“The Old Pummel, eh?” Asked Don Kior in surprise.
The captain nodded ruefully.
“Yes,” he shook his head at Beer Keg. “He is unlikely to have suffered for very long.” He paused, then asked in astonishment, “What was Don Shtafir thinking about, leaving a corvette without a gunner?”
The captain gritted his teeth.
“This headless idiot introduced himself as a deckhand.” He turned to Lucky, “Well, so what do you think? If you agree, you'll get a salary and the rest will remain with you.”
Yv nodded. When the captain closed the door, Beer Keg shook his head.
“I do not like this at all. I swear by Saint Dustan that when things start like this, don’t expect any luck.”
Soon after, both Dons went to discuss the news with the others. Pip’s head appeared from the top bunk. “Sir, may I ask something?”
“Come on then.”
He hesitated for a second. “Who is the Eternal One, sir?”
“I've already answered this question to you before,” smiled Yv.
After lunch, Lucky went to the command and control center. The captain was sitting in the command chair, nibbling on his mustache irritably. Seeing Yv, he came down the steps and shook his head. “Come on, let’s go.”
They made their way to the far corner, where the fire control console was positioned, and the captain slowly introduced it to Yv. “This old boat, even if it is reminiscent of a standard Zaragoza class corvette, is something quite different inside. This especially applies to the weapons systems.”
“I realized that yesterday on the gun deck,” grinned Yv. “It was hard not to notice that four ray guns were under cover, where usually there would only be three cannons.”
The captain grinned. “What can I say? If you want to stay alive you must do everything you can. Not everyone is as lucky as you. So, now that’s your workplace.”
Looking at the console, Yv whistled involuntarily. “Well, Don Diaz, this is a surprise!”
Stubborn Bull laughed in satisfaction. Yv flipped a toggle switch on and brought the specifications up on screen. After examining them, he shook his head. “Of course, to discover on a corvette, the same protection system you would find on a cruiser, would be a massive surprise to anyone, but your ability to discharge heat and static energy field could last you no more than half an hour.”
The captain chuckled. “We do not need it to last any longer. By that time, we will already be engaged in boarding combat, or have already fled.”
“But what if one day you do not have time to do either one or the other?”
Don Diaz sighed. “In such a case, neither the holy Virgin Mary, Saint Dagmar, nor even the corvette’s equipment will be of use to us.”
Yv remained at the fire control console until the end of his watch. On approaching the cockpit, he heard the muffled voice of Grey Mustache through the slightly open door. Yv stopped and listened.
“… And then the Lord sent his son to the people, but as the host of hells armies despaired to get the souls of men, they decided to wipe out the human race, so the Lord sent his son not as a teacher like Jesus, but as a warrior, and since then he has wandered through the worlds of men in the guise of a noble Don.”
“So why is that?” It was Pip’s voice.
“That is why my naïve young man, that the Noble Dons are the most ubiquitous, widespread, and divine of all human warriors.”
“But why did he not appear in his true form, and call for all Christians to battle against the Enemy?”
“He’s not allowed to do that. Because our Lord, whose people saddened him with their vices, ordered him first to make sure that the people had not lost their faith and courage. That they still deserved to continue the human race, and carry the truth of the Lord to the people of other worlds. When the Eternal One is truly convinced that is so, then the Lord will allow him to appear in his true form, and lead the people into the last battle. After this, the torch of the true faith will shine, and the greatness of Mankind and the universe will come to belong to the Kingdom of God. Until then, mindful of the fact that he is always among us, we must honestly fight for the glory of humanity and the destruction of his enemies, so as the Eternal One will have no doubt in the valor and courage of mankind, and will not abandon them at the time of the last battle.”
Yv stood a little longer, but there was silence beyond the door.
It took a month’s flight time to reach the Zovros system. Captain Diaz used all his old pirate tricks to get as close as possible to the planet unnoticed. The corvette approached in a wide arc behind a star, moving and shifting so that no protective satellite in the orbit of the dead world could have detected the ship,
They rounded the star, making their way in secret along the edge of its corona. Yv spent two days at the console without sleep, solving every conundrum imaginable, behind the star’s solar prominences, whose quick solar flares struck up a trembling protective field around the corvette. Finally, the corona was left behind. Yv got up from the console and threw a tired look at the haggard but impressed face of Stubborn Bull. and slowly walked off to his cabin for some sleep.
Don Diaz caught up with him in the corridor, slapped him on the back and shouted excitedly, “That was top class, my boy!”
The captain went to his cabin, too, looking forward to the arms of Morpheus. There were still two days to Zovros.
The next day, a monk knocked on the cockpit door, dressed in a black cassock, looking a little downcast, eyes deep inside his fat cheeks, and humbly reported that Cardinal Desiree had invited Don Lucky to dine with him. Yv had just woken and was not in the best of moods. He frowned irritably, then yawned and waved his hand. “OK Monk, tell his Reverence I will be there.”
The Monk, slightly shocked by his irreverence, reminded him that the cardinal always dines at two o'clock in the afternoon, then departed.
When the door closed behind him, Don Kior turned to Yv, and slapping him on the shoulder, chuckled. “Well, Lucky, I see you justify your nickname. You have only just got on the ship, already got yourself a double salary, and now, even before we have got to Zovros, you have already been invited to have dinner with the cardinal himself. I swear by Saint Patrick, you might return from the raid as a bishop.”
Yv grunted, stretched, yawned again, almost dislocating his jaw, and, without saying anything, went to the shower.
At precisely two in the afternoon, wearing polished jackboots and a doublet carefully ironed by Pip, he appeared at the door of the cardinal's cabin. He knocked, and from behind the door came the cardinal’s sonorous baritone voice.
“Please come in.”
When Yv entered, the cardinal was on his knees in the far corner of the wall before a hanging silver crucifix. Lucky bared his head and went down on his left knee. When a person is talking to the Lord, he should not be interfered with, or one of the two of them could be offended. Especially in this case, as it could result in a report to their superiors. The cardinal eventually rose, turned, and walked over to Yv.
“I'm sorry, my son, the cardinal’s person was worried. We are getting closer to our goal, and I constantly ask the Lord to strengthen and guide us in this holy mission.”
Yv nodded at such a blunt admission.
The cardinal gave him a searching look and gently gestured towards the table. “Please, my son.”
Lucky, rattling the heels of his boots, strode to the table and placed himself in a chair with a high carved back. Any Don always felt confident in three places. In the battlefield, in the bedroom, and at the table, whether it be in a bar, or even the papal chambers. Yv looked expectantly at the cardinal, who smiled and nodded back affably. Lucky grinned, rubbed his hands together and began to feast. For some time, the cabin was silent, other than the sound of food being eaten, with the loud crunch of bones and the noisy gurgling of wine pouring down the throat.
When Yv was almost sated and slightly sloshed, the cardinal leaned forward and began to speak i
n a kindly voice.
“My dear friend, I think, perhaps, you were somewhat surprised when the monk gave you my invitation?”
Lucky tried to say something, but could only burp loudly. A shadow of disgust flashed across the cardinal’s face, which quickly gave way to a smile.
“OK, OK, I will not distract you from your enjoyment.” The cardinal smiled at his witty comment.
Yv swallowed his food for a few more minutes, then drained the dregs from his cup, belched heartily once again to show he was full, and sat back on his chair.
The cardinal chuckled quietly.
“I see you enjoyed lunch, my son.”
Moving his lips with some difficulty, Yv replied, “To tell you the truth, Your Holiness, lately my purse has been considerably emaciated, so that I have no longer been able to afford such luxuries. And you have Beaujolais! A dream come true!”
The cardinal nodded. “Well, my friend, I'm glad I pleased you.” He paused, then continued in a smarmy voice. “Do you know why I invited you?”
“How would I know?”
“Today, at breakfast the captain told me that he had seen many gunners in his lifetime, but one such as you he has met only once.”
The cardinal paused, and Yv swore to himself. The last thing he wanted was the attention of the Holy See.
“I am good at what I am good at, Your Eminence.”
“Is it true that you were a gunner for the Black Earl?”
Yv threw up his hands, making it clear that this fact could not be reputed.
“So, how did you get the position?”
Lucky became pretentious.
“We played ping-pong together.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I held off against him for three minutes, then he threw a deck of cards on the table and offered me three attempts to pull out the ace of hearts.”
“So, what happened?”
“I pulled it out at the second attempt.”
The cardinal nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, that’s what I've heard.” He looked at Yv. “So how do you feel about the heretical tales of the Eternal One?”
“I am a true son of our mother church,” said Yv cautiously, sobering a little.
The cardinal chuckled. “I've never met a Noble Don who would have answered differently, however, I also never met one who did not believe in the Eternal One. OK, we will not delve deeper into this subject, the question that interests me from my own point of view is …” He stared at Yv with a cool look to his bright black eyes and softly asked, “What do you think, my son, is there any truth to the ridiculous rumor that the Black Earl could be the person that the Noble Dons call the Eternal One?”
Yv was silent, and tried to avert his eyes, but the cardinal persistently drilled into him with his burning eyes, and finally Yv could resist no longer.
“You need to understand, Your Eminence, we … well, those who were there … prefer not to dwell on the subject.”
“Even in the confessional?”
Yv sighed with relief.
“I have already confessed to Father Ishmael and do not want to remember it at all.”
“So, where is Father Ishmael now?”
Yv lifted his eyes to heaven.
“Perhaps already in heaven, Your Holiness. He was blown to atoms on board the Queen Victoria during the famous raid on Karrash, under the leadership of our glorious Admiral Anselm.”
The cardinal forced out a laugh.
“Yes, I forgot that you were involved in some messy situations, before you became a Don. And you are always lucky. Apparently, that's why you are nicknamed Lucky” The cardinal decided to relieve the pressure on him. “Tell me, what was your first nickname?”
Yv looked down in embarrassment.
“Come on now; don’t be embarrassed, I know that most nicknames are mocking in character.”
“My nickname was the Quiet Slough.”
The cardinal chuckled involuntarily. “Yes, a meaningful nickname.”
At this point the combat warning system rang out. Yv jumped up. “Excuse me, Your Eminence, I have to get to the combat control center.”
The cardinal nodded. “Of course, of course.”
When the sound of Lucky’s boots had disappeared down the hallway, the cardinal stood up, went to the console connection, and called the captain. “What has happened Don Diaz?”
“I beg your pardon, Cardinal, but I am very busy now. We have found a large artificial object in Zovros’s orbit, and according to the navigation maps, nothing like that should be there.”
3
A huge twisted skeleton of a craft was growing bigger before their eyes.
Beer Keg cried out, “Hit the brakes!”
Grey Mustache, who was sitting at the pilot’s console, snorted and muttered, “Noble Don, I don’t try to teach you how to drink beer.”
The Dons, huddled together in the boarding hatch, laughed loudly together. When the melted bulk of the mutilated orbital fortress occupied the entire frontal screen, Grey Mustache gave a short warning signal, then just turned away, squeezed the ship into a huge hole, and turned on the brake motors to full power. The deceleration threw everyone forward, but people were experienced enough that no one fell and even the sheaths of their swords didn’t get twisted up.
Don Charleman pressed a button, the boarding hatch cover opened, and at the same moment two dozen Dons tumbled out in apparent disorder and rushed in different directions over the protruding beams and pieces of metal. At the same time, they moved forward with plasma rifles at the ready.
The ship pulled back and hovered menacingly, moving its weapons systems from side to side. Don Diaz had a ship armed no worse than any military patrol ship. After a few moments everything became silent. The positions of the marines seemed chaotic, but Beer Keg meticulously observing their positioning, nodded in satisfaction.
What is in there is not the crappy guards of any president or emperor, who could only protect the area of such a conglomeration of twisted metal by creating a bunch of dead zones. Behind every Don of the boarding party there was the experience of at least two decades of war, and real war at that. They were not protecting chickens in the garrisons, or playing cards on board the ships of the fleet in so-called strategic areas. Their order of battle was flawless At least two plasma rifles covered every cubic inch of space.
Their positions were no higher than two hundred feet, so that no one could take them out in one volley, even using seven-rayed planetary mortars. The Dons cautiously probed the colossal orbital fortress hanging in space before them, using all the sensors in their combat suits. There was nothing suspicious of note.
“There can be nothing left alive in this pile of scrap,” came a voice in the headphones.
Don Kior, the temporary captain of the boarding group barked back. “Shut up! I swear by Saint Dustan, I have seen a lot of dead bodies of decent guys who blurted out the same thing you just did. First wave forward!” he said after a pause.
The figures in combat suits began to move forward. An outside observer would not figure out if their movement was in any reasonable order. However, if anyone watched closely, you could see that at any one time, a third to a quarter of the Dons were securely attached to the solid gravity platform, and the menacing overtures of the muzzles of their plasma rifles were covering all potentially dangerous positions. After a few minutes the whole boarding group disappeared inside.
The captain looked up from the overview screen again, grabbed a copy of the navigation map and ran his eyes over it for the umpteenth time. Then he muttered to himself, “Where did an orbital fortress come from? There’s no mention of it anywhere.”
“In my opinion, we should not have sent the entire boarding party to these ruins,” the cardinal angrily threw back at him. “If they meet something unexpected, then we may lose all these people then landing on …”
“If they meet something they can’t handle, then I'm taking the ship away immediately!” yelled Stubborn Bull and he
turned to Yv. “Lucky what do the gun sensors show?”
He said carefully, “There seems to be nothing unusual, but there is something at the south pole. I can’t identify it.”
Don Diaz mumbled into the microphone. The dots on the screen, showing the positions of the Don’s boarding team were moving towards the bottom of the ball of the twisted orbital fortress.
“No! Stop them!” Yv cried suddenly.
The captain barked into the microphone and turned his whole body to Yv.
“What is it?”
“Get them out of there immediately. It’s a cocoon!”
Don Anselm gasped, but the cardinal leaned forward and murmured, “Don Diaz, let them get closer. This is important. We have never had the opportunity to observe a cocoon at such close quarters. They need to get closer. We can’t afford to waste such an opportunity.”
Don Diaz turned his sweaty face to him.
“Shut up, you, I am not crazy enough to risk a chance encounter with a Manticore in its active phase!” He turned and shouted into the microphone, “Prepare for takeoff in seven minutes. Boarding party, get back on board immediately!”
The cardinal stood up and angrily hissed at him.
“So, do you just want to run away? Do you think that after that the Curia’s Treasury will pay for your little jaunt?”
Don Diaz jumped up and grabbed hold of the cardinal’s lapels.
“Listen to me you! I …”
At that moment, Yv yelled out, “It's moving!”
The corvette unleashed a volley from the left-side battery. The floor started shaking and the captain was thrown into a chair. Fortunately for the boarding team, the ship was being piloted by the experienced Grey Mustache, and he maneuvered the ship, describing a large arc in the direction of the planet.
“What are you doing, you idiot, it devours matter and energy like a sponge!” shouted Don Diaz.
Then the gun battery died down, and the corvette returned to normal. Fat Anselm leaned over the pilot, looked at the view screen and laughed.
“Well done, Lucky, it’s done for!”
The captain stared at the screen. The cocoon, which had been hidden in the orbital fortress facing the planet had been cleanly cut from the fortress and was slowly tumbling towards the planet. The captain wiped his forehead and grinned.
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