they have each other’s backs. That goes for all the peacekeepers, except the Samurai. Akiko works alone, but this is not a vulnerability for her. She thinks looking out for a partner slows her down and distracts her focus.
This was not always the case. She had a partner who was murdered a couple of years ago. The unknown perpetrators made sure there would be no chance to revive their target. They destroyed the SCARAB and simultaneously detonated explosions to remove the physical body. Akiko has not taken a partner since, but even though she works alone, people clear a path for her when she walks down the street. Her parents ran a school for martial arts back in her home on New Sapporo in the Antares System. Her parents trace their family lineage to the samurai warriors of the Shogunates of 1600 Japan on Earth. To them, concepts like honor, responsibility, duty, and pride are the reasons to exist. They trained their only daughter, Akiko, in the same tradition.
In reply, another woman’s voice came on the channel, “Sam, this is Wasp. Sounds like you have your hands full. What happened?”
“I ran into five Naylean space fighters out near Arkadia. I took damage, but I’m in better shape than they are. I left only one fighter to limp away, and it was in worse shape than me.”
“Sam, Wasp again. I’m looking at your transponder readings. You lost your forward retro engines along with your rear retro engines. Your pitch and yawl stabilizers do not function, and your directional stabilizers are gone.”
Akiko answered, “Not correct, my port stabilizer is functional, and I have full rear thruster engines.”
“How did you keep your rear thrusters?”
“You did not think I would turn tail and run, did you? I named this ship The Hinomaru Sun after the national flag of Japan. The flag is painted on the outside hull. Neither me nor this ship ever turn and run.”
A new voice broke onto the open channel. “Hinomaru Sun, this is Captain Treno. I’ve heard enough. You have just admitted that you have no steering ability and you have no brakes. Just how do you propose to land The Hinomaru Sun?”
The runaway ship came back. “Backwards, Captain. I have rear thrusters. They will stop me.”
“And what if you’re wrong, Hinomaru Sun? You will endanger civilian life and property. Your ship is not designed to fly backwards. All of its aerodynamics point forward. Spaceships do not come equipped with rearview mirrors or backup lights. We cannot permit you to continue.”
The voice from The Hinomaru Sun came back. “I will land my ship, with or without your help!”
Just then, a new voice came from the ground control side. “All participants, clear this channel. Musica is coming in on this transmission. Go ahead, ma’am.”
A low-toned woman’s voice came over the airwaves, “Akiko, this is Musica. I can tell you are intent and earnest. Your chances are not good. You are one of my best, and I know that if anyone can do this, you can. But there are many cowboys on this planet. I can’t have some of them trying to take liberties with this spaceport, such as flying in backwards. I’m sure you understand. So if you succeed and land, and I hope in not-too-many pieces, I will have to fine you heavily. Then you will be demoted and grounded.”
Akiko spoke quietly and didn’t think she could be heard, “Sounds like my mother.”
Musica spoke again, “I’m sorry, there seems to be interference on this line. Did you say something, Akiko?”
“No, ma’am. I understand, ma’am.”
Again, Musica spoke, “Was your mission profitable, Akiko?”
“Yes, it was, ma’am, very profitable. That’s why the alien fighters were after me.”
“And that is why you want to preserve your ship. To preserve your cargo. I understand. Please be careful and good luck, child.”
Just then, Wasp came back on the open channel. “Sam, I have two suggestions. You should try to aim for landing pad E97. That is at the far eastern pad. It is away from the main compound and is the least developed and populated. Also, you can slow the most when you are in the friction burn zone, so take your time in there. But your ship will break up if the temperature goes over ten thousand degrees centigrade. Of course, your body will burn up sooner than that, but you know what I mean.”
At that, Peter Griffin started speaking, “Zeus Spaceport, this is BatWing 4718. I am closest to The Hinomaru Sun. I already have a visual on her and can follow her down. I can help guide her onto the landing pad.”
“BatWing 4718, this is Captain Treno. You have been ordered out of the area. I suggest you follow those orders.”
Griffin was intense. “Zeus Spaceport, I am an ex-federation pilot. I flew one hundred and seventy-five combat missions. I’ve also flown one hundred and twenty-five commercial missions, and I know what I’m doing up here. In the forces, we even practiced this same crash-landing sequence, no offense, Hinomaru Sun, but that’s what we called it. You’re now in a crash-landing mode. I took part in two real events just like this one. I can help. Over.”
Captain Treno barked in frustration, “I got a bunch of yahoos up there bent on suicide. Have a ball, BatWing. I wish you luck.”
The Hinomaru Sun came back on, “Glad for all the help I can get, BatWing. Thank you.”
Griffin continued, “Hinomaru Sun, I am below you but will come alongside of you when you reach my altitude. You will need to rotate and put your tail section pointing down towards the ground now. That’s the only way you will start slowing. Two things will keep you from burning up, slower speeds and a shallow angle of descent. When I get beside you, I’ll help you with both. One other thing, Hinomaru Sun, I’m buying the first round on the ground. What’s your pleasure?”
Akiko answered, “Warm sake. It is Japanese, and they keep some in the quartermasters’ storage just for me. Now let’s do this, BatWing. Beginning reverse flying.”
Griffin gradually moved his ship beside The Hinomaru Sun. He aligned their cockpits to be side by side. Only The Hinomaru Sun was pointing into space with its tail section pointing at the Earth, and the BatWing was pointing downward toward the ground. “Okay, Hinomaru Sun, you are entering the burn zone, the planet’s atmosphere. We need to get you into a more shallow descent. Try to angle like me, a little more, a bit more, Hinomaru Sun. Good try to hold that angle. Now use your thrusters to slow yourself down. Slower. Slower, Hinomaru Sun. Try to stay even with me while I go slower.” Then Griffin looked to his copilot. “Doug, read off our altitude.”
Doug announced, “Fifty kilometers, fifty clicks.”
“Okay, Hinomaru Sun, I’ll line you up with the landing pad. I’m going to move my ship so we’ll be pointing nose to nose.”
Then communication came from The Hinomaru Sun, “BatWing, do not come too close. If my thrusters misfire, I could crash into you.”
Griffin came back, “Hinomaru Sun, we have one hundred meters between us. I’ll hold at that. To aim you correctly, I have to see a clear line from you to the landing pad. I’m going to be the eyes in the back of your head. That’s why we’re going nose to nose.”
“Forty clicks.”
“Hinomaru Sun, I’m pointing straight at the landing pad. If you align yourself exactly to me, stem
