The Asking Price of Stars

by John Baeyertz

  Within twenty-five meters of the lifter, Cici found two bodies. Both suits were ripped open by shrapnel. Light found the next body, helmet gone along with the head. After finding and marking twenty-three bodies, Nirabella found an unconscious survivor. She had taken a hit in the leg, patched it with plasticine before blacking out. Her suit had a minor air leak and the suit tanks wouldn’t compensate for long. Nirabella told Mark, "Take her back to the lifter and out of her suit. Slap a medipack on leg. Then get back here quickly because we are going find more wounded." Mark picked up the woman and headed toward the lifter.

  Five dead bodies later Cici heard a knocking. They found the knocking coming from a ten-meter pressure sphere. There was only one opening, a cargo hatch sealed from inside with plasticine. Tracey hit the sphere with three taps. Four taps came back. Free Space Force code for survivors inside. Tracey considered, how in the hells are we going to get them out? No air lock on the sphere. It's a storage tank. The temp airlock will not fit over the hatch. We can get a person inside lock, but it only holds three at max. We have only two spare spacesuits. Over the com unit Tracey told Mark to help Shadow bring the temp airlock across on the line. “Also, from lifter, bring a power drill and saw, pry bars, spray plasticine and all extra space suits and whatever suits Shadow can bring over," she directed.

  Over the com Light responded, "Shadow is loading your requests. He should be there in twenty minutes."

  Tracey turned to Cici and Nirabella, "We can't attach the temp air lock over the hatch. We will attach it over a smooth section of the sphere. Once it's airtight and I am inside with space suits, I will drill a hole into the shell of sphere thread a mike inside. Next I will cut a hole in the shell big enough for someone to get out of. Then I’ll pass two space suits to the survivors. As soon as they suit up, we cycle the temporary airlock. Mark can move survivors quickly to the lifter. If we find more than five survivors we’ll bring back the suits. As soon as I am out Cici, jump in with more suits and cycle the airlock. Nirabella set up medical treatment in the lifter. You will be able to treat them there."

  Mark and Shadow arrived with the temp airlock and began installation. Cici built up a ring of plasticine to provide a flat circle on the sphere's curved surface. They then assembled an airlock and placed it on the ring. Cici and Tracey sealed the airlock rim with tube after tube of plasticine.

  Once the installation was complete they jammed tools, two suits and Tracey into the airlock. She only had just enough space to drill and cut. Keeping her space suit on and as soon air pressure reached normal, Tracey open the inner seal of the lock and began drilling a hole. She quickly broke through and pushed the mike inside. "Hello, anyone able to speak?"

  The response came back, "Seventeen of us, two dead, three badly wounded including Mr. Montgomery. I am fleet officer Benjamin Newman. We put up a damn fine fight. How can I help get us out of here?”

  "I am Watkins, first officer of the Outcast Lady. If there is no problem inside, I am going cut a hatch. Get everyone away from the mike hole. Next question: do you have spacesuits?"

  Newman replied, "Everyone has a suit, but most of them have damage."

  "I am in a temporary airlock; we have good suits. We'll cycle you out three at a time."

  Newman was silent for a moment then answered back, "Temporary airlocks are fragile. Don't cut the airlock wall and we'll be Ok."

  Deafening noise filled the little airlock as Tracey cut into the sphere wall. Slowly she cut along the pattern drawn on the wall. After minutes the blade began to dull. She finished one side. How much longer will the blade last? Did Mark think of bring extra blades? I need to cycle the airlock to get them. Will the plasticine seal hold when I close my side of the airlock? Tracey thought.

  *********

  Spider maneuvered the six-person lifter through the hole in the TWD shell. Kat directed her to the dark matter storage vaults. They passed by four bodies, all with their suits blow apart. No saving them. The lifter came to rest floating above the deck ten meters from the vaults.

  One at a time they cycled through the tiny lifter airlock. "Let's go see the condition of the flasks," Spider said. Floating across to the hatch of the sealed room marked Dark Negative Matter Authorized Personnel ONLY, they saw a hole the size of the small lifter. The metal bent outward. "Spider, it's an exit hole, must be major damage inside," Kat observed.

  "Kat, if a flask is breached the ship would be gone. Try the hatch, “Spider suggested.

  "Locked and sealed."

  Kat knocked three times. In response came four knocks. Then two knocks, a pause and two more. They looked at each other. The signal was 'don't open the hatch.' Whoever was inside did not have working spacesuits. Their lifter was too small to carry a temp airlock.

  Spider said, "Kat, I have an idea of how get them out. Its high risk, but if the gods favor us it might work."

  Chapter Fifth-Three –

  In Orbit Aboard Bighorn Bull, Outcast Lady &Dark Song- 04-01-519

  Niikia ordered an attack on the enemy destroyer identified as Fire Dancer. She was a sphere ship. The destroyer dropped six missiles as it raced toward Death's Hammer, the Count's commanded ship. Niikia ordered Jones the chief time navigator and pilot, "Mr. Jones, full acceleration. We can't match the scum's speed. But we can extend our firing widow. Artystaar, missiles and rail guns ready?"

  "Yes commander. I Have missile lock. Dropping two now!"

  "Dropped clean, engines fired,” the drop bay crew leader responded.

  "Drop two more now!"

  "Dropped clean, engines fired."

  The Green Fleet destroyer closed in on Death's Hammer. The quick-fire rail guns of the battle cruiser put a wall of projectiles taking out five of the missiles fired by the destroyer. The Fire Dancer's final missile was hit by rail-gun fire from one the other pirate ships escorting the Hammer.

  Artystaar tracked her four missiles' trajectory. Fire Dancer's rail-guns began to fire too late; they got two of Artystaar's missiles. The other two struck the sphere at mid ships blasting a hole the size of a house in the hull. As the enemy ship raced past, Artystaar ordered the rail-guns to rake the crippled ships. Rail-guns from the Hammer, Dark Song and another pirate ship tore into the helpless Fire Dancer.

  Niikia called out, "Good kill Artystaar and crew! She is a dead ship now nothing but scrap in orbit. The Dark Goddess has blessed us." Now if we can find that bastard Kat and his Outcast Lady and open her like a rotten Papiii fruit, thought Niikia.

  *********

  On the Bighorn Bull, Tracey finally finished the four cuts in the sphere wall. She had dulled three blades cutting the pattern. Hands from the inside pulled away the metal square. A grizzled man of fifty took her hand.

  "This is Benjamin Newman, Fleet Officer Ma'm. We jammed Mr. Montgomery into my suit. He is in bad shape so take him first; along with Sergeant Patel she also has serious injuries. We put her in the other good suit.”

  "Thanks, due the Fleet, here are two new suits! Get the next two into them. I should able to cycle the airlock with three people in suits next time." The next cycle went well. Without the cutting tools, Tracey was able to packed herself and three suits into the airlock and brought out three more injured.

  In the lifter Nirabella, with Shadow’s help, dealt with a flow of wounded. The first was the girl in the leaking suit. Her leg was broken at the point where she sealed the suit with plasticine. Nirabella used a medipack to form a temporary cast. Shadow got her into a new spacesuit and sent her across via the cable to Light.

  The first survivor from the sphere was lucky to be alive. Capitan Montgomery was ripped by a single tiny piece of shrapnel moving at hyper velocity. Someone had gotten him inside the sphere, then got the old suit off and did their best to stop the bleeding. Newman got him into a new suit, which Nirabella now cut him out of. The new suit was already blood soaked. She could see even more damage from the milliseconds exposure to the vacuum of space that his right hip was hacked open. Someone patched the hole withi
n seconds or Montgomery would be dead. Shadow placed him in one of the bunks setup in the lifter. Nirabella used two medipack and pain-stop to stabilize him. She then turned to the third survivor. By the gods, we are NOT losing anyone today! she thought.

  *********

  Back in Engineering, Spider brought the min-lifter as close as possible to the hatch. She then turned it so the back was facing the hatch. "Kat, deploy the transfer tube with you inside. Then we seal it to the hatch and pressure it up. Open the hatch and pull out whoever is inside. Finally, return to the min-lifter and close the rear hatch on the lifter. Then we’ll head back to the Lady."

  "Sounds good with one exception. I will go back in and check the dark matter flasks. I can ride back on outside of lifter.” Kat said.

  Half an hour later Kat open the hatch to find of the three of the engineering crew. They had only minor injuries. However, they appeared disoriented. A short grey haired engineer told Kat, "Don't go back in, massive, D427 Gridall Particle leak. The dark matter will go unstable unless the Prime Z-valves 14 and 15 and 16 are closed.” Then he said, “and the Motan bats are freed and painted pink." Kat knew the engineering was suffering D427 damage. Sufficient Gridall Particles left one completely unable to function mentally. The effect lasted for days. The brain would reestablish pathways but it took time.

  Spider asked, "Is he right about the valves? Everyone knows Motan bats do not exist."

  Kat responded, "I am going in and see. If I am not back in fifteen minutes, get back to the Lady, recall Tracey's team and get the ship far away. “

  In fourteen and half minutes Kat was back. He carried one more survivor. Spider saw the dazed look on Kat's face and she knew that he got too much D427. It would be days before he could command. Spider strapped down Kat and the four survivors and headed the min-lifter back toward the Lady.

  *********

  Two hours later, after finding only two more of Bull's crew alive, the search concluded. Tracey and Shadow were the last two on board the Lady. They came across on the cable after Cici flew the lifter over with the injured and the medical team. Light triggered a small charge blowing the far end of the cable and started the power reel.

  As soon as the platform closed and pressurized, Spider stepped through the hatch and waited as Tracey removed her helmet. Spider then gave a sharp salute and said, "Welcome aboard Commander. Ms. Watkins! You are now acting Commander of the Outcast Lady." Spider then outlined Kat's condition.

  "Spider, as of now you are acting first officer. Assemble everyone, not critically needed, in the hanger bay in thirty minutes. I will be in the control room until then."

  Tracey walked quickly up to the control room. Peter greeted her, “Your orders, Commander?"

  "First my thanks to each of you for manning the control room during this operation. Now we shall get the Lady moving. Peter, lay in a max G course away from the Bull and toward Green Fleet. Then bring me up to date on ship's status.”

  A half hour later, Tracey walked into the hanger deck. Spider formally, called out, "Attention! Commander on the deck!" Tracey stepped onto the platform and turned to the assembly. To her surprise, all the crew stood at attention.

  "At ease, find a seat,” Tracey ordered. “First, congratulations everyone! We rescued twenty-one souls. Some like Captain Montgomery have life threatening injuries. Also, as some of you know, Commander Jang was exposed to dangerous levels of D427 Gridall Particles. His brain and nerves are damaged. He will make a full recovery in time. In addition to those two, we have a total eighteen other people with injuries. Nirabella needs all the help she can get. Cici is setting up a schedule for the medical support team.”

  “Next point, Spider is now acting first officer and pilot. She will take over my duties. Give her the excellent support you have given me. All other officer's and sergeant's will cover her duties.”

  “Finally, we will join Green Fleet and engage the enemy at every opportunity. There is an archaic saying Bob Redding our stable man and a space veteran, taught me. Words are so ancient that it may date back to Home World a thousand years ago or more. - I intend to take this ship into harm's way."

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Pangerbar System - Aboard Outcast Lady & Dark Song 04-02-519

  Aboard Dark Song the Com Officer and relayed a message from the Count Markiii:

  To all commanders: Green Fleet is decelerating and their next pass at our fleet will be at a much lower velocity. I plan to accelerate our fleet to match their speed. We will destroy the Lady Delapasse. All ships escorting us will ensure protection from other enemy ships while we blast Bridgeford to the Tenth Hell.

  “Crew, this is Niikia Kaiii-var. We are ordered to protect Deaths Hammer in the coming battle. May the dark gods send us Kat Jang and his egg ship. The long elliptical orbit of Green Fleet means hours until their next pass through. Stand down from battle alert. Get some rest. Bonk a crewmate; it may be your last chance."

  Off the com Niikia told the Control Center team, "Artystaar set a course matching Deaths Hammer's. Full power engineering. Recheck all weapons systems."

  ***********

  Hours later at orbit apogee, the Outcast Lady caught Green Fleet. Within two hours they transferred the rescued survivors to the heavy cruiser Republican Lady with one exception. Benjamin Newman the fleet officer, asked to stay with the Lady for the coming battle. With Fidelity, up in the Control Center, Engineering could use the help.

  As she supervised the transfer, Nirabella encounter Doctor Tommy, her old flame. "By the goddess of beauty, you look good Nirabella. You have developed the élan of a pirate queen. I have missed your body in my bunk," he said.

  Nirabella gave him a cold stare and said, " Tommy, the body I miss is sure not yours. Listen up doc rat face, Capitan Montgomery is the most critical. Next, is Commander Jang he has D427 damage. Also, many others are serious. Do not fail to take damn fine care of these people. Pirate queens have been known to kill people for less. A whole lot less!"

  *********

  As soon as they detached from the Republican Lady, Tracey brought the crew up to date on the new assignment Bridgeford just sent. "We are assigned to be one of two ships escorting the Lady Delapasse. The general's plans to vector his battle cruiser into a low orbit and destroy the Tri-Star troop ships, cutting off support to the Tri-Star troops on the planet. The destroyer Gold Arrow will take a position off the Delapasse's bow and we will take a position aft. Battle standby for now. 1st watch is on Alert. Get some rest. We are going into the biggest space battle since Morgan’s Abode thirty years ago.

  All three ships were traveling stern first with dark matter engines at full power. Tracey was staying a thousand clicks out from Delapasse's stern. Major Sasha Kedrova, Bridgeford's new XO transmitted verbal information outlining the mass of data coming into Lady’s navigation computer. Tracey saw the outline of a Troc Battlecruiser on the sensor’s screen. As Bridgeford decelerated, Count-Viceroy Markiii accelerated. The two battle cruisers would cross paths just as they reached the troop ships. She watched as five tiny dots appeared on the screen. A total of five escorts and destroyers were defending the Hammer.

  "Battle Alert! Inform Major Kedrova we will attack the closest destroyer." Tracey called. The crew pulled their space suits from the packs. "Spider, set in a course to intercept our target.”

  Spider responded, "Course set. Intercept in thirty-four minutes, missile range in ten. We will run a parallel course matching speeds at intercept.”

  Tracey said, "Peter launch two as soon as you have lock. Missile bay, are you ready?”

  "Bay open to space and ready," Light answered.

  Ten minutes later Peter called out, "Have lock dropping two, permission to drop one more."

  "Yes," Tracey said. She was not yet sure if Peter needed more missiles. Then she saw the traces of a dozen large F1 heavy missiles launched by the Delapasse at the Troc Battlecruiser. In an instant, she knew what Peter saw. They were down to their last seven missiles.

&nbs
p; Chapter Fifty-Five

  – Off Pangerbar – Outcast Lady & Dark Song - 04-03-519

  Aboard Dark Song, Niikia could not believe it. An egg-shaped escort was attacking one of the destroyers protecting Count Markiii. Was it Kat? Did it matter? The pirate destroyer Frozen Blood had twice the missiles and much heavier guns.

  Artystaar tracked the two F2 medium missiles launched by the little egg. Then the Delapasse launched twelve F1 heavy missiles. They appeared on the sensor screen headed for the Hammer.

  "Crew, this is Kaiii-var, target and destroy the twelve F1 heavy missiles."

  Artystaar launched four Trocnavar X2 missiles each aimed at an F1 missile on a vector for the Hammer. Two lost the target and disappeared. The two others hit a missile however, they both hit same missile. The other ships protecting the battle cruiser went crazy launching missiles. Some ships were already firing rail guns. In turn, each of remaining eight F1 missiles launched at the Hammer were destroyed.