LEVIATHAN, Rob Astor [most read books of all time .txt] 📗

Go have some fun in the arcade for a few hours. Gunnar an’ me’s got some business to discuss.”
“Aye, dad,” Evan said happily trotting away.
Raven took a seat as Gunnar tapped a large coin loudly on the bar. “Two drafts.”
“What do we know?” Raven asked in a low voice.
“We know who the Marauders’ leader is. Someone called Bolton Archer.”
“Really…”
“Name mean anything to you?”
The bartender set their beers down. Raven took a healthy swallow. “Federation drop out, ‘bout twenty years back.” Gunnar nodded lightly, his lips held in a tight line. “Didn’t know he had the balls to lead a pack of pirates.”
“Word is, Archer’s skirting Eusian territory.”
“Interesting… Dane says they want an alliance with ‘em.”
“That’s bad enough to scare the ugly off a two dollar whore.” Raven burst out laughing, patting Gunnar’s shoulder. “Here’s the kicker,” Gunnar continued. “Archer’s getting information from someone in the F.F.P.”
“It just keeps gettin’ better an’ better, don’t it?” Raven’s eyes focused on the holographic news. A swarm of raiders in Swoop Jets dove around a fleet of bulky Federation Carriers. Armor piercing missiles pelted them with surgical precision. The slower turrets on the Carriers were no match for the smaller, infinitely more agile attackers. A line of shells neatly opened the side of one of the military dinosaurs, effectively crippling it.
“…the scene two days ago at 18 Scorpii when Marauders engaged F.F.P. Bulk Carriers. Caught completely by surprise, two were destroyed. The rest of the fleet was heavily damaged. The attack appears to be hit and run. Marauder ships immediately retreated from the area after the skirmish. No report is available on the number of casualties.”
Raven shook his head and sighed deeply. A beeping sounded from his left forearm control. He touched a flashing red button. The stern holographic face of a man with white hair in his fifties materialized. “Admiral McMurrary. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I’ve got something for you, Spade.” McMurrary’s voice sounded gravelly. “A decommissioned Destroyer.” Raven’s eyes bulged. “I told you, I don’t forget my allies. You’ll find it at The Wheel.”
* * *
Evan threw punches at his uncle, striking large red gloves covering Gunnar’s palms. “C’mon, kid, really let me have it. Put all your strength into it.” Evan thrust with all his might. Shifting on his feet, Evan circled Gunnar, grunts echoing in the empty cargo hold. “That’s more like it. We’ll make a man outta you yet!”
“What’re you an’ dad up to, Gunnar?” Evan asked, concentrating another series of blows on the red gloves.
“You shouldn’t be listenin’ in--”
“Don’t give me any b.s.” Evan planted three hard strikes to Gunnar’s palms. “You’ve always been straight with me. Dane came all the way out to Vega just to talk. Twenty-six light-years is a pretty long way to make a social call.” Two more hits squarely struck Gunnar’s left palm.
“You know about the Marauders?”
“Who doesn’t?” Evan finished his barrage.
Gunnar swallowed. “Okay, Evan, here it is. Your dad’s a bounty hunter.”
Evan snickered. “You’re joking.”
“He’s working with the Federation to track down the Marauders’ leader.”
“Really?”
“You think that attack at Mu Ara was a random terrorist strike?”
Evan’s face went pale. “I remember that day,” he said softly. “We made some kinda top secret drop at the HR 6998 listening post and jumped over to Mu Ara Station Alpha.”
* * *
Seated behind flight controls, Raven Spade eased his Frigate high over the space station’s multi-tiered arcs. His dark eyes scanned passing traffic and available docking ports. Eleven year old Evan stood to Raven’s right, chatting with a passing starship captain. “You can get a good price for iron ore from the Irams in HR 6094, and the best linguini this side of Italy.”
“We’ll keep that in mind,” the voice on the com cheerfully replied.
“Goofy kid,” Raven said.
“You always say to make friendly contacts, dad.”
“At this rate you’ll be the Federation’s Goodwill Ambassador.”
“There’s a spot opening up,” Evan pointed to the far end of the upper most arc.
“Okay, Evan. Here’s how we take her in.” Evan studied every move his father made. Minutes later, they connected to the station’s docking clamps. Raven stood, walking toward the main computer bank. “Captain’s rule number one. Never leave without the Core Chips. Everything we own is recorded on them. They’re our identities and our money.” He opened the back compartment of Evan’s plasti-skin vest and put the crystal chips inside.
* * *
Holding the plastic glass high with both hands as he swallowed the last of his milkshake, Evan constantly swung his legs back and forth under the table. When he set it down, he wiped his lips with the back of his right hand. “Need anything else there, partner?” Raven asked, taking a bite of steak.
Evan leaned back in his seat, right hand placed on his stomach. “I’m good.” His legs continued to kick.
“Hmm. Thought I was gonna have to get a second job just to pay our dinner tabs.”
Dressed in a full body green robe to compliment his aquamarine scales, the waiter paused at their table. “Will there be anything else?” he asked, voice deep and ragged, sea green eyes darting between father and son.
“I think we’re all set,” Raven said.
“Very good, sir.” He reached for Evan’s empty glass. The sleeve pulled up, revealing a series of numbers branded under his yellowish forearm.
“Hey, Mister, what’s that?” Evan asked, pointing at the waiter’s arm.
Yellow flushed the waiter’s cheeks. His eyes misted. “Federation scum,” he snapped. Evan’s legs stopped kicking.
Raven quickly turned to the waiter, taking his arm. “Hold on there a minute, pal. He’s just a boy. He doesn’t know anything about those markings.”
The waiter took several quick breaths through his nose and pulled his arm free. “Then why don’t you tell him?” He briskly walked away.
“Sorry, dad,” Evan said softly. His feet pedaled lightly at the air.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Why’d he get so mad?”
“I really don’t know, son. Eusians never need a reason to be mad at us. Just seems like they always are.”
* * *
Back on the Frigate’s bridge, com-chatter filled the semi-darkness. “Oops. I forgot to cut off the radio, dad. Sorry.” Evan began activating various holographic displays.
“Don’t sweat it. We got solar panels. I wouldn’t want you missing’ out on all the gossip, now would I?” Raven tussled Evan’s shaggy black hair. Raven took the Core Chips from Evan’s plasti-skin vest and made his way back to the main computer.
“Mayday! Mayday!” a voice yelled loudly through the com speaker. “We’re under attack! Somebody, help us!”
Evan rushed to the forward view port. His heart pounded in his chest. Several small Swoop Jets plowed their way through traffic. “Shields,” he yelled. Fiery explosions rattled the station, shaking the Frigate loose from its docking clamps. Evan fell to his side.
“Rotate to starboard, ninety degrees!” Raven said, leaping into the pilot’s seat. The Swoop Jets fired rockets at the bridge. On his knees, Evan ducked, hands over his head. The raiders sailed overhead and to their right. The missiles proved ineffective, spinning harmlessly away. More cries for help sounded through the radio. “Shut that off. Send out the distress signal and turn on the Jammer.”
“Aye, dad.”
Raven pulled his freighter around just as the Swoop Jets tumbled back for another pass. “Rail guns on-line.” A second volley of missiles streaked towards them. Raven pressed a holographic control, unleashing a steady stream of 200mm pellets. The projectiles exploded well out of range while three of the Swoop Jets crumbled into useless piles of scrap metal. Evan cheered, his arms held high over his head.
Clearing the length of the Frigate, the Swoop Jets jumped out of the system. “Looks like they’re gone, dad.”
“What’s the situation outside?”
Evan pulled up holographic scans at a terminal to the left of the forward view. “Lots of escape pods. A ton of smashed up ships. Station Alpha’s calling for Federation back-up.”
“Okay. Let’s get the tractor beam on-line and pull some of those people in.”
* * *
“When the Marines discharged your dad, he did delivery runs. Winning a few tangles with some pretty tough pirates and Eusian Border Patrols got the Federation to secretly re-commission him. They sent him out to find the pirate’s main base and put an end to their organization. He’d been chasing leads for years. Someone at the listening post set your dad up that day,” Gunnar told Evan. “He was supposed to be killed. We just learned it had to be a Federation Officer.” Gunnar paced, taking a few breaths.
“The Feds wanna kill dad?”
“No, just one person. Or a small group. Someone who wants the pirating activity to continue.”
“Why?”
“To keep attention off the Eusians.”
“What’ve they got to do with it?”
Gunnar shrugged. “No one knows for sure. Could be expansion plans. Or, they might have something to hide.”
“Something the pirating activity would help cover up.”
“Yeah. They could very well be in league with the Marauders.”
* * *
The glassy pin wheel-like construction of the spaceport rotated high over the green and blue planet Marineau gave the station its well known nick name; The Wheel. Two yellow suns hung high in the sky while a third smaller red star rested just above the horizon. The triple system created prismatic reflections in the floating disk as it rolled on its side in relation to the planet’s surface. Air traffic was heavy. Ships of all shapes and sizes hovered close.
“Welcome to Alpha Centauri,” Raven Spade said with a wide smile, shifting into the automated docking signal. They pulled up next to a Federation Destroyer. It was an intimidating sight to behold. Re-enforced armor plating. High speed gun turrets. Bridge tower stacked like a bulky skyscraper. “There’s my new lady,” Raven grinned.
“I like to keep my sex organic,” Gunnar said. “You just know some fine Marineau is gonna rock my world tonight.” He and Evan began switching equipment off.
“Don’t forget to pack your bags, Raptor,” Raven tapped Evan’s shoulder. “That ship out there’s our new home.”
“Had ‘em ready before the last drop.” Evan took the Core Chips from the main computer and worked them into the rubbery lining in the back of his plasti-skin vest. “You got my ticket, right?”
“Right here.” Raven placed a plastic card in his son’s hand.
“You didn’t get one for me?” Gunnar did his best to sound offended. “I see how you are.”
“Go on, you.” Raven gave him shove.
* * *
Evan walked up behind Raven and Gunnar. He wore black leather pants, a silky silver colored button down shirt, a black leather tie, and his white sneakers. Evan jumped up on his uncle, gaining a piggy-back ride. “Get everything to our rooms?” Raven asked. They circled the space station’s perimeter on a platform housing bars and restaurants.
“Yep.”
“I see you clean up pretty good, too.”
Evan lowered himself, walking between the two larger