Page 1 of Star Mates

PROLOGUE

The Outlaw Rings in the Amarante System

The ship eased its way between two large asteroids, first with the port thruster and then shifting quickly to starboard handling. Pell Raiden sat at the helm, his gaze glued to the view screen. His head tilted with each pass, left and then right and then left again. Flying through an asteroid belt was never easy, never recommended, and yet he found himself doing it more and more lately.

“Watch out for that one,” came the unnecessary advice from his navigator, Pikon.

Though he frowned, Raiden didn’t take his eyes off the star field in front of him, and most importantly, from the humongous rock bearing down on them. “Thanks, never would have seen it.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

Actually, calling Pikon just a navigator was an understatement. He was the co-pilot, Raiden’s best friend, and the best gunner anywhere. Together, they were a two-man force not many could catch, though many had tried. Their small ship may not win any beauty awards, but she was fast and heavily armed, which were the only two important factors in space.

“The Sentinels are insane for following us in here,” Pikon muttered as he scanned various monitors.

“Never said they were smart,” Raiden said.

“Mm.”

“Any ideas?”

“Chock full of ‘em.”

Raiden waited.

He was still waiting when the warning klaxon peeled in a high pitch whine.

“Perimeter alert!” Pikon yelled.

Raiden twisted this way and that way in his seat, looking through the clear dormer. “I got only asteroids!”

Pikon shook his head. “Ship on an interception course!”

“Kexian?”

“No, different engine signature!”

“Where? Pikon, where?”

As soon as the words had left his mouth, the ship they hadn’t been able to see suddenly appeared before them, spinning wildly. The markings designated it as Merloni cruiser. Raiden quickly eased back, trying to avoid the obviously out of control cruiser. The magnetic shields engaged, causing them to bounce off the other ship.

Now they were the ones out of control and losing it in an asteroid field was never good.

“Hit the burners!” Raiden yelled.

“I am!”

“I can’t hold onto the controls! We’re spinning too fast!”

“I have an idea!”

“Great, whatever it is, do it!”

Pikon turned in his chair and grabbed a two-handed steering wheel, placing his thumbs over two red buttons that rested at the top. He sat straight and fit his eyes neatly over a set of tubular visors.

“Hurry up!” Raiden grunted. His veins were jumping from the force he was using to hold onto the thin thread of control.

Pikon’s right thumb hit first, deploying a grappling hook on one large asteroid. The one he, in fact, had warned Raiden about not a moment before. The small ship slammed forward when the tether snapped, but before it could bounce them back, Pikon deplored another grappler onto a second asteroid.

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