Destroyer: Letting Go: Starship Series, #6

By Ken McConnell

With Captain Vance's life in mortal danger, Commander Boxer and Doctor Ward take him back to Declo to find a cure for the poison that afflicts him. They find Desche, and she takes them to a Declian shaman on a mountain top to finally cure him. Meanwhile, another mutiny led by Commander Jamison threatens to take the Truxtun back to the Federation without its captain. Can Lieutenant Cullers outwit the senior officer and rescue Vance and Boxer, or will Jamison strand them forever in the Ostrov system? Will they ever find Trin Lestor? Don't miss the exciting conclusion of the middle trilogy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: GB Press
• Release date: Feb 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781386368274

Book preview

Chapter 1

Thaddaeus broke through the billowy white clouds of a tropical thunder storm and descended over a vast sea of tree tops. Tropical birds scattered ahead of it as it slid to a hover and began lowering itself through a narrow clearing. Landing skids unfolded as it came to a stop in the high scrub grass. The hiss of escaping air and the hum of its turbines winding down broke through the natural jungle cacophony.

A ramp extended down and Captain Boxer cautiously shuffled her way outside. She wore battle armor over tan and green garments, and carried the biggest rifle she could find. The familiar heat and humidity washed over her like a bad memory. She surveyed the darkness of the forest, looking for something she had only seen one other time. It was the red flowering plant that they had used to treat Vance’s poisoning. She was sure they were within a few dozen meters of where the plant grew in the middle of the Declian rain forest. Finding it again, was not going to be easy.

Sadie had refused to go with them and so Boxer was relying on her own memory of the time they had spent on Declo. A time she had wanted to forget. Vance was inside the shuttle, his condition had deteriorated to the point where Doctor Ward had insisted that they return to the forest to find a cure for him. Ward remained aboard the Thaddaeus watching over Vance and keeping an eye on the scanners for anything threatening. This was a very deadly place and Boxer only intended to stay for as long as it took to retrieve samples of the plant.

Captain, I’m getting movement off to your right about two hundred meters. Make it quick, Ward’s deep voice crackled in her earpiece.

Copy, Boxer replied.

She moved quickly into the shadows of the tree canopy and scanned the area with a hand held flora detector. The tiny screen was devoid of any targets. She had programmed it to look for red flowering plants, as she had no idea what it was called or what it was classified as by biologists.

A high pitched whistle echoed around her and Boxer raised her rifle in response to it. She had heard that call before, it was from the native Suarrans. If they were near enough for her to hear their calls, they were too close for comfort.

Boxer moved around in a sweeping circle, careful to keep herself no more than ten meters from the shuttle. Her scanner went off, giving her a start. She waved it around until it showed a red flower just ahead. Pushing aside the ancient fronds of the undergrowth, she saw the flowers nestled beside a rotting log.

I’ve found the flowers, she said into her comm link.

Hurry, Captain. Those signals are getting stronger and they are all around us now.

Boxer shouldered her weapon so that she could take out a hunting knife and start cutting off the large ruddy flowers. There were more than she could easily pocket in her waist bag. It would have to be enough. She slid the rifle back down to her hands after sheathing the knife.

Okay, I’m coming back. Fire up the engines.

There was no immediate response from Ward. She hurried back the way she had come, keeping her rifle sweeping out in front of her.

Ward, do you copy? Start ‘em up!

Still nothing. She heard a crashing sound as if something large were coming through the forest and snapping small trees like twigs. Turning away from the shuttle’s ramp, she saw a dark shape moving in the shadows. She charged her blaster and sent a few shots in the direction of the movement. The bolts of energy were absorbed by the shadows and a tortured scream rang out.

Boxer made it to the ramp as the shuttle’s engines slowly wound up, overtaking the cries from the shadows. She backed herself up the ramp as it started to close. Something green and scaly pushed through the brush at the base of the ramp. She blasted it with full auto mode and pieces of it exploded into red clouds.

The ramp slammed shut as the shuttle began rising faster than the quickest elevator. Boxer scrambled to the cockpit where Ward sat, hands on the controls and eyes wide open.

Take over, take over! I have no idea what I’m doing.

Boxer sat down and took over the controls as the shuttle cleared the massive tree tops and skidded across the darkening skies. They were approaching the base of a massive, tropical storm. Bolts of lightning streaked across the sky above them, daring them to climb higher.

We have to get around this storm before we can climb out of here, Boxer said.

Ward fiddled with the navigation controls, trying to find some sort of path that would guide them clear of the storm cell. I can’t find a path, he said, finally throwing up his hands in defeat.

Boxer continued flying, saying over her shoulder, I’m staying low until we get farther away, but that thing’s moving faster than any storm I’ve ever seen.

Most of the sky out their limited windscreen was blocked from the dark clouds. Ward stared up at them with dread. I’ve never seen anything that ominous before.

We’ll be okay, as long as we keep moving.

An alarm went off near Boxer and she flipped a switch to silence it. A message flashed on her controls. :: Emergency Beacon Located :: Boxer swore something wicked in a language that Ward didn’t understand. What is it?

A distress beacon activated nearby. We have to find it.

But what about the storm? Ward asked.

Boxer glanced over her shoulder at it. We’ll be quick about it.

She moved the controls forward sending them back down to tree top level. Pockets of warm air were colliding with cooler air making for a bumpy ride. Ward strapped into his seat, and looked over his shoulder again at the darkening sky.

This is why I hate going planet-side, he mumbled.

Boxer swung the ship down into the clearing of a river that she thought was the River of No Return. It looked vaguely familiar to her but they were speeding by so fast she couldn’t see any features until they came upon the wreck of a river boat that looked very familiar.

Ward did know how to work the biological scanners. He swept the wreck, stem to stern as the shuttle slowed and spun around to face the oncoming winds of the approaching storm. I’m not seeing any signs of life, he shouted over the buffeting winds.

Boxer ignored his obvious plea to keep moving. She positioned the shuttle a few meters above the wooden deck of the crippled Eillennele.

The shuttle’s ramp lowered again, this time above the shattered remains of Desche’s river boat. Boxer didn’t know if her friend was down there or not, but she wasn’t leaving until she knew for sure. She left the big rifle behind and carried a pistol on her hip and a loop of rope around her shoulder. Ward handed her a portable medical scanner as the blowing winds started to spit rain. Give me ten mike, then you can bolt, Boxer said.

Ward shook his head. That’s not how it works, Captain. You don’t show up, I’m coming after you.

Boxer grinned at the lanky man and shook his big hand. Then she jumped off the end of the ramp and down onto the splintered fore deck of the Eillennele.

The boat was listing hard to port, its stern buried in river water. The lines that used to tether it to huge lifting gas bags were long since sheered off. Boxer could tell there was nobody on the bridge, it’s glass windows broken and mangled. She skidded across the shattered glass and headed for the lower decks. Inside, the wooden halls were dark and wet. If Desche were aboard, she’d be in the engine room.

The hatch that led to the engines was open when she got to it. Water had flooded much of the compartment. A dim bulb lit the back of the room. It was running on battery power as the engines were both silent. Boxer started trudging through the waste deep river water, knowing full well it was not the healthiest thing to do. She pushed around in the mire, trying to find someone she dearly hoped she wouldn’t. There were signs of a bloody accident but no bodies. A dark feeling crept over her that nobody had survived.

Captain, I need you back on the shuttle, ASAP, Ward’s deep voice reverberated in her earpiece.

She looked around the room one last time and frowned. Then she made her way back to the top deck. The rain was really coming down now and the noise of the shuttle’s engines howling above the wind added to the din. The boarding ramp was still down but it was higher than Boxer could jump, so she pulled herself up with her arms and slid a leg over the edge to climb aboard.

Standing just inside was a diminutive woman with neon green hair, wearing a short leather skirt, and holding a recurve bow with an arrow drawn on Doctor Ward.

Desche! Boxer exclaimed, excitedly.

Desche turned her head, blinked once, and immediately lowered her bow. She threw open her arms and ran to Boxer, hugging her tightly. I knew you’d come back. I just knew it.

Boxer returned the hug, letting Ward know it was okay. He went back inside to check on Vance.

I missed you too, little one.

Desche caressed Boxer’s cheek with her cool little hand. Her smile was contagious, wide and full of hope.

Where’s Flossie? Boxer asked.

Desche’s face went from sheer joy to crestfallen, her lower lip quivered.

She died in the crash. I just said goodbye to her.

Boxer’s joy at seeing Desche slipped away as she took in the news of Flossie’s passing. This time Boxer hugged Desche tightly. I’m so sorry. I wish I could have helped.

Desche pushed back again after a moment, She was happy, before the crash.

Boxer guided Desche aboard as the ramp raised and the shuttle buffeted in the wind.

Inside, Desche saw Vance laying on a portable gurney with Ward standing over him, half protecting him and half monitoring his deteriorating condition. She approached Vance and lowered herself to his level. Boxer nodded her consent to Ward who still wasn’t sure of the native woman’s intentions. Not a minute before she was threatening to run an arrow through him.

Doctor Ward, this is Desche. She is our friend. Desche, this is Doctor Ward.

Ward nodded but was clearly still hesitant to trust. Desche glanced briefly at Ward, her eyes lingered over his dark face in the dim light of the shuttle. Then she turned back to Boxer.

This is why you’ve returned, Desche stated. She put her ear to Vance’s chest and a hand to his forehead.

He’s never fully recovered from the poisoning. I gathered some more of the red flower and was hoping to treat him again, Boxer said, kneeling to sit beside Desche.

The olive skinned woman turned to Boxer and said grimly, He’s not going to make it. The flower paste won’t cure him.

Boxer shook her head defiantly. I refuse to believe that. There has to be something we can do.

Desche looked back at Vance and thought for a moment. She withdrew from him as if he were already dead.

Desche, what can we do? I’m not going to let him die.

The woman reached out and hugged Boxer again and held onto her tightly.

Let him go, my friend. Let him go.

Boxer pushed away from her and stood up. I can take us anywhere on this world. Who do you know that could help him?

Desche looked back to Vance, who’s breath was short and raspy. There’s a healer we can try. He’s not easy to get to and he doesn’t treat aliens.

Aliens? Ward asked, forgetting that humans were not native to this world.

Desche stood up and put her hands on Boxer’s forearms. His name’s Letharne. He’s Declian.

Ward’s eyes got large. Declian?

Secure yourself, Doctor. We’re heading out, Boxer said.

Boxer pulled Desche with her as she went back to the cockpit. She put Desche in the co-pilot seat and strapped her in. Then she did the same and looked up at the now completely dark skies. The storm front had moved in and they were taking off into the headwinds.

Bumpy ride, everyone hang on, Boxer shouted.

The Thaddaeus rose above the tree