Return to Hawk Haven
<center>Return to Hawk Haven</center>
By
Lady MoonHawke
Aurora pushed open the office door and turned on the lights. She looked around, taking in the tilted blinds and dusty books in the case concealing a state-of-the-art monitoring system. She stepped into the room and set her briefcase against the wall. Even though the room was entered several times a day, it had an empty quality to it, lonely and abandoned. She walked slowly over to the desk, and observed its usual cluttered state with a fond smile. How did he ever manage to find anything in this mess? she thought to herself. She moved around it slowly, and sank into the leather chair reserved for the office’s denizen. It had been designed for her father, and was large by Aurora’s standards. She curled her feet up and leaned back, letting the smell of old cigar smoke envelope her. She let her eyes drift shut, and heard old voices in her dreams.
“Welcoming committee and porter in one? Are you stretched that thin up here?”
“Just want to help a pretty lady. Lift is in the north wall over there.”
She smiled a bit in her sleep. Quicksilver had seemed so sweet then, wanting to help her settle in, wanting to know what she thought about things. What a pity he was such a bastard.
“I’m leaving with Starlight, due in large part to your disgusting behavior last night. I just thought I ought to be the one to tell you.”
“I hope you get what you deserve.”
“I’m sure we both will.”
She had tried once more to fall in love with him that frightening night in Montana, but it was hopeless, and she had no idea how to tell him.
She rose up on her toes and kissed him, wondering as she did if she would ever really feel anything again. As her mouth pressed against his, she knew somewhere deep down that she was being cruel. Jonathan could never occupy the same place in her life that Steven and Starlight had, and she had just given him permission to try.
The images shifted, and she saw Steven, the bright summer sun lightening his blonde hair to white.
“Can I give you a hand?”
“No thanks. I guess you know who I am.”
“Yes. You are Aurora Amanda Stargazer of Frostbite Falls, Montana.”
“How did you know where I live?”
“A little bird told me.”
“Well, a little bird didn’t tell me who you are. I only heard you had one hell of an attitude.”
“Guilty as charged. My name is Steven L. Landon, and I am charmed to meet you.”
A warmer smile drifted across her face as a memory of their first ‘kiss’ drifted through her mind. It was something they joked about frequently.
“I told you what would happen if you used gutter talk.” There was a look of total fear in her eyes, and yet a hint of defiance. But the soap never touched her mouth. Instead, he pressed a hard kiss to her trembling lips. Her hands went from fists of anger to clutching at his shoulders.
It had been such a passionate year, dividing their time between California, Colorado and Montana. Then it had all fallen apart when his car went over the cliff.
Aurora stared down into the ravine, watching the orange glow from the burning car numbly. It was so far down that the heat from the flames didn’t even reach her. She started to shiver, and someone draped a jacket around her shoulders. Aurora dragged it on, and turned to her companion. “Thanks, Geoff.” She stared into the canyon until someone led her away.
She had gone back to Colorado after that horrific night, then on to the Academy. There she had excelled, memorizing regulations and administrative theory, as well as showing excellence in physical requirements, and completing the ultra-challenging desert survival weekend in incredible time, even ahead of the Academy’s record-holder, Jonathan Greyer. Aurora had fantasized about meeting Cadet Greyer, actually being able to speak with him. But he was not at all what she had expected.
“Jonathan, wait. I have to expl-”
“Explain? What could you possibly want to explain? That it wasn’t what it looked like? What else could it have been?”
“I won’t lie to you, it was what it looked like.”
“I see. So you rushed off after telling me you can’t marry me to have a little romp in the gym? I didn’t know your schedule was so full. Is Penal Planet 10 next on your calendar, or will you hit Bedlama now?”
He’d been so hateful, so angry, like something of his had been taken away. But she had gone her own way, and been deliriously happy, living in the 12th century and raising the daughter she and Starlight shared. Aurora awoke slowly from her dream, teardrops from old hurts still coursing down her cheeks. She heard activity outside the office, and quickly dashed the tears with the back of a hand. She went over to the door and opened it, then leaned against the jamb to watch the work. Will and Emily were carefully manipulating a desk into the small waiting room outside her office. It partially blocked her door, and she nodded in approval. “Looks good, guys. Just what I wanted. Now when the sofa gets here, it will go in here with me.”
“You want to put furniture in there now that we have this thing in the way?” Will asked.
“Talk to Procurement. They sent the desk first, so the desk goes in first.”
“They did a better job when you were in charge of that department,” Will reminisced.
“I know. But I can’t do it all now, Will. We’re just going to have to get used to things the way they are now, and not mope for the past.”
He put a reassuring hand on her elbow. “We all miss him, Aurora. If you ever want to talk about it…”
Her smile in response was tired. “I know, Will. But I can’t. If this is going to work, I have to be the strong one. There can’t be any doubts anywhere that I can carry this off. So thanks, but no. I’ll be fine.” Eventually, she added silently, maybe.
The disembodied voice echoed down the corridor, bouncing off steel walls and reinforced doors. A buzzer sounded, and barred gates swung open to admit the prisoners back into their cells for the night.
“Lights out in ten minutes!” barked a guard droid, waving a stun-pistol in a manner that threatened no one.
Laying back on his bunk, Hardware shook out the evening news from Bedlama—a luxury that had cost him plenty of Limbo-bucks and a few favors the guards would never know about. If there was anything interesting—and by ‘interesting’, Hardware meant anything relevant to when he would be able to round up the boys and blow this popsicle stand—it would be in the Bedlama Star Times. Tonight, however, the news was duller than usual. Geez, Bedlamians are too...happy. Not even one lousy bank heist or grand theft auto in this rag. What’s the Galaxy comin’ to?
“What’ssss the newsss tonight, Hardware?” Yes-Man hissed, letting his tail scratch idly in the dusty floor.
“Ahh, nothin’ good. Just more shiny happy Bedlama crapola.”
“Lemme see the funnies, will ya?” Yes-Man slithered off the bunk, but Hardware jerked the paper out of the mutant’s slimy grasp.
“Get yer own, slaghead!” Hardware shook the paper out from where Yes-Man had wrinkled it. Then his eyes caught something on the inside page that warranted further investigation. “Hey, now HERE’S—“
Yes-Man yanked on the paper, effectively ripping the page in half and spiriting it back to his bunk, chuckling gleefully. “I got it, I got it! Oh, yesss!”
Throwing his tin cup at the half-snake, Hardware let out a bellow. “Shuddup and listen! ‘Governor Zander of Bedlama City issued a statement today, expressing the concern of all Bedlamians over the death of Commander Edward J. Stargazer, leader of the SilverHawk Limbo Squad.’” He stopped reading, turning the pages with growing irritation. “Where’s the rest of it? Give it here!”
“Noo, it’s mine!” Yes-Man whined, clutching the page to his chest, but Hardware socked his cellmate in the schnozz long enough to make Yes-Man drop the paper.
“’Commander Stargazer is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and daughter Aurora, who will take command of the SilverHawk Project as soon as family obligations allow.’” A grating chuckle came from somewhere inside Hardware. “Imagine that. The old rust-bucket finally kicked.” He went on to read: “’All Bedlamians join with the Governor in expressing their deepest sympathies to Mrs. and Miss Stargazer, as well as the SilverHawk Team.’”
“I wonder who’s guarding the roost while the hens are away,” Yes-Man mused, staring at the ceiling above his bunk.
Hardware carefully folded the paper back on itself, tucking the ripped piece back in. “I dunno, Yes-Man. If we were outta here, we’d take that Hawk rock out of the sky!”
“Fat chance of that,” Yes-Man pouted, rolling over to fix Hardware with a discouraged expression. “We don’t even know where the Boss is. I heard they took him out of Limbo completely.”
“Lights out, you two,” chimed the guard droid, rolling by with stun pistol at the ready.
The lights of the cell dimmed, but Hardware was in no mood to sleep. “If we could just bust loose...”
Yes-Man punched his pillow viciously. “Hardware, shut up! Those stupid SilverHawks left us to rot in here, and I don’t need to you to remind me with your half-baked schemes!” He flopped down miserably on the hard bunk, trying to shut out memories of Brimm*Star, and the glory days when the Mob had free roam of Limbo Galaxy, before anyone had ever heard of Commander Stargazer or the SilverHawks.
Hardware wasn’t listening. He was too busy thinking.
“Aurora, I wish you’d reconsider. I can make the routine visit on the way to my patrol zone.”
Aurora finished clearing her desk and looked up at Jonathan. “Your patrol sector is in the opposite direction. It’s out of your way.”
“So I’ll switch patrol routes with Michael. He can take the team on my route, and I’ll hit the prison then do the patrol. It won’t be a big deal.”
Aurora sighed. “Jonathan, I gave Bluegrass and the twins the lion’s share of the patrol. I can’t switch it and shift the routes now. You are going out to talk to Lord Cash then make sure everything’s in order at the Artificial Sun. The others will buzz the Light-Year Limit, check at Automata and make sure the everything is still quiet at Brimm*Star. I’m not changing things now.”
Jonathan rested his hands on the surface of the desk, leaning towards her. “Aurora, don’t be foolish. You’re not even wearing armor. Let the rest of us handle the tough stuff, and you stay here where it’s safe.”
Aurora shot up from the oversized chair. “Now look here, Lieutenant. I am the COMMANDER for this station, and I will do as I see fit. And I am going to make the monthly Penal Planet briefing and six-month treatment interviews myself. Is that clear?”
He reeled back to attention. “Yes, Ma’am!” he barked, snapping off a salute. “Request permission to be dismissed, Ma’am!”
“Jonathan, please don’t…” Her attempt to repair the situation failed. He refused to meet her eyes, and his expression was stoic. “Permission granted.” She watched with a disappointed frown as he swiveled about and marched out as if on a parade ground.
A moment after he stormed out, Krysten stuck her head in the door, and Aurora waved for her to enter.
“What’s wrong with Jon? He stomped past me without a word.”
Aurora shook her head, collecting her uniform jacket from the coat tree. “I had to remind him of who exactly is in charge here. Again. Ticked him off a bit, I think.”
“He really thought when your father got sick that he would be the one to step up. If you hadn’t been here to accept the promotion, he’d have the big chair, probably.” Krysten handed Aurora a folder. “Today’s interviews. Hardware and Yes-Man.”
Aurora’s lip curled in distaste as she took the folder. “Lovely. And Jonathan WANTS this job?” She shrugged her uniform jacket on and tucked the folder into her attaché. “I should be back before third shift starts. I’ll call if anything comes up. Take messages if anyone wants to talk to me. I don’t want to be disturbed during the interviews. Will you be able to manage?”
Krys waved one hand. “No problem. Have a nice day.”
“With the Mob? You have to be kidding.”
“Prison lock-down in five minutes. All prisoners with movement privileges must return to cells now.”
Yes-Man snorted at the message. “As if there’s anywhere to go on this rock. Or anything to do.”
“Ah, shaddup, Slimey. It could be worse. Yer not in solitary.” Hardware continued to fiddle with his makeshift contraption.
“If I were in sssolitary, I wouldn’t have to listen to you mutter.” His scales shifted dryly against the blanket under him. “What are you working on?” he demanded. “It looks like a pair of electrified forks.”
“It’s a compact hand stunner. Or it would be if I had any proper tools,” the trollish engineer groused. “Not even a screwdriver in here.”
“So what are you going to do with it, piss off the guards?”
“Hey, it’ll drop a fair-size person, and it would give that cow SteelWill a headache and a half.”
“You’re dreaming, Hardware. Stargazer locked us up in here and threw away the key. We won’t see so much as a silver feather again, never mind a whole SilverHawk. And you’d never get close enough to one to use it anyway, Penal Planet or not. Just forget about it. We’re not getting out of here.”
Hardware twisted the wires tighter together. “You’ll see, Yes-Man. You’ll all see. We’re not staying in here, I guarantee it.”
Seymour’s cab lurched and reeled through space, and Aurora braced herself in the back as best she could.
“Listen, Miss Stargazer, you know I don’t mind helpin’ you out, but a person has to eat, you now what I mean? I mean, I can drive you out this time, but if you’re gonna make a regular thing out of it, I’m gonna need some kind of compensation. You know what I mean?”
Aurora smiled to herself in spite of the stomach-turning ride. Some things in Limbo never changed. “I’ll tell you what, Seymour. You get me to the Penal Planet and back, and we’ll sit down in my office and work out an agreement.”
“Back compensation too?” he asked quickly.
“I’ll do what I can. The budget only goes so far. Maybe a flat rate and semi-annual tune-ups? But right now, I need to be able to concentrate on these interviews.”
“All right, Miss Stargazer. I’ll shut up about it. But I did just want to say that I’m real sorry about your dad. He was a crafty old guy, but good. A mostly-honest guy always knew where he stood with the Commander.”
“Thank you, Seymour. That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has said to me.”
“Zeeeeeeek! I liked the old man, too,” his partner insisted. Zeek leaned over the back of the seat, proffering a trout. “You want to buy a fish?”
Aurora squinted at the less-than-fresh offering. “No, thanks. You keep it, Zeek.” She tucked herself into the corner, as far from the smelly thing as possible.
With a shrug, Zeek popped it into his mouth and chewed, then pulled out the skeleton, cleaned of all edible bits, and for a moment, Aurora found herself wishing that more things had changed.
The space hack settled slowly on the Penal Planet landing platform, only bumping once; a good landing by Seymour’s standards.
“Listen, Seymour, I’m going to be a while. If you want to go catch some fares, I’ll call when I’m ready for pick up.”
“Gee, thank, Miss Stargazer.” He lifted off in a cloud of thick exhaust, leaving Aurora with the new warden.
He stepped forward, tall, thin, and slightly nervous. “You’re Commander Aurora Stargazer?” he asked, offering his hand.
Aurora took it. “That’s me. Pleased to meet you, Warden Workman.”
“The same here, Commander. If you’d like to come inside…” He ushered her into the prison, a maze of dim metal corridors and cell doors.
“It hasn’t changed much, has it?” Aurora noted, following her guide.
“I suppose not. Do you mind my asking, are you related to the late Commander Stargazer?”
“He was my father,” she replied simply.
“I see. Because when I took over from Warden Lockup and met the late commander, he never mentioned any family. But the name is unusual…”
“Dad never liked to talk much about family. He spent a lot of my life serving up here.” She shook her head slightly, trying to escape the uncomfortable subject. “Are my interview subjects ready?”
“We haven’t alerted them yet. I felt, and UESC concurred, that the less warning they have, the better. Yes-Man is just a stooge, but Hardware will look for advantage in any situation. If he knew you were coming, he’d try to find a way to use it.” He stopped at a metal door with a barred window. “We’ve set up this room for the interviews. Do you want anything before we bring down the prisoners?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you Warden. I’ll be just fine. I’ll signal you when we’re through. Is that alright?”
“That should be fine. And my condolences to you and your family.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you in a bit.” With that, she entered the interview room.
It was small, cramped, almost, with a few narrow slit-windows at eye level, showing a vast expanse of nothing. Aurora quickly settled herself at the far end of the table, leaving the end nearest the door for the subjects. She felt a keen need to keep her face to them at all times, and out of the way of any potential firefight. A holdover from the tactical training she had received from both the Academy and Starlight, she supposed.
The chair was metal and uncomfortable, but she set herself to endure it. Removing the files from her case, she closed it and set it under the table out of sight and reach of her subjects. Then, she sat back and waited.
“Hardware! Yes-Man! Front and center! You guys have a visitor!”
The criminal pair snapped awake at the guard’s bark.
“Who?” Hardware asked, trying to grasp his new creation without being obvious.
“You’ll see. Now get out here. Time’s a-wasting.”
Hardware stumbled out the door after Yes-Man, using the move and the guard’s obstructed view to conceal the stunner in his clothing.
They were escorted down the hall, wrists shackled, shuffling through the dim corridor.
“Would it kill you to turn on some lights in here? Place is like a tomb,” Hardware muttered. He slouched behind Yes-Man’s taller figure, trying to look small and helpless.
“Shut up, you whiner,” the guard remonstrated. “You’re lucky you’re not dead or chained to a wall in some pit.” He halted outside a door and opened it. “In there,” he ordered. “And mind your manners.” With that, they were shoved in, and the door slammed behind them.
Aurora looked up from her files as the door opened. The criminals staggered in as if pushed, and sounds of the door closing echoed through the room. “Hello, boys,” she said, almost cheerfully.
The looks on their faces were priceless to her, and for a moment, they were silent, speechless. Then Hardware managed to find his tongue.
“Lookie here, Yes-Man. The lovely lady-lieutenant, back from wherever pretty birds go for years on end. Did you have a good time?” Hardware sneered.
“Have a seat,” Aurora offered, simmering, but refusing to take the bait. “I’m sure you know why I’m here, but we’ll lay it out anyway. UESC believes in humane treatment for all of its detainees, so I’m required to ask each of you a series of questions relating to your treatment and confinement, and any reasonable needs you may have. I’m sure you’ve been through this, so let’s get going. Hardware, what do you need?”
“Out of this stinking hole.”
“No go. Try again.”
“Catered meals from the Sini-Star Diner?”
“With a little something inside? Nope. Sorry. Two strikes. Want to take another swing, or are you ready to quit?”
“All right. All right. How about some decent lighting? This place is so dim I can’t hardly see nothin’.”
Aurora made a note in her file. “That I might be able to do something about. What else?”
“How about a look at those pretty legs you’ve gotta have tucked under that table? That would be worth a lot of other things, I bet.”
Aurora rose from her chair fast enough to tip it over and stormed over to him. “Look here, you toad,” she said, leaning over him. “I don’t take that kind of crap from my troops, and I’m not gonna take it from you. Now if you want to start taking this seriously….” She broke off in a gurgle as Hardware shoved the stunner toward her and activated it.
His invention worked like a charm, crackling to life and jolting Aurora. She slumped to her knees, breathing shallowly, then tried to hitch her way across the floor to the comm unit halfway up the wall. Her palm was almost over it when Hardware hit her again, sending her spiraling into blackness.
Hardware stood over Aurora’s inert form, crowing with delight. “It worked! I knew it! I knew it would work!” He gestured wildly to Yes-Man. “Pick her up. We’re getting out of here.”
“How, Hardware? We’re still locked in a room, and she’s dead weight.” He grunted as he lifted her slack body.
“She’s valuable dead weight, Yes-Man. We threaten to jab her again and again until they let us out. Then we trade her to the SilverHawks for safe passage. They just lost their precious commander. They won’t want to lose his pretty daughter, too.” He pounded on the door, alerting the guards. “Get the warden!” he shouted. “We have the girl!”
“She’s not a girl,” Yes-Man protested.
“Shut UP! It’ll do. And don’t hold her like that. This isn’t some Beldane romance film. Wrap your arm around her throat. Make it look like she’s in danger. Jeez, do I have to think of everything myself?” he muttered over the sound of feet running in the corridor.
“Where’s the commander?” shouted a voice from outside.
“She’s right here,” Hardware shouted back. “Hold her up, Yes-Man. Let ‘em see the pretty bird.”
“This isn’t going to work, Hardware. Don’t make it worse on yourself,” Workman warned.
“I don’t think it can get worse, Warden,” he returned. “And I know it can get a lot better. So you just give us what we want and everything will be fine.”
“Let her go, Hardware. There’s no point in continuing this.”
“Oh, I think there is.” He jabbed Aurora again, and her body convulsed weakly. “I can keep this up all day, but sooner or later, her systems will give out and she’ll die. And it will be on your hands, Warden. So you let us out of here, Warden, and I mean all of us. And you provide us with transportation. Then we’ll leave, and you’ll be the man who saved Commander Stargazer’s life. Ain’t that nice?”
“Let me have some time to think about this, and-“
“Oh, no, Warden. You stay right there and you give the right orders. You don’t say nothin’ I don’t hear, and you don’t contact the other Silver Flops.” He held the probe end near her face and let the energy crackle ominously.
“Get a ship ready and let his friends out,” the warden instructed dejectedly.
The guard was incredulous. “What?!”
“What else can we do? I won’t have her blood on my hands.” He looked at the slack face in the barred window. “Damn you, Hardware. You know they’ll just catch you again, and you’ll find yourself in a hole so dark you won’t know if your eyes are open or closed.”
“I’ll take that chance, Warden. Now we’re heading for that ship, so you clear those corridors. Or else…” He finished with a wicked crackling sound that made his intentions very clear.
HawkHaven floated serenely above Bedlama in the last few minutes of blissful ignorance. Krysten had settled herself at Ops under the great clear dome. Though her desk was in place, her terminal and the other paraphernalia she needed to work from it had yet to arrive, and while alone on the station, the cramped outer office seemed smaller and more isolated.
Familiar constellations sparkled overhead, long-lost friends newly rediscovered. Four years on Earth had dulled her memory of them, and now each glance reminded her of another detail she had forgotten. So perhaps it was Fate, that when the call came in, it was the Grinning Falcon she had been considering, a looming character who had always seemed up to no good, especially considering that Brimm*Star lay at the heart of the figure.
“Penal Planet 10 calling HawkHaven. Come in, HawkHaven. Priority One distress call from Penal Planet 10.”
Krysten sprang into action, clapping her headset on and confirming that the auto record had engaged. “This is HawkHaven responding to Priority One from Penal Planet 10. What is the situation, Warden?”
“They’ve escaped! All of them. We had to, you see. There was no choice. I couldn’t do anything else.” The warden’s babbling was nearly incoherent.
“Who’s escaped, Warden? What’s going on out there?”
“All of them. Hardware, Yes-Man, Pokerface, Melodia, the whole damned lot. There was nothing I could do, you see. I didn’t have a choice.”
Krysten bit back a curse of dismay. “Put the Commander on, Warden. I need to get orders from her. Then we’ll see what we can do.” It prickled at the back of her neck, that Aurora hadn’t been in touch during whatever monumental screw-up had occurred. Surely she would have issued orders to send the team off in pursuit before the fugitives had gotten far. “Do you hear me, Warden? Put Commander Stargazer on the line so I can get orders.”
‘That’s just it. They took her.”
Now Krysten did swear. “Damn it! How long ago, Warden?”
“You have to understand, it was complete chaos here. We had to release them all, provide transportation, and he demanded that I stand within earshot the whole time, making sure I didn’t call you in. Then the other prisoners nearly rioted, and we had to deal with that as well…”
“How long, Warden? I need to know how long they’ve been gone.”
His tone was filled with abject humiliation. “At least half an hour.”
Krys wanted to howl with frustration Too much time had already elapsed, and the idiot wanted to waste more of it talking. “Stand by, Warden. I’m going to try to divert Lieutenant Quicksilver to your location. Leave everything untouched, if possible. He’ll need to investigate.”
“I’m afraid an inmate triggered the fire-suppression unit. Most of the cells were drenched. In the-”
“Fine,” Krysten snapped. “Just wait there for the Lieutenant, okay? Hawk Haven out.” Once the connection was closed and recorder was off, Krysten indulged herself in a scream that echoed through the halls. Then, the worst of her frustration vented, she signaled the SprintHawk. The connection crackled to life, radiation from the Artificial Sun hazing the reception with static.
“-tenant -ksilv -ere. Com- -n Haw- -aven.”
“Get clear of the radiation, Lieutenant. Priority One.” Krysten waited a breathless moment as the hissing diminished, praying she had been understood.
“-etting bett- Got you, Krys. What’s wrong?” he asked, finally clear of the disturbance.
“You need to switch course over to the Penal Planet immediately.”
He laughed. “I got told off but good for suggesting I go earlier. Why do I suddenly need to rush over there now?”
“Go secure,” Krys directed, entering a series of codes. The whole blinking galaxy didn’t need to know about this mess, though with the Warden’s frantic entreaty for aid, they just might already.
The answering tones to her encryption were a relief. “Okay, Krys. I believe you’re serious about something. What’s happened?”
“Somehow the Mob escaped and took Aurora with them. The Warden isn’t real coherent at the moment. He kept babbling-”
“I get the picture. I’m diverting now. Call the others back, and I’ll rendezvous at the station. Got it?”
“Got it. HawkHaven out.” Quickly she set to work, sending out a pre-programmed return call for the Maraj, then pushed away from the station and stood, staring out the dome into the face of the Grinning Falcon. “Not this time, you bastard,” she whispered, though she could have shouted and no one would have heard. “We’re going to win this one whether you like it or not.”
Aurora returned to consciousness slowly, and it was several moments before she realized that though her eyes were open and functioning, there was very little to see. She knelt on the cold stone floor of a dark cell, wrists shackled overhead. Slowly she flexed her hands, trying to send some warmth to the cold numb appendages, wincing as pins and needles seemed to dance between elbows and fingertips. The pain was welcome, however. At least her arms were still subject to her body and not useless lumps of meat. Her fingers brushed the ceiling of her prison, and she managed to roughly estimate its height at five feet. Not tall enough to stand up, that much was certain. She pulled experimentally on the chain and determined that it ran through some kind of bolt securely fixed into the ceiling. Carefully she stretched out her legs, but discovered that while the chain was long enough to allow her to sit on her heels, she would not be able to sit directly on the floor without almost dislocating her shoulders. “We’ll save that one for later,” she murmured, testing her voice. It was rough, and her throat dry and sore, but it seemed for the most part undamaged. Other aches and pains made themselves known; stiff muscles in calves and thighs, sore abdomen and ribs, a pounding headache, and an all-over twitchy feeling she wanted to associate with electrocution. On the positive side, however, everything seemed to be in working order, no bones broken, and no serious wounds pouring out blood, though there was a raw feeling of abrasions at the knees and elbows.
“So on the whole, you’re in one piece,” she told herself. “Can’t stand, can’t really sit, but nothing you’re going to die of right away.” She longed to run her fingers through her hair and clear away the mental soup that bubbled furiously. She rattled the chains at her wrists louder, trying again to pull on the bolt, looking for any weaknesses. However, it held firm. She looked up, seeing only the pale outline of her hands again the dark ceiling.
“That certainly doesn’t look to be going anywhere.”
“That’s right, SilverHawk,” gloated a voice from the dark. “And neither are you.”
A light appeared across the room, dazzling Aurora’s eyes, finally adjusted to the dark, and she could hear Hardware on the other side of the door.
“You just sit tight, not that you have any choice. We’ll get in touch with your loser friends soon enough and exchange you for safe passage. You’ll even get to go untouched. Yes-Man hasn’t got the guts, and I ain’t interested in scrawny Earth-chicks. As for the others, they lost interest when they saw you ain’t really a tin soldier with a pretty face. So since the Bird-brains are the only ones who want you back, they can have you. For a price.” The window slammed shut, leaving Aurora in the darkness again, uncertain whether she should laugh or cry.
Are you going to give them the satisfaction of knowing they broke you? a little voice in her mind asked her. For a moment, she was almost convinced it was Starlight.
Violently she shook her head, biting on her trembling lower lip.
And if you laugh in his face, Hardware might decide you are his type. Is that what you’re after?
Again she shook her head. Hardware was repulsive enough without contemplating him touching her in any way.
So keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open. Find a way to screw up their plan. If you can’t, hope your friends find a way to screw it up. But don’t start whining like a baby or cackling like a lunatic. Do you understand me?
Yes, she managed to think coherently. I understand. Thank you.
No charge. Now get thinking.
“How could this happen, Warden?”
Quicksilver paced in front of Workman’s desk, trying to ignore the squishing carpet and the water covering every surface. He made a mental note to ask the UESC about providing the detention facilities with chemical fire suppressors. The old water units were messy as well as wasteful.
“Hardware must have had something concealed on his person when he went to the interview. He used it to render the Commander unconscious then used her as a bargaining chip. He indicated that whatever it was, it would kill if we didn’t cooperate.” The warden sighed with dismay. “I wasn’t willing to be responsible for her death. I wasn’t prepared to go that far.”
“So instead you released half a dozen violent criminals? I’ve got to say, Warden, that’s a lousy trade.” He ceased pacing for a moment, looking around the swampy office with distaste. “All right, then. What do we know about the device he used to incapacitate the Commander?”
“Something electronic. I saw it spark when he held it up,” the warden explained.
“How did he get something like that?”
“We have no idea. Nothing like that, or even component for something like that, came in his mail. They hardly get any mail, since they’re all in here.”
“Were all in here, Governor. He wasn’t searched before the interview?”
“There didn’t seem to be any need. He couldn’t have received it, so for all we knew, he didn’t have it. And he’s been quiet. Sullen and moody, but quiet all the same. And nothing ever turned up in a search of the cell he shared with Yes-Man.”
Jonathan sighed, trying to sort out the information he’d been given. “Do you have security tape of them?” he asked finally. “Anything from the cell, the corridors, anything?”
“There’s taping in the corridors. We’re no longer allowed to film directly into the cells themselves. And with some of these characters, the cameras were just creating more havoc, encouraging them in more … extreme behaviors.” He glossed over the idea quickly.
“They’re hardened criminals, Warden. I wouldn’t expect Friday Afternoon Tea Socials. Where can I view these tapes?”
Jonathan sat in the small security office, feeding tape after tape into the playback device, trying to isolate the tape where Hardware appeared. Slowly, a clearer picture of what had happened began to form for him. A camera in the corridor outside the engineer’s cell revealed that he had shoved something into his prison-issue coveralls, and recordings of the interview showed Aurora jumping from her chair in response to some comment from Hardware and approaching him, leaning over to castigate him. The mysterious object appeared again and she collapsed into a heap.
Quicksilver cut the playback. He’d seen clearly enough what happened, coupled with the rambling account of the warden. Whatever Hardware had said was powerful enough for her to forget her good sense and feel the urge to take him down a peg personally. Knowing Hardware, he’d probably baited her from the first word out of his mouth. And Aurora, in her true act-first, think-later fashion, had bitten hard and fast.
Leaving the office, he cornered the first guard he saw. “Where is Hardware’s cell? I need to examine it myself.”
The cell was small and plain. Two bunks against opposite walls, facilities in one corner, and no homey touched aside from a crumpled issue of the Bedlama Star Times in two pieces under the bunks. He fished out the pieces and studied them, noting the lead story with a frown. Splashed across the front page were photos of the late commander, Aurora, and her family. Somehow, the paper had even acquired a shot of Aurora’s older sister and run it, leaving a great deal of discretion to be desired. The article carried details of the funeral and memorial service, as well as the UESC’s intention to hand the post over to Aurora.
“They knew she was coming,” he said to himself. “Maybe not here, but they knew she would be in Limbo.” He pushed the pieces of paper aside, and looked up in annoyance at the flickering light overhead. None of the other lights in the corridor seemed to share its affliction and he dragged the bunk under it, climbing up to get a better look.
A cursory inspection only served to feed his curiosity, and he called for an engineer to study the fixture. To the Warden’s credit, Quicksilver wasn’t kept waiting long.
“Take a look at this,” Jonathan instructed. “It doesn’t look right to me.”
The engineer, complete with step-ladder, spent several minutes with the fixture. When he climbed down, his expression was puzzled.
“Someone’s made off with the back-up module for the light, along with some wiring. I’ll have to get replacements out of stores to repair it.”
Jonathan was already gone, storming away down the corridor.
“Tell the warden I appreciate his cooperation,” Quicksilver told the guard near the SprintHawk. “I need to get back to the station.” Within minutes, he had fired up the engines and disappeared into the stars.
“I know how he did it,” Quicksilver said, jumping down from the cockpit. The twins, Bluegrass and the Copper Kidd all waited just of the landing pad as he made his pronouncement.
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” Michael implored. “What’s the story?”
Jonathan was already heading toward the lift in the corner. “In a minute. I don’t want to have to go over this more than once.
In the domed control center, Jonathan faced the entire team. “Hardware built something from a lighting module and some kind of flatware, and he took it with him to the interview. I can only guess from the security tapes that he said something to set Aurora off, then took advantage of the distraction to use it on her. From there, he was able to use her as a hostage to get his pals released and onto a ship. The prison’s tracking system had them for a while, but eventually lost them.”
“So what do we do now?” Krysten asked.
“We start taking this galaxy apart until we turn over the right stone. SteelWill, you and SteelHart take the Equalizer and head to Fense. Talk to all your contacts, and find out what they know. Try not to give anything away, though. We don’t need every petty criminal in the galaxy seeing this as an invitation to pull a heist. Kidd, head out to the Starship Casino. Low profile. Just buzz it and see if you get any attention. I don’t want to have to come and get you out as well. Colonel, take the Maraj and run the Light-Year Limit. Report any strange activity. I’m going to have a look around Brimm*Star again. Everyone clear?” He looked around, seeing nods of acknowledgement. Then let’s move, people.” He watched as they scrambled to fill his assignments. Then he felt a touch at his elbow.
“I’m useless, aren’t I?” Krysten asked rhetorically. “I can’t do anything to help. I just have to sit here with no armor and wait.”
He shook his head. “Not exactly. You’ve got the hardest job. I need you to monitor what everyone comes up with and put the pieces together. And Tallyhawk is going to be covering the rest of the galaxy, so if he turns up something I need to know. Seymour is out there, and I need to know what he’s seen since dropping her off. Plus the Mob might decide to ransom her back to us, so I need to trace any communications that come in. Can you handle all of that.?”
She was already at the communications terminal, headset in place. “I’ve got it. Go on. I’ll call you if anything comes in.”
Jonathan walked toward the elevator, then looked back. “We’ll get her back, Krys. I swear. We will.”
“We’d better,” was her only reply.
Aurora feigned sleep as the door opened. Appearing unconscious would encourage them to let down their guard, and maybe some detail would slip out that she could use. And if she was passive, she could probably escape a beating that might cripple her.
Short stubby fingers were in her hair, yanking her head up as bright lights dazzled her eyes, even through closed lids. Must be proving they have me, she thought. I’m going to be traded soon. She lolled bonelessly, trying to boost their confidence.
“Make her move or something, Hardware,” Melodia’s voice whined. “She looks dead. They’re never going to go along with it if she looks dead.”
Hardware’s leathery palm smacked her face, and she pulled away, moaning a bit theatrically. Stoicism would only earn her more punishment, and she didn’t want Hardware getting any ideas about how else he could hurt or humiliate her. The light was shut off, and her head dropped. She let herself droop, still apparently stunned, and hoping that her loosened hair would cover the fact that she had lifted up from her heels, easing the pressure across her chest.
The door finally closed, and the voices trailed away. They were arguing, unable to agree on an exact plan or destination. The unifying presence Mon*Star had provided was missing, and none of the remaining Mob members seemed able to fill the void. With more time, she might be able to worm into the confidence of one or another of them. But time was working against her, and options were growing short. If nothing else, she might find she was faced with flinging herself out into space to avoid being used in trade. It wouldn’t be a pleasant end, but she resolved to keep it in mind. If nothing else, it would be her choice.
“I’ve got communication, Lieutenant.”
Krysten’s voice broke through the contemplative silence near Brimm*Star. There had been no sign of activity at the former Mob outpost, and he had circled through some near-by asteroids, hoping that by some off-chance, they had set up a new base near their former home. But there had been nothing to see, and he ha finally let the ship just drift through the stars, looking for inspiration. The Old Man had always had yet another idea, or another plan, or some way to make things work, and for a moment, Jonathan would have traded almost anything for a moment to talk to him.
“I hear you, Krys,” he said at least, realizing that she was waiting. “Anything useful before I come in to see it?”
“Nothing. It was bounced off six relay sats just inside Limbo, and no telling how many outside. I can’t even tell you whether it originated inside Limbo or not.”
He sighed in frustration. “Okay. Good work tracing it, even if it was a long-shot. Call back the others and let’s see what they want.”
Gathered in Command, six pairs of eyes watched the screen as Hardware’s frozen image came to life as Krys touched a button.
“We’ve got her, Silver Flops. If you want her back in one piece, Lieutenant Quack-silver will meet us at the anomaly with a ship. We get the ship and leave, and you get the girl. We’ll even be out of your shiny silver hair, for a while, at least. You’ve got one hour.” His image was replaced with Aurora’s and everyone in the room cringed as she was struck and moaned piteously. Then the recording broke apart into snow.
Pressing another few keys, Krysten put up an image of Limbo, a red criss-crossed line tracing the path of the message. “It came into the galaxy here,” she said, highlighting an area of the Light-Year Limit. “Before that, I can’t tell. It may have originated from inside the galaxy and bounced around a few more times, or it could be from outside. There’s no telling without tapping into the outside satellites, and I’m still working on decrypting their systems. It won’t happen within the time-limit, though.”
“Mmmm,” Jonathan acknowledged. “Why do they want a ship? Why don’t they just leave?”
“I raised the warden when the message first came in. He said he only gave them a short-range vehicle, hoping to limit their mobility. And it’s not in very good shape, either.”
“So they want us to give them something better to invade Earth with.” Michael tipped back his ever-present Stetson. “What are we gonna do about it?”
Jonathan chewed the inside of his cheek a moment. “They’re going to have to think we’re going along with it,” he thought aloud. “Krys, get a hold of Earth Defense and have them waiting at the far end of the wormhole if things go wrong. Assure them that it’s a last ditch measure only. We know they aren’t really prepared to deal with the Mob, but better safe than sorry. Bluegrass, can we use the Mirage effect with the Hot Seat still in place?”
“I reckon so, but not for along. The more ship you have to hide, the more power it eats up,” he answered.
“Then we’ll have to choose the right time to do it. Krys, once Earth is up to speed, get on the horn to Bedlama and find out what they’ve got junked that still looks good. We need a decoy ship. Something impressive.”
She nodded, deep in conversation with Earth Defense, and Jonathan moved on. “Kidd, you and the twins are with the Colonel. We’re going to try to retrieve Aurora without handing over the other ship, but it’s going to be close. Keep your eyes and ears alert. Anything can still happen.” He turned back to Krys. “Got that ship lined up?”
“On its way,” she replied, pulling her mike down. “Some kind of cutter with a blown engine. It’ll move, barely, but it has all the latest in external shielding and stealth skin. The Governor was going to refit it for a personal conveyance, but he was kind enough to offer it to us for the mission. He did ask if we could try to avoid shooting it up too badly, though.”
“Well, let him know that we’ll do our best.” He glanced up at the chronometer that was counting down the time left to the exchange. “Let’s get moving people. There’s not much time left.” He paused near Krysten as the others filed out. “So why hasn’t she called … you know?” he asked.
“Starlight? What makes you think she hasn’t?”
“She’d be here. Or maybe not. Maybe she had him pick her up after Hardware made that recording, and we’re going on a Fool’s Errand.”
Krysten shook her head. “No. He hasn’t been here. I’d know. I guess it’s one of those things you’ll have to ask her when you get her back.”
“If we get her back,” he responded morosely. “Too much can still go wrong.”
“Think positively, Lieutenant. ‘When,’ not ‘if.’”
“Sure, Corporal. When.” Even to himself, it sounded weak.
So why haven’t you done it? the little voice asked.
I don’t know what you’re talking about, she thought in reply.
Sure you do, it taunted her. You could have been out of here the minute you were awake enough to call him. So why not?
It’s my problem. I’m not that cruel, besides. I wouldn’t have him come get me just to say good-bye.
You never said good-bye. It was just “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” You owe him a decent farewell.
It wouldn’t be a farewell. I wouldn’t be able to go again. I’m not made of stone, after all.
Could have fooled me.
“Oh, shut up,” Aurora said aloud.
You ditched your mother, you ditched your graduation, you ditched your daughter and the man you loved. You never finish anything properly, do you?
“I said shut up!” she shouted, louder this time.
And now you could be out of here with a word, but you don’t have the guts to face him and do what has to be done. Drop your foolish pride. Bite the bullet and ask for help.
“SHUT UP!” she screamed. “Shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP! I’m not going to ask for help. It’s my mess, and I’ll get out of it MYSELF!”
Suit yourself.
The door rattled, and Aurora pulled herself from her one-sided conversation. Hardware stood in the doorway, and she crushed down an impulse to lash out at him with her feet and earn herself a dislocated shoulder in the process along with whatever beating the other Mobsters would mete out.
“We can do this one of two ways, pretty bird-lady. You can come along under your own steam, or we can knock you out and carry you. What’s it going to be?”
For a moment, she was tempted to spit on him in reply, but she reigned in her anger. “I’ll walk, if it’s all the same to you,” she gritted.
“It’s all the same to me, as long as you behave yourself. And it starts now.” He waited for her resigned nod before stepping closer and unlocking the shackles.
Her hands fell into her lap like stones, and she yelped in surprise, earning a cuff on the side of her head. “Quiet!” Hardware ordered. He gestured with a pistol toward the door. “Out.”
Slowly, she hitched her way across the floor, legs stiff, and hands useless. It was several long painful minutes before she could open and close her fists, and another eon before her legs would stop protesting enough to support her. Then, head down and hands shackled before her, she was poked and prodded down a dark hall and onto a small ship. There she was strapped into a seat, a gun to the back of her head.
“Just sit there and be quiet, and soon this will be nothing but a bad memory,” Pokerface assured her.
Sullen and withdrawn, Aurora didn’t bother to answer.
“They’re going to have to pull up close to the other ship to transfer over. I want to get Aurora off the cargo transport first. Then I’ll have to drop back to get her clear of the fighting, and the rest of you will have to do your best to round up the Mob.”
The SprintHawk hovered in space between the anomaly and the majority of Limbo Galaxy. The sleek cutter drifted a few hundred yards to his right, and to the other side, the Maraj drifted behind a convenient asteroid.
“Whatever you say, Chief.”
One of the points of light in the distance sparked, and Jonathan thought he could detect some movement. “Here we go, folks. Colonel, time to play peek-a-boo.” There was a moment of static on the screen, then when it cleared, no sign of the ship or its troop appeared on the SprintHawk’s screen.
The transport drew closer, and Jonathan heard Hardware’s voice over the radio. “You’re right on time, Lieutenant. Good job. Now hand over the ship, and we can all leave happy.”
“Show me the Commander, Hardware. You’re not going anywhere until I have her back here.”
There was some garbled conference on the other ship, then, with many fits and starts, it drifted around until the side door was visible. There, in the portal, a face appeared. He watched as Aurora’s eyes flew open, and it seemed as if her intentions were written on her face. “Don’t do it, Aurora,” he whispered, but his plea went unheard. There was some kind of struggle inside the small craft, tipping it first one way, then the other. Then the hatch popped open, and a figure appeared. Then Aurora cast herself out of the ship, into the empty space of Limbo.
Jonathan was on his feet as she leaped, and he paused only long enough to call in the other Hawks. “Take them!” he shouted. “Take them now! I’m after her!” Visor down, he dove out of the ship, following her falling form.
It felt like flying, really. Arms overhead pressed to her ears, eyes closed, not trying to breath, it was quiet, cold, dark, and entirely her own choice. Whatever the team did now, they did without concern that she could be hit or used against them. She was free to go, and, she reflected, if she succeeded, Jonathan would have his beloved command. Not bad all around really.
The arm around her waist was a shock, and she realized with a start that someone, probably Jonathan, had come after her, leaving the Mob to escape, no doubt. She squirmed, fighting to get free, and for a moment, she was loose. Then he grasped her again, tighter this time, and she reflected that fighting her rescuer was not only getting to be a habit, it was pretty damned stupid. The lack of oxygen could have had some effect on that decision, though. Distantly, she could feel her direction changing, reversing, but it was so far away, and she was getting so sleepy….
She found herself waking up in Sick Bay, the sights and smells painfully familiar. With a sigh, she pushed herself into a sitting position, rattling the rails that framed the bed. Within seconds, a hand had pulled back the curtain, and Will’s familiar face smiled at her.
“Hey, Commander. Back among the living I see.”
“For the moment, Will.” She touched a hand to her aching head. “Deep-space exposure?” she asked, wincing.
“Moderate. Your post-treatment tests look good though.”
“We ought to market the treatment. A half-hour in the tube for whatever ails you.” She looked down at her hands. “No damage here?”
“Very minor. You were moving them in that cell enough to protect them. Maybe some lingering stiffness, but that will go away with time. Same with your legs.” He could read her intentions in her face and helped her to her feet. “If you try to get right back to work, you’re going to have a headache for three days. Give it a good night’s rest, then stick to the desk tomorrow. Please?”
She took a deep breath to retort, then let it out. Like it or not, Will was right. “Okay. I’m going back to my quarters. If it’s not an emergency, I don’t want to know.”
Will’s expression was pathetically grateful. “Thank you, Commander. I wasn’t really in the mood for an argument.”
Slowly, carefully, Aurora made her way back to her quarters. Safe inside, she let herself fall into the chair at her desk, and dragged a sheet of parchment from a drawer. She retrieved a pen, and started writing.
It was nearly an hour before she finished the document, folding it carefully and pressing a seal into the wax she dribbled over the edge. Satisfied at last, she dragged herself to bed.
Krysten looked up from her desk as Aurora entered the outer office. “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it in today,” she said.
“I’m in,” She fiddled with the letter in her hands a moment, then placed it on Krysten’s desk. “Please, deliver this for me?”
Krysten read the name scripted on the front. “You don’t want to do it yourself?”
“I can’t. But I can’t leave things like they are, either. So, will you?”
Krysten set it to one side. “Before the end of the day,” she promised. “By the way, Jonathan is waiting for you. In case you decide you don’t want to go into the office right away.”
Aurora sighed. “I have to face him sometime.” With that, she walked quickly past the desk and entered her office.
Jonathan was indeed waiting, leaning against the edge of her desk, facing her. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked.
Aurora made her way to her desk, and gestured for him to sit as she did. “I’ll manage, Jonathan. Thank you.”
He moved to wave her gratitude aside. “Don’t --”
“No,” she reached across the desk, touching his arm and interrupting him. “I know what you did. Thank you, for saving my life.” She leaned back a little, so her hand was just resting over his. “I know your dying to say ‘I told you so.’ And you would be justified. I wasn’t up to taking on that challenge, and now they’re out again.” She sighed once more. “I really fouled things up this time.”
“It happens to all of us,” Jonathan said charitably. “Did your dad ever tell you about the time he got tossed out of the Starship Casino?”
Aurora’s face lit up a little. “No. What happened?”
Jonathan leaned back a little, relaxing. “Well, as I recall, he’d been undercover at the casino. He’d heard a rumor about a game in the back room….”
HawkHaven hung suspended like a jewel over Bedlama, offering hope and peace in a chaotic part of the universe. And though its creator had passed on, it served its function still, housing the guardians of that peace.
With special thanks to Lady Razorsharp. Her take on Hardware and Yes-Man behind bars gave this piece the kick it needed to get moving. -LMH
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