The Untold Story of Lady Robby Coffman: A Prequel to the Evolution Series

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Act Two: Past and Futures Collide

Standing behind the rear console of stations, Robbie watched carefully, keeping herself out of her father’s sight. Her left side of her face still hurt from her father’s hand earlier when she came onto the bridge. The blood that ran down her lip and chin long since dried in place, refusing to wipe it away in defiance. She pulled her sleek dark hair back into a ponytail. Displaying what he will do to maintain control. Even to his own daughter for even asking a simple question.

Karla this time gave her space standing several stations away. Her eyes, however, maintained contact with her in case she needed her. She also took a beating from standing up to him for her, only he was not as restrained. Picking her up, slamming her down onto the deck and knocking the wind out of her before trying to choke her. It took several others to break him off of her, allowing her to escape from his reach while pulling her away as well.

Several times, her father turned in his chair to glance back at her. His crude right cybernetic replacement eye protruding partially from its patch over the socket of his skull. It resembled a miniature camera lens. His thin white hair and beard covered the many scars across his head and face.

“Captain, the Suns Fury has just contacted us requesting to talk to you.” The older man at communications said aloud, getting Scott’s attention.

“For what?” Scott said, turning around to look at the projection in front of the bridge showing the Suns Fury. The Red and silver hull scarred and battered from their fight. The twin booms of the massive plasma guns still were undamaged and if they regained control of their ship, they could destroy the Onyx.

“Lady Camille LeBranch requests you answer her at once.”

Turning back around, surprised, he laughed. “Yvonne’s Daughter?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Well, obviously we may have struck them with a heavier blow then we thought. Put her on.” He sat up, somewhat amused, rubbing his chin.

The projection changed, displaying the upper half of a young, trim blond woman with bright blond hair that was braided along her head back into a ponytail. Twin red stripes ran down her forehead and face as the brown eyes glared at him. But it was the face that drew his attention. Her emotions were precarious.

“I demand parlay to barter.” The young woman said, her voice sounding like warm honey.

Scott laughed. “Oh really. You tried to lay claim to Taruram, which belongs to me and the Reapers. This space is our territory.” He sat back, crossing a leg.

“No longer. It’s not ours unless you want to be destroyed. I am offering you parlay. In exchange for some parts, we will let you live to return to the Amethyst.”

Scott pulled his leg back, dropping it to the floor, standing up and arched a white brow. “You can’t demand anything. You are badly damaged,” he declared.

“Captain. The Sun’s Fury is turning to face us and their main plasma cannons are powering up.” The navigator said quickly, reading his sensors.

“Well. I guess maybe I was mistaken. Let me talk to Yvonne.” Scott licked his lips.

Camille’s chin lowered as she peered at him. “My mother is dead. I am now captain of the Fury and head of the LeBranch house of the Red Runners. Either barter and live, or I will destroy you.”

Scott drew in a breath, then laughed, making Camille’s face redden. “If you destroy me, then how do you expect yourself to return to Haley’s Cove and live? You will run out of food and fuel long before ever reach home.” He turned around, sitting. “No parlay. Do what you must. Least I know you will join me in death not soon after you kill me.”

“You arrogant fool. My mother was right about you. You are insane. Fine. What do you need to repair your ship?” Camille roared.

“Not much, just a pilot who can get us home. Question is, what do you need in exchange?”

Camille's face twitched, still a beat red. “Taruram Three-eight-four and heavy power exchange relay.”

Scott's face became stone like.

Robbie glanced at Karla, the two giving each other looks. She couldn’t believe what was happening. Yvonne was dead and her daughter Camille was now head of their house?

Scott looked around the bridge at the damage. Pieces of conduit, wires, bunt metal and controls hung from above, and were strewn about the floor. Rubbing his chin, he looked back at Camille.

“Well? What is your answer?”

“Status of the Sun’s Fury?” Scott asked somewhat casually sitting back down.

“Father?”

“Silence! Do not interrupt me, Robbie!” Scott screamed, whirling around in his chair to glare at her for a moment.

Robbie growled, glaring back, baring her teeth as her eyes widened, tempting him to rise and strike her. But he turned back to Camille, leaving her breathing hard, her heart pounding in fear.

“They are still facing us with their guns armed.” Their navigator said.

Tapping his lips, he nodded. “I will give you Taruram and the part you need. But I need a pilot and one capable of getting us home with minimal controls and guidance.”

Camille licked her lips. “I have a pilot to spare. But you must promise me to do something for him.”

Scott drew in a breath, releasing it. “And what is that?”

“Once you reach Hague, you are to kill him and record his death sending it to me,” Camille hissed.

“Why? What did this pilot do that deserves a death sentence?”

“He was the one at the controls when my mother died and he must pay for it. Her death cannot go unanswered for his failure!” She yelled.

Scott nodded in agreement. “So be it.”

“Swear! As head of the Reaper clan, I will hold you and your daughter to this oath! He must die!”

Scott rose from his chair. “I swear he will die once we reach Hague by my hand.”

Camille smiled as widening her eyes before disappearing.

Turning around in his chair, he glanced at Robbie, then at Roman, who was working on repairing his station. “Roman. Prepare the ship for an exchange via breach bores and assemble a security team.”

Robbie peered at him as he finally looked at her. “You are to accompany me as well. You still have much to learn on how to behave and rule the clan.”

Swallowing, she nodded, glancing at Karla who closed her eyes shaking her head.

*

*

*

“Just so you know, I am completely against this,” Karla muttered beside her as they walked through several bulkheads to the breach-bore assembly room on deck fourteen.

“He won’t do anything stupid in front of everyone there.” Robbie said, stepping into the room, seeing the remaining officers of the Onyx, along with her father already there, standing around the breaching lock in the middle of the floor.

“Say I didn’t warn you.”

“Quiet Karla.” Robbie said softer to her as they stood across from her father on the opposite side of the ring of crew looking down.

“What says they don’t start shooting and come across to board us? After all, it is Camille. Who’s saying she is not as crazy as her mother?”

“Karla, please.” Robbie said, begging her with a glance as she shrugged back.

“Open it!” Scott yelled as the deck rumbled, followed by loud bangs as the latched released inside the lock. The two large doors slid back, revealing the same from the other side.

Leaning forward, Robbie could see the crew of the Suns Fury standing around their lock looking upward like them looking downward. Her eyes darted to Camille, clad in a red and white armored combat suit, a cutlass, and a large red sidearm at her hip. An older man in a similar uniform stood beside her, her confidant and second in command.

“That’s Camille?” Karla asked curiously, leaning forward and peering down. Robbie had to grab her by her coat, pulling her back some.

“Who’s that?”

“Who?” Robbie asked, as her father and Camille talked back and forth.

“The man next to her that is being held. The pale scruffy thin one.”

Robbie squinted as her eyes ran around the ring of men and woman. “They are all thin and look scruffy. All Red Runners Karla.” Her eyes locked on one that was being restrained by Camille and her second in command. He fixed his gaze on the floor, not wanting to see around himself. His brown hair was greasy and unkept along with his patchy beard across his face. Dark circles rimmed his eyes on his gaunt face. He was young but weak looking.

For a moment, the young man looked down upward at them, finding her peering at her. It was in that moment her heart skipped a beat, peering into the brown eyes. Robbie took a step forward as her right hand flew over her heart.

Karla noticed him look down, upward then realized he was looking at them, turning to find Robbie peering down as her eyes squinted, holding her chest for a moment. Looking back down at him, then back at Robbie, she raised a black brow seeing a fire in her friend she had not seen before. Reaching over, she took Robbies hand pulling it away as Robbie finally looked over at her.

“What do you see in that man?”

“I don’t know.” Robbie whispered. “But there is something. He needs help.”

“We can’t help,” Karla said just as they released him.

They watched as he jumped downward, floating across, turning in a somersault. Landing on his feet as the crew made space for him to land. A small duffle came flying across of his personal items caught by one of their security soldiers.

“Him?” Karla finished. “He’s a pilot?”

“Remember the Red Runners use the young, like us Karla, to pilot. They use the neural piloting interface device.” Robbie backed up, walking behind the ring of people heading towards him.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Robbie waved a hand back, dismissing her as she continued to mutter, grabbing the back of her officer jacket hanging on, trying to pull her back. She followed the two men who took the young man away into the corridor.

“Robbie!” Her father’s voice boomed from behind, drawing her to stop and turn around.

“I told you.”

“Shut up Karla.”

“What are you doing?” Scott walked up to his daughter, peering at her shoving Karla back as the breach lock closed behind them. The rest of the crew dispersed into other corridors.

“I was going to talk to him and teach him our ways. He is going to be our new pilot and take us back home, correct?” She tried to play to ego as he nodded.

“He won’t live long enough to learn our ways or become a part of us. But if you want to spend your time trying to make what time he has left comfortable, so be it. Just remember, I need you to become a leader. People only obey those who are strong and use pain to make them serve.”

Nodding, she bowed. “I know.”

Karla glared back at him. “Keep your little mouthy flea under control before I make an example out of her.”

He walked past, reaching to put his hand over Karla’s face, shoving her across the corridor to slam into the metal wall. Robbie jumped over to grab her as she drew her blade from her back with a hiss, scrambling to regain her footing as Robbie wrapped her arms around her, restraining her.

“No, don’t Karla!” She yelled.

“Nobody touches me! Fucking coward!” Karla screamed in rage as tears ran down her cheeks. “Bastard!”

He laughed, continuing down the corridor, disappearing around a corner.

She calmed down after a few minutes as the remaining crew passed them, taking glances as they went by.

“Put your blade away. There is no honor to gain fighting him. Only death Karla. We must learn, train to fight, and we have a long way to go until we are ready to do what my mother started. You promised to stand with me when the time comes when I face him.”

Karla nodded.

“Then be patient. Let’s continue to work towards our goal and talk to those willing to listen. In time, we will unite our clan and return home for our people.”

Robbie let her go as she stood back up, using her chin to point down the corridor. “And him? I saw how you looked at him. You see something in him, don’t you?”

Robbie shook her head. “I don’t know yet. But you are right. There is something in him. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at me. Only time will tell, though.”

“And his death sentence?”

“I have a feeling, Karla. I think fate has something else in mind for him.”

Karla looked at her with a grin. “And if he learns our ways, and your father doesn’t kill him? Then what?”

“If he learns our ways, then we test him and see if his heart is worthy to stand among us.” She smiled as her eyes widened, gleaming. “Then I’ll see what comes to me.”