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. This is the final chapter of the story.
RENEGADES
… Continued from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.
Part 8
All around them Alderian fighters came into play. Their ships were called Archangels, Alderian fighter crafts designed to maneuver well in battle, but though not as good firepower as the Comachens Tri-Wings, the three winged fighting machine. Josef and Devon backed their beaten-up cargo ship up a hundred meters trying to avoid being caught in the crossfire of a fight that was going to look deadly.
“This is Alderian wing leader Alexander Pollocks, we are here, and more are on the way to escort you and any other ships back to Alderia.”
“Acknowledged.” Replied Josef Shandler.
In thirty seconds it had turned dirty. A swarm of ships surrounded the Spaceliner like bees around a hive.
“This is wing leader, we’re goin’ in!” He said as they all swooped down into the awaiting Tri-Wings.
“This is A-4, I’m in pursuit!” A number of signals came in at once.
“I’m being followed, I need some help here.”
“A-17 going down! Eject! Eject!” Bang! The Archangel looked like a firework exploding.
“Daaaaaaaaaaang!” Bang!
Pollocks fired two laser blasts at an enemy ship, hit it on one of the wings, sending it out of axis and straight into the hull of the Spaceliner that was highly protected by force field. Pollocks was down to twenty ships and the Comachens had lost five out of thirty one.
* * *
Preian had now insisted he had gone the right way, with barely anyone around the docking bay was preparing a launch of a passenger shuttle. Two guards lay dead or wounded on the floor as smoke rose from Preian’s gun. He crept inside the empty and unlocked shuttle, and thinking that A Comachen was taking off, the Spaceliner control opened the pressure doors, advanced the shuttle to takeoff position and as Preian entered the empty cockpit, it took off into space. He flew the ship around the battle and into free space. After letting the Shandler’s know, he proceeded on to the Alderian border base leaving all behind, but he was sure he would see them again…
“It’s all done.” She announced to the brothers.
“Prepare to pull out.” Devon said.
“I’ll fix navigation to the border base’s homing beacon and reel us in.” Josef replied as the ship suddenly moved and four of the five renegades rocketed off into space. Claire whispered under her breath. “Good bye.”
* * *
Jonathan had arrived in the main engine core of the Spaceliner itself, it seemed empty at first but one engineer lay out cold on the floor, it was strange, because he did not do it, someone else was here… had took three steps to the core. It powered the entire ship and it went from the top to bottom floor. He looked into it’s bright shaft where he could barely see the bottom of the ship, that would mean he is about on main deck. He heard another footstep, then another. Who could it be? He looked up towards the balcony on the floor above him but saw nothing, all of a sudden he heard a sound of a safety lock on a gun. He dove behind a computer console before dozens of bullets hit the floor. Jonathan loaded his gun and peered out into the open, on the balcony stood a man who held a Gatling gun in his hand and a mean expression on his face. He was sure he recognized him, he was the one who killed Cassen… Rian Broman.
“No need to hide, you are surrounded.”
“By one man.” Jonathan yelled back.
“You will be, those disobedient guards will be here soon.” Broman stepped down the curving stairs towards the level Jonathan was on.
Jonathan stood and looked the man in the eye, Broman looked almost a little bigger than he was and had a few more weapons on his belt. Jonathan pointed his handgun at Broman’s head with his hand trembling. The bounty hunter dropped the Gatling and did the same to Jonathan but with a smile on his face. They circled all around the core for minutes. “So I guess I’m too late, you already have it all, don’t you?” Broman asked.
“It’s now in good hands.” Jonathan replied.
Broman shook his index finger with his free hand.” You shouldn’t take other’s property.”
“Take from the rich, give to the poor.”
Both guns still were pointed at each others head. “Might as well kill you now!”
“Don’t feel good yet!” Jonathan spinned around and kicked Broman’s gun out of his hand.
“Nice move.” Broman lifted his front leg and kicked Jonathan’s gun out of his hand also. Broman punched him in the cheek.
Jonathan staggered back and Broman fired another one. Jonathan fell to the floor bruised and bleeding. His hand reached for something to grab and found a metal bar behind a computer console, he got back on his feet and swung the club at Broman. In a blink of an eye Broman reached to his belt and blocked the club with a knife. Jonathan swung again, this time hitting Broman in the hand and broke a knuckle or two. Broman angrily swung back cutting him in the arm. Jonathan grabbed his arm as blood dripped out of the scar. Broman had his knife behind him winding up for an uppercut aimed at Jonathan’s stomach, he saw it coming and grabbed his wrist and dove out of the way, still hanging on to Broman, he twisted his arm and flipped him on his back. Broman lay on the ground with no weaponry, Jonathan had took it all, he tried to get up but Jonathan kicked his jaw and he landed on the floor again.
“That was for Cassen, the man who took your bullet.” Jonathan said. “And this is for anything the Comachens have ever done!” Jonathan activated the two mini-nuclear bombs and threw them into the reactor core.
“Noooooo!” Broman yelled as the two metal balls echoed when they hit the last floor.
Jonathan took hold of Broman’s fallen Gatling gun and approached the re-cooperating Broman. He grabbed the Comachen by the collar and leaned him against the ledge of the reactor which had a long drop: twelve stories.
“What your empire does is wrong, I will help my empire in terminating wrong.” Jonathan whispered as Broman got closer and closer to the edge.
“That’s only from your point of view.” Broman replied as he kicked Jonathan in the stomach and got back on his feet. Broman fired two punches at Jonathan sending him off balance and dropping the gun into Broman’s hand. Jonathan staggered back towards the open door, he faced the firing end of the Gatling gun held in Broman’s hand. “Too bad.” Broman said as he pulled the trigger.
Surprisingly, Jonathan dodged it and made a run for it and into the hall, he reached the door console and finally said. “Too bad for you…” He punched two buttons and the door closed and locked as well as all the other doors the engine room that held Broman inside it with the two bombs, that if exploded near the core, would destroy the entire ship..
He figured he had about three minutes until it all blew, so he rushed down the hall and avoided guards in any way. He then came to the intersection where him and Preian had left, so he followed Preian’s way down towards the docking bay.
“Hey, you’re not authorized in here!” Said a guard standing at the end of the hall.Jonathan unsheathed Broman’s knife and planted it in the guard’s gut. The guard fell to the floor as Jonathan advanced into the Docking bay area where several ships waited.
He climbed up into a Tri-Wing and closed the glass windshield. But how could he get out of the Spaceliner without proper authorization. He didn’t think twice, he activated weapons systems and blasted the airlock dome door to pieces, anyone who was in the area was ripped out into the vacuum of space. “Blow this Popsicle stand!” He said as he blasted into outer space leaving plenty of skid marks on the landing pad…
* **
Wing leader Alexander Pollocks now had equal forces in the fight. Ten against ten. “I got ‘em!” He announced as he made the opponents side nine. The Archangels turned around their opponents ships as they gained the upper hand, but one Alderian still was being chased. “I can’t shake him, I can’t shake him!” Bang!
Suddenly one more Tri-Wing flew overhead. “Addressing all Alderians, addressing all Alderians this is Jonathan DeCartier of the Alderian Rebellion, all fighters abandon mission and return to base, the place is going to blow!”
“Say what?!” Pollocks demanded.
“Just move out!” Jonathan declared as his ship took the lead. Pollocks recalled all his surviving members of his squad and they all followed Jonathan and Pollocks away from the giant ship, in doing so, two Alderians were blown away. Suddenly Jonathan stopped.” I’ll catch up.” He said to the Alderians as the headed for home, he turned his ship around and watched the giant ship with all his dark memories on board turned into a fiery ball of light and gas. Red flames engulfed the mid section first before moving on to the rear and forward decks, also claiming the nearby Comachen Tri-Wings and sended sent it all into oblivion.
His brother and all the others… Were avenged…
The epilogue of “Renegades” will appear shortly. Please stay tuned.
Read the epilogue.
