Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

it. "I have my father with me. King William. He is guilty of no crime, and is in urgent need of medical help…"
    Three ships opened fire on him. Energy beams targeted his engine, punching easily through the pleasure craft's very basic force screens. Alarms blazed and warning lights flashed all over the cockpit, and then the craft fell out of the sky like a stone.Douglas kicked in the reserve power, and fought the descent all the way down with every trick he knew, but in the end all he could do was turn the crash into one he could walk away from.
    The craft hit hard, slammingDouglas back and forth in his seat. The crash webbing cut into him cruelly, and he hated to think of what it was doing to his father. Smoke filled the cockpit, and he could hear flames crackling.Douglas hit the emergency release on the crash webbing, and somehow got himself and his father out of the cockpit, and then out of the crippled ship. He lowered his father to the ground, and looked around him. He didn't recognize the area, but it looked to be mostly warehouses. A good area to do something you wouldn't want seen or talked about.Douglas put a hand to his head. He ached all over, and he could feel blood on his face. He tried to call for assistance through his comm implant, but all the
    channels were being jammed. He checked his father. William was unconscious again, breathing harshly and unevenly. He looked back. Gunships were descending all around the crash site, systematically blocking off any escape attempts. Armed guards spilled out onto the streets as soon as the ships touched down, and approached the crash site cautiously, guns at the ready.Douglas put up his hands and tried to sound reasonable.
    "All right, you've got me. Just get my father to a hospital, and I'll surrender peacefully."
    "We have orders for your arrest," said the officer in charge. "We have other orders for your father."
    He strode over to William, checked his condition, and then shot him in the heart at point-blank range.Douglas cried out in shock and horror, and ran back to his father, shoving the officer out of the way. The guards turned their guns on him, but the officer stopped them with a gesture.Douglas sat down beside his dead father, took the body in his arms, and rocked it gently back and forth. He cried harsh, helpless tears. And that was how James found him when he arrived.
    "Had to be done,Douglas ," said James, standing over the two of them. "He knew too much. And if he couldn't be used to control you, then he didn't really serve any purpose anymore. So I gave the order.
    Yes, me—I'm running this show. My chance to impress Finn, you see. My real father, you might say.
    And with William gone—and you soon to follow—I'll be the lastCampbell . I will be King. Only right, after all. I always was your superior, Douglas. Oh, you'd be surprised at some of the things I can do.
    You never stood a chance."
    While he was still talking,Douglas shot him in the face. The energy beam ripped away James's mocking smile, along with the rest of his features and the top of his head. James was dead before he hit the ground. The guards jumpedDouglas and wrestled the gun away from him. They'd just started to give him a good kicking when Finn arrived and made them stop. He knelt beside the bloodied Douglas, regarded William's dead body, and James's, and shook his head.
    "Nice try,Douglas . But now it's all over. You will stand trial for the murder of Treasure Mackenzie, your brother James, and your father William. By the time I'm through with you, the people will be howling for you to be hanged in public." He stood up and gestured to the guards. "Take him to Traitor's Hall. And see he's guarded properly, this time."
    The guards draggedDouglas away. Finn looked down at James's faceless body. "You'll be more use to me as a martyr than you ever were alive, James. And I never meant for you to be King anyway. That was always going to be mine."

Chapter 7
    PAST THE PALE HORIZON
    Still safe in the depths of hyperspace, the starship Hereward headed reluctantly towards the enigmatic planet of Haden. Absolutely no one on board the commandeered smuggler's ship was happy about where they were going—for varied but usually pretty good reasons—but still they headed for Haden like lambs to the slaughter. Some of them because they felt it was their duty, or their destiny, or perhaps simply because there was nowhere else left for them to go. Just as once before, the whole Empire was