Was Once a Hero Read Free

rest of the fleet stacked between
two hundred thousand and three hundred thousand meters.
    “Fighter
Computer,” Telisan said, “display the landing force.”
    The Wolverine shuttles appeared on the
fighter’s small video screen.   He watched
as they cut through the upper atmosphere, heading for the city of Gigor, near
the Confed naval base.   The big,
gray-green camouflaged ships landed far short of the base in a triangular
formation.
    Suddenly
the picture on Telisan’s screen changed.   A cloud of dust sprang from nowhere, engulfing each shuttle.   Then his screen derezzed and electronics on
Telisan’s Spacefire went mad with
feedback and distortion.   Sparks showered him as
his electronics shorted.   He cried out,
snatching at his fire extinguisher.   Telisan’s
helmet slammed against the canopy and he realized the fighter was
tumbling.   With one hand he fought his
ship, using the other to trigger the extinguisher.   With a fighter pilot’s trained instinct, he
climbed.
    “All
Black Diamonds form on me,” Telisan called.   Only a burst of static answered him.   “Black Diamonds to me.”
    He
dropped the extinguisher and switched frequencies.   “Black Diamond One to Fleet, respond.”  
    “This
is the Flamme , enemy on board!”   The voice cut out as Telisan heard a scream
and a shot.   His fighter’s screen snapped
back on, blurry and crackling.   “Select
DE Flamme ,” he ordered.   The escort appeared on the screen.   Flamme was tumbling end for end, plunging planetward.  
    “No,”
Telisan cried as the ship exploded in the Northern Sea.
    He
frantically switched to the squadron channel.   “Seeka, come in.   Seeka!”   He tapped the small fighter’s AI screen.   “Computer, progressively select all Black
Diamond fighters.”   The scanner showed
him what he feared.   Only his section
survived.   All the others lay smashed
into the world below, like the Flamme, or
burned to cinders in uncontrolled reentry.
    The
captain’s voice crackled in his headphones.   “All ships, this is Demidov, general retreat.   Climb, damn it—climb.”
    The
surviving fleet units fought for control and altitude.   No targets appeared for him to lock weapons
onto.   As he cleared five hundred
thousand meters, his Spacefire’s systems
snapped back to normal.   Telisan craned
his head around to glare at Enshar, the deathworld that had reached out and
claimed most of his squadron and the Flamme .  
    “We
are not done,” he swore to the looming world.   “We are not done.”
    “All
Black Diamonds,” Telisan keyed his mike, “return to the carrier.”   The surviving four ships answered his call.

 
 
 
    Chapter Two

 
    Robert
Fenaday sat alone in dark wood and leather of Luchow’s Marsport bar, trying to
get drunk.   He wasn’t much of a drinker,
another of his father’s several disappointments in him, but a man had to be
somewhere.   But tonight was the fifth
anniversary of the day the young officer had come to his door bearing a flag
and condolences that Lisa was missing, presumed dead along with her ship.
    Here’s to you Dad , he thought, too bad you aren’t here to share it with me .
    The
bartender walked over to Fenaday’s corner table.   “You gonna nurse that all night,
spaceman?”   It was early, and the bar was
far from full, but Fenaday had a prime table to himself.  
    Fenaday
barely glanced up from the glass.   “Put
another one down,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
    “Sure,”
the bartender said, giving him a frankly curious look, as if he somehow sensed
Fenaday was not the usual freighter officer.
    Fenaday
was used to the scrutiny.   His uniform
was not standard military, but the black leather jacket held a captain’s
bar.   Like most things on his ship the
jacket was second hand, its name badge being newer than the jacket’s old, worn
leather.  
    I probably look as worn as the jacket
tonight , he thought.
    The
bartender walked off, to