LEVIATHAN by Rob Astor (read more books txt) 📕

LEVIATHAN

By

Rob Astor


I’m flying! Arms spread, legs stretched, Evan floated through the center of the frigate’s long super structure. He passed over metal walkways and under titanic bulkheads. At the far end, Evan held the palms of his hands out, gently pressing them against cold metal. Forward progression halted, Evan twisted slightly, easing down to the platform where his sneakers squeaked as they made purchase.
“Goofy kid,” a figure to Evan’s right said with a chuckle. Raven leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his wide chest. He wore a red flight uniform and white plasti-skin vest just like Evan’s. They also had control pads wrapped around their forearms. “You never did waste time findin’ a ship’s ‘sweet spot’.” Raven wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders. He held Evan close, running his knuckles across Evan’s skull, mussing an unruly shock of black hair with florescent pink streaks. “What’s this? Get some new racin’ stripes there, Small Fries?”
“Dad,” Evan pulled back. “I’m almost sixteen.”
“Medium Fries, then.” Evan followed Raven down a set of metal stairs, walking back in the direction Evan flew from.
“We almost to Vega?”
“Yup. Should be finishing the jump in ten minutes. Get Scooper ready.”
“Race ya!” Evan charged forward. “C’mon, old man, c’mon!” He grinned. “Let’s see you bust one of those moves you’re always talkin’ about.”
Raven flashed a grin of his own, rushing forward, easily catching the lanky Evan. His fingers found Evan’s armpit, making the boy twist and laugh.
* * *
Seated at the navigation control, Raven Spade surveyed the debris ring of comets and asteroids surrounding the young blue star from a central holographic projection. Two additional holographic grids of yellow-orange hovered in the air before him. The one on Raven’s left displayed an inventory list. On the right were detailed sensor readings taken from the frigate’s position half a light-day from Vega. “Got Scooper on-line, Evan?” he called out.
Above and to Raven’s right, Evan was seated at a control bank. “Almost,” he said. Evan’s fingers danced over holographic controls. He wore a headset with thin, transparent glasses, a box-like device and antenna on the right, and a second box on the left. Red lines of information scrolled past his eyes. Tapping a control, one line flashed. “Activated.” Under the hulking mass of the frigate, hatches popped opened.
“Goin’ in,” Raven said. Chunks of rock and ice tumbled under the massive starship. Some of them neatly slid into the openings. Slight vibrations worked up through the deck plating where they were felt by Raven. He smiled. “I think we’re gonna get a good haul today, buddy boy.”
Evan smiled. He flipped a holographic control with the twist of his hand, pulling a second up with his other. “Melter’s on. Refinery’s on.”
“Good work.”
A light flashed on Evan’s right. His brown eyes darted over. “We got company, Dad.”
Raven’s muscles tensed. “Marauders?”
“They’re not in the habit of sending greetings before they attack,” Evan said. “It’s Jarrick Dane. He wants to dock.”
“Let him in.”
* * *
Compared to Raven’s muscular form, Jarrick was pencil thin. He strolled down the ramp of his sleek blue delta winged Falcon carrying his flight helmet. The craft was neatly positioned at a diagonal angle in the bay, filling approximately a quarter of the space. “Don’t tell me you came all the way out here to get a fresh drink of water,” Raven said, pumping Jarrick’s hand.
“Captain Dane,” Evan said. He couldn’t take his eyes off Jarrick’s ears, almost perpendicular to his skull.
Jarrick grinned wide. “Evan Raptor! You get taller every time I see you.” He rubbed Evan’s head. “Don’t you think it’s ‘bout time for a haircut? You know…” he ran his hand over his spiky black hair, “…a Marine cut like me?” Evan rolled his eyes as he fixed his hair. “What’re you feedin’ this boy?” he asked Raven.
“Everything the finest diners in F.F.P Space have to offer. So, why’d you come all the way to Vega?”
Jarrick’s mood changed. “Got a lead on ‘you know what’.”
Raven’s smile diminished. “Evan, get down to the Refinery. See if we picked up anything.”
Evan sighed, slumping his shoulders. “Aye, dad.” He walked slowly ahead, touching a button on the left side of his headset. Music filled Evan’s ears. He reached the corridor and turned. In the shadows, Evan quickly pressed himself against the wall. Using his left forearm control pad, he lowered the volume.
“What’d you find out?” Raven asked, his voice a low rumble.
“The Marauders are looking for an alliance with the Eusian Empire.”
* * *
Clothing covered in dirt and grime, Evan placed his headset next to the sink. Next, he took off his forearm controls and plasti-skin vest. Pulling off his sneakers, Evan dumped out black dirt. He didn’t bother to undress further as he walked into the sonic showers. Evan pressed the activation button. Pulsing vibrations worked through his body, dislodging the filth from his clothes and skin, sucking it up into overhead vents.
“Evan Raptor Spade,” a loud voice said, causing him to jump and spin simultaneously. His wide eyes landed on his grinning father.
“Goofy kid! No wonder the air filters have to be flushed so often.”
Evan blew out a quick breath. “Better than fouling up the wash water.”
“We get anything good?”
“Besides ice? A few thousand kilos of iron and some crystals.”
Raven considered the information with a nod. “Not bad. Steak okay tonight?”
“Sure.”
“When you’re done, head down to Hydroponics and pick out some good vegetables.”
“Dane staying?”
“No. He’s out on business.” Raven tapped the side of the door a few times and walked on.
* * *
Blinding white light pierced the vacuum. A matter stream shot straight at Mars. The stately, elongated silver-toned frigate jumped into real space.
On the bridge, Evan sat in the pilot’s seat, keeping a close watch on holographic displays hovering around him. “Federation Of Free Planets Tracking has you on scope,” a computerized female voice said. “Standby for transponder signal confirmation.” Evan glanced up at his father seated at the Navigation Array. Raven smiled, flashing his son a thumbs-up.
“Frigate RS-149; transponder signal confirmed. Welcome to Mars, Raven Spade. You’re cleared for docking at the Delta Spaceport Hub.”
“Okay, Medium Fries, ease her in.”
“Aye, dad.”
Evan delicately throttled the ship toward the red and blue marble. Taking polar orbit, he flew low over the Borealis Ocean south to the mouth of Valles Marineris. A towering saucer-like structure hovered over an island like a black storm cloud, supported on huge stilts rising up from a metropolis situated below. Cutting back on speed, Evan eased into position as automated guidance systems took over the task of docking. “Good work, son,” Raven said. “You’ll have your Captain’s License in no time.”
Evan hopped out of the large seat as Raven began cycling down power. “Grab the cargo manifest.”
“Got it. What’re you forgetting?”
Pausing, Evan glanced around. He reached up and felt his headset, then his utility belt. “What’s Captain Spade’s first rule?” Raven hinted.
“Right!” Evan said. He reached back and pulled two flat chips from the main computer. They were crystalline rectangles with gold tips on each end. Raven repeated the rule with Evan. “Never leave without the Core Chips.” Evan popped a hatch open on the back of his plasti-skin vest. Reaching over his shoulders, Evan tucked the chips deep into a neoprene lining and closed the slender compartment.
“Estimated time we’re here?” Raven climbed backward down a set of steep stairs.
Tapping his left forearm control pad, Evan looked over a holographic list of cargo. “Eighteen hours max.”
* * *
“Welcome to the 364th. Annual Martian Stellar Starship Show,” the pleasant voice reached Evan as he and Raven walked into the city-sized geodesic dome housing hundreds of space ships.
“Whoa!” Evan gasped. He sucked on his strawberry-banana smoothie as they passed shiny red Racing Corvettes with graceful curves and sleek golden Speed Sliders. “Think they got any Federation ships on display?” Before Raven could answer, Evan saw something outside the dome, docked along the spaceport’s rim. His jaw dropped. “Dad, look at that behemoth!” he pointed. “It’s a Leviathan!”
The gargantuan craft was easily several kilometers long. A stunted nose formed the bridge and passenger area. Further back, huge circular compartments rotated around the length of the craft. It was so bulky and long, Evan couldn’t see the engines. “Think of the fortune we could make hauling stuff with that,” Evan commented.
“Leviathans are generational ships,” a well-groomed young man with blonde hair in a black business suit said. He came over and offered a firm handshake to Raven and Evan. “Veddie Brock, United Federation Shipping.”
“Raven Spade.”
“Mr. Spade, what an honor and a pleasure to meet you sir. You’ve made quite a name for yourself. If you ever need extra work, be sure to come to my office.”
“Much obliged.”
“So, we can borrow your Leviathan, right?” Evan asked.
Veddie chuckled. He looked out at the mammoth bulk of the colossalus. “Unless your family’s had one for the last few centuries, there’s little chance of owning one, not to mention the cost when they do go up for sale.” He grinned, turning back to Raven and Evan. “I hear it told even the Federation’s bloated military budget couldn’t cover the cost.”
“Is that one for sale?” Evan asked.
“No. The owner’s making a delivery. A big delivery.”
“Try blutotanic. How long does it take to dump and pack?”
Veddie shrugged. “Depends on the size of the freight. This one’s going to be here for the next three weeks.”
* * *
“Casino Deck,” Raven said as he and Evan stepped into the elevator. Someone touched a button. The elevator’s doors closed. They rocketed up through a transparent tube.
“Dad,” Evan sighed. “You know I’m too young to gamble.” The Martian surface quickly retreated. Skyscraper and city lights blended into luminous cross-hatch art.
“Got a surprise for ya, Medium Fries.”
Exiting the elevator, Raven walked past lines of slot machines straight over to the nearest bar. A huge holographic projection filled the wall, displaying news about recent Federation Navy activity. Raven stopped behind a hunched over man wearing a beat up brown leather coat with spiked brown hair and tapped his shoulder. The man turned, his angular face melting into a wide grin. “Raven Spade! Good to see you, my man.” He stood, took Raven’s hand and gave him a hearty slap to the shoulder.
“Uncle Gunnar!” Evan embraced the taller, broader figure. Gunnar worked his index fingers into Evan’s armpits, unprotected by the plasti-skin vest, causing Evan to slip to his knees in a fit of giggles.
“Some things never change!” Gunnar said, pulling on Evan’s right arm.
As Evan stood, Raven dug a card from his wallet and passed it to his son. “He’s gonna make the next delivery with us.