Wanted

By Terry Compton

Josh Gunn detests space pirates. He hunts them down and brings them to justice – one way or another. When he and his android partner Cherry Kang close in on one of the worst, the fireworks start. After the big explosion, they wake up in a different galaxy with their spaceship crashed on an asteroid and shot to smithereens. When they get a derelict spaceship ready to fly with parts from their ruined ship and escape, Josh finds something he hates worse than pirates. Josh Gunn and Cherry Kang intend to hunt every last one of them down and make sure they pay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry Compton
• Release date: Aug 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311268600

Terry Compton

Terry Compton has raced stock cars, rode horses across the Scapegoat Wilderness, fished and hunted most of his adult life while working at several different jobs. He is an Air Force veteran and served in the Air National Guard for several years. He is currently retired from being the owner, chief welder and installer for an ornamental iron business where he has made several award winning metal creations and is now turning this creativity to writing.Terry loves to read science fiction, westerns and mystery stories. Some of his favorite authors are Clive Cussler, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Andre Norton, Poul Anderson, Robert Heinlein, Louie L'Amour, Zane Grey and Anne McCaffery. He is currently learning about 'indie' authors who are publishing e-books.Terry currently lives in Montana with his wife and a dog who thinks she is a short furry people.

Book preview

Wanted

Terry Compton

Published by Terry Compton at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Terry Compton

Cover images courtesy of Zoom-zoom | Jeffreystudio | Dreamstime.com

Cover by Terry Compton

Josh Gunn detests space pirates. He hunts them down and brings them to justice – one way or another. When he and his android partner Cherry Kang close in on one of the worst, the fireworks start. After the big explosion, they wake up in a different galaxy with their spaceship crashed on an asteroid and shot to smithereens. When they get a derelict spaceship ready to fly with parts from their ruined ship and escape, Josh finds something he hates worse than pirates. Josh Gunn and Cherry Kang intend to hunt every last one of them down and make sure they pay.

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. All characters or incidents are a figment of the author's imagination and any resemblance to any incident or any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

A soft bump and scrape brought the man's eyes open. He lay quietly in the dark listening. The noise and vibration came again. His right hand reached for the blaster near his head. Feeling nothing, he moved his hand around exploring. It met only the cool smooth surface of the deck, covered in bits of insulation from the ceiling.

An electrical spark to his left lit the room for an instant. In that second, he saw chaos. A seat ripped from its mountings, holes in the interior walls, smoking panels and something lying across his legs. He tried to move but sharp pain made him lay still.

Another bump and scrape brought a flash of sparks, showing him more of the cockpit. A wet, sticky puddle on the deck next to him gave off the coppery odor of blood. At the next bump and scrape, the instrument panel lights dimly illuminated. In the flickering half-light, he saw the exposed bulkhead and the collapsed wall that trapped his legs.

The next bump produced a long screech as the hull of the spaceship scraped across something. The vibrations felt like a saw going through his legs. He bit his lip to keep from screaming.

Concentrating, he tried to mentally reach the ship's computer. Nothing but silence greeted his efforts. His voice came out as a fear-choked croak when he said, Computer, can you hear me?

The fog in his brain cleared a little. He remembered there should be someone else here in the cockpit. Who? As he thought of that, he tried to remember who he was. Struggling to touch the memory, just out of reach, brought piercing pains to his head. His vision narrowed to a small tunnel. Nausea washed over him.

Got to get up. Something's not right. Danger. I feel danger.

A crash and the shriek of tortured metal transmitted to his legs. The intense pain made him pass out.

When he woke again, the tunnel vision had disappeared. The light in the cockpit was a little brighter also. He could see junk drifting in the air -- a metal rib from the wall, chunks of insulation, globs of blood, the other seat and bits of the wall.

Glancing down, he studied the wall holding his legs. The bulkhead had bent, collapsing the partition at the back of the cockpit and the one across the hall. He stared at the crease in the hull.

The terror of the situation made him speak out loud to make sure he was still alive, Something really whacked us to do that much damage. With all this junk floating, I'm sure we lost our gravity compensator. I wonder how big an air leak we have.

A tenor voice said, Josh Gunn, are you talking to yourself? Where are you?

A flash of recognition jarred his memory, Cherry Kang, is that you? Come get me out of here. I'm stuck under the wall. That bulkhead doesn't look too good either.

Are you talking about the rear cockpit partition?

Yes, hurry up. I think my legs are broken or something. I must have cut my head, too. There's blood all over here.

I can't. My right arm is jammed under the same divider. It's bent and I can't move my hand.

Listen, you pile of nuts and bolts. Androids are ambidextrous. Use your left arm to pry up the wall. Every time we scrape or bump, if feels like something's tearing my legs off. Quit messing around. Get over here.

I told you, I can't move. I'm lying face down and my arm is pinned. I can't reach the wall to move it.

Josh Gunn squirmed to his left. The pressure on his legs made him wince in pain. Straining his neck, he could see the bottom half of the android. The blue skin looked paler than usual but he didn't know if it was the light or a malfunction. The little glowing pin-points under his skin looked like little stars in the sky except these brilliant dots were a sickly yellow-green.

Cherry, your lights look different. They're– ah puke green. I've never seen them like that.

You're right. I don't know what's going on.

What happened? Do you remember?

We were in a fight with those pirates with the big bounty. They had some friends who surprised us. Does any of that sound familiar?

No, until you said my name, I didn't even know it. Can you connect to the computer? I tried by ESP and voice, but didn't get a thing.

After a few seconds of silence, Cherry said, I can't connect mentally either. I can't feel any of the normal connections to the ship.

They must have really hammered us. The good news is that they stopped shooting. We must have put them out of commission.

Maybe. Maybe they are just waiting for signs of life or maybe they know we can't go anywhere and are leaving us to die a slow death.

Ha! Cheerful sort, aren't you? You don't have as much to worry about as I do. How much blood have I lost? Are my legs cut off and I'm slowly bleeding to death? How long can you survive without air or food?

I can go into hibernation and last for several years.

Josh relaxed back into a more comfortable position. He looked around to see if he could find any tools. A loud clang at the top of the bulkhead sent echoes of vibration through the deck, bringing a yelp of pain. The junk hanging in the air started moving.

He reached for the metal rib from the wall. It remained just out of his reach. Another object hit the outside of the spaceship. Josh asked, Do you think they're shooting at us again?

No, that's just debris hitting the outside. I'm still trying to figure out what we've been scraping against. I just hope it's not the pirate's spaceship. If it is, it will mean they're boarding us.

You know, you're just one big ray of sunshine. You could have kept that information to yourself.

I'm just stating facts.

Josh snorted, Well, how about this fact? They'll shoot me or if they want me to die slowly, leave me here and punch a hole in the hull. You on the other hand will be reclaimed. Your little bitty brain will be erased and reprogrammed.

That's not possible. I keep telling you my brain is organic. They'll destroy it if they try reprogramming. Besides, they won't have the technology.

Are you sure? They've been stealing a lot of high tech stuff lately. They'll try something. I don't think they care if they destroy you.

Cherry grunted as he tried to move again. When nothing shifted, he said, I suggest we find a way to get out of here so we can face them.

I'm open to suggestions.

Can you reach anything to use as a pry bar?

Josh looked around again. The metal rib had drifted a little closer. He stretched for all he was worth but still couldn't reach it. Three rapid thumps on the hull reverberated through his legs. Gasping in pain, he laid back.

Cherry anxiously asked, Josh, are you all right?

NO! My legs hurt, my head hurts and I'm hungry.

How can you think of food at a time like this?

Who said I'm thinking of food? I'm just hungry. I see a metal rib floating just out of my reach.

Use something to extend your reach.

Slapping his fist against the floor, Josh said, Now why didn't I think of that? I'll just use the tractor beam in my pocket.

Cherry groaned, I hate it when you get sarcastic. Look for something in the air or on the deck. Can you use it to reach farther than your arm?

A bigger bump sent a sharp tremor through the entire ship, making Josh pass out from the pain. When he came to, he heard Cherry muttering, Stupid human. Just like him to die and leave me stuck here to face the pirates. The least he could have done would have been to get that rib to me.

The next clang and vibration to the wall on his legs brought a groan from Josh. Cherry shouted, Josh, are you still alive? Can you hear me?

I hear you. What are the pirates doing? Why do they keep smashing into us?

I don't think its pirates. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I hear a pinhole air leak.

I don't hear anything.

It's a very small hole and very high pitched. It may be beyond human hearing.

Josh strained again to reach the metal rib. It floated a fraction of an inch beyond his fingers. Lying back down, he looked around to see if he could find anything to use to bring it closer. A chunk of insulation lay to his right. Scrabbling around, he touched it.

With a little more effort, he pulled it to him. Groggy with pain, he tried to move too quickly. The insulation hit the metal bumping it farther away. Josh laid back with a moan. Cherry asked, What is it?

I moved the rib away instead of closer.

The metal now floated about a foot beyond his reach. Josh looked again for something to use to extend his reach. One sleeve of his shirt had ripped at the shoulder seam. He gave it a tug to see if it would rip some more.

In a few moments, he had it off. The effort made sweat break out. He lay on the deck for several seconds before he tried for the rib again. His first throw missed. Gathering the material, he threw it again.

The end of the sleeve flew above the metal rib. It hung in the air for a brief moment, then started moving down. When it touched the metal, the cuff kept moving. Josh timed the tug as the cuff hit the sleeve.

The material slipped off the rib, but the slight pressure made it move toward Josh. He quickly pulled the sleeve back next to him, then held his hand out to catch the metal. When it slapped into his palm, he yelled, I've got it. Just a second and I'll have this wall off of me. Then I can get you free.

Cherry shouted, NO! Don't do it, Josh. I don't know how long we've been here. My clock says that I've been conscious for fifteen minutes. How long were we unconscious? Look at the blood you were talking about. Is it coagulated any?

I don't know. It's not bright red – more dark.

If any of that comes from your legs, you could have some blood clotted in them. If you release the pressure, those clots will go straight to your heart. You'd be dead before you could get me free.

Jake paused, So what do we do?

Cherry said, I've got to get free first. I can get things ready to do first aid, then set you free.

Oh, man, this is going to be awkward. You can't pry the way you're laying and I don't know how much muscle I can put in it.

Just try it.

Josh reached around to see if he could wedge the metal rib under the section of wall pinning Cherry. The rib had a curve to it, so he could only get it in one way. He had to sit up and lean on one elbow while he worked the metal with the other hand.

Thumps of something hitting the outer hull almost made him drop it. He said, That hurts. Every time something hits, I can feel it in my legs.

Pulling down on the rib, he felt something move but he couldn't tell if it was the wall or the rib giving. Grunting, he put more pressure on. Cherry said, I can feel it moving. Just a little more.

A large object thumped the hull sending a distinctive clang and vibration through the deck. Josh jerked in pain. Cherry yelled, I'm free. Oh no, look at my arm.

He scrambled to his feet to find Josh had passed out again. Looking at his right forearm, he saw a big bend. His hand stuck out like it was ready to give a high five. Concentrating, he tried to move it. Nothing happened.

Wedging the arm under the wall that held Josh, he tried to straighten it a little with no luck. He dropped to his knee to check his partner. The life signs were weak and thready. The increase of air leaking out snapped his attention to the ceiling.

Rising, he rushed back toward the tool chest. When he came to a shield across the passageway, he hesitated. Cherry checked his monitors to see that the air would still support human life and his. As he pushed his good arm through the shield, the monitors on it showed no atmosphere.

Taking several deep breaths to oxygenate his brain, he muttered to himself, It's a good thing I'm an android and can function in zero atmosphere for a few minutes. Otherwise, Josh and I would be dead in a short time. I've got to get something to seal that leak and then get medical supplies to stabilize Josh.

With the last deep breath, he held it and plunged through. The carnage in the back of the spaceship shocked him but he kept moving. Holes were punched clear through the vessel. Areas around the entrance and exit wounds were blackened from the plasma burns. From a quick glance, he didn't think this ship would ever fly again.

A minute later, he opened the locker beside the airlock. Jerking out his breathing apparatus, he put it on. As he made his way back to the tool locker, he took more time to survey the damage. He shook his head in dismay.

Cherry stopped at one of the holes in the fuselage. Looking out, he could see the brilliant stars shining in the distance. Up closer, he saw chunks of rocks from the size of his fist to the size of the spaceship.

A clang reverberated through the ship when one of them hit the hull. The urgency of their predicament brought him back. Rushing to the tool storage, he grabbed some sealer and headed to the cockpit.

A quick check showed Josh still unconscious. Cherry took off his breathing apparatus and focused on the air leak. They couldn't afford to lose any air right now. His eyes caught the movement of smoke. The scorched wires gave off a wisp of gray that floated in the air. Some of it moved toward the ceiling.

Following the movement, he spotted three places it seemed attracted to. Kicking one of the ripped out pilot's seats underneath the first spot, he stood on it to inspect the area. Using his left hand, he spread the special compound on the pinhole.

The smoke stopped moving in that direction. Moving on, he soon fixed the other two. He sat the tube down next to the collapsed wall. Josh moaned so he checked on him again. His vitals were about the same. Cherry crawled to the wall to check his legs.

He muttered more to himself than anything, Josh, I don't like this. You've got too much pressure on your legs. I can't just release them. I've got to get the healer unit before I do anything more. Hold on, buddy.

Turning, he put on his breathing apparatus again then hurried to get the healer unit. The door to the room was blocked with debris. It took several minutes to get it cleared with one arm. Inside he grabbed the unit, some splints and other first aid supplies. His stars pulsed a deep pink as he worried about his friend.

Back in the cockpit, he attached the healer unit. It showed two broken legs. The right one had a broken tibia and the left had the fibula fractured. His pelvis also had a hairline crack. The machine detected some blood clots in the leg, along with a cut on the back of the head and a slight concussion.

After bandaging his head, the android said, Josh, this is not good. I'm going to try to get this pressure cuff on both of your legs.

Cherry struggled for several minutes but couldn't reach the proper place on Josh's legs. He went back to the tool storage to get some cutting equipment. The continual thumps, clangs and bangs reminded him they were in some sort of asteroid field.

Returning to the cockpit, he checked his repairs. They seemed to be holding. Cherry stepped down to tend to Josh. His breathing and color were better. The healing unit was doing its job.

Twenty minutes later, he had a section of the wall cut off of Josh. With the compression cuffs on his upper legs, Cherry started trying to get the rest of the wall off of him. The damaged arm slowed him down.

When he had him free, Cherry checked the healer unit again. The readout said that Josh needed both legs set and then immobilized. Touching his left little finger to the unit, he accepted the download to tell him how. After a few seconds, he went back to the room with the first aid supplies. Gathering up what he needed, he started back but stopped at Josh's quarters. He picked up blankets and a pillow.

Making Josh comfortable with the blankets and pillow, Cherry then sat down on the deck at Josh's feet. After mentally running through the steps he would have to do, he laid out the items in the order they would be needed.

Next, he cut off Josh's pant legs above the knee. Because he couldn't grasp anything with his right arm, he made a sling he could attach to it and Josh's leg. Once it was ready, he set the right leg and sprayed a cast on it. Then he did the left. Josh grunted each time he set a leg or moved him.

When Cherry finished, Josh lay on the blankets white as a ghost. Cherry worriedly studied the healing unit. The readout said his friend needed intravenous fluids but Cherry knew they didn't have plasma or equipment to do that. He went to the galley to retrieve food and drink for when Josh woke up.

Now, all he could do was wait.

Chapter 2

Cherry sat there on the floor watching his friend until another chunk of rock clanged into the hull. Sparks from the console told him he needed to see what he could do there. A half hour later, Cherry found the cause of the sparks. The entire frame of the spaceship had warped.

Using the cutting tools he had brought in to rescue Josh with, he cut the inner frame that held gauges, sensors and other navigational equipment. Once the wire had been repaired, he hooked the sensors back up. He tweaked settings as he muttered to himself, Where are we? Are there any of the pirates left to come after us? We weren't in an asteroid field when we were in the battle. Could a big asteroid have hit us and done this damage?

After another fifteen minutes, one view screen came on. The picture twisted to the side, too distorted to make anything out. Cherry worked with it another ten minutes before he had a clear view of the outside.

He tried to connect with the computer mentally but had no luck. Shoving his little finger on his left hand into the slot on the console, he made contact. As directed, the computer switched from sensor to sensor. Cherry studied each view briefly.

The view to the front showed only black. Cherry adjusted, but still had the same thing. On the bottom side of the spaceship, he found the same thing. Most of the sensors there showed only static.

Switching back to the front, he looked at it closer. He used his connection to the computer to change to infrared. Now he could see rock. Making a few more adjustments, Cherry studied the picture.

The sound of movement behind made him turn. Josh was moving, trying to sit up. Cherry said, Don't. Your legs are broken. I've set them and put them in a cast, but the healer unit says you have to stay still for a few days.

Josh laid back down, How many days?

It doesn't give me a time. I guess it depends on how your body heals. Here, have some drink and soup. The unit said you needed intravenous fluids but I didn't think slitting your wrists and dumping it in would work.

Yeah, I wouldn't get to taste it. What's that?

I stopped the fireworks under the dash. I'm pretty sure the entire ship is twisted. That's the view out the front.

What is it?

It appears you flew nose first into a big rock. All those noises you have been hearing — A clang on the hull interrupted him. And are hearing may be pieces you blasted off.

Josh shook his head no, There wasn't anything like that even close. How could I fly into it in empty space?

I don't know, bucko. I'm just reporting facts.

Well, give me the facts on the rest of the ship.

The back's a mess. I don't think we'll ever fly this vessel again.

You'd better call our insurance company and get us a lift out of here.

Cherry looked at his friend, No, I haven't had a chance to scan the area. If we've lost the pirates, I don't want to tell them where we are until we can defend ourselves.

What do the other views show?

Empty space except for the asteroids drifting around us.

Asteroids! Where did they come from? You can look back at our recordings. There was nothing there.

I know, but there is now. I'd swear we were in an asteroid belt.

Josh lay quietly for a few moments as he thought. He said, Switch it to another view. I want to see what you mean. I assume you're only using passive sensors right now.

Yep, I don't want anyone to know there's life on this bird. As long as we've been sitting here, I expected company to check us out. Maybe an asteroid swarm came through and got all of us…

Yeah, and maybe pigs fly. Let's just stay passive and silent until we know we're in the clear.

Josh, what's a pig? Don't they normally fly?

Look it up. It's too hard to explain.

The picture on the view screen changed. Both individuals studied it carefully. Josh said, Change the spectrum – try infrared, ultraviolet, the works.

The picture changed colors. Josh asked, You see anything that looks like a spaceship? Can you zoom out?

As the view changed, Cherry said, I detect nothing but rocks.

Try some of the other sensors. Zoom in and out.

Cherry switched sensors. Each showed empty space with stars shining in the background until they came to the lower side. Josh exclaimed, Is that a moon? Have we crashed on a moon?

No, I don't think so. Maybe an asteroid. It'll take me a bit to rewire so we can use more of the sensors. At least we're safe for now.

Unless the pirates are on the other side of the asteroid looking for us. We can only see about forty percent.

While Cherry worked on the electronics, Josh ate some of the soup and drank his fill. The clangs of asteroids hitting the hull didn't cause the pain like they had before but they still bothered his head. After he had his belly full, he laid back down and soon fell asleep.

Cherry saw his eyes close. Making his way to Josh, he checked the healer unit. It didn't show any serious head injury, so he let him sleep. He went back to the electronics, trying to be as quiet as possible while he worked.

Five hours later, Josh woke up again. He looked at the view screens. Two more were working. He called out, Cherry, it looks like you're making progress. How long was I out this time?

You slept about five hours. I've been running scans and I can't find anything to suggest any pirates anywhere around us.

Better to be safe than sorry. What have you found so far?

It's kind of strange. I'm not hearing any radio or comm traffic. I've scanned all the known frequencies. We had all kinds of signals from Avayal before.

Are you sure the comm and radio are working?

At least on the receiving end. I haven't tried anything with broadcast. I think we should wait a bit to make sure we don't have unwelcome company around here.

Josh started to move to get up. Cherry laughed at his grunt of pain. He said, You should listen to me and the healer unit. Your bones need time to heal. It's not instantaneous with the equipment we have.

Yeah, I know. I just forgot. I want to punch some buttons. Do you think you can get the ship's computer to respond to mental commands again?

I don't know. I'm just doing one step at a time. I've got to get some things running or we'll be out of air in 7.63 hours.

Concern crossed Josh's face, Maybe you'd better get my spacesuit up here.

How are we going to get you in — oh, never mind. I'll go get it.

Cherry, did you try to launch any remote sensors or detectors?

No detectors. If anyone's around, they would have seen them. The remote sensors won't launch. I suspect the outer door is jammed. The way the frame of this ship is twisted, I'm surprised anything works. We had to have been hammered in that battle.

Josh thought for a moment, Go get my suit, then unjam that sensor door. We need to see what's on the other side of this rock. If nothing's close, we need to launch a remote detector. Cherry, you don't think all this debris could be Avayal, do you?

I don't have enough data to answer that. Something happened to silence all the comm and radio traffic from there. You're right, I need to launch sensors and detectors. We're blind and we need to be able to see.

While Cherry went for the spacesuit, Josh tried to connect with the computer. When that failed, he tried to make a mental list of all they needed to do. The mental activity made his head pound. He felt his vision narrow to a tunnel. Only items right in front of him came into focus.

With a groan at the extra pain, Josh pulled the healer unit into view. He punched a few buttons and his pain started to subside. The tunnel vision continued as he lay back and closed his eyes.

Cherry lugged the spacesuit back into the cockpit. Josh's eyes flew open at the commotion. Cherry said, I don't know why you couldn't get a shield suit like most of the other humans have. This thing is awkward…. What's the matter with you?

My head hurts. I'm having — never mind. My head hurts. I can't get one of those shield suits because I haven't worked for RTG Enterprises. Only their employees get those things.

What else is happening with you?

Nothing, just some trouble with my vision.

Cherry dumped the suit in a corner and walked over to the healer unit. He studied it for several moments. This thing says you're trying to do too much. Lay back and rest. If your head wasn't so hard, I'd be trying to straighten out this mess by myself.

If I don't help think, we'll never survive. Look at this. He waved his hand at the casts on his legs. I'd be up repairing if it weren't for these.

I can take them off. Then your legs will look just like this arm. You won't walk so good in full gravity either.

Josh growled in frustration, I know but I feel useless laying here. I want to be doing something.

For now, get some rest and give your brain a chance to heal. The healer unit will speed things up but it needs time. I'm going outside to see if I can launch a couple of remote sensors.

Don't forget a safety line. We don't have much gravity here. If you float off, we're both dead.

Cherry gave him a disgusted look, I never go outside without backup – even when you're there.

Honest, it was an accident. I didn't mean to leave you out there for that long.

Yeah, right. I'll just make sure I can get myself back in the airlock, thank you.

As Cherry walked out of the room, Josh closed his eyes and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

Outside the spaceship, Cherry intended to hurry to the sensor launch, but the sight of frozen oxygen hanging outside the ship stopped him. He muttered, That might be the difference between getting out of here and dying. How can I collect that for later use? I know.

He went back inside and dug through the rubble until he found a shield generator. Taking it out the airlock, he set it up near the cloud of frozen gas. Setting the shield as large as possible, he looked all around for any signs of life before turning the generator on. Cherry nodded in satisfaction when he saw the shield covered the entire ship and most of the air they had lost.

As he looked around, he stopped in surprise. He saw the nose of the spaceship jammed under the edge of a great land bridge. A dark object appeared at the edge of his peripheral vision. Ducking instinctively, he raised his right arm. Looking up, he saw a large rock half the size of the spaceship bounce off the shield.

Shaking his head at his futile gesture, he hurried to get