Starbounders by Adam Jay Epstein

Author:Adam Jay Epstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

«EIGHT»

“Skold Ota Stella, you’re under arrest,” said one of the IPDL officers taking aim. “For intergalactic grand theft larceny and attempted robbery of the Callisto perpetual energy generator. As well as hijacking, murder, and armed evasion of capture.”

“You’re going to have to add kidnapping to that list, too,” Skold said.

He whipped out his photon cannon, and Zachary felt it pressed up against his back before any of the officers could react. With the hard nozzle jammed into his spine, Zachary knew that all it would take was one pull of the trigger and he would never walk again. Skold huddled Ryic and Kaylee up beside Zachary and pushed them all forward.

“I’m getting on one of those ships.” Skold gestured across the way to a series of docking portals where pitchforks and battle-axes were parked. The IPDL officers couldn’t get a clear shot at Skold—not unless they were willing to take out one of the young Starbounders in the process.

Skold began inching out of the atmospheric atrium, using his hostages as a shield, but the officers refused to clear the way for him.

“We have authority to apprehend you regardless of the casualties,” the IPDL officer told Skold.

Zachary knew what that meant. He, Ryic, and Kaylee didn’t count in the big galactic picture. It was in his best interest for Skold to get on that ship.

“Drop your weapon or we’ll be forced to open fire,” the officer said.

Skold seemed all too willing to play this game of chicken. And Zachary wasn’t going to wait to see who was going to flinch first.

He reached around the photon cannon and pulled the magnetic tweezers from Skold’s jacket pocket. Pushing Kaylee out of the way, he jammed them into the shockle still clinging to Skold’s left wrist.

A massive neutron burst flashed across the room, blinding every last officer. Zachary’s vision was immediately clouded by the bright white light, as if he had stared directly into the sun. He felt a tug at his shirt and was quickly pulled forward.

“What was that?” Skold demanded as they hurried from the scene. “You think you were going to escape from me?”

“No,” Zachary said. “It was to help you escape. I’ve been watching you. I saw that your eyes weren’t affected by the neutron bursts back at the campsite.”

Zachary could hear the disoriented shouts of IPDL officers behind him, but all he could see was a blur. He could feel Skold lift his gloved hand and hold it up to another indentation. He heard a door slide open.

“You may as well let us go,” Kaylee said, coming back to Zachary’s side. “We’re of no use to you now. That officer said so himself.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of bluffing?” Skold replied. “The IPDL would never allow Starbounders-in-training to die.”

Through the haze still obscuring Zachary’s vision, he could tell they had boarded a ship. He just had no idea what kind. Skold pushed him down into a seat and strapped him in.

The ship began to vibrate and then took off, rocketing into space.

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