Spice Crimes

by Dale Ivan Smith

  Spice Crimes

  A Fallen Empire Novel

  Dale Ivan Smith

  Copyright © 2018 by Dale Ivan Smith

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design by Yocla Designs

  Published by Dale Ivan Smith

  Portland, Oregon

  Fallen Empire setting and characters used with permission of creator Lindsay Buroker.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Afterword

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  First of all, a big thank-you to Lindsay Buroker for creating the wonderfully entertaining Fallen Empire series and universe, and all the colorful, compelling characters that populate it, beginning with Alisa and Leonidas. The series is terrific entertainment, taking us across the Tri-Suns system still recovering from the devastating war. The aftermath of a war is not often a subject for a space opera, and I absolutely loved Lindsay's ingenuity and insight into depicting it. I also want to thank her for encouraging me to play in her universe, and with her characters. I really appreciate the opportunity. It was great fun!

  Thanks as well to my beta readers: my wife LeAnn Smith and my friend Vic Pecka. Both had read Lindsay's Fallen Empire novels, and provided excellent feedback on this one. LeAnn also did sharp-eyed copy editing, while Vic put on his "evil" game master hat and came up with some ingenious improvements to certain events in the novel, as well as helping to sort out the different players.

  I also want to thank the Fallen Empire author Facebook group: Bradford, Jeff, Rue, Sarah and all the rest for their support and encouragement.

  My advance reviewer Janet did a fantastic job of catching typos and goofs.

  Finally, I want to thank my cover designer, Clarissa, of Yocla Designs, and my copy editor, Phyl, of Radford Editorial.

  1

  Alisa Marchenko drummed her fingers on the Star Nomad’s pilot console. Aside from the Nomad, the docking bay at the Sherran Moon spaceport, just outside the capital city, was empty. That was the problem.

  “Creedy better call us soon,” she grumbled.

  Leonidas sat in the co-pilot’s seat beside her, waiting far more patiently, but he’d been an Imperial cyborg and used to waiting. Pilots, on the other hand, did their waiting in motion, not sitting in a grounded spaceship in a quiet docking bay.

  She drummed her fingers on the console some more. “I knew this job paid too well to be that easy.”

  Leonidas cocked an eyebrow. “We’ve only been here an hour,” he said.

  Alisa rolled her head, trying to unkink the tight muscles in her neck. “They were supposed to contact us as soon as we landed,” she grumbled. “Creedy and his company are in a big hurry to get this spice lab of theirs to Luxor. He said to stop here for a second cargo to go with the first, remember?”

  Creedy had said time was of the essence and that they’d load the second cargo as soon as the Nomad was in the docking bay on Sherran Moon. Well, they were on Sherran Moon and the second cargo hadn’t been waiting in the bay. Creedy’s company, Nova Culinary Systems, was paying them three times the normal rate. He’d implied time was of the essence, which had suited Alisa perfectly.

  She wanted to get to Luxor as soon as possible. She’d promised Jelena a fun vacation after the last run, but the jobs hadn’t been paying as well as she’d planned. The jobs had taken longer than planned as well. Luxor would be the perfect destination. They could spend time in the nature parks there. Jelena would love it. But first they had to get the additional shipment, and that meant waiting.

  Alisa leaned back in her pilot’s chair, closing her eyes, still trying to unkink her neck. She heard Leonidas get up from his seat, and step behind hers. His strong hands began massaging her neck and shoulders. There was nothing like cyborg hands when it came to giving a neck rub. She turned her head and half-opened her eyes. “I could sit here and have you do that all day,” she said.

  “I’m doing it right, then?” Leonidas asked, his face serious.

  She smiled. “In all the right ways.” She arched her back, pushing against his hands. A flashing indicator at the edge of her vision pulled at her attention, just when she no longer minded having to wait. She sighed and turned to look at the console.

  A message coming through. She opened the comm channel.

  “Marchenko,” Alisa said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

  “Captain Marchenko,” a resonant male voice said, “Giles Creedy here. Welcome to Sherran Moon.” Creedy didn’t sound at all like Alisa had imagined he would. She figured he’d sound like the weedy, eye-darting, sweaty man back on Baku Moon who had come to her about the Nomad transporting the NCS cargo here. But this voice was deep, and smooth like chocolate. If it hadn’t been for Leonidas’s strong hands resting on her shoulders, she’d be tingling from the sound of that voice. She might hate herself later, but she’d still tingle. Fortunately, there was Leonidas and his hands, sending shivers down her spine.

  “Thank you, Mr. Creedy,” Alisa replied. “We are glad to be here.” Of course, the lucrative fee NCS was paying Alisa made all the difference in how glad she was. Now they could pick up the second cargo and be on their way. “We’re ready when you are, Mister Creedy.”

  “I hope you don’t mind a delay in departure,” Creedy said, voice apologetic.

  Alisa frowned. “Delay, Mister Creedy? I understood we were to pick up the second cargo and depart at once.” It was all well and good for him to sound apologetic, but she’d promised Jelena they’d do something fun for her birthday. Her daughter had been good about studying, and practicing her telepathic abilities with her grandfather, Stanislav, but Jelena was also a nine-year old, and nine-year olds needed to have fun, too. There were the video games in the rec room, to be sure. Jelena had a lot of fun playing Trajean Run against Leonidas, she’d won the last race Alisa had seen her play. But she needed fresh air and a chance to stretch her legs and be a girl, having fun and enjoying herself.

  “How long of a delay, Mister Creedy?” asked Alisa. Leonidas’s hands went to work on her shoulders now, which were knotted up at the thought of the delay.

  Creedy’s voice sounded more apologetic. “I’m afraid it may be as much as two days, Captain.”

  “Two days?” Two days spent waiting for a cargo to show up.

  Leonidas began working at a knot that had formed at the base of her neck. That felt good, but it didn’t change the fact of a delay. She still reached up and patted his arm. The last thing Alisa wanted to do was to discourage him from giving her backrubs.

  “Why the delay?” she asked Creedy.

  The regret in his voice had some added embarrassment mixed in for good measure. “We had difficulty with one set of supplies to go with the shipment. Nova Culinary Systems is truly sorry for the delay.” His voice brightened. “The good news is, we are prepared to pay you an additional ten thousand for your trouble.”

  Alisa’s eyebrows shot up. She turned to look at Leonidas, who of course had been following the conversation. His eyebrows had also risen in question. That was nearly a forty percent bonus. That would help. But this can�
��t all be about money, she reminded herself. Jelena’s birthday was coming up very soon, and Alisa had promised herself they wouldn’t just have a birthday cake baked by Beck. She had no doubt Tommy’s birthday cakes would be at least as yummy as his brownies, but that wasn’t enough.

  “I also have something else, for your entire crew,” Creedy added. “Two-day Gold passes to Cosmic Wonders for everyone, ready for pick-up at the gate to the park.”

  Alisa’s eyebrows rose higher. Gold passes at Cosmic Wonders were expensive. Very expensive. “That’s generous of you, Mister Creedy. Very generous.” Too generous as far as she was concerned. “Are you sure you didn’t buy stolen ones?”

  Creedy laughed. “No, the passes aren’t stolen, Captain. Our company received some as part of a promotion Cosmic Wonders did recently with Aldrin system businesses. We can use them in turn to promote our businesses, reward employees, and so forth. I have them in your name, for nine people. That is the current number of your crew, correct?”

  “It is. How did you know?” It wasn’t exactly public knowledge, though it wasn’t classified either. There were nine people on the Nomad: Alisa, Leonidas, Mica, Yumi, Beck, Alejandro, Abelardus, Young-Hee, Erick Ostberg, as well as Jelena, and Alisa’s dad, Stanislav. Technically Alisa didn’t consider Jelena or Stanislav as crew, but of course they were more than just passengers and her family, they were part of the ship’s company and its extended family. Still, it struck Alisa as a bit odd that Creedy knew everyone who currently lived aboard the Nomad.

  “Our company representative on Baku relayed the information,” Creedy explained.

  “That was very efficient of him.”

  “He’s paid to be efficient, Captain,” Creedy said smoothly.

  Leonidas touched her shoulder, his eyes narrowed, clearly wondering if he should be concerned.

  Alisa shook her head, and smiled reassuringly at him. She shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This would be the perfect gift for Jelena’s birthday. More than that, it would be the perfect chance for the entire crew to have some rest and relaxation. It hadn’t been that long since they stopped Tymoteusz’s crazy power play at Alcyone Station.

  “I’m glad, Mister Creedy,” Alisa said. “I’d hate to have to tell one of my crew that he or she couldn’t go to Cosmic Wonders. This will make a great mini-shore leave. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure, Captain Marchenko. Again, my apologies for the delay and I hope that this makes up for it, at least in part.” He paused. “I’ll give you an update as soon as we have a precise time but, the meantime, I hope you and your crew enjoy yourselves.”

  “Thank you, Mister Creedy, I’m sure we will,” Alisa said. Cosmic Wonders— Jelena would be thrilled. She closed the comm channel, patted Leonidas’s hand, and stood up.

  “Looks like the crew of the Star Nomad is going on shore leave.”

  Leonidas gave Alisa a puzzled look. “I don’t know this Cosmic Wonders,” he said. “Do you really think the others will enjoy it?”

  Leonidas had come a long way, but understanding fun was still a work-in-progress for him, and Alisa was going to help him improve his sense of fun. She hugged him. “Yes. And you will, too.”

  He shook his head. “Is this an astronomical museum, or a science center?”

  She laughed, and ran her fingers through his close-cropped hair. “Better than either,” she said. “It’s an amusement park.” His furrowed brow told her he still didn’t understand. “Rides, arcades, virtual reality games. Jelena will love it, and I know we’ll find something that you will, too.”

  He smiled at her. “I’ve already found fun right here,” he said.

  “Was that a joke, Colonel Adler?” she asked, trying her best to look mock serious.

  “If it is, it’s an accidental one. I meant it,” he said.

  “Flattery will get you exactly where I want you,” she replied, and winked.

  “Good,” he said, smiling.

  Alisa kissed him, long and hard. When she finally came up for air, she held him close. “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you, too,” he replied, which as far as she was concerned was all she needed to hear, then or ever.

  “Let’s go tell the others,” Alisa said, and they left NavCom.

  Jelena and Stanislav were in the Rec Room. Alisa paused at the open door with Leonidas and watched as Jelena sat cross-legged, eyes closed, while Stanislav sat across from her. Jelena’s face was tight with concentration. A silver-colored writing pen lay on the round table between them.

  “Feel the pen with your mind, Jelena,” Stanislav said gently. “Do you feel it?”

  Jelena nodded.

  Alisa’s breath caught. Her daughter had Starseer genes, just like Alisa. But unlike her mother, Jelena had actual Starseer abilities. Telepathy, which she’d used. Stanislav had said she also had the potential ability for telekinesis, and had been working to help her develop that ability.

  The pen vibrated on the table, and lifted off the surface.

  “Now rotate it along the midpoint of its axis,” Stanislav said. The pen began to spin around its center, like a tiny space station.

  Jelena smiled. “I can feel it spin in my mind!” she told Stanislav.

  Alisa’s heart swelled. Jelena had been through so much, in the last year. Kidnapped by rogue Starseers, and taken, along with Prince Thorian, to be used as pawns in a scheme to restore the Empire. Alisa had searched long and hard for Jelena and her captors across the system. When Alisa finally found her, it had been many months after Jelena had been snatched from her aunt’s home on Perun. Thanks to the war and its aftermath, it had been even longer since the two of them had been together, and they’d had to reconnect as mother and daughter. Moreover, Jelena was still adjusting to Leonidas instead of her now-dead father, Jonah.

  “Mom’s here!” Jelena said, a smile spreading across her face. She opened her eyes. The pen dropped back onto the table and rolled over the edge, clattering on the deck. Her face went serious and she ducked her head. “Sorry, teacher,” she said to Stanislav.

  “Concentration even when distracted is something we all must continually work on,” he said.

  She frowned. “I was trying, but then I felt mom’s mind and lost my telepathic grip on the pen.” She crossed her arms, frowning.

  Alisa came over and knelt beside her, patting her arm. “Honey that was wonderful,” Alisa told her.

  “But, mom, I lost my concentration.”

  Alisa felt a pang at her daughter’s frustration. “It was my fault, honey, I distracted you.” If she hadn’t appeared in the doorway, Jelena could have concentrated and finished the exercise.

  Jelena shook her head. “No, mom. It’s my fault. I’m supposed to concentrate, especially when there are distractions. I didn’t.”

  Alisa wanted to hug her close, but Jelena’s frustration was cascading off her in waves.

  “I have a surprise,” Alisa said instead.

  Jelena ducked her head further.

  “You’ll really like it.”

  Jelena’s frown deepened for a moment longer, her eyes squeezed shut. Then, clearly curiosity at Alisa’s surprise got the better of her and she opened one eye, and looked up at Alisa.

  “We have passes to Cosmic Wonders Amusement Park,” Alisa said.

  Jelena’s other eye opened. “Really?” Her face lit up in a huge, astonished grin. “Mega-cool, mom!”

  Alisa’s heart lifted at the sight of her daughter’s excitement. Suddenly, Jelena was the almost nine-year old girl again, instead of the frustrated, driven Starseer student.

  “Everyone gets to go, too?” Jelena asked.

  Alisa nodded.

  “Even grandpa?” Jelena looked at Stanislav.

  “I’m not sure it’s my sort of activity.” Stanislav clasped his hands and dropped his gaze. “I don’t want to put a damper on the fun.”

  “Please, grandpa, I want you to go!” Jelena pleaded with him.

  “Everyone is going,” Ali
sa said. She caught Leonidas’s questioning look out of the corner of her eye. Okay, so she hadn’t asked the others yet, but they’d come, she was sure of it. Even if she had to make that an order. Alisa tried to give Leonidas a nod that said, yes, everyone is going. Period. End of discussion, but she wasn’t sure he caught her meaning.

  “I’d love to go with you all, then,” Stanislav said. “I’m glad you want me to come along.”

  “Of course, we do, grandpa!” Jelena insisted.

  Alisa was pleased her daughter had accepted Stanislav as well as she had, and as fast. Jelena had warmed some to Leonidas, too, but it was taking time. They’d ridden horses together, and played Trajean Run a bunch of times, but Jelena could still be standoffish at times with him. Leonidas was being patient, more patient than Alisa in fact. Alisa wanted her daughter to accept the man Alisa was going to marry someday very soon, and be happy. But it was up to Jelena, in the end.

  “When do we get to go to Cosmic Wonders?” Jelena asked Alisa.

  “As soon as we are all ready,” Alisa answered.

  Jelena stood up. “I’m ready now!” she said.

  “You might want to change first,” Alisa said, smiling. Jelena still wore her black Starseer robes, as did Stanislav.

  Jelena nodded. “And I can wake up Erick, so he can go with us. He’ll love the park, too!”

  “I had wondered where he was.” Erick Ostberg was a Starseer apprentice, like Jelena, but a teenager, with a teenager’s propensity to sleep in every opportunity he got. “That’s great, honey,” she said to Jelena. “You go change, and wake up Erick.” Jelena dashed off. Alisa glanced at Leonidas. “Let’s go find the others and tell them the good news.”