His excitement was contagious. Ali poked him.
“Go on then, tell me!”
“The Wanderer can produce some weapons. Mostly knives, a few simple guns. What’s important is that they’ll be easy to hide and difficult for any scans to detect. If anyone turns on the people we freed, if anyone tries to enslave them again, then they at least get a chance to fight.”
Ali chewed her lip as she thought.
“That makes sense,” she said. “But you realise they might not use them for defence? What if they decide they want to take over a ship? If Dash is right then they’ll be attacking crew who are trying to do the right thing.”
Jess grimaced. “I hadn’t thought of that. It’s a good job I’ve got you as my conscience. I want to say they’re pirates, so no matter what happens they deserve it. From what Dash said they’re not the sort who deserve to be hurt, though, but we can’t know if that’s true. Without knowing I can’t leave them defenceless.”
“No. No, you’re right. It worries me, though. We can’t warn the crew?”
“No. They’d refuse to take them on board, I’m sure. Any that did accept would almost certainly be planning on enslaving their passengers anyway, and would know they had a way to do that without danger from the weapons.”
“Then there isn’t a choice, but we need to talk to the prisoners. Tell them we think the crews are really going to help them. Tell them the weapons are just in case, and for wherever they end up.”
Jess brightened a little. “Yeah… that might work. At least we’ll have done everything we can.”
“Great. I guess you’ve already started manufacturing the weapons?” His grin told her she’d guessed right. “Then we should go speak to Dash before he takes another call from the station. Sal and I have been speaking to Elizabeth and the other two captains too, letting them know what’s going on.”
“Yeah, I know. Thanks for that. I should have done it, but…”
He stopped talking and smiled fondly as Ali gently tapped the side of his face. It was Ali’s way of telling him not to take too much on, to let the others help. Though at the start of their relationship it had been a full on slap rather than a tap.
“We’d better go speak to Dash,” she said, climbing off his lap.
Jess sighed theatrically.
“Later…” Ali promised with a gleam in her eye.
Jess’s heart jumped and he grinned back at her.
“I’ll hold you to that!”
Ali simply smiled more widely and disappeared through the door.
* * *
Dash took a deep breath, steeling himself. Ali had just disappeared into the flight deck to speak to Jess. He and Sal were left alone.
“Sal,” he said tentatively. “Can we talk?”
Sal stiffened for a moment before nodding. Not a great sign. Well, he was committed now.
“Sal, you know about me now. You know when I leave you I’ll be going back to being the leader of a large criminal organisation, that I’ll have power and wealth, if not that much safety.”
“Unless you’ve been overthrown,” Sal said sharply.
“Yes. Though even if that’s happened I’ll have enough allies that I can head for somewhere else and set up again, or retake the organisation. All of that is waiting for me.”
Dash paused, locking eyes with Sal. She held his gaze unflinchingly.
“Sal, I don’t want to go back to that.”
That startled her. Emotions chased each other across her face. Dash’s usual ability to read people vanished, washed away by his own hopes and fears.
“Really?” she asked finally.
“Really. It’s difficult, though. Just getting away without being tracked would be a major achievement. Then I’d have to spend every day wondering if someone had recognised me, if a killer was stalking me. No matter how far I go, that fear will never leave me.”
“So you’re what you are because you’re a coward?” Sal asked.
“Maybe. I’d never thought about it in that way, but yes. I suppose you’re right.”
“So you’d like to quit but you can’t. Fine. Don’t expect any sympathy from me.”
“But there is a way,” he said earnestly. “There is somewhere I can be safe. The other side of the Quarantine Zone.”
Sal nodded slowly as understanding sank in.
“So you head over to the base, drink with your friend, then take one of the ships,” she said. “Fly through the Quarantine Zone and live happily ever after.”
Dash laughed. “It really isn’t that simple. Getting through is almost impossible. Even Imperial forces need special permission to move through. None of the ships docked here could make it. I really think the Wanderer can, though.”
Dash held up his hand to stall anything she wanted to say.
“Please Sal, hear me out. I know you probably don’t want me anywhere near after everything I put you through. I don’t blame you at all. Saying I didn’t mean them to happen is no excuse. They happened, so it’s my responsibility. I am more sorry that you got hurt than you can ever know.”
Sal smiled, a bright smile full of life. Not at all the reception Dash had expected for his words.
“Roberto, I don’t blame you, not really, and I remember where you were when it mattered most. When my life was in so much danger and I knew I was about to die, you stepped up. You stood by me and shared the risk. I looked into your eyes then. I looked into your soul.
“Do I trust you? No. Not really. Not where the ship is concerned, or the others. I don’t believe you will hurt me, though. Not deliberately at least. And if you left now I think I’d miss you. A lot.” Her face darkened.
Dash smiled back, then the smile faded as he considered her words. She didn’t hate him. She didn’t want him to leave immediately, or any time soon. But she also didn’t trust him. And she was right not to. How would she react when she found out he’d lied once again?
“I’m sorry. I lied about the base. It’s been taken.”
The words were out before he could stop them, leaving him hovering between fear of Sal’s reaction and relief at having come clean.
“What?” Her eyes narrowed. “And the ships we’re preparing to pack the freed prisoners off to?”
“Not them,” Dash said hurriedly. “Only the base. Knuckles and I have a set of code words. He told me the base is taken but that the ships are still loyal. Most of them at least.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. Absolutely. I know the ships which should be here. I know the few captains who might not be trustworthy, and I know the handful of ships that have no right to be here. I would have ensured none of them took our passengers.”
“And you? What did you plan if you had to leave the Wanderer?”
“I’d have travelled on one of the shuttles directly to a ship whose crew I could trust, then slipped out of the system.”
“What about Knuckles?”
Her voice was sharp again. Dash winced.
“Knuckles is already dead,” he said in a leaden voice. “He knows it as well as I do. Even if I had hundreds of ships and thousands of assault troops, I could never hope to get near the base before he was killed.”
“What about a sting operation? Like your men pulled on the Wanderer?”
“It wouldn’t work. He’d be held somewhere well away from where we landed. Any sign of hostility from us and he’d be killed. If we weren’t hostile they’d disarm us. And it’s not just Knuckles. All the staff on the base will be killed. Most will have been already, or stuck in holding cells to wait to die.”
He had to swallow at that.
“I’m sorry,” Sal said softly.
Dash shrugged. “It’s hard. Everyone on that base is someone I’ve hand picked. Someone who made the best of a bad situation, choosing to help others wherever possible. Now they’re all dead, or soon will be. All to get to me.”
“We have to tell the others,” Sal said. “They need to know what’s at stake. M
aybe they’ll be able to think of a way to save some of your people.”
Dash shook his head, then shrugged. “Yeah, they should know what they face. As for rescuing my people… I doubt it. Unless the Wanderer can teleport them out.”
He said it as a joke, but the moment the words were out he found himself anxiously waiting for the answer. The ship was simply amazing. Could it add one more impossibility to the list?
Sal dashed his hopes. “No. Sorry. Not that I know of, at least, and I think we’d have found out by now.”
Dash shrugged again, embarrassed at having pinned so much hope on what could only ever be an impossible dream.
“Before the others come back,” Sal said. “Is there anything else you’re keeping secret?”
Only the fact I think I love you, Dash thought. But he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.
Chapter 9
Greenseed Station
“Multiple ships inbound,” called out the watch officer, jerking Marsh from his dark thoughts.
On one level he welcomed the distraction. His mind's eye had been seeing the children on the destroyed ship, time after time. The children he had killed.
“What have we got?” Marsh snapped out.
“Twelve large freighters, four small freighters and several dozen escort fighters.”
The reply came quickly. The young watch officer had been replaced by a far more experienced officer. Marsh had rotated many of his staff after destroying the ship with the children on board. The crew had been strung out enough even before that incident. They needed a chance to recover.
“Threat analysis?” Marsh asked.
“Nothing we can’t handle, Sir. I’d suggest keeping them a bit more distant, though.”
“That makes sense. Let’s push them an extra twenty percent out from our normal boundary. We might lose a few containers but better that than take unnecessary risks.”
The control room was even more tense than normal as the merchant fleet closed in. Resentment and anger hung heavily in the air, as did fear. Marsh knew most of them would have made the same decision he did. They would have destroyed the incoming ship too. But they didn’t want to admit that to themselves, that there had been no way to save the children without risking the entire station.
“Incoming message,” the comms officer called out.
“Put it through,” Marsh answered.
The man on the screen looked more like a miner than a merchant. He was average height but built like a barrel. Tattoos covered his arms and face, and his blond hair was cropped short. He wore tatty work clothes and would have been easy to dismiss as a fool if it wasn’t for the eyes. Those were piercing and intelligent. Marsh quickly changed his appraisal of the man.
“Captain Novek. Here to collect food and supplies.”
The voice was deep and scratchy, a perfect match for the man’s appearance. Too perfect, Marsh felt.
“Commander Marsh. We have what you need, but it comes with some conditions.”
“Aye, I know. And we’re happy to stick to them. There’s a lot of hungry people relying on us bringing food back to them.”
“And a lot of profit to be made too, no doubt.”
Novek spat to the side. “Not a thing. All we ask is enough to cover our costs, or ideally the parts and supplies we need instead. This ain’t the time to be trying to make a profit, it’s the time to be making friends. Dark times are coming, even darker than those we live in now. I want all the friends I can get, especially those which might offer a safe port to weather the storm.”
“A safe port without enough food?”
“Sometimes a little hunger is better than a whole lotta dying.”
Marsh relaxed a little, smiling at the screen. “I can’t argue with that. Can you send over your requirements and we’ll work out a delivery plan?”
“Aye, got it all ready for ya. Here you go…”
“Information coming across,” the comms officer announced. “All looking… wait…”
“What is it?” Marsh asked tensely.
“We’re getting another message, from a different ship. The Slower Path. It’s broadcasting on a wide beam.”
“Commander, greetings.”
“Jenkins, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” roared Novek.
“I just wanted to tell the Commander the good news. On the way we managed to collect many emptied cargo containers. We can drop them off to replace some of those we will take with us.”
“Sorry Captain, but no,” Marsh cut in firmly. “We don’t accept anything back. We have more than enough raw materials and manufacturing capability here to produce new containers for every shipment.”
“But Captain, we brought them so far. Please let us deliver our cargo.”
“Commander!” the watch officer called out urgently. “The Slower Path is accelerating towards us.”
“Captain, I will not warn you again,” Marsh said in a cold, hard voice. “We do not accept deliveries, nor do we allow ships close to the station. Change course and start slowing immediately or we will be forced to destroy you.”
“No, no. You don’t understand…” Jenkins started to say.
“Jenkins! Do as they say right now or by the stars we’ll blow you out of space ourselves,” Novek roared, even more loudly than before.
“If you insist. It seems such a waste though. Give me a moment.”
Jenkins looked genuinely confused by the reaction he’d provoked. Could he truly be that stupid, Marsh wondered. Could anyone? The image flickered and died. Probably too embarrassed to keep it open.
“The Slower Path is still accelerating,” the watch officer shouted out, fear in his voice.
Before the officer finished speaking, Marsh heard Novek bellowing orders to his crew.
“Open fire! All weapons. Destroy the Slower Path.”
Marsh wasn’t far behind. “Target that ship. I don’t want to risk hitting the other ships, but other than that use all possible weapons.” He pointed to the watch officer. “I want to know the moment any other ship starts to approach.”
“Aye, Commander,” the man replied, eyes glued to his displays.
Marsh stared at the displays as the Slower Path came under fire from both the station and its fellow ships. He was vaguely aware of the change in the room’s atmosphere. No one disagreed with this order. The Slower Path represented a clear danger, one that chilled everyone to the marrow. The question wasn’t whether or not to open fire. It was whether they could destroy the fast approaching ship in time. Marsh could feel the tension in the room. It wasn’t helped by the fact they had no idea just how close was too close.
Shots started to splash across the rogue ship’s rear shields, but without making much of an impression. She was already moving beyond effective range for most of the convoy’s weapons. Marsh watched them closely. To destroy the Slower Path they would need to pursue her, and in doing so move closer to the station. Such a move could be an honest attempt to destroy the rogue ship or cover for another rogue to begin an attack run.
Marsh wasn’t alone in his thinking.
“Any ship breaking formation will be destroyed with no warning!” barked Novek. Then the anger drained from his face, replaced by fatigue and worry.
“Commander, my apologies. The Slower Path is already leaving our weapons’ range. I had no idea they might be Tainted. I apologise, little as that’s worth now. I hope you have the ability to destroy her before she can endanger you and your station.”
Marsh just nodded, then cut the connection. Novek might be telling the truth, or the whole incident might be a ruse to test the station’s defences. Either way Marsh wanted to deal with the situation without being watched.
The station’s weaponry was already firing. Huge energies were rushing across space to crash into the Slower Path. The rogue ship was making no effort to avoid the onslaught. Instead it kept accelerating hard, still locked on a collision course with the station.
Marsh had no dou
bt the incoming ship would be destroyed, but that might not be enough. They needed to do more than destroy it, they had to ensure no wreckage reached the station. Or even got near. That was far harder.
The station’s heavy weaponry started to impact on the Slower Path. Within seconds her shields were flickering and weapons fire was reaching the ship itself. As the ship shuddered and started to break up, Marsh gripped the arms of his chair. He found himself wishing for the engines to blow. That would be enough to destroy anything on the ship that was a danger.
He was out of luck. Someone must have powered the engines down in the seconds before the ship was ripped apart. Instead of an intense blaze there was an expanding cloud of debris, still approaching at an alarming rate. Marsh made a tough decision.
“Open up with all weapons. I don’t care if that endangers the other ships in the convoy. We have to wipe out every bit of debris. Contact Novek and tell him his ships can move if necessary, as long as they don’t come any closer.”
Every weapon on the station opened up, targeting the debris they could detect and every section of space that might hold debris too small to spot. Marsh found himself wishing for command of a ship, for the ability to dodge out the way. He hated feeling so helpless.
The larger pieces of debris were quickly destroyed, seared into their component atoms. Then the smaller chunks too until finally the sensors could detect nothing more. The weapons kept firing, targeting the area of space any wreckage would have reached. Marsh, and most of those in the room, watched the glowing sphere that represented the path of the wreckage draw closer and closer to the station.
Finally the sphere reached the station. This was the critical moment. Anything that had survived would impact the shields, causing fluctuations in their energy levels. The station’s weapons had shut down shortly before. Marsh stared at the readouts, heart in his mouth. Nothing. Not even a flicker. Nothing had gotten through.
Marsh realised he was holding his breath and forced his lungs back into action. Now he checked the other ships under Novek’s command. Most had moved at least a little to avoid stray shots from the station’s defensive fire. None had attempted to come closer, and all were now holding position.
Wanderer's Odyssey - Books 1 to 3: The Epic Space Opera Series Begins Page 55