In the 5th or 6th grade (circa 1995/1996), I wrote a sci-fi novel(la) entitled Renegades. It is more or less a blatant rip-off of any sci-fi or action movie or book I had consumed up until that point in my life. It definitely reads like the work of a 5th-grader, and I’m fairly certain I introduce a new character with a semi-unpronounceable name every few paragraphs, only to kill them off shortly afterward. Having recently recovered this work of art from floppy disk (!), I plan to serialize it here over the coming days. Enjoy (?).

RENEGADES

… Continued from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Part 7

Where to go now? With no cargo to deliver to Fortiva, all they could do is head for home, empty-handed. Preian was not far ahead and going at a steady speed. While the two brothers flew the ship, Jonathan DeCartier stood overhead as Claire pulled a blanket over Cassen’s body. The anger inside him burned, he did not know who to blame, himself for leaving Cassen’s cover, or the man who fired the bullet, Rian Broman, yet now he had more to avenge. All the prisoners in his cell, a man who Preian had told him about named Roman Denthra, his brother and now Cassen, to do that was all he wanted to do.

He looked at Claire, who stared into nothingness. “They’ll all pay, everybody knows there’s going to be a war soon, but I’m going to make our side stronger, they’ll pay.” He admitted as he left the small lounge room in the cargo ship where Cassen’s body lay…

* * *

Three ships with better equipped radar tracked the two ships through space, they were well out of range but enough to know they were there. The wing leader was Rian Broman with two other ships at his rear, he would save the Comachens once and for all…

* * *

Jonathan and Claire had joined the Shandler brothers in the cockpit when they were quickly summoned there.

“I see it too.” Said Preian over the transmitter.

“Were heading strait to it…” Said Devon in awe.

The radar screen told no lies, and when he saw it, Jonathan’s blood boiled. The Comachen Spaceliner…

“Okay were pulling out.” Josef said over the transmitter.

As he had prayed for, this was his chance to save the free people of Alderia, and to finish what Jack DeCartier started. “No.” Jonathan strictly said. “How much jamming equipment do you have?”

“Not much.” Replied Josef.” What do you plan on doing?”

“I plan on boarding the thing by creating an anti-detection field around our two ships.”

“You’re crazy!” Said Devon.

“Don’t worry, I’ve done it before!” Jonathan replied.

“And you failed.” Claire exclaimed.

“I don’t need dark memories now.” He turned around at her with an angry look in his eye.The two brothers and Preian waited for him to reply. “I’ll hook up radio transmissions and a download link from me to your ship’s computer and hack anything I can on board the Spaceliner. If I die, try to get all the information you can and get out of this sector fast.” Jonathan said to them.

They looked at him sadly but he did not look back, he stared at the large gray shape coming into view. “Get ready now to start jamming, do you have it ready?”

“Yeah, we often use when we smuggle something past Comachen territory.” Devon announced.

“I’ll go get ready, and so you watch out for anything.” Jonathan said as he left the cockpit to equip for his mission, Claire left with him while the others looked directly at the Comachen Spaceliner. But no one looked at the radar, which on the edge of there scan abilities, were three ships that stood still…

Claire tugged on Jonathan’s shoulder. “You are going to get yourself killed.”

Jonathan dug inside a box of electrical equipment. “If I do it’s for your good.”

“Aren’t you afraid?” She asked.

“As I enter one of my dark memories, yes I am afraid, and to tell the truth, I would not like to die, but I would rather save 3 million lives than just 1.” He said no more to her except: “Keep track of downloading, okay, that’ll be your job.”

And as he walked out of the room to get some more supplies she said. “I care for you. Just like your brother, and I don’t want you to die…”

He rejoined the other two on the bridge. “I left one transmitter with Claire on frequency four, you two we’ll have seven, and Preian will have two. I will have five. I got this codebreaker machine I found stashed away somewhere in you’re ship, a screwdriver, some rope, a handgun, five clips of ammo and two of those mini-nuke bombs I found in that weapons case.” He strapped everything to a nylon belt around his shoulder.

“How are we going to get in?” Josef asked as they got closer and closer to the Spaceliner.

Jonathan remembered how he memorized the blueprints of the Spaceliner with his brother the first time they tried this. He pointed to an external door used for landing on planets. “Right there.”

“But we don’t have any authorization to get in.” Said Josef.

Jonathan looked at him. “Got a crowbar?”

* * *

“Wait here until they start boarding the Spaceliner.” Rian Broman gave the command as they sat in the black space ten miles outside of the Spaceliner.

“But won’t that give ‘em a chance, sir.” Said Deatte Henset, an aide of Brian Leerots, Brian Leerots had died in the explosion on Perseus 4.

“I told you I wanted to kill DeCartier myself, so I’ll board once he’s in, and you notify the Spaceliner’s commander, okay.” Broman said as they all waited silently.

* * *

The Shandler’s ship locked onto the external door which was probably the same one his Brother entered. The ship’s airlock opened, Jonathan approached the door which the ship was locked onto and examined how he could open it. He looked inside the small window, and saw no activity on the other side, it looked like an intersection of hallways ahead of him, the other three halls were probably some of the main ones in the whole ship.

Josef stood beside him as he finally cracked open the door. “Good luck.” Josef said.

“Thanks, you too. As soon as I am successfully boarded, close hatch and fly five miles away but wait for my return.”

“Will do.” Josef replied, then the both went their separate ways…

Jonathan looked around as Josef slammed the door behind him and closed the ship’s airlock. He took a few steps until he came to the intersecting halls, he saw a man pass through doors at one end of the halls, but to busy to see him. Jonathan remembered to take the same way ahead. That would lead to the computer terminal that was only authorized to certain personnel, he still held the crowbar. The Comachens usually trust their officers, they would never think one of them would break in and steal information. He proceeded down the hall trying not to step to loudly on the metal floor.

The stolen blueprints that Jack stole almost two years ago barely showed the room, it was called room 106, a room that was 24 by 18. The door had a control panel with an array of colored buttons. He then remembered how Jack had got in, with his codebreaker, but the one he found on the Shandler’s ship was an old one that was low on batteries, so he decided to use it on the computer and use his crowbar here.

“I’m at the door.” He whispered into the transmitter.

“Copy that.” Said Claire and Josef at the exact same time. With some exhausting pulls on the arm, he broke open the door with metallic bar. The room was empty, probably the exact same way Jack had found it. Memories then came back to him, he could almost see a re-enactment of Jack DeCartier and Neill Othann dieing all over again. Other memories came back, the camera, which loomed overhead, but not yet caching him, he then thought about what the Comachens would do to protect their information more ever since Jack broke in. Maybe stronger codes, perhaps repeating scans. But if there was any scans, there would be a control box somewhere in the room, most likely on the wall, which there was none. As he walked into the room he could sense where Jack laid crouched against the wall, his hands stained with his own blood… He then stopped thinking and began working. There was eight computer outlets and the main computer at the very front of the room. Before he went any farther, he then tampered with a control panel outside of the room and crossed two wires, then the camera stopped it’s circling. Just for safety he sprayed some fresh mint mouth freshener into the air all over the room to check for codes. The dim light was enough for him to see with, so he closed the door and approached the main computer…

* * *

“Calling Spaceliner.” Said Henset just before Broman sped towards the docking bay.

“This is Spaceliner control, state business.” Replied the voice.

“This is Master Sergeant Deatte Henset Comachen number 41227.”

“Permission acknowledged to enter Spaceliner zone.”

“Request docking for one ship.” Replied Henset.

“Docking granted.” Said the voice.

“Spaceliner control, I’m reporting two unregistered ships outside of the Spaceliner, they must be using a jamming code. One ship has just pulled away from docking.”

Another voice came to the transmitter. “Good job pilot, this is Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Haggart. We’ll send out some reconnaissance and fighter ships to check it out.”

* * *

Preian’s ship remained close to where Jonathan had got in hovering in mid space. The Shandlers’ ship had flew several miles away but still in contact range.

* * *

About fifteen minutes had past since Jonathan had got inside and the last report he had was that he had just logged on to the central computer. Jonathan unscrewed the small panel from the outside of the computer and installed the black box. It ran through files downloading anything it could get it’s hands on, Jonathan had plugged in a cord to a machine on his belt that transmitted to Claire’s computer. “Are you getting this?” He asked Claire.

“I’m pretty sure we are.” Declared Claire over the transmitter.

“Pretty sure’ isn’t good enough.” He didn’t try to talk much because anything could go wrong. The machine downloaded a little slower than his brother’s but he would be done in at least fifteen more minutes.

Then he got a message from Preian. “Jonny, things are starting to stir out here, there is a couple of probes and fighters being sent out.”

“Don’t take any risks, dock now and get inside.” Said Jonathan.

“But-”

“If they know you are out there, they’ll soon find out that I’m in here, so I need some cover in here, bring a gun and get out of your ship.” He explained.

“Anything you say…” Said Preian as his ship swooped closer to the exterior door. Jonathan was now afraid for Preian, that perhaps Preian would take the role of Neill Othan and repeat the story.

Broman was greeted at the Spaceliner’s docking bay by several officers. “Welcome aboard.” They said in turn.

He gave a light wave and said.” There is someone aboard who shouldn’t be. I will search for him and extinguish him, alone.”

“Whatever you say, sir…” One of them said while looking at the others who were all shrugging and had no idea.

“Give me some guns and some equipment, this may take a while.”

Preian arrived on the Spaceliner with no clue where to go. But as soon as he did, he heard the echoing blast of his exploding ship outside.

“Proceed down the hall until room 106.” Jonathan transmitted to him.” And stay quiet.” When he arrived he knocked on the door. Soon it was opened and Jonathan stood there for a moment before he closed the door and Preian entered before he ran back to monitor the downloading.

“I’m almost half done, I can let it download freely the files and it will all go to Claire, but after it’s done the files, it will start downloading the system.”

“But isn’t that a good thing.” Daniel asked.

“It won’t download all of it, but at least we’ll get what’s important.” Replied Jonathan. “You are telling me we could leave, but anyone who finds it can stop it.”

“If they know I’m here, they’ll send guards from the barracks and docking bay to catch us, that we’ll take several minutes, by then the program will be totally downloaded, but it will give us no time for us to escape, so it’s better to go now.”

“But with our jammer, how were we found?” Asked Preian.

“Someone must of followed us here from Perseus, probably Broman.” Replied Jonathan as sweat trickled down his face.

“How could he of survived that blast? He must be some unlucky penny.”

Jonathan punched one more command into the computer and told Claire they were leaving, then him and Preian left the room in a great haste.

* * *

Josef and Devon found the transmitter better than yelling through their ship. “Claire, come to the cockpit, can you just leave it for a second?” Josef asked.

Without replying, Claire arrived there wanting to know what was their next problem. “More ships are coming out of the Spaceliner looking for us, and we can’t put up a real good fight. “Explained Devon.

“That’s right, if we stay, we’re dead. If we go, we lose the last few Comachen files.” Said Claire.

“Where’s the closest Alderian border base?” Asked Josef.

“A good five minute flight through hyper-space. What are you proposing, a distress call?”

“Yeah. They’ll be able to help us out for a couple minutes til we leave.” Replied Josef. “But that would be suicide for them!” Exclaimed Claire.

“It’s for the good of Alderia.” Replied Devon. “So tell me when the downloading stops, then we can get out of here.”

“But what about Jonathan?” She said.

“Even he said: It’s for the good of Alderia…” Repeated Devon as he activated a long range distress signal.

Claire turned away with a growing temper…

* * *

Colonel Leo Haggart stood on the space view balcony, while many radar and monitor personnel worked a few feet below the balcony he stood on. Unlike many Comachen ships, the bridge was very large and was much better lighted, that was one of the many reasons he had signed on. “Sir, we’re picking up 23 unidentified ships moving towards this sector, they’ll be here in two and a half minutes.” Said one radar technician.

Another technician look ed up at him. “Should I give the order to send out more ships?” “Yes, just in case.” He replied without the slightest fear. “And where is that Commander Broman who was supposed to board?”

A slim officer approached him. “He’s already on board sir and said he’s searching for someone….”

“Okay, I want him found and whoever he’s searching for.”

“But sir-”

“Do it!” Haggart yelled.

The officer ran down the bridge hall to send out the order.

* * *

“This way.” Jonathan motioned with his hand. “I studied this place for days.”

“Couldn’t you find a better hobby?” Preian asked.

Jonathan ignored Daniel’s bad sense of humor.

“How are we going to get out of here?”

“Are you just full of questions?” Jonathan said angrily. “Be quiet, stick to me and we’ll steal a ship or something.”

Preian shut his mouth. But as they proceeded down the hall he just couldn’t help himself. “I think I just saw two guards down there….Wait there’s another.”

They had come to another intersection, voices echoed behind them and got slightly closer. “Split up, I’ll keep in touch, try to find a way out.” Jonathan suggested.

Preian went another way and said. “I’ll see you later.”

With a nod, Jonathan proceeded down his way of the station.”Claire, do you read?” He asked on her frequency.

“I’m here, it’s starting to form out here, in two minutes will be a firefight, the brothers sent out a distress call and are getting help from a nearby Alderian border base.”

“Good.” He replied.” How is the download going?”

“It’s finishing now, I’ll copy them to disc and then they’ll be in good hands.” Claire said.

“Ok, I’m erasing our signal, I’ll see you when I come out.”

“Good luck.” She admitted. Claire trembled with fear. If he comes out…

The ongoing serialization of “Renegades” will continue in the coming days. Please stay tuned.

Read Part 8.