Spice Crimes

by Dale Ivan Smith

  The doctor disappeared up the stairs.

  Mica shook her head. “Coward.” She shrugged. “He wouldn’t be good in a fight anyway. Hasn’t ever been, really.” She picked up a blazer from the floor.

  “What about me?” Zavon said. “I need a weapon.”

  “Not a chance,” Mica said.

  “We can use him.” Khouri handed him her stun gun.

  “Thanks.” He gave her an easy grin.

  “Don’t get any ideas, pretty boy, about where to aim that stunner,” Mica said, motioning with her blazer at the ramp.

  Beck went to the back of the cargo hold, by the rear hatch. Khouri jogged up to join him.

  "What is that thing?" she asked.

  He grinned. "Spice bomb." He looked over at Mica. "Get ready to lower the ramp."

  She nodded. "Still a stupid idea."

  He flashed a grin. "Raise the ramp back up once the bomb is out. He looked at Khouri. "You had better get back. This thing is going to burn big time," he told her. "Give me covering fire from where your boyfriend and Mica are."

  She wanted to say, he's not my boyfriend any more, but what would be the point? She backpedaled to join Mica and Zavon.

  Mica hit the ramp release and it began lowering.

  Beck turned the cylinder on its side, pressed a button on one end, and shoved it down the ramp.

  The pirates were shadowy figures outside in the darkness. They had turned to face the lowering ramp. The cylinder bounced off the ramp and rolled toward them.

  "Fire," Beck yelled. He crouched at the top of the ramp.

  Khouri, Zavon, Mica, and even Yumi opened fire.

  The pirates ducked their heads, and the spice bomb rolled through the grass and into the middle of the pirates.

  "Raise it," Beck yelled.

  There was a muffled boom. Khouri caught a glimpse of thick, glowing greenish smoke pouring from the cylinder before the rising ramp cut off the view and the hatch sealed.

  Her nose twitched at the scent that wafted back, and her eyes began watering furiously.

  "What is that?" she coughed, joined by the others, save Beck, who was protected by his combat armor.

  "My own special mixture. Cayenne, Perun chili, and a new kind of super garlic, courtesy of the spice lab!"

  "So, that going to take them out?" Mica asked. "Or just make them vomit?"

  "Hey, it will drive most of them off. Now we just have to give them an extra push," he replied.

  Khouri coughed. If her eyes hadn't been watering so badly, she'd find him charming. "I can't see to shoot," she coughed again.

  "Just shoot high," Beck said. "The sound will scare them. Lower it!" he shouted to Mica.

  The ramp whined as it lowered for the second time in as many minutes.

  Beck stormed down the ramp, firing at the coughing and retching figures outside. Khouri blinked furiously as she ran to the top of the ramp, joined by Mica covering the other side. They stopped at the top of the ramp and fired at the pirates. Noxious green smoke hung thick in the air.

  Something was hurled from the direction of the tree line.

  The night lit up a brilliant white. Blazer fire erupted from the tree line, aimed at the pirates who now desperately tried to flee the area. The pirates tried to retreat to the left, away from the ship and the tree line. Khouri and Mica fired at the fleeing figures, while Beck stood at the foot of the ramp and fired at the grass there. It had to be pirates who hadn’t run off, Khouri decided. She glanced around for Zavon. He had hung back, stunner held in front of him. She shot him an imploring look, but he ignored it.

  The firing stopped. She turned back to look down the ramp, and saw a huge man stride out of the darkness, wearing torn clothing. Khouri decided the man had to be a cyborg, he was that massive. She'd seen several before and during the war. A tall, striking woman in equally torn and soiled clothing accompanied him. Between them was a hatchet-faced woman dressed in red leather, like the pirates. Her mouth was gagged. That seemed to be going around a lot, lately.

  Behind the trio hobbled a man and a woman, hanging on to each other. The man had long braided hair, and the woman reminded Khouri of Yumi. Yumi spotted the pair and ran to meet them. The two women must be sisters, Khouri realized.

  The huge man clasped arms with Beck, while Mica stepped out from her side of the ramp hatch.

  “About time you showed up,” Mica said to the tall woman.

  “You were hard to follow,” the woman replied.

  Her gaze fell on Khouri and her face tightened. “This the person who stole this ship and kidnapped you four?”

  “It is, Captain,” Mica said.

  So that was Alisa Marchenko. Marchenko strode toward Khouri, her lips pressed in a thin, angry line.

  Khouri took a step back.

  A stun bolt hit the deck in front of Marchenko.

  "The next one will knock you out," Zavon said, from behind Khouri.

  Marchenko's voice took on a dangerous edge. "Are you going to stun all of us?"

  Khouri whirled around to face Zavon. “Idiot!”

  “Hey, I saved you from getting slugged."

  The big man started up the ramp at a run, Beck behind him, pushing the bound pirate woman between them, but then the trio slowed to a walk before they reached the cargo hold.

  “You will drop your stun gun if you wish to remain breathing,” a familiar-sounding voice said.

  Temur Luk stood behind Zavon, a destroyer pistol pressed to the base of Zavon’s skull. The stun gun fell to the deck with a clatter. Khouri laid down her blazer pistol more gently, but quickly. Her old guardian and friend regarded her calmly.

  “Temur!” Khouri said. Despite everything, the world always seemed more solid with him there. Stranded on a wild jungle moon, surrounded by pirates, angry captains, and engineers, hungry and tired though she was, none of that mattered at that moment. Temur, the man who used to protect her when she was a teenager, who never lied to her, who went off to fight in the war for the Empire, he was here.

  “Ms. Singh,” he said, voice deferential, not a hint of anger or disapproval. “I am pleased you appear to be in good health.” That was as much as she’d get from Temur in the disapproval department.

  Marchenko strode up to Khouri and Zavon, Leonidas following. Beck stayed with the nasty-faced pirate woman.

  Marchenko gestured at Zavon and Khouri. “I have you two to blame for stealing this ship and kidnapping my crew. I ought to shoot you right now.” She nodded at the huge man who joined her. His muscled chest was wide and v-shaped, and his legs were like tree trunks. He definitely must be a cyborg. “Or I could just give you to Leonidas to rework.”

  Zavon swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “This is clearly all a misunderstanding.”

  “In what way?” Marchenko demanded. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

  Khouri dropped her gaze at Zavon’s words. “No, Captain Marchenko, this is all on us,” she said.

  “Khouri!” Zavon pleaded. He was at his least appealing when he was pleading. “We were liberating stolen cargo, remember?”

  “About that,” Marchenko said, “just who were you stealing this spice lab for?”

  “We were liberating it,” Zavon insisted.

  Marchenko cocked her head. “Really? Because from where I’m at, it looks to me like you stole the ship for your own gain.”

  “Not at all, ma’am,” Zavon said. He did a little half bow. “I don’t think you realize how dangerous the group that stole this is.”

  Marchenko crossed her arms, pointedly tapping her blazer pistol against her bicep. Leonidas looked like he wanted to fold Zavon into an impossible position.

  “Which group?” Marchenko shook her head. “I’m getting the impression it was a line of them, one stealing from the next.”

  “Something like that, but the last mafia gang, Protection Inc., in the guise of a front company, Nova Culinary systems, was the most ruthless.”

  Khouri rolled her eyes at this. She had
no doubt that Protection Inc. was ruthless, but Zavon had told her that he’d gotten the tip off from Dazzle Club, and from what he’d said before, they were not to be trifled with.

  “Well, it’s over now,” Marchenko said. “You two are going to be locked up, and we’re going to get the Nomad off this stinking moon and get back to business as usual.”

  “We’re not ready to take flight yet,” Mica said, now standing in the open door to engineering. “The drive is still offline. I can’t figure out exactly what happened, but I’m sure it has something to do with our pair of invited guests.” She glared at Zavon and Khouri.

  Zavon just shrugged.

  “Really, Zavon, you’re not going to give her anything that might help?” Khouri said, her voice tightening. “Well, I will.” She straightened up. “We were chased by pirates. They attacked us with torpedoes. I disabled their ship.”

  “Then what?” Marchenko asked.

  “The reactor shut down and the drive followed, leaving the ship on emergency power.”

  Marchenko raised an eyebrow. “So, you deadsticked the Nomad here rather than get captured by a mafia ship?”

  Khouri nodded. “I had enough power for thrusters so that I could angle the ship’s trajectory into the atmosphere.”

  “That's pretty impressive," Marchenko said. “But it doesn't matter. We’re locking you up and holding you for delivery to the authorities on Sherran Moon.”

  “What about the spice lab, Captain?” asked Beck.

  “We can discuss that later.”

  Marchenko turned to Temur. "Can you guard the prisoners for now, Temur?"

  Khouri caught the look that passed between them. Understanding. Shame welled up inside her. Shame that she hadn’t seen through Zavon's lies a long time ago. Shame that she hadn't listened to Temur's advice years ago. Most of all, shame that she'd stolen Alisa Marchenko's ship.

  Temur nodded. “I will do as you ask, but I’d like a word with you before I assume guard duty.”

  Khouri’s stomach twisted. She desperately wanted to know what he was going to talk with the Captain about.

  “Sure, Temur, I’d say you’ve more than earned it.” Marchenko motioned at Beck. “Will you find a suitable place for our three prisoners and guard them, and Leonidas, can you help?"

  The huge man nodded.

  “Hey, why don’t you just let me go?” The pirate woman begged. “I can put in a good word for you and your crew.”

  “Hah-thanks, but no thanks,” Marchenko replied. She smiled. "On second thought, secure Screechy down here. I want to keep an eye on her."

  The pirate woman looked daggers at Marchenko, who didn't seem to notice.

  Marchenko turned to Yumi and the two people with her. "Head to sickbay. The doctor can look you over, provided our fluid tank is still intact."

  "It is!" Khouri said.

  Marchenko gave her a measuring look. "We'll see what Alejandro says."

  Beck took Khouri by the arm and guided her to the stairs, while Leonidas followed, frog-marching Zavon in front of him.

  Khouri had one last look at Temur, but then she was up the stairs and he disappeared from view.

  13

  Alisa unkinked her neck. Snatching little bits of sleep in the jungle while they waited for the giant snake to move had left her tired, with a raging headache and a worse mood.

  She took Temur to a corner of the hold near the chicken coop. She was relieved to see the chickens had made it. They could be annoying, but they were part of the Nomad.

  “Thank you for letting me speak with you, Captain Marchenko,” Temur began.

  “Please, call me Alisa. You’ve earned it,” she said.

  “Thank you, Alisa. I just wanted to say that Khouri can be redeemed. She is not the scoundrel Masters is.”

  Alisa fought to keep the frown off her face. The least she could do was listen to him. “I will see that she is treated fairly.”

  He shook his head. “I mean that she can redeem herself now, with us. She can be of help.”

  “She stole my ship!”

  “She helped steal it, yes, but she was misled.”

  “That’s very convenient for her.” Alisa took a breath. “I’ll keep your words in mind, Temur, that’s all I can promise.”

  He gave her a half-bow. “It is all I ask.” He left to go relieve Beck from guard duty.

  Alisa went to Engineering, and listened to Mica explain why the drive wasn’t working.

  “Okay, fine, finish flushing the system if that’s what you have to do,” Alisa said when Mica finished describing the situation.

  Mica looked surprised. “Just like that? No argument about being able to speed it up?”

  “We’re in a lull for the moment.” That moment might only last for a few more moments. “Besides, you said the drive can’t go back on line until after the flush, and I know we can’t fly without a drive, so there.”

  Mica rubbed her neck. "You sure you are the real Alisa?"

  “Very funny. I hope the fact that I’m relieved that you and the others are okay, and still in one piece isn’t also a surprise.”

  “Don’t get all soft on me, Captain,” Mica said, but she couldn’t seem to quite avoid a smile quirking at her lips.

  Alisa brought the discussion back around to the ship. “You’d been running a pre-programmed maintenance routine on the Nomad before the ship was stolen?”

  Mica nodded. “I was. I should have been in Engineering, not trying out Beck’s latest culinary creation using that blasted spice lab.”

  “If you had listened to me, you’d all have been at Cosmic Wonders, and Masters and Singh would have stolen the Nomad free and clear.” The crew would be safe, but the Nomad might have gone for good.

  Mica shrugged. “I guess.”

  “Will power and the drive be fully functional once the process is complete, or are there going to be continuing problems once we leave?” Alisa asked.

  “There might be. The flush is going to take some time, and then we need to recharge the power, but the capacity won’t be optimal.”

  “How not optimal?”

  Mica frowned, rubbed her chin. “Perhaps seventy-five or eighty percent of capacity. Hard to tell until I finish.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “Maybe the pirates will give up. We did kill a few between our two groups,” Mica said.

  “The problem isn’t just the pirates,” Alisa said. “Protection Inc. is on Waro Moon as well. We tried to throw them a giant snake or two, but I don’t think that’s going to stop them in the long run.”

  Mica started to ask a question, and then stopped. “Never mind. I’ll get to work.”

  Alisa found Leonidas and Beck inside the spice lab. Beck was arguing that the spice lab was worth the money, despite the risk.

  Alisa could see that Leonidas didn't agree, but was letting Beck say his piece.

  “I hope you aren’t thinking of cooking us a special meal with those spices,” Alisa said.

  Beck brightened at the mention of spices. “Did you see that spice bomb I used on those pirate chumps? Worked like a charm.” He smiled.

  “But what about the food tasting you had before Singh and Masters made off with the Nomad with you and the others still onboard, unconscious?”

  “I didn’t realize that combining two difference spices with bay leaf would make a knockout spice!” He pursed his lips, obviously thinking. “Maybe it was the duck with that special glaze sauce, and spice three.”

  Alisa’s voice rose. “Exactly how many spices did you formulate in that “surprise dish” or dishes?”

  “At least three. Unless you also count the cumin with the special alteration.”

  She shook her head, turned to Leonidas. “We ought to drop this thing into Aldrin.”

  “We should do exactly that,” Leonidas agreed.

  “No, Captain, you can’t!” Beck was suddenly serious, gesturing wildly. “It is an incredible culinary creator.”

  “I thought it
was a spice lab,” she said drily.

  “It is, but it’s more than just that.” He pulled them over to a corner of the lab. “Okay,” he gestured at the synth nozzles. “So, these are each attached to a synth unit.” He tapped a computer console inset in the counter below. “This allows you to program combinations of spices. But it can also do sauces, rubs, you name it.” He pointed at a closed compartment below the counter top.

  “I don’t even know for sure what this is.” He pressed a corner of the door, and it swung open. Inside was a device that was the size of a cargo cube, one meter by one meter by one meter. It looked to Alisa like a miniature reactor, a metal toroid with a square box in the middle. “The lab's power source, I think,” Beck said.

  “That's exactly what it looks like. Have you asked Mica?”

  “There hasn’t been time!”

  True, but still. She turned to Leonidas. “What do you think?”

  He bent down, and peered at the cylinder. “Could be. I’m not an engineer.” He froze. His eyes narrowed further. He pointed at a tiny black eye symbol on the side of the cylinder. “I recognize that. This is an old Imperial black box project.”

  A queasy feeling came over Alisa. "I don't like the sound of that."

  "You shouldn't." The corners of his mouth turned down in disapproval. "I wasn't involved in black box projects, but they had a reputation for being dangerous." He looked at Beck.

  Beck waved his hands. "Hey! I had no idea."

  "Obviously," Leonidas said heavily. He stood up.

  Alisa closed her eyes. An easy job, the man had told her on Baku Moon. It had turned out to be anything but easy.

  "Why would the Empire have built a spice lab?" Beck asked.

  Alisa opened her eyes. "Maybe because that isn't all it is."

  "I don't like that idea," Beck said.

  Alisa sighed. "Me, neither." An idea surfaced. “I wonder if former Imperial Scout Sergeant Luk might recognize this.”

  “An Imperial Scout Sergeant?” asked Beck, eyes widening. He looked around, as though Temur might pop out of a corner at any moment.

  “Former,” Alisa pointed out.

  “Still, nobody said anything about a former Imperial Scout being here.”