The Eve of War by Christopher Hopper

Author:Christopher Hopper [Hopper, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

“Buckle in!” Ezo yelled as he and TO-96 raced through Geronimo’s startup sequence. Awen took a seat behind the two command chairs and fumbled with the harness buckles. Her hands shook due to equal parts nerves and fatigue. The cockpit hummed with activity as switches flipped, screens glowed, and systems cycled on.

“Geronimo Nine, Geronimo Nine, this is Plumeria Tower. We’re reading drive-core initiation on platform thirty-nine. You do not have clearance for startup sequence or takeoff.”

TO-96 looked at Ezo. “What would you like to do, sir?”

“Put me through.”

The bot touched the dashboard. “You’re good to go, sir.”

“Tower, this is Geronimo Nine. I’m not sure what you’re reading. Our systems here are nominal.”

“Negative, Geronimo. Sensors clearly indicate that—”

“I’m sorry, come again?” interrupted Ezo.

The tower comms operator let out an exasperated sigh. “I said, our sensors—”

“I still can’t read you, Tower. This must be really irritating.” Ezo glanced at TO-96. “How we doing, Ninety-Six?”

“Thirty-seconds, sir.”

The tower operator’s voice was hard now. “Geronimo, we are sending a control crew to board your vessel and initiate the suspension of your credentials until such time as the—”

“Suspend my credentials?” Ezo said in mock surprise. “But then, how can I fly my ship?” He waited as the tower operator hesitated.

“You—you won’t be able to fly your ship. That is the whole point of suspension!”

“Can you explain that to my wife, then? Because I don’t think I can break the news to her myself.”

“Sir,” TO-96 said, muting the comm. “I don’t believe you’re married, are you?”

Ezo cast him a mirthless smirk. “Really, Ninety-Six?”

The bot looked away then back at Ezo. “Ah. I see. You are attempting to engage in witty banter with the tower operator through the use of sarcastic falsities in order to delay their confiscation of our ship.”

“Sometimes, your brilliance amazes even me.”

“Why, thank you, sir,” the bot said as Awen chuckled.

“Don’t mention it. Time?” Ezo asked.

“All systems are ready for takeoff, sir,” TO-96 said.

“Open the line again.”

TO-96 unmuted the link just in time for them to hear the tower operator spitting orders into the microphone, seasoned with enough vulgarities to make him unprofessional but not enough to get him dismissed from his post.

“Tower, I truly appreciate your attempts to threaten us. It’s exemplary. However, we are leaving nonetheless and wish you the very best. Oh, and please give our regards to”—Ezo leaned back to Awen—“what was his name again?”

“Master So-Elku,” she answered, cringing as she spoke the traitor’s name.

“Master Su-Echo,” Ezo said. “Geronimo Nine, out.” He turned to his copilot. “Take her up.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

Awen felt the ship lift off and bank sharply to the left. She reached out to steady herself, leaning against the turn.

“You expecting any pursuers, Star Queen?” Ezo asked over his shoulder.

“No, I—wait. Star Queen?”

“Sure. You probably still have that stardrive on you, right?”

Awen instinctively placed a hand on the satchel. “Maybe.”

“That’s a yes. Which means you didn’t give it to your big boss man, which means he’s pissed at you. That means you’re a big somebody now—a big somebody with information about something in the ’verse that people want.

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