someone had shut the door after Frank ran off, and I imagined they were contemplating ways to rid themselves of the potential problem.

  “The dinner’s being held in the east wing. No one’s allowed here.” Jade glared at me while I appraised her outfit. It was tough not to stare. The black dress sparkled, the asymmetrical hem contrasting directions from the dropping neckline.

  “Arlo, would you pick up your tongue?” Luther teased, bumping me as he strode by. “We’re sorry. The Pod dropped us off nearby, and we let ourselves in.”

  “It’s a good thing I found you instead of my uncle,” Jade said. “Come with me.”

  Finally, we heard sounds of life in the palace, and exited a lengthy hall into the largest dining room I’d ever seen. The table could probably sit a hundred, but there were only a handful of seats placed.

  “It’s just us?” I asked, wondering if the other CEOs were joining the dinner party.

  Jade nodded. “I’m sorry for deceiving you. My parents wanted to meet you.”

  “If I’m being honest, this is a little low-brow.” I started to unbutton my collar, but Jade shook her head.

  “Keep it formal. My parents should be here…” The door opened, and she sealed her lips.

  Mrs. Trevors was the spitting image of her daughter. She could have been an older sister. I refrained from saying so, not wanting to sound like a suck-up. Mr. Trevors was a big man, almost Luther’s size, and his eyes burned with intensity.

  “We finally meet.” He stuck his hand out. “William Trevors.”

  I shook it. “Arlo… Arlo Lewis.”

  The man brightened. “You put on one hell of a show, son.”

  The tension melted from my shoulders, and I finally relaxed. “Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without your daughter.”

  “Luther.” He shook next, and Jade’s mother came over, gently kissing me on the cheek.

  “It’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Trevors,” I said.

  “Call me Ginger.” Her voice almost purred.

  Jade smiled at me, probably glad to see how cordial everyone was being. Her parents sounded like pieces of work from the stories she’d told me on Pilgrim.

  “Would anyone care for a drink?” Jade asked.

  Luther raised a finger, and a robot walked over, painted in the Luna Corp colors. He took our orders, and we settled at the table while waiting for our host to arrive.

  “What do you think you’re going to find out there?” William asked.

  “At Refuge?” I asked, receiving a nod. “We aren’t positive, but we’re hoping for some allies. I know how hard everyone is working at our defenses for Earth, but I’m guessing the Velibar have done this kind of thing before.”

  Ginger sipped on her martini and was requesting a second when the door opened. In walked Erik, and I rose, Luther following suit. Us casually discussing an invasion was out of place. While the rest of the world was living in fear, these people didn’t even seem affected by the recent events.

  “No need to stand. This is informal,” Erik said with a courteous smile. He was wearing a shiny white suit, and each finger was adorned with a gemstone the size of a data Coin. If this was informal, I didn’t want to know what formal looked like.
r />   He sat at the end of the table, with Luther and me beside Jade, and her parents across from us.

  “Pardon my lateness. I had some business to attend to,” Erik said. “What did I miss?”

  “Hawk was just telling us about their mission to Refuge,” William said.

  “Is that so?” Erik lifted his hand, and the serving robot brought him a beverage.

  “We’re leaving in two weeks. Pilgrim’s modifications are completed, and we’re flying to Mars for the meeting before we venture off.”

  “Are you certain Varn Wallish and his team should be the ones to accompany you?” Erik casually sipped his drink. It was green and smelled like spinach.

  I glanced at Jade, who gave me nothing to work with. “Varn’s a very capable pilot, and no one likes shooting things any more than him. He’s competitive, and that can be helpful.”

  “Or it can get you slain. The man called his Racer Killer. Not the brightest mind I’ve ever encountered,” Erik muttered. “He’s bullheaded and arrogant. Almost a chip off his CEO’s block, isn’t he?” Erik smirked at me. Everyone knew about the time I’d decked Frank Under. Everyone always seemed surprised I’d survived the altercation.

  “Who would you suggest joins with Pilgrim to Refuge?” Luther asked him, and the answer wasn’t shocking.

  “Captain Lina Nebu is a natural leader. She’s a talented pilot, a renowned problem solver, and finished first in her class at Luna University in the field of astrophysics,” Erik told us.

  “You’re selling her to the wrong person. I’m just a pilot,” I reminded him.

  The Luna Corp CEO watched me, swirling his glass. “You seem to forget what you did at Saturn, Hawk. You were the reason we survived. Without your fast thinking and ingenuity, we would have failed.”

  “I can’t take the credit. My team—Jade and Luther, along with Holland—had a lot to do with it.” I smiled at the pair of them beside me.

  “And humble. I wish I’d known of your existence before. I would have made you an offer you couldn’t refuse with Luna Corp.” Erik tapped his rings on the table. “Maybe when this is all over, you’d consider leaving SeaTech. You’ll be able to do anything you want with the rest of your life.”