“Hey, Boss, loan me some credits would ya?” Snake said. “You’d think they don’t trust me or somethin.”
“They don’t.” Deireadh formed an interface on my forearm. I accessed the ship’s paymaster program and took credits out of Snake’s own account and transferred them to him. Snake would find out later, but for now he would think I had given them to him.
“Thanks, Boss. I’m good for it; as soon as I get some of my credits back I repay you.” Snake’s com beeped. It would show credits available on his device but not where it came from.
“Hey, loan me some,” Ronnie said. Her smile and the big pile of chips in front of her said she was joking.
At the meeting, the admiral was scratching Zuri’s head. Binda was on the comm explaining her idea via holo-screen and a linked transmission between Sash’s ship and the Claymore. She divided the Khalnalax blockade into four zones but left the battleship as a single target in the middle of the four. She thought they should send thirty ships into a single zone, overwhelm and destroy all the enemy ships there, then divide the fleet in half and move to the next two. Divided, they still had at least triple the ships per zone. The battleship being the sole ship in the center of the Khalnalax formation was expected to draw in any stragglers: ships with too much damage to fight or those seeking the protection of the bigger ship. The remaining fourth zone was expected to aid in its defense or cover its escape. Binda was expected to return to the Claymore using it as the Privateer flagship.
“What is wrong, Dela’maah?” Taz asked, noticing her frown.
“Your lover tricked me into helping bathe the one called Snake. I’m still irritated. I apologize.”
“Boss?”
“Just observing the meeting,” I told them.
“Do they know?” Ronnie asked.
“What do you think.”
“I don’t like him, My Queen. You need to pick another,” Dela’maah said. No one spoke for a few seconds.
“This is not the time, Cousin, to speak of such matters,” Zora said, but not before looking over at Genius, who was studying the top of the table.
“As I recall, he saved your pasty white ass,” Natalia yelled over the comm. “Your opinion doesn’t count.” Sash was in the background telling Natalia to keep quiet.
“I recommend we wrap this up,” Binda added loudly over Sash and Natalia arguing in the background. “I will get the Privateers in formation then join the Claymore. You should move on to Benjamin’s plan to catch your spy or spies and get the rest of the fleet in order.”
Genius stood and left the room, retreating before Zora could question him. The brief moment under Zora’s watchful eye left him insecure. I knew some of the others had noticed.
“Catch him and have him send Benjamin,” Taz ordered.
With a thought, I unmuted my com. “I’ll be there shortly,” I said, walking in their direction and leaving my friends to their game. “Dela’maah, don’t go anywhere. I want to speak with you.” I muted again and didn’t answer when Taz and Lorelei both called my name. It didn’t take them long to get the hint that I was ignoring them.
The battle plan was straightforward enough. The spy would be a different matter. I needed to get Genius on the ship without him being seen. By the time I got there, I had an idea how to do it. The door slid open and I locked on Dela’maah. She sat at the table and, like everyone else, she watched me until she realized I was going to be standing behind her. She tried to stand, but I gripped her shoulders and held her in place, launching straight into my idea for getting Genius on the admiral’s ship.
“Admiral, you will be departing via your shuttle and taking a crate back with you. Tell your people to deliver the crate to your quarters. You should also inform them that the Claymore will be arriving and docking inside your ship and to expect us shortly after you arrive.” I paused as a courtesy for questions.
“Taz, Zora and my dear friend Dela’maah, you need to go see Snake and obtain armor and weapons.” I gave Dela’s shoulders a squeeze. “Dela’maah, you will go with the admiral and stay with him until I tell you otherwise. Admiral, she is going to be your personal bodyguard. You don’t know who you can trust on your ship, but you can trust her. Lorelei, I want the crew armored, armed and ready to go in case I need them.”
“Do you believe I will need a full-time bodyguard?” Admiral Cushda asked.
“Yes. Any other questions?” It was easy to see the admiral wasn’t used to short answers. The frown on his face cleared up when Zuri growled just loud enough to be heard. “She is very perceptive, and she seems to like you.”
“Shouldn’t the queen have a full-time bodyguard in the absence of her personal guards?” Cushda asked.
“She has two, three if you count Zora. Admiral, you’re not getting out it. Dela’maah has been through a lot lately. She has survived pirates, the Khalnalax army and me. Believe me, the latter is quite a feat. You can ask Lorelei. I believe Dela’maah will do her best to keep you safe.”
“Who are my bodyguards?” Taz asked.
“You have to ask?”
“I just wanted to make sure.”
“Let’s get moving. I still have to tell my favorite hacker about his transportation situation.”
****
Less than an hour later, we docked in the hold of Admiral Cushda’s flagship. Genius had taken his travel accommodations in a cargo container better than expected and had even tried to get Zora to join him. We were gathered around as he climbed in with a pillow and some padding. His proposition to Zora was bold for him; his face was still red when we shut and latched the lid. Zora’s had a rosy glow that looked good on her. I realized someday I would lose my long-time friend or gain a new member of the crew. Taz smiled, which made me happy. She possibly approved of the match.
Dela’maah and Genius having gone ahead, they should already be in place. The lieutenant that was sent to greet us about lost it when he realized it was Taz and Zora walking down the ramp toward him. He dropped to one knee, his face down, and spoke so hurriedly it almost sounded unintelligible. His apologies ceased the minute he saw black armored boots appear in front of his face. I scanned the hold, looking for any signs of trouble. There were a lot of curious crew members trying to work out exactly what was going on. In a matter of seconds, everything had come to a stop and the crew were on bended knee.
“Tell everyone to get back to work and take us to Admiral Cushda’s quarters,” I ordered. He looked up and froze. Zuri chose that time to stroll down the ramp, coming to a stop next to me. The lieutenant crab-walked backward as fast as he could. I took two steps and pulled him up by the front of his uniform. “Pull yourself together, Lieutenant. The queen is tired of waiting on you.” He turned and took off. I looked back at Taz. “I guess we’ll just follow him. Hopefully he’ll slow down. Zuri, you lead. I’ll take the rear.”
The ship was a lot larger than the Claymore and it took us some time to get to the admiral’s quarters. We picked up an armed guard along the way, but they kept their distance and said nothing. Dela met and greeted us at the door while the lieutenant stood at attention in the corridor.
I moved through the admiral’s quarters without invitation. Genius was set up in the attached office. The crate still sat open outside the door.
“Are you online?” I asked. Genius looked up after a couple keystrokes.
“I’m in this system. We haven’t connected to the rest of the fleet yet.”
“Any idea how you’re going to scan for signals outside of the Cjittan military or ours?”
“The aft comm array is currently tasked at thirty percent while the forward is seventy. We are at the rear of the Cjittan formation. With the codes the admiral provided, I’m commandeering the aft array and turning one eighty and pointing it just beyond the front of this ship to start, then from time to time I’ll change the angle to encompass the whole fleet. I’m tapped in so everything coming out of that forward array will be scanned and copied for proof.”
&nbs
p; “What’s the other device you have hooked up?”
“It’s a scanner I built. An all-in-one, so to speak. At least for every transmission type I’m aware of. First, it’s going to identify everything bouncing around out there and store it. Then I’ll instruct it to look for any anomalies. So it might be a familiar type but on a different wavelength than what I’ve recorded. It might be an encoded message on a common signal. Whoever it is has been doing it right under the old man’s nose all along, Boss. We might get lucky.”
“So you’ll use the ship’s comm to track all standard comm signals and use your magic box to track down the odd signals.”
“Right. It’s going to help that the admiral is going to institute a comm blackout again. The last time, he wasn’t looking for a spy and he didn’t check to make sure they followed his orders. This time he is and with our help he will be more prepared to handle it.”
“Taz and Zora being here should stir up some activity. The Privateers bolstering the Cjittan fleet and the new attack orders will add to it. I have no doubt a message will go out. So let’s say you nail a unauthorized signal. How do we know who sent it?”
“We will know which ship, but from there it’s anyone’s guess. So, it may take good old-fashioned detective work.”
“There can be more than one spy. We aren’t spies or spy hunters and don’t really have the time to screw with this. Find the ship responsible first priority, then, if it’s possible, I think it would be good for you and Zora to get aboard and put an end to the problem.”
“Aren’t we about to begin a major offensive? I don’t want to be in a shuttle trying to get aboard—”
“Hey! Relax. You identify it and we’ll have the admiral reassign it as escort to his flagship. It will be out of the action and close.”
“What if he doesn’t want to? It will take a ship out of the equation that may be important.”
“C’mon, let’s find out.” I said. Genius got up and followed me into the other room. Taz, Zora and the admiral were speaking in hushed tones.
“Admiral Cushda, we were just talking. When we identify the ship responsible, we want you to assign it to the flagship as an escort.” I didn’t phrase it as a request. I flexed my fingers on my right hand slowly, then had three-inch spikes grow out from each knuckle on my closed fist.
“As you wish,” Cushda replied.
“See, Genius, no problem.”
“Benjamin, what do you think you’re doing?” Taz asked, her eyes darting from my hand to my face.
“Practicing, dear. Zora and Genius are going to catch our spy and I’m going to extract all the information it possesses.” The admiral swallowed, eyes darting between us as he watched our exchange.
“We are?” Zora asked.
“Yes, you are. Who better to handle this than you and Genius? Spymaster and hacker extraordinaire.”
“Boss, Captain Kimit would like to speak with you,” Shawna advised over my com.
“Put her through.”
Taz was looking at me and began talking. “Benjamin, what am I supposed to be doing while—” I held up my hand and cut Taz off.
“Kimit, is there a problem?”
“No, I just remembered we have a weapon onboard that I think might be of some assistance. Dakkon called them mines. From my reading, we launch from the ship and position them in a stationary position or in orbit. They, um, borrowed the idea from your people.”
“That’s good to know, but I’m not sure they will work at this point. They would just be target practice for the enemy. I know we can use them in the future.” I didn’t care if they stole some tech that was just floating somewhere in space. Probably got it from Hyson back when.
“They have a cloaking generator built in.”
“That is a different thing altogether. What else you hiding up your skirt?”
“Benjamin!” Taz said.
“What? It’s just a saying. She doesn’t even wear a skirt.”
“Hey, Boss, you have a very important comm. It’s live and you need to take it right now,” Shawna said.
“Really, who is it?”
“Emperor Xamand and Captain Dakkon.”
“Shit.”
“C’mon now, take it like a man You knew it would come back to you,” Shawna said, enjoying herself.
“Admiral, can you turn on your large screen? I have to take an important comm. Shawna, send to the address I just sent you. Kimit, you hear that?”
“Yes, I will contact you again shortly.”
“No, Captain Kimit, just hang on. Hit the mute and listen in.”
I watched as Xamand and Dakkon’s faces appeared on the screen. Zora, Taz and the admiral stood together keeping quiet. Neither of the Allond said anything and I was beginning to think there was a technical problem. Finally, Xamand spoke. “Benjamin, why?”
I decided on no theatrics or bullshit. “The Claymore is awesome, but there is only one of her. I saw a chance to have two and I took it. The Black Scythe is the perfect complement to her.”
“You influenced a Captain of the Allond Royal Navy and her crew to forsake their sworn duty guarding our Empire. This is an offense I cannot overlook. Do you understand?”
“I can’t lie; I knew what I was doing.”
“Benjamin, Kimit is of royal blood. It has been a millennium since anyone of royal blood has been executed. Do you understand what your actions have accomplished? Her crew will either be put to death or imprisoned and their houses cast in ruin. Kimit will die.”
“She had no choice. She is my prisoner and her crew is following my will or she dies.”
“Please, Benjamin, do not think we are so dim-witted as to believe such nonsense.”
“Believe what you want. You think it’s a lie, but what if it were true? Then what would happen?”
“The evidence says otherwise. She came to Dakkon twice with a request to join you and twice was denied.”
“So?”
“I don’t understand your meaning.”
“So why didn’t you let her go? The way I see it, it’s your fault this happened.”
“I see why the Queen of Cjittan is reluctant to announce you as her chosen suitor.”
“Don’t drag Taz into it, Xamand. I have enough problems without you bringing her into it. I asked you a question, Emperor. Why didn’t you let her join us? There isn’t shit going on at Kanlost, now that we took care of the problem there, with just a little token help from you, I might add.”
“Benjamin, that is enough,” Taz warned from the sideline.
“That’s twice, Tazleaha, Queen of Cjittan, you’ve shushed me in ten minutes. This doesn’t concern you. Don’t speak again.” There would be hell to pay now. I felt strange, no more was I awed by kings and emperors, queens and empresses.
“Benjamin,” Dakkon said, speaking for the first time. “Kimit has been given assignments out of harm’s way by design. You are right; there are no threats currently anywhere near Kanlost. Emperor Xamand, Ambassador Jinwasys and I, her uncles, swore an oath to her dying father to keep her safe.”
“She is a warrior and you wish to keep her locked in a tower over a promise made to a dying father? Part of her has probably known what you were doing all along. Better she is with me doing something she and her crew can be proud of than sitting around watching the black feeling useless.”
“She has sworn to follow the orders of her emperor and those in command above her,” Dakkon said.
“Do you think to honor her when you would send others to die in her place? In a few short hours, we are going to be very busy. Kimit will be right there beside the rest of us who are putting their lives on the line for the Cjittan Empire and Queen Tazleaha, whose only concern, it seems, is to keep my tongue reigned in. So, this is what I say to you, my dear friends. Kimit has the protection of the King of Cjittan. You would honor me if you’d take the time to think of an alternate ending to this situation.”
Taz walked slowly to my side and slipped her arm ar
ound my back. “Emperor Xamand, Benjamin, in his unorthodox way of doing things, sought to bolster our forces and, while the circumstance of the aid is unfortunate, it is welcome. My King is many things, but diplomatic is not one of them. He draws people to him through his actions. Your niece is under his wing now. In her desire to rebel, she could have made worse choices.”
“I was not aware, Queen Tazleaha, you had accepted and agreed to elevate Benjamin. Not long ago he was fleeing the capitol a criminal,” Dakkon said.
“And you aided in his escape,” Taz reminded him. Everyone was quiet until she spoke again. “Before I met him, you saw something in him, Xamand. You rewarded an outcast of a lesser race and continued to. You, Jinwasys and Dakkon were the first to be taken in by him. Now you would punish Kimit for following in your footsteps? Not long ago I was sleeping in the dirt, eating off the land and washing when I could. They came for me, and Kimit along with them. It is something I will never forget.”
“I don’t think you answered Dakkon’s question. Have you accepted Benjamin as your king?”
“Did he ask a question? I didn’t hear one. I thought he indicated he was ignorant of an event. Let us say that I am considering his claim and leaning toward acceptance.”
My helmet retreated and I looked down at her face. I had been harsh to her a few minutes ago but the smile I saw seemed genuine. “We will talk later about many things,” she said. “Some topics will be pleasant and others . . . not so much.” She smiled again then turned back to the screen.
“Emperor, unfortunately we are on the eve of a battle that could well determine the future of the Cjittan Empire. I would ask you hold off any judgement until we can all sit together as we have in the past and discuss the issue at hand.”
“We will withhold judgment, for now. I am aware you had no hand in this situation, Queen Tazleaha. I am considering this situation a matter of a personal nature resting outside our two empires.”
“Thank you, Emperor Xamand. Benjamin and I will discuss this at length—”
“We will?”
“Yes, we will.”
“Good luck, Queen Tazleaha,” Xamand said and cut the feed.
The Chronicles of Benjamin Jaminson: Empires At War (Book 5 Part Two) Page 33