The mechanics' shuttle was heading back to the planet, their work completed, when Riff saw a new vessel approach.

  He still stood in the main deck, gazing out the window. Romy was passed out on the couch, snoring. Piston and Twig had returned to the engine room, where they were performing last repairs and calibrations of their own. Giga and Nova were both on the bridge. Only Steel and Midnight stood here with Riff when he saw the flying saucer outside.

  "Look!" He pointed.

  Steel and Midnight came to stand at his side. They gazed out with wide eyes.

  The vessel was unlike any Riff had ever seen. It was deep blue, limned with light, spinning toward them. A dome rose upon its crest like a cockpit, glowing golden.

  Riff frowned and spoke into his communicator. "Giga, can you hail the incoming vessel?"

  Her voice rose through the speaker. "Captain? The mechanic vessel is leaving, not incoming."

  "The saucer," Riff said. "The blue one."

  "Cannot compute, Captain. No other vessel is in range."

  Riff rubbed his eyes and stared outside again. He could definitely see the flying saucer there. When he turned toward Steel and Midnight, he knew they saw it too; they were gaping as if disbelieving.

  A few meters away from the Dragon Huntress, the saucer halted its flight. A covered walkway stretched out from it, connecting with the Dragon.

  The airlock on the main deck began to open.

  Riff hissed and drew his gun. "We're being boarded."

  Steel frowned and drew his sword. Midnight let qi gather in her palms.

  The airlock door swung open.

  "Hello, hello!" rose a voice. "Oh, nice place you've got here. A couch! I love couches. Counter-squares! Love that game." Light flowed around the figure, revealing only a silhouette. "What are you doing with your weapons drawn? Is that any way to welcome a guest?"

  Riff knew that voice. He lowered his gun, barely able to breathe. Steel gasped and lowered his sword.

  The figure closed the hatch, sealing the light outside.

  Riff gasped.

  It was him.

  "Dad!" he shouted.

  "Father!" Steel cried.

  Midnight covered her mouth, eyes wide.

  The old man nodded and stepped deeper into the main deck, holding a wooden walking staff. The magician wore his long white robes, and his white beard was just as long and flowing. A pointed hat rested on his head. He looked around, nodding. "Just needs a good vacuuming. Too bad there's no motor in that vacuum cleaner over there."

  Riff raced forward and embraced the old man. "Dad! What are you doing here?"

  Steel joined them, seeming unable to speak, too overcome for words.

  Old Aminor looked at them and laughed. "I've come to visit my boys! So shocked that your old man should stop by?" He snorted. "You two never learned any hospitality. Now shove aside! Move!"

  The magician elbowed his way between them, approached Midnight, and turned solemn. The old man took her lavender hand and lowered his head.

  "Forgive me, Midnight," he said softly. "I should never have left you. I know how much you suffered, my child." His eyes brightened. "But I see you found my sons after all."

  She hugged him, and tears flowed from her eyes. "Dear Traveler. Thank you."

  "Dad!" Riff said. "What . . . what is this 'Traveler' talk? Where have you been all this time?"

  Aminor squared his shoulders and rapped Riff with his staff. "I was off on an adventure! Not that it's any of your business. I was seeking a new home for our lovely lady here." He turned back toward Midnight, and once more his voice softened. "It lies very near, yet very far. Only a few kilometers away, yet many dimensions away. A new world, Midnight. A world where others of your kind have sought shelter. A world where the skelkrins can never reach you." He reached out his hand. "If you take my hand, child, I will take you there."

  She trembled, crying softly. "There are . . . other pirilians? Others who survived?"

  Aminor nodded. "A few, child. I managed to save a few. They wait for you now. Wait for you beyond the stars, beyond the dimensions, a place where no enemy can reach you. Will you come with me now?" Suddenly the old man's eyes gleamed with his own tears. "I'm sorry, Midnight, that I could not save your world. The pain of that tragedy will forever fill me. But if you will travel with me, I will take you to a new world. A new beginning."

  She sniffed and nodded, unable to speak. She took his hand. They walked together toward the airlock.

  "Wait!" Steel said. The knight's voice was hoarse. "Midnight! Wait."

  He stepped toward her and knelt.

  Midnight gently released Aminor's hand and turned toward the knight.

  "My sweet knight," she whispered. "My savior. My hero."

  Tears flowed down Steel's gaunt cheeks and into his mustache. He took her hand in his and kissed it. "My lady."

  She kissed Steel's forehead, smiled warmly, and needed to say no more.

  "Goodbye, Riff," she whispered, turning to look at him.

  Riff stared, not sure what to say, what to do, how to feel. He stepped toward her, and he too kissed her hand. "Goodbye, Midnight. Will we ever see you again?"

  She turned to look at Aminor, her eyes questioning, then back at Riff. She nodded. "I'm sure of it." She kissed his cheek. "Until we meet again."

  Aminor smiled, wiped his eyes, and escorted Midnight to the doorway. She stepped into the light, heading toward the flying saucer, vanishing in its glow.

  "Dad, wait!" Riff said. "Don't . . . don't go. Not yet." His voice caught in his throat. "There's so much I don't understand."

  Aminor stood at the doorway between the two vessels, between space and light. The old man looked around the deck, looked at his sons, and nodded.

  "I'm proud of you, my sons. Last time I saw you, you were both languishing away. You were both lost. I've seen you grow. I've seen you become heroes." He winked. "Keep being heroes, my sons. This is where you belong. I will always be proud of you. I will always love you."

  The old man tipped his hat.

  With that, Aminor turned and left the Dragon Huntress, closing the door behind him.

  "Dad!" Riff cried. "Wait!"

  Yet before he could open the door again, Riff heard the saucer detach. He turned toward the porthole to see the strange, glowing vessel fly farther away, spin, and vanish with a gleam of light.

  Steel came to stand beside him. He inhaled deeply. "He's off to another dimension, I suppose."

  Riff nodded. "Off on another adventure we'll probably never hear anything about."

  "And Midnight goes with him." Steel lowered his head. "I will miss her."

  Riff stretched and yawned. "I miss sleeping. And eating. And taking long showers. Did Piston fix the shower yet?" He sighed. "I suppose our own adventure is over, brother. For now. We saved Cirona. We saved Midnight. We probably saved Earth and the rest of the cosmos."

  Yet even as he spoke those words, a chill filled him. He remembered Emperor Lore's hologram emerging from Grotter's corpse, remembered the skelkrin threatening to attack again. There was still evil out there. There were still aliens who wanted to hunt him.

  There was still work to do.

  He patted Steel's shoulder. "Come on, brother. Let's go look for something to eat."

  * * *

  With a belly full of Cironan fruit and bread, Riff left the kitchen and stepped back into the bridge. Steel came with him, clad as always in his armor, his sword at his side.

  "Konnichiwa!" Giga greeted Riff with a salute. "Welcome back to your bridge, Captain."

  Nova was already in her seat, facing the repaired windshield--or, as Giga would no doubt call it, the front fused silica viewport pane. The bobbleheads were now bolted onto the dashboard, ready to withstand any bump on the road. Riff sank into his captain's seat, and Steel sat at his right-hand side. Planet Cirona rotated slowly below.

  "Well," Riff said. "I suppose we . . . have lives to get back to." He looked at Steel. "A castle to rebuild." He glanced at Nova. "The Alien Arena to compete in. The Blue Strings to play in."

  Yet his words tasted stale in his mouth. The others stared at him, silent, saying nothing. Steel bowed his head.

  Somehow, after everything they had lived through, Earth itself seemed a little stale.

  "Captain!" Twig's voice rose from behind, and she raced onto the bridge, holding a sheaf of papers. "Captain, a whole slew of work orders just came in! Turns out worlds for light-years around heard about how we saved Cirona. They want to hire us, Captain!" Twig's eyes shone. "What do we do? Where do we go next?"

  She paused, panting. Her trusted wrench hung from her tool belt again.

  Riff glanced at Steel, then at Nova. "Or . . ." he said, ". . . we can take one more job. Or two. Just to make enough money so I can buy my guitar back. And maybe then a little more."

  Steel nodded. "We are, after all, the Alien Hunters."

  Riff took a deep breath and rose to his feet. He walked toward the windshield. "Twig, what's the nearest star that needs us?"

  The halfling shuffled through the papers. "That would be . . . Alpha Draconis, sir. In the Draco constellation. Says here they're having a devil of a time with a . . . oh stars. Not a snot-monster!"

  Riff smiled thinly and turned toward Giga. "Giga, chart a course to Alpha Draconis please. Hyperdrive engines should be back up and running. And . . . don't fly us there too fast. I think we all need some time to relax on the way."

  The android smiled and raised her chin. "Happy to comply, Captain. Nice and easy pace."

  The engines revved up, purring like comfortable cats.

  With a blast of light, the HMS Dragon Huntress shot into deep space, heading toward the stars.

  * * *

  Alien Sky is book 2 in the Alien Hunters series. Get Alien Sky here.

  Daniel Arenson Mailing List

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  About Daniel Arenson

  Daniel Arenson is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction. He writes in three "worlds:"

  REQUIEM -- Welcome to Requiem, an ancient kingdom whose people can grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Requiem is explored in six trilogies, which can be read in any order. You can start reading with Requiem's Song (Dawn of Dragons, Book 1). For fans of dark, gritty fantasy like A Game of Thrones. Learn more at: DanielArenson.com/Requiem

  MOTH -- Discover Moth, a world torn between day and night--its one half drenched in eternal daylight, the other cloaked in endless darkness. For fans of classic fantasy worlds such as Middle Earth and Narnia. Start reading with Moth, the first novel in this epic fantasy saga. Learn more at: DanielArenson.com/Moth

  ALIEN HUNTERS -- Got trouble with aliens? Call the Alien Hunters. A group of scruffy mercenaries who travel the galaxy in a dragon-shaped starship, they'll remove the pest for you. Low rates. No questions asked. Start reading with Alien Hunters, the first book in this space opera series. For fans of Star Wars, Firefly, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Learn more at: DanielArenson.com/AlienHunters

  A dozen of Daniel's books have hit Amazon's overall Top 100 bestsellers list; one has hit the Top 20. His work has also appeared on the USA Today bestsellers list. Over a million copies of his books have been bought, downloaded, or listened to. Raised on Dungeons & Dragons, The Lord of the Rings, and scratchy Star Wars VHS tapes, Daniel still consumes--and tries to contribute to--geek culture.

  DanielArenson.com

  Hard Duty

  Book 1 in the Merkiaari Wars series

  Mark E. Cooper

  Hostile aliens nearly eradicated humanity. Will the next encounter finish the job?

  Sixteen billion dead in the last alien invasion of the Alliance's colony worlds.When survey ship Captain Jeff Colgan discovers a new alien race, he's required to investigate.

  As the aliens discover Colgan's ship and begin to hunt him down, the captain's mission changes from one of study to one of survival.

  First published by Impulse Books UK September 2004

  http://www.impulsebooks.co.uk

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious.

  Any similarity to real persons living or dead, business

  establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental

  and not intended by the author.

  Copyright © 2004 by Mark E. Cooper

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be

  reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

  in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

  recording or otherwise, without the prior written

  permission of the author.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book

  is available from the British Library.

  ISBN: 978-1-905380-15-2

  Printed and bound in Great Britain

  Impulse Books UK

  1 ~ Discovery

  Aboard ASN Canada

  Year 216 AST (Alliance Standard Time)

  “Captain to the bridge!”

  Captain Colgan turned over and slapped the intercom button. “What is it, Francis?” he said, still groggy from sleep and squinting at her in the glare of the comm’s screen. “Lights one third!” he barked in annoyance, and his cabin brightened.

  “Sorry to wake you, sir,” Commander Groves said contritely, but the excitement Colgan heard in her voice did not diminish. “We’ve picked up a transmission.”

  He frowned at that. They were a long way from the core, and even the Border Worlds were a distant memory out here. Only exploration vessels such as Canada herself dared venture into the deep this far.

  He sat up and began pulling on his uniform. “Source?”

  “Mark has categorised it as unknown sentient, sir. I’ve logged a possible first contact,” Groves said for the log, but then she broke procedure and grinned. “This is it, Jeff, I can feel it!”

  He understood her excitement, but kept his own voice neutral. “I’m on my way. Continue first contact procedures and log everything to chip for immediate transmission. Better download what you have so far to a drone… just in case.”

  Groves straightened her shoulders, gave a crisp nod and cut the circuit.

  That had wiped the grin from her face, and well it should. The last time anything like this had happened, the Alliance had been embroiled in a war with the Merkiaari that had nearly seen Humanity exterminated. That could not be the case here; Merki transmissions would have been recognised instantly. Not only that, the ship would be at battle stations and running for home at max. That they weren’t doing that was reassuring. Groves knew what she was doing, but what was to stop these transmissions coming from another murderously vicious species?

  Nothing.

  Colgan made his way to the bridge; by the time he reached it, he knew what he had to do. He racked his helmet beside his command station and took his seat.

  “Anything further, Francis?”

  “Nothing yet, sir. Our course and speed are unchanged. We have a transmission from an unknown source bearing zero-niner-zero by one-three-two degrees approximately thirty light years out. Mark is coddling his computers while they chew on the data, but I doubt we’ll know much for a few hours.”

  Thirty lights? Maybe a day to get there… not very far at all.

  He pursed his lips as he considered his options.

  Survey missions were considered hard duty stations since by definition ships and their crews were out of contact for prolonged periods. His orders left him a good deal of leeway because of that, but if he chose to go with his first impulse of abandoning their current survey in favour of investigating Mark’s transmission, he had better be right about his reasons for doing so. He needed more data.

  “What can you tell me, Mark?”

  “Well, sir, they’re definitely not Human,” Lieutenant Ricks said, ignoring the laughter coming from helm and tactical. “They’re not Merkiaari either.”

  That sobered everyone. The fear of meeting a Merki warship was very real, but it went with the territory. No one ever found anything by staying home.

  “You’ve told me what they aren’t, now tell me what they are.”

  “Sorry, sir, my analysis is incomplete. I’ve isolated multiple sources and they all seem clustered in the same region of space. At this range it’s difficult to tell, but I think they’re mobile. Call me crazy, but I have a hunch what I’m receiving originates aboard a convoy of alien ships. Sorry, sir, that’s the best I can do from here. I can’t make head nor tails of the language. It’s a miracle we received anything at all—I’m getting mostly leakage.”

  Colgan winced. Leakage was dangerous. Unsecured communications were one reason the Merki had found the colonies so quickly. Nowadays, where tight beam comms (TBC) couldn’t be used, foldspace drones were to eliminate leakage. TBC was secure, but it was limited to ships in close proximity. It was essentially a modulated laser pulse… like blinking flashlights at one another.

  Drones were different. Given enough time their foldspace drives had enough capacity to cross the Human sector of the galaxy. They were slower than using courier ships, but where speed was not an issue, drones were the best way to keep Alliance worlds in contact with each other.

  He wished there was a faster way to inform HQ of Mark’s discovery, but they were too far out for speedy communication. The closest Alliance world to Canada’s current location was Northcliff. He doubted they had a courier ship on hand. If he sent the drone there, Northcliff Port Control would simply re-upload the data to another drone and pass it up the line. No, it would be better to launch straight to HQ and damn the delay. He instinctively felt that the fewer people who handled Mark’s data the better.