He shoved the joystick to one side, sending Adventurer into a tight turn. Any second now, he anticipated battle would be joined once more, only this time, the four additional enemy vessels would lead the assault. Would all eight remaining ships launch a coordinated attack, as he feared? So much for gathering intel and finding a safe place to dock without raising hell, he thought. We’ll probably need even more repairs after this little melee is over.
“Incoming comm,” Mal announced.
Somewhat surprised, since the expected inbound salvos so far failed to materialize, Grady eyed the ceiling. “From?”
“Signal source is the modified freighter. It appears to be the lead craft among the four newest arrivals,” the AI said. “The others who appeared first have backed off. Correction, they have now jumped away, leaving their two damaged compatriots behind.”
“Strange,” Tara said. “Why not take advantage of their superior numbers and hit us with everything they’ve got? Not that I’m disappointed they’ve bugged out. Means fewer hostiles for us to deal with.”
“Maybe they’re the chatty sort,” Zoe said, her fingers poised over the weapons controls. “Or they plan on sweet talking us into joining their little outlaw band.”
Grady grunted. “Not going to happen.” He gazed at the sensor holo. Seeing little likelihood of outrunning the remaining pirates, and preferring to avoid a pitched battle if possible, he shrugged and said, “Okay, Mal, why the hell not? Let’s hear what they have to say. On speaker, please.”
“To the Earth Galactic gunship currently attempting to flee,” came a relaxed, confident male voice. “Your distress call indicates you are in need of assistance. You have entered rebel-controlled space. Surrender, and you will be treated honorably as prisoners of war. You have my word.”
“Crackling comets, Bro,” Tara said. “Are my ears deceiving me, or did he just say this is rebel space?” When Grady didn’t answer, she flicked her gaze to him and frowned. His countenance had paled, as if all the blood had drained away, and he was staring wide-eyed at the main viewscreen. “Jack,” she said, worry shading her tone. “Are you alright?”
“I’d know that familiar voice anywhere,” Grady answered in a halting whisper, fingers clamped around the control stick. “It’s my best friend, Phil Lorcan. We went through basic training together and he served with me on the Gany. We always looked out for each other.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Tara said. “He’ll help us, right? I mean, assuming his doppelgänger in this dimension was also close pals with your counterpart.”
Grady shook his head, his attention still fixed on the wraparound display. “Only one problem.” He turned to face her. “He’s dead. Phil was killed in action, at least in our dimension, leaving behind a widow and child. If this is his alternate, all bets are off. For all I know, we could be mortal enemies here.”
7
Adventurer bled momentum as Grady eased back on the control stick. Had he been mistaken about that voice, the distinctive twang of accent from Canada’s east coast? What if it was just someone who sounded like his old friend? Only one way to find out.
He reached forward and toggled the external comm. “Who am I speaking with?”
Static crackled, then the same voice came again over the speakers. “This is Captain Philip Lorcan of the Interstellar Coalition command vessel Freedom Defender. Your craft issued a distress call and appears unable to jump to FTL, or I presume you would have already done so. I repeat my terms. Surrender, and you and your crew will be well-treated as prisoners of war.”
“Give me a moment, please,” Grady replied, deliberately keeping his response short and his tone neutral.
“You have two minutes,” said the leader of the incoming vessels, all four of which now faced Adventurer, the fighters forming up around the modified freighter. “If you don’t yield your ship by then, we will be obliged to consider you an active combatant and will open fire.”
With a shaky sigh, Grady killed the comm and stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on the viewscreen.
“We’re in the Badlands,” Zoe said, swiveling her seat and eyeing the tactical holo. “This might be a trick. The second group of bad guys could be smarter than the first and are trying to capture our ship and us intact without a fight. No telling who this guy actually is. Maybe they killed the genuine Captain Lorcan and are only pretending to be IC.”
“What if they’re slavers?” Tara added. “If Zoe’s right, this offer of fair treatment is just a ruse to get us to lower our shields.” She shivered, causing Gizmo to lift his head, ears angling forward, and issue a warbling chirrup. “If we surrender, we could be headed for a life of misery, sold to the highest bidder.” She gave a dry chuckle. “I don’t see myself spending the rest of my years as someone’s servant…or sex toy. Not my idea of career development.”
“Boss?” Zoe said. “We’re not going to just give in, are we? I, for one, am not about to let myself be anyone’s slave, sex or otherwise.” She tightened her fist, her demeanor fierce. “I’d rather die first. And take as many of the bastards with me as possible.”
Grady surprised her by smiling. “I think we can avoid either fate. It’s him. There’s no doubt in my mind.” He slid his gaze to Tara. “You never met Phil, did you? That time he came with me on leave to visit New Ireland for a couple of days, you were away visiting our cousins and didn’t get back until after we left.”
“Your buddy from your squadron?” Tara said. “Nope, never met the guy. But I remember you talking non-stop about the mischief you and he got up to when you commed me a few times after you graduated.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “But he was killed, wasn’t he? Like you said.”
“In our reality, yes. He died in combat, leaving behind his wife, Anna, and daughter, Beatrice.”
“You’re talking about Commander Anna Lorcan from Cavalier outpost, aren’t you?” Zoe said. “The same one whose daughter we rescued from the slavers on that captured research station. I take it he was her husband?”
Grady nodded. “That’s right. But we’re in a parallel universe. Things are different from what we know in our own reality. Some people who died there are still alive here, and—”
“—some who are alive there are dead here,” Zoe finished, a note of anguish creeping into her voice. She turned back to the weapons holo, her countenance contorting into a scowl.
“You’re totally certain it’s the same guy?” Tara said. “Your dead friend.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely him, no question. I’d recognize that characteristic accent of his anywhere. No way a pirate would assume his name and adopt his manner of speech, too.”
“There’s a problem, though,” Zoe said. When Grady looked back at her over his shoulder, she continued. “If this is your buddy, and he’s alive in this reality, he thinks you’re the one who’s dead, correct? Cavill told us the Lieutenant Jack Grady in this dimension was killed during the failed mutiny on the Gany.”
“Assuming he was telling the truth,” Grady said, waving his hand, “then that’s affirmative. It’s going to be a tough one to explain.”
“Ahem, Matey,” Mal said. “I believe our time is almost up. We’re receiving a comm request from the same vessel as before.”
Grady straightened in his seat. “Zoe, power down weapons, but keep shields raised for now. It’ll let them know we don’t have hostile intentions.”
“Are you sure?” Zoe said, her fingers poised above her holo. “What if it is a deception, after all?”
“I don’t believe so. The Phil I knew was an honorable guy. I’m betting the one in this reality is, too.”
“I hope you’re right,” Zoe said, shaking her head, “for all our sakes.” She tapped on her controls. “Primary weapons deactivated.”
With a tight nod, Grady squared his shoulders and reached for the external comm. “We’re standing down weapons as a demonstration of good faith. Scan us and you’ll see I’m telling the truth. Let’s talk.”
Silence followed for several heartbeats, then, “We see that.” It was the same person as before, the one who identified himself as Captain Lorcan, only now he sounded hesitant, surprised. “Who is this? Identify yourself. You sound oddly familiar.”
