43 Days to Oblivion

by J. D. Oppenheim

  Contents

  Title

  Fortinbras

  Mama Loves Mambo

  Jaxxon

  Filcher

  Galaxite

  Certain Things We Didn’t Want To Know

  43 Days

  Pirate Run

  Barc

  Towers

  The Score

  Aftermath

  Silana

  Infiltrator

  Barthelme

  Misha

  Bertha

  Last Gasp

  Reality Check

  Silana, Part II

  Certain Things We'd Love to Know

  Escape

  Decisions

  Love Tap

  The Things We Do For Love

  Duval

  In Orbit

  43 Days to Oblivion

  The Jolo Vargas Space Opera

  Series Book 2

  Copyright © 2017 by J.D.Oppenheim

  All rights reserved.

  Scifiwriterjdo@gmail.com

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for downloading 43 Days to Oblivion. Please leave a review if you enjoy the book!

  —J.D.Oppenheim

  Fortinbras

  Deep space, near the Arcon 7 jump point

  The UFP freighter Fortinbras was ten times the size of the Argossy, but Jolo Vargas put his ship square in front of the big cargo hauler and waited. This was his favorite part. The cat and mouse. What was the captain in the big ship made of? Would he crumble at the mere mention of the name Jolo Vargas, who had a reputation as a ruthless killer.

  Jolo had truly come to be a clever pirate in the last six months since the attack on Montag, but the people in Fed space knew him as an evil monster mainly due to the Federation government’s smear campaign. They didn’t want the old Jolo, the war hero the people once loved, to stir up the military against the BG and destabilize the fragile peace, so they created a monster of him in the people’s minds. To the typical Fed commoner, the old Jolo was dead, replaced by nothing more than a synth who enjoyed harassing and stealing from hard working people.

  This worked just fine for Jolo and his crew and their new gig as space pirates. Far greater than bigger guns and a faster ship, a pirate’s greatest weapon was fear, and Jolo Vargas was feared most of all.

  “Katy, how we looking,” said Jolo.

  “We’re clear,” said Katy, checking her monitor. The cargo hauler and the Argossy were the only two boats in the sector. Jolo wanted to get in and out cleanly.

  "I hope they got a black box," said Greeley, smiling like a kid headed to market with money in his pocket. A black box usually contained Fed issue military components. For your typical space pirate, it was gold. You could sell anything from a black box just about anywhere on the fringes of Fed space and have a nice long line waiting for it. They didn’t come around often and even if you knew one was on a freighter, finding the one box in a giant ship with multiple storage holds was difficult. Sometimes freighter captains hid the black boxes in with the rations and perishable bio boxes in case of pirate attack. Jolo had snagged two black boxes in his six month stint as a pirate, but that was early on. The freighter captains were starting to hide the military stuff in secret compartments on their ships, some were even mounting larger guns, forgoing storage capacity to defend against attack.

  "Good luck finding one on that giant beast," said Koba.

  "Need a few more black box deals and I’ll be buying a little spread on Barc," said Greeley.

  “Barc?” said Koba. “Nothing but ocean and fish. How about Flannery in the Seguba system? They got sweet beaches and pretty girls and Fed credits actually have a little value there. Barc ain’t got shit.”

  “Koba, for a smart dude you shore are dumb as shit sometimes. You think the Fed’s gonna let any of us just roll up an buy some land in friggin’ Flannery? Wanted by all Federation planets, a big red X across our names? They’d hang any of us.”

  “Oh. I guess you are right,” said Koba, and the mood turned sour.

  “Katy,” Jolo said. “Keep us nose to nose. Uncomfortably close. I want proximity warnings going off on the bridge. Koba, show him the guns.” Koba touched the switch on screen and the big railguns popped out on either side of the Argossy. This was usually all it took.

  But not this time.

  “Hurley,” Jolo called down to engineering on the comm. “How we doin’?”

  “We full up, Captain,” the old man said. “We can give ‘em hell and have enough juice to jump twice.”

  Jolo hailed the big boat, but still no answer. “Katy, we still clear?”

  “One big transport just popped in on the outer edge. Can’t get a make on it.”

  Still no communication from the freighter.

  “Katy, love tap.” They’d done this before. Katy rammed into the nose of the Fortinbras.

  And that did it.

  “This is Captain James Franks of the UFP Fortinbras. Get off my bow.”

  “Captain, this is Jolo Vargas. I’ll take five containers of Fed rations and you may pass unharmed,” said Jolo. At this point most freighter captains cut communications and just released the goods, slowly backing away then jumping out. But this time was different.

  “No. You won’t,” said the freighter captain. “Now get that antique boat out of my way.”

  Something’s wrong, thought Jolo. What’s he hiding? Fear was the accustomed response. “I don’t like it,” Jolo said, off comm. “He’s acting cocky. What’s his game?” Then he called to George, who had suited up and jet-packed out to the under belly of the freighter. He’d welded the door to the Fortinbras’s fleet of pirate buster drones shut. “You got the door locked?” said Jolo.

  “It’s locked, Captain,” said George, floating under the big ship, his welding gear in a small container next to him.

  “Ok. Come on home,” said Jolo. “Katy, we still clear?”

  “Yes, Captain. Still got the transport out aways, but no other boats in the sector.”

  “This don’t smell right,” said Jolo. “Katy, back off slowly. Koba, keep the shields up and the guns hot and ready.”

  “What’s wrong, Captain?” said Koba.

  “He ain’t acting scared.”

  Jolo grabbed the comm: “Captain, I got your little drone bots all nice and locked up. There’s not a BG boat in the sector and even if one of those shiny, black bastards were near, I doubt he’d come to your rescue,” said Jolo.

  “Well, you’ve miscalculated this time, Vargas,” said the freighter captain.

  “Captain! Another ship just popped up on screen!” said Katy.

  “What is it?”

  Katy waited for computer to id the boat. “BG cruiser. Coming in fast! It was hiding next to the transport!” yelled Katy.

  “Alright,” said Jolo. “Now things startin’ to make sense. Katy, get us out of here!” No sense in taking on a cruiser if he could jump out instead. Katy turned the Argossy and started to run.

  But just then a loud BOOM reverberated through the old ship as the Argossy took a hit from an ion cannon. Then two more ear-splitting, bone jarring blasts hit the smaller ship. The thrusters lost power and the nose swung around like they’d hit a meteor. The inertial dampeners couldn’t compensate and everyone hit the deck. The lights in the bridge went out and the air pumps stopped. Jolo tried to call down to engineering but the comm was dead.

  “Everyone okay?” Jolo yelled in the darkness. The air inside the Argossy was tingly and electrified and Jolo could smell burned metal.

  “Yeah, I think so,” Katy said, scrambling back to her seat in the dark.

  “Where’d it come from?” said Koba.

  “The cruiser is still too far out.”

  “The
hauler’s got a cannon,” said Jolo. “Sneaky bastards. Where’s George?”

  “He was on his way back,” said Katy.

  “Let’s hope he was clear,” said Jolo. “Y’all stay put, I’m going to engineering.” Jolo ran through the corridors of the Argossy in the dark all the while wincing at the thought of another shot from the Fortinbras. His father, Marco, said the Argossy would always bring you home, but could it withstand another hit? How could he have missed the gun? It must’ve been a huge cannon. His shields were up and charged but three blasts had disabled his ship.

  He made it down the stairs to engineering, both hands on the rails because he couldn’t see the steps. It was strangely quiet and dark. No sounds from either of the big engines, not even the hum of an air mover, all the control screens were black. “Hurley!” Jolo yelled. No answer. So he crawled on the floor searching with his hands in the darkness until he stumbled upon the thin old man laying on the floor. He gently shook him and Hurley started to moan, then made a few sounds. Jolo sat him up and the old man said one word: “kicker.”

  “Yes, yes,” Jolo said. “Can you engage the kicker?”

  “Yeah, why haven’t they finished us off?” said Hurley.

  “I don’t know.”

  The kicker was a self-contained reserve engine that could supply a minimal amount of power and maneuverability while they assessed the damage. Two minutes later and they had just enough power for life support and other critical functions. By then Jolo was back on the bridge.

  “Where’s the cruiser?” said Jolo.

  “Near the freighter,” said Katy. Her words soft and solemn. The forward screens powered on and they could see the sleek, black ship, small next to the Fortinbras. And there, perched atop the third compartment of the freighter, was a huge, retractable, ion cannon. Jolo held Katy’s hand.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t see it.”

  “Not your fault,” she said. “It was hidden.”

  “That’s a custom job. The Allesar 405 Class freighters aren’t supposed to have top-mounted cannons,” said Koba.

  They all waited for the final shot to take them out. The first volley had crippled the ship, putting them in a slow spin a hundred meters out from the Fortinbras, but still too close. And where was George? thought Jolo.

  They all eyed the black ship on screen as it came up to the freighter. It would pass the big ship and pour all of her fire power at the Argossy.

  And then a strange thing happened.

  The Bakanhe Grana cruiser, one of the ships supposed to be protecting the shipping lanes from pirates, opened fire on the Fortinbras. The first shot took out the huge cannon, the next blew a hole in the bridge. Jolo and the crew watched in horror as debris flew out of the hole into the vacuum of space, most of it indiscernible at this distance, but Jolo could see a few bits of bright yellow streaking out into the blackness, the same color as the UFP Freight Lines jumpsuits that crew members wore.

  The BG cruiser took out the rear engines next, completely killing the big ship. Then it slowly, patiently, cut a gaping hole in the central compartment. The main support structure was severed and the long tube of a ship bent into an “L” shape in the middle. Fed containers started spilling out, floating off in all directions. Two BG warriors with jet-packs flew into the hole and a few minutes later came out with a black box.

  “My damn box,” muttered Greeley under his breath.

  The crew was dumbfounded, but finally Katy snapped out of it.

  “Captain, I can get us close enough to take a shot at the BG,” she said.

  “Negative,” said Jolo. “If we stick our necks out and a Fed patrol catches us we’ll all be headed to a work planet or hanged.”

  “But, Captain—” she said. But Jolo cut her off.

  “Katy, not another word. Now give us a quick burst from the kicker that’ll push us further away from the BG boat, but make sure we end up in a slow dead spin.” A few seconds later the Argossy was slowly moving away from the fracas.

  “Hurley, shut us down. Go dark!” he yelled into the comm. And the old ship went dark again. Jolo kept one screen going on the bridge and watched the BG boat as it loaded the black box into a storage bay.

  “Hurley, we got enough juice to defend ourselves?”

  “The little kicker’ll give you good shields or maybe two good cannon rounds, but not both,” said Hurley. Jolo thought for a moment.

  “Okay, if the BG boat comes we’ll wait naked, pretend we’re dead, then hit it with everything we’ve got.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Greeley!” yelled Jolo. “Take Koba and Katy and y’all get suited up and get out of here. If the BG are coming to kill us, no sense in all of us going down. There’s three suits left and that’ll give y’all a few hours. Keep the Fortinbras in your sights. I’ll call Marco and have him come for you.”

  “What about you?” said Katy. “You have to come, too!”

  “If the BG boat comes, I’m going to give it hell. It’s our best chance to survive this. If it doesn’t come, I’ll pick you up. Please go.” Katy was crying. Jolo gave her a hug, and then grabbed Greeley. “Keep her safe. The BG boat probably won’t pick you up on a scan and probably doesn’t care. The Fortinbras may have some compartments with air. Go there if you have to. Oh, and find George.”

  Greeley looked into Jolo’s eyes. “I’ll take care of her. Be smart.”

  “If that black bastard comes it’s in for a surprise. I’ll kill it and you guys can make it out of here. Now go!”

  Mama Loves Mambo

  Deep space, near the Arcon 7 jump point

  Jolo fired a quick message off to his father:

  Marco. Come to the Arcon 7 jump point and rescue my crew. I hope to be there. If not, thank you for everything. Take care of Katy.

  He typed Jolo to end the message and wondered if he should put something else. Then he checked the screen again as the BG boat hauled in the black box, debris from the cargo ship all around, bouncing off their ship. Some were large, whole containers that survived the blast, others had torn open, spilling their contents into space. Once the box was secure and the warriors were back onboard Jolo watched as the ship turned, and pointed the bow straight at the Argossy. Jolo took a deep breath.

  Then he typed: Your son, Jolo. And hit send.

  Jolo shut off the last vid screen on the bridge then lay down on the floor and wedged himself in under one of the heater cores, the residual heat masking his presence. He knew Hurley was up under one of the engines for the same reason.

  He figured the BG would scan the ship first at a distance, then move in if they wanted to investigate. With the Argossy’s guns tucked in, the BG thought she was just an old disabled transport, and certainly didn’t think Jolo Vargas was on board. So Jolo gave it a few minutes, then crawled out and checked the screen again. The BG boat was right on top of the them, but moving slow and deliberate.

  He contemplated taking a shot right then, but his instincts said no. The Argossy had taken three blasts from a huge ion cannon, a gun so large that only a freighter could carry it, and the ship was still in one piece. Still had a kicker. Could keep them alive. The BG figured the Argossy was dead. No ship could withstand that.

  The black ship glided straight over the Argossy exposing her poorly shielded underside. They wouldn’t do that unless they were convinced the old boat was truly gone. After a few more seconds the BG boat turned and jumped out of the system. Jolo lay there for a moment in the utter silence, just breathing. His mistake put everyone in danger. Maybe it was time to retire from a life of piracy, he thought. But what could he do?

  “Hurley,” he yelled, listening to his voice bouncing off the metal hull. He enjoyed the sound. A smile broke out on his face. The old man didn’t respond but Jolo knew he’d gotten the message because he heard the little kicker come on again and soon the lights were on in the ship. He brought the Argossy around slowly and picked up his crew, who’d been hiding in a pile of Fortinbras debr
is. They’d found George, who was shaken, but in one piece.

  Once everyone was back on board Jolo sent another message to Marco: Sorry for the alarm. Don’t come. We’re okay now. —JV

  “Hurley, can we make it back down to Duval? We need to make a delivery to Jaxxon.” said Jolo.

  “Yeah, we can make it, but she ain’t gone handle too well in atmo with the kicker,” said Hurley.

  Katy gave a thumbs up. “I can bring us home,” she said quietly.

  Jolo looked over his crew. Hurley had a bandage on his face and there was blood on his neck. Katy was still shaking. Koba was gripping the console and taking deep breaths. George was being tended to by the med bots. Only wild-eyed Greeley, clutching his sawed-off shotgun, Betsy, looked ready.

  “I’m gonna leave this one up to y’all. We need those Fed rations, but if y’all ain’t up to it, then we tuck tail and run,” said Jolo.

  “Let’s suit up and git the grub,” said Greeley. Jolo looked at Katy and the rest.

  “I don’t wanna steal nothing from the dead,” said Katy. “It ain’t right. You all know how we do it. We take it fair and square and no one dies. That’s the rule,” she said.

  “Yeah, but we didn’t kill nobody,” said Greeley. “BG done that.”

  “The question is why did the BG attack UFP?” said George, back from the med bay.

  “I’m thinking the same thing, but that’ll have to wait,” said Jolo. “Katy, there’s food on that dead boat. Food that’ll keep us, and Bertha’s people, alive. I don’t know when the next freighter is gonna pass through with Fed rations. People died on that boat, that’s true. And that’s a sad thing. But I don’t want the little ones on Jaxxon to suffer three months down the road because we didn’t do a difficult thing right now.”

  Katy nodded, yes. And so did Hurley and Koba.

  “Alright, let’s get the groceries and git gone,” said Jolo. “Katy, move us in close.”