The Margrave of Montora (The Chronicles of Montora Book 2)

by Ward Wagher

  “Yes, but that’s not what I found. I keep finding passages that tell me I can’t be good.”

  Franklin laughed. “I could have told you that, Hopper. I’d say the Bible was exactly right.”

  “Yes, Sir. But that’s what bothers me. If I can’t figure out a way to be good…”

  Franklin sat up and swung his legs around to the front of the sofa. “I’m not sure I like where this is going, Hopper. I had a similar conversation with my dad before we left Gustav. And he was going to pieces in front of my eyes. I don’t want to see that happen to you. I need you too badly.”

  “No, Sir. I’m just fine. It’s just that I don’t understand this.”

  “Honestly, Hopper, I don’t understand it either. But I really don’t have time to worry about it. I’m happy to leave that in Father Riggs’ hands.”

  “Isn’t this what Miss Signe was talking to you about?”

  Franklin put his hands on his knees and glared at Hopper. “Have you been eavesdropping, Hopper?”

  “No, Sir. I mean, a Steward hears most everything, Sir. But I remember my place.”

  “I know. And I expect you to hear everything. You’re supposed to. It’s part of the job. But you are not supposed to take notice of private conversation.”

  “Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir. Sorry to bother you, Sir.”

  Hopper stood up.

  “Hopper, it really is no problem. I’m glad you feel like you can bring this stuff to me. I just don’t know the answer. Just keep reading your Bible. If you figure it out, let me know.”

  “Yes, Sir. And your coffee is getting cold. Let me refresh that for you.”

  “Thanks Hopper.”

  After Hopper left the room Frank picked up his book again and tried to read. He set it down again. I really did not need Hopper bringing that up. The look on Margrethe's face when I stuck the knife in her is waking me up every night now.

  # # #

  Franklin was sitting in the living room again when the ship entered the Panoz system. He had picked up a book on marketing in a small bookshop in Gustav, and was completely engrossed in it. He was starting to develop ideas for marketing Montora as well as Hepplewhite in ways that would develop new revenue. He did not hear the intercom chirp, and only looked up when Hopper walked over.

  "It's the Captain for you, sir."

  "And how can I help the Captain this fine afternoon?" Franklin said.

  "We just entered the Panoz system," Smirnoff said tightly. "We are picking up an emergency broadcast from Hepplewhite saying that there are pirates in the system. Can you come to the bridge?"

  chapter forty-three

  Manfred Higginbotham was a frustrated pirate. Within the space of just a few months he had gone from having a perfectly satisfying life and career to this current situation. He was also getting just a bit desperate.

  He now sat in his luxurious command chair aboard Santa's Workshop watching his crew-people giving him sidelong glances, and enduring the waves of displeasure washing off his Executive Officer.

  It had begun with that abortive raid on Hepplewhite which netted him seventy-five dead and a destroyed shuttle, with little to show for it. Then a complete unknown, who he now knew was Franklin Nyman, the Margrave Montora, had arrived at Victor, blew up his other ship, and whisked away his hostages – along with all hope of any profit from the operation.

  True, the hostages had been badly treated by his people, though without his knowledge. But, he had quickly and ruthlessly dealt with the perpetrators. It just didn't do to damage the merchandise. Besides, it was unprofessional.

  Events went from bad to worse for him when the city fathers of Knoxville, who were responsible for the entire planet of Victor, demanded he leave the system immediately, or be surrendered to the first Navy ship to show up. In lucid moments he really couldn't blame the government, such as it was. Having a deputation of over seven-hundred Woogies registering their displeasure severely rattled them and they moved quickly.

  The uneasy alliance between Pirate and Woogie existed because the pirates had a marketable product and the Woogies had a larcenous attitude toward bright, glittery things. It was now clear that there were limits to what the Woogies would tolerate, and while that might include rapine, it most certainly did not include rape.

  So Manfred had to make a quick, humiliating exit from Victor. He was already short seventy-five crew after Hepplewhite. He was down another twenty after dealing with the abuse of the hostages in the most permanent manner possible. He lost another two-hundred, who slipped away when everyone started looking at him like the dog that defecated on the living room carpet.

  Higginbotham had barely enough people to man his ship, and those were looking increasingly askance at his determination to punish the man who had caused his descent into a living hell.

  # # #

  Franklin walked quickly on to the liner's bridge. "What have we got, Captain?"

  Smirnoff walked over to the display tank. "We had been in system for about a half-hour when we got the broadcast from Hepplewhite. Our position at that time was about here." He pointed to a spot on the display.

  "Our sensors then picked up this contact here," and he pointed to another spot on the display. "Whoever it is got outside of us." He pointed to another spot on the screen. "This contact is a bit tentative, but I think it is your Canopus. I suspect she is swinging around this way to slip up on the other contact."

  "What makes you think that is Canopus, and not the other way around?" Franklin asked.

  "We have a pretty solid read on the contact outside of us. That's no destroyer."

  “Your sensor suite is pretty good. If that’s Canopus and she’s running under stealth, I’m surprised you can see her.”

  “The owners like us to be well equipped,” Smirnoff said. “Precisely for situations such as this.”

  "May I ask your intentions Captain?" Franklin asked.

  "Normally I would turn around and run back out of the gravity well where I could get into FTL, but as you can see, we are blocked in that direction. There is no direction to run where he cannot catch up with us eventually. We are just not that fast."

  "Not a good position to be in, Captain"

  Smirnoff tapped his teeth together as he looked into the display tank. "I suppose I am asking you for advice, Margrave. The tactical situation is difficult."

  "Do you think he knows where Canopus is?"

  "No. I'm not even sure he knows another ship is out there. He's got to know we are no threat to him here."

  "Maybe he thinks he can board and capture us before dealing with the destroyer. If he goes after Canopus, you'll have a chance to break back across the gravity well."

  Smirnoff rubbed his chin as he thought about it. "There is that. It would seem awfully risky to me, if I were in his shoes."

  "Let's do this, then," Franklin said. "Come starboard ten degrees and maybe bring the nose up three or five degrees. Then pile on as much acceleration as you feel safe for the ship. If he comes after you then he will move into Canopus’ envelope that much sooner."

  "Will he be able to catch us before your destroyer gets here?"

  "No, but I don't know what Daphne is going to do."

  "That would be your CO on the destroyer?"

  "Yes. Lieutenant Locke is scheduled to be aboard at this time. Of course I don't know whether the tactical officer made it aboard or not. However, both of them are solid officers."

  Smirnoff scratched his head and considered for a few moments. "Okay, helm come starboard ten degrees. Raise the nose three degrees, and take us to one hundred percent on the power settings."

  He walked over to his command chair and pushed a button. "Engineering, this is the Captain. Please plan for an extended full power run." He looked over at Franklin. "Anything else, Margrave?"

  Franklin tilted his head as he looked at the display. "I think that's about all we can do for right now. Suggest we see how things play out for a little while."

  Franklin could
feel a subsonic vibration travel up through the deck plates as the big ship began accelerating. He hoped it could accelerate fast enough to make a difference.

  On the destroyer Canopus, Lieutenant Daphne Locke watched the tactical display and chewed on a fingernail. "That liner is on almost perfect course for us to intercept if Manfred goes after her. Simmons, do you think she sees us?"

  Simmons had been alternately staring at the tactical displays and typing furiously on the keyboard to firm up his estimates. "I don't think so, Skipper. Neither the pirate nor we have identified ourselves, so she would otherwise pick a course that splits the difference between us."

  She pushed a button on the arm of her chair. "Galley, has the crew been fed?"

  "Yes, Skipper. We finished about ten minutes ago."

  Daphne looked up at Simmons. "I suppose we’d better go to quarters, then. I'll go change. You have the conn."

  "Aye, Aye, Skipper," Simmons said as he pushed the big red General Quarters button.

  Daphne walked quickly to the Captain's Ready Room where her combat spacesuit lay draped across the desk. "I really hate these things."

  On the Aerean Venture, Franklin and Captain Smirnoff watched the tactical display. The contact behind them had begun following almost as soon as they had changed course. It was now beginning to catch up.

  "I wonder how he will react when he spots Canopus," Franklin said.

  "It won't be long now," Smirnoff said. "The way he's pinging us with his radar, the backscatter off of the destroyer has got to be approaching detection values."

  As Smirnoff spoke, the contact behind them (which everyone assumed to be a pirate) suddenly cut acceleration.

  "Bingo!" Smirnoff said.

  "Now the game gets unpredictable," Franklin said.

  On Canopus, Simmons sang out as the pirate cut acceleration. "I guess he sees us now, Skipper. I'm getting a good profile on his drives. It's definitely Santa's Workshop."

  Daphne pushed another button on the command chair.

  "Engineering, Chief Engineer Louie."

  "Louie, be prepared for high acceleration and maneuvering."

  "All set, Skipperette."

  “Louie!”

  “Aye, Rye.”

  Daphne rolled her eyes. "Helm, take us to one hundred percent on acceleration. Tactical, let's unmask the radar. I want to know exactly where he is, and when he launches."

  Canopus leaped ahead as power poured into the drives.

  On the bridge of the Aerean Venture, Smirnoff and Franklin continued to study the display. "Aahh, the gloves come off," Smirnoff said.

  "Might I request a communications link to Canopus?" Franklin asked.

  Smirnoff pointed to the communications tech and nodded. Franklin walked over and picked up the ear bug.

  "Daphne, this is Franklin. Say status."

  "Franklin, we're going to make a quick run in and then withdraw. Suggest you maintain current course and speed. Did not expect you to be aboard."

  "Carry on, Lieutenant. Franklin out."

  Smirnoff looked down at the display. "There might be time for you to get over there on a shuttle, Margrave."

  Franklin shook his head. "Now's not the time for a command change. That would simply be inviting us to screwup by the numbers. Daphne is a sharp operator. I trust her."

  “A girlfriend, perhaps?” Smirnoff asked.

  “Absolutely not! We hate each other. But she is extremely capable.”

  Santa's Workshop began accelerating again, and changed course slightly to draw a bead on Canopus. Smirnoff walked over to his command chair and pushed a button. "Engineering, would it be possible to squeeze a few more gravities out of the drives?"

  "We'll give it our best, Skipper," came the reply.

  The Canopus and the Aerean Venture blasted past each other at a distance of eight thousand miles. The pirate launched two missiles and a cloud of projectiles. Canopus immediately launched two missiles, then crabbed sideways to generate a miss on the projectiles. She then spun around and launched a cloud of projectiles between the path of the pirate and the Aerean Venture.

  "Looks like she's discouraging him from coming in our direction," Franklin said.

  "Helm, let's go another five degrees starboard," Smirnoff said. "If she wants to discourage him, I'm fully in favor of that."

  On the destroyer Daphne and Simmons watched the oncoming missiles. "I guess we get to find out if you're any good, Simmons," Daphne said.

  "Oh, I'm not very good. I'm simply trusting the computers. They're doing a good job of keeping track of this mess. Okay, we have antimissile launch."

  Four interceptor missiles erupted from amidships of Canopus. The first one missed both oncoming missiles and self-destructed after it went past. The second missile detonated into a cloud of metal fragments directly in front of one of the attacking missiles, and destroyed it. The final two interceptors simultaneously destroyed the second pirate missile.

  "Nice shooting, Simmons," Daphne said.

  "Nice shooting," Smirnoff said.

  "Now we get to see what our missiles will do," Franklin said.

  A total of eight interceptors launched from the pirate ship and obliterated the attacking missiles.

  “Crap,” said Simmons.

  “Crap,” said Franklin.

  “We’re going to have to get in closer,” Daphne said.

  “She’s going to have to get in closer,” Franklin said.

  Canopus darted in towards the pirate ship. She launched two more missiles and then fired a cloud of projectiles. The destroyer than danced off to one side and fired another missile, along with more projectiles.

  “That’s my girl,” Franklin said. “Take advantage of your maneuverability.”

  Smirnoff had been studying the display, and tapped his teeth with a finger nail. “That thing’s got to be a cruiser, Margrave. The acceleration and power levels are all wrong for anything else.”

  “Higginbotham, then,” Franklin said. “I wondered when he would be fool enough to come back here.”

  “A grudge match, then?” Smirnoff asked.

  “It would appear so.”

  “He's not being as smart as his reputation suggests,” Smirnoff said.

  “I'm all for his being stupid, but we're not counting on it.”

  “From what I've seen so far, for a wild man, he’s an aggressively competent ship handler. I mean he's still dangerous, then.”

  “Unquestionably.”

  “I think I’d like to break back out of the gravity well. What are your thoughts?”

  Franklin studied the display tank closely. “I think you’d have a fair chance of making it. Nothing to lose anyway. I’d like to request you drop me off in a shuttle as you are leaving. I can pay rental on it.”

  “Very good, Margrave. Helmsman, give me forty-five degrees starboard and sixty degrees sub-plane.”

  “Forty-five starboard, sixty sub-plane,” the helmsman confirmed.

  Smirnoff turned to Franklin. “Okay, let’s get you off the ship.”

  “Thank you, Captain. You have been gracious and hospitable. Next time you’re in town, stop by and see me.”

  “I'll do that.” Smirnoff stuck out his hand.

  # # #

  Franklin trotted into the shuttle bay and saw Hopper standing in the boarding tube. “You got here quick.”

  “Ready whenever you are, Skipper,” Hopper said. “We’re going to have to do the piloting.”

  “Not a problem,” Franklin said. “You take right seat.”

  They dropped into the seats in the pilot’s cabin and began working through the checklist. “I suppose Smirnoff will have to send our luggage along later.”

  “It’s aboard, Sir.”

  “How did you manage that, Hopper?”

  “It’s my job, Sir.”

  “Good job, then. I promise not to space you this trip.”

  “My day is now complete.”

  “Aerean Venture, Shuttle two-five ready for launch,”
Franklin said through his headset.

  Hopper slid his finger along the screen of the tablet containing the checklist. He was flipping switches with his right hand. “Almost ready, Skipper.” In the background a rising hum indicated drives powering up.

  “Telemetry indicates thirty seconds for launch readiness,” came a voice over the headphones.

  “Very well,” Frank called back. “Give me a countdown to launch.”

  “Roger. Twenty seconds.”

  At zero there was a bump as the shuttle was pushed into space. Franklin fed power to the drives as the shuttle shot away from the liner.

  “I hope you got the course laid in, Hopper?”

  “What course?” Hopper stared at Franklin.

  “Oh yes. I forgot about that. First time I’ve ever seen you surprised.”

  “I just knew it! This will never work. We’ll all be killed.”

  “Shut up, Hopper!”

  “Aye, aye, Sir.”

  Franklin studied the tactical display, which was slaved from the Aerean Venture. “Okay, I think Daphne will probably swing around this way after her attack. We’ll go to sixty-five point seventy true at two-hundred gravities and meet up with Canopus in about forty minutes.”

  Hopper was still staring at Franklin. “Did you just figure that out, Sir, or were you just guessing?”

  “Oh, ye of little faith.”

  “I don’t have any faith and neither do you. That’s what really scares me,” Hopper said.

  “I’d forgotten about that,” Franklin said. “Oh, well, it’s too late to worry about it now. Tally ho, and all that.”

  Franklin had been tapping the numbers into the navigation computer and pressed the Execute button. The shuttle spun around to its new heading and shot off at the programmed acceleration. “Whoeee, I love piloting these things! Just about the most fun you can have legally.”

  Hopper had turned a pasty white and gripped the arms of his chair tightly.

  Meanwhile, a missile from Canopus detonated four-hundred miles from the pirate cruiser. A single projectile inadvertently fired from the pirate ship during a maneuver struck Canopus at an angle, penetrating through one of the interceptor missile tubes. It glanced off an armored bulkhead and tore through the bridge, exiting the other side of the ship.