“Space witch, Benjamin?” Aisling asked, one eyebrow cocked.
“I’m sure you’ve been called worse things,” I replied.
“Not to my face.”
“Stop this nonsense before you push too far, Aisling,” Binda said, trying to capitalize on the verbal ceasefire.
“Snake, cut Mira loose. Mira, your presence is a surprise. If you have strong feelings about killing me, stand with them. Let’s get this over with.” Snake cut her bonds. She stretched her arms and rubbed her wrists then walked over to stand by Captain Tonnek.
“Benjamin, what are we going to do?” Binda asked.
Natalia walked over and stood beside me. “You’re an idiot, just like those two,” she said, looking directly at Aisling, anger seething just below the surface. “Way to go, Dad. I guess I’ll bail you out again.” There was no sting in it.
“I was hoping someone would. Everyone relax while I take off my weapons. Snake, come hold these for me.” I willed my helmet away and looked him in the eye. It was all that was needed. Years working together said it all.
“You sure you don’t want to get Harry to back you up?” Snake asked.
“Thanks for the thought, but seriously, you don’t think I can handle the five of them?” That was the end of conversation as all hell broke loose around me.
Mira punched Tonnek in the jaw and followed up with a fast and hard kick to his gut. He stumbled into Aisling, who stumbled into Lhohn. She kicked Aisling in the back of the knee then pushed her to make sure went down. Natalia was on Lhohn in seconds before he knew what was happening. She hit him in the face before he even thought about covering up properly. She batted his arms away and continued to pummel him. She was so confident. I heard Snake yell at the marine, ordering him not to move as my railgun warmed up. The suit wouldn’t stop a projectile from it. Aisling was on her hands and knees trying to get up when Natalia laid into her, punching her in the kidneys. Mira hadn’t wanted to hurt Aisling, just get her out of the way. Natalia had no such ideas. She was pissed and hurt over the betrayal. Yes, that was what it was.
“Benjamin, stop them!” Binda pleaded. It wasn’t begging, she just wanted a ceasefire.
“Why? Remember poker with the crew, Binda? These guys bluffed and lost.” The words were barely out of my mouth when I saw the marine in the mech suit reach for Natalia, who was about to bring some more pain to Aisling. Something inside me snapped and I collided with the steel and titanium mech suit that weighed ten times what I weighed. The marine driving the suit took about three involuntary steps backward when I hit him. I was standing in the spot he once occupied. Calculating, my arm grew three feet. Neck, arm, abdomen. All three had joints between sections. I was going to cut it to pieces.
“If you know of me, then you know I’ve used one of those suits a few times. I know its weaknesses and strengths. There are things you don’t know about me and if you take a step in this direction, you’re going to find out. I can tell you that you won’t like the experience. Natalia, leave Aisling be.”
“Benjamin, what do you want done with these other two?” Mira asked.
“Mira, I’m still trying to figure you out. How about you keep an eye on them? They reach for a weapon then just tell that compulsion of yours they’re me and kill them.”
“Hey, Boss, what if her compulsion was to screw you?” Snake asked and laughed. Dumbass.
“Then we have to invoke Lorelei’s rule number six. No fucking during a meeting.”
Mira sighed. “You’ve ruined everything, Benjamin.”
“I tend to do that. Sash, how are the Akelorians doing?”
She looked at them for a second. “They are fine. If nothing else, you cemented your position and authority even more with them. Nice arm.”
“Let’s have this meeting, then, so we can get back to work. I have things to do.” I stepped back and stood over Aisling. “Can you stand?”
“Leave me be. I don’t want your help.” I returned my arm to normal, knowing it would take even less time if I ever had to do that again.
“You remember when they kidnapped you, beat your ass, then threw you in a room under the floor? Answer me. Do you remember or have you already forgotten?”
“What of it?”
“A crazy man came for you and brought his crazy friends. They killed every guard, man, woman and sawed-off runt in and around the building, then fed the responsible party to the giant spider and made her eat him, slowly. Crazy, huh, watching Imelda delicately strip the meat off his bones while he was still alive. You watched and said NOTHING. Then the crazy man returned you to your ship and killed the party responsible for your capture and for commandeering your ship. Killed them all and got your ship back for you and you said what? NOTHING.”
Silence.
“Fuck you, Aisling. You don’t get to pick and choose which crazy is ok with you. You don’t get to tell me to step down. I’m going to kill Tonnek and Lhohn here and it pains me because they wouldn’t have had the balls to do this without you. Their families won’t be seeing them tonight, and haven’t seen them in over a month I’m guessing. But you know, when I tell the families that they mutinied against their leaders, they will understand. That’s the risk a pirate takes and they all understand that. Crazy, huh.”
“Benjamin, don’t kill them. Let Sashet and I talk to them. Maybe a probation or demotion. If they cause any more problems, I will deal with them myself,” Binda said.
I studied her face. Again, it was not the face of someone begging but someone looking to salvage the situation using a different approach. I believed her when she said she would deal with them.
“You two just hit the lottery. You better be kissing some green ass every time she tells you to do something.”
“Such a flair with words, Father.” Natalia sighed, embarrassed as usual.
“Aisling, are you staying or leaving?” Binda asked.
“Staying,” Aisling answered, pain evident in her voice. Like the other two, she wasn’t looking at us.
“Two topics for discussion,” Binda announced. “What do we do with the Khalnalax aboard the World Eater? And are we going to Idaline?”
I looked at everyone. Some were considering the questions and some were still looking at the people getting up off the floor. The Akelorians were going to have to go to Idaline or Xanlos if they wanted to present their offer of alliance to a Cjittan government rep. I was going to push them toward Idaline. We would be going there and their ship would be a help in the upcoming battle there. If the Khalnalax killed them and we informed their Confederation, they may enter the war anyway.
I think if they were looking for a reason to get in the war, whatever their motives, Idaline was their best opportunity. Aisling still hadn’t made it past her hands and knees. I bent down and knocked one arm out from under her. She went down but I caught her, rolling her up in my arms. I stood up. Gave my daughter a look and shook my head. It was a forewarning for her to keep her mouth shut. I wouldn’t say anything. She loved Aisling and it hurt her, maybe more than it hurt me.
“Ronnie, you copy?” I said.
“Speak,” she replied. I could hear the amusement in her voice.
“Come to the meeting room and bring your bag. Aisling needs your services.”
“What did you do?” The amusement disappeared.
“Me? Nothing. I’ve been the epitome of restraint. Now get moving.”
“I don’t need her, I’m fine,” Aisling said.
“You don’t get a vote on this, you’ll just piss Ronnie off. Aisling, don’t ever do that again.” My eyes locked on her green orbs.
I waited for her to say something but she didn’t. “The time in the tank on the Warhammer didn’t cure anything, but I had time to meditate like I used to. Something I haven’t done in a long time. Sensei had me doing it every day so I could use and control everything he was teaching me properly in the correct perspective. I’ve fallen so far away from his teachings.”
“You expect
me to believe you’re ok now? You meditated and now you’re all better?”
“Of course not, stupid. I’m going to do some bad things and I don’t care. They need to be done. You know that. You’re no babe in the woods. But I’m going to go into it having reasoned it out with more clarity. Try not to blow myself up so often. Shit hurts. More gung ho, less suicidal.”
“Stupid?”
“Sorry.”
Chapter Nine
Aisling let Ronnie check her over while we continued. I asked for a week before we departed for Idaline. We could use the time to get out of the Kanlost system and move toward the border to the planet Dratma 6. Genius could get the comm array finished so the Generations ship would have all its communications and sensors. Finishing the comm array would require use of the fab shop on the Warhammer. At least that was what I told them. I wanted to keep Aisling around and let things cool down. Genius was going to give them the specifications for Harry’s armor to be followed by armor for Warlock and Nedra. The last project couldn’t be started until I had Dog figured out.
There were some other suggestions for the time that didn’t involve me directly, such as training for the Privateers, Doon and Joon and the some of the family members. I had someone picked out to oversee that program. She could use the time to cement her authority among the Privateers she wasn’t serving with. The crews from the other ships would soon learn who would one day oversee them all. I asked Aisling if the Warhammer could be used for training exercises. Have the marines involved in the training exercises, covering hand to hand, boarding actions and ground tactics. She agreed through squinted eyes as if there were a catch.
I was surprised when the marine in the mech suit supported the idea and voiced it from his place over against the wall. But then again, he had been working with the Privateers so he saw they needed a lot of help. I hadn’t informed any of them about Dog, and after the easy subjects were put to rest the question of the Khalnalax crew on the World Eater came up again. It was possible it might get ugly. They were still moving materials off the World Eater to the Generations ship. When that was done, there would have to be a decision. There was one piece of information I hadn’t asked for from anyone yet: the coordinates for the Khalnalax home world, or, to be more precise, the capitol city.
My philosophy, as it pertained to this venture, was we didn’t take prisoners in large groups. I was thinking of putting anyone we didn’t deem useful on Kanlost and notify the Cjittan that they were there. The other idea I had for them I would keep to myself.
“We could use them. There is no need to rush. I don’t want to lose any of my crew to the manning of that ship,” Sashet said. The other captains all agreed. I looked at the two Privateer captains, who had grunted their approval, to remind them I was still pissed and shut them up quickly. They had just sided with Aisling in a mutiny. Their opinions didn’t count. Then I looked at Sash and Aisling, who sat next to each other.
“We aren’t keeping that ship, so the time involved manning it will be minimal—if we have to at all. The longer we hold on to it, the greater the risk that we lose it to the Khalnalax or the Cjittan. They don’t need any ideas or the use of such a ship.”
“So what are we going to do with it?” Binda asked.
“We remove any remaining Khalnalax working on it. Kill anyone who knows anything about the bridge and systems, which isn’t many overall, and send it into the sun. We set coordinates, put on autopilot and let it fly. No crew necessary. No extra mouths to feed and the ship won’t fall into anyone’s hands, friend or foe.”
“What other options do we have?” Binda asked. Like me, she had read everyone’s faces. I left my face and head exposed so they could look at me, not a black expressionless helmet.
“We could sell the ship and put the crew off somewhere and leave them,” Tonnek suggested. I gave him a look that would freeze water.
“Will that make you sleep better? You were never much of a pirate, were you,” I said. It wasn’t a question. “Let’s just leave them on Kanlost for the Cjittan. We can man it with a minimal crew until its time then take them off when we send it to its final resting place.”
“That sounds reasonable. Anyone have any problems . . . no? Good. The rest of you may go. I need Benjamin and Mira to stay behind.”
“You’re killing me here, Binda,” I said.
“The Akelorians need further reassurances that Mira will die. They don’t want anything getting back to their home world that might make them look bad.”
“We can’t have that. I’ll try to reassure them.” I stood up, looking down on the three small aliens. “Come here, Mira.” I pulled out the chair in front of me. “Sit,” I ordered and she complied. Trusting for someone in her position. I decided to go with the pointed stake I had manifested earlier. There was no hurry, so I let it grow slowly. My other hand gripped Mira’s shoulder.
“Benjamin, you are still under the rules of the meeting as told to you earlier,” Binda warned.
“Meeting is over. This is an altogether different matter.” I began squeezing the muscle at the base of her neck, digging my fingers in. Mira began squirming, trying not to make any sound. “Thank you for returning my slave to me. I will kill her right now if you insist, but I would rather punish her for a while before I do. As king, it is my right, but we also want to act in good faith with you, the Akelorians, with the purpose of a lasting relationship.” I squeezed harder and she grabbed my wrist. I put the point against her neck and pushed. “If I promise you that she will die and will never report your activities, would that please you?” A small line made by two drops of blood ran down Mira’s neck.
They didn’t need to confer as three heads bobbed vigorously. “Benjamin, I will take our guests now so you can finish dealing with Mira,” Binda said. She motioned for the them to follow and within seconds Mira and I were alone.
I let go of her shoulder and rubbed it. “So you’re going to kill me?” she asked. “I worked very hard to get here, to find you and your crew.”
“I said you were going to die. I imagine you won’t live forever, am I right? Do you think you can forget about the Akelorians? Given that you can, I see no reason to do anything. Unless you come at me. Then I’ll kill you.” I put my finger on the small spot where her blood had pooled. Holding it there a second, I moved it up the red line, watching as the tiny red path vanished. I held my finger over the small pin prick on her neck and then removed it.
She is like you, but not totally. Her origin is recent and was hurried, Deireadh said.
“That felt good. I didn’t think you liked touching me? It reminded you of her so much it hurt?”
“Many things hurt, Mira. Pain fades slowly, sometimes totally, and other times never at all. Besides, I was barely touching you. I should go, but we will catch up so you can tell me your story.”
“Benjamin, this is true: no matter what happened to me I would have found my way back. I could no more stay away than I can stop breathing. The Master linked our fates when he made me. You will have to take my life to be free of me.”
“I know.”
****
Tazleaha laid out her idea for camouflaging the shuttle and got everyone started. The three captives were released, but not before they were volunteered to help and they promised to take Tazleaha and the others to the refugees. The trees and foliage the shuttle knocked down when it crash-landed were cleared, lifted and laid over the shuttle when possible. They combed the jungle for anything they could find: trees and bushes that had become uprooted during the heavy storms that often happened in the tropical environment of Idaline’s southern continent. Plants with large, broad leaves were cut and then added on top of the others. She had no idea what it looked like from the sky, but its outline was broken up well enough at ground level.
Food, water and weapons were next on the list. A brief discussion, mostly to find out if they had been telling the truth the first time they were questioned, only revealed the same answers. It would be n
ext to impossible to be within range for killing an Etash warrior without getting killed yourself. It would be a hard-fought battle with the first of the hunting parties, but they thought they could take out some of them before the lasers or stunners they brought had to recharge.
“We need to cut straight branches or young straight trees so that we can make traps with stakes and spears,” Tazleaha said. “It will be a start.”
“What are you talking about?” Dela’maah asked.
“Benjamin sent me a historical piece of literature when he was selling me on the Privateers. I read more than just the part he suggested I read. It had information of his people’s cultures going back to their earliest recorded times. Before they discovered how to work metals, they used bone, wood and stone.”
“Barbarians,” Dela’maah commented.
“Yes, they were. Stone and wood will have to do. At least until we can relieve our enemy of some weapons,” Zora acknowledged.
“Mayor,” Tazleaha said. “Can you show us any parts of this jungle you know are considered dangerous? Places we may use to our advantage once we have learned how not to die there ourselves?”
“You want to lure them to their deaths?”
Tazleaha eyed the Mayor and found it was just a question, not insinuating cowardice. “Yes, until they catch on, but I’m hoping they also grow angry at their losses.”
“Are there any farmers among the refugees?” Zora asked. “They will have tools for turning the soil and clearing the land. We need to search the outlying farms. They may have been raided, the food and people taken, but the tools they would have left behind. I believe we can use them for our needs in creating traps and weapons.”
“It is worth trying. The larger farms around the city may not have many, but the smaller ones in the outlying villages might have more hand tools,” the mayor said.
“We should get started. It will be dark soon. I hope you know our way?” Dela’maah replied.
The Chronicles of Benjamin Jaminson: Empires At War (Book 5 Part Two) Page 12