[The Lone Gunslinger, Chapter 20, Jackdaw] "Fuel pods improperly attached, take it back to the prep line." "Master Chief, look," I hold out the technical manual to the Chief. "The pods are attached exactly as it says right here." "Are you a trained Master Chief? Move your ship, or I'll send for a Raptor to move you." The Chief waves his hand at Jaco in the cockpit to move our Dart Ship out. The Chief is a Falcon, and he has sent us back to the prep-line five times now for various made-up deficiencies. I realized something was wrong the second time when he sent us back for improper tire pressure; the tires don't have air, or pressure. The tires are filled with a gooey chemical that won't expand and freeze in the cold of space. Jaco gives the engines a little rev, and I ground-guide the ship back to the prep line. The next Dart Ship behind us rolls up to the ready line for inspection; those Darts have rollers temporarily attached to the landing skids to move around the airfield. It's already past mid-night, and we are launching at 0400. I think the Falcons are going to make sure we don't get any sleep, or maybe even not get to go. The airfield is crowded with all the Darts preparing to launch, and there's an almost festive atmosphere as everyone is preparing for the launch--I wish we could enjoy it. Jaco stops the Dart Ship on the prep-line, and I push a step ladder up to the cockpit and climb up to Jaco. "What was it this time?" asks Jaco. "Fuel pods improperly attached," I reply. "And you can stop looking at me like it's my fault." "I didn't say anything," protests Jaco. "You're thinking it," I reply. "Fine, it is your fault; you spit in the Falcon's faces when you walked away after they awarded you their most elite position." "The test was cruel." "Oh? And the Gunslingers pretending to crash and tossing you out on the prairie to be eaten by Beastie-Cats is different how?" "Okay, I lost my temper." "No you didn't." Jaco gives me that stare of his that says I'm lying. "Just admit what really happened." I stare back at Jaco; I don't want to say what really happened. "Come on, say it." Jaco stands up on his seat and stares me in the eyes. "Then maybe we can find a way to fix this mess." "We can't fix it, the Falcons are really mad," I argue. Jaco just stares silently, his silent routine drives me nuts. "Okay, fine, they…" I lower my voice to a whisper. "…they scared me, I thought all those people were going to die and it would be my fault." Jaco puts his hand on my arm. "You're a screw-up, Hero, and so am I. Do you know why?" I shake my head. "Because we each keep trying to do stuff on our own," explains Jaco. "You're in a human body but you should have been hatched a Daraian. We shouldn't have let them split us up, we can't let that happen again. I scored the lowest anyone ever has on my Class 2 test because you weren't there, successful Daraians just don't work alone." "How do we fix this?" "We don't right now," says Jaco. "They are too mad. So we just take all their stupid little punishments, and when we get back, we crawl over to the Falcon Base on our bellies and ask for forgiveness." "Yea, I don't know about all that, we'll see." "We have to do it." "Why?" Jaco sighs. "The Gunslingers bought this Dart for us, but we have to maintain it, and it's not cheap. We couldn't even afford to put fuel in it on both our Gunslinger paychecks combined. Hero, we need skills so we can earn money, that's just the way the real world works." "I guess so." I kneel down on the stairs and lay my head on the edge of the cockpit, it's been a long day getting our new Dart Ship ready, and I'm tired. "It is. We could be like most Gunslingers, content to sit in our cabins waiting for missions and living like paupers, or we can be out earning real money." "Raptors don't make much, Jaco." "Trainee Raptors don't, but Raptor teams that fly on those big Jumbo's make good pay. Please, Hero, I'll follow you anywhere you want to go, but… come on… don't make me be poor. Look at my boots, there's a hole in the bottom, and I can't afford to buy a new pair." "I can get you a new pair from supply." "You want hand-outs your whole life?" asks Jaco. "You're half-Raven, like it or not, and Ravens are expected to go out and earn their living." "Stop making sense, you're irritating me. What now? We won't ever pass the inspection." "The Falcons won't give us supplies, we can't buy supplies, and daddy Simon already said he won't pull rank, we have to solve the mess you made ourselves. So we do the other thing Ravens are expected to do when they have to complete a mission." "Just keep rubbing it in… Oh no, seriously, you're not going to do what I think you're going to do?" "Yep, ground-guide me out of this assembly area and down the hill." Nobody is paying attention to us right now, they all have their own issues to deal with getting ready. I walk the ship out of the assembly area and down the hill to a darker barely lit area where the training transports are stored. The Quartermaster ships are over on Raven Flats getting ready, just the Darts are up here at the assembly area. Jaco stops outside the assembly area, which is a fair walk for me, and motions for me to come aboard. I run around to the side access-hatch and jump inside. Jaco is excited about the four new hatches built into this new version of the Dart Ship, not that I would know one version from the next. He says we won't need a Battle Carrier to land, we can dock using one of the four hatches on almost any standard ship airlock. Our Dart Ship does look different from others I have seen, it's taller and wider, and sits lower to the ground. I don't have to bend over when I'm inside. The living quarters is larger, with two bunks and a whole new set of control panels along the walls. Jaco says there is a rumor that this generation Dart is the last of the Dart Ships and the prototype to a new ship design the Sparrows are working on that might replace the Dart Ship. The rumor is the next generation will be called the Comet Ship. The best part about this new Dart Ship is that it's the first generation ever built with gravity plates, I'll like that when we get in space. The cockpit is completely different too, it's up on a slightly higher level than the living quarters. There are four steps that go up to cockpit, and I love the new navigator seat. My seat isn't the little sideways jump seat like old Dart Ships, I have a full-size seat, like the pilot, and it sits slightly higher than the pilot and faces forward. I climb into my seat while Jaco rolls the ship down between the dark row of transport ships. We aren't supposed to be here, and I flip off all the interior lights. Jaco finds what he's looking for and tucks the Dart Ship as far under the wings of one of the larger transports and then shuts down the engines. The quiet seems deafening, especially because I know what we are about to do and expect someone to jump out of the shadows and catch us. Jaco climbs out of pilot chair and tugs on my sleeve. "Let's go." I follow him down into the living quarters and out the side hatch. "Go find a step-ladder," says Jaco opening a side access panel on the Dart Ship. There's a medal step ladder against the side of a transport on the other row, and I push it over to the Dart Ship. Jaco already has a refueling hose pulled out of the side of the Dart and is waiting for me. "I can't believe we're doing this," I grumble. "It'll be fine," Jaco tries to assure me. I position the ladder and Jaco pulls the refueling hose up the ladder. "How are we going to pump it out?" I ask. "I can turn on the remote pump from here," says Jaco. A moment later Jaco has the hose attached to the wing of the transport, and the mechanical whirling of a pump starts up. I can't help but thinking everyone for miles has to hear it. Jaco runs back down the ladder and fiddles with something inside the Dart access panel, and another pump starts whirling. "Well, that's it, now we just wait," says Jaco. "How long is this going to take?" I ask. "About an hour, we have the external pods on and that's a lot of fuel," says Jaco. "These internal pumps are really only made to do this in emergency field refuels, so they're kind of slow." "Is that normal?" I point at the white vapor mist leaking off the ends of the two couplings. "Yea, that's normal, this fuel is compressed and very cold," explains Jaco. "That's how we are going to get away with stealing the fuel. I'll leave the cap off the transport, and the rest of the fuel will evaporate by morning. They'll just think the refueling truck made a mistake and forgot to put the cap back on." "That's mean, someone will get in trouble." "If it makes you feel better, it's the Falcons that will get in trouble. You know, the same ones that are harassing you right now." "Still doesn't seem right, can we leave an I.O.U.?" "You're a nut, go check the other transports, we need ammo for the Dart, unless you plan on throwing spitballs at pirates when they attack us." "And if we get caught?" Jaco grins. "I tell them we just found it laying around. Sorry, didn't know you still wanted that fuel." I don't like it but I spend the next hour crawling through the transports looking for ammo. I find a few crates of small arms ammo, but not any of the missiles or chain gun ammo we need for the nose cannon. Jaco is just finishing the refueling when I get back carrying a crate of small arms ammo. "Nobody left any missiles laying around." "Didn't really think there would be any," says Jaco. "What now?" "We can get some ammo after we launch, trust me," says Jaco rolling the refueling hose up and putting it away. "Let's get ready to go." Jaco seals the hatches and checks them while I shove all the technical manuals we've been studying about our new ship into storage bins. We've only had the ship for a week, and it looks like we've been living in it for a month. I strap into my seat, and Jaco warms up the engines. "Vertical or horizontal launch?" I ask. "Horizontal takes less fuel," replies Jaco. I think I dozed off for an hour while we wait in the shadow of the transport ship. The movement of the Dart Ship jars me awake as Jaco moves the ship out between the rows of the transports. This area isn't a runway, but there is so much confusion on the Com-link with a fleet this size I doubt anyone is going to notice us. The Dart Fleet lifts off first and I watch the hundreds of Darts rising into the sky, this is incredible to see. The ships over on Raven Flats lift off next and the sky is filled with the lights of thousands of ships. I'm glad I won't be here tomorrow, it's going to seem kind of lonely without all the Quartermasters around. "Okay, here we go," says Jaco. "We aren't going to crash, are we?" I ask. "I wouldn't do that to you, partner," says Jaco. "Now concentrate, I need your eyes watching everywhere, there's a lot of traffic in the sky and we don't have launch authorization, so I don't have everyone's vectors on my screen." Jaco pushes the engines forward and we pick up speed. This is a short space to use for a runway, but the ship can handle it… I hope. The thrust pushes me back in my seat, and Jaco pulls the nose up and we are in the air. "Three-O'clock low, small cargo ship," I shout. "Got him." Jaco banks away. "Two more behind him." I twist in my seat to make sure we have given them enough room. Jaco tips the nose up, and we start to gain altitude. "A big transport coming up below us… two Darts at Nine-O'clock high…four medium cargos at… lost them… they are somewhere behind us…" "Damn, I need more room." Jaco noses the ship down and we have to circle to avoid the medium cargos we know are coming in on our tail. "Bank sharp left, there's an opening down below." Jaco banks and we head for the ground. "Yea, put us on the grass and we can head out on prairie for some room. This is crazy, who's the idiot that decided to launch everyone at once." "This is fun!" shouts Jaco. "And I'm the nut… PULL UP PULL UP!" I shout. "I see them." Jaco pulls up hard. Two Darts were just vertical lifting off the prairie. "What were they doing out here?" I shout twisting and looking back at the two Darts we just missed by a few feet. "They are probably saying the same thing," says Jaco. "Lets just do it, climb into an escape velocity launch," I shout. "You sure, I was going to climb slow, you don't like doing crazy stuff," says Jaco. "We are going to hit something if we don't," I reply. "GO NOW! It's clear straight up." Jaco puts us on our tail, we are now just a rocket climbing for orbit. "WOO HOO!" shouts Jaco. The upper atmosphere of Raunu is brutal, and I think the ship is going to shake apart. How did any of my ancestors ever make it to the ground in those pathetically weak Needle Ships? And then just like that, we are in space and the sensation of movement ends. I know we are traveling ridiculously fast, but it seems like we are just sitting still. "I see the Falcon Battle Carrier off to our right." "We aren't going there," says Jaco. "They would never let us land on it with everyone else anyway." "What then? Are we flying all the way to Pyra?" "No, of course not, unless you got the money to buy fuel for the return trip we'll hitch a ride with someone else," says Jaco. "Put that Com-frequency in I gave you yesterday." I punch the frequency into the Com-Computer. "What now?" "Patch it up to me, I'll take care of it," says Jaco. I push the button to transfer the Com to the pilot. "Okay, you're on." "Crystal Rain, this is Little Raven, request vector and docking," Jaco says to someone over the Com-link." "Little Raven, this is Crystal Rain, we were getting worried, heard those Falcons were giving you a hard time." "Naw, they just a bunch of pigeons," says Jaco. I watch coordinates being transmitted to us flick across the nav-computer. Jaco rotates the ship, and I can see the planet now to one side. "Got the vector, Crystal Rain, coming up behind you," says Jaco. "We see you, Little Raven," says the voice. A ship comes into view ahead of us, it is nearly as big as a Battle Carrier, but it looks much different. The ship is bristling with antennas, satellite dishes, communication arrays, and… well, stuff I don't know what they are. "Great frozen ancestors, what is that?" I ask. "That is the Crystal Rain, House Jackdaw's Flagship, the most advanced ship in the universe," says Jaco proudly. "Not even the Sparrows or Grackles, have one of those." "Little Raven, this is Crystal Rain, you are clear to dock," says the voice on the Com-link. "Roger, Crystal Rain," replies Jaco. Jaco maneuvers our ship and rotates until we are upside down. I'm disoriented at first and feel my stomach lurch, but then, we are right side up, and the Crystal Rain is upside down. How odd. Space is confusing. I also realize this is the first time I've been awake in space to see anything. The nav-computer is talking to Jaco now, I don't understand what it's trying to tell him, something about yaw and pitch and some other stuff. There is a wire diagram picture of something on the screen, maybe it's the dock, and there is a cross-hair. I can see other Dart Ships docked all along the bottom of the ship, and a few that look like they are sitting on railroad tracks. The Dart gets closer and then there's a bump and a click sound and we are there--that was easy. Jaco shuts down the engines, and I watch a long metal pole swing out and attach to our ship. "That's the umbilical," says Jaco. "It will provide power to the ship and keep the atmosphere and temperature at the correct levels while the engines are off." I follow Jaco down into the living quarters and he checks something on the control panel next to the hatch before opening it. My ears pop slightly when he swings the hatch open, then he leaps through the hatch and sails through the dock tube towards another hatch on the other side. "Come on, it's fun," shouts Jaco. "No grav-plates in the docking tube, until you get right…" Jaco flips in the air until his feet are facing down. "….here!" Jaco drops to the ground and grins. "Come on." I try doing the same thing Jaco did and dive through the hatch, and regret it. My stomach turns upside down and I feel nauseous immediately. Thankfully my momentum propels me quickly through the tube and I fall unceremoniously to the ground in a heap at the other end of the tube. "Don't like that," I mumble. Jaco grabs my arm and pulls me up, and then the other hatch opens and a squad of Ravens is there... no, not Ravens, Jackdaws, and they all have Talon Daggers in their hands. Jaco looks at me, his expression very serious. An older Jackdaw steps forward, there is gray at his temples but his eyes are sharp and deadly. "You have ten seconds to answer my question Human," says the older Jackdaw. "No Human, Raven or any Daraian not a Jackdaw has ever stepped foot on this ship. It is time for you to decide, are you loyal to House Jackdaw, House Raven, House Falcon, or the Gunslingers?" I'm a little surprised at the suddenness of the situation and my first thought is to say the Gunslingers. But, I know I would lying. I've changed over the months, and I know the truth, and I think they want me to say House Jackdaw, but that would be a lie too. "None of those, and all of those," I say. "But, I'm loyal to Jaco first above everything. Everything good that has happened to me is because Jaco has been at my side. If I ever have to betray the Gunslingers, or House Jackdaw, or the others to protect Jaco, I will." I take my hat off and pull out the two bullets Simon put inside my hat and hold them up. "But once I'm done protecting Jaco, I'll use one of these bullets." "And I'll use the other one," adds Jaco. "Because if the people we love make us chose like that, there's nothing else left for us." The gray haired Jackdaw sheaths his Talon Dagger and his face softens. "I was skeptical a human could ever properly partner with a Daraian, I was wrong. Welcome to House Jackdaw, Keal, you have the same privileges and responsibilities aboard our House Flagship as any other Jackdaw." "Thank you, Sir." The squad of Jackdaws turn and leave us. I like these Jackdaws, I think I understand them, they are plain spoken and make decisions quickly. Jaco runs out into the hall, and I follow him. "Commander Keat," Jaco calls out, and the gray haired Jackdaw stops and turns around. "He's two decks down, Jaco," says Commander Keat. "Thanks," says Jaco and grabs my arm. "Hurry, I haven't seen him for over a year." "Huh, who?" "You'll see." Jaco runs along the corridor and down several ramps. The ship is amazing but odd. There are wires hanging down in clusters and other wires running along the halls. Jackdaws are moving around the ship performing tasks, and if anyone is surprised to see me, nobody says anything. Two decks down Jaco looks around and then runs up to a pair of legs sticking out from an open panel in the wall. Jaco kneels down and looks inside the panel. "Father, it's me," says Jaco. My jaw drops open. The legs wiggle out, and a body emerges. The Jackdaw working inside the panel is an older Jackdaw and has gray hair at his temples. I think gray hair must be a Jackdaw trait, I saw several others with the same graying hair. "Son, I am so glad to see you again, you've grown into a fine Jackdaw." The Senior Jackdaw hugs Jaco and then shoves a coiled up section of wire into Jaco's hands. "Run this down to that crew working at the end of the corridor." Jaco runs off with the coil of wire, and the gray-haired Jackdaw stands up. He is dressed in a dirty gray jumpsuit, and his face is smeared with grease and grim. "You must be Keal," he says holding his handout. His hand is covered in grim; he must be a mechanic or something. "Umm.. Yes, sir." I hold my hand out dumb-founded, and he shakes it. "I'm told your father has accepted Jaco into his family and treats him like his own son," says the Jackdaw. "Umm… Yes, sir." "He must be a great man, your father, you are welcome into my family as well, son." "Umm… Yes, sir." Jaco runs back and gets another hug. I don't know what to think. Jaco said he didn't have a mother or father, he's a First Egg. "Your partner looks confused," says the Jackdaw. "You can't tell anyone," explains Jaco. "I'm a First Egg, our hatching mothers and fathers aren't supposed to know who we are, but I was the only Jackdaw First Egg the year I was given to the Temple, so it was kind of easy for them to know it was me. During holidays and weekends, and stuff, the First Eggs are allowed to leave the Temple and stay with different foster families. The Priestesses always let me go with my hatching parents, as long as they never acknowledge me as their son and I never ever ever told anyone I know they are my hatching parents." "Everyone in House Jackdaw knows," adds Jaco's father. "We are a Jackdaw family and nothing like Ravens or Rooks, or Crows." "Yes Sir, I think I saw that with Commander Keat." I grin at Jaco. "I think it's great, Jaco, and I understand completely why you couldn't say anything. I also think I see where your mechanical skill comes from, your dad must be a great mechanic." "Best Com-Engineer there is, he invented the ear-bug Com-devices." "There were a lot of other engineers that worked on that project too, Jaco." Another Jackdaw walks up, holding a fist full of paper. I think they look like messages. The Officer hands one of the messages to Jaco's father. The Officer is wearing an immaculate uniform, and I'm guessing he's a Bridge Officer. "Excuse me, Lord Jackdaw," says the Officer. "Lord Falcon is asking if you are ready to depart for Pyra." "Make ready to depart," says Jaco's father. Lord Jackdaw? I stand frozen, my jaw doesn't even fall open this time. Everything falls into place, the Marshall General giving Jaco preferred treatment, Jaco being so easily brought into the Gunslingers, the way Jaco was able to get the Chief Raven Prosecutor to defend me, and then me being offered a Raptor position and Lord Falcon taking so much interest in me--and of course the reason the Raven children always picked on Jaco, they were jealous. "Join me later for dinner, boys, I need to get this boat moving," says Lord Jackdaw and walks off with the Bridge Officer. Jaco notices my expression turning to anger. "Hero, I didn't lie. I am a First Egg, I never got any special privileges or anything given to me I didn't work for. The only thing he was ever allowed to give me was his knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering. He wasn't even allowed to save me when I was sent to the Chair to die." I think that it's probably true Jaco's father couldn't help him, but others around him tried to make up for what Jaco could never get from his father, and that created a bubble of isolation around Jaco that separated him from the other First Eggs. My anger fades away, and I see it for what it is. "I'm sorry, it was probably worse for you than me. I didn't know my father so I couldn't know what I was being robbed of, but you knew what was being stolen from you." "Not much of a wonder why we're both screwed up, huh?" I hold my arms out and gesture at the ship. "Forget about it, you're still a senseless Jackdaw. Come on, partner," I grin. "Teach me what it means to be a Jackdaw, I'm ready to learn." "You know, it's possible that someday I could be released from the Temple and be allowed to take his position, it's happened before." "If anyone ever calls me Lady Jackdaw, I'll shoot them." I glare at Jaco, daring him to say it.