CHAPTER 1

I felt the shaking under my feet as the ship’s thrusters prepared for lift off.

What have I done? Was this a good idea?

Bracing myself against the cargo binds to my right I waited for the ship to exit Primus 4’s atmosphere.

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod…

Before today my life was relatively normal and boring, now I’m hiding on a cargo ship, bound for who knows where, trying to avoid being arrested by the Quasar Guard. Reaching into my pocket I pull out my little sonar device. All this fuss over a device no bigger than my hand.

~

Late after work about three weeks ago I was messing around with some bits and bobs I found laying around the lab. I hardwired some circuitry, added spare net screen with satellite capabilities.

I know that doesn't sound very incriminating and you are probably right. But I am a twenty three year old engineer with a PhD in Microsystems, and all I do is get coffee and write up reports. I was bored, and wanted see what I was capable of. Not sure what I was trying to find but I definitely wasn’t expecting  to find what I did.

After the first two test runs produced zip results, but during the third trial I was about to give up hope when my little device started making sounds.

Beep...Beep...BeepBeep…Beep

I wasn’t really sure what I found until the military came for their quarterly inspection.

~

Glancing down at the empty black screen stared back.

“Oh now you have nothing to say…” I shook the device a little. “Only an hour ago I couldn’t get you to shut up.”

Suddenly the shaking around me stopped. We must have exited the atmosphere. Now sitting on the floor from all the shaking, I decided to assessed my surrounding. Peeking around the cargo container I was hiding behind I spotted a control panel on the far side of the bay.

Perfect! Now to see where we are heading.

I ran over to the panel and pried it open with my handy multi tool. Once open the main server cable caught my eye. That provided me with access to all the life support, security and flight systems onboard.

Thankfully I had learned a few hacking skills well running the tedious tasks my job required of me. A few seconds later I was looking at the current flight course.

“Romious 9? Why in heaven's name would they have routed a course there? It’s in the middle…”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“The question is little lady, who are you? And why does it matter to you were this ship is heading?”

Spinning around I come face to face with the barrel of a laser rifle. The man holding it doesn’t look too please to find me onboard.

Nudging the rifle towards me he prods “Well?”

Raising my hands I blurt the first thing that comes to mind, “I sorry I just needed to escape please don’t shoot me!!”

A sharp laugh erupts from the man standing over me, but there is no humor behind it though.

“That still doesn’t answer my questions...who are you? And what are you doing on my ship?”

I immediately feel my throat tighten and my eyes start to burn, I’m going to cry. “I...lm…” My voice is shaking and I feel the first tear roll down my cheek.

“Oh for the love of… don’t cry!” The man lowers the gun a fraction. I can now see beyond the gun in my face to the man aiming it at me. He doesn’t seem overly scary but I guess anyone can be when they are pointing a gun at you. His dark eye rove over me from top to bottom, hesitating when our eyes meet. “Look kid you're clearly a stowaway from Primus 4 cause you weren’t here when we last docked and your not wearing a military uniform, that bodes well for you. So let’s try this again, who are you?”

A chime, from what I can only guess is his communicator, startled me and I trip over the forgotten panel. Two strong hands wrap around my forearms and stop me from falling. Tipping my head back I see another man only this one is smiling and he does seem scary. As I try to flinch away his grip tights, “What do we have here?”

“A stowaway. Trying to get her to answer a damn question is like trying to pull a rabbit through a wringer backwards. She just starts to cry!”

“While Conner, if you weren’t pointing a gun at her head she might be more compelled to answer.” Turning me around to face him the second man smiled again, “Well sweetheart let’s try a simple question, what is your name?”

I hear the man known as Conner sigh dramatically behind me. “You don’t think I…”

“Sam…” silence... “Samantha Jaxon” I answer.

His smile widens. “See Conner nothing a little honey can’t help.”

“Shut up” Conner grumbles.

Looking back down at me, “Hi Sam my name is Luka welcome aboard the Arabella. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I…”

“She said she was escaping? Whatever that mean....probably got dumped and couldn’t handle it.” Conner answers for me as he disarms his gun and slings it across his back.

“I wasn’t dumped!” I yell at him.

He gestures to continue, “Please enlighten us.”

Ok this guy is a total jerk! Narrowing my eyes I face Luka, he seems the more reasonable of the two. Woah, he is actually really attractive. His tipped blue hair had fallen across his eyes, his gorgeous grey eyes that where currently staring expectantly at me. Right, why was I here, “....ah, well I was running from some people.”

“And? Who was it? And why?”

Luka glances up at Conner, “ Will you shut up, she is clearly frightened.”

Conner rolled his eyes and gruffly mumbled something, as he walks over and retrieves the forgotten panel.

“Go on love..” Luka presses me again.

I dropped my gaze to Lukas broad chest. Wow he was fit, that’s when I noticed he was still holding me. Blushing I started to squirm in his grasp.

He must have just noticed himself because he then released one arm and softens his hold on the other.

Should I really tell these men, I dont even know  entirely why I’m running away? What if they turn me over to Quasar. I glanced back to Conner, he did say it was good I wasn’t in a military uniform. He must not like the military himself. Having replaced the wall panel he turns to me again and raises his brows at me, as if the say Well?

Screw it!

Taking a deep breath, I blurted, “The Quasar guard. I was running away from the Quasar guard.”

They looked surprised, Luka spoke first, “But why?”

“Yeah, why would Quasar be after some kid from Primus 4.” Conner finished Lukas thought.

“I’m not a kid! I am twenty one and  I have a masters in Microsystems Engineering. They were chasing me because I inadvertently uncovered some sensitive information about a super weapon that they are constructing. A weapon that can destroy whole planets.”

Both men were stunned, Luka let out a whistle and Conner just stared at me before saying, “Well, shit!”