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  Chapter 3

  After a sleep that had come easily to him, Mack woke in good spirits despite the worry of a potential heavy debris shower on the flight path. His time spent with Jody had turned into a late evening talking about life and anything and everything except his experience in battle and the worst thing he had ever seen in his time as a pilot - that was a very different tale to his wartime days, but all the same, three years into his career in space flight he had witnessed two carriers collide with the loss of more than fifteen hundred lives, and that for him was the only horrific memory he held of space flight.

  As he had showered and changed into his flight suit that morning he had thought of Jody and banished the bad memories with a vision of her smile and the memory of her kiss. But as he then recalled Zeke's tale of the lost pioneers, he felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle and a shiver run down his spine - any planet out there could be Shyra-K1...

  On joining the others on the flight deck, they were all strapped in, all in their flight suits and after having explained the safety precaution of picking up speed none had complained as they sat there, knowing the journey time had been greatly reduced purely to reduce safety hazards.

  “Any problems, Rik?” he asked as he took his seat at the controls.

  “No,” Jinx replied, “It's all clear out there – take a look for yourself, clear and dark and lovely as ever. Not a sign of a dying planet or a hint of debris. If we carry on at this speed we'll reach our destination tomorrow before mid day, earth time.”

  Mack turned around in his seat, looking back at the crew.

  “Are we all happy to arrive early at the colony?”

  The others nodded and murmured in agreement.

  Mack turned back to the controls, checking speed and looking to the map once again.

  “This will be a strict pick up and leave mission due to the conditions brewing up in space,” he reminded them, “If we get word from earth that the flight path is compromised after we land we will have to find a way to work around it – we may have to use fuel from the colony ship and go straight on to the nearest available planet where we can refuel sufficiently to return to earth...We may have to stay for a couple of days while we wait for clearance...safety issues with the flight path...”

  He glanced to Jinx, who got it right away and nodded - of course, this situation was turning out to be a welcome one as the disruption to the flight path was the perfect excuse to detour - meaning they could sell any stolen gold in the process and go back to earth as wealthy men, and the crew and the extra passengers would be none the wiser...

  “I like the sound of your plan, Mack,” said Jinx, as he shot him a sly smile.

  “Me too,” Mack murmured as he activated more controls and then ran a scan to be sure all systems were at optimum, “This should work out very well for us, very well indeed...”

  For the next few hours the crew remained seated, occasionally getting up for a break and then returning to their seats, ever mindful of the warning that had been given, yet feeling no need for real concern because as they sped on, the radar stayed clear.

  “This time tomorrow,” Jinx said, “We'll be reaching our destination...And sorry for the possible upcoming detour and thank you for flying with us...”

  Then he glanced back and smiled at Tina, who returned his flirtatious glance, then Jinx settled back casually in his seat once more.

  “I shouldn't have worried,” he said, looking to Mack, “You're always right about these things...it's like way back in history on earth...it took them centuries to get the weather reports accurate! Same now for space flight...What's that?”

  Mack looked over quickly, thankful Jinx had kept his voice low as he saw the warning light blinking on the control panel.

  “Radar's compromised...it's this old system..I'm guessing the system can't accurately read because there's been a shift in its viewing range...asteroids?”

  Mack shook his head.

  “No, no it can't be...it can pick those up at remote distance...unless...”

  Mack's eyes looked to the view of inky space, his eyes reflecting starlight and panic in an instant as he understood the glitch.

  “Shit...” he muttered, “The radar works on the solid basis of scanning the area as a grid map laid out in its foundation by the current star map programmed in...if one of those planets is gone...”

  Jinx looked at him in alarm.

  “We're heading straight into the debris field?”

  “Shields up,” Mack said quietly, snapping overhead switches and then activating controls in front of him, “And get ready for a bumpy ride...I'm switching to manual, this could get rough.”

  Jinx drew in a deep breath, fighting off a wave of panic.

  “But control gave us clearance -”

  “An oversight on their part and on mine we both forgot the radar is dependant on the grid, all we can do is ride this one out.”

  Mack turned around and faced the crew.

  “It seems we may be heading into some very aggressive conditions...the shields are up and I'm asking you all to please stay in your seats...Where's Jody and Cora?”

  The others looked about the flight deck.

  “Try the med centre for Jody?” Jinx guessed.

  “Message her,” Mack replied, then he opened up the ship wide comm system and spoke into it.

  “Cora report to the main flight deck this is an urgent Code A ...get back here, strap in or get tossed about like a ball bearing in a pinball machine!”

  There was a crackle, then she gave her reply.

  “Okay, okay! I'm on my way, Mack!”

  “I'm locking down the med centre,” he heard Jody say through the other comm system.

  “Don't bother,” said Jinx, “There's no time. Just get back here fast!”

  Then he looked to the screen, his fearful gaze set on the swirling mass of debris that was drifting towards them.

  “All set?” asked Mack as he checked his belt.

  “Yes...” whispered Jinx, as he kept his shaking hands on the controls, ready to activate evasive manoeuvres.

  Then Jody and Cora both arrived at the flight deck, both looking alarmed and both breathless.

  “Over here!” Jody said, grabbing the arm of the scared girl and pulling her over to empty seats, where they both sat down and slammed their belts into locking position.

  Mack glanced back at his passengers. Jody met his gaze with a look that said she was afraid but trusted him. Cora was pale and terrified as she clutched at her seat, Zeke shot him a nervous glance and then looked to the viewing port as the debris sailed closer. Tina Verity was sitting with her head bowed, sobbing quietly. Jules Carver had closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact as the shield system buffeted the glancing blows.

  “Nobody panic,” Mack announced, “Our shields are up and running and I'm taking the shortest path through this lot to exit. Hold tight.”

  Then he glanced to Jinx.

  “Ready?”

  Jinx nodded, and then the two men activated the controls, sending the ship sailing through a narrow gap as chunks of burning debris headed their way.

  As the ship shifted violently, rolling right, then left, then taking a sharp lurch upwards as the craft reverberated from the smash of debris against the shields, Cora clung to the seat, falling forward like a rag doll in motion with the ship as she vomited hard and puke splashed the floor.

  “It's okay...” Jody said, holding on to her shoulder as the ship shuddered again, and took another smash from the burning debris.

  “Almost there...” Mack said, keeping his eyes on the screen and held the ship steady, before slamming a sharp left as a fireball sailed over the ship, clearing the shields by a fraction.

  “I don't want to die!” wailed Tina as she shuddered with her seat as the ship was buffeted again.

  “No one's dying!” Jinx yelled back at her, “We're almost through this!”

  Then more debris slammed into the shield system, th
ere was an almighty crash and a shower of sparks as the ship lurched again and flames began to lick from a panel in the wall.

  Tina was screaming, others were weeping, but as Jinx held the controls steady and took another bone jarring blow from the shield system's vibration as it started to buckle, he had no time to look back and check on the crew as Mack freed himself from his safety belt and got up, staggering as the ship lurched again. He slammed his fist against a button as a glass panel shattered and he snatched out a fire extinguisher, then turned to the scorched panel and hit it with a burst that killed the flame. Then he grabbed at the damaged section, helped by another lurch from the ship as it tore free and he tossed it aside with a clatter that was barely heard against the hammering the dying shield system was taking. Mack pulled open a maintenance unit and then grabbed the scorched wiring, cutting off the risk of fire as he attempted to re route the power.

  Then another chunk of debris headed straight for the ship.

  “Hold on!” Jinx yelled, and the ship climbed steeply. But the assault continued as the climb didn't clear the debris that smashed into the weakening shields, slamming into the ship, throwing Mack off his feet and on to the floor as the back of his head struck a metal step with a crack.

  “Mack?” Jinx yelled, and then as the warning lights continued to flash, he finally steered the battered vessel free of the swirling debris.

  The lights flickered and then came back on and stayed on. Speed was dropped and Jinx flipped the switch and breathed an audible sigh of relief to see the auto pilot was still functional and still on course for Ilemia S54Q.

  Jody was first out of her seat as the other shaken passengers stayed put, some weeping, others stunned into silence and shock. She ran over to Mack, fell to her knees and cautiously examined him as blood began to pool from a deep wound to the back of his head.

  Jinx looked around at her.

  “I'm calling in a mayday,” he said, “And I need someone over here, anyone!”

  Cora ripped her belt free and got up from her seat, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her flight suit, then stepping over her own vomit and joining him at the flight controls.

  “What do I do?”

  He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her down, she sat heavily in the pilot's seat as he took her hand and placed it on a screen set into the controls in front of her.

  “This is easy...this is a Pharaoh 2 , a child could hack the system! Keep your hand on the scanner for me...”

  Then he turned a dial and flipped a switch.

  “ID Ritchie Mason Gregory Jinx, Co Pilot...system override code zero zero zero four one nine treble zero code red. Captain Mackenzie wounded... transfer controls.”

  The scanner shifted over his own hand on his monitor, then over Cora's hand on the captain's monitor.

  Control handed to Co Pilot RMG Jinx, the monitor read.

  Cora shot him a scared look.

  “Can I move now?”

  “Yeah, you can go and sit down...Leave the rest to me...”

  As she got up, he looked over at his best friend with concern in his eyes. Mack was bleeding heavily and as he called his name his eyes flickered open, then closed again as his body started to tremble.

  “He's having a seizure,” Jody said, “This is bad...I need to get him to the med centre...But I can't treat this effectively enough... we need to be off this ship, he needs surgical intervention...”

  “I'm on to it,” Jinx replied, turning a dial and then speaking into a small microphone:

  “This is Pharaoh 2, calling channel wide for assistance. Mayday, Mayday all ships... Heading for Ilemia S54Q request assistance captain badly wounded and fuel running low...Mayday...” Then he pressed another button, and turned a second dial.

  “That's going out on repeat.... and nothing from S54Q... Now, let's see if we can reach earth...” He opened up the channel to earth flight control.

  “Come on, say something...” he murmured as desperation burned in his eyes and he looked to the inky starlight ahead. In the distance, there was a planet that reminded him a little of earth - this was their destination, and they were drifting towards it, low on fuel...

  “Pharaoh 2, we hear you loud and clear. State your emergency.”

  “This is co pilot Rik Jinx. Got caught in the storm, Control. Shields damaged, fuel low and Captain Mackenzie injured. I'm flying this two pilot vessel single handed and headed for the colony. Hailed S54Q - negative response... Requesting rescue party, this is a mayday, I repeat, mayday.”

  “Head for the colony, Pharaoh 2. Sit tight and await rescue. Estimated arrival seventy two hours.”

  “That's the plan,” Jinx replied, “Assuming we make it. Landing will be rough.”

  “Best of luck, Pharaoh 2.”

  Jinx looked towards the planet that loomed closer.

  “Thanks Control, over and out.”

  Then he looked back at the passengers. All of them looked shocked, terrified. There was a pool of blood shining deep red on the floor, smeared where Mack had been lifted from where he fell. He turned back to the controls, guessed a slow speed for now would do no harm as they headed closer to the planet, then locked the course and left the flight deck, heading for the med centre, his thoughts now with his best friend.

  Mack's eyes were closed as he heard voices around him and recognised them at once.

  “How is he?” asked Rik.

  “Not good,”Jody replied, “Scanner says skull fracture and internal bleed.”

  “Just keep him alive, whatever it takes... I'm going for it, picking up speed and we are making an emergency landing. If I speed up to max I can chop our ETA to twenty minutes...Landings risky. Keep him secured.”

  “Did you make contact with the planet?” Jody asked.

  Rik paused.

  “No response as yet – I'm assuming their comm system must be down. They have medical supplies, and a three strong team of highly trained surgeons, I looked up the list of colonists...If Mack doesn't have long, its his only chance!”

  “Jinx, calm down!” Jody said, “I'm keeping him monitored, I've given him some shots to stop the bleed...it's not a permanent fix but it should keep him alive...But don't expect him to wake up any time soon.”

  “Look after him.”

  “Of course I will,” Mack heard her say, then Jinx walked away and he felt Jody's hand over his as she spoke to him in reassurance.

  “I don't know if you can hear me, Mack - but we got through the debris. The ship is damaged but Rik is confident he can land us and he's hoping the people at the colony can help you until the rescue team pick us up. So hold on, helps coming, okay?”

  He felt her touch his cheek, and her hand felt soft and warm.

  “Please hold on,” she whispered, “Just hold on, Mack.”

  And Mack opened his eyes.

  “Scanner must be faulty,” he said, as he she looked down at him in utter surprise.

  “You shouldn't even be conscious!” she exclaimed.

  Mack sat up and cautiously ran his fingers through his damp hair, where blood was drying stiffly.

  “You'd better scan me again. Use another scanner, one that hasn't been smashed about when the ship went through the debris field...”

  Jody still looked stunned.

  “Do you feel okay, Mack?”

  “I feel like I've fallen badly and smashed my head but...slight head ache, that's all. I need to change my uniform...I'm covered in blood.”

  Jody had taken a second scanner out of storage. She switched it on and he winced as he felt pressure against the tender wound at the back of his head.

  She studied the screen and breathed a relieved sigh.

  “You're right...no fracture, no sign of bleeding! The scanner was broken?”

  “And I need to get cleaned up. Rik needs my help with this landing.”

  “But you might still have concussion,” she warned him as he got off the table, stood up and paused to place a hand against his aching head.

 
“Right now I'm feeling okay...I need to help land this ship.”

  She stood in front of him, blocking his path.

  “Two minutes, just let me check you for concussion, okay?”

  He gave a sigh.

  “Just for you, Jody...”

  Then he stood there impatiently as she checked him for signs of concussion, but found none. As relieved as she felt to know his injuries had not been anywhere near as serious as the broken scanner had suggested, worry still reflected in her eyes.

  “Jinx is planning to speed up ETA, he needs to know you're okay -”

  “I'll be five minutes, just need to put a clean flight suit on. Go and tell him about the scanner and tell him to hold off from going in until I'm back. He's right to speed up, our fuel's running low thanks to the heavy shield use and we can't waste time, this ship's been through hell, it can just about make a landing by my estimation!”

  He noticed she still looked worried, and kissed her cheek.

  “Get to the flight deck,” he reminded her, and then he walked off to get changed, as she stared after him, stunned but thankful the broken scanner had been utterly wrong about his injuries.

  After stripping off his bloodstained flight suit, Mack changed into a clean uniform and hurried back to the flight deck, where his shaken crew were strapped into their seats and looking at him in surprise as he walked over to his seat and calmly placed his hand on the scanner to regain dual control of the vessel.

  “Don't say it,” he murmured, feeling his best friend's eyes fixed on him like he was about to launch not a hug they didn't have time for, “I know...luck of the devil!”

  As the monitor confirmed he was back in dual command of the ship, he looked to Rik, and as his best friend blinked away tears, despite the seriousness of the situation, he managed to crack a smile.

  “Yes I'm okay, hard to kill and still here! Now let's get this banged up old wreck landed, shall we? Keep her steady and let's go for descent.”

  Then both men looked to the planet that loomed closer by the second as they put landing sequence into place and the ship began a downward slide into the atmosphere of Ilemia S54Q as the stricken vessel struggled to head into a final descent.