Death Rayne: Resurrection

DEATH RAYNE

Resurrection

By

Roger Schultz

Published by Roger Schultz

Copyright 2017 Roger Schultz

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Front Cover image:

Copyright Roger Schultz, 2017

Three years ago, I wrote Rayne for my then thirteen-year-old daughter. I started the book with no experience, no plot, and no idea of where it would end. It was my wife who prompted me to publish and now here I am, three books later. I’ve enjoyed it immensely and I hope you have too. This will be the last book in the series. I think Rayne has earned some well disserved rest. Thank you to my only sister for taking the time to be my editor. What started out to be a small, one book project, turned into four book saga. And no, I still can’t use a semicolon properly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Author

Other Books by Roger Schultz

Connect with Roger Schultz

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 1

Koopman Salvage. That was the name on the side of the mammoth, Trip-7 class salvage vessel gliding silently through space. At just over 1000 meters, it had enough thrust to pull a small moon out of its orbit. It would have to be a pretty small moon, but not many vessels could boast even that. Carl sped past the bridge, flashing his spot lights at where he knew the deck cameras would be.

Gods, Carl. Knock it off. I’m going to be seeing spots for a week. Audrey turned the massive bank of deck lights at his rapidly retreating back.

Carl laughed in reply.

Stop the horseplay, Carl. The ship’s second in command cut off her curses. Audrey, cut the lights. Don’t waste power we might need later.

Seriously, Ada? We’ve got ten, nuclear powered, Mega-Titan class engines. I hardly think turning on the lights is going to put a spike in our power output.

The captain’s gravelly voice cut the conversation short. No, but it might attract the wrong kind of attention. Turn off the lights, Audrey.

Sure thing, Malik, she grumbled, doing as she was asked. The inky blackness of space returned in a rush, leaving only the stars and the system’s distance red dwarf sun to light the darkness. This sucks rocks, she complained. I always get stuck babysitting The Beast. Make Carl do it for once.

Shut up and extend the nets.

Massive electromagnetic nets began to slowly extend from the hull. It would take a full hour for them to unfold completely. When they did, they’d pull anything into their clutches, clearing space of the hazard and making Captain Malik Koopman and his crew a fair amount of credit to sustain their operation.

So, I can pilot The Beast, but not a tug? That’s so stupid.

You’re not technically piloting anything, Audrey. I am. You just get to push a few buttons.

Why doesn’t this thing have a full A.I. interface, instead of this crappy automation program? The stupid thing isn’t even sentient.

A.I.’s are expensive, Malik growled, not for the first time. The lack of an A.I. was a frequent topic of discussion. They were on a long stretch and tempers were starting to flare. Maybe it was time to swap the crew. It was the extra power or the A.I.

Should have gone with the A.I.

Then how will we ever pull a moon out of orbit?

Like we’re ever going to do that.

You never know, he chuckled. Malik loved his ship. He’d sell the crew before he did The Beast. Who needed everything but key systems automated anyway? Besides, having an A.I. in exchange for less power wasn’t a compromise he was willing to make. Especially with the current job. With the recent troubles in the Bernard System, there were pieces of starship scattered all over. Some of it was small, hardly more than dust. An antimatter explosion could do that; pulverize everything into little pieces. It actually made his job easier. With no processing to do, all they had to do was net it, put it in the hold, and haul it to the smelter for a nice profit. The big pieces could be a challenge, but had their own payout. While not as easy to deal with, just one of significant size could equal what it took them a week to recover with the nets.

Hey, Malik. I’ve got a huge piece off the port side, 230 degrees off the axis.

Nice work, Carl. Ada, Audrey, get the hold prepped while we go take a look.

On it, Malik, his second replied.

Watch it with that tug, Carl, the captain warned. Any damage is going to come out of your pay this time.

You worry like an old woman. I swear it won’t get a scratch.

It took the Carl and Malik the better part of an hour to get the large chunk of metal to stop spinning and in the proper orientation before it could be loaded. It looked to have been a large, curved section of a freighter’s hull. Sections of the destroyed ship’s interior were still attached, the jagged edges melted from the superheated forces that had torn it apart. Nosing it into place with their tugs, they pushed it into the hold.

Nice work, Malik said.

Told you, captain. Not a scratch.

***

That is a big hunk of metal, Carl said, shrugging into his environmental suit while peering out the viewport window. The ship’s hull section they’d just pulled in was easily three hundred meters long. It maintained a static position at the rear of the mammoth holding bay where the ship’s electromagnetic locks kept it in place.

How many people do you think it held? Audrey looked over his shoulder, holding his helmet in her hands until he was ready to go.

Who cares? Besides, it wasn’t people. It was Tau Ceti.

Whatever. It’s still a shitty way to die. She helped Carl with this helmet, checking the suit’s systems before declaring him ready with a smack to the side of the head.

Like I said, Tau Ceti. They’re a bunch of ruthless, bloodthirsty animals and they got what they deserved. Carl stepped to the airlock, cycled the door and stepped through. You ready?

Yup. I’ll work the mitts while you scout the wreckage. She cycled the door again, releasing him to the ship’s interior and zero gravity. Audrey hated working in the suit, preferring instead to control the large manipulators from the safety of the control booth with what they called ‘mitts.’ The zero gravity, helmet, and the huge spaces gave her vertigo and claustrophobia. Despite her complaints, she preferred staying in The Beast where the artificial gravity, a meter of steel and insulation gave her a sense of safety. Admittedly, space wasn’t her favorite thing, but the money was good, so she’d tolerate it for a few more cycles until she’d banked enough credit to go back to college. Tuition was free, housing and food was not. When she finally earned her programming degree, she vowed never to leave planet-side ever again.

Audrey stood at the controls, waiting as Carl covered the distance to the ruined section of star ship floating in the hold. He’d give it a once over, picking out anything they found interesting or that could be salvaged before declaring the find. Everything they took in had to be logged and reported, but until then no one would know if something was missing. The original owners, if they were identified, could claim a percentage of the salvage, but picking through the wreckage and taking the good stuff before declaring the find was a great way to earn extra credit. It was a common practice and one Captain Koopman turned a blind eye to. On rare occasions, something they pulled in caught his fancy and he helped himself. ‘Captain’s tax’ he called it.

This thing is tore up pretty bad, Carl said, having finally reached his destination. He was barely a spec against the wreckage and the hold’s darkened interior. How about a little more light?

Audrey flipped the flood lights on. Is that good enough, or do you need me to work the remotes?

This is good. The helmet lights should be fine for the rest. Carl spent the next hour scouring the wreckage while Audrey watched the feed from his helmet-cam.

Hey, go back, she ordered, her interest peaked. Check that alcove to your right. Your other right, idiot.

Be nice, or I won’t bring it back for you.

Is that what I think it is?

If you’re referring to the Valtec custom data port, then yes. Audrey leaned forward with excitement, watching the feed as Carl reached to pick it up. The screen is busted, though.

Who cares? If the rest is intact, that will sell for a thousand credits, easy. They docked at the nearest port roughly every ninety cycles. Whichever port they found always had a black market for the selling of less than legally obtained goods. She hadn’t seen what Bernard had to offer yet, but they’d be sure to have something.

And that much closer to a college future.

Damn, right.

Carl put the data port into the carry bin he’d brought with him and continued his search. They found a few more odds and ends, but nothing significant until he let out a startled squeak.

Did you just squeal like a little girl?

Shut up. There’s a body.

Ugh. Seriously? Audrey clapped a hand over her eyes, peering tentatively through her fingers.

Pretty beat-up, too. One side is charred up pretty bad and she’s missing an arm and leg. There was a short pause as he looked closer. Too bad. She might have been pretty once.

Dude. Stop. You’re making me sick. Audrey moved her hand from her eyes to her mouth.

"I thought these were all Tau Ceti ships. How did she get here?

Hell if I know. Hostage maybe? Is the captain still getting bounty for recovered bodies? Audrey took a hard swallow, doing her best not to look at Carl’s feed.

He was, so long as they were human. Ask him, my suit’s comms suck.

Audrey tapped the communications console, switching to the all-hands frequency. Hey, Malik.

Yeah, he growled. You got that piece surveyed already?

Working on it. Are we still getting bounty for recovered remains?

As long as their human.

We got most of what’s left of some girl.

Toss it in the hold. Just don’t forget about it. I don’t want the place smelling like rotting corpses before you move it.

Will do, Audrey said, suppressing a shiver. Getting blown out into space had to be the worst way to die, ever. She didn’t know who the poor girl was, but she felt a stab of sympathy. She turned her attention back to Carl. Captain says to bag her and bring her in.

Carl tethered the girl to his bin and headed back to the airlock at full speed.

Careful, idiot. You’re coming in too fast.

I’m fine.

Quit screwing off. If you crack your helmet bouncing off the bulkhead, I’m not going out there to rescue you.

And here I thought you didn’t care.

I don’t. I just don’t like going into freezing cold vacuums with nothing but a few millimeters of fabric to separate me from instant death.

You’re paranoid. It would take a plasma cutter a half hour just to make a hole.

Completely off point. You’re coming in too fast. Cut your speed.

Fine. Carl did as she suggested. Not because he thought he needed to, but because Audrey was kind of cute and he didn’t want to ruin any remote chance he had of hooking up with her later. His attempts so far hadn’t met with success, but there was always tomorrow. He cycled the air lock, pulling the bin and the body in behind him. He cycled the door again, waiting for the air to pressurize and the gravity to return.

Audrey met him at the door, helping to remove the helmet. You’re air supply was getting low.

Tell me about it. The alarm was screaming in my ear all the way back, Carl said, scrubbing a hand through his short dark hair.

Grab the extra from the bin next time.

I thought about it. Too much of a pain to swap it out.

Audrey smirked. So is trying to breathe without air.

That sounds like concern, Carl smiled. Are you sure you don’t have feelings for me?

Not even a little, but you have my data port.

Carl reached down with his gloved hand, pulling out Audrey’s prize to set on the counter. It would be a while before it warmed up enough for them to touch it with bare hands. He nodded to what was left of the girl on the floor.

Don’t forget the nice dead girl, too.

You’re such a romantic. Come up with that all by yourself did you?

Carl laughed, punching her lightly in the shoulder. Come on. Help me dump her in cold storage.

Ugh. I’m not touching her.

What? It’s not like she’s all squishy or anything. Look, she’s frozen solid. Carl kicked the dead girl’s temple with his booted toe, making a dull thud.

Carl!

She’s dead, Audrey. The second coming of Jesus isn’t going to help this one.

I’m still not touching her. Toss her on the scrap heap and you can come get her later, she said nodding toward the far door.

Fine, but you owe me.

Whatever. Just don’t forget or Malik will be pissed.

CHAPTER 2

Lena cursed the durability of synthetic bar stools as one collided with her back. She fell to the beer and glass covered floor, blood from her mouth splashing red highlights across the surface. Snarling a curse, she rolled to her feet, catching the bottle aimed for her head with an elbow. She was distantly aware of the pain, but her adrenaline-fueled body blocked it out. She felt nothing but anger.

She struck with a right hook, ducked the fist aimed in retaliation, and followed up with an uppercut that left her opponent reeling. Lena didn’t wait for him to recover, kicking him in the solar plexus with her booted foot. Air whooshed from his lungs and he fell in a heap into a table before finally crashing on the floor where Lena had been moments before.

Lena straddled the man’s chest, grabbing him by the collar. She punched him hard several times before stopping to slam his head on the floor.

Say it again! she screamed in his face. Say it again! Lena raised her fist, to strike again but didn’t get the chance. Several sets of rough hands grabbed her, pushing her from the nearly unconscious man. Lena landed on her stomach, again on the beer and glass covered floor, but this time with two very big men in uniform kneeling on her back. Cursing them loudly, she struggled to free herself. Get off me!

Police! Quit resisting! One of the officers pushed her head into the floor, grinding a piece of glass into her cheek.

Owe. Ease up on the head guys. I’m done. Despite the pain of having two large men kneeling on her back, Lena relaxed, offering no resistance as they applied pulse-cuffs to her wrists. She knew from experience when the cops showed up, you stopped fighting immediately. She would have stopped sooner, but she’d been too angry and hadn’t seen them coming.

They searched her roughly, jerking her to her feet, half carrying, half dragging her to the door. Lena looked over her shoulder to see her opponent still down. She heard sirens sounding distantly and smiled with satisfaction.

Lena took a seat on the curb as directed and waited patiently as they scanned her ident-tag. From it, they’d see she was an employee of Echo Elite. It wouldn’t do her any good under the circumstances. She wasn’t ‘on the job’ and they’d know it. Not that she cared. She didn’t care about much these days. Since Rayne’s death two years prior, she’d fought her way through just about every bar on the planet in an attempt to exercise her anger. She was holding a lot and needed to empty it out every few weeks before it exploded on the people she called family. When she wasn’t angry, she felt hollow and empty in way she’d never felt before. Not when her mother died, not when squad-mates had been killed, not ever. Rayne had become the sister she’d never had. Losing her had been devastating.

Lena Ramirez. Fancy seeing you here.

She glanced up, then to the darkness of the alley across the street, her eyes glazed and indifferent. Sgt. Aikers. Nice to see you again.

Why can’t you just have a quiet, peaceful night out for once?

Lena shrugged. Just lucky, I guess.

Lucky my ass. You go looking for trouble every time you’re out.

Blood trickled down her cheek, sliding down the line of her jaw to drip on her shoulder. She didn’t bother to wipe it away. Whatever.

What was it this time, did someone insult your beloved corp?

Lena bit the curse threatening to burst forth. It wasn’t smart to piss off cops, especially the one with stripes on his shoulder. Even if she hadn’t thrown the first punch she could easily find herself in a holding cell with a public disturbance charge.

A commotion at the bar door drew both their attention. The man she’d beaten was pushing off medical services, doing his best to stagger away. Catching sight of Lena, his gaze darkened in anger and he stalked forward with murderous intent. He went down seconds later when the officers on scene stunned him into submission.

Lena snorted her disgust.

Sgt. Aikers looked on, making sure the man was being properly secured, then turned back to Lena. You wanna tell me what this is all about?

Not really, she said, clearing her throat noisily and spitting blood in the gutter.

Indulge me.

Lena shrugged. He took a swing at me.

And you swung back.

Something like that.

So why’d he swing at you?

You’ll have to ask him. I just defended myself.

Uhu. Sgt. Aikers didn’t look convinced. Keeping his eyes on Lena, he shouted to the officer who’d just emerged from the bar. Simpson! Get over here! The officer lumbered over, his arms two sizes too big for his shirt. The lady here says the guy swung first. That true?

Sure thing, sarge. Feed shows it real clear and the bar tender confirms it.

Did the feed or anyone say what this was all about?

I guess the army shock-troop made a pass and she told him piss off. When he wouldn’t let it go she had some pretty descriptive ideas about what he could do with himself. He paused, looking at Lena with a smirk. I’m not sure most of it was anatomically possible.

Ramirez, the police sergeant said, raising a bushy brow. Do you have a death wish or something?

Lena shrugged her shoulders, not bothering to reply.

Sgt. Aikers stared at her for a moment before speaking to the officer, Kick her loose and put the trooper in the tank for the night.

***

Lena road the mag-lev, staring vacantly at the city lights flashing past. It was the early morning hours, between the time revelers had passed out and those working got up to go to their jobs. The few passengers on the train gave her a wide berth, casting furtive glances her direction at frequent intervals. She hadn’t bothered cleaning the blood from her face and clothes. She ignored them. What they thought or believed mattered not at all.

Rayne was gone. She replayed the scene in her mind over and over, as she often did a dozen times per day. Her bloody knuckles breaking on the heavy airlock door. Rayne’s expression, just before cycling the lock. It had been resigned, peaceful, as if convinced what she was doing was the right thing.

Lena fisted her hands so tight the joints creaked, her anger flooding the vacant space of her heart. What Rayne had done was absolutely wrong. Her friend had given up. She’d quit. After all she’d been through, she’d blasted herself out an airlock to escape the fight. Lena couldn’t fathom it. Echo Team was there, they were on their feet…mostly. They could have fought. She’d rather stand, fight and die together than let one person sacrifice for the group. It wasn’t right.

The mag-lev slowed to a stop. Lena looked up, realizing she’d reached her stop. Limping to the door, she stepped into the night, walking slowly toward her apartment. She’d moved from the one Rayne had shared with her. Every turn had been a memory of her friend, from the bedroom where they’d suffered through her frequent night terrors, to the kitchen where she’d baked cookies.

She stopped at the front of her darkened apartment. What did it matter? Rayne was gone. She was wasting her time dwelling on it. Taking a deep breath, Lena cast her eyes to the inky black sky. The anger drained away, leaving her with nothing to feel.

Limping up the walk, she pushed the door open, stumbling on stiff legs. Lena caught herself, then stepped forward, bumping her knee on a table. She cursed, loudly. As if she didn’t have enough bruises.

Are you okay, Miss Lena, the house AI asked.

Shut the hell up, she grumbled, rubbing her knee. Lena stumbled again, knocking one of Abena’s decorative vases over with a crash. Damnit! Putting her back to the wall, she let herself slide to the floor and cradled her head in her arms. The effort it would take to go to her room seemed too much. Maybe she’d just sleep there.

Could you possibly make any more noise? Abena stumbled from the darkness, her hair disheveled and her eyes bleary. She spoke a word and the lights flashed on, revealing dark toned muscles under a short white nightgown that would have left Taft drooling. Where the hell have you been?

Lena squinted, turning her face from the light. Out.

Did you get in another fight? Her teammate bent down, taking a closer look at the blood covering her clothes, face and knuckles.

No.

Lena. You’ve got to stop this. Abena took a seat next to her, sitting shoulder to shoulder on the floor.

What? He threw the first punch.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each keeping company with their own thoughts. It was Abena who finally spoke.

She’s gone, Lena. Stop beating everyone up in retaliation.

Like you care.

That’s not fair. She was my friend too.

Is that why you left?

Knock it off, Lena.

You left the second you found out she had an AI stuck in her head. You left! She screamed the last, staggering to her feet.

Abena rose with her, standing toe to toe with her longtime friend. She yelled back, her own anger, frustration and guilt boiling over.

"Yes! I left, alright!

Because you couldn’t handle it!

Yes. Is that what you want to hear? Yes, I left because I couldn’t deal. I’m sorry, I’m ashamed and I wish I could take it back!

Why?! Lena cried in despair and hurt. She was our sister and you abandoned us?

I don’t want to talk about it. Abena deflated, the hot emotions suddenly draining away. She turned and retreated toward the kitchen.

Abena, Lena said in a softer, pleading tone.

Abena stopped, shoulders sagging in defeat. Okay. She pulled a chair from the kitchen table and sat. Lena took the seat closest, waiting quietly until her friend was ready. After several deep breaths and false starts, she began, her voice flat and void of emotion like she was recalling something she’d read or that had happened to someone else. My team was on a deep space recon. Tau Ceti had been attacking settlements and we were looking for their base of operations. We had been together for a long time. We were tight. Abena closed her eyes, running painted fingernails through tightly curled hair. There was an android assigned to pilot the mission. We were going pretty far out, so we were scheduled to be in stasis for part of the operation. On the return trip, we came out of stasis to find it had gone ape shit and cut the power to two of the stasis pods, claiming the ship needed the extra power for key systems. It killed one more of us in the fight it took to take back the ship. Abena stared at her hands resting on the table, her gaze unfocused and lost in the memories of the past.

I’m sorry. Lena rested a hand on Abena’s, a show of support and understanding. Her bloody knuckles working cross purposes with her intent.

So am I.

They didn’t speak again for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts.

So no androids, but working in a T80 with a combat AI is fine.

A T80 can’t take control.

Rayne’s not an android.

I know, but…

But nothing, Lena shot back, cutting her off. She’s not an android.

She’s barely in control, Lena.

Are you serious? The anger slipped back into her voice, incredulous her friend couldn’t see the obvious. Even if she didn’t have a T80 combat AI stuck in her head she’d be that way. Shit, Abena. She’s a combat vet, even if she’s never been a marine. She’s killed more and survived more than all of us combined.

I…

And this… She held up the bracelet on her wrist that Rayne had worn. The one created by Vlad’s parents to stabilize the interaction between Rayne and the T80. This was finally leveling her out before the admiral’s psycho bitch ex and Fleet Intel came after her. Lena closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths while she tried reigning in her temper. Abena was her friend. She didn’t want to be angry with her, but she was wrong. She was stable, Abena. She was finally stable. Rayne had a chance at being normal and they screwed it up.

Tears streamed down Abena’s face. I’m sorry. I was wrong.

I know, but she’s gone and it’s too late.

I know.

They sat in silence before Abena finally stirred, wiping the tears from her face. She stood, grabbing Lena by the arm. Come on. Let’s get some sleep. Mike’s got a job for us.

CHAPTER 3

Rayne came awake with icy fire in her veins, screaming in agony with each beat of her heart. Her entire world was pain, alternating between agony