by Eric Thomson
Since the crew, other than Thebes’ purser did its best to ignore them, Decker couldn’t even gage their reaction to the night’s deadly events. If anyone other than the watchkeepers knew. Talyn might be right, and surveillance of the affected areas could have been shut off, leaving the bridge blind and blissfully ignorant of doings on their own ship.
Gudrun Mariano and her client remained no-shows by the time Decker finished his third coffee of the morning, and he wondered whether a quick knock on the cabin door might be appropriate. They still faced at least five hours in FTL, with several more traveling sublight afterward, before entering orbit and docking at Valerys, Cimmeria’s sole civilian station. The two women couldn’t stay secluded that long without eating. But Talyn vetoed the idea.
“If we want Mariano’s trust,” she said once they were back in the privacy of their own quarters, “we need to give them space. I know her type. The more you try to help, the less they want it. Push hard enough, and things can become dicey.”
“You know her type?” Decker stretched out on a bottom bunk still in disarray from a bout of debt-collection, hands joined behind his head. “Does that mean she plays for your team?”
“Could be.” Talyn climbed into the top bunk. “I didn’t sense there was much beneath the outer shell, other than a fixation on her duty toward Maggie. She certainly feels no affection for her client, or seems capable of doing so.”
“You would know your own kind better than I do.”
Talyn’s next words faded away unspoken when the sound of hard knuckles rapping on their door echoed throughout the small cabin. It opened before either of them could answer or climb to their feet, the lock overridden by Thebes’ captain, Hanno Kreipe, who barged in a pair of armed bosun’s mates on his heels. Dark-haired, dark-eyed and with a dark, curly beard framing a worn-out face, he gave both operatives a black stare.
Decker sat up, hand automatically reaching for his blaster before relenting when he found himself staring up the barrel of a scattergun. Talyn dropped from the top bunk and faced Kreipe with a bland expression. “What can we do for you, Captain?”
“You’re coming with me to the ship’s brig.”
“Why? We’ve done nothing to call for an arrest.”
“Oh?” Kreipe’s scowl set his beard aquiver. “I’d say you two are guilty of murder.”
Decker chuckled.
“Did those Howler jackasses complain before we jumped? If they were Howlers and not pretending.” He glanced at his partner. “I guess your present didn’t deliver the intended effect, honey.”
“Up.” Whatever else Kreipe was about to say became a strangled exhalation when he suddenly found the cold, hard muzzle of Talyn’s blaster pressed against his forehead.
Decker let out a low whistle.
“You sure can move, my dear. Even I didn’t see that draw. Of course, now we face a standoff.”
She turned a smile as cold as interstellar space on Thebes’ captain.
“Sure, but I can keep a bead on my friend Hanno until we dock,” she replied in a business-like tone. “Or your lads with the guns could try something stupid, and I fry what little brains are rattling around in that thick skull. As my partner will tell you, I’m a qualified starship pilot, and he’s no stranger to the engine room, so we don’t need you or your minions to reach a safe harbor. What’s the story, Hanno? Did the Confederacy of the Howling Stars buy your gambling debts from some Scandian casino and propose an amnesty if you let them board Thebes and abduct a passenger? Or do they have a video of you doing nasty things to an underage Verdanian hermaphrodite?”
The burst of fear in his eyes told her she’d come close to the mark with the insinuation of blackmail. Or perhaps it was merely her mention of the notorious crime group’s formal name.
“You know,” Decker said, “good old Hanno’s not the sort to bugger Verdanians. It’s debt-related. I’ll wager my next contract on it. And since he owns Thebes, foreclosure means he no longer has a home, a job, or a reason to live. Same goes for the crew, right boys?”
He grinned at the two bosun’s mates, now standing uncertainly behind Kreipe, unable to bring their weapons to bear on Talyn since the captain’s overfed bulk shielded her.
“Let me guess,” Talyn said, ignoring her partner. “The moment we dock, a squad of Howler goons masquerading as stevedores will come aboard and take us to one of the unoccupied lower decks for summary execution. That way, the little fiasco at the heliopause becomes ancient history. But since they didn’t get their target, no debt forgiveness, and no peace of mind while you sail this assemblage of spare parts across the Rim. The way I see it, you lose again.”
“Hanno could still be a winner.” A dubious expression crossed Decker’s face. “Not by much mind you, but staying alive when a psychopath has a gun pressed against your forehead isn’t much different from a ten million cred lottery jackpot.”
Talyn’s dead eyes caught Kreipe’s increasingly terrified gaze, and she tilted her head to one side.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to win on our terms.”
“But I’m sure his expendable crewmembers aren’t so eager to become lost souls floating in the galactic ether for eternity.” Decker’s blaster materialized with the same speed as Talyn’s. “What do you say, boys? Do we call this a draw? No names, no pack drill?”
“Perhaps we won’t be terminating anyone today. I think Hanno understands the magnitude of his mistake.”
Thebes’s captain, after a moment of hesitation, fluttered his eyelids as a sign of acknowledgment, since he couldn’t nod with Talyn’s gun barrel still pushing against his increasingly sweaty skull.
“Do you think Hanno understands we can tear through his crew in the same way we put paid to the boarding party last night if we decide he won’t let us step off this ship by our own free will?”
A dubious expression crossed the Marine’s face.
“I’d say there’s a fifty-fifty chance, considering half of all humans are below median intelligence, and nowadays they give just about every idiot command of a civilian FTL-capable scrap heap. Of course, if Hanno backs down, that leaves the question of how we make sure he plays it straight with us between now and our arrival at Valerys. Let’s see, this tub has a crew of what? Two dozen? That means odds of twelve to one. Eight to one if our newest buddy Gudrun joins in. It should be enough to seize Thebes and space anyone who resists. What do you say, Hanno? Are you going to be a smart guy and stop buggering around? We’ll be out of your hair in a few hours. Pleasing the Howlers surely isn’t worth giving up your life and that of your crew.”
“Perhaps he fears them more than he fears us,” Talyn suggested.
“Could be. But we’re here, and they’re not.” Decker paused and his face lit up as if a brilliant idea had just struck him. “I know. When we dock at Valerys, you and I can take the goon squad when it comes aboard to fetch us. That way we solve both our and Hanno’s immediate problems with the Howlers. What do you say, Hanno?”
Kreipe’s reply came out as a faint rasp. “You’re both fucking crazy.”
“That’s because insanity beats any other alternative. You should try it. Creative madness might help avoid stumbling into this sort of problem again.” Movement in the corridor behind the two bosun’s mates caught Decker’s eye. “Our friend Gudrun heard the commotion and she’s drawn her weapon. Eight to one odds it is.”
A satisfied grin spread across Decker’s face.
“Here’s the deal, Hanno. My partner and I will step off this ship unmolested along with our friend Gudrun and her companion. That means you go back to your bridge and make sure no one bothers us in the meantime. If Howlers make it aboard before we leave, the three of us will redecorate your passageways in mid-twenty-sixth century art nouveau splatters. But disposing of the bodies becomes your problem. Consider last night’s cleanup a onetime favor.”
“I still think we should kill him,” Talyn said in a voice devoid of emotion. “Weaklings of his sort are apt to
pollute the gene pool and it’s filthy enough already.”
“She’s not wrong, Hanno.” Decker gave him a commiserating look. “And in our partnership, unfortunately for you, she’s the boss. And the designated psycho. So here’s what I suggest. Forget any this ever happened. Go back to running the ship, bring us to Valerys, and thank whichever deity you worship that we let you live. Does that sound good?”
Kreipe didn’t immediately answer, but his Adam’s apple bobbed a few times as he swallowed. Then, he croaked, “Deal.”
Decker waved his blaster at the bosun’s mates.
“Back to your duty stations, boys. Once I no longer see your ugly mugs, Hanno here can offer a prayer of thanksgiving while he goes back to the bridge.”
After another searching glance at Talyn, Kreipe said, “Leave.”
Both men backed out of the cabin, still covered by Gudrun Mariano’s weapon, and vanished. Half a minute later, the duenna nodded once, confirming they’d left the passenger accommodations deck. Talyn lowered her gun with a disappointed sigh.
“Why are you always so reasonable,” she asked her partner.
“Last night was a week’s worth of killing for both of us, honey. You know too much death only fuels your inner demons and I can barely deal with them now.”
Kreipe cautiously backed away from Talyn.
“Once I put you ashore, you’re barred from ever stepping aboard Thebes again.”
Decker blew him a kiss. “We love you too, Hanno.”
When he was gone Mariano tucked away her gun and stepped into their cabin’s doorway.
“What was that about?”
“I figure just before this tub jumped, Kreipe received orders to arrest us from the goons who tried to kidnap Maggie and hand us over to a delegation of their friends upon docking.”
The duenna grimaced.
“That means we might come across an unfriendly reception committee as well.”
“You would have whether or not they wanted us.”
“Do you think Kreipe will call his buddies once we drop out of FTL?” Mariano asked.
“Guaranteed,” Talyn replied. “But on a station like Valerys, they can’t risk a shootout, so if we get off before they react, we should be fine.”
“And if not, we send a few more of the damned jackals to hell, where they can serve as Satan’s newest virgins.”
The Marine holstered his gun and stood.
Mariano’s eyes went from one to the other.
“Who are you?”
“Guns for hire, nothing more.”
A humorless laugh escaped Mariano’s throat.
“Really, Sera Taryen? I’ve been in the private contractor business for over twenty years, and pros of your caliber don’t come around every day. Why is it I’ve never heard of you two?”
“We always insist on a non-disclosure clause in our contracts. Employers don’t talk about us, and those who cross us don’t live long enough to spread the word.”
“So I noticed.”
“Don’t worry about who we are,” Decker said. “Instead, let’s concentrate on planning our escape, but not here. I suggest we spend the rest of the trip in the saloon. Hanno is less likely to try anything cute in a public compartment.”
Mariano seemed to consider the suggestion, then shook her head.
“Don’t misunderstand me, but why should I trust you? Maybe the piracy attempt was a sham so you could get close to us.”
“A tad expensive in foot soldier lives, no?”
“I think Gudrun means whoever wants Maggie could have hired them as a throwaway diversion, and we’re the real threat.”
Decker considered Talyn’s explanation before giving her a grudging nod.
“Twisted, but possible. Listen, Gudrun. Do as you think best, okay? My partner and I will set up shop in the saloon, backs against the wall, and we’ll be the first off this ship at Valerys. You’re welcome to join us or not. If you don’t, good luck. Once we leave Thebes, you won’t see us again.”
“A contract on Cimmeria? Or just passing through?”
Talyn gave her a cold smile.
“Sorry. Our non-disclosure clause also forbids us from discussing the matter. But thanks for your help with Kreipe and his men.”
“My pleasure.”
Mariano dipped her head in an abbreviated bow and vanished into the corridor. They heard her cabin door open and close again a few seconds later.
Decker grabbed his small travel pack and slung it over one shoulder.
“Shall we?”
“You seem remarkably unconcerned by the possibility that Mariano will reject our offer of protection.”
“They all come back to Zack for help. I’m one of those people everyone trusts. As it happens, I expect Gudrun and Maggie on our six when we disembark.”
She gave him a mock-disgusted glare.
“Don’t trip over your ego, buddy.”
— Twenty —
Decker and Talyn were the first passengers at the airlock and watched through the portholes as a short gangway tube extruded from the docking arm. It latched on to Thebes’ hull with a muffled clang. Moments later, the red warning light by the airlock door shifted from red to green, showing the tube was pressurized.
Their remaining hours aboard the freighter had passed without further incident and without glimpsing Mysterious Maggie and her deadly duenna. However, just as the bosun’s mate standing by the airlock unlatched the inner door, both women came out of the staircase, travel bags in hand.
They and the operatives exchanged silent nods. More people trickled down the stairs behind them, but for many passengers, Cimmeria wasn’t the final destination.
Thebes’ outer airlock door released its grip with a soft sigh and pulled inward before sliding to one side. The passage to the station proper was mercifully empty. Decker stepped off without further ado, glad to be away from the ship’s stench of treachery and failed dreams.
The moment he emerged on the scuffed deck, his eyes were drawn to the compartment’s sole occupants, a trio of blue-uniformed police troopers from the Cimmerian Gendarmerie. Two men and a woman, equipped with slung scatterguns as well as their sidearms, studied the Marine through emotionless eyes as he headed for the exit, trailed by Talyn, Mariano, and Maggie.
Once out in the passageway leading to arrivals control, Decker glanced over his shoulder at Talyn.
“Did you notice?”
“If you mean the unexpected Gendarmerie presence, looking ready to repel boarders, then yes. Maybe they’re running a high alert exercise, or they received word that suspicious characters might transit through Valerys and don’t know on which ship.”
He grinned at her.
“Other than us, you mean?”
She bumped him with her elbow, but it was in good humor. They followed lit arrows on the deck and found themselves herded through the passenger arrival control gates. Here too, the Cimmerian Gendarmerie seemed to patrol in greater numbers and with more than the usual police equipment.
“You visited this place last,” Decker muttered as they lined up. “Was this place suffused with such a paranoid vibe back then?”
“No. But I wasn’t paying much attention at the time.”
He chortled.
“You, not paying much attention? Sure.”
The holographic, wholly artificial immigration control officer beckoned him to step forward. Decker placed his ID wafer on the reader and gave the sim a smile which it didn’t return. At least in that respect, the AI didn’t differ from its human counterparts.
“Purpose of your visit to Cimmeria, Ser Sarkin?”
“Tourism.”
If an artificial projection could sound and appear skeptical, this one was it.
“Really?”
“Come to visit the old battlefields from the Shrehari War. My great-grandpappy was a sergeant in the 11th Marines back then. Spent the occupation making hit-and-run attacks on the boneheads. Killed himself a fair number before they pack
ed up and left.”
“Your occupation, Ser Sarkin?”
“Security consultant. I’m between contracts, hence the vacation.”
He must have seemed sincere to the AI’s lie detection algorithms, one of the many things they taught at Camp X, the Fleet’s Spook School on Caledonia. The sim nodded once.
“Welcome to Cimmeria.”
Decker picked up his ID wafer and tucked it away, knowing they’d added his biometrics to the immigration database. Or rather Ned Sarkin’s biometrics. The red rectangle at his feet turned green, inviting him to cross over into sovereign Cimmerian territory. He found Talyn on the other side, waiting for him. She nodded at Mariano and her protégée, walking away with a pair of soberly dressed women who resembled the duenna in many ways.
“A known reception committee, judging by the exchange of recognition signs. You can stop worrying about their falling to more Howler tricks. Not that they’d try with the added police presence on Valerys.”
“And you’re losing the chance to figure out what, if anything, is happening.”
Talyn gave him a philosophical shrug.
“It was never more than a notion, considering our main purpose on Cimmeria.”
Decker’s eyes narrowed as he watched the small knot of women merge with Valerys Station’s foot traffic before disappearing around a bend.
“Unless this is Maggie’s final destination, they’re heading for the shuttle hangar. Why don’t we travel with them just a little longer?”
“Why not?”
They fell into step side-by-side, their eyes watching everything and everyone, alert for any peril, and soon caught sight of Mariano and her colleagues escorting Maggie. But it quickly became obvious no one from an organization savvy enough to escape indictment would try anything illegal in full view of the frequent Gendarmerie foot patrols.
As they entered the station’s main promenade, a large news display caught Decker’s eye. He inhaled deeply before muttering, “Holy fuck.”