“I’m so relieved to see you,” Viggo went on. “They stole Bonita and Qin. That dreadful officer and a bunch of crushers.”
Casmir missed a step and almost floated free when he didn’t get his magnetic sole down in time. He still had his dozen crushers. Could Jorg have gone to Stardust Palace Station after they’d left and picked up the next batch? No, there wouldn’t have been time, even if Sultan Shayban had let him onto his station. Jorg or one of the other Kingdom ships must have had some of the originals.
Ice chilled his veins at the idea of any of his crushers being used to capture his friends. To hurt his friends. He remembered how battered Bonita and Qin had been in that video, and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down, to keep himself from hating Jorg and wanting revenge on him. That was Rache’s schtick. Not his. The thought of becoming like Rache in any way terrified him.
“I’m sorry they were taken, Viggo,” Casmir said. “I’ll do my best to repair you, and then we can go find them.”
“I certainly hope so. Thank you, Casmir. For ages, I’ve been wasting away with worry and feelings of abandonment, fearing I would tumble into some asteroid, be smashed beyond repair, and meet the end of my existence.”
“Hasn’t it only been three hours since they were taken?” Bjarke asked.
“Four, thank you.”
Casmir started toward the engine room, but before he’d taken more than a dozen steps, Viggo said, “Oh, dear.”
“What?” Casmir asked.
“There’s another ship approaching. A very large warship.”
“Mercenary? Or Kingdom?” Casmir looked toward Bjarke.
If it was a mercenary, Casmir might be the best one to try to make a deal, but if it was the Kingdom, Bjarke would be the logical person to speak with them.
“It is the Osprey,” Viggo said.
“Oh. Hm.” Casmir didn’t know how to react to that. He liked to think he’d built a relationship with Ishii, but if Ishii had been punished for letting Kim go, he might be more bitter than ever. What if Jorg had sent the Osprey to finish them off? As a test or a chance to prove themselves? Casmir was so tired of that word.
“Let’s see what Ishii has to say.” Asger headed for the ladder well.
“What if that ambassador has taken charge and Ishii is in the brig?” Casmir muttered, but he followed after Asger.
Kim, Tristan, and Bjarke must have been curious, for they came up to navigation too. They passed a few forlorn vacuums along the way, cleaning up in case their captain came back.
In navigation, Viggo toggled between the cameras to put the Osprey on the forward display, the warship huge as it approached.
“Is your comm working, Viggo?” Casmir asked.
The comm panel flashed, alerting them to an incoming message, and Ishii’s dyspeptic face appeared on the display.
“Never mind. I see that it is.” Casmir forced a smile, but maybe it would have been better if he’d appeared badly beaten and the recent victim of a seizure. Those were the times he’d managed to get sympathy from his old robotics-camp nemesis. “Hello, Sora. Did you enjoy blowing up the moon? I hope you appreciated the lack of mercenaries there when you arrived.”
Normally, Casmir wouldn’t rush to take credit for a good deed, but as with Jorg, he hoped it would keep Ishii from exploding at him. He and his friends had helped.
“Yes, Dabrowski, we appreciate that you told the mercenaries that he was broke. And that for whatever reason, they actually believed you.”
Casmir almost gaped, surprised he’d found out. Had Ishii—or Jorg—had a plant in that meeting? “That was Tristan who reported on the finances. He’s very good.”
Maybe if Ishii reported that to someone, Tristan would get out of some of the hot water he was in with the knighthood.
“I don’t know who that is, and I don’t care right now. Tell me, did we manage to blow up that self-proclaimed prince, or did he get out alive?” Ishii didn’t sound angry. He sounded tired. Casmir wondered what he’d endured this past week as a loyal captain in Jorg’s little fleet.
“I’m positive he got out.” Casmir looked behind him for Kim, but Zee had followed him up and loomed behind him, as if to lend an intimidation factor to Casmir. “We’re not sure with how many ships, but uhm…”
Kim squeezed around Zee to face the display. Casmir watched Ishii for signs of fury toward her. He would butt in if Ishii was an ass about her refusal to obey Jorg.
“He had me strapped down and spoke freely in front of me to his officer,” Kim said in her flat deadpan voice. “From what I heard, he got away with two rockets loaded with an altered version of the Orthobuliaviricetes virus, and he plans to use it on Odin.”
“Is that as deadly as it sounds?” Ishii asked.
“Even more so.”
Ishii swore, the fury that Casmir had expected coming to life. At least it wasn’t directed at them. Yet.
“He must have slydar,” Ishii said. “We didn’t see any ships getting out of there except for your shuttle and the shuttles that went directly to the mercenary ships. I’m going to assume he had his own vessel and wasn’t hitching a ride with someone.”
“I’d assume so too,” Casmir said. “We were going to tell Jorg about the rockets, but, maybe you can pass along the word.”
Ishii snorted. “No, you can still tell him. You’re coming with us.”
“We can’t abandon the Dragon here.” Casmir held up a hand, aware of Bjarke trying to push his way to the front. “Did you know Prince Jorg boarded it and took Bonita and Qin prisoner?”
“I know what he did,” Ishii said. His flat tone sounded disapproving, but that didn’t mean he would disobey orders. “We’ll tow that ship along until it can fly on its own. I’ll send engineers over to repair it since we did the damage.”
Not you, Ishii, but Jorg, Casmir thought. But if Ishii was willing to take the blame and felt guilty enough to send men to repair it, Casmir would keep his mouth shut.
“You, Kim Sato, Sir Bjarke Asger, and Sir William Asger will come aboard the Osprey with us until we figure out how we’re going to get through the blockade—and stop Dubashi from destroying our home.”
“Ah.” Casmir didn’t look at Kim, but he had a feeling she would prefer to stay here, lest Jorg still want her to make a bioweapon. And Casmir would certainly prefer more autonomy himself. How could he negotiate with Jorg for his friends if he was a prisoner in Ishii’s brig? “I have formed a bond with the ship’s intelligence, and I could be useful in repairs.”
“This is indeed true, Captain Ishii,” Viggo put in politely. “I would prefer if Casmir were the one to repair my damage. Have you seen the excellent work he does on vacuums?”
“Casmir Dabrowski also does excellent work on crushers,” Zee stated, speaking for the first time. “As you can see from my exquisite stature, which has recovered from the great damage delivered to it during the battle in the moon base.”
Casmir resisted the urge to drop his face in his hand. His helpful non-human allies were as likely to get him in trouble as his enemies.
“Yes,” Ishii said, “but I’m going to have to insist everyone I named come aboard the Osprey. In exchange, I will do as I said and send men over to fix that freighter. I will also attempt to help you smooth the prince’s ruffled feathers so you can get your friends back.”
Casmir doubted the gruff and quick-to-anger Ishii would be able to smooth anything, but he didn’t see that they had much choice. With the Osprey looming above the hapless Dragon, they could force the issue. He looked at Kim, and she nodded, though he could tell she also didn’t want to return to the Osprey. Casmir hoped they could figure out a way to work everything out.
“We accept,” Casmir said. “Thank you, Sora.”
“Don’t thank me,” Ishii grumbled and closed the comm.
“Does anyone else,” Asger asked, “want to pluck the prince’s ruffled feathers rather than smooth them?”
Even Bjarke said yes.
&
nbsp; A message came in on Casmir’s chip.
I accept your offer of a crusher, it said without preamble. The sender was Moonrazor.
Does that mean…?
The majority of his comrades filed out of navigation before the lagged response came in. The gate is temporarily inoperable, until it’s my pleasure to make it otherwise. Let me know when it’ll be my pleasure.
Casmir had no idea what she’d done or how—more details would likely pop up on the news network soon—but he trusted that she spoke the truth. Thank you. I will.
He wasn’t sure what kind of deal he’d just made, or if Moonrazor truly wanted a crusher or would ask for some greater favor, but for the moment, it appeared that Dubashi wouldn’t be able to make it to System Lion. Odin would be safe, at least from that virus, at least for now. And Dubashi would be stuck here in System Stymphalia. As would Prince Jorg. And that Ambassador Romano.
“All my favorite people in one system together,” he murmured.
But if they were here with him instead of making trouble for the Kingdom back home… that was something. He would take it.
Epilogue
Kim lay on the bed in her guest quarters on the Osprey. It was the same cabin she’d had before. At least it wasn’t the brig.
She’d wondered if Ambassador Romano or Ishii himself would insist on a cell after her unauthorized departure. But Ishii had only escorted Kim and Casmir to their previous cabins and told them not to make trouble. She wondered if Asger and Bjarke had been given the same command.
Tristan had stayed aboard the Dragon, partially to help with repairs and partially because Ishii hadn’t mentioned him when he’d ordered everybody else aboard. He hadn’t seemed to mind. They were all heading to Stardust Palace, the last Kim had heard, to collect Casmir’s crushers and regroup. The system news had been reporting that something was wrong with the wormhole gate and nobody had been able to leave for the last two days. Teams of specialists had been dispatched to study it.
Kim wanted to ask Casmir if he knew anything about it—why did she suspect that all quirky things that happened originated with him?—but the Jewish new year had come upon them, and he was in his cabin, fasting and supposedly not talking. She wondered if he would be able to refrain with the chatty Zee and all the other crushers in there with him. Maybe so. There had been a haunted look in his eyes when he’d mentioned praying for forgiveness and contemplating atonement.
She thought Jorg should be the one doing those things.
A message came in on her chip, startling her. She had been trying to find a way to compose one to Scholar Natasha Sunflyer on Stardust Palace to let her know that her father had died. Or taken his own life. Kim wasn’t sure what to say and had been waffling for an hour.
My dearest Scholar Sato, Rache messaged. Do you know anything about this broken gate? Correct that. Does Casmir know anything about it?
What makes you think that? she asked, though she’d been wondering the same thing.
Speculation is that it’s astroshaman work, and he’s the only one I know who’s been lip wrestling with high shamans.
Interesting. I can’t ask at the moment. He’s not speaking, in observance of his religious holiday.
So message him.
That’s probably against the rules. But you can message him if you wish. If he did arrange it somehow, I’m sure it was to stop Dubashi from killing everyone on Odin, not to inconvenience you.
But if Rache couldn’t fly off to assassinate people, Kim couldn’t lament that.
Just so long as the gate gets un-broken before long. If I had to pick a system to be trapped indefinitely in, this wouldn’t be the one.
Kim hadn’t minded Stardust Palace. It had smelled nicer than most stations, and she could have found some interesting work to do with Scholar Sunflyer. But she also longed to go home.
I did reach out for more reasons than to complain, Rache continued. I want to apologize for leaving you to go to that meeting. I had a bad feeling about that lab and that chair, and I left anyway. I regret that. I’m aggrieved that I almost didn’t make it back in time.
I told you to go, but thank you. And thank you for returning to rescue me. Rescue. That word was harder to get out than a confession. Kim hated to admit that she’d gotten herself into that situation and had needed rescuing. She would feel better about it if she had succeeded in removing the virus from all the rockets.
You’re welcome, came Rache’s reply. And I’m pleased that you realize that it was I who got there first, not Casmir, who merely pushed a button.
I am considering it a joint effort. I also thanked him.
I suppose that’s acceptable.
You’re magnanimous.
Yes, Rache replied. I believe that’s mentioned in the dramas that Casmir’s crushers have been watching about me.
I haven’t seen any yet, so I can’t say.
A part of Kim wanted to keep their conversation to banter that had nothing to do with her current problems or Rache’s new mission, but with him stuck in the system, he might decide to go after Jorg. Dubashi had mentioned Jorg specifically as a target he’d given Rache. What if the Fedallah was, even now, speeding after the Chivalrous?
David, in case you’re thinking of… harassing Jorg’s ship, could I convince you to wait? Or not do it at all, she thought silently. Jorg, asshole that he was proving to be, was still their best bet at raising a significant enough force to help with the war back home. He took Captain Lopez and Qin prisoners, and they’re in his brig.
What followed was a silence longer than the lag from distance would have accounted for, and Kim’s gut sank with the certainty that Rache was indeed flying after Jorg now. Did he have any feelings for Bonita and Qin? He hadn’t interacted with them nearly as often as he had with Kim and Casmir. But they had been a part of that memorable dinner, at which Casmir had given Rache underwear and pizza.
That sounds like a reason to “harass” him, not one to stay away, Rache finally responded, the quotation marks around harass suggesting he’d had something more inimical in mind.
But not to blow up his ship with them aboard. Let Casmir and me deal with Jorg. Please.
Deal with? Is Casmir going to give him fungi gifts?
Perhaps even underwear. I understand the gift shop at Stardust Palace Station is well-stocked.
Are the underwear made from fungi?
That is a possibility. It’s quite versatile, I understand. You almost got a purse.
A purse? Men don’t carry purses.
Casmir was going to call it a satchel.
What stopped him?
The presence of a lipstick holder. He feared that would give away his ruse.
Hm. I’ll make a deal with you, Kim.
She braced herself as another pause followed the words. What would he require? A neck rub? Another kiss? A proclamation of love?
If Casmir promises to buy a purse for Prince Jorg, and records himself giving it to him, with lipstick already inserted into the holder, I’ll refrain from attacking his ship until you’ve retrieved your friends.
She puffed out a relieved laugh. Will you require a copy of the recording?
Do you really need to ask?
Perhaps not. I agree to your deal.
THE END
The adventure continues in early 2020 with Book 7, Home Front.
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Planet Killer (Star Kingdom Book 6) Page 49