Chapter 60

Once the Iron Butterfly’s hull dipped through the Acid Rat’s magnetic seal over the cargo bay, June let Tootsie land the ship and breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’re back. We’re safe now.”

Joey obviously didn’t share the sentiment. He eyed Mike’s limp body warily. “Can we put him in stasis now?”

June gave him half a smile. Her body ached. She had anticipated Mike would attack her first, but she had no idea he would do so with such ferocity. It had taken every ounce of her strength to keep him off and when Joey had climbed on top, Mike’s fangs dipped within inches of her chest. She would have been dead long before the venom had a chance to do its evil work.

“Tootsie, do you have access to the stasis field?”

Tootsie let out a small beep. “Yes.”

“Please suspend Mike until further notice.”

A grinding noise emitted from Tootsie. “Done.”

Joey visibly relaxed and the Iron Butterfly settled down in the same location where it had taken off from. June waited. She had thought the doors would be closed right away, but that wasn’t happening.

“Tootsie, why are the cargo bay doors still open?” she asked. “Is something wrong?”

“My sensors detect that Vic has accessed my control panel. He is not conscious.”

June wanted to get out of the ship, but couldn’t. Not until the doors were closed. “Can you close the doors and deactivate the magnetic seal?”

“I have access to those functions. It appears that T-11 XR34 Q14 WMN912…”

“Who is that?”

“That’s the computer from the Iron Butterfly.”

“What about it?”

“It cannot close the doors.”

“But you can?”

“And I am.”

June looked up. Indeed the doors were closing. Slowly. June would relax when she was certain that Vic wasn’t hurt. Joey suddenly looked ready to leave the ship. She’d told him that nothing existed between her and Vic, that she looked to him like a big brother, but Joey only wanted to sulk, but with a little less aggressiveness to his sulking. June found his jealousy cute, but she would have to deal with him later.

Once the doors were closed and the cockpit cover opened, June bounded out. Her arm and ribs screamed at her for doing so. Mike had punched her several times. She’d need to get checked out once this was all over.

A flash of green escaped from the weapons room and flew up the ladder from the cargo bay. Dexter must have known something. June rushed up the ladder as quickly as she could, her arm protesting all the way. At the top Dexter had Vic over his shoulder as he escorted the incapacitated captain into the lounge.

Argmon barked something from the cockpit.

“What?” June had never really learned enough about Argmon’s nuances of speech. She listened more intently the second time. He said something about police and approaching.

“They’re back! They followed you back?”

Argmon chuffed agreement.

“Dexter, charge the engines. I’ll get Vic and Joey strapped in. Argmon! Get ready to go to hyperspace.”

Joey helped June strap in Vic. “Um…this may sound like a stupid question, but doesn’t this ship have something to, I don’t know, make the police think we went in a different direction? Defensive counter-measures or something like that?”

“You know what, I think I know just what to use. Argmon! Ready the beacons. We’ve got to throw this ship off our tail and now!”

“Glad…to…see…you’re…back,” something said. June didn’t recognize the voice and instinctively reached for a blaster that wasn’t there.

“Who’s there?”

Joop-Nop, or she had to assume it was Joop-Nop, walked out from behind the couch on four stick legs. Several other branches projected from its back. “Joop-Nop?”

“Yes…it…is…me.”

“You look, different.”

“Mike…is…”

“Yes, he attacked us.” June strapped Vic in and then strapped herself in. She heard Dexter notify Argmon that the ship was ready. “Argmon! Use the hyperspace beacons. Set them for all different locations.”

Argmon barked back something. June assumed it meant agreement.

Joey buckled himself in as did Joop-Nop. His body no longer slime, he must require the dampening field now.

“Mike…was…in…communication…with…someone…he…called…the…’boss’.”

“The boss? About what?”

“I…never…heard…any…specifics.”

“I wonder if he was supposed to kill us all?”

“I…don’t…think…so.”

“Hey June, I don’t know much about what’s going on here, but how long do we have to get back to Planchar? Aren’t we running way behind on the time?”

“Hold on, Joey. One thing at a time. So Joop-Nop, Mike was in communication with someone outside the ship? How?”

“Box…in…his…web. Not…sure…how…long.”

“So you found this box?”

“No…it…was…gone.”

“Where?”

“Don’t…know.”

The Iron Butterfly. If Mike had stowed away on the cruiser, it must be there. June grabbed at her seat belt, but Joey reached for her.

“Don’t! We’re about to go into hyperspace. Can you answer my question now?”

Too much was happening at the same time. June wanted to deal with one thing, be it Vic, or Mike, or Mike’s boss, or getting away from the police. Just one thing. But since she couldn’t deal with any of those, she may as deal with Joey. She smiled at him.

“Can you tell me your question again?”

“How long do we have to get back?”

“Tootsie, countdown until we need to arrive back on Planchar?”

“Eight Hours, forty-four minutes, forty-seven seconds.”

“Thank you.” June looked back at Joey. “And?”

“I think we can make it back in time.”

“Joey, we took the fastest way here and had to take a detour. Vic lost time coming back for us. We don’t have enough time to make it back. May as well accept it. We lost this one.”

“No, I think we can get back in time. I just need to talk to Argmon. We can do it. I tried to explain it to Vic, but he didn’t think we could do it.”

“What makes you think we can?”

“Well, we’ve got nothing else to lose. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?”

He was right. She’d just given up as soon as she heard Tootsie give the time. What did they have to lose? “Okay, once we’re in hyperspace, get up there with Argmon and see if you can give him directions.”

Joey’s boyish grin was infections. June smiled back, but resisted the urge to kiss him again.

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Chapter 61

“I don’t want to hear excuses. I want the tractor beam locked on them and I want it now!” B.T. Justice fumed.

“Sir, we’re not in range.”

“Range, schmange! If the range is a problem, move faster.” Justice swatted the officer with the riding crop. “Move! Move! We’re not losing them again!”

They had lost the SS Acid Rat, or its decoy, and found it again, then lost it again. But they had the other ship. The one that Justice was certain hid the SS Acid Rat’s identity.

“Sir, that ship doesn’t have hyper…”

“Just move! Get me that ship or I’ll have your badge. Do I make myself…”

Justice heard the collective gasp from those on board the renegade ship as it slipped into hyperspace. Gone. Just like that the crew of the SS Acid Rat slid through his fingers again.

“Plot their course and follow. I want all the drones set up to intercept them and pursue.”

Justice’s scowl darkened the longer he glared at the star field on the screen, now absent of the ship they were looking for. How could he have such an incompetent crew?

“Sir, they’re headed for the Noir system. Isn’t that…”

“Yes, it’s a black hole system. It’s also near another black hole and a neutron star that’s nearly a black hole in its own right. What are they thinking? What?”

The Munchkada system sat near a black hole system. Could it be that the captain of the SS Acid Rat felt so confident in his ability to navigate near such an anomaly that he fearlessly headed into the face of danger?

B.T. Justice gripped his riding crop with both hands and snapped it in half.

“Set course to follow. We’re going after them.”

“Sir?”

“Set course!” Justice’s veins protruded from his reddened face.

The officer turned back to his console and plotted the course that would take the Apprehension dangerously close to the two black holes. The gravitational forces between the two stars could easily tear apart a planet. What would it do to a ship?

It didn’t matter. Whatever would occur would happen to the SS Acid Rat first. B.T. Justice snorted a small laugh. He wanted to be there when the ship was torn apart. He had to be there.

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Chapter 59

“What do you mean you lost them!” Vic screamed at Argmon.

Argmon put a strong arm against Vic’s chest and pushed him back into his seat.

“Well where are they? I didn’t see an explosion! They’ve got to be alive.”

They had to be. Vic couldn’t stand the thought that perhaps Mike had just killed both June and Joey.

Had Mike planned all this? How long had he been planning this? He’d obviously been in communication with someone outside the ship. Who? Not only who, but why? Who would want to be spying on the SS Acid Rat? It just didn’t make any sense.

Vic shook his head. He needed to focus on finding June and Joey. A lot of space stood between the two ships and the small cruiser’s black surface would make a visual search impossible as its stealth surface would make active radar just as impossible.

“How are we going to find them?” Vic demanded of Argmon.

A blinking light appeared on the ship’s console. Argmon pressed it and the Iron Butterfly’s, disguised as the Acid Rat’s, coordinates appeared.

“Go, we’ve got to get to them right away.”

Argmon didn’t respond, instead hitting the controls and speeding to June and Joey’s location.

“Tootsie, prepare the cargo bay for a space opening.”

No response came.

“Tootsie!”

Still no response.

“Hey computer, what’s your name?”

A beep issued from the Acid Rat’s speakers and a snooty voice said, “I am the T-11 XR34 Q14…”

“Yeah, whatever, prepare the cargo bay for a space opening.”

“I’m afraid that isn’t in my current programming.”

“What can you do?”

“My functions are limited. I’m afraid this ship of yours is not at all what I’m programmed for.”

The lackadaisical voice annoyed Vic. “Argmon, I’m going to have to prepare the ship manually. Get us in range and I’ll get those doors open.”

Argmon barked.

Vic got up. His mind reeled. Still he was affected by the poison. Weak though he was, he still rushed back to the cargo bay. He had to get all the doors inside the ship closed. The kitchen and his quarters were easy enough. A touch of a button and the doors swished closed. Same for the lounge and the crew’s quarters.

“Dexter!” Maybe Dexter could help out.

“Eep! Eep! Eep!” Dexter shouted from the cargo bay floor.

“Dexter, I need you to close all the doors in the cargo bay. I’m going to open the cargo bay doors and let June and Joey back in.”

“Eep? Eep? Eep?”

“I don’t have time to answer questions. Just get to it.”

“Eep. Eep. Eep.”

Dexter ran off like a shot. It never ceased to amaze Vic just how quick the tri-ped could move.

Pain encased Vic’s upper body. It hurt to move and he collapsed to the floor. He fished in his pocket for a dose of anti-venom. June had already given him a good amount and he’d ignored his body’s need for more as long as he could. He’d become too consumed first with getting away, now with getting back to pick up June and Joey.

Vic heard the engineering door close as well as the weapons room door. If he’d been able to, he would have opened up Tootsie’s main panel and started entering in the code to magnetically seal off the rest of the ship and open the doors, but he couldn’t even get the dose to his mouth; a mouth that had gone so dry, he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to swallow it.

“Dex,” he wheezed. His voice had all but stopped working. He had to take the dose. He had to get up and open the doors. June and Joey were trapped with Mike inside their ship.

But what if Mike had taken over the ship? What if they got the cruiser back on board only to find Mike? Would Dexter be able to take him out a second time? Would Argmon be able to fight him?

Argmon’s barking issued a warning over the ship’s speakers. They were being followed. The police cruiser was back. Vic no longer had a choice. He had to act quickly.

With no more thought, he dropped the dose to the floor and fell face first on it. He sucked and licked at the floor until the dose entered his mouth and he forced himself to swallow it. His body twitched and convulsed and three times he hit his head on the deck.

Still shaking, Vic raised up to his hands and knees. If June and Joey were transmitting, then it was certain the police cruiser would head for them first. Its target from the onset had been the Acid Rat. Vic had to get there first. He must. It was his fault they were all there in the first place. If anyone had it upon their shoulders to save everyone, it was him.

Vic pawed at the wall to find anything to hold onto. They defied him and he found himself flat on the floor again. The anti-venom didn’t work fast enough. Again he convulsed on the floor. He felt as if he would vomit, but he steeled his body and rose to his hands and knees again. He rocked back and forth until he sat up on his feet. From his kneeling position he found the access panel.

“Where’s SPX-39 when you need him?”

Vic opened the panel and used the door and all his strength to pull himself up. In order to stay standing, he had to place his head against the wall. The buttons came in and out of focus, but Vic knew the sequence. Didn’t he? Suddenly the buttons made no sense. The anti-venom pushed his eyes closed.

“No,” he said through gritted teeth and lowered his head nearer the panel. He entered the sequence to activate the ship’s magnetic field.

“Cargo bay magnetic lock enabled. Cargo bay empty of oxygen-dependant life forms.”

Good. Dexter was safely away.

Once again Vic lowered his head toward the panel and entered the sequence to open the cargo bay doors. When he pressed the last button, all lights inside the ship went out and a soft glow emanated from the cargo bay. Flashing lights displayed the warning and air started to rush out. Parts of SPX-39 disappeared into space along with the escaping air. Vic felt bad that he’d never get a chance to fix the robot.

With a hard thump, Vic fell to the floor, but remained sitting up. His head weaved and bobbed, but he stayed awake long enough to see the Iron Butterfly descend into the cargo bay.

God I hope you two are alright. Vic passed out.

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Chapter 57

Sheriff Justice stood on the bridge, his hands clasped behind his back. Alone. All alone. Just him and his crew aboard the Apprehension. Didn’t anyone understand the situation? Pitrine didn’t get it. He just wanted Justice to return home. Esconso didn’t get it. He had said the same thing. Go home.

That wasn’t going to happen. This two-bit bandit’s reign stopped now. Today. No one made a fool of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. No one.

Junior silently slid up along the sheriff and handed him a drink. He smiled and nodded at the boy. The jumpiness he got from his mother. The smarts, well, it was obvious the boy got those from the loins of the good sheriff. Justice smiled.

The plan had been put into motion with drones dispatched to any possible route the SS Acid Rat could follow back to Planchar. The drones were set to signal contact, then follow, sending back regular updates as to course and position.

He had both the SS Acid Rat’s codes that had been used and now had the codes for this second ship. The one he currently followed.

“Sir, approaching the Raado System. Any instructions?”

“Slow speed and do a full scan on the system. Scan and tell me if you spot either of the two ships we are pursuing.”

“Yes sir.”

B.T. Justice sipped his drink. “Also do a complete scan to see if any trail can be found from either ship. If we don’t locate either, we’re going to do a full stop and stay put.”

“Yes sir.”

He would take a vacation. After the parade and celebration in honor of his victory. No one had ever gotten away from Bamda with a load of tonindrium and this minor crook wouldn’t be the first. When he brought him back, there would be cheers and applause aplenty. All for him. Justice puffed out his chest.

“Sir, we’ve located both ships.”

Excellent. That parade would start sooner than he expected. “Where?”

“I show the SS Acid Rat in a wide orbit around the Raado moon. The second ship appears to be on course with the SS Acid Rat.”

“Set course for the SS Acid Rat. We’ll catch them both.” B.T. Justice took a swig from his drink. “This is a fine day gentlemen. Do me proud.”

The officer picked up the con microphone. Justice slapped it away.

“We’re running silent. I want to catch them by surprise.”

“But sir, that’s against regulations.”

That comment deserved a belly laugh and Justice gave it. “Being here is against regulations. Question me again and I’ll have you in the galley peeling potatoes.”

“Peeling what?”

“We’re running silent! Go!”

The officer jumped and started pressing buttons to set the ship on a course for the SS Acid Rat.

B.T. Justice never made the same mistake twice. He’d announced his coming before and that gave the crooks a chance to get away. This time, they wouldn’t see him coming.

“Get us into tractor beam range and lock on. I’ll take care of filing the report to make all this perfectly legal. Don’t worry about a thing.”

“Yes sir.”

Justice finished his drink and held it up in the air, shaking the glass to clink the ice against the sides. Junior, Justice’s pride and joy, fetched it and ran to refill it. What a good boy.

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Chapter 58

Joey could feel his palms sweating. June looked as cool as could be, but something about her change in manner disturbed him. Suddenly the inside of this tiny cruiser felt impossibly smaller. The edges of his vision blurred and faded in and out.

Don’t pass out! Don’t pass out! Whatever was coming he wanted to see it coming. How bad could it be anyway? June calmed down and her smile looked downright serene. The relaxed way she pulled her hair back and pinned it up. She looked great. She looked…

“Prepared?”

Slowly she nodded. Vic and the SS Acid Rat would arrive at any moment, but June didn’t prepare for that. Something else. She was preparing for something else. What? What could she be preparing for? What could it be about this ship, the Iron Butterfly, that she could be preparing for. It was only him, June, and Tootsie. Who else could be…

Mike! Joey almost spat the word out, but June’s hand, quick and dangerous, pressed to his lips. She knew that he’d just figured it out. But why hadn’t she known before? She had this psychic stuff. She should have known that Mike was on board. Unless she couldn’t read him.

Then why did she look so relaxed? Did she know where Mike was? Joey adjusted himself in his seat looked straight at June. She also turned toward Joey. Demurely she pointed at the back of her seat. Joey looked. A handle. To what?

That had to be where Mike hid. He was hiding inside a storage compartment in the back of the ship. He was hiding and what? Would Mike rush out and try to kill them? What would that gain? Why would Mike do that?

But then why had he tried to kill Vic? Mike had snapped and gone insane. It really had to be that simple. Joey felt he was going mad being out in space, why wouldn’t Mike?

June closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her chest swelled and Joey felt himself relax involuntarily. His mind cleared of all thought. Tension disappeared and he felt the most at ease he’d been since arriving.

The panel slammed down. Mike, big, hairy, scary, Mike in all his hugeness, sprang forth; fangs bared and eyes glossed over.

Mike didn’t even give a moments’ notice to Joey. Not even a glance. He went straight to June. June screamed. Joey hadn’t expected that. Reflexively he reached out and grabbed two of Mike’s legs. One of Mike’s legs whipped out and punched Joey. It happened so quickly that Joey wasn’t even sure which leg it had been. It was then Joey realized they were weaponless.

Mike’s rear pointed toward Joey as June fought to keep fangs from getting to her. Joey tried again to grab one of Mike’s legs and again was greeted by a punch. Joey’s head bumped the glass.

He had to get Mike off June. He had to. If June got bit, there was nothing he could do to save her.

Wait, was there?

“Tootsie, stasis field on Mike!”

Tootsie beeped and whirred. “Stasis beam unavailable on this model of ship.”

Joey punched Mike. Mike slammed back and pushed Joey into the glass, holding him by his neck. Joey wiggled, but Mike only pushed harder. Joey couldn’t swing, couldn’t hit, couldn’t bite. He even had trouble staying conscious. That he couldn’t allow to happen. Not again. He had to save June.

He could kick.

Mike squawked loudly. The sound reverberated inside the Iron Butterfly’s cabin. Joey kicked again. Mike released him and started to turn around, but June finally fought back. Mike returned his focus on her, trying to force his fangs down into her body.

“Tootsie, what can you do?” Joey screamed in a panic. He couldn’t go up against Mike and win, not without a weapon.

Tootsie beeped. “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can help you with.”

Her tone irritated Joey. He wanted to smash her and her nonchalant tone. He flipped open the center console and pulled her control box out of the Iron Butterfly.

“I’ll show you!” Joey prepared to smash Tootsie’s control down onto the ship’s console. Everything in the ship had gone dead. Their orbit faltered. Joey had just killed them all. He’d pulled the control of the ship free and killed them all.

Mike and June had taken no notice, but the ship had grown extremely colder all in a matter of seconds. Joey looked at Tootsie’s control cube in his hands. It was hefty in size and hard. Tootsie could do something to help. She really could.

Joey jumped onto Mike’s back. June’s screams increased as Mike dropped a couple of inches closer to her. Joey lifted Tootsie as far as he could and brought it to bear on Mike’s head. Mike hollered, but Joey continued to pound the box onto Mike’s head again and again. He continued to pound on Mike’s head until no sound could be heard and June’s screams died away.

Joey slid off of Mike and pushed him off of June. The bruises on her face and her messy hair were all she had to show for the battle with Mike. Joey ran his hands over her body looking for any other injuries. Anything at all. Everywhere his hands touched he only felt the fabric of June’s outfit. She winced slightly when his hand rubbed against her ribs and she pushed him away weakly, then grabbed him and pulled him in and kissed him.

She whispered in his ear, “Thank you.”

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Chapter 55

June pounded her fist on the console. She’d tried calling several people Vic had introduced her to and none were in range of Raado. Sitting just off planet and partially hidden by the moon, she’d seen four of the five police cruisers that had followed Vic return. He must’ve given them the slip.

A lot of good that did her and Joey. For that matter, a lot of good it did Vic. He may be able to land, but he wouldn’t be able to get out of his ship. He’d lose whether he made it there or not.

Joey sulked. June tired of his brooding. How could he just sit there and be so childish? She had to keep reminding herself that he was new out here as well as only eighteen years old, even though he looked much younger. No longer a child, but not really a man. He didn’t even need to shave.

“So what do we do now?” he asked.

June gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I don’t know. We’re pretty much stuck out here. I guess we’ll just have to float until Vic comes back for us or until we meet up with a convoy we can travel along with. Either way, we wait.”

“I saw those police ships.”

“Yeah, me too. Either Vic got caught and the one that didn’t come back was the one that’s been after him, or he got away and those ones came back.”

“What does that mean? I mean if he gets caught, what happens to us?” Joey’s faced strained as he spoke.

“Joey, we’re going to be alright. If Vic got himself caught, I just need to get us back to Munchkada. I’ve got some money put away just in case something like this happened. In fact…” She thought about the meeting she was supposed to have and decided not to tell Joey about it.

“In fact what?”

“Oh, nothing. We’ll be okay. I don’t want you to get all worked up about money or anything.”

Joey looked down at the surface of the moon. His eyes darted from crater to crater looking at each settlement and mining community. Clearly he enjoyed the scene. June decided to change the topic.

“That’s kind of neat, isn’t it? I mean, did you ever think you’d get to see a moon base?”

“I thought I might, but not this soon. I guess it still doesn’t feel real. You know.” He turned back to face her. “I mean, you’ve been back to the Earth. You’ve seen the destruction first hand. You have that to go forward with. Me, I still feel like this is just a bad dream and I’ll wake up any minute. You know.”

“Actually, yes. I felt the same way until I went back. But Joey, trust me, you really don’t want to go back there.”

“I don’t want to. I know that. I need to. I must see it to know it’s gone or my head will just keep telling me that I don’t belong here.”

June knew he was right. She’d felt the same way and had to really pressure Vic. Vic had complained about lack of money and came up with every other excuse he could, but June had worn him down and they went back. Joey couldn’t be denied that opportunity either.

“I’ll talk to Vic when we’re back on the ship.”

“Don’t you mean if?”

She did, but she didn’t want to say it. “Vic is smart. If there’s a way out of this situation, he found it. He’ll come back for us, one way or another.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“Will you get off that trip?” June snapped. She crossed her arms across her chest.

Joey fidgeted in his seat. June watched his reflection. He’s just scared. Go easy on him. Why couldn’t she get him to talk about something else, anything else.

“How long do you think it’ll be before he comes back?”

At least he sounded more positive.

“It depends on how long it takes him to figure out he can’t open the ship without Tootsie.”

A sensor on the ship’s console blinked yellow. Slowly at first, then changed to solid green.

“What’s that?”

June touched the control. An outside view of the SS Acid Rat popped up. Joey’s mouthed opened wide.

“Is that what it looks like?”

June shrugged. She’d gotten used to it. It really did look like a giant, metallic rat. Skinny at the front, wide in the middle, and a tapering tail. “Well, yes.”

“I had thought the name was, well, just a name.”

“Nope. Vic isn’t very creative. I thought you’d have figured that out by now based on the fact that he’s had this ship, the Iron Butterfly, for some time and never named it.”

“Well, why is it appearing on our display?”

“He’s trying to contact us, just be quiet now.”

June fired up Tootsie’s transponder. Vic’s face appeared on screen.

“June! There you are.” He looked worried. It had to be the poison.

“Vic, are you taking your medicine, you don’t look good.”

“Send me your coordinates. Now!”

The jerk. He’d finally figured out he needed Tootsie to open the cargo doors and that’s all he was concerned about. She hesitated.

“June! Now!”

She moved her finger away from the controls. “You need to stop taking that tone with me. I’m not your servant. You could ask nicely.”

“June, just do it.” His face twisted in agony. Yelling was hurting him.

“No.”

“What?”

“I said ‘no.’ Why should I?”

“This is really important.”

Joey looked warily at June. “Why won’t you tell him where we are?”

Because she was pissed off, that’s why. Vic came all the way back and he couldn’t even be polite. “You’re being rude.”

“June! Look. I need your coordinates. Send them to me now.”

Joey turned in his seat. “June, just send them. We can bicker about who’s rude and who’s not later.”

“Who’s side are you on?”

Joey sighed. “Um, Vic, why don’t you try saying ‘please’?”

“Dammit you two, quit screwing around and give me the coordinates. We don’t have time for this.”

“All you care about is your precious money.”

“To hell with the money! This is more important! Now give me your coordinates!”

Vic never screamed like that before, even when he was healthy. And about the money? Vic was never one to turn down a profit. Something serious was going on. June sat straight, fired her finger out and pressed the button on the console to send the coordinates. She then casually flicked off the display.

“What was that about?” Joey said.

June leaned over and kissed Joey on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

“Thank you for sticking up for me. I’ll tell you later what’s happening. Trust me, you don’t want to know. Not now and don’t ask. I won’t tell you. Just sit there and wait for Vic and Argmon to come and pick us up.”

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Chapter 56

Mike could hear voices. The last he heard had come from Vic, of that he could be certain. But the boss said he would send a ship? He contacted Vic?

If the boss contacted Vic, why didn’t he have the coordinates of the cruiser? Mike had sent out the beacon signal. Vic should know where they were.

No, Vic couldn’t be the contact. The boss’s plans didn’t include Vic directly. Vic was only a puppet being lead about, unbeknownst to him, by the boss. Mike thought fast. He had to react. Trapped inside the storage compartment of the small cruiser he couldn’t think well. He couldn’t hear well. June and Joey whispered or talked, Mike couldn’t tell. They were doing something and he couldn’t see. The gentle hum of the engines wouldn’t relent on his ears.

Mike put his hand on the small sliding panel between the storage compartment and the storage space. He pulled it down a fraction of an inch. Light flooded in. He repressed the need to snap it back up. He had to see what was going on up there. To be able to hear better.

He could. He could only see June’s left shoulder and Joey’s right, but he could see them. That put his mind at ease, but only slightly. He still couldn’t hear them.

June said something. Joey held up a package of crackers. Mike mouth salivated and his stomach ached. It’d been hours since he’d eaten. He hadn’t had the time to get anything before he had to hide. If SPX-39 had been flesh and blood, he’d have had something to eat. His hand twitched. He needed those crackers. If only he could get one, just one, he could satisfy this hunger.

No!

He had to remain hidden. The boss would not tolerate another failure. Mike had to stay put. If Vic came back to pick up June and Joey, there had to be a reason.

But Vic was on a timeline. Vic had to be back in Planchar. He’d lost at least two hours coming back for these two. He was going to lose his bet.

No!

Was it possible that Vic knew Mike had hid on board the cruiser? How could he know that? He couldn’t know that. It wasn’t possible. Vic wasn’t that smart.

Mike slid the panel shut slowly. He had to think and think quickly. If Vic did know there would be trouble. If Vic knew, he could have a chance to prepare. Mike needed to be prepared as well.

But how? All he had with him was the communication box. He couldn’t use it again. What would the boss think of two communications so close together? He would suspect that Mike’s failure was imminent and abort the mission. Meaning he’d blow up the box. Mike didn’t have a death wish.

There was only one chance; desperate, but a chance all the same. He had to take out June and Joey as he planned. No other way existed. If he could assume control of the small cruiser, he could shut everything off, go into stealth mode and follow Vic back to Planchar.

Even if Vic didn’t find the cruiser, he had to chance it. Vic would know that June and Joey were dead. He wouldn’t search for them because how could he find a stealth vehicle in the middle of space? He’d go back to Planchar to try and win his bet, something he’d never accomplish now, and Mike could follow in the cruiser.

Mike’s breathing quickened as he prepared to leap out. All he had to do was push the panel down quickly. He’d have to overtake June first. Her skill far outweighed Joey’s pitiful strength making her dangerous. Yes, June had to be first.

A yellowish film coated Mike’s eyes. He could feel a battle rage coming on. The communication box was pushed out of the way and Mike was ready to go. Just push down the panel and spring out. June on the right. June on the right. He could take her. He knew he could. He had to. His life depended on it.

One.

You can do this. They’re unarmed.

Two.

Mike opened his mouth and bared his fangs.

Three.

---

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Chapter 53

The storage compartment inside the cruiser forced Mike to remain in a tight, cramped position. He ground his teeth in frustration. He could hear soft mummers from June and Joey, but since they’d left the atmosphere, the engines drowned out most of their conversation.

He had to wait for the right moment. If he was lucky, they’d go to sleep. June had been searching fruitlessly for a convoy to join. Mike would have better luck. He could get ahold of the boss.

The boss!

Mike hadn’t contacted the boss. Last time they spoke, everything was going as planned. Things were definitely not going as planned now. Maybe the boss would know what to do.

Mike turned the communication box on. A soft light glowed from its interior.

“Boss?” Mike said softly, almost a whisper.

Soft static filled the delay before the response came. Mike jumped and turned down the volume.

“Report.”

“There’s been an…incident.”

“What happened?” The boss’s tone was flat, but not scolding.

“I bit Vic.”

Mike closed his eyes during the long pause.

“Is he dead?”

“No.”

“Good. Can you recover from the situation?”

“Well…”

“Well what? I need to know what’s going on onboard the SS Acid Rat. You’re my eyes and ears. What’s happening?”

“I’m not on board anymore.”

Again a long pause. “Where are you?”

“Vic had a stealth craft. I hid inside after biting Vic. June and Joey have left in it. They did it to allow Vic to evade the police.”

“Are they headed back to the SS Acid Rat now?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. They have limited hyper-drive abilities. They’re trying to find a convoy to meet up with to get back to Planchar.”

“I can make that happen, but it’ll take time. Are you still near Raado?”

“Yes.”

“How can I locate the craft?”

“I can turn on the beacon inside the communication box.”

“Very good. Do so. I will get a convoy to accidentally arrive in that area. Once you know the convoy is in range, you will do away with the boy and the girl. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“There can be no more mistakes.”

“I understand, boss.”

The box went dead. Mike heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. The boss wasn’t angry. There was hope to salvage the situation. And he’d get to kill. Soon. His smile widened further. He was going to kill. Kill! Kill!

Mike switched the beacon on and waited.

---

Chapter 54

“Sir, Counselor Pitrine left a message for you. It’s marked most urgent.”

Pompous, arrogant, sumbitch. The last thing he needed now was a message. Once again they’d lost the SS Acid Rat. Once again they floated in the middle of the galaxy looking for it. This time Active Radar drones had been deployed. Soon enough they’d know where they’d gotten off to.

“Sir?”

Justice snapped, the veins in his head pulsing. “I heard you! I’ll listen when I’m damn good and ready!” He held the riding crop high to hit to officer.

“Daddy, sir, do you need a hamburger?”

“If you weren’t my son, I’d slap you so hard your mother would wish you weren’t born.” He lowered the riding crop. “Play the message on the main viewer.”

“Yes sir.”

Pitrine’s smug smile sent a chill up B.T. Justice’s spine. That smile couldn’t be there for any good reason.

“Sheriff Justice. We’ve had a report that your ship, the Apprehension, has been spotted in the Raado System. You are hereby ordered to stay in the Raado system until an escort can arrive and return your ship to your own system. Once there, you will be placed under arrest. If you choose to leave the Raado System, it had best be to head back to your own system.” Pitrine’s imaged faded out.

That’s it? Pitrine wants me to just give up this chase and head home? No deal.

“Sir, message from Sheriff Esconso.”

Why couldn’t there just be a report that the SS Acid Rat had been located.

“Put it on the viewer.”

“Sheriff Justice, we need to talk. In private.”

“Officer, put the call to my room. I’ll pick it up there. Junior, come with me.”

Once Justice returned to his room, the call was put through.

“Yes Sheriff Esconso.”

“Drop the formality Buford, you’ve got me in a situation here.”

“Well, Alex, what do you propose?”

“I propose that we return to our respective systems and drop this chase.”

“Do you? I seem to recall that you had you ass over a barrel and I helped you out. You’re telling me that you’re not in the mood to find one little criminal?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Buford. This isn’t a life or death situation. I looked up the SS Acid Rat. It’s small time. Very small time. Everything they’ve done over the past six or seven years amounts to chump change in terms of galactic economy. Do yourself a favor, return home and let this one go.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You didn’t have a small time crook sneak away from you and right under your nose! This bastard is going to go down, Alex. He’s going down!”

“Look at yourself, Buford. You’re obsessed. You need a vacation.”

“I’ll take one when I get this bastard in jail!”

“You’ll have to do it without me, Buford. I’m going back to Raado. The load of beer they stole isn’t worth losing my job or putting my fleet at risk. I’m sorry. We’re going home. You really should do the same.”

Buford T. Justice slammed his hand down on the com button and turned it off. Damn. He was alone once again. Last time he’d save a fellow officer’s life.

“Junior!”

Junior rushed over.

“We need to find this ship. We need to find it now. We’re running out of time. I’ve never asked this before, but have you got any ideas?”

Junior looked like a gasket broke loose inside his brain; the prospect of helping overwhelming. “Well, we can deploy drones…”

“We’ve deployed drones and they’re sweeping the area with radar.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean we can deploy drones and have them wait along any path their ship might take. We followed their trail here and it stopped. Right here in the middle of space. The only place they could have gone was back to Raado along the same path. If that’s true, they’ll have to follow another path back to Planchar.”

The boy was a damned genius. “Thanks Junior. Why don’t you get me a drink and meet me back up at the bridge.”

“Sure.” Junior smiled.

Now to get to the bridge and place the orders. They were going to head back to Raado. If they were lucky, one of the drones would pick up the passing SS Acid Rat. As soon as they got that signal, the drones could stay in silent pursuit. He wasn’t going to lose them again. If worse came to worse, he could blow their ship up. At least then he’d be secure in the knowledge that he’d taken care of them.

Once they were taken care of, he could worry about how to deal with Pitrine. One thing at a time.

---

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Chapter 52

Vic threw up again. The jump to hyperspace messed up his system. Actually it was the combination of poison, anti-venom, and the jump to hyperspace, but he didn’t want to think about that now. He’d have enough time to deal with it once they made it back to Planchar. At least with Argmon driving, Vic could relax.

Joop-Nop tapped along the floor and into the bathroom.

“Joop-Nop. Thanks for coming and keeping me company.”

Joop-Nop clicked two branch appendages together. Something in the slime of its body had a bark appearance and the initial formation of a mouth. It opened and closed like a fish gasping for breath. It was trying to tell Vic something.

“What is it Joop? Are you hungry? You can’t eat me.”

One of the branches lashed out and smacked Vic on the arm.

“Hey!”

Again the mouth opened and closed. On the third attempt Vic could hear something. It sounded like “Mike.”

“Are you trying to say ‘Mike’?”

Joop-Nop’s sticks waved up and down vigorously.

“Is Mike still on the ship?”

The sticks waved from side to side. What then? What was Joop-Nop getting at? As if in answer to that question, a protrusion of slime jutted from Joop-Nop’s body and encircled Vic’s wrist and pulled.

“You want me to follow you?”

The mouth gaped and the sticks waved up and down.

“Joop, I’m not in the best of shape. I don’t know. Ow!”

The tendril of slime had tightened.

“Alright, Alright! If you insist.”

Vic struggled to his feet. His head swam back and forth and his balance faltered, but he kept to his feet.

“Lead on.”

They went down through the cargo bay and back to the engineering room. The room Mike spent a majority of his time. Alone. Until Mike’s attack this wouldn’t have been suspicious, but in the light of recent events, this did appear odd behavior. Especially since the rest of the crew had such outgoing personalities.

“What is it Joop-Nop? I think I need to go lay down.”

Joop-Nop pointed to Mike’s funnel web. Vic looked at the webbing and shook his head.

“Sorry little guy, that just ain’t going to happen.”

Joop-Nop whacked the back of Vic’s legs.

“Hey!”

It pointed at the web again.

“Fine. I’ll go look. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll get on that chair and look inside. Will you leave me alone then? There’s nothing in there, I hope you know.”

A farting noise escaped Joop-Nop.

“Nice.”

Vic steadied himself on the chair. Mike’s funnel web sat just a few feet off the floor. Raising his arms over his head brought a wave of pain.

“I can’t do it.”

Joop-Nop clicked and clacked disappointment and urged Vic to look.

“Fine, but you’re dragging me back up to the bathroom once I do this.”

Vic reached up to the funnel web. He really didn’t want to touch it. The last time he touched one of Mike’s webs is something he’d never be able to forget. Mike plunging down with that rabid look. Vic shuddered.

Getting his hands up proved to be the most difficult part about getting into the web. His legs worked just fine. To his surprise the funnel web wasn’t sticky. Mike had built it some time ago, but Vic had just assumed it’d be sticky. The texture felt smooth to the touch and had easy hand holds. Climbing into it was a snap.

Vic proceeded slowly. Something had to be in here. Joop-Nop’s insistence, unnerving as it was, couldn’t be for nothing.

Deep inside the funnel web all light stopped. Mike’s web skills were impressive. Vic had expected it to be dirty inside, but it was so clean, disturbingly clean. Mike slept in here. Sometimes he ate in here. He practically lived in the web. Yet it looked clean as if no one had ever been inside of it.

Something caught Vic’s eye. A square depression deep in the rear of the web. He crawled toward it. The dim light made it difficult to see, but obviously something had been sitting there. Something square.

“Joop!”

Vic waiting for a response, but he knew he wasn’t going to hear one.

“Joop, there’s nothing up here, but there was. Do you know what Mike had up here?”

Vic shook his head. Why did he bother? He made his way out of the web and sat in the seat. Joop-Nop’s mouth opened and closed, but no discernible sounds emitted.

“I hate to say this, but I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it. Mike’s not here and whatever he had up there is gone as well.”

Joop-Nop appeared to deflate. Again the mouth tried to form words. Vic watched and tried to figure out what Joop-Nop tried to say. Finally something came out.

“Call.”

“Call? You want me to call some one?”

Joop-Nop clicked and shook its branches.

“Call.”

Call what? Call who? Oh damn! “Are you saying that Mike called someone from up there?” That had to be it. That had to be what was missing from Mike’s web. Mike had somehow gotten a communication box on board and kept in touch with someone from the outside.

Joop-Nop excitedly danced about.

“Thanks, buddy.” Vic shook one of Joop-Nop’s branches. “Tootsie! Tootsie!”

No response came. He’d forgotten he’d swapped out Tootsie with the Iron Butterfly. He didn’t even know the name of this one. If Tootsie had been on board, she’d be able to recount all of Mike’s communications. Until he was reunited with Tootsie, he’d have to wait. Who the hell had Mike been talking to?

No! The Iron Butterfly’s stealth shielding. It would keep Tootsie’s sensors from penetrating and discovering anything inside. Mike, who had not left the ship, must’ve stowed away inside. Mike was with June and Joey, and they didn’t know it.

Vic’s face paled. How could he get in touch with them to warn them? He and Argmon were almost upon the barricade. They had four heavy police cruisers in hot pursuit. June could handle herself if all they needed to do was get back to Planchar, but with Mike on board that cramped little ship, they were in danger.

He tried not to think about losing the money, but that panged him as well.

He had no choice. No choice at all. “Argmon! Turn us around. We’ve got to go back and pick up June and Joey.”

---

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Chapter 51

Only when he saw the police cruisers fall away did Joey deign it plausible to start breathing again. Dizziness overwhelmed him, but he didn’t pass out.

“Is that your problem?” June asked. “You stop breathing when you get stressed?” She asked it so calmly. So coolly. As if this entire episode followed normal guidelines for working with Vic.

“I’ve only been here a short time. This is all new to me.”

“When it was all new to me, I didn’t pass out at every opportunity.”

Joey pointed at an approaching building and gasped. June casually went around the building.

“Honestly Joey, you need to learn how to relax.”

“I’ll relax when my feet are back on solid ground.”

“You want to land?”

“No!”

June laughed. “Joey, relax. Breathe. Everything is going to be alright. Vic’s plan is working.”

Joey looked up. The massive police cruiser, blue and gold reflecting the sun, veered away. All the Raado police had stopped and given up pursuit. Just as Vic had explained it, the ships had solid steel hulls and image screens that translated everything and ships were translated by transponder signals. When they turned off Tootsie’s, they effectively disappeared.

Of course they could have turned off the transponder signal on the Acid Rat, but it wasn’t a stealth vehicle and therefore suspect to radar probing. They would have been found, eventually.

“So what do we do now?”

“We wait for a little while.”

“For what?”

“Well,” June set the cruiser to hover. “We need to wait until we know we’re no longer being pursued. Then we’ll get on the line and find out who’s heading out and join them.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, this little ship can make a hyperspace jump, but nothing far. We need to find a convoy that’s heading out and we make the jump to hyperspace, but we’ll be sucked along in their ebb and be able to travel farther.”

“Oh.” What June said made no sense whatsoever. No way he could let her know that. He didn’t want to appear stupid.

“You didn’t understand a thing I said, did you?” She smiled. So much for not looking stupid.

“No.”

“Don’t worry about it. It took me a long time to catch on to all this stuff.” She pulled something that looked like a pack of crackers. “Hungry?”

Seeing the food made his stomach rumble. He couldn’t deny that he was. “Very.”

June opened the pack and offered it to Joey. They tasted like sweet graham crackers. He closed his eyes and thought of home. What had his mom and dad thought when he never came home? What would they think of him now, sitting in a sleek ship floating billions of miles from home over a strange planet. He wanted to smile, but found it difficult.

“Come on, Joey.” June pushed a cylinder of water into his hand. “I know it’s tough, but you need to hang in there. I’ve been here for five years now. It does get easier.”

Joey thought about that. He still had trouble grasping the fact that he was way in the future and everyone back on Earth long dead.

“I want to see Earth.”

“What?”

“I want to go home. I have to see it.”

“Why? What good will that do?”

“I know Vic doesn’t want to go, but I think all this will feel more real if I see it.”

“Well that’s something that’ll have to wait and you’re going to have to convince Vic on your own.”

“No, not with Vic. Just you and me. I want you to take me back there.”

June opened her mouth to say something, but refrained. She looked away and off into the distance. “It’s not that easy.”

“What’s not that easy? I need to see it June, you must understa…”

“No, not that. Getting to the planet is easy. Getting Vic to let us go. He’s a nice guy, Joey, and he really does think he’s doing the best he can, but he’s,” she turned back to Joey, “Overprotective.”

“Why? He’s not my dad.”

“No he’s not.”

She put her hand on his. Joey’s pulse quickened. He swallowed hard. He looked into her green eyes and felt everything start to melt away. He wanted to touch her face and feel her blonde hair on his hand. He wanted to kiss her.

“Joey, it’s that he feels responsible for us being here.”

Reality came back all too quickly. “Why?”

“I’m not sure why, I just know. It’s that psychic thing I got when I got here. He feels guilty I guess. Something his father built sent us here into space instead of leaving us back on Earth to lead regular lives.”

He hadn’t thought of that. Of course Vic would feel responsible. That’s why he had tried so hard to make Joey feel part of the crew and keep his mind off where he was and what he was doing.

Joey’s eyes widened and he stared at June. She couldn’t know how he felt about her. Pangs of panic struck him.

“What is it?” She asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I think we need to get going.” He moved his hand away from hers.

“Joey, talk to me. What is it.”

Joey stuffed a cracker in his mouth. They didn’t taste very good anymore. He tried to take a drink from the water and started coughing.

June sighed. “Well, we’ll have a lot of time to talk about it I guess. We’ve got a long trip back to Planchar. Let’s hope that Vic and Argmon make it back on time.”

Joey thought of something. “June, how do they search ships that pass through the blockade?”

“They check the transponder signal from the ship. They compare that signal and do a scan of the ship to check its contents. Why?”

“Tootsie, what is this ship carrying?”

Tootsie beeped. “Current load: five hundred fifty thousand cases of beer.”

June looked wide-eyed at Joey. “We’re in a stealth vehicle They’re going to want to search this ship.”

“And didn’t you tell me that Tootsie’s crew is wanted?”

“Oh crap! We’re going to have to go around.” June’s face twisted. “Tootsie, can Vic unload the ship without you on board?”

After several whirs and chirps Tootsie said, “No. My programming locks down the ship. When you left the Acid Rat, I was able to open the cargo doors and close them again, but the programming from this ship doesn’t allow for that. Vic and the rest will be locked on the ship until we arrive.”

June groaned. “Vic just lost his bet.”

“Well, not really. His transponder will allow him to pass through the blockade. Right? It shows he’s not carrying anything.”

“Right, so he can make it there in time, but what about us? We show we’re loaded with beer. We have to go around. We can’t get there in time.”

“I have an idea, can you find us a convoy?”

“I should be able to.”

June set to work on contacting local shippers. Joey had to get someone to think his idea would work. He just had to. Even if he only had a theory, it was worth a shot. Hopefully nothing else would go wrong on this trip.

---

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Chapter 48

Vic’s reactions were slowed. The ship moved fast enough, but the massive police cruiser gained.

“Argmon! I need help up here.”

As the words issued from Vic’s mouth a local police cruiser popped up in front of the ship. If he could have he would have dodged it, but as fast as he was going and his body not working as well as it could he only veered slightly and sent the small cruiser spinning out of control.

“Argmon! The locals are coming! Where are you?”

Argmon chuffed and took his seat. Vic released the controls and let Argmon take over.

“Mike!” Vic shouted and cursed himself. Mike wasn’t there. “June! I need you to get to the engineering room and prep the engines. We’re going to need to make a jump. I think they’re charged, but double check.”

“I’m on it.”

Though she sounded tense, Vic felt assured that she would get it done. A shudder of pain racked his body. Argmon growled low and deep.

“I’m fine. Just watch where you’re going.” Vic pointed at another local cruiser.

A blast rocked the ship. Argmon spun the ship and started to shoot skyward.

“No! That police cruiser is waiting for us up there. We’ve got to get to the dark side of the planet and we need to stay as low as possible for as long as possible. If that sheriff wants us, he’s going to have to come and get us. Let’s not make this easy.”

Argmon barked agreement.

Vic had gotten them into a tight spot. The sheriff apparently had alerted the locals or they’d not be in on the chase. Sensors indicated twenty, no, twenty-one in pursuit. The Apprehension flew at a good ten miles up; out of tractor-beam range, but too close to get away from. They didn’t drop, but stayed just above the Acid Rat.

Think dammit! Think! There had to be a way out. Vic had been in tight spots before. He’d always gotten them out. Always. And they always got paid too. Both of those were now in jeopardy.

“The little cruiser!”

Argmon looked at Vic, confused.

“The little, black cruiser I picked up like a year ago. That’s it. I still haven’t driven it, but it’s what we need.”

Vic got up and left the cockpit. “June! Joey! Meet me in the cargo bay.”

June’s voice came over the con. “Vic, the engines are charged and ready to go.”

“Thanks June. I’ve got a plan, but I need you and Joey.”

“What’s up?”

“I’ll explain down in the cargo bay.”

Vic’s body didn’t move as fast as he would have liked. He’d only ever been incapacitated once before, but there hadn’t been police on his tail or a job on the line.

Four massive containers filled a majority of the cargo bay. The SS Acid Rat was filled to capacity. He’d have a tough time getting anything else inside the ship. Good thing Argmon knew how to operate a crane as well as fly a ship.

At the bottom of the ladder June and Joey waited. June’s expression hardened when she saw Vic. Great, she was still mad. He didn’t have time for this. He’d have to deal with her later.

“Follow me,” Vic said and led June and Joey over to the cruiser. He’d covered it with a tarp to protect it and keep it in pristine condition.

He pulled the tarp off the cruiser. Its surface, a beautiful, glossy black, reflected the three of them. The ship itself reminded Vic of a ’69 Corvette Stingray his father had owned. The cruiser had no wheels, instead sitting on a tripod landing gear. Instead of an open top, the constrained cockpit sat encased in a large bubble. The entire interior consisted of black on black seats, upholstery, and trimmings. The controls were also black until activated. God he loved black.

“SPX-39!”

“He’s over there,” June said with a shrug.

Strewn out behind the cruiser was SPX-39. He’d been torn to pieces. Even his body had been split in two and exposed wires and gears lay exposed. A small pool of oil puddle under the chassis.

“That’s sad. I didn’t like that robot much, but he didn’t deserve that.”

“Where’s Mike? He wasn’t in the engineering room.”

“Tootsie said he’s not on the ship. Speaking of which.” Vic turned around. “Dexter! Bring me Tootsie!”

“Eep! Eep! Eep!”

“What are you going to do?” Joey asked.

Vic opened the cruiser and stuck his head inside. A small compartment lay between the bucket seats. He opened it, and pulled out a large, square, black box. He showed it to June and Joey.

“Space ships, even the local police cruisers, don’t use visuals. They use sensors. Those sensors translate a ship’s transponder. I’m taking this one and we’ll put Tootsie into the cruiser.”

“What?”

“Hey kid, look at this ship. I never named it. Give it a name. Come on. Anything.”

“Um…” Joey shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Sure you do, kid.”

Joey smiled an ear to ear grin only a kid could smile. “How about the Iron Butterfly? That’s what brought me here, if you take my meaning.”

Vic raised his eye brows. “Good pull, kid. I like it. You and June are going to take the Iron Butterfly…”

June held up her hands. “What? Joey doesn’t know how to fly this thing and I’ve never been in it before. What are we supposed to do? Just sit in it and get caught and wait for you to come back and save us?”

Dexter arrived carrying a silver box the same size as the one Vic held.

“Here Dex, put this into the Acid Rat. Thanks.”

“Eep. Eep. Eep.”

Vic put the box into the Iron Butterfly, closed the compartment, and looked at June and Joey again. “Look, this ship is easy to fly and it’s fast. It’ll easily outrun these local police cruisers, and get you to the checkpoint and back to Planchar. Probably even before the Acid Rat gets there. The police cruiser isn’t going to go through the check point. They’re not supposed to be following us unless they got permission from GCP Central Office and I doubt they got that over a little tonindrium shipment being transported by unregistered tonindrium transporters. So you guys will be safe. It’s also stealth so the only thing they’ll see is the transponder signal. If they start to gain on you, just turn it off and you’ll be invisible.”

“But what about you?”

“June, look. I’ll be fine. Argmon…” A blast rocked the ship. “Look, just get in and fly. We’ll meet up again on Planchar.”

June pouted. At least she didn’t look angry anymore. Anything was better than June being angry.

“I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to.”

Joey got into the Iron Butterfly. “I like it.”

“See, the kid likes it. Come on, June. We don’t have time to argue about this one. I need you to trust me.”

“I’ve been trusting you. Look where we are now.”

Vic sighed. “Just one more time, June. I can get us out of this one. This’ll be the last one. I promise.”

“You’ve said that before.” June got into the cruiser. “Keep in contact.”

“I will. We’re going to need to keep track of this sheriff. He’s a bastard and he’s gunning for us.”

June buckled herself in, Joey followed suit. She looked up at Vic. “I still don’t like this.”

“But you’re going to do it because you know it’ll save our skin. Look, once you two are out, I’m going to open the cargo bay doors, I’ll have Argmon shuffle back and forth. You do the same and circle the ship a couple of times and we’ll both head off in different directions.”

“The cruisers will get confused and take after the supposed biggest target, got it.”

“Right. Now get prepped. I’m going back to the cockpit. And June.”

June looked up. Her eyes never looked so lovely. Vic hated the fact they were starting to fill with tears.

“Thanks, June.”

She frowned slightly and pressed the button to close the protective bubble.

---

Chapter 49

Mike trembled. He had to resist the urge to lash out and finish off Vic. That wasn’t part of the job. Hiding in the cargo hold of, what had the boy called it? The Iron Butterfly? That wasn’t part of the plan either. They were splitting up.

June and Joey weren’t integral to plan, so he’d just have to make sure that the cruiser got back to the Acid Rat. Once they were taken out, it would be a simple matter to contact the boss. No matter what it took, Mike would have to make sure that Tootsie’s transponder stayed on and got back on board the correct ship. Too much effort had gone into this series of events. Mike had to make sure they played out.

First he had to wait until they were off the ship. Vic would get suspicious if the cruiser didn’t leave. Then he could spring out of the compartment and take care of June and Joey. They would never see it coming. Once they were out of the picture he could fly back to the Acid Rat. With a stealth cruiser Vic would never see the ship. Too perfect.

Mike laughed softly to himself and settled in as the cruiser rose from the Acid Rat.

---

Chapter 50

“What exactly to you mean there’s another ship?” Justice demanded.

“I mean besides all the local police down there, and there’s a lot of them, there’s another ship fleeing with the SS Acid Rat.”

Justice eyed the reporting officer suspiciously. The view screen confirmed the report. A small, black cruiser sped away from the SS Acid Rat.

“Who’s onboard the new target?”

“Looks like there are four entities on board.”

“How many are in the crew of the SS Acid Rat?”

“Checking.” The office called up a display. “At last report there were six crew members.”

“So it looks like two are making a get away.” This was a tough call. Justice wanted the captain, but having the SS Acid Rat and a few crew members would do just as well. “Keep track of the cruiser, but stay on the SS Acid Rat.

“Yes sir.”

The smaller vehicle would be easy enough to capture. Nothing that small could travel alone for any great length. It’d still remain on Raado and the local authorities could pick it up at any time. Still, something wasn’t right.

“Sir, the cruiser is increasing in elevation.”

What are you doing? Justice watched the view screen showing the black cruiser heading skyward. The little ship might be able to make a short jump off planet, but it’d never leave the system. It just wasn’t possible.

“Where are they going? Are they in tractor beam range yet?”

“They’re steering away from us. We’re staying on the SS Acid Rat and that’s keeping the smaller ship out of range.”

“Can you get any identifying marks from the ship?”

“I’ve got the ship’s signature.”

“Keep it. We may need it to track them down later in case they meet up with a convoy to get out of the system.”

“Yes sir.”

Justice tapped his riding crop on his leg. “Why the ruse?” he asked himself.

“Sir, the ship is reaching the atmosphere. I’m detecting a hyper-drive charging.”

“What? That ship is too small to carry a hyper-drive.”

“I’m not questioning that, sir, but sensors indicate…” the officer’s jaw dropped. “It just jumped into hyperspace.”

B.T. Justice hit the officer with his riding crop. “How did that little ship make the jump? Where was it headed? Find out! Now!”

Gasps caused B.T. Justice to turn around. “What is it?”

“The SS Acid Rat! It just disappeared.”

“It’s not nearly big enough to carry a cloaking device.”

“That may be sir, but it’s no longer on our view screens.”

“Can we get a visual on the ground?”

The SS Acid Rat was gone. All the police cruisers had slowed to a crawl.

“No, sir. It’s gone.”

“Sweep the area. Project the course of the small cruiser as well. It’s got to still be in the system. It wasn’t big enough to leave. Couldn’t have made more than a thirty second jump.”

“Sir,” the officer said and cowered away.

“What?” Justice narrowed his eyes to slits, his brow creasing with anger.

“Both ships are gone. The smaller ship’s heading shows it’s en route to the Raado blockade.”

“That’d take it out of the system.” Justice’s spine straightened and his heart sank as he turned back toward the view screen. He’d been duped. He’d been duped by the simplest of tricks. They’d swapped transponders. He had to act quickly.

“Ignore the SS Acid Rat. I want you to follow the cruiser.”

“But sir…”

Justice smacked the man. “Don’t question me!”

The officer changed headings.

Another officer stood up. “Sir, GCP Central Office wishes to speak with you. It’s Counselor Pitrine.”

“The counselor can be damned. Hang up on him and get me Sheriff Esconso. He’s the Sheriff here on Raado and he owes me a favor.”

More than a favor, Sheriff Esconso owed Sheriff Justice his life. Finding this ship had taxed Justice’s patience and Esconso had additional police cruisers available. Although nothing that would compare to the Apprehension, but big enough to make an impression on this pesky crew. A tinge wrinkled Justice’s left eye. He had to capture this ship and he had to do so quickly. The Counselor would call back.

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Chapter 45

They’d put him down. They’d put him down and left. Dexter had hit hard, but something told Mike he’d been out for hours longer than he should have been. The last time Dexter had knocked Mike out it had only been a couple of minutes. And what happened? He’d just bitten Vic, and hard. He was sure Vic never saw it coming. That’s all that mattered, right?

The ship’s engines rumbled and the ship shook slightly. They were landing. That couldn’t be possible. They’d only just left Planchar! How could they be landing? What happened?

Mike wanted to get up, but if they were landing, there was no chance of that. Tootsie must’ve used a stasis field. Mike had hoped putting fear into their hearts would have frozen them with panic. That obviously didn’t work.

The ship stopped shaking. “June, we’ll be down in any minute. We need to get loaded as quickly as possible.”

Vic! Alive? That’s not possible. Even if the poison didn’t kill him, the bite should have. No one survives a bite from Mike.

“I bit Vic! No! That’s not the plan! What did I do? They think I tried to kill Vic.”

Mike un-strapped his belt and scurried up and into his web. The box was there. He needed to call the boss. He needed instructions on how to proceed now that everything had gone wrong. The boss would know how to fix this. Yes he would. He’d know. All Mike had to do was speak with him.

A rumble from inside the ship and Mike knew that the landing gear was down. They were nearly on the ground. He had to act fast. They would catch him. They’d find him and take away the box. They would. He couldn’t have that. No he couldn’t.

Mike took up the box and leapt from the web. He poked his head out into the cargo bay. June, now that the ship had landed, stood near the exit ramp and was shooting back into the cargo bay.

“What are you doing?” Mike questioned in a whisper.

She was shooting out the webbing. Mike’s fabulous web disintegrated with each pull of the trigger.

“I’ll kill you first. Yes I will.”

No! He couldn’t kill any of them until the boss told him it was time.

“I want to kill you, but you’ll have to wait. You’re going to taste so good,” Mike said under his breath.

Once June, Joey, Dexter, and Argmon left the ship, Mike left the engineering room. Vic’s voice sounded weak. Now he could strike unabated. He could kill Vic this time.

No! He wasn’t supposed to kill yet. No. He was supposed to hide. He needed to hide. He’d bitten Vic and they’d try to kill him. That wasn’t in the plan. The boss would be quite upset. Couldn’t have that.

Mike scampered across the floor. He had to act fast. He had to hide. But where? Tootsie’s sensors could find him anywhere on the ship. All they’d have to do is think to ask. He had to be where she couldn’t find him.

“Mike. Where are you going?”

“SPX-39!”

No time to think. Only time to react. Mike set the box down gently and approached the robot.

“Mike, what are you doing?”

Mike lunged. It took only a fraction of a second to tear the robot’s limbs off and rip its head from its torso, then shredd the torso into a thousand parts. The robot’s death felt good, but it didn’t satisfy as good as killing Vic would have. No. He needed to kill Vic. That’s what he needed.

The killing of SPX-39 had involuntarily dropped his fangs. He’d already distributed a massive amount of venom into Vic, he had to save the rest. When the time was right. That’s all he needed to wait for. The right time. The boss wanted this to be a public humiliation and death. Timing was everything.

Mike raced across the floor and snatched up the box and spun three times looking for a hiding place.

“Where? Where? There must be somewhere to hide. Where?”

A large tarp far in the corner covered a bulky shape. Mike rushed to it. He had to get hidden. This had to be where he could hide. He couldn’t let them find him. They were going to kill him. He knew they were going to. He couldn’t be killed. Not yet. The boss’s plan. He had to get hidden.

Under the tarp he spied a small, black cruiser; a small ship that could hold two passengers and perhaps a little bit of cargo, but not much. It was perfect. A stealth cruiser. Tootsie’s scanners would never penetrate inside it.

Mike stowed himself and the box into the small cargo compartment. He could let himself out at any time. Once they tried to find him and discovered he was no longer on the ship, he could get out. A perfect plan. The boss didn’t need to know of the mishap. He didn’t need to know at all. Perhaps the boss would be pleased to know that Vic had suffered before he was killed. The reward could be substantial. Maybe he could retire. He could take the money he’d earned with Vic and the payment from the boss and find a nice planet to retire to. A planet filled with little beings that didn’t mind being killed en masse.

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Chapter 46

“What do you mean no one’s here? I signaled for and got landing codes.”

“I can only tell you what’s going on. No one is here and all the doors are locked. What don’t you get about that?”

“But I called ahead. The warehouse should be open if they gave me landing codes.”

Tootsie chimed in. “Vic, the landing codes we were given were automated. This is a planetary holiday. No one is working anywhere on this planet right now.”

June’s voice bit as hard as Mike’s fangs had. “Vic! You didn’t even bother to check!” And her voice cut off.

He’d screwed up again. He’d wagered their pay on the tonindrium job on this and he’d lost. He’d just lost. On top of that a police cruiser waited for them back on Munchkada.

He wanted to just call them all back onto the ship, but there still had to be an angle he wasn’t seeing. Something he was overlooking. This couldn’t be the end. It couldn’t end like this. Why is everything falling apart. Why now?

It felt as if someone was orchestrating his downfall. But downfall from what? He’d managed to get a decent business going and he helped people in need. Sure he made a buck or two from it and had been banned from several systems and was wanted on several others, but what did that matter? He had a thousand systems to travel to and each different from the last. Who wouldn’t want to live this kind of life?

A pang ripped at Vic’s heart. He suddenly missed his father. For the first time since he’d arrived, searching for his father, he wished he could ask his old man’s advice. Why, now at the point of his biggest failure, did he suddenly need him?

A tear slipped down Vic’s cheek. His sniffed and rubbed his nose.

“Vic?” June’s voice not as rough as it just had been. “Vic, are you crying?”

He took a deep breath. “Blast the doors.” He wasn’t going down without a fight.

“What?”

“I said blast the doors, June.”

“No! I’m not getting us banned from another system.”

“Argmon. Dexter. Blast the doors. They’re closed, but we know they’ve got what we need in there. If they can’t load the ship, we’ll load it ourselves.”

“Vic, this is stupid! I’m not going to blast…”

June was cut off by an explosion. Argmon and Dexter had blasted open the doors. Vic smiled as he hit the switch to open the cargo doors.

“Good job. We need to find the crane and get loaded and now. We don’t have time to waste on discussion or argument. Let’s just get going.”

Vic switched off his com unit. A sudden wave of pain and nausea overtook his body. The last thing he needed them to hear was him getting sick. He tried to get up from his seat, but his body lacked the strength to perform something so simple.

“Why Mike? Why you?”

“What do you need, Vic?” Tootsie asked.

“Nothing.”

A loud clang echoed from the cargo bay and the ship shifted slightly. They’d found the crane and were loading the ship. What a boon. They could be underway in a few minutes.

“Tootsie. How’s Mike doing?” Even if Mike had tried to kill him, Vic still cared about him. Mike must’ve just had a mental lapse or something. It happened to people all the time in space. Perhaps the stress had just gotten to him.

“Scanning.”

“Scanning?”

“I’m attempting to locate Mike so I can give you a status on his well being.”

“He’s in the engineering room. June told me they put him there.”

“Negative.”

“SPX-39!” Vic shouted. The robot could go and find Mike.

There was no response.

“Shit!”

“You really should mind your mouth, Vic.”

“Shut up Tootsie. Where’s Mike and where’s SPX-39.”

“Last location for each was the cargo bay.”

“Did they get crushed?”

Another loud clang and the ship shifted again. Don’t let them be dead.

“SPX-39 and Mike do not register as being on the ship.”

“Well where do they register?”

“I’m not detecting either one of them on the ship or with the rest of the crew.”

“Well isn’t that just great.” Vic switched his com unit back on. “June, you may have company out there. Keep on eye out for Mike and SPX-39.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Tootsie can’t find them on the ship.”

After a long pause June said. “I think I forgot to tell Tootsie to put the stasis field back on him.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get this loaded and get out of here. If Mike isn’t on the ship, good riddance to the rat fink.”

Vic rubbed his temple. Could anything else happen to make this worse? Anything at all?

“SS Acid Rat! You are ordered to stay on the ground. You are not to leave the planet Raado.”

“And who the hell are you?”

“This is the police cruiser Apprehension. You and your crew are under arrest. You are in violation of…”

Vic switched off the main con unit.

“Guys, we’ve got company. Tell me we’re loaded.”

Argmon growled.

“Well get that one on board and let’s get going! The cops are here.”

“What?” June screamed so loud it hurt Vic’s ear.

“Are you having trouble hearing today? Get your ass back on this ship! We’re leaving.”

A final clang from the back of the ship and the cargo bay doors closed. It couldn’t have happened soon enough. Vic watched the light for the exit ramp.

“Come on. Come on. Let’s go.”

He couldn’t leave until they were back on board, but they had to hurry.

“Vic, the police cruiser will be in tractor beam range in one minute.”

“Hurry up!”

The light for the exit ramp went out and June said in between puffs and pants, “We’re on. Go!”

They’d left the engines charged so Vic lifted off and left in the opposite direction of the police cruiser. Vic was ready for a fight, but this had gone from ridiculous to insane. If they wanted him, they were going to have to catch him.

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Chapter 47

“They took off?” B.T. Justice snatched the com mike from the officer. “SS Acid Rat, this is Sheriff B.T. Justice. I order you to land that ship this instant. Do you hear me?”

They obviously didn’t hear or didn’t care.

“Are they receiving us?”

“No sir.”

“Well maybe you use your head and force their com unit on!” Justice slapped the man in the arm with his riding crop. Twice.

“Yes…yes sir,” the officer said trying to dodge another blow. “There you are sir. They can hear you now.”

“SS Acid Rat, this is Sheriff B.T. Justice. I order you to land and land now. You cannot escape this time.”

“Yes I can.”

“So you’re a smart ass are you? Let’s see how you fare with a missile in the side of your ship.”

The officer who had handed Justice the mike whitened. “Sir, we can’t shoot them down. Not when we’re off our home planet.”

Justice smacked the officer. “I’m bluffing you idiot!”

“Um, daddy sir.” Junior pointed to the mike. Justice had been holding the button the entire time. The crew of the SS Acid Rat heard everything.

“Damn!” The Sheriff threw the mike across the bridge. “Get that ship. I don’t care what it takes, get that ship.”

“Yes sir!”

“Junior!”

“I’m going daddy.”

“And stop calling me daddy you idiot! I swear you take after your mother. If I were a lion I would have killed you at birth. Come here.”

Junior walked back with his tail between his legs, eyeing the riding crop nervously.

“Junior, I need you to contact the local authorities. Let them know there’s been a break in and we are in pursuit.”

“But won’t they wonder why we’re here?”

“Don’t question me. Report it anonymously.”

Junior ran off. Sheriff Justice’s eyes narrowed to small slits as the SS Acid Rat’s silver skin faded from view in the disappearing atmosphere. All they could do was chase now, but this time he wouldn’t let up until the tractor beam was engaged and he was hauling the criminals back home to stand trial. Oh no! They weren’t getting away this time.

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