by T. R. Harris
He also had a Vessin Fracker, a small survey vessel about fifty-feet long. It had a single generator—that wasn’t good—but it was stealthy and could be crewed by one.
Then there was the Castorian G-8. That would probably be it; one-person operation, dual gens, but could only operate at four-light. That was fine. The slow speed reduced the sig, and it was more important for him to stay out of trouble than to run from it.
Of course, he would add a couple of extra flash cannon and upgrade the circuit breakers—as command had recommended. The primary weapon of the Nuoreans appeared to be a bolt of condensed electricity that overloaded normal breakers. All allied ships were in the process of having the heavy-duty breakers installed.
The local sun was setting and there would be snow overnight. Copernicus pulled his coat a little tighter around his shivering torso. In the morning, he’d have his crews install the extra flash weapons and stock the ship with food and ammo. He’d leave right after that.
A strong whip of wind assailed the skin on his face not covered by his thick, black beard. God I missed the planet Liave-3.
“Boss, you better get in here. There’s a ship entering the system and everyone’s freaking out.”
Copernicus heard the voice in his ear as he walked back to the repair shack. He didn’t respond until he’d entered and shut the door, preserving the radiant heat from the small generator in the corner.
He removed his coat and stepped over to his second-lead—a Simminon named Lopis Drun—seated at a hodgepodge of comm equipment placed on a board with boxes for legs.
“What’s the big deal?”
“It’s a Nuorean ship.”
Copernicus tensed. This was the moment they’d been expecting. Copernicus shrugged. Maybe it was a good time to get out of town.
“You said a ship. There’s only one?” He leaned over to study the screen detailing the path of the starship. The locals maintained a pretty extensive early-warning system, insurance in case the Expansion ever decided to crack down on their operations. All the affiliated groups shared the information.
There was just a single blip moving into the system, approaching Crisen-Por.
“Any communications?”
“No…not even sure if they could link to us if they wanted. I haven’t heard of that happening.”
Copernicus noticed the modest intensity of the grav signature. “Hell, it’s not even one of the big ones. Pretty bold coming in here alone.”
“Who’s going to fire on them? That might draw more attention to us.”
Copernicus placed a hand on the shoulder of the thick, double-horned creature, looking more like a blue-tinted devil than the gentle giant he was. “There’s a lot of firepower in the system to deal with the threat—if it is a threat. We better lay low and see what happens.”
“Roger that.”
It had taken Copernicus nearly a year to train Lopis to speak with more Human-like slang. He was coming along nicely. It made Copernicus less homesick when he did.
Two hours later, Copernicus was just finishing his second cup of decaf and sitting with Lopis when the Nuorean ship made orbit and circled the planet a couple of times without attempting landfall. Then it hovered above the city, finding something on the surface that piqued its interest.
“Here it comes,” Lopis announced. “Heading for the city.”
About fifty ships owned and crewed by the criminal element of the region had left the planet an hour earlier, taking up residence just outside the orbit of Crisen-Por’s only moon, watching and waiting. None were in an offensive posture. They were getting ready to run, not fight.
Copernicus wasn’t worried. He was just one person out of a population of over two-hundred thousand in Grack. If the aliens wanted players for their games, there were plenty of other diverse species available for the picking other than the planet’s solitary Human.
But then the ship changed course. Copernicus and Lopis leaned in closer to the screen. The alien ship was heading toward the north side of the city. Radis Repair Service was located on the north side.
A minute later, Copernicus leaned back in the chair and grimaced. That’s what I get for running a starship repair service.
The alien craft set down in the service field next to the shipyard, stirring up a thick cloud of landing exhaust under the glow of floodlights and the shimmering moon above.
The bastards need my help, Copernicus thought. Maybe that would keep him from being taken captive, out of gratitude—and in lieu of payment. He had no illusions the invaders were going to pay for his services.
“Stay here,” he said to Lopis. “But be ready. If things get dicey I’ll need backup.”
He put his coat on and pulled the fur-lined hood tight over his head. Next he placed an MK-17 bolt launcher in the large right hand pocket and donned his gloves. It was nearly ten below outside, but that was no guarantee things couldn’t heat up in a hurry.
He stepped outside, ignoring the frigid blast of cold on his minimally exposed face. The modest-size starship was cooling rapidly in the atmosphere, popping and creaking with the best of them. Copernicus neared the main exit hatch and waited for the occupants to appear, resigned to the simple fact that he had no idea what was going to happen next.
“There appears to be quite a few potential vessels in the field,” J’nae said, studying the video monitor. “A being is waiting at the outer hatch.”
“You know we have no money to pay for a starship,” Sherri pointed out to those on the bridge. Adam wasn’t worried. He still had one of the flash weapons from the Nuoreans they’d killed back at the Grand Arena. They’d also found an armory within the ship, with a variety of other devices, some of unknown use or utility.
“Then let’s not spend too much time negotiating,” he said. “The place looks pretty run down, but this area is a hotbed of crooks and miscreants. I’m sure they’ll fight if they have to. We’ll take over the shipyard and then pick the best vehicle we can as fast as we can.”
“I will lead the way, if you wish,” said Panur. “I could use a good flash charge if things go awry.”
“That’s fine, just don’t go out of your way to get shot. You know how you guys heat up when pumped full of all that juicy plasma.”
“Just one bolt? Otherwise I’ll have to tap into the generators for a recharge.”
Adam smiled at the little gray mutant. They had quite the history together, with much of the alien’s Human-like personality having been drawn from Adam’s mannerisms. He was still the deadliest creature in existence, but he did have his moments.
Panur had fashioned a simple one-piece tunic out of a Nuorean uniform he’d found aboard. He didn’t need anything extra to protect him from the outside cold. The hatch cracked open and Panur presented himself to the being waiting patiently outside, huddling close to the hull for warmth.
“Greetings,” said Panur. “We wish to discuss the purchase of a new starship. Are you the proprietor?”
Copernicus studied the short, gray alien. So this is a Nuorean? I thought they’d be taller.
“Yes, I am the proprietor,” he answered. “You said you want to purchase a starship?”
Another figure, dressed in a thick coat and carrying an energy weapon of alien design, pushed past the gray creature and pressed the barrel of the pistol into Copernicus’s ribs.
Coop’s hands were still in his pockets, his right gripping the MK-17 hidden inside.
“Yeah, maybe purchase wasn’t the right word,” said the creature, humor in his voice. “More like we’re here to take one of your starships.”
“Like hell you are!”
Copernicus pulled the MK from his pocket and brought it to the alien’s head. The creature was just as quick, placing his own weapon against Coop’s forehead for effect. A tense standoff ensued, until the two combatants shifted their attention from the barrels of the weapons to their faces only inches apart.
“Smith!”
“Cain!”
Ad
am shoved the traitorous starship mechanic away, sending him tumbling to the ground. Both their weapons remained aimed at the other person.
“What the hell are you doing here?” the two men spoke in unison.
Riyad joined Adam outside, the barrel of his weapon also pointing at the figure on the ground. “At least there won’t be any remorse about stealing one of his starships. The way I see it, this dung-eater owes us…big time.”
Panur hopped to the ground, ignoring the cold. “I take it you’ve met? Isn’t this a small galaxy?”
“Too small,” Adam growled. “So Smith…what are you going to do with that MK? Think carefully before you answer.”
Copernicus let go of the pistol, letting it dangle on his trigger finger. “If I shot you it would probably just piss you off.”
“It always has in the past.”
“Before you kill me, let me explain.”
“Explain what?” Riyad asked.
Copernicus smiled. “Who I really am.”
57
“That’s a bunch of bullshit!” Adam yelled. “You expect us to believe you’re some kind of galactic James Bond, and that everything you did to us was under orders?”
“Who is James Bond?” Lopis asked. The alien was sitting across the room under the watchful eye of four huge Juireans. Copernicus was on a torn leather couch, still wearing his coat, with Adam and Riyad standing over him.
“Look, he’s sweating,” Sherri pointed out. She’d only met Copernicus once before, at a restaurant on Worak-nin a little over two years ago.
“That’s because it’s hot in here. Let me take off the coat.”
“Go ahead. Just don’t try anything,” Adam said.
“Like what? There are twelve of you against the two of us.”
“I’m not with him,” Lopis called out from across the room.
“Okay, then just me. It’s the truth, Cain. I was under orders to use you and Riyad to help find the Klin. And it worked. They came to me offering to buy the two of you. Then we used a tracker I planted on you to find the Klin Colony Ship.”
“Our own government ordered you to use us as bait?”
“Well, not exactly. They left the details up to me. I had to improvise along the way…that’s what field agents do.”
“And we spent ten days being tortured by the Klin, not for information or anything like that, but just for their own sadistic pleasure,” Adam said.
“Sorry...it wasn’t supposed to take that long to rescue you. But with the Juireans swarming all over the place, it took more time to get you out. And then the damn aliens blew up the Colony Ship. We were supposed to gain information from it to lead us to the rest of them. But we did manage to eliminate twenty thousand of the silver-skinned bastards. Overall, the mission was a success.”
“A success!”
“That’s right. Besides, everything worked out in the end. The two of you survived long enough to launch a scorched earth campaign all the way to Juir.” Copernicus looked at the Juirean Overlord and frowned. “Too soon?”
The blue-haired alien glared at him.
“So what are you doing here?” Sherri asked.
Copernicus shrugged. “Since I still had a job to do, I sought out a place about as far away from Adam and Riyad I could find. I didn’t want them to track me down.” He looked around the room and snorted. “How was I to know today was going to happen?”
“Are you buying any of this?” Adam asked the room.
“I detect no signs of mistruths in the Human’s countenance,” J’nae answered. “He is telling the truth.”
Adam paced the room, still holding the alien energy weapon. “Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”
“How about not kill me?”
Adam stopped and growled, “That’s one option…a slim one.”
“Let’s think of the bigger problem,” Trimen began. “We need a new starship and Mr. Smith has several. He also knows the Spur better than we do, and he has been tasked with the same mission as have we. It only makes sense that we combine our forces and missions.”
Adam stared at the Formilian, his mouth hanging limp. He sighed, not believing it was coming down to him and Copernicus Smith partnering up for the good of the galaxy.
For the good of the galaxy. That was the only reason he didn’t turn the spy’s head into mush with a bolt from his launcher.
“Fine,” he said. “But keep an eye on this slimy bastard. We thought he was one of the good guys before.”
“And I was…really.”
“That’s a matter of interpretation, dickhead.”
The next day Adam, Riyad and the Juirean Overlord surveyed the inventory of ships in the yard. The Juireans had announced their intention to accompany the Humans and mutants on their mission to learn how the Nuoreans were entering the galaxy, yet they’d only tag along if they could have their own starship.
Adam chose the larger Belsonian D-4. It was faster, had more firepower, and it could also carry the small Fracker in its hold. The Juireans took the Castorian G-8. It would be cramped aboard with four huge Juireans packed into a ship designed for two normal-size beings. But Adam got the feeling the Juireans had had enough contact with the Humans for a while. He didn’t blame them. He would be glad to see them go as well.
Copernicus had six employees, including Lopis Drun. They set about beefing up the circuit breakers on all three vessels, along with a few extra flash cannon for the G-8. None of Coop’s crew would be coming along. They made that very clear. Most criminals—even those along the fringes—were pragmatists first, heroes a distant second. They didn’t see how deliberately looking for the Nuoreans was a very sensible thing to do.
The fleet of pirates, gunner runners and drug dealers had returned to the planet once the Nuorean ship landed in the shipyard and they realized there was no danger—at least no immediate danger. Later that day, a caravan of rusty cars and trucks pulled up to the security gate at Radis Repair Service and demanded to see Copernicus. They were armed to the teeth, so it was either let them in or they would come in on their own.
Adam, Overlord Safnos and J’nae joined the mechanic at the gate. Panur and the others were working on a quick modification of the D-8 to install a limited TD-drive, culled together from spare parts in the yard.
“Bacs, what’s going on?” Copernicus asked a muscle-bound alien with four limbs for locomotion and four more as arms. His head was block-shaped, and with heavy plates of bone on each side. He had the sharp teeth of a meat-eater.
“Are these the creatures coming forth in the Nuorean ship?” Bacs growled—literally. It was how he talked.
“Yes, this is Adam Cain and—”
“We are not for identities,” the criminal boss interrupted. “Concerned is the presence of alien starship here, a vessel traced to Crisen-Por can be. Avoided have we the invaders, but now trail you have provided an excuse to attack the planet. Our stake is considerable for maintaining operations here. Now prepare we for immediate departure, should appear more alien craft.”
“We’ll be leaving soon, as early as tomorrow.”
“Not allowed.”
Copernicus shook his head. “I thought you want us gone?”
“Yes…for now—” a dozen high-powered flash weapons were suddenly turned on the Adam and the others, “—Nuoreans turn over you, and stolen vessel.”
Copernicus took a step toward the four-legged creature, his face hard as stone. “What have you done, Bacs?”
“To Nuoreans, under truce sent ship, reveal here your presence. Not honor do aliens flag. Still, Nuoreans react on way here. Help prevent from leaving you show willingness for immunity.”
“The Nuoreans don’t give a damn about what you do or don’t do,” Adam said. “We’re all just players for their games, every last one of us. They can’t be bargained with. They’ll take us and everyone else on your planet. All you’ve done is show them the way.”
“Aliens will—”
J’nae now stepped fo
rward, still dressed in the blousy medical robe, but looking imposing with her seven-foot tall stature. “—Kill you,” she announced in a voice Adam figured had been modified to come out even more forceful and bombastic. Flash weapons shifted to the yellow-skinned mutant. She scanned the faces of the gunmen—aliens—with a gleam in her eye.
Adam wouldn’t let them fire; that’s all he would need is a radiant mutant who would take hours to cool down. He located the Formilian manufactured firing controls for each of the flash weapons aimed at them and severed the circuits with his ATD. Now if they did attack, he’d let J’nae tear them apart by hand. He had no problem with that.
“How long until they get here?”
Bacs turned to another savage-looking beast next to him. “Two hours, maybe,” said the other alien.
“Dammit,” Adam said to his group. “That won’t give Panur enough time to complete his modifications.” He turned back to the crime boss. “You and your people need to clear out. Get as many as you can up and away.”
“No! Will we keep until Nuoreans here. Gratitude.”
“C’mon,” Adam said to his people. “Let’s tell Panur.”
“Stop!” Adam ignored the order and turned away. “To fire!”
Copernicus had seen Adam’s ATD work before, so he just smiled at the savage beast as confusion and frustration spread through his force when their weapons failed to fire. “There are forces operating here more powerful than you could ever imagine,” he said to Bacs. “Now I’d take Cain’s advice and get the hell off the planet as soon as you can. That’s what we’re going to do.”
A few of the aliens rushed into the compound after Coop and the others, but they stopped in their tracks when J’nae turned to them, growing to over ten feet tall in a matter of seconds. A variety of eye types became enlarged as the inclination to fight suddenly vanished. Bacs yelled at them, and a moment later, the caravan was kicking up a huge dust cloud on its way back to town.