DarkStar Running (Living on the Run Book 2) by Ben Patterson Page B

guessed, two ships hid in its shadow.
“They look like Corsairs.”
    “Pirates?” Lilia said in surprise. “Who wouldda guessed?”
    “They’re just waiting for easy pickin’s.”
    Lilia eased back in her chair. “Good.”
    A throbbing head impaired his ability to think. “We’re
disadvantaged, waitress. What could possibly be good about having our escape
blocked?”
    Without taking her eyes from the screen, she smiled with
intent. “Stan, haven’t you heard? Disadvantage brings to light the more clever
captain.”
    Had he heard ? It was what he lived for. Stan
practically coined the phrase . . . but where had this waitress
picked it up, and what did she now have in mind?
    “ DarkStar ,” she said, “I want the engines to look
like they’re over-heating.”
    “Can do, Captain. At your command.”
    “Reduce speed. Let the Darts catch us right when
we’re in range of the Corsairs.”
    Catching on to what she wanted, Stan realized she had
quickly come up with a good plan. Where did that come from? he thought.
    “Get ready to take it from here, Stan.”
    Stan tabbed his console to ready their plan. To all others
it would seem as if their over-heating engines would soon go critical.
    “Going to Level-B stealth in five seconds.”
    As if spoken by someone else, Stan heard himself boldly say
what should have sounded like nonsense, but he understood completely. Through
intense pain he and she had learned all about this unique spacecraft in a
matter of moments. Lightning fast, technical data now scrolled through Stan’s head.
The ship had three stealth levels: Level-A would make the ship
completely undetectable, rendering no readings at all. Level-B made the
ship appear other than it was by projecting readings such as the over-heated
engines.
    Unlike any other vessel, DarkStar could cast a Sensory
Shadow-ship , a holographic projected craft identical to her in every
way—size, shape, color; except the fake ship had no real substance. Combining
that feature with Level-A stealth mode would leave their adversaries
unaware of the true events.
    “Creating a Sensory Shadow-ship ,” Stan said, “and
going to Level-A . I’ll drop a class-2 Nuke and give us separation in 5
seconds.”
    Stan placed the small nuclear bomb where the Shadow-ship’s engine core should be, had it been the real ship, and then pulled the now
invisible ship away. Taking DarkStar’s place, the Shadow-ship made it easy for the real ship to sneak away undetected.
    Lilia whispered as if her voice would betray their true
position. “Looks like they’re taking the bait, Stan.”
    “Aye, Cap. Easing away,” Stan responded quietly.
    “Careful now.”
    “As soon as both parties are within gunshot of our Shadow-ship .
I’ll detonate the bomb.”
    “Good job, Stan. Each party will think the other shot
first.”
    “ DarkStar , resume control.” Stan said, easing back
from the controls. “Get us to a safe distance, and hold position there.”
    Lilia made little effort to hide her distain. “We could wait
and watch these clowns hash out their differences . . . or we could
simply head to safety. Providence Prime awaits, does it not?”
    “Watching the pending butchery makes little sense to you,
does it?” Stan kept a close eye on the screen.
    “Well, no, actually. I see no reason to stay.”
    Stan rubbed his neck. “Lilia, go fix yourself some lunch.
I’ll be down in a bit.”
    Lilia shook her head and scowled. “Let’s leave these fools
to their own destruction.”
    “You don’t want to stay? Fine. Go occupy your time with
something else. I’m sure this ship is full of distraction.”
    “Can we just move on?” Lilia said, her tone growing irritable.
    “Do what you will. I’m staying put to the end.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “ Will the wonders never
cease? You know, for a fleeting moment back there, I
thought you knew what it was to be a ship’s captain. Now, b y the wildest
stretch of my imagination, I simply don’t