SHALLOW SPACE: THE GIFT

John Harper
Copyright 2014 by John Harper
Smashwords Edition
Marlon Kurtz ehaled i!e" #orming #ra!tals against his helmet$s %isor& He glan!ed at
the dea!ti%ated !ontrols o# his !ustom starship$s !o!'pit then !he!'ed his sur%i%al
suit$s !ontrols& (i%e degrees" as programmed& ) wee' o# !ryogeni! !onditions had
sounded more !om#ortable in planning" but he was still 2*+ degrees abo%e absolute
zero" and thus a target #or anyone loo'ing hard in his dire!tion& He grunted and
tu!'ed his glo%ed #ingers ba!' inside his armpits&
,eyond the %iewport the star Helios shone with brilliant white #ury" ma'ing him
s-uint despite the auto shading&
He !ontinued his routine o# toe and #inger stret!hes" though he !ouldn.t sha'e that
dull a!he in his /oints o# impending #rostbite& 0rin'ing #rom his helmet.s su!' was
agony on his desi!!ated lips& )t the agreed time he rea!ti%ated the passi%e
sensors&
) ris'& Small" but a ris' nonetheless and there was nowhere to hide in the
#rea'ishly empty stellar system& He s-uinted at the star again& 1here" a small
bla!' dis' be#ore the burning whiteness" the only planet in orbit& 21he 3i#t$"
a!!ording to the 4mperial Systems almana!& 21he 5rize$ in pirate !ir!les&
1he s!anner bleeped& ) single low powered pulse #rom 1he 3i#t& 4t barely
registered" but it was enough& He breathed in deep" numb #ingers sha'ing toward
the worn6smooth 2go$ button" an un!hara!teristi! tremor in his heart&
His gaze tra!'ed to the rear %iew& 1his would be his biggest /ob yet& )nd the
boldest& He didn$t ha%e to pro!eed& He !ould turn and #lee& He didn$t need the
(ortez Clan.s money" nor did he #ear their wrath #or brea'ing a !ontra!t6
He depressed the button&
6but he had a reputation& He wasn$t going to brea' it now&
,linding lights #illed the !o!'pit& Consoles beeped with initializing so#tware& He
pulled o## his helmet and heat burned through his #rigid body& His ner%es s!reamed
in e!stasy and pain at the sudden warmth and Marlon !losed his eyes" bas'ing in
the simple a!t o# #eeling&
He ga%e himsel# #i%e sel#ish se!onds o# warming then pointed the ship toward 1he
3i#t and engaged the prime mo%er&
7
1he )rmadillo patrol !ra#t pinged him hal# way to 1he 3i#t& Marlon ignored the
hails and threats and maintained his beeline& 1he 3i#t grew beyond the %iewport"
the albedo o# the sharp !rystalline lands!ape lending it a blo!'y shape&
His s!anner dete!ted a se!ond ping 8 a se!ond )rmadillo trying to !ut him o##& He
re6!he!'ed his mole.s !oordinates dirt6side and ad/usted his tra/e!tory&
Shapes be!ame distin!t on the sur#a!e9 towering !uboids o# zir!onia" !loudy
pyramids o# spinel" rows o# diamond pi!'et #en!es& Marlon swooped downward" a
pudgy )rmadillo behind" another trying to !ut a!ross his %e!tor&
Marlon.s missile alarm warbled& Stoma!h tightening" he sha%ed a 'li!' o## his
altitude& He ra!ed toward the terminator" the ship.s hull s!raping abo%e
shimmering obelis's&
1he land #ell away to a glittering red o!ean glowing under Helios. assault& His
engine.s thermostat #lashed red& 1he engines !oughed" sha'ing the ship but he
didn.t slow& 1he thermostat 'ept rising" the missile alarm warbled again" the
engines hi!!upped" losing him another 'li!'" and then there was dar'ness& 1he
ship.s %ibrations be!ame a purr and he !limbed to a sa#e altitude and !he!'ed his
!oordinates&
1here" #i%e hundred 'ilometers ahead" another !learing between rows o# in%erted
stalagmites& He glan!ed at the s!anner& 1he !losest armadillo was eighty se!onds
ba!'& 3ood enough& He re6#astened his helmet" rapped his 'nu!'les against the
!o!'pit #rame and nodded to himsel#& He dumped the #uel tan'" aimed at the
middle o# the !learing" leant ba!'ward" !len!hed his !hest6
6and pulled the e/e!tion !ord&
) triple pun!h o# sensation9 the de!ompression o# the %iewport #lying o##" the wind
!rushing him ba!' into his !hair and the !ompressed air slamming up his arse&
1he head up display disappeared below him" then the ship #lashed past" dar'ness"
s-uare !rystal shapes" dar'ness again& ,u##eting wind tore at his limbs: blurring
!olours made him want to %omit&
1he suit.s /etpa!' engaged and his body !ame to nil %elo!ity instantly" his eyes a
#ew se!onds later& ;armth #ired o%er his dangling #eet as he ho%ered a hundred
metres abo%e the sur#a!e&
1he per#e!t pla!e to wat!h the !rash&
His little ship that had !arried him so #ar o%ershot the !learing and eploded into a
bre!!ia prism& (iery #ragments rained down to the red sea below and Marlon
!len!hed his teeth at his poor aim&
Still" it was a su!!ess& He a!ti%ated the tra!er on his wrist and manoeu%red down
to the e/e!tion seat& He !he!'ed his !hrono& Sity se!onds sin!e e/e!tion& He
!ould hear the whine o# the approa!hing )rmadillo.s engines& He unpa!'ed the
#uel and organi! matter #rom their seat pou!hes& He emptied both o%er the seat
and used the single #lare he.d 'ept to ignite it&
1he #ire burnt brightly and Kurtz /etted to the shore" the /etpa!' dying as he
landed& He didn.t need it now anyway& 1oo ob%ious&
4n the distan!e" lights #lashed on" highlighting the wre!'age o# Marlon.s ship&
He turned away" !onsulted his !ompass and started wal'ing&
7
Captain 1om .Hurl. 3regory.s !ommand !hair 'i!'ed him in the ba!' as the (1<
tunnel e%aporated& 1he !olour out the %iewport !oales!ed into the pain#ul
brightness o# Helios" the smallest" shittiest" least use#ul system in the 4mperium&
He stro'ed his !ommand !hair.s arm rest& TCN Concordia& ) grand name" a grand
ship" playing tramp #reighter on its retirement tour& 4t was almost an insult&
Sighing" he unstrapped and wal'ed past the !ommuni!ation pit to the astrogation
station& Holographi! details #littered a!ross the o!tagonal %iew panes ahead" the
battle !omputer running threat analyses on e%ery ob/e!t in range&
=;e.ll do this li'e the last system"= 1om said to the bridge !rew& =3et in" do a
dan!e" #lash a smile" and get out as soon as possible&= He raised his %oi!e #or the
pun!h line but re!ei%ed #ew smiles& 1he in6/o'e was wearing thin" /ust li'e the
tour& 1he !rew were already prepping #or their net assignment& 1om hadn.t
!onsidered his net step& He had another !ouple o# years" i# he wanted them&
He spun ba!' to the pit& =Conta!t the 0e#en!e 5lat#orm& 4 want their sitrep on my
!hair in #i%e minutes&= He strode past a !horus o# .aye6ayes. to his !hair&
4nstru!tions boun!ed #rom o##i!er to o##i!er" the e##i!ient !li!'s o# mag boots
rolling along the de!'& If I take another command I'll get one of the new boats
with that anti-grav tech.
1he report appeared on his !hair.s readout& Sporadi! and ine##e!ti%e pirate
in!ursions& >ne ship made a sui!ide run on the planet itsel#" while a #ew others
had tried 8 and #ailed 8 to ta'e on the )rmadillos& ) slow wee' by all a!!ounts&
He loo'ed up to the %iewport" #elt the %ibration o# the prime mo%ers through his
!hair and up his spine" and wat!hed the !rystal ball o# 1he 3i#t grow be#ore him&
=3eosyn!hronous orbit"= he instru!ted his ?>" who relayed the !ommands" =o%er
the main settlement&= 4t was /ust a resear!h station but e%en s!ientists !ould be
wowed and a two thousand metre long battleship hanging dire!tly o%erhead
normally -uali#ied&
His ?> 'ept bar'ing orders at the !rew& 1hey possibly mo%ed #aster under her
orders than his& That devil woman has a real future, he thought" though he.d be
damned i# he.d say that to her #a!e&
=>rbit a!hie%ed"= she said&
=4n !oming signal #rom the planet"= !alled a te!h #rom the 5it& =Chie# <orenzo&=
=5ut him on s!reen&= 4t amused 1om that the s!ientists top ran' was e-ui%alent to
an enlisted !rewman&
1he %iew o# 1he 3i#t dissol%ed into a sharp edged man with sten!illed bla!' hair"
bla!' eyes and a big mole on the right side o# his !hin& He ga%e a !urt nod&
=Captain 3regory" wel!ome to Helios&=
=Chie# <orenzo"= replied 1om& =1han' you #or your hospitality& ;e ha%e the
re-uested supplies in our hold9 #oodstu##s #rom the Messiers system" laboratory
e-uipment #rom 5leiades&=
=1han' you Captain& 1he Emperor.s tribute is ready #or upli#ting at your
!on%enien!e& 4n addition we ha%e studied a re!ent interloper.s ship and ha%e sent
the details to Central 0ynami!s& 1hey ha%e as'ed #or the wre!'age to be upli#ted
also&=
1om narrowed his eyes& C0 was a !ore supplier to the na%y and i# they saw some
ad%antage in a pirate detritus" #ine" but the sa#ety o# his ship was paramount& He
glan!ed at his ?> who was already !he!'ing #or updated orders& She nodded&
=4.ll ha%e nothing brought aboard my ship until 4.%e had my own !rew s!an it&= He
thought #or a moment& =4.ll bring down a shuttle personally&=
7
Marlon spotted the silhouette atop the spe!'led diamond butte and #roze&
,eyond the #igure" the #ier!e lights o# the resear!h base lit up the night as i# Helios
itsel# was about to rise& 1here was a #aint tra!e o# soot in the air&
He returned his #o!us to the #igure& ) poor sentry position" thus li'ely his guy and
not a na%y guard" but not guaranteed& @sing the in%erted stalagmites as !o%er he
snu!' around the ba!' o# the butte" up a !hiselled stairway" behind the #igure and
tapped him on the shoulder&
1he #igure leapt a #oot high and would ha%e #allen o%er the edge i# Marlon hadn.t
grabbed him& Definitely ust a scientist.
=0o!tor 3rey 4 presumeA= Marlon said&
=Mer!i#ul 0iety"= hissed 3rey" one hand to his !hest" the other !lut!hing Marlon.s
arm& He breathed deep" straightened his bla!' standard6issue 1CB blazer and
loo'ed Marlon o%er& =How long did you wor' on that witty lineA=
Marlon snorted& Jumpy but le%el headed& He.d !hosen well& =)ll trip&=
3rey withdrew a %a!uum pa!'ed blazer #rom a po!'et and passed it to Marlon&
=<et.s go&=
Marlon shrugged into the blazer and #ollowed 3rey down the steps& Hidden within
a ring o# !olumns were the roo#s o# blan'i!ite6#abbed buildings" !andle towers and
a large gabled stru!ture o# either glass or !lear diamond& ,etween the buildings
was a na%y shuttle and beyond" the sal%aged debris o# Marlon.s ship&
=1he man upstairs is inspe!ting your wre!'age"= 3rey whispered" pointing upward
as he wea%ed through the buildings and his peers&
Marlon loo'ed upward& 1he battleship seemed to ho%er dire!tly o%erhead" so !lose
it loo'ed li'e a stain upon the !osmos" an aberration at odds with the serenity
around it& He swore he !ould see downward pointing laser blisters e%en at this
distan!e&
1hey entered the .!ity s-uare.& 1he na%y shuttle sat inert on its landing !laws&
,lazer6!lad resear!hers laughed around a sooty #ire that seemed to burn #rom the
!rystalline ground itsel#& Marlon #elt un!om#ortable& ;hy were so many out a#ter
!ur#ewA Bo" it was a !i%ilian base& He still !ouldn.t sha'e the military training"
e%en a#ter so many years&
1hey le#t the s-uare between two buildings but were stopped by a pair o# guards&
>ne raised his ri#le" #ingers twit!hing" the other held his palm out& =1his area is
o## limits&= His tone le#t no room #or rebuttal& Shrugging" 3rey too' Marlon ba!'"
out o# the base and around&
=4 !all this the sa%annah"= 3rey said" wa%ing to his surroundings& Marlon thought
the des!ription apt& ;here the other side o# the base had had a regular grid o#
s-uare !olumns" this area was mostly #lat" dotted with tortured blobs o# di##erent
sizes and shapes& 1hey loo'ed li'e melted golems" #rozen mid6death& Bot great
!o%er&
He !he!'ed #or spotters" snipers and drones& Clear& ># !ourse it was all moot i#
the battleship abo%e had !ameras trained on him& 1hey bent low and ra!ed
between golems to the edge o# the !learing& He pulled 3rey down to a s-uat by a
golem that reminded him o# a tree in hoar #rost&
1he !learing was lit by three !andle towers& 1hree men wandered amongst the
debris& >ne wore the ubi-uitous blazer and gestured at the inta!t !o!'pit #rame"
his #ranti! motions suggesting alarm or e!itement& Marlon.s heart s-ueezed his
!hest& Had they #igured out his planA He !ouldn.t help glan!ing o%er his shoulder
loo'ing #or an ambush&
1he se!ond man wa%ed a s!anner past the debris& 1he third" a na%y Captain by his
uni#orm #ollowed a #ew steps behind& 1he Captain 'ept glan!ing at his wrist and
gesturing at S!anner& E%entually he sighed at the s'y 8 or his ship 8 and nodded&
He turned and le#t" S!anner in tow" lea%ing ,lazer to smile at himsel#&
Marlon turned to 3rey" relie# #illing his !hest& =So #ar" so good& 4 /ust need one
more thing #rom you &=
7
0own in the greenhouse basement" Marlon played his #ingers o%er the !losest o#
ten plasti! drums& =Cou ha%e two hundred 'ilograms o# ammonium nitrateA= He
didn.t belie%e in any deity" but this was some 'ind o# lu!'&
3rey shrugged& =1he modern #ertilizers #ailed so we tried going prehistori!&= He
shrugged again& =,ut you saw upstairs& Bothing grows on this shit but #ire&=
Marlon nodded& 1he greenhouse.s beds o# pul%erised minerals were bare& =Cour
eperimentation won.t be wasted"= he assured 3rey" resisting the urge to rub his
glo%ed hands together& =How big is the .tribute.A= 1he na%y !argo li#ter was
already being loaded&

=>ne hundred pods& 4 ha%e two empties in my -uarters&=
1hey dragged two 20'g drums up the stairs and outside& 1he lights in the deserted
s-uare were o##" re#ra!ted light #rom the li#ter and the stars the only illumination&
1hey loaded the drums onto a gurney and pushed it #orward& 1he le#t #ront wheel
s-uaw'ed and Marlon.s heart nearly leapt #rom his mouth& He #roze" trying to
listen o%er the roaring o# blood in his ears&
Bo one made any noise" no one rushed #rom the shadows to arrest or shoot them&

=<et.s try that again"= Marlon whispered to a pale6#a!ed 3rey" slowly pushing the
gurney #orward& 1hey rea!hed 3rey.s -uarters without interruption" brought the
drums inside and loaded the empty !rystal pods& 1hey loaded the pods onto the
gurney and rolled it ba!' through the !ompound to the <i#ter&
1wo guards with pointed ri#les stopped them on the perimeter& =1ribute"=
stuttered 3rey 8 a!tingA 8 then !ontinued& =<ast two pods&=
1he guards glan!ed at ea!h other& =1he tribute has already been !ounted&=
Marlon eaggerated his glan!e behind the guards and threw up his hands& =4t.s
nearly #inished #or 0iety.s sa'e"= he said" his tone bordering on pleading& =<et us
through or we.ll get our butts 'i!'ed&=
1he guards shared another glan!e and their postures so#tened& Marlon smiled
inside9 the uni%ersal !onne!tion between all grunts 8 getting 'i!'ed down by the
man abo%e& 1he guards parted& =Just hurry it up will yaA=
Marlon and 3rey !omplied" ra!ing the gurney toward the loader me!h& =;oah
there"= Marlon yelled& =1wo more to go&=
=<oading operation !omplete"= !ame its stilted words& 4t turned away and waddled
inside&
!hit& 1he loader would ha%e sent an inspe!tion re-uest a#ter #inishing& 1hey were
out o# time& He stared dumbly at the open !argo hat!h #or a moment then
shrugged& He nudged 3rey& =Dui!'ly" let.s get this one on board&= "nd ho#e it's
enough.
1hey li#ted it up" staggered inside" past the now inert me!h and into the !argo
bay&
Magneti!ally restrained in the !orner" beside rows or !lamped tribute pods" sat
Marlon.s little ship& )n e!ho rang through the de!' as they dropped their pod&
3rey !lamped it down while Marlon retrie%ed a remote #rom his slee%e& Small"
bla!'" two buttons& He pressed the #irst button and the se!tions o# the !o!'pit
#rame snapped open li'e a spring loaded !lam& 0ust burst outward&
3rey stepped ba!'" breathing hard and wiping his #orehead& =;hat is itA=
=Sta!'ed )luminium powder" doused in ethylinediamine& S!anners register it as
solid when it.s under enough pressure&= He wat!hed 3rey breathing out hot" moist
air and #ighting the urge to sneeze& Beither were good #or the ali powder&

=<et.s go&=
1hey turned 8 and stopped dead" the na%y !aptain #illing the hat!h be#ore them&
=Cou two better ha%e a damn good reason #or trespassing on na%y property&=
Marlon !almed his heart and !onsidered whi!h way to play it& 1he Captain.s eyes
were stern and weathered& 1here was little time #or bullshit in those eyes and
Marlon.s a!ting wasn.t up to the game" so he played it straight& =Cour damn me!h
wouldn.t bring this last pod on&= He 'i!'ed it #or good measure" positi%e it wouldn.t
eplode& Cet&

3rey stepped #orward& =4.m not paid enough to brea' my ba!' li'e that& ;e
gather the tribute and the na%y loads it" that$s the agreement&=
1he Captain.s gaze wandered #rom Marlon to 3rey" unhurried" an eyebrow raised
li'e a s!hool prin!ipal eyeing !hildren in detention& 1hen his gaze snapped past
them&
Marlon swallowed" his tongue suddenly two sizes too big #or his mouth&
=;hat the damnation is thatA= 1he Captain snapped&
Marlon glan!ed at the Captain.s side6arm" adrenaline #izzing through his body" then
#or!ing himsel# to breath" turned ba!' to his ship&
He !ould taste the metalli! bite o# the mostly settled dust and the !o!'pit #rame
loo'ed !ompletely di##erent& ;hi!h had the Captain6
=My #ault sir"= 3rey said& =Kno!'ed the wre!'age with the pod& Crystalline dust
#rom sitting outside& Happens this time o# the season& 1he #ilters will get it&=
1he Captain stared at both o# them #or a se!ond" his eyes dar'" large" li'e
mi!ros!ope lenses and Marlon wasn.t sure i# he was peering through their souls at
their de!eption 8 and 3rey.s !lear bull shit 6 or merely de!iding whi!h o# them to
!rush under his boot #irst&
Marlon.s gaze returned to the Captain.s sidearm& Bo" better to brea' the #orearm"
bend him down and 'no!' him out& His legs and #ingers tensed in anti!ipation&
=3et o## the ship"= 1he Captain said" his tone rushed as i# he.d already #orgotten
them&
7
Marlon and 3rey wat!hed #rom the butte as the Captain.s shuttle li#ted o##&
=4.m going to be in the stin'y ri%er #or missing the #an#are down there"= 3rey said
absently&
=Cou.%e got the best seat in the house"= Marlon assured him as the li#ter rose abo%e
the !rystal obelis's" its thrusters roaring in the still night& He started !ounting as
the two ships shrun' to pinpri!'s" !losing on the orbiting battleship&
)!!eleration" de!eleration" orbital radius" landing pro!edures" together they
e-uated to a time that Marlon hoped was !lose to the one in his head&
1he !argo li#ter would -ueue while the shuttle do!'ed& 4t would re-uire a do!'ing
!lamp& He added a sa#ety margin o# thirty se!onds&
He #ingered the remote then pointed it up at the battleship&
He pressed the se!ond button&
7
1om 3regory stepped onto his bridge" opened his mouth to say" =<et.s get the he!'
out o# Helios=" when the Con!ordia lur!hed beneath his #eet& 1he lights died and
the de!' bu!'ed again& He stumbled #orward" !at!hing his !ommand !hair be#ore
his boots engaged& ) dozen alarms blared: twi!e as many %oi!es yelled o%er ea!h
other& Emergen!y lights #li!'ed on& Eed symbols #lashed a!ross the %iewport
#aster than 1om !ould register them& He ra!ed to the edge o# the 5it& =StatusA= he
boomed& (ire" hull brea!hes" se!tions isolated" !rew missing" death tolls& 1he
reports !ame to #ast to assimilate&
His ?> s!rambled up net to him& =0id something hit usA=
=Sir" 4n!omingF= yelled an o##i!er& 1om whirled ba!' to the %iewport& 3reen
targeting bra!'ets en!losed three dozen distant spe!'s&
=3et us mo%ingF= roared 1om& =5ower up the guns&=
=Main power down"= yelled an o##i!er& =;eapon systems o##line&=

=3et them online imbe!ileF= He whirled around& =1a!ti!alA 3et me a pi!ture on
these !lowns&=
His ?> turned to 1om #rom another o##i!er& =;e.%e lost hal# the engineering
se!tion& ;e thin' the eplosion !ame #rom inside&=

1om turned #rom his ?> to the %iewport" eyes widening li'e the growing spe!s
be#ore him" a bla!' hole #orming in his stoma!h&
Shallow Spa!e
Shallow Spa!e is a G0 Eeal time strategy game !urrently under de%elopment by
Cra!'down 3ames&
Command elements o# the 1erran Con#ederate Ba%y$s 3amma #leet as you
dominate se!tors o# spa!e tending to both random en!ounters and storyline
missions& Mine resour!es to ad%an!e your !apital ships" engage your !apital ships in
!ombat to impro%e your o##i!er$s s'ills and produ!e smaller ships to !ompliment
your #leet&
Cou !an #ollow our de%elopment progress at www&shallow6spa!e&!om and our many
de%elopment %ideos on our Coutube !hannel&
About The Author:
John Harper$s writing !areer began in his #irst year o# s!hool when he stood be#ore
the s!hool assembly and read out his 2no%elisation$ o# the mo%ie Short Cir!uit&
(ast #orward a #ew years and John is now a s!ien!e #i!tion writer li%ing in
;ellington" Bew Healand& His debut no%el" Elite9 )nd Here 1he ;heel" was
published in May 2014 by (antasti! ,oo's 5ublishing&
John li'es spending time with his wi#e and two !hildren" and he #ollows the !ri!'et
and I+ Super!ars religiously& John is a passionate writer at night and o!!upies his
days wor'ing as a !hartered me!hani!al engineer&
;eb9 www&andherethewheel&!o&nz
1witter9 Jandherethewheel