Tales from Infinity

Captain Blue: Scourge of Andromeda

Deafening alarms and blinding emergency lights sent the guests of the Majesty of the Cosmos - the only spaceliner in the cosmos with a functioning city onboard - running to their quarters. When the artificial gravity stopped working, everyone knew.

Pirates.

The crew barricaded and sealed the deck's bulkhead. The tour group that had been in the room were instructed to lay down under the consoles. Leera clung tight to her mother, who held onto her husband and the other passengers with linked arms.

Children at school had tried to scare Leera with stories about Captain Blue; a pirate so fierce the Andromeda Guard avoided him. His ship could trap asteroids in an orbit, like moons, and throw them at unsuspecting vessels. The stories seemed like fairy tales.

After the first asteroid passed them at sub-light speeds, a whisper began to rise around the room.

"Asteroid's Nightmare."

It was him, and that was a warning shot.

Captain Hugh ordered full ahead, when the proximity alarms rang again.

Majesty of the Cosmos pulled up in a spiral, the asteroid missing one of its engines by less than a meter.

"Crew! By contract, we have a duty to resist hostile boarding. Shields to maximum power, bring our cannons online."

A crewmember yelled out, "Two more incoming!"

"Chavez blow them apart, those things mess with the onboard gravity. Muraldo, turn us around! Main cannons ready on my mark."

Leera's sweaty grip slipped, and the next sharp spin threw her across the floor.

"I've got you." The tour guide, Blu'rruk'p, a purple cephan with facial tentacles, held her tight in his smaller pair of arms; the larger pair grasped a command console.

Asteroid's Nightmare was close enough to see on screen. Smaller and sleeker than the Majesty, three asteroids hundreds of times larger than it followed in its wake.

The main cannons fired, disintegrating two of the rocks.

The pirate ship blinked out of sight underneath them, firing its final projectile faster than the others. Pilot Muraldo flung herself against the controls.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

The ship shook, knocking everyone to the ground but Leera and her tour guide. Everything went silent.

Blu'rruk'p put her down. "Back to your parents now."

The cephan walked to the captain. "Engines are down. I assume you trained in pirate boarding procedures?"

White-faced, he gave a solemn nod.

"How do you know they'll let us live? We fought back."

Blu'rruk'p sat and leaned back. "Their captain is a fair man. If your ship can outgun or outrun his, you are free to try. Pity your ship held your pilot back. Marvelous show, Muraldo!"

The bulkhead opened; a satisfied hacker and horde of pirates on the other side. Someone screamed.

"Quiet! Valuables in a pile!" A one-eyed Glomoin walked in, holding a hat and coat.

He strutted to the cephan, offering the garments with deference. "Captain Blue."

"Scourge of Andromeda, at your service. My thanks, First Mate Rolo." Blue donned his hat, grinning. "Chavez! Muraldo! Want a job?"

He shot Leera a wink.