Galaxy of Heroes

Grimes walked between the crowded tables and disappeared down the stairs. Genie followed him.

“He’s going to get his head knocked off,” Capt. Casey said.

“Boys will be boys,” Capt. Spade said.

Spade lit a cigar and puffed on it. “I really could use a good copilot, Mina,” he said. “Seriously. What do you say?”

“Not a chance,” she replied.

Spade put his hand on top of hers. “We had some good times together,” he said.

“Hey, Jace,” she said. “That ship has sailed.”

She pulled her hand away.

Spade leaned back in his seat and puffed smoke rings as he watched the match below. “Any chance that ship will come back into port?”

“Not in your harbor,” she said.

“You’re breaking my heart, Mina.”

“Do you know what you’ve done to my heart?” she asked. “It’s a wasteland now.”

He looked into her dark eyes in the dim light. “Give me another chance.”

“Forget it, Jace.”

He leaned back and took another puff on his cigar. “I want to make you happy again,” he said.

“Make the Craaldans go away,” she said. “That would make me happy.”

“If I did, would you love me again?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “But I might forgive you.”

Spade returned his attention to the pit. He took another puff on his cigar. “They say the good ones always get away,” he said.

“Yes,” Capt. Casey said. “Especially when you dump the good ones for a sexbot. I swear, you and Joe have an unseemly obsession with Tetrailani cyborgs.”

“Don’t judge us, Mina,” he said. “The Tetrailani make them to get under our skin.”

“You’re a sleaze,” she said.

“I hear this Jod person has brothels full of them, with male versions too. Don’t knock them until you’ve tried them.”

“Now that would be weird,” Capt. Casey said. She shook her head looking at him. “I can’t believe I ever saw anything in you.”

“So,” Spade said. “What’s next for Captain Mina Casey? What far off planet is the Star Rover voyaging to next?”

“No more voyages for me,” she said. “At least I hope not. A new human civilization is rising here, and there’s lots to build—infrastructure, spaceports, habitations, industry, agriculture. I plan on sticking around. I got a job with a mechanical engineering cooperative.”

“You’re going to be a mechanic?” Spade asked.

“Yes,” she said. “It will pay the bills and give me afternoons and weekends off.”

“Sounds conventional,” Spade said. “And I thought you were the reckless one.”

“I don’t want to be reckless anymore. I just want a regular job and a house by the beach to call home. A swim after work and then a cold drink while watching the sunset—that kind of thing.”

“Dreamy,” Spade said, “until the Craaldans show up.”

“I’m going to enjoy this planet until then,” she said. “It could end tomorrow. Or it could last another hundred years. I don’t care.”

“They will be here sooner rather than later,” Spade said. “Craaldans walk around Portogallos freely.”

“They are disconcerting,” she said.

Down below, two men stepped into the pit.

“Zong faces the challenger, Sergeant First Class Joe J. Grimes, from the Heliac System,” the announcer said.

Grimes faced off against the big Megalan, who, at seven feet tall, towered over him. Zong’s white hair was cut short for the event. He rippled with muscles and had the bulk of a battle tank.

Grimes was shirtless. He was muscular himself, but taut and lean. His torso was defaced with numerous battle scars. His abdomen and back were hatched with healed shrapnel wounds, as well as scar tissue that were evidence of torture sessions with his Craaldan captors.

Zong charged across the pit at Grimes, who sidestepped and kicked hard at the bigger man’s knee. The big Megalan turned and charged again and tried to clinch, but Grimes evaded and again threw a swift kick at his knee.

“Looks like our hero has a strategy,” Capt. Spade said.

Each time Zong rushed him, Grimes darted to one side and immediately snapped a powerful kick at the Megalan’s knee, which was swelling and turning blue.

Zong buckled, and Grimes jumped him and threw a punch at his face, rocking the big man’s head back.

“That Joe sure can fight,” Capt. Casey said.

“He looks sluggish,” Spade said.

Grimes threw powerful strikes into Zong’s face. The big Megalan roared with fury and rose to his feet, shoving Grimes hard across the mat.

Zong charged him. Grimes ducked his grasp and sliced at the big man’s knee with an elbow, connecting with a hard crunch.

Zong buckled again and dropped to his knees. Grimes swung around onto Zong’s back and locked in a chokehold. He arched his back and strained as he tightened the hold.

“He’s got him,” Capt. Casey said.

Zong’s eyes rolled backward. The giant Megalan fell forward to the mat unconscious. Grimes rose up off of him and pumped a fist. The crowd roared.

Capt. Casey clapped and cheered. “He sure is a scrapper,” she said.

Spade relit his cigar. “I didn’t think he had it in him.”

As the two combatants were led away, Jod loped out to the center of the pit.

The tall, gangly human raised his arms high to cheers from the crowd.

“People of Portogallos,” Jod said. “Thank you for coming out tonight. Let’s hear it for these fighters!”

The intoxicated crowd thundered.

“I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel to see so many humans here together enjoying themselves on this blessed planet,” Jod said. “We humans have known only suffering and humiliation for far too long, but here on Gallos we can breathe again and feel the warmth of a friendly sun, and walk on a world like that of our ancestors. It is good to be here on this planet with you—on this new Earth!”

The crowd responded with applause.

“Gallos is a better world than all the worlds that came before. We humans have finally found our place in the galaxy!”

The crowd roared.

“But, my fellow humans, there is great danger here. Two mighty empires of the Inner Galaxy are engaged in a destructive and epic war. Species far more evolved than our own are being driven to extinction as the great conflict rolls over them and engulfs them.”

The interest of the crowd began to wane. Conversations arose on the terraces as people resumed drinking and eating.

“Gallos lies in a precarious corner of the galaxy,” Jod said. His image was being broadcast on the screens that were everywhere on the walls and tables and stairwells and elevators, but few were paying attention. “So close to the Craaldan frontier, our planet is coveted by the murderous Diocon Empire. We humans are unprepared to deal with the challenges that face us. We humans of Gallos lack unity and purpose. There is disorder here. Thieves and cutthroats walk freely amongst us. Only hours ago I learned that a criminal enterprise that calls itself the Crypto Syndicate has allied itself with the Diocon Empire. The Diocons have bribed and armed this band of traitors who have sworn to do the bidding of those whose aim is massacre.”

Whispers and grumbles arose on the terraces.

“Yes, humans of Gallos. Remember that human history teaches us that treachery lurks in the hearts of the weak-willed and the greedy. Time and again, treachery in men’s souls has led our species to calamity. I have learned that this syndicate is planning an attack on Portogallos to seize control of this planet and turn it over to the Diocon genocidists. Currently, we humans lack defenses to stop it.”

Jod looked down for a moment, then looked straight out from the screen. His face carried an expression of total sincerity and conviction. “Continued freedom and prosperity on Gallos is possible, but we require direction. We need strong leadership, expertise and diplomacy. Yet, we remain unorganized and weak. However, there are those amongst us who are joining together to build a government and a defense force. I ask you to join me in bringing order to Portogallos. Join me and together we can build a new tomorrow.”

A few in the crowd clapped intermittently.

“Join me and take part in a new dawn for humanity on this new Earth!”

The screens around the amphitheater displayed contact information for those interested in joining Verman Jod’s new tomorrow.

Jod searched the crowd for its reaction, but instead of applause and adulation, he found indifference. His disappointment was evident. He lumbered out of the pit.

“That was weird,” Capt. Casey said.

“Didn’t humans leave Earth to get away from people like him?” Spade asked.

“Yeah,” Capt. Casey said. “But guys like him always show up to ruin the fun.”