Raven Revenge: Ariel Hope Chronicles 4 Read online

  Lying in his hospital bed, the feeling begins to return to Stevie Lo’s arms and legs, just as the Space Dogs come racing through the front door.

  Chapter Eleven

  Minstrels galaxy (The Raven, and the Whistler fighter ships)

  Pedro’s steely voice crashes through Damien’s ears like a bullet train through the Japanese countryside.

  “It’s too risky aiming for individual weapons ports; we need to go underneath, aim for the core.”

  Damien’s incredulous and horrified.

  “Are you insane? Hitting that could trigger a chain reaction, destroying the Raven!”

  “I know; just think of it, no more looking over our shoulders, worrying if the black-blue beast is hunting us down.”

  “You said you would help me to save them; I need you on my side!”

  “I changed my mind, it’s too dangerous; we need to destroy Mr Whistler for good and free ourselves from his tyranny!”

  It’s too late to argue, cajole or beg as Pedro swings away in an arc, enabling him to get a better angle on Raven’s core.

  *

  As the first of Pedro’s lasers smash into the huge spaceship’s underside, Mr Whistler almost topples over.

  “What the...?!”

  Ariel laughs as the tyrant struggles to regain his balance and composure.

  “Hahaha! Some loyal fighter pilots they are, I’m sure! Time to face it, squirrel tache, your days are numbered, outgunned by your own agents, of all things!”

  “It’s Lord, I say! How dare you, you jumped up self-promoted Earthling wench. Call me Lord, now or I shall have you exterminated!”

  “Go ahead, fake tyrant; you couldn’t win a fight in an empty house! Now I know my family is safe, you may do what you want; I am not scared of you!”

  Poppy agrees.

  “Nor I, you mean scoundrel! I have served Captain Hope with willingness and joy and you will never take that away from me!”

  Alex raises an eyebrow, to a gnat’s butt’s distance from his fringe.

  “Well, for sure I am not scared of you, you wannabe thug and I have enjoyed a rich and varied life but I don’t think this is the end for us!”

  “We shall see about that.”

  Mr Whistler raises his ray gun towards Ariel, her eyes fixed on his in contempt.

  Another blast rocks the tyrant, knocking him over this time.

  “What the...? Any more of that and the Raven will blow up!”

  *

  Damien twists and rolls as he catches up with Pedro.

  “Ah, at last, come to your senses, have you? A couple more decent runs and I shall have a direct hit on the core!”

  Damien lowers his voice, lacing it with a gravelly edge.

  “No, you will not. I will not allow this murderous folly while Poppy, Ariel and Alex still draw breath on the Raven!”

  *

  Poppy shouts as she spots the underneath action on a wall monitor.

  “Look! Pedro is attacking the core. Hold on, Damien is assuming an attack position!”

  Ariel looks sadly at Poppy as Mr Whistler blows dust off his gun.

  “Then we are all finished anyway; once the core blows, the ship will be space dust.”

  Poppy’s eyes light up with renewed vigour.

  “No, they are not both attacking the core; Damien has taken up an attack position, against Pedro; perhaps he is trying to save us!”

  Mr Whistler stands, preferring to deliver a mini speech before shooting his prisoners.

  “Well thank you for the running commentary, Poppy, you traitorous witch! Damien is protecting me, just me!”

  *

  Damien locks his lasers onto Pedro’s ship.

  “What are you doing? We are colleagues; you surely cannot mean to shoot me!”

  Damien doesn’t have time to reply as Pedro’s lasers slam into his ship. Responding swiftly with a direct, well-placed hit, he turns Pedro and his Whistler fighter ship into space dust.

  Flicking a switch, his commanding voice cuts through the Raven, connecting with a stunned Mr Whistler.

  “You will release the prisoners and surrender to me!”

  A hole has now appeared in the floor close to the Raven’s commander. Climbing down to the lower level, he screams his response.

  “I’m coming after you, you traitor!”

  Using a damage-hole, just wide enough for his ray gun, Mr Whistler fires continuous laser rounds as Damien’s ship loses power, the damage wrought by Pedro taking its terrible toll.

  It’s a lucky shot for the tyrant, that finds the weakest, most damaged spot of Damien’s ship, straight through the glass, obliterating the cockpit.

  The prisoners stare in horror at the screen as the Whistler fighter ship spins before exploding in a ball of fire and dust.

  *

  Climbing back through the hole, the victorious Mr Whistler raises his firing arm, pressing the button that will end the life of Ariel Hope.

  Should end the life of Ariel Hope.

  Faster than a pensioner claiming a bingo prize, the Raven’s resident humanoid flings himself into the path of the laser tracers, saving Ariel’s life. In shock at yet another betrayal, the great tyrant, previously of planet Whistler, hasn’t noticed the cuffs springing open on all 3 captives.

  Ariel kicks the ray gun from Mr Whistler’s limp, outstretched hand, before grabbing it, pointing it at his head in undisguised fury.

  Alex uses the released ties to fasten the captor to a chair.

  “No need for revenge, Ariel; we’ll take him back for trial at Bump Minor.”

  Ariel stares hard at Alex.

  “I wouldn’t...I mean, I wasn’t going to, you know.”

  “I know; for sure, it’s fine, it really is.”

  Poppy makes a valid comment.

  “Your cousin is down there; we need to deal with him, too.”

  “Ah, don’t worry yourself about that; I’ll have the pleasure of arresting him myself!”

  At that moment, Percy Bump’s traitorous voice breaks up the party.

  “I trust everything is under control and you’ve eliminated those idiots, my lord, especially my useless cousin. I must dash now as there’s a commotion at the mini medical centre. I await your return with delicious anticipation, my lord; over and out.”

  Alex grins.

  “I guess that means Stevie and Yvette are feeling better?”

  Ariel nods, pointing her thumb towards the captor turned captive.

  “Let’s hope so, after all we’ve been through to find a fake medicine man.”

  Mr Whistler begins to chew, until a popping sound attracts the attention of the Raven’s new crew.

  They look in horror and awe as Mr Whistler’s body disintegrates until only a pile of dust remains.

  Ariel looks to Poppy for an explanation.

  “He has chewed a space-dust pill. He would never survive a day in prison, with that attitude and lack of grooming facilities for his massive moustache.”

  An unexpected, polite voice, calmly cuts through the conditioned air.

  “I shall dispose of our former resident through an ejector chute.”

  Ariel is delighted.

  “Charles, I thought you were a goner; you saved my life, all our lives!”

  “Ah, Miss Ariel, how I have longed to hear my real name again! I was shot in my mid area, which explains how your cuffs were released; the power had been cut to the cuffing device. No, it looks like I will be fine!”

  “You have some wiring sticking out; we shall get a techie tech droid to patch you up in no time!”

  A beep emits from Charles, changing his state from euphoric to terrified.

  “Thank you, Miss. I am afraid we have a huge problem though. The ship bottom is damaged; if it is not repaired soon, the Raven will explode!”

  *

  Bump Minor

  Billy Duke’s at the entrance to Yvette and Stevie’s room.

  His manky top lip trembling, he points a furious, shaky a
rm at the far bed.

  “It’s him! He’s that shifty wolf character that left me and the gang on Earth! I’d know his dodgy eyes anywhere. Come on gang, let’s do him over while we have the chance and he’s immobile and can’t defend himself! Ah yes, all’s fair in war and so much the better if your enemy’s a helpless invalid in a hospital bed, oh yes, mark my brilliant words, it’s much easier though of course I’m hard enough to fight millions of able-bodied men, I tell you, but today I can’t be bothered so this will have to do!”

  Without warning, as the Duke makes sure he has 8 gang members in support, Yvette somehow finds the strength to shimmer, her slight body turning into a beautiful white bird.

  The Space Dogs look on in terrified silence.

  Except Billy Duke.

  That gobby looks older than he actually is old duffer can never keep quiet.

  “What is this evil trickery? It’s witchcraft, another dodgy shifter; buy 1 get 1 free, is it? Mark my serious words, gang, these demons need to be put down and fast!”

  As the Duke approaches Yvette’s bed, her wings flap furiously before she dives straight at him, pecking at his head in fury.

  Stevie Lo’s strength returns by the Bump Minor second as he witnesses the horror spectacle of Yvette furiously trying to defend herself, now surrounded by the gang as they slap and scream at her, their screams more to do with the sharp pecks they’re receiving than any respectable war cry.

  As the stress increases, Stevie urges his wolf to come to the rescue, building his fury until he, too, begins the painful process of transformation. The gradual, faint shimmer turns into a hot flash as a roar escapes his throat that would melt butter in a freezer.

  Not bothering to walk around the bed, Stevie’s wolf dives at the gang, spreading them like scruffy pins in a weird bowling alley.

  If The Wary Sheep did bar pub sports, this would be it.

  Chucking the gang members around like rag dolls, a terrified scream blasts in from the corridor as Percy witnesses the carnage.

  “Leave them be, you agents of darkness!”

  Stevie emits a low growl, his eyes fixed on Percy.

  Yvette flies back to the bed, hiding under a sheet as she reverts to her human form.

  “We are shifters, working for the good of all; it is you who are the deliverers of evil!”

  “Call your dog off before I shoot him.”

  Yvette only now notices the ray gun in Percy’s trembling hand.

  Keep him talking, Yvette.

  Stevie’s wolf holds his position, the gang members frozen in fright.

  “You sent our friends and colleagues into a monstrous trap; I demand your surrender immediately!”

  “Hahaha, I am the leader of this conversation, not you; I have the gun hahaha! I am in charge now my father is not here hahaha!”

  “Put the gun down, Percy Bump.”

  Yvette’s heart slows to a more respectable rhythm as a tall, middle-aged man stands behind Mr Whistler’s lackey, a bigger ray gun than Percy’s, securely held in his steady hand.

  Percy bows his head slightly, not willing to accept defeat yet.

  “So, elder Council member, you challenge my authority as the son of my father, do you? Wait until he hears about this!”

  “He is already aware of your shocking behaviour and is on his way back now. Drop your ray gun and move over there, to the side!”

  As Percy considers whether or not he has time to duck, swing and fire, Stevie’s menacing growl convinces him the game’s up for now. He throws his weapon to the floor, stepping away from the gang and the wolf.

  Guards arrive, cuffing Percy and herding Billy Duke and his gang away from the mini medical centre, allowing Stevie to disappear around a corner to change back to his old, human self.

  A last shout is heard from Percy as he’s taken away as an enemy of the state.

  “My lord, Mr Whistler, is on his way hahaha! I’ve fitted the best weapons chips in the Universe so he can destroy you all hahaha and I shall be in charge of you lot of traitors forever; the worst stinky jobs for all of you!”

  As Yvette and Stevie Lo calm themselves down, the middle-aged man enters the room.

  “My apologies to you both for the shocking hospitality. I am elder Council member Reginald; welcome to Bump Minor!”

  Stevie Lo has more pressing issues than intergalactic pleasantries.

  “We believe Mr Whistler is heading back here to take us prisoner; you should prepare for that monster’s imminent return.”

  “Do not worry, Captain Lo; we shall be ready for him when he returns. Despite what Percy may think, the elders have access to much better weapons systems than that toe rag has ever been able to get his grubby hands on.”

  Yvette’s lovely singy songy voice breaks through the male dominance.

  “But what about his father, Ronald. Won’t he defend his son, no matter his heinous crimes?”

  “Ronald has been aware of his son’s failings for some time now; he will be kicking himself over being fooled into letting that Whistler tyrant land in the first place. So, you’re both Shifters, eh? Sounds like jolly fun to me!”

  Stevie has another question before they leave to prepare for Mr Whistler’s return.

  “What about the gang that attacked us? What will happen to them?”

  “Ah, well, that lot were shaking in their boots as they were led away. Apparently, their AI did a deal with Percy; weapons chips in exchange for 9 slaves. Something about opening a bar pub, whatever that is. I should not worry about them; any more of their aggressive shenanigans and they’ll be locked up for good or exiled, forever at the mercy of freighter pirates.”

  “Is my Beta cruiser still here?”

  “Yes, out the back; no one has touched it since you’ve been here.”

  “Thank you, Reginald, for everything.”

  The Beta crew dash from the mini hospital; preparing for the return of the fearsome Raven is now their only mission!

  *

  Ariel, Poppy, and Alex wait anxiously as Charles surveys the damage from below.

  The once shiny humanoid, now coated in a film of space dust, scrambles around the outer core of the Raven, searching for the tell-tale signs which will lead to catastrophe; basically, cracks and holes.

  As he gets to the place Mr Whistler was using to fire upon Damien, he politely gasps in horror.

  From the main control centre, the new crew hear his concerned shout.

  “The gap has widened so much that pipes and wiring are hanging from the bottom of the Raven; these are integral pieces of the core!”

  Alex shouts back, not particularly adding much value to the conversation.

  “Pipes and wiring hanging from a hole in the bottom of the Raven? That sounds serious, for sure it does; what do you suggest, Charles?”

  The return words sting with sarcasm but under the circumstances, Charles may be forgiven this lapse in diplomacy.

  “Well, sir, may I suggest you all huddle together, whispering sweet nothings until your dust joins a new star system? Or, you could escape in Beta 2; there may still be time!”

  Why had they not thought of that before?

  Poppy jumps up without warning as she’d only just decided to jump up.

  “Ma’am, we should fetch the Magitech droids; they can safely work on the exterior of the Raven, pushing everything back in, sealing the hole and securing the core!”

  Their collective eyes lighting up, there’s a scramble to the docking port as their fate takes a potentially delicious twist.

  Or, at least a turn from certain death.

  “Ariel, it might be quicker to just escape in Beta 2!”

  “We may not make it out in time, Alex. We need these Magitechs down there as quick as we can!”

  *

  The ridiculously expensive, but worth every penny droids, are activated quickly by Poppy before being sent down to assist Charles.

  Ariel’s still not convinced they’ll be able to pull off this hazardous tas
k.

  “How will they know what to do?”

  “Ah for sure Ariel, they’re magic, you know? Along with brief instructions from Charles, they’ll be outside the ship, patching us up in no time!”

  “Ironic, don’t you think?”

  “Ah for sure, it’s all ironic; who would have thought we’d be hanging onto life by our fingertips shortly after leaving Bump Minor?”

  “No, I meant Magnificent Spiky Mike’s legacy; that his inventions could be the things that save us.”

  *

  Charles watches anxiously as 2 Magitechs diligently push the pipes and wiring back through the hole, clinging to the Raven’s underside like metal leeches, as a 3rd positions them back into place in the core.

  As the last of the fallen parts are recovered, a droid begins polishing the black-blue paintwork.

  Charles shouts through the narrowing hole.

  “No need for any cleaning; get back in here before the hole becomes too small for you to climb back in!”

  The Magitech does as instructed, before the hole is sealed, no joins visible as the danger is averted with only a space minute to spare before the Raven and all who reside in her would be no longer!

  Charles need not have worried about losing a Magitech to the vacuum of space; that droid would have clung on through ice storms, hot winds, or the middle of a galactic goulash.

  *

  As 4 heads appear, one of them trying to grin authentically (it’s difficult to pull off for a humanoid), Ariel looks for confirmation of the droids’ success.

  Charles punches the conditioned air in triumph.

  “We did it, Miss! The Raven’s core is now safe and secure; all warning lights and sounds are pale and muted!”

  Poppy and Alex begin to steer the Magitechs back to Beta 2 but Ariel calls them back.

  “No, Alex, we’ll find a place for them on the Raven; this is our ship now!”

  “Ah for sure, it’s yours, Ariel. Me, I just want a quiet life back home on Bump Minor.”

  “We still have to deal with your cousin first; there have been no further communiques from Percy so I’m hoping that means Stevie and Yvette managed to overpower him.”

  Poppy sits in a luxurious, black leather-looking chair, a distracted look on her face.

  “I’m sorry about Damien, love.”