Salvage-5: Another Mission (First Contact) Read online

  Salvage-5

  Another Mission

  Brian K. Larson

  Salvage-5

  Another Mission

  Brian K. Larson

  Published by Slipstream Publishing

  Copyright © 2015 Brian K. Larson

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

  Dedication

  I dedicate this book to the wonderful and full life that Leonard Nimoy led. Mr. Nimoy, known for his most famous role as Mr. Spock on Start Trek, the original series as created by Gene Rodenberry. Mr. Nimoy made many movies beside Star Trek and also played William Bell in the television series ‘Fringe.’

  #LLAP

  Live long and prosper, Mr. Spock.

  #RIP Mr. Nimoy

  Contents

  More Works

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek

  More Works

  I hope you enjoy this third installment in the ‘Salvage-5’ series. Here are more books by me for your reading enjoyment.

  Secret of the Crystal

  Secret of the Crystal II

  The Forge

  Secret of the Crystal III

  Destiny

  Secret of the Crystal IV

  Forgotten Legacy

  Secret of the Crystal V

  The Rune

  Salvage-5

  A.M.P

  (Amplified Mental Projection)

  Phase_1:_The_Gamma_Project

  Phase_1:_The_Vanguard

  The Warlords of Antares

  Coming Soon

  Empress of the Antares

  Dimensions: HACKED

  Chapter 1

  Seattle, WA

  Downtown Alley

  Earth Date: 03/19/2066 19:25

  The moon glowed on his silver hair, lighting the shadows of the dark alley. The stocky man crouched at the railing, then glanced over his shoulder before he descended the cement steps. The old cellar lock was easy to pick. He swung the door open carefully, but it still creaked, snapped and popped. He winced at the disturbing noise.

  “Geez, don’t they ever oil these hinges? Where do they find these people?”

  The room was dark, only a faint glow emanating from something covered by a white sheet next to a computer console and keyboard. The room glowed as the man brought the computer screen to life.

  A few keystrokes, and then he poked his head under the sheet. He made a few adjustments to the accelerator, and then returned to the computer console.

  He activated the computer’s camera and began recording.

  “Bennie,” Colonel Tucker Petersen leaned forward, his face filling the computer screen, “I know you’re alive, son...just don’t know how to find ya...but I do know you use this accelerator from time to time...heh, heh, you know me, I never could get myself a data pad, so that kind of makes it hard for you to find me too. Look, son, there’s a lot that’s happened...just know that it’s too complicated to contact you...or I would have...you have to know that, son.” Tucker turned away from the camera and then back, “I don’t have much time. I hope the day will come that you actually find this recording. Anyway, I want you to understand...I have to go back....I can’t leave her there. It’s been an awfully long six months...but we had to wait...you know, these orbits, trajectory and such...so they wouldn’t let us go back, oh yeah...the date’s March 19th 2066. Salvage-5 is set to depart on the 20th. They took the ship from me...they won’t let me go back anymore...especially after botching the last mission. So I’m stealing the Salvage-5 tonight after I get amped off Jamaaludeen’s accelerator...I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again. But in case we don’t, I love you son...never forget that, okay? Okay! I think someone’s lurking outside...got to get amped and outta here!”

  Tucker ended the recording and hid the message deep within the memory core of the machine. He pulled a cable from under the sheet, reached around to the back of his neck and plugged it into his jack. Then he launched the code, sending a quick amplified mental projection charge into his alien chip. His eyes now glowed a bright green color.

  As soon as the accelerator completed the AMP sequence, he pulled the cord out of his socket and left.

  Tucker noticed a black van approaching as he scanned the alley. In a panic, he leapt onto the building and scampered up the brick wall.

  Five stories up, he reached the roof. He glanced down at the policemen scouring the area.

  One of the men spotted him, “Up there!”

  “After him!” another pointed.

  Tucker didn’t wait to see how they planned on pursuing him. He ran. At the opposite edge of the roof he jumped, landing on the next roof in perfect stride.

  The men climbed back into their police vehicle and drove down the alleys, attempting to follow the man jumping from roof to roof.

  When he hit the fourth rooftop, Tucker changed direction. He leapt over a street to a building two stories shorter. Landing with a roll, Tucker stayed low as he scanned the rooftop. He found a fire escape and started down.

  At the second story he jumped on the ladder. The rusty metal screeched in protest as it slid towards the ground.

  As his feet hit the pavement he gave the ladder a shove sending it back up. When he turned around he saw a car heading toward him with its lights out.

  The vintage electric Prius pulled up to Tucker. Black horned rimmed glasses framed a schoolboy face that peered through the open window.

  “Lieutenant Buster Clark, reporting for duty, Sir!” the driver saluted.

  “Buster, I thought you’d never get here!”

  “Climb aboard my star ship, we’re heading to the skies!”

  Tucker opened the door and hopped in just as a black van turned the corner behind them.

  “Go! Go! Go!” Tucker urged.

  The electric motors whined as Buster floored the pedal, accelerating the ancient Prius at a leisurely pace.

  “Geez, Buster? Where in the hell did you get this antiquated jalopy? Can’t this thing go any faster?”

  “Well, Commander, it might help if you...you know...” Buster motioned to Tucker’s eyes and then wiggled his fingers at the car’s electronics.

  “Oh...right,” Tuck nodded, and then closed his eyes and held his hand over the dashboard, shooting a bolt of AMP’d energy into the car.

  Buster nearly lost control as the car rocketed forward, “Whoa Nellie!”

  “Keep it together, Lieutenant!”

  “Oh, don’t worry about me, Commander,” Buster said, pushing his glasses up.

  “...and keep both hands on the wheel, will ya?”

  “You got it, Commander...remember? I can pull my own weight, Sir.”

  “Umm, yeah...right.”

  Buster adjusted his rear view mirror, “They’re still gaining on us!”

  Tucker turned in his seat, “Not for long,” he smiled and extended his hands towards the van. A surge of energy flew from his arms aimed
at the pursuing van.

  The powerful bolt hit the van, slamming it into the corner of a building.

  Buster drove onto the freeway.

  “You got a freeway access code, whiz-kid?”

  “Yes, Sir,” Buster answered, “Punch in 7-5-8-9-9-7-1-5-7-7.”

  “Okay, sure...ummm, you wanna give me those again?”

  “Oh, sorry, Commander. 7...5...8...9...9...7...1...5...7...7...got it?”

  “Yeah, yeah, that’s it. We’re authorized, nice job, kid.”

  “Thank you, Commander,” Buster said as he quickly sniffed up his nose.

  Buster sped up the ramp and faded into the night, blending in with the rest of the freeway traffic. He removed a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed a few small beads of sweat from his brow.

  Tucker looked over at the Lieutenant, “Why Buster, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sweat before...nice!”

  “Well, Commander, we’ve been through a lot...”

  “Yes, we certainly have...”

  “...but the one thing that always makes me the most nervous are the cops.”

  “You’re more nervous being around the cops, than you are being around cyborg clone alien things?”

  “Well, yeah! At least with the cyborgs, we can kill ‘em...well sort of kill, but I guess if you really come down to it...”

  “Okay, okay, Buster. I get that you’re nervous. Just keep your eyes on the road, shall we?”

  “Oh, sorry, Commander, sure thing.”

  Tucker reached in his jacket and pulled out a half smoked stogie. He held it with his lips and lit it with the tip of his finger, “I’m really beginning to like this AMP thingie.”

  “Commander,” Buster said, pinching his nose, “Do you mind?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “No, I mean, can you roll down your window, Sir?”

  “I can...”

  “Please?”

  Tucker cracked the window and blew a plume of smoke outside.

  “Thanks, Commander.”

  “No problem, kid. How much longer to the base?” Tucker asked, drawing in another drag from his prize cigar.

  “I think we can make it in two hours, Commander.”

  Tucker pointed forward, “Then drive, James.”

  “It’s not...”

  “I know, I know...you need to get a sense of humor, Buster.”

  “...James.”

  “Geez, where do they find ‘em?”

  Buster looked once more in his rear view mirror, “Uh oh.”

  “Uh oh, what?” Tucker asked, cranking his head around.

  “I think we’ve got another tail, Sir.”

  “Hmmm, you may be right, whiz-kid.”

  “What should I do, Sir?”

  Tucker pointed to the side of the freeway, “Take the next exit and let’s see if they follow us.”

  “Okeydokey,” Buster said, careening the car across the lanes of the freeway.

  Tucker held on to his arm rest, “You mind? I’m trying to keep my stomach contents, well, in my stomach!”

  “Sorry, Sir. I didn’t want to miss the exit.”

  “I would have been alright if you took the next one, Lieutenant.”

  “Oh, sorry, Sir.”

  Tucker turned and looked at a car that followed them down the off-ramp.

  “I think you’re right about the tail.”

  “See, I told ya...”

  “Alright, alright, you pull your damn weight already.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Take a left.”

  Buster turned off the ramp to the left and stepped on the accelerator and sped down the lonely road.

  “They’re still on our tail, Sir.”

  “Fine, fine...” Tucker looked around the area, “Stop the car.”

  “Stop the car, Sir?”

  “Yes, stop the damn car.”

  “Here, Sir?”

  “Yes, here! Right here!”

  Buster slammed the brakes and skidded to a halt.

  The car following them slammed on their brakes and skidded, stopping inches behind the Prius. Tucker was already standing outside their car when a black haired woman stepped out from the driver’s seat, “Are you crazy? You nearly made us have an accident!”

  Another man opened the passenger door and stepped out with the woman, “It would have been nice if you actually owned a damn data pad, Colonel.”

  “Sam? Samuels? What are you guys doing out here?” Tucker asked, puffing on his cigar.

  “We know what you’re up to, Commander,” Captain Rothschild said.

  “...and we can’t let you do this, Commander.”

  “Wait, what? Since when do I need your permission?”

  “...since you decided to steal SSV-5,” Samuels said, folding his arms.

  “You’re not going...”

  “Sorry, what?” Tucker interrupted, “I don’t think I heard you right, ‘cause that’s not what I was thinking, I’m going, and I’m amped. So you can’t make me stay here while she’s still out there. No way, no how!”

  “Tucker!” Captain Rothschild countered, “We’re not letting you go there alone...Sir...”

  “Oh. Well now, that does shed a little more light on things, doesn’t it?”

  “Even if you were AMP’d continuously, you can’t fly the ship alone. That’s why we’re following you.”

  Samantha smiled, “We’re coming with you.”

  “Ah, gee guys, I don’t know what to say, but no, I’m not risking your sorry asses out there!”

  “We’re coming, Sir!” Samuels demanded.

  “Well, isn’t that just fine and Jim dandy....” Tucker placed his hands on his hips, “Better park your car on the side over there and get in. I don’t have all night, now.”

  “Really, Tuck?” Sam asked, “Just like that?”

  “Well, I really didn’t think you’d let me go it alone.”

  Sam parked her car on the side of the road and the two climbed in the back seat of the Prius. Buster put it in gear and made a U-turn and headed back to the freeway.

  It took about an hour and a half to reach the front gate to the Whidbey Island Navy Base and Space Port on Whidbey Island.

  “Okay, guys,” Tucker said, “Let me do the talking, okay?”

  “You’re the boss,” Buster nodded, and then rolled his window down for the guard.

  “Evening, Colonel, Lieutenant,” the Guard said, “State your business, where you headed?”

  Tucker waved his hand in front of the guard’s face, “These are not the droids you’re looking for,” he smiled at the two in the back seat, “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

  The guard stared at Tucker and then shook his head, “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to pull your vehicle over there.”

  “Tucker!” Sam begged, “Quit messin’ around, will ya?”

  “What,” Tucker winked, and then waved his hand at the guard once more, “You will not remember us being here. Open the gate and let us pass.”

  “Yes, Sir,” the Guard answered, his eyes dazed.

  The Guard stepped into his booth and opened the gate. Buster stepped on the gas and sped toward the flight line.

  “Okay, I’m not sure how long that will hold,” Tucker cautioned. “We’ve probably got about ten minutes or so. You know what you have to do, Buster?”

  “Yes, Sir. I’ve got this, I do pull my own...”

  “...weight, yes, we know,” Tucker finished with a roll of his eyes.

  “We’ll be there in just a couple of minutes,” Buster said, “But I don’t think your mind trick held for ten minutes, Sir,” Buster grabbed the steering wheel, turning his bony knuckles white.

  Tucker looked back and saw two military police jeeps speeding down on them.

  “Stop the car!” Tucker ordered.

  Buster wasted no time, knowing what Tucker was about to do.

  Tucker got out of the car and pointed his arms toward the speeding jeeps, “I didn’t want it
to be this way, just believe me when I say that.”

  A wave of power rippled down Tucker’s arms and shot out of his hands. The beam of energy split in two, hitting each of the jeeps simultaneously. The jeeps flew into the air, the drivers gunning their engines before crashing down into pavement.

  Tucker turned and got back into the car, “Okay, let’s go!”

  The men crawled out of each jeep and began firing at the speeding car.

  Tucker held his hand and raised a shield, preventing any of the bullets from hitting them.

  Buster quickly turned the corner and headed straight toward the Salvage-5 ship. The Lieutenant slid his car into a sideways skid and parked it nicely right at the lowered cargo bay door.

  Tucker, Sam, and Sergeant Samuels climbed out of the car.

  Sam smiled at the kid, “Nice drivin’!”

  Buster blushed at the Captain’s kind words, “ah, shucks, thanks.”

  “Okay, let’s get these engines online and get us up...Buster, I’m countin’ on ya!”

  “Don’t worry, Commander, I got this!” Buster rolled his windows up, sped off toward the buildings and disappeared in the darkness.

  Samuels and Tucker did a quick visual inspection of the SSV-5 while Captain Rothschild headed to the cockpit to boot up the ship’s systems.

  Samantha flipped switches and set controls, bringing the salvage ship to life, spinning its turbine engines to full power.

  Tucker and the Sergeant completed their exterior inspection and beat it back to the cargo door.

  “Captain!” Tucker shouted, “We’re good down here, close ‘er up!”

  Samantha keyed in the door sequence. Tucker watched the door close, ensuring no one else could get on board. He looked over at Samuels, “Get strapped in. I’ll seal her up the rest of the way.”

  Tucker grabbed a headset off one of the cargo stations and placed it over his head. He tapped the button on the side, “Captain, do you copy?”

  “Gotcha, Commander,” Tuck heard through his earpiece.