The Princess & The Privateer

by Peter Rhodan

  “What?” The tone of his voice now sounded truly puzzled.

  Karvon tried to radiate calm as he waved a hand at the sideboard the trivid controller was sitting on.

  “Put the gun down and we will explain. But until you do we are not going anywhere.”

  The man struggled with this instruction, obviously not wanting to give up his one advantage, negligible though it was. Given that the three intruders were all wearing what he now recognized as Nordland combat armor, which was essentially impervious to the pistol he was wielding, eventually, he heaved a sigh and reluctantly put the gun down on the sideboard.

  “There,” he hissed.

  Gizel unlocked her helmet and revealed her face.

  “Very good Lieutenant Michaelson.”

  The officer looked at her briefly, a question in his eyes at her mention of his name and rank, then he looked at the others as if expecting them to remove their helmets before jerking his eyes back to look at her again. Gizel’s hair was short but it was back to its proper color again at least. He studied her face for a few seconds.

  “I should know who you are, shouldn’t I?” he asked finally.

  “Well, that was the hope. Clearly, you’re not as recognizable in armor as we expected Your Highness.” Karvon commented.

  Michaelson glanced his way then back at Gizel.

  “What sort of game are you playing?”

  “No game Lieutenant. I am Princess Gizel. It is a long story as to why I am here, but I need you to get a message to Baron Travgar for me. For security reasons I cannot trust the people at the Embassy except the Cultural Attaché who we could not get access to easily. You on the other hand…”

  And she waved her hand around the room; the implication being that this was not the Embassy and that was the reason they were here.

  “Just because you look like the Princess does not mean I believe you. Princess Gizel is getting medical treatment on Kimeria the last I heard.”

  “That’s my double Carla. You will note that at no time does she speak on camera, the footage is just shots of her waving from a wheelchair. Or at least on all the vids we have seen. Carla has a strong Faldorian accent and her voice has a completely different tone to mine so she cannot open her mouth without it being obvious that she isn’t me.” she paused gauging his reaction. “There was a recent attempt to kidnap or kill me, and while I was able to get away, I also finished up outside the protection of Imperial Security. As it was clear that those who attacked me had access to the inside of the Palace and perhaps even Imperial Security, but more than likely the Navy, I decided it was better to stay free.”

  She paused and studied him for a moment. He made no effort to say anything, he merely kept looking at her, then her companions, and then back to her, keeping his face blank.

  Right, she thought. He hasn’t said no.

  “What I need from you is simple. You need to arrange for a high-level security message to be sent directly to Baron Travgar. To do that you will need to convince the Cultural Attaché that you are serious, and that I really was here. So, first, grab your tab and video the rest of this meeting so the Imperial Security chap will know that I really was inside your house.”

  Michaelson looked as if was about to say something finally but appeared to change his mind and stood silently for a moment, then nodded and went to the table on one side of the room and returned with his tab. He turned on the video and Karvon took it from him so he could film both Michaelson and Gizel in the same shot.

  “Okay, so what now?” the Lieutenant said backing away from the armored figure holding his tab.

  Gizel held up a data chip.

  “This chip contains a message and it is imperative that this is delivered to Baron Travgar at Imperial Security Headquarters on Kimeria without anyone else accessing it. The Cultural Attaché must encode and send the message and then immediately destroy the chip. This is a matter that comes under the command mode, Security of the Empire, and I invoke my Imperial Authority to order this task be carried out. Under no circumstances is anyone else at the Embassy to know anything of this matter, nor are you to explain any of this to your lady friend. Do you understand Lieutenant?”

  She had never invoked her Imperial Authority before and it felt kind of good, although a little scary. She had been threatened with all manner of dire consequences if she misused her authority. On numerous occasions by her father, Baron Travgar, her brother, and even her mother had reminded her of the extremely serious set of circumstances required to justify using her Imperial Authority.

  Whether it was the Imperial tone she put into her voice, or simply the serious manner of all those present, but Michaelson appeared to have accepted her identity. Or he had pretended to at least. He came to attention.

  “As you command Your Highness.”

  He took the chip from Gizel and then saluted.

  “Good. Alright, now do you want someone to keep an eye on your front door till you can get a repairman in to fix it?”

  Michaelson seemed thrown by the change of pace in the conversation then shook his head.

  “No. I’ll fix something up. Don’t worry about it, but thank you for the thought.”

  Gizel smiled. “Once I get back to the Palace I’ll make sure some compensation is sent to you Lieutenant. Your assistance is most welcome, believe me!”

  Although in truth she was starting to think life on the Kormorant had its advantages over life as an Imperial Princess. He nodded, but the look on his face was more like that of someone humoring the insane.

  With a quick nod, they left through the poor man’s ruined front door and made their way back to the shuttle which they had left in a convenient parking bay not too far from the house. They kept to the shadows on their way back to the parking bay, which was primarily a commercial one. Whilst busy during the working day there was little activity going on at that time of night, and the shuttle was reached without incident. Once aboard Karvon quickly drove them some distance away, thank goodness he’d invested in a shuttle that could double as a ground vehicle, after a fashion. Twenty minutes later he gained authority to head into orbit and dock with their mother ship, the whole operation cloaked as cargo drop off.

  On the way back up to the ship Gizel asked Karvon if he thought Michaelson would get the data sent, but Karvon only shrugged, unsure as to whether the man would carry out the task or not. Gizel was left feeling very unsure, but there was nothing more anyone could do.

  Back on the ship Karvon discovered an urgent message waiting and announced a short time later that he had accepted a VIP pick up and transport job that would leave them only three systems from where they intended to drop Gizel off. Sometimes luck went your way Gizel thought.

  Chapter 12

  News at home

  Lieutenant Johan Lomar gave the urgent message one more glance, but he could not open the sealed part, so he stood up and headed for the door to Baron Travgar’s office. That door was open, which meant the Baron was not engaged in anything demanding his complete attention or of a highly sensitive nature, and therefore subordinates were free to interrupt him if they felt they had to. The Lieutenant knocked on the frame and stuck his head around to see into the room.

  “Baron?”

  The solid, graying man behind the desk on the far side of the room looked up at his aide’s intrusion.

  “Yes, Johan?”

  “Sir, something just came in from our embassy in Nuglazgo addressed to you, sir. The cover letter is from our Imperial Security officer there who says he is not sure what to make of it. The file attached is coded for your personal access only, sir.”

  The Baron looked surprised at that.

  “Really?”

  Now he was intrigued. He looked down at his computer and pressed a few buttons on his virtual keypad.

  “Ah, I see it. What could be so important that it was sent to me directly? Maybe the Brythons are about to launch a surprise attack!” he said, perfectly deadpan.

  This was
rewarded by the look of genuine alarm on his aide’s face.

  Lieutenant Lomar was pretty quick on the uptake however and realized almost immediately his boss was making a joke so he gave back as good as he had got from his boss.

  “Of course sir. I shall have all staff review the emergency evacuation procedures immediately sir?”

  Travgar laughed at this quick retort.

  “That’s what I like about you, Johan. You can take a joke.”

  He looked down at the screen on his desk. Normally he would play the video as a hologram above the viewing unit but not knowing how sensitive the information was going to be, he opted for a more private first viewing. There was a quick cover note from the Cultural Attaché on Nuglazgo in which the fellow stated that he was unable to confirm the validity of the attached file. He was just following the instructions he had received from the Military Attaché who had requested it be forwarded to Travgar personally.

  He frowned as he read this note, then he ran the attachment. On the screen a young woman with close-cropped hair and wearing what had to be powered combat armor appeared. She had removed the helmet and it took him a few seconds to recognize who he was looking at.

  “Baron Travgar. Please be assured that I am alive, in good health, and in no danger. Well, not much danger anyway. You are no doubt aware of the circumstances of my disappearance and have kept it from the public as far as I can tell. I was rendered unconscious at Starfire and accidentally carried beyond the Kimerian system by my rescuers, who did not know who I was, until after I regained consciousness. The people I am with are happy to help me return home, but we are concerned about security. Someone bugged my clothing, all of my clothing, from within the Palace. They intended to capture or kill me, and if not for the quick actions of a complete stranger, who has now become my friend, they would have succeeded. Because the person responsible for this attempt on my life can reach deep into the heart of the Palace there is no way for me to know who to trust, except for yourself.”

  Travgar noted that she didn’t look like she was agitated. Instead, she looked damn calm for someone who was essentially still a schoolgirl.

  “I will be in the Jerich system in three months. My brother’s ship is scheduled to be at the naval base two jumps away at Ragon. I request that it be sent on a goodwill mission to Lorvich Station, which orbits the single inhabited planet in the Jerich system. Say in twelve weeks from when you receive this message? I will use my Imperial Family comm codes to contact him and arrange how to get aboard his ship. I look forward to seeing you soon. Gizel.”

  The Baron hit replay and watched the message again. The vision came from inside a space ship but exactly what type he could not determine. The Princess appeared to be healthy if rather martial-looking in the combat armor. It was impossible to tell if she was under some sort of compulsion, but it seemed unlikely if she was trying to arrange a rendezvous with her brother, unless this was some complicated plot to get him as well.

  Should he hand this over to forensics? No, probably not. Gizel was right. There was no way of knowing who was behind the attempt on her life, but it was clear they had access to the Palace. The sheer number of bugs they had discovered since her disappearance confirmed that. Unfortunately Imperial Security had been unsuccessful in pinning down the perpetrators amongst the staff. Perhaps this would allow him to change a few of the poorer security aspects at the Palace. He glanced up at the patiently waiting Lomar.

  “Johan. Please get on the comm and organize a face-to-face meeting for me with Admiral Gording at a place of his choosing, but at my expense.”

  “Admiral Gording, sir. The Brythons aren’t really about to attack are they?” the suddenly serious Lomar asked.

  Travgar laughed. “No Johan. Sorry. I just need to see the Admiral about a private matter.”

  The Lieutenant’s brows drew together in puzzlement.

  “Private sir, yes sir,” he answered like the well-trained officer he was.

  Seeing that the Baron was once again looking at whatever had been sent to him, and realizing he had no intention of enlightening him any further as to what was on it, he exited the office.

  As soon as he had exited the room the Baron pressed the button to close his door and called a special number.

  “Hogart. What is wrong?” a male voice asked.

  “Nothing, Your Majesty. Quite the opposite possibly. I have received a message purportedly from your daughter. In the vid she appears to be alive and unharmed. She is rightfully concerned about her personal security and has proposed a roundabout manner of coming home. I perforce have to agree to the route as she has not left a forwarding address.”

  “You have heard from Gizel? That is great news, Baron. I will tell her mother immediately.”

  The Emperor sounded more relieved, than happy at this unexpected turn of events after so long.

  “Sire. I suggest you tell no others though until we have her back. Whoever tried to snatch or kill her has the capability to reach well inside the Palace, and my people still have no idea of who or how, as you know.”

  “Yes of course Baron. We will keep this news to ourselves. And she looks alright?”

  “As far as I can tell Sire. I will bring this file over after dinner if you like, for you and the Empress to view.” the Baron offered.

  “Thank you Hogart. I would appreciate that. Until later then.”

  “Sire.”

  And the two men disconnected.

  Two days later Baron Travgar sat down to lunch with Admiral Gording at one of the more up-market restaurants on the main orbital station over Kimeria. It was popular with senior naval personal and several other officers were amongst the small lunchtime clientele. After ordering their meals, Baron Travgar produced a small device, which he placed on the table and activated. This caused the area around the two officers to became slightly blurred to outside viewers thus preventing lip readers from seeing what they were discussing. The electronic jammer component of the device also prevented any other types of eavesdropping being able to occur.

  The Admiral raised his eyebrows at the jammer.

  “Not a social call then,” he stated more than asked.

  The Baron smiled at the tall spare man he had known since his own school days.

  “No, Mycus. Although I always enjoy your company, my old friend.”

  The Admiral smiled in return. Both men were too busy these days to catch up as regularly as they would have liked.

  “Must be pretty important for you to foot the bill though, Hogey.”

  “Just a little. I want you to cut orders for the Harod II to pay a show the flag mission to Lorvich Station in the Jerich system in twelve weeks’ time. For a stay of say, three days and two nights. That should be long enough for the sailors to wear out their welcome.”

  Admiral Gording smiled sourly.

  “If it was back in my day you would be right, but sailors today are all too well behaved. Don’t know what the Navy’s coming to!” he paused to sip his wine. “Am I to arrange to have the Harod II make this trip with his Highness aboard?” He paused for a second, to allow Travgar to nod agreement. “So, the vessel pays a friendly visit to one of our allies out that way and we gain what? More than just goodwill I presume?”

  Travgar nodded again, paused to finish chewing the food in his mouth then said quietly without expression.

  “Hopefully we gain a Princess.”

  Whatever Admiral Gording had been expecting to hear this was not it. He somehow managed to keep his face almost expressionless as he took another mouthful of his lunch and chewed slowly.

  “I see. Seems an odd place for a Princess to be hiding out.”

  Travgar nodded. “I gather she’s not actually there yet, but she organized things to get a personal message to me to arrange for her brother’s ship to meet her there.” he paused and held up a hand. “And no, I don’t know anything more than that, but she appears to have found some friends who are helping her, and she has become rather paranoi
d since her disappearance.”

  The Admiral kept eating his lunch calmly for a few minutes before saying anything. The distortion field prevented lip reading but the body language of the people inside the field could still be observed to some extent.

  “I do not see any problem with sending the Harod II to Lorvich Station Baron. I presume she will have some way of contacting her brother?”

  Baron Travgar nodded.

  “Yes, Mycus. I can’t tell you how, but she should be able to contact her brother directly once his ship docks. I don’t want any indication of what this mission is really about given to the Captain of the ship, please. We still have no idea who was behind the original kidnapping, or indeed how she managed to get away. This must be on a need-to-know basis only, and as far as I can see, you are the only person who needs to know.”

  The other man grimaced at this statement but nodded in agreement.

  “Yes. I can see that. This is a bad business Hogey.”

  “Yes, it is old friend. You have no idea how frustrated I have become over these last few months trying to find answers to this whole mess without making any real progress. I’ll be honest and admit I have been most impressed by the way Their Majesties have remained so calm throughout this horrible ordeal. I must also say that I was surprised they allowed me to remain as head of Imperial Security after this debacle for that matter!”

  The admiral smiled at this.

  “Don’t be silly Hogey! You’re the best head of Imperial Security I can remember. Nobody could ever have expected the chain of events that led to the Princess’ disappearance, it was a perfect storm. You still have no idea who bugged her clothes then?”

  Travgar shook his head. The information was still closely held but the Admiral had to be put in the loop right from the start. He needed to authorize the rapid deployment of their fleet on the search mission they had carried out, without success. Gording still didn’t know how they had missed intercepting the ship that was carrying the Princess out of Kimeria space.

  The Baron waved a hand in response to the Admiral’s question.