The Siege of New Terra (Star Sojourner Book 7) Read Free Page B

gravity.
    Hemorrhoid time!
    I leveled, forced out a breath and bored toward my pursuers. I fired at one, but missed. Lights parted from the two craft as they separated and left me a hole. Red flashes from their wing stingers went wide.
    Then I was past them. They'd be a long time doubling back. Shit! The leader's craft rose to follow me in that wingover maneuver.
You're cutting it too sharp!
I thought.
Watch out!
His craft swung wide, slammed into the flank of the slope and exploded. I moaned as his silent scream ripped through me.
    Terror!
    Inside my chest. Terror. As the great void opened. Alone. I tried to shake the link and lift my shields as he drifted into geth, that state between lives. Alone through a black chasm. A scream without a voice. Jesus and Vishnu! I was locked with his spirit. I banked the hovair, circled above the blazing ruin of his ship, and projected soothing thoughts.
Geth state is peaceful,
I sent.
Great Mind will embrace your kwaii, your spirit.
    I kept an eye on the returning hovair.
    “Terran!” A human voice came through the radio. I maintained silence as I climbed. “You've won the night. Join us. The pay is good. Our lives are free. We get the most beautiful women and the best toys creds can buy.”
    I sat back in the cushioned seat and smiled. It was a poor advertising stunt. All he wanted was our heads on platters. “Eat shit and die, mother fucker.” I shut off the radio before he could come back with a retort, and headed for Star Sojourner.
    Through the port window, the river appeared as a bent silver knife that cut the land. I rubbed my eyes. If I'd been alone, I would've headed back to search for Huff, but the last pirate hovair was somewhere in the night sky and had also gone dark, searching for our position. The glint of moonlight on our hull could give us away. I couldn't risk the lives of my two teammates for the sake of my Vegan buddy who might already be… I pushed aside that thought.
    Chancey sprang the hatch, dragged the Deneb's body to it, and threw him out into the gorge.
    We were silent as I landed the hovair near our starship. The only sounds were the squawks and grunts of night hunters and their frightened prey.
    Chancey got out. Bat and I watched him make his way to Sojourner and climb inside. Was it possible that we would lose two of our teammates, Joe and Huff, on this dark night?
    * * *
    The pirate camp below scrambled into high gear as Chancey shut down Sojourner's lights and buzzed the tents. He strafed the ones I'd told him were ammo sheds. One of them exploded and sent a plume of fire and smoke swirling into the night sky.
    The pirates snuffed out all lights and fired at Sojourner with beam rifles and a rocket launcher. I saw men board the two remaining hovairs as I held my craft rock steady above the tree line and waited for my chance to land and rescue Joe. Bat, in the co-pilot's seat, was tense and silent, staring through the forward viewport.
    Chancey banked our starship and led the band of men and aliens away from the main tent where I'd felt Joe's mind patterns.
    “He's given us our chance,” I told Bat as I dropped below the camouflage projection to ground level and taxied behind the main tent. “Keep her idling and ready, Bat.” I sprang the hatch and leaped to the spongy ground.
    The night was drizzly and humid, with frightened squawks and growls of jungle creatures. I unholstered my stingler and trotted around the tent to the rolled-up flap. The grounds were empty.
    It was dark and silent inside the tent, with a moldy smell. “Joe!” I whispered as I entered, my stingler drawn and set on hot beam.
    “Sorry, no Joe,” a guttural human voice answered in Stelspeak.
    I swung in his direction. The stingler was knocked spinning from my hand.
    “No Joe here either.” I caught the raspy tone and bitterroot smell of an Altairian behind me. “Will you settle for Frak the Altair, and Dirk, the Terran?” he asked.
    I moved away but was thrown against Frak