Hammer Across the Stars: Of Destiny's Daughters, #2

By R. J. Hore

Lucky Lucy searches for adventure and maybe romance (?) across the vastness of space.

 

After leaving Earth to join the Rygeillian Navy and see the universe, Lucy Thorncroft finds herself hurtling from one adventure to another. Not much chance she'd ever settle down and miss out on spaceships, alien monsters, evil empires and exotic planets?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Champagne Book Group
• Release date: Jul 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781897261309

Book preview

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Hammer Across

the Stars

Of Destiny’s Daughters, 2

R. J. HORE

CHAMPAGNE BOOK GROUP

Hammer Across the Stars

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Published by Champagne Book Group

2373 NE Evergreen Avenue, Albany OR 97321 U.S.A.

~~~

First Edition 2020

eISBN: 978-1-897261-30-9

Copyright © 2020 R. J. Hore All rights reserved.

Cover Art by Robyn Hart

Champagne Book Group supports copyright which encourages creativity and diverse voices, creates a rich culture, and promotes free speech. Thank you by complying by not scanning, uploading, and distributing this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher. Your purchase of an authorized electronic edition supports the author’s rights and hard work and allows Champagne Book Group to continue to bring readers fiction at its finest.

www.champagnebooks.com

Version_1

Dedicated to my wife Barbara, who believes in me,

my children and grandchildren who tolerate my quirks,

and the Freelancers Workshop for their critiquing. A

special thanks to my beta reader Leia who marks up

my drafts, and my editor who has the unfortunate job

of making sense out of the manuscript.

Dear Reader:

This story takes place in an alternate universe not unlike our own. You may even recognize some of the locations. My first wanderings into a full blown Space Opera, I hope you will enjoy the adventures and the characters who crawled forth from my mind to populate it.

R. J.

Other Books by R.J.

Of Destiny’s Daughters

Expedition to Earth, 3 (coming fall 2020)

Hammer Across the Stars, 2

Of Destiny’s Daughters, 1

The Queen

The Queen’s Game, 3

The Queen’s Man, 2

The Queen’s Pawn, 1

The Dark Lady

Dark Knights, 3

Dark Days, 2

The Dark Lady, 1

The Housetrap Chronicles

Murder on the Disoriented Express, 8

Menagerie a′ Trois, 7

The Treasure of the Sarah Madder, 6

Murder in the Rouge Mort, 5

Hounds of Basalt Ville, 4

House on Hollow Hill, 3

Dial M for Mudder, 2

Housetrap, 1

Knight’s Bridge

Alex in Wanderland

Part One

Moonshine

Chapter One

Shoot to kill. Lucy kept her tone clear and steady. No chance for misunderstandings.

Pieces of rock flew off into space or melted into slag as projectiles struck the blasted, irradiated ground around her. For a brief moment she had flashbacks dancing through her head of a long ago firefight in Afghanistan with the rest of the Lady Killer squad crouching beside her. This time, instead of a Special Forces badge sewn on desert camouflage, she wore a sealed armored suit packing enough life support to last a month. Outside stretched a frigid, airless and barren landscape.

What was a twenty-nine year old girl from Ottawa doing way out here in this place even the gods deliberately forgot? What had ever possessed her to think it was a good idea to leave Earth and join a mixed duffel bag of alien cultures traveling on a giant spaceship?

Lucy ducked automatically as a sandstorm of tiny rock fragments peppered her visor. She blinked, shook her head, and returned fire.

Out here on the bitter edge of nowhere she was the lone Earthling among a dozen different species. All of her so-called friends had deserted her and gone their own ways.

Focus, bitch, she grumbled into her helmet, mic off. This is a rescue mission. Pay attention.

A quick glance up showed her that overhead, the sky was black as the Devil’s inkwell. She couldn’t make out the bulk of the huge mothership they’d just transported down from. The tidal wave inside her stomach stopped crashing about.

Snakeshit, I’ve trained hard for this. She adjusted the temperature inside her suit again, tracked her squad members. They had civilians to locate. Time to get moving.

To think, only last night someone in the squad room commented they were on a dead boring patrol with no excitement expected.

Today had started out as a quiet day cycle with a simple tour of hanger guard duty as the only thing on her schedule…

~ * ~

Attention, Squad Leader Loose-Thorn. In five, meet me in Hanger Two along with nine troopers suited up and ready for action. The sound of the second officer’s voice echoed inside her helmet. Now what? This had been a fairly quiet cruise so far all the way out here prowling about on the backside of absolutely nowhere.

Lucy detected the Axe of Andor changing course. The sensation was subtle, but after all these months living on a battlecruiser Lucy’d learned to sense the sudden alteration. There was an almost imperceptible change in the vibration and sounds around her. They were accelerating to maximum. She picked out her nine and gathered them in the hanger with a minute to spare. They carried an assembly of hand weapons. Was this another drill, or…?

Second Officer Klatthness materialized inside a shower of sparks in the center of the hanger. He peered up at her. We have a serious problem on a moon called Nefarion. Ever heard of it?

No. The expression on his face said she didn’t have time to access it on her data base.

Well, look the place up if you get a moment. There’s a team of Rygeillian archaeologists on Nefarion and we’ve just received a delayed transmission advising us they’ve been kidnapped. The transmission is two hours old. We’ll locate them and drop you nearby.

Are we landing by scout ship? She glanced at the three vessels in the hanger. There didn’t seem to be any unusual activities around them.

No. You’ll be conveying directly down. We’ll try to keep you away from any hostiles. Klatthness shook his head. We may have to abandon you for a few minutes. He clapped a hand to his ear, listening to a private incoming. We have another problem. Long range sensors report the kidnapper’s vessel is preparing to leave Nefarion. We’ll be going in pursuit. As far as we can tell from the lifeform scans, the prisoners are still being held on the moon’s surface. Get ready. This will be quick.

Lucy groaned inside. She hated being conveyed in blind. Who are these kidnappers? How many of them are there? Do we know anything at all?

Traddeshhee pirates, was what the transmission said. A large number of them. An army was the description. The message was obviously sent in a panic. Get ready to drop.

Of course, it figured. Who else would have characters among them approaching anything like old-fashioned pirates? Leave that up to the quarrelsome Traddeshhee to have rogue members running loose in the universe.

Lucy shook her head and did a quick system check on her suit.

Snakeshit. Typical Rygeillian military. Could it be any worse? Let’s do it double time and worry about the details later. She gazed through her visor at the squad. At least they all wore the latest model survival suits. She drew her handgun.

Go now! Klatthness barked to an invisible listener.

The Axe of Andor suddenly lurched. Containment was working overtime. Hotshot pilots, Lucy mumbled as the squad disappeared into a rainbow of sparks. Her heart headed toward her clenched teeth.

They came down hard, solidifying among a jumble of rocks and large boulders. Her knees buckled, but she didn’t fall. Experience showed. Lucy checked the suit’s readouts as the rest of the squad burst into view around her. Atmosphere paper thin and poisonous. Gravity low. It was about a quarter of Rygeil normal. Orange haze enveloped the horizon. The light wind peppered the outside of her suit with grit.

Radiation registered off the grid. She reset her suit to compensate and went on private squad band. Everyone check your gear.

About a kilometer away, a sleek black ship lifted from a low orbit and screamed off into the sky. That would be the pirate vessel attempting escape. Engines were obviously straining. A dirty pillar of smoke and flame erupted in its wake.

Her suit registered the shock wave as a storm of gravel and debris swept over them. One trooper was knocked off her feet, or his feet. Lucy still hadn’t figured out who was male or female. Stupid Rygeillian design-your-own-birthing system. Good thing nobody cared about sexes in the Confederation and answered to any designation she applied to them.

Depending on where the Axe was now, this shouldn’t take long, although her suit advised the convey trip had been at maximum range. Snakeshit. Where are the prisoners we’re supposed to rescue?

She found the co-ordinates given for the archaeologists in her suit’s message log.

Let’s move out. Advance in line, and be ready for anything. Keep low. Keeping low might prove difficult given the rough terrain and the fact they were all wearing armored suits that averaged about eight feet tall.

They were expected. Scattered firing broke out as they made their slow way uphill through a rock fall.

She dropped to one knee, aimed at a cluster of flashes, and broadcast to her troopers. Shoot to kill. We don’t want to give them time to finish off the hostages.

The squad crept forward. So far no injuries. That didn’t necessarily mean the raiders weren’t packing some heavy weapons. She suffered a slight tingle that rushed through her arm as a shot struck her shoulder. The suit dispersed the energy leaving a tiny blackened mark. Light stuff. Lucy stood ready to run forward. The squad spread out in line.

Rathhtahh, her second, sprinted ahead, hurtling over the rocks like a terminator on steroids.

Stupid girl, always bucking for promotion. One of these days she’s going to get fried and they won’t be able to repair her. Lucy followed.

There were three badly burned Traddeshhee raiders sprawled on the ground obviously dead and one still very much alive and struggling in the air in Rathhtahh’s grip. Thought you might want someone to question, Chief.

Lucy glanced at the bodies. They all wore patched and dirty fabric suits suitable for light work on lifeless worlds or at a dangerous stretch, spending a brief period outside a ship, floating in a vacuum. Certainly no good against heavy weapons. They weren’t expecting a rescue attempt this far from Rygeillian territory. Secure him for now. Let’s find the hostages. The scan’s located their life signs close to here. There were indications the recently deceased were camping nearby. A good guess might be they were the prisoners’ guards.

The rest of the squad scrambled into view around her and Rathhtahh, weapons at the ready, scanning for problems.

Lucy took a quick glance around. They were halfway up a hill. To the right, she saw the valley where the pirate vessel had blasted off from. Pirate vessel? That brought an image of the skull and cross bones flag to her mind, not a space ship. So many new things to get used to. Weren’t the Traddeshhee, or Deshhee as they called them, supposed to be their allies?

To her left the mouth of a cave showed dark against the background. That would be a possible location for a secure temporary prison. Wait here and keep your eyes open. The ship may not have held all the raiders. …if the panicked message from the hostages was not too wildly off describing an army. The one that escaped could hold a lot of armed villains. Some might still be left behind on the moon’s surface.

"Bossengg, set up your fancy communications gear and see if you can contact the Axe. Tell them we’re down safely and searching for the hostages. She headed toward the cave. Ask when we can expect an evac."

Inside, Lucy found a row of standard issue civilian survival suits sitting on the ground, backs against the rock wall. Wide eyes peered out through dusty visors. Oh, and Bossengg, let them know we’ve found the victims. They appear to be alive. She counted seven and frowned. Klatthness hadn’t told her how many to search for. Maybe he didn’t know.

Lucy moved carefully across the cave floor. Everyone all right? She broadcast on a short range wide band. No sign of strange wires or booby traps, but then she wasn’t all that familiar yet with what they might use in this universe.

It’s about time you got here! What took you so long? Cut me loose. I’ve lost all feeling in my arms. Definitely a deeper, possibly male, voice.

Lucy bent and examined the speaker. She used her utility knife to melt the wire binding his feet and arms.

I can’t stand. I’ve been sitting too here long. Help me up.

Oh, Director Saalltah, don’t be such a big baby. Have they gone? Can we get back to work? This one was definitely a female voice.

I’m not sure if all of them have gone. I know nothing about whether you will be continuing your work. Lucy jerked Director Saalltah to his feet. Loocahh and Brregg, get your tailless asses in here to free these people. I have a prisoner I should be questioning.

Right away, Chief.

The prisoner was sprawled outside face-down on the ground. He also wore a fabric suit similar in style to the sealed garments the archaeologists had. On her second glance, Lucy saw his suit appeared to be better woven and slightly stronger than those of his former prisoners.

Rathhtahh had the toe of her enormous boot balanced not too gently between his shoulders. The muzzle of her hand cannon pointed in the general direction of the back of his battered helmet.

I searched the ugly sewer slug, Chief. Had a large collection of dangerous toys. Broke the guns into small pieces and threw the sharp objects away. Scanned his crappy outfit. Nothing worth worrying about hidden underneath.

Good. Sit him up. I want to have a chat. Lucy lowered her suit down as he was dragged up to a sitting position. He was not the first live Traddeshhee she’d seen this close up. His brute face stared out through a scratched faceplate. She tuned to a general channel. Do you have a name, rank, serial number?

Go soak your deformed head in a slop pail.

He speaks Common Galactic, but with a terrible accent. Do you have a name at least, pirate? Did they really call the kidnappers pirates?

Since you have not long to live, I will grant you that, Rygeillian mud worm. I am called Death Gaze. I will spit on your nameless grave.

He even sounded like a stupid pirate.

Could I speak with you privately, Chief? Comm operator Bossengg’s voice broke into her helmet.

Lucy tuned her intercom to a closed circuit. Go ahead.

"I could barely reach the Axe with this portable unit. It’s only designed for local short range planetary communication. The Axe is moving away from us at high speed still in chase mode. I could barely hear their reply. We’re on our own for the near future. They can’t launch a scout ship without slowing and losing the chase."

Snakeshit. Lucy stared around at her crew. They patrolled the perimeter of the ground at the cave’s mouth, guns at the ready. Hopefully everyone’s suit was fully charged. The burned bodies had been dragged from sight. Slayyntt, Wilterrnn, get out there about a hundred meters and plant a circle of warning beacons. I want to know if even a loose pebble rolls. Good thing her implanted chip translated English into Common Galactic and gave measurements in a similar size.

Almost by reflex she checked her suit’s vitals. Good for a few days. What about our guests?

She stared down at her prisoner. How many of you are there?

Two hundred. All heavily armed. Your deaths will be swift, although they might take more time with you personally.

Her experience, both here and on Earth, suggested he was exaggerating. The odds were he overstated the numbers of his companions. The ship didn’t look that large. It was hard to tell from a brief glance and the Axe hadn’t given her any details. Hopefully most of the crew had gotten off the moon with the escaping vessel.

I’m going to make a note of everything wrong with this expedition and include it in my report…subtly, she muttered into her helmet then wondered if the thing recorded that.

Shoot him if he moves without permission, she said to Rathhtahh.

The ground in front of the cave was strewn with large boulders, some big enough to hide an armored tank, but there were enough gaps in between to bring almost anything through. What kind of equipment would pirates be using? She accessed her suit’s database. Nothing useful.

Lucy returned to the cave and the rescued hostages. All of the archaeological team were now freed and on their feet. Loocahh and Brregg stood at the rear. The cave appeared to continue on deeper into the hillside. She nodded to her troopers. Go take a look and tell me how far back this thing goes.

Those villains put up a barrier in there so we couldn’t escape that way, the one called Director Saalltah said. I think it was some kind of force-field. When are they coming to evacuate us?

Well, I’m staying. A suited figure stepped up, extended a hand, peered up at the survival suit and snorted. I’m Professor Lleithh, the one in charge of doing the actual work around here, and in case you missed it, I’ll repeat. I’m staying.

It’s too dangerous here. I warned you. Director Saalltah turned to Lucy. As I am the head of the Sallette Institute on Rygeil Two, they have to do as I say. We are leaving this awful place. How soon are we evacuating?

Well, I’m staying with Professor Lleithh, a possible male voice chimed in.

The others gathered around, everyone trying to speak at once.

Lucy was about to turn up her volume and bellow for silence when Loocahh came stomping out of the darkness in the rear. Her helmet lights were on full and almost blinding. There’s an Andersor Field set up little ways back there, Chief. Blocks off the cave, floor to ceiling. Set to fry anyone who tries to go deeper. You want it taken down?

Lucy glanced toward the cave opening. The mouth was fairly large and inviting if someone decided they wanted to target the inside. Take it down. She glanced overhead. Shadows were lengthening rapidly. The sky darkened toward a sickening purple.

A short figure spoke up. Rapid rotation causes short nights and days, about half the length of what we get on Rygeil. I’m Beethlt, a third year student. She sounded like a young child.

Lucy was about to reluctantly engage the Director in a conversation regarding the evacuation situation when someone outside the cave broadcast, Incoming! The troopers scattered and a bright white flash lit up the area at the edge of the clearing.

Trooper Slayyntt’s voice came in over the comms, Chief, about those burned bodies we moved… Got movement on the perimeter, Chief. Lots of movement. I count twenty-five and increasing rapidly. Both units are down. We’re blind out there.

Everyone into the cave. Lucy turned to the archaeologists. You people, get in deeper behind that outcropping. Get back from the mouth. Miniature missiles ricocheting off rock sounded like heavy rain or hail. Only small arms fire so far.

Troopers hurtled into the cave in giant steps. Three stopped, knelt and took up firing positions just inside. Phosphorescent grenades illuminated the ground outside. Rathhtahh came in last carrying the prisoner under her arm. Do you want this thing in here?

Might come in handy. Tie him up with what they used on their hostages. Lucy slipped behind a boulder. Bossengg, did you manage to remember to rescue your useless com unit?

Survival suits had powerful built-in communications units, but most of their long-range gear was designed for distress calls and beacons, not for conversations beyond the range of a planetary system. Lucy tried to estimate how far away the Axe of Andor might be by now and gave up. The pirate vessel might not have run a straight course. If it did, the chase might be halfway to the next system by now.

Sorry, Chief, I think the little darling took a hit. Managed to scoop it up on the way in. Might be able to fix the contrary machine.

Find a safe spot deeper into this hidey hole and see what you can do. I’m counting on you.

The firing stopped. A wide broadcast loud enough to shake loose dirt and some small rocks echoed through the cave. Surrender. We have you surrounded. There is no way out of that hole. We outnumber you and have weapons that will bring down this hill on top of you. Surrender. You will be unharmed and will be ransomed back to the Confederation and eventually freed. You have ten minutes to consider our most kind offer.

The voice was in Common Galactic with just the slight hint of a Traddeshhee accent.

"We’ll think about your offer. On second thought, I’m willing to accept your surrender. You’ll all get fair trials." That was a wide broadcast. Lucy wasn’t actually sure what would be done with pirates. Always something new in the Rygeillian Navy.

She tuned back in to her rescued guests and squad. If you believe that announcement I think I know where there might be a large bridge for sale. Too bad it’s so far away. Everyone go deeper into the cave. Troopers, cover the mouth from a safe distance inside. Move it. On the double! Loocahh, can you rig that Andersor Field up in the mouth of the cave?

On it, Chief.

Chapter Two

The diameter of the cave was large enough to drive a bus through and the passage continued deep into the growing darkness beyond the range of their lamps. Pitch shadows now bathed the ground outside. The phosphor grenades had flickered out.

Leaving the three troopers at the mouth to secure the entrance and keep an eye on the status of the Andersor Field, Lucy gathered the two expedition leaders off to one side.

She started with Director Saalltah. What can you tell me about this cave? How far back does it extend? Is there a rear exit?

He shrugged. How would I know? We spent no time up here. Our camp is located in the valley near the monoliths. All our gear is down there, including our atmosphere modules, food, and clean clothes. Enough of this nonsense. How soon can you get us off this useless rock? I assume you have a ship in orbit and didn’t walk here on your own.

Lucy decided she was not a big fan of his tone. The battlecruiser is in pursuit of the pirates’ ship. We can’t leave until they return.

Well, when will that be?

I have no idea. She turned to Professor Lleithh. Can you tell me anything about this cave?

The professor used the lights on her suit to examine the walls and floor. Well, it doesn’t appear to be volcanic. Can’t be caused by water. There’s never been any liquid here as far as we know. Cave appears substantial. Could have another exit somewhere. Doubt the Traddeshhee savages have had any time to explore it.

My suit is overheating. We have to get out of here. The director rocked back and forth, extended his arms and stared at his heavy gloves.

Oh, calm down, Saalltah. This from the professor.

The director shifted from one foot to the other. Just go out there and chase them away. Kill them all. You’ve got the armor. You’re supposed to be these invincible troopers. If we’re not leaving here in the next few minutes I must get back to my module. I know several members of your High Command as well as the civilian representative for Rygeil Two. If you don’t take care of this problem immediately I will have you broken down to the level of a junior scrubber on an old ore freighter.

Lucy thought briefly the easiest solution to her problem would be to toss the director out of the cave mouth and let the pirates use him for target practice. Instead, she took a deep breath. Listen very carefully. We could go charging out there, but that would be an extremely stupid move. We know we’re outnumbered. We just don’t know by how many. Yes, we have armor and probably better weaponry. They may also have some villains in armor, and all they would need is a few with heavy weapons. She paused for breath. I don’t know you. I don’t believe I want to. I do know the members of the squad under my command. Don’t make me choose who I would rather save if it comes down to that.

Lucy sighed. Let me look at your suit. She made a few adjustments. There, feel better?

Yes, but…

I suggest you sit down and rest. Be quiet. That way the contents of your suit will last longer.

Surprisingly, he quietly moved away from her to perch on a large boulder and stare into the darkness.

That is going to be a problem, isn’t it? If they wait too long to rescue us our suits will run out of air and the rest of the life support systems. Professor Lleithh peered up at Lucy. Your survival suits will last a lot longer than our expedition gear, won’t they?

Yes. Lucy gazed around. I’ll have the crew examine each one of you. We should be able to modify the settings to extend things by a bit. Here, let me look at you. She checked the suit’s readings and made adjustments. They’d survive a thinning out of their atmospheres.

Promise you’ll let me know when we’re getting critical. I’m responsible for this crew. We have two third year students, a couple of apprentices, and a junior under my care.

I will. If I can without starting a panic. Her troopers had practiced for this eventuality. The civilians obviously had not.

Firing broke out at the cave mouth.

A few tried to charge us. Turned them back. Six bodies on the ground out there. We’re falling back a bit toward new positions. Someone just opened up with a launcher. They may be moving up some heavier gear.

Lucy didn’t recognize the trooper’s voice. There was a lot of static. A sign of some other electronic weaponry? She wondered how long the Andersor Field would hold. The Field wasn’t proof against anything serious and it appeared as though the battered power source and controls had been jury-rigged more than once. If the Traddeshhee blew that away, they could rush her and her group.

Let’s fall back into the cave. Gather up your people. We’ll see if we can find a way out of here that doesn’t dump us into a nest of Traddeshhee pirates. Lucy tried to beam a smile at Professor Lleithh through her visor. There was a certain advantage in eventually getting out of the cave. They might have a better chance of raising the battlecruiser and speeding up the evac.

Ordering the three troopers guarding the entrance to fall back slowly to cover their withdrawal, Lucy led the party deeper into the cave. With Loocahh and Brregg on point, their lamps barely penetrating the gloom, the going was slow. The floor was strewn with boulders. Sounds of sporadic firing echoed from behind them.

Lleithh struggled to keep up with Lucy’s long strides. Slow down. We have several members with us on their first serious expedition. They’re not used to walking very far in their suits.

What are you searching for way out here anyway?

Lleithh met Lucy’s gaze. What do you know about Nefarion?

It’s a dead moon located in the far end of absolutely nowhere. I didn’t get a proper briefing before we jumped. Everything was rushed. My suit’s data base doesn’t have much info, only that Nefarion is the third moon of the planet Zymotia. Apparently the planet is a lifeless lump, too. Lucy glanced down. So, what’s the big attraction here?

I guess it’s safe to tell you. Go to personal intercom.

Already on it.

Nefarion is somewhat famous in academic circles. There are heated arguments and lengthy scientific position papers written about the place. The big question is, are there signs of a former civilization on this moon? One of the many problems, the experts can’t decide whether the so-called artifacts here are twenty-five thousand years old, or two and a half million.

The professor sighed and circled around a boulder Lucy easily stepped over. One of the many lures for expeditions to this place is the timing problem. If closer to the longer range estimate, that would make this moon holding one of the oldest signs of a civilization in this quadrant.

That’s quite a spread. Lucy scanned the cave floor and walls. She registered no signs of movement through here except those made by her troopers up ahead. Not that she expected to find any. If anything could live on this almost airless, heavily radiated lump of rock, it would have to be microbial.

The other serious problem is that the experts can’t agree on whether the artifacts are natural, or created by a culture. Only, Nefarion has never been habitable by intelligent life, according to the most recent expeditions, so a logical conclusion would be they were raised by a civilization from elsewhere.

Lleithh paused to catch her breath, The problem with that theory is the most logical planet lying somewhere below our feet, Zymotia, doesn’t look as though it was ever habitable either. No signs of a civilization ever rising there. The place is a mess of volcanic activity with wide lava flows and a poisonous atmosphere. The seas surge with ridiculously high tides due to the number of moons affecting the surface. Zymotia has seven in orbit.

Interesting, Lucy said. Actually, not so much.

She had enough other problems on her mind right now. The sounds of firing behind them ceased, but her suit had registered something that felt very much like an explosion. She couldn’t contact the three troopers in the