Wanderer's Odyssey - Books 1 to 3: The Epic Space Opera Series Begins by Simon Goodson

Author:Simon Goodson [Goodson, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dark Soul Publishing Ltd
Published: 2018-04-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 38

Dash sat deep in thought as their shuttle approached the Wanderer. Something had been worrying at him the whole way, something deeply important, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Was it something about the plan? Was there some flaw? No, that wasn’t it. So what was? He let his mind play back over recent events and, finally, realised what it was.

Jess had spoken passionately about saving the slaves on the damaged Steady Light. He and Sal had already chosen to free every slave on their own ship. They were doing something right, something important. They were fighting against the darkness. They were doing what Dash had started out doing, long before, when he’d fled from Imperial service.

Dash knew he’d changed down the years. He knew the sacrifices he’d made in the name of surviving, or winning, or to be able to right other wrongs. And he still stuck to some of the codes of behaviour he’d set himself… when circumstances allowed.

He knew all that, but what Jess and Sal had achieved shone a powerful light upon his own life. Made him realise just how far he had fallen from his idealistic self. Dash felt as if that earlier self had suddenly awakened, looked around and then recoiled in horror at what it found. He felt ashamed.

And here he was planning to take the Wanderer from Jess and Sal, to take the ship that must play a large part in their ability to achieve so much. This was no passive choice, no acceptance of harsh realities. What he planned would be a kick in the face to everything his younger self had believed in. A deliberate act which would prevent the Wanderer going on to save others.

His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle bump, followed by Jess’s voice.

“Welcome aboard the Wanderer. The bay you landed in has been pressurised and we are waiting beyond the airlock.”

“Come on, Captain,” Hackett said, clapping Dash on the shoulder. “Let’s not keep our hosts waiting.”

Hackett signalled to the men. Three pairs lifted the unconscious prisoners between them. The other three followed close behind. Dash and Hackett followed them off the shuttle, then walked past towards the airlock. Dash used a coded signal to Hackett, reinforcing that no action should be taken unless he gave the order. Hackett nodded slightly.

Then the airlock doors were sliding open, and Dash saw Jess in person for the first time. He was shocked by just how young Jess was, much younger than he’d seemed during their discussions.

The shock quickly faded as he studied Jess. There was something about the young captain, something in the way he held himself, that spoke of experience beyond his apparent age. Dash thought back to Jess’s recent actions, his destruction of three corvettes and the smaller ships, and the attitude made sense.

Then Dash saw Sal. His heart skipped a beat and he found himself smiling slightly. Sal only had eyes for their prisoner, though, for the man who was Sovon the captain and might well be Markus the slave.

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