Star Road Page 7

  But they weren’t perfect.

  “Nice and quiet for the time being.”

  He nodded.

  “Good.”

  They both knew that if someone went off-kilter, it was Jordan’s job to restrain that person.

  Collar, restrain, or—if necessary—kill.

  Annie pressed a button and started the official Road vid.

  ~ * ~

  The holoscreen materialized at the front out of thin air, and Ruth Corso looked up at the image of a man sitting at a desk. Big smile. The logo of the Star Road Authority was behind him.

  His hands folded in front of him on the desk as if he was a bank’s branch manager, he began speaking.

  “Welcome to your Star Road vehicle and the amazing journey you have now begun!”

  Ruth leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. She looked around and saw that not everyone was paying attention. But this was all new to her. New and definitely exciting.

  “For the past two decades,” the man went on, “we’ve been able to travel within our solar system using hybridrive. You all used Quarter Light Speed to get to your embarkation point on Pluto. As many of you know, QLS ships made the amazing discovery of the Star Road portal on Pluto. And thanks to the brave efforts and sacrifices of hundreds of adventurers, portions of the Star Road have been mapped and are now open for exploitation and exploration!”

  How many portions? Ruth wondered.

  Among fellow Seekers, it was understood: no one knows how big the Road is, how far it stretches, what secrets it holds.

  “Using this amazing transportation system, we now have safe, dependable, and fast travel to many star and planetary systems that are hundreds, even thousands of light-years away from Earth.”

  Then Ruth thought: I’m really doing this.

  Leaving Earth.

  Looking for those answers about the Road, humanity, and the universe itself.

  “Although the origin and full extent of the Star Road remains—for now—unknown ... perhaps unknowable, we want you to relax and enjoy your trip in total comfort and safety. We are pleased to welcome you—”

  The smiling man faded from the screen to be replaced by a twisting section of Star Road, unbelievably beautiful, shimmering. Music swelled.

  “—to the Star Road!”

  The screen dissolved into a thousand glittering pieces and vanished with an audible sizzle.

  “Something, hmm?”

  Ruth looked over at the Chippie seated in front of her, announcing her opinion to the small group.

  Thinking: I have nothing in common with someone like her.

  The man at the front of the cabin hadn’t even watched the vid.

  “So ... who do you think made it?”

  Is this girl an idiot?

  As if anyone knows the answer to that question.

  Still—-everyone wondered.

  Ruth spoke up.

  After all, this was something she believed.

  “I don’t know. But they must have been ... must be beings of amazing intelligence and understanding”

  Sinjira turned in her seat to look back. “‘Be’? You said ‘be,’ right? Like they’re still around ... ?”

  The girl waved at the porthole, the vast flickering lights of space outside.

  “You think they’re still out there somewhere?”

  Ruth looked away.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “No one does. But I have faith that they are. That they’re waiting.”

  “Waiting? Waiting for what?”

  “For us—humans—to prove that we’re worthy to meet them, to learn their secrets.”

  “Really?”

  Sinjira grinned at the idea.

  I probably shouldn’t say anything.

  Instead: “As soon as we leave behind all our evil, our violence, and when we prove that we, as a species, are ready.”

  “How’s that working out for us ... as a species?” Another big grin. “I think ‘evil’ is doing just fine.”

  Pointless, Ruth thought.

  “We aren’t ‘done’ as a species. No one knows ... what’s ahead,” she said. Sinjira nodded, still smiling.

  “I like that,” she said. “No one knows. That’s so ... so real.”

  Sinjira turned away.

  And Ruth turned to her porthole and stared at the wonders shifting by outside.

  ~ * ~

  Annie sat quietly, appreciating the smooth, gliding ride of the SRV.

  In front of her, stars tilted and swirled as if part of a jacked-up planetarium show. She could almost imagine the hissing, crackling sounds the stars made as they slid by so fast.

  The quiet in the cockpit, sitting here with Jordan, took on a deep solemnity.

  Like entering church, she thought. Not that she had been to church in a few decades.

  But something about a Road trip made her—and obviously Jordan— quiet. Maybe she’d engage the Seeker in a conversation later ... if only to pass the time.

  Her hands remained on the controls, making slight adjustments, but with the Road so straight here, stretching out to what seemed a vanishing point in infinity, the SRV nearly drove itself.

  She focused on her breathing.

  The feel of the cockpit space. The tremendous beauty outside. The steady humming sound of the SRV’s engines.

  The wonder of it all, she thought.

  And then, without warning, a light on the screen to her left began to flash. The view ahead changed. Magnified. And a dark mass appeared far off in the distance.

  A warning buzzer sounded in the cockpit.

  “Shit!”

  Annie’s hands flew across the controls, calling up information.

  “There’s something on the Road ahead?” Jordan said simply.

  Biting her lower lip, Annie nodded.

  “Maybe just debris. Happens.”

  Jordan grunted and nodded.

  “In which case, it’s got maybe—what? Five minutes? Ten, tops, until the Road Bugs show up.”

  “We’re closing fast,” Annie said.

  Fast enough?

  She looked at the controls wondering if she should slow it down. The video display of whatever was up ahead was blurry ... pixilated.

  What the hell was it?

  “Might be a Road Ship. A one-man Speeder. The mass is big enough.”

  Annie studied the screen a moment longer. Then hit the comm button.

  “If I could have your attention, please.”

  She paused, imagining the various reactions in the passengers’ cabin. Did they know they might have just hit trouble?

  “We’ve detected ... something on the Road ahead—” She didn’t use the word “anomaly.”

  “Please make sure your harnesses are secure.”

  Now Jordan worked his console, trying to get a clearer image of whatever it was ahead of them. There were too many possibilities, but the first thought—as it was for any Road traveler—was: Runners? Maybe an ambush? Mobius Control had said everything was quiet ahead.

  But they’d been known to make mistakes.

  “Just to be safe... might want to train your main gun on the Road ahead.”

  “What do you think I’m doing?”

  Annie took a breath to calm down as she glanced at Jordan’s fingers, so quickly adjusting the weapon’s sights. He centered the object in his crosshairs.

  “Road Bugs would have gotten to it and cleaned it up by now, don’t you think?” Annie asked.

  “Depends. Might have just happened.”

  He turned and looked at her.

  “Could be anything, Annie.”

  Then he flipped a switch and said, “Got the front turret gun on it, too. Whatever it is.”

  Before Annie could say a word, he unstrapped his harness and got out. He unlocked the cockpit door and hurried down the aisle.

  He wanted to be hands-on, no matter what it was.

&
nbsp; ~ * ~

  “What’s up?” the dark, twitchy guy, Rodriguez, asked as Jordan walked by.

  Jordan ignored him. And ignored the Chippie, who looked up at him.

  Anxious?

  Definitely, but maybe just anxious to record what was about to happen?

  But he didn’t—he couldn’t ignore Ruth when he passed by her seat. Their eyes met.

  He could see her fear, her concern.

  Still—best he kept his mouth shut.

  After all... it could be nothing.

  He moved out of the passenger compartment and opened the hatch door to climb into the main gun turret.

  He settled into the seat and strapped in. Now he had direct control of the gun. The turret filled with the high-pitched whining sound of the charged pulse cannon, ready to fire.

  He put on his headset.

  Then—finally—Jordan smiled.

  I may get to shoot something after all.

  Through the patched-in comm system, he heard Annie saying something in the cockpit. Then a voice—a man’s voice—broken by washes of static and shrill feedback. The Road always did weird things to communications.

  “May-Day ... -Day ... This ... damage ...”

  Over the headset, Jordan heard Annie’s voice.

  “This is Captain Annie Scott of the SRV-66. Identify yourself.”

  “... chell... flying solo ... systems overheated ... possible ... life support... port going …”

  “Say again!” Annie said.

  The commlink was weak, if not broken, but Jordan could piece enough together, and he knew Annie could, too.

  “... power cores ... induction coil’s dumped ... before the ... show up ... me into rubbish …”

  Whoever it was, he was minutes away from being “cleaned up” by the Road Bugs.

  Having seen them in action, the only thing Jordan could compare it to was a frenzied shark attack.

  Whoever it is better hope the SRV gets to him first.

  Jordan took a breath, flexed his fingers, and waited.

  “We’re closing fast,” he heard Annie say. “Are you capable of transfer?”

  Jordan shook his head when he heard this.

  No shooting today—unless the Road Bugs showed up first.

  Just picking up someone stranded on the Road.

  That was the code, whether he liked it or not.

  Stay frosty, Jordan told himself.

  ~ * ~

  8

  THE CODE OF THE ROAD

  This seemed, strange. Why a breakdown? Annie thought. Things like that...just didn’t happen.

  “Why did your coil dump?”

  The commlink turned clearer now. The man’s voice steady—in control.

  Pretty good, considering he might be facing a horde of Road Bugs any minute now.

  “Please ID yourself,” Annie said, her voice firm.

  “Solo civilian vehicle. RA number IMT-9. My name is Gage ... Gage Mitchell.”

  “Individual Mass Transit,” Annie muttered as she punched the information into the ship’s computer. Moments later, the display flashed a message that the registration checked out as valid.

  So he’s a civilian. Out on the Road. Alone. Doing... what?

  “We’re decelerating. Prepare for docking.” Annie kept her voice steady. She could see Jordan in the turret.

  “Atmospherics are low. I’m not sure I can pressurize the connector,” Gage said.

  “Have you got an EVA suit?” Annie asked.

  “I’m wearing it as we speak.”

  Good... must be a resourceful and experienced traveler. Not some incompetent newbie.

  “You’re damned lucky we chanced by,” Annie said.

  “Yeah ... all I have is luck.”

  ~ * ~

  Rodriguez looked out the porthole.

  He looked back at the others—all also glued to their windows.

  We’re definitely slowing down, he thought.

  That’s not supposed to happen.

  He looked around.

  “Why are we slowing down?”

  “Were not,” said the old man—the miner—across the aisle from him. “Looks to me like we’re stopping.”

  “Why would we stop out here?”

  Rodriguez realized that he must have sounded scared.

  Nothing he could do about that. Because he was...

  “Probably—something on the Road ahead. Maybe some debris or a stranded vehicle.”

  “And ... ?”

  “Code of the Road. We have to stop and offer any and all assistance in the event of a breakdown.”

  Sounds like he’s quoting the damned manual, Rodriguez thought.

  “Shouldn’t be a big deal. Not to worry, amigo.”

  ~ * ~

  Annie was the first to see them.

  A glance to the image of Jordan in the turret, suddenly looking up at his camera, to her.

  “Damn! Jordan—”

  “Hell, yeah. Here they come.”

  Road Bugs.

  If anything stopped on the Road, it was just a matter of time—usually minutes—before the Road Bugs showed up. Like much of the Road, no one had any idea what they were, but their function, that was simple, obvious.

  Any debris on the Road that didn’t keep moving—no matter the size or contents—would be engulfed by Road Bugs and seemingly consumed.

  In minutes

  Destroyed. As if it had never existed.

  Annie leaned closer to the screen, seeing the bugs scrambling— apparently—from the underside of the Road.

  They came in a variety of sizes and shapes, and they had gotten the name “Road Bugs” because of their weird superstructures and configurations that suggested—to the imaginative, anyway—Earthlike insects.

  When these insects were through, even a vehicle as large as a World Council troop ship would disappear. Every atom. Where all the mass and energy went was anyone’s guess.

  And now, from both sides of the Road, the Road Bugs started swinging up and over the glowing edge of the Road, scuttling toward the stranded vehicle, IMT-9.

  And the stranded pilot of the vehicle?

  It didn’t look like he had a chance.

  ~ * ~

  9

  GAGE

  Gage.

  Ivan Delgato kept repeating the name in his mind even as the SRV and its captain came closer.

  Gage Mitchell.

  A mantra to remind him of who he was now.

  Got to make sure I respond to that name naturally. And convince her that I’m... what?

  Some digital supervisor doing his first on-site inspection? A manager for a mining operation, checking on output?

  Good luck pidling any of that off, he told himself. Just keep your mouth shut, and you might be fine.

  And what about his SRV’s breakdown?

  The trip just begun—and then the damned induction core failed.

  Sabotage?

  Could be. There were plenty of people who would love to see his mission fail and for him to disappear ... forever.

  Better—and more permanent—than Cyrus Penal Colony.

  Now, he watched the Road Bugs ... ten, eleven of them begin ripping at his ship, pulling it to pieces, cutting, slicing, and then the piece was gone.

  Not much damned time.

  He saw the approaching SVR on his screen, pulses already erupting from its main gun.

  Bugs began flying off the road, exploding in a flash of light, then vanishing.