Chapter 2

Space was beautiful. Micah believed that anyone who thought otherwise needed to have his head examined.

Plotting a course toward the California system, Micah sat back in the cockpit of his Defender and let the computer do the flying. As per the standard agreement the Liberty Navy made with its fighter pilots, the Navy officially signed his fighter over to him when he chose not to renew his commission at the end of his six year assignment. Removing his helmet and rubbing his eyes Micah realized he’d have to find work soon; military service had yet to make anyone rich. Forcing those thoughts away Micah flew toward the edge of Liberty as fast as his ship would take him there. Looking back at his short-lived career in the Navy he knew why.

After leaving Planet Houston as soon as possible at 18, he applied to the Naval Academy only to find that he was the only Texan in his class. It wasn’t until the end of his time at the Academy that he realized the criminals he was being trained to fight were primarily composed of people from his own planet. Micah had long stopped trying to count the number of Texans he’d arrested. Or killed. To his peers, the Rouges meant nothing but Micah saw were the faces of the people tired of scratching out a meager existence on the planet that had also been his home; people that, under different circumstances, could have been him.

Arriving in California, Micah aimed his ship at the trade lane to Mojave and on to Planet Los Angeles. But Micah had no intention of stopping in the California system. Just beyond the borders of Liberty Space, Micah had heard, in the Magellan System, was Freeport 4. The station had two main advantages: Finding a job would be as easy as rolling off a log and none of them would involve Liberty….

Here's the third chapter!

Chapter 3 (a little longer)

2 months later…

“Copy that, Freelancer 5 dash 12. You are cleared to dock,” the droid droned.

The large, steel doors slid open allowing the large, mottled Clydesdale freighter to enter the docking bay. A slight shudder made its way through the ship as the lifts took over for the main drive and the ship lowered itself to the deck. Once down, the automatic lights above the ship hummed to life over the freighter’s assigned berth throwing a harsh glare over the hull and revealing the words Star Chaser over the port defense turret.
It had been a while since Micah had been back to Freeport 4. Spending the last two months as a fairly anonymous trader in Bretonia, Micah found himself spending most of his down time on Freeport 4. It was outside the direct influence of House space but still had enough traffic to keep it interesting.

Micah powered down his ship and walked across the docking bay toward the populated areas of the station. As he reached the door Micah couldn’t help but look back at his ship and smile to himself. There had been a time when he would have laughed out loud if someone had told him he’d be a freighter captain one day. But now that he’d actually gotten used to the change, he’d started to become rather fond of his graceful, if somewhat obese ship.

“How’s it going Captain?” the bartender said with a grin when Micah walked into the bar.

“Not bad Luther,” Micah said.

“Still limping along in that Bretonian bucket of bolts?” Luther gibed.

“She flies pretty well,” Micah replied, smiling. “But you’ll never find out if you never get out from behind that bar.”

“I like it back here,” said Luther. “No one shoots at me. I had enough action on that Bretonian gunboat as a gunner to last me the rest of my life. I like the IMG. You know when the last time anyone attacked a Freeport was?”

“I hear you,” Micah said, raising his hands as if to surrender. “But I still say that six Starbeam turrets are an excellent argument against a Molly.”

“You can just keep arguing, friend,” said Luther, polishing the bar. “So what are you up to now?”

“Just a little R&R,” Micah said, “I’ll go back to hauling boron in a day or two.”

The friendly banter was interrupted by a man, dressed in a suit, sidling up to the bar.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I couldn’t help overhearing that you are a freighter captain?” the man in the suit said with a slight accent Micah couldn’t quite place.

“That’s right,” Micah said. “What can I do for you, Mr…”

“Perhaps we would be more comfortable at my table over there,” the man said, pointing to one of the tables near the large viewports on the far end of the bar.

“Alright…” Micah said, beginning to wonder what he was getting himself into.

Micah followed the man in the suit across the bar, sitting across from him at a table under a viewport looking out over the Freeport 4 – Manchester Jump Gate Tradelane.

“Alright Captain, I would like to hire…” the man in the suit began.

“Look I hate not being polite, but you never told me your name,” Micah said. He was beginning to feel that knot in his gut; the one that told him something wasn’t right, like the time he’d accidentally wandered into a Molly ambush while trying to find a shortcut from New London to Leeds.

“No, I didn’t,” the man said evenly. “You can call me Mr. Kruger.”

“Alright, Mr. Kruger, what can I do for you?”

“I was wondering, Captain, if you hauled people as well as freight,” Kruger said calmly.

“If you’re looking for a slaver, you’ve got the wrong freelancer, Mr. Kruger,” Micah said, starting to get up.

“Wait a moment, Captain!” Kruger said. “I was referring to passengers. I would like to hire you to take me to Sigma 13.”

“I don’t have much in the way of accommodations on my ship, Mr. Kruger…,” Micah said, lowering himself back into his seat.

“I am willing,” Kruger said, taking out a stylus and scribbling on a napkin, “to pay you this amount if we leave tomorrow.”

Micah eyes widened when he saw the number Kruger had written on the napkin, but he’d been around the sun once or twice before and his suspicions were not allayed by the sizable figure on the napkin for the simple task of transporting one man halfway across the sector.

“Where in Sigma 13 would you like me to take you?” Micah asked, his eyes narrowing, searching Kruger’s face as if the truth were there and only waiting to be found.

“I will tell you that,” Kruger, smiled, “when we get there.”

“Then I don’t think…,” Micah began.


“There you are, you slimy piece of Rheinlander filth,” a rough voice sneered.

Micah turned to see a tall, Asian man dressed in a flight suit Micah had never seen before and a haircut that was equally foreign. There was malice in his voice and in his eyes, but all these observations were secondary to the immediate concern created by the blaster he was pointing at the table.

“Though you could hide from us in this pit?” the man asked, gesturing with the blaster as if to indicate the whole station. “And now I’ve caught you trying to escape,” the man continued waving the gun at Micah. “What are you going to do now? Buy your way out of this mess too?” the man laughed. “You can’t possibly match the reward I’m about to collect,” he sneered, aiming the gun at Kruger’s head and squeezing the trigger.

There was an explosion. Micah flinched, involuntarily – he’d never actually had to fire his blaster before – all his combat experience had been in a fighter. He looked at Kruger expecting to see his brains splattered all over the viewport only to find Kruger staring at the wall across the room – through a newly created hole in their assailant’s torso.

The thug crumpled to the floor and Micah saw Luther standing behind him with a smoking plasma rifle in his hands.

“Luther?” Micah asked

“Come on,” Luther said, “We’d better get going.”

“We?” asked Micah, a grin starting to form on his face.

“Well, that’s probably gonna cost me my job and it looks like you could use the help,” Luther replied.

“I don’t need any help because I’m not taking this job,” Micah retorted.

“I think you should reconsider that statement, Captain,” Kruger said, kneeling over the body of their attacker.

"Why would I want to work for you after what just happened?" Micah asked incredulously.

“That’s why,” Kruger said, tossing a small, black object up to Micah,

“What is this?” Micah asked.

“It’s an Identi-reader,” Luther said, “Bounty Hunters use them to identify their targets.” “You’re ID is in here, Micah and so is yours,” Luther said, pointing at Kruger. “But I’m not sure what this blinking light on the side means…,” Luther muttered, almost to himself.

“It’s transmitting,” Kruger replied grimly.

“What’s going on here, Kruger?” Micah demanded.

“It means our friend here didn’t come alone,” Kruger replied. “Your friend Mr. Luther is correct; we really should be going. I’ll explain on the way to Sigma 13.”


Edited by - mdutr0 on 10/7/2004 11:10:58 PM

Edited by - mdutr0 on 10/7/2004 11:12:38 PM

Edited by - mdutr0 on 10/7/2004 11:14:45 PM

Edited by - mdutr0 on 10/7/2004 11:15:58 PM

I think it's a great start. Keep going

I agree. Very well written.
Keep it up!

Very good so far

Thanks ladies and gents. I'm currently working on the next section; hopefully it will be up soon!

Thanks,

Micah

Sorry about the lack of updates recently folks. Law school has a tendency to keep one kinda busy....

There will be one soon though!

Thanks,

Micah

Here's two chapters as compensation for the delay!

Part 2

Chapter 1

“Starting pre-flight checks,” Micah called out, bringing the Star Chaser to life, her engines roaring to life, “Going straight to main drives.”

The trip from the bar to the docking bay had been remarkably uneventful, though Micah had been expecting an ambush at every turn. But, though the trio had gone with guns drawn, they did not meet a soul.

“Off we go,” said Micah, easing the Star Chaser out of the docking bay, “Laying in a course for Sigma 13.”

The Star Chaser began accelerating toward the trade lane to Liberty space, the auto-pilot taking over control of the ship. Micah breathed a sigh of relief.

“Lucky, we didn’t meet anyone else on our way out,” Micah said, looking back at Luther.

“I think I know why,” Luther said, looking past Micah at the scanner next to the pilot’s seat. “Look at that.”

Immediately behind the freighter, and gaining fast, three Hawk fighters flew in a silent, but deadly pursuit.

“Is that who I think it is?” Micah asked, reaching for the thruster control.

“It is,” Kruger said calmly. “And we’re not going to make to the trade lane before they catch up with us.” “Your ship is armed, I suppose?”

“Yes, it’s armed,” Micah said, becoming annoyed at the man in the suit. “But in case you haven’t noticed, we’re in a Clydesdale and they’re in Hawks!”

As he spoke, Micah flipped off the auto-pilot and hit the thrusters, aiming the ship at the trade lane.

“Luther, you still remember how to run defensive turrets?” Micah asked.

“Like riding a bike,” Luther said walking over to the gunner’s chair.

“A what?” Micah asked.

“Never mind, just something we used to have back on Cambridge,” Luther replied, switching on the gunner’s station and warming up the turrets. “Guns charging.”

“Good,” Micah said, “we haven’t got much time.”
Chapter 2

“Hawks incoming!” Luther called out, swinging the gunner’s chair around to bring the guns to bear on the pursuing fighters.

“What do you intend to do, Captain?” Kruger asked.

“Just hang on,” Micah replied. “I’ll show you a little trick an old pilot from Houston taught me,” Micah said, reaching for the thruster control. “Thrusters on!”

“Uh Micah… You’re flying AT the Hawks, not away from them,” Luther pointed out.

“That’s the general idea,” Micah said. “Trust me.”

The freighter flung itself at full speed toward the fighters. Micah waited until the Star Chaser entered firing range and suddenly swung the ship ninety degrees, perpendicular to the path of their adversaries.

“Nice move,” Luther groused. “You just gave them our tail,” he said, moving to turn the guns toward the aft the ship.

“Are they following?” Micah asked.

The hull shook as shots from the fighters’ guns ricocheted off the freighter’s shields.

“I’d say so,” Luther called out, firing the Star Chaser’s guns at the nearest fighter.

“Good.” Micah grinned, laying on the thruster control, pushing the Star Chaser to its limits. “Get ready to release a mine on my signal!” Micah said, shouting over the roar of the combination of the ships’ engines and thrusters.

Hoping his plan would work, Micah pulled the engine cut-off lever beside the pilot’s seat and released the thruster control simultaneously.

“What just broke?” Luther asked, looking around the ship apprehensively as if expecting to see a piece of conduit or control panel spouting sparks and smoke.

“Nothing,” Micah said calmly, enjoying the free fall his ship was now in. “Mr. Kruger I suggest you strap yourself in. Luther, ready on those mines.”

The Hawk fighters, thinking themselves extraordinarily luck in finding their prey such an easy mark, suddenly found the ungainly Bretonian freighter swinging around to face them while maintaining its speed and direction.

“Coasting backwards....” Kruger murmured. “Inventive…”

“Luther, fire everything you’ve got!” Micah called out.

Luther targeted the closest of the three fighters and let fly, all six turrets and two guns coming to bear on the now startled light fighter pilot. At that moment, Micah pushed forward on the thruster control again, sending the ship forward; the hunters had just become the hunted.

Micah watched the distance read out closely as the Star Chaser sped toward her targets.

“Leader’s shields buckling,” Luther said. “I’m doing hull damage!”

“Fire all mines!” Micah ordered, the ship almost 200 meters from the fighters.

Luther stomped on the mine release pedal three times in rapid succession, discharging seeking mines directly in front of the fighters who were still traveling on the same course they had been during the pursuit.

The Star Chaser plunged through the enemy formation, right through the middle of the three fighters. Micah swung the ship back around to face the fighters and cut off the thrusters. As they looked back at the receding fighters, they saw three explosions in quick succession.

“One fighter destroyed!” Luther crowed. “Two badly damaged!”

“Heading for the tradelane,” Micah said, swinging the ship’s nose back in her direction of travel and punching the thrusters. “Next stop Sigma 13.”






Befriend the Outcasts at least once, for thou shalt behold the Hispania and marvel. - KnightLight

Great story. How did I miss it?

Now, the inevitable question...can I offer constructive criticism?

Thanks very much! I hope to have another chapter up soon!

Constructive comments would be welcome. This is my first story in any genre, and I'd appreciate any advice you can give me.

Thanks,

Micah

Befriend the Outcasts at least once, for thou shalt behold the Hispania and marvel. - KnightLight



Edited by - mdutr0 on 10/28/2004 5:04:11 PM

your first attempt is a failure. please try again with A GOOD attempt. oh and a good topic would be MONGOLS

Go Mongols GO

GhengisKhan -

Unfortunately for you I am immune to the banal comments of idiots. Perhaps you should peruse the dictionary for the definition of the word "constructive."

Should you be so lucky as to post criticism that IS constructive, I would be more than happy to consider any comments you might make. As unlikely as I find this proposition, I look forward to reading more of your most pleasant conversation.

Good luck on your hunt for Mongols in Freelancer; I wish you the best.

Thanks,

Micah

Befriend the Outcasts at least once, for thou shalt behold the Hispania and marvel. - KnightLight

I like. When's the next installment due out?

This is good keep it up.
I need more story