by Terry Mixon
Once they nodded, she made a show of turning on a desk recorder. “Arbiter Kenna Blaze, Ganymede. Hearing five two one two-A. Also present are Fabian Breen of Astro Transport, Limited, and Brad Madrid. Gentlemen, please state your names for the official record.”
Brad allowed Breen to precede him and then spoke. “Brad Madrid.”
“Do both of you swear to answer my questions fully and truthfully?”
“I do,” Brad said.
Once Breen had done so, Arbiter Blaze continued. “This arbitration revolves around the ownership of the pirate vessel known as Bloodthirster. It is known to have attacked the Astro Transport, Limited, liner Louisiana Rain.
“Both of you have filed preliminary paperwork asserting ownership. Do you wish to make your filing official at this time?”
Both said they did.
“Then your claims are entered into the official record. Would either of you care to amend your filing at this time?”
“I would,” Brad said. “I need to state for the record that the ship was vandalized last night.”
Breen scowled at him. “What?”
“Someone broke into the ship last night, wrecked the helm console, smashed the computer room, and stole the computer core. I don’t suppose you know anything about that?”
“The parties will limit themselves to addressing me,” Arbiter Blaze said firmly. “Mr. Breen, the facts are substantially what Mr. Madrid has indicated. In addition, two employees of the Arbiter Guild were injured defending the ship. Were you in any manner responsible for these incidents?”
Breen gave her an affronted look. “Of course not! This is outrageous!”
“No,” she said patiently. “It’s a perfectly valid question.”
She turned her attention to Brad. “Mr. Madrid, were you in any manner responsible for these incidents?”
“No, I was not.”
“Let the record show that both parties assert their innocence. Ganymede Security is currently investigating the incident and will report to my office in due course.
“As the vessel was under Arbiter’s seal at the time of the loss, we will pay for the replacement of the damaged or stolen equipment. We shall recover the funds from the guilty parties once they are located. Which I have confidence will occur in due time.”
The guild paying for the damage surprised Brad a little, but it made sense now that he thought about it. It would help.
“Now let’s get to the meat of the matter,” Arbiter Blaze said. “I’ve reviewed both of your claims thoroughly and consulted the existing legal precedent. I also impounded the security recorders from the ship before the attack.
“Which, in hindsight, was a mistake. The recorders’ files were destroyed with the computer cores. I regret that I didn’t extract all of the data, only the immediately relevant information. I assure you both that guild procedures will be updated to avoid this type of lapse in the future.”
She tapped her computer and the wall screen came to life. It was a still image of the ship’s security feed. It covered engineering, the bridge, the airlock, and several major corridors.
The area near the airlock was filled with armed pirates. Based on the numbers, this was just before they boarded the liner, Brad suspected.
“The recording begins just prior to the attack,” she confirmed a moment later. “I will play it quickly to a point that is key to the proceedings. Copies of this bonded recording will be provided to both parties as part of the final determination.”
Arbiter Blaze started the playback and the video streamed forward. Brad saw the pirates working their cutter and then rushing out, presumably into the liner. The pirate ship seemed deserted other than three men in the airlock. Then the grenade Brad had tossed in exploded in their midst.
Well, that was brutal. It was a good thing he’d missed lunch, after all.
He’d been so involved in the fighting at the time that his memories had glossed over how bloody the airlock had been when he’d stepped inside it. Now, though, his mind was reminding him how the carnage had smelled of blood and guts.
Moments later, he watched the recording of him stepping into the airlock with his weapons ready. That’s where the recording froze.
“Based on many hours of review, I’ve determined that the only pirates on board the ship Bloodthirster at this time were located in the airlock at the time Mr. Madrid killed them and boarded the ship.”
“But he left,” Breen argued. “Employees of Astro Transport, Limited, then secured the ship. Madrid was barely there. My people scoured it against all possible threats after they’d killed the other pirates on the liner, including others that very likely came from this ship.”
Arbiter Blaze nodded. “I am not disputing those potential facts. They are irrelevant. According to existing law, killing or capturing all parties aboard a ship engaged in piracy and boarding the vessel are all that is required to assert a valid claim to the vessel.
“Finding no evidence that stands against Mr. Madrid’s claim, the Arbiter Guild rules in his favor and awards him sole ownership of the ship Bloodthirster.”
Breen shot to his feet. “I’m appealing this biased ruling!”
“As you should already know,” Blaze snapped, “all judgments of an Arbiter such as myself are final. If you’ll step outside, my associates will see that you receive all the official records relating to my decision, Mr. Breen.”
The man fixed her with a glare that would’ve melted steel, and then stalked out of the office without another word.
“Let the record show that Fabian Breen has left the hearing,” she said dryly as she focused her attention on Brad. “The judgements of the Arbiter Guild often lead to hard feelings, particularly when significant sums of money are involved. Do you have any objections for the record, Mr. Madrid?”
He smiled and shook his head. “No, ma’am.”
“Very well. I hereby declare these proceedings closed.”
She made a show of turning off the recorder and settled back in her seat. “Understand that this is simply speculation on my part, but you might want to arrange extra security for your ship once you officially take possession.
“The Pythons come highly recommended by the Mercenary Guild and are currently available. The Arbiter Guild has already paid them for three days, so you have until the evening of the day after tomorrow to find suitable replacements. I’d suggest the Pythons, as their rates are quite reasonable and they are now familiar with the ship and docking area.”
Brad nodded. “I’ll be sure to get that covered before their contract lapses. Thank you.”
She rose to her feet. “My assistant will provide you with the final paperwork and I’ll see the security system is put back to rights. Once you find someone to repair the damage to the ship, please have the bill for the computer room and helm console sent to me.
“Once again, the Arbiter Guild apologizes for what happened to your ship while it was under our supervision.”
He extended his hand to her. “You did everything a reasonable person could do.”
“Best of luck, Mr. Madrid.”
Brad found a young man waiting for him outside her office with everything he needed. Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out into the lobby.
He found Marshal sipping some coffee in the waiting room. “We’re done.”
The man quickly downed his drink and threw the disposable cup away. “Judging from how fast Breen stormed out of here, you came out on top. Congratulations, Captain.”
Brad took the offered hand. “We’ve got guards on the ship for two more days. We can spend the night in the hotel, since we’re already paid up. Tomorrow, we’ll take possession and move in for real.”
“Do you think Breen will try anything else?”
“I kind of hope he does,” Brad admitted. That would let him unleash his anger on somebody. “If so, we’ll deal with it.”
“What next?”
Brad grinned. “Now we go back to the Mercenary Guild. It’
s time for a career change.”
Chapter Ten
It turned out Ms. Kernsky was too busy to fit him into her schedule until the next morning. This time, Brad was smart enough to leave the late-night shenanigans to Marshal. He hit the sack early, rose feeling good, and had a leisurely breakfast before his appointed meeting time.
He more than half-expected Marshal would oversleep, so he wasn’t too upset when the man was a no-show. Honestly, this really wasn’t the kind of meeting he needed the pilot for, anyway.
Brad was wary as he made his way to the Mercenary Guild. Even though he was relatively certain Breen was done with him, he couldn’t rule revenge out of the equation. After all, the bastard had tried to have him beaten up so that he could steal his ship.
He’d need to come up with a new name for the vessel, too. Bloodthirster wasn’t going to cut it.
The receptionist passed him through to see Ms. Kernsky without much of a delay, who smiled as she rose to her feet and extended her hand across her desk.
“I’m glad to hear the arbitration went well. Congratulations on getting the ownership of your ship settled in your favor, Captain Madrid.”
“Thank you.”
He took the seat she indicated. “What happens next?”
She sat and brought something up on her computer. “Now we see if I can help you form a company around your ship. My understanding is that it’s in critical need of work.
“The Guild might be able to assist with that, but we’ll need to work the details out first. And you’ll need to be on our rolls as a mercenary company.”
She slid a datapad across to him. “This is what you’re looking at to incorporate as a mercenary company.”
Brad picked the datapad up and started reading. One item immediately caught his eye. “The fee is somewhat higher than I expected.” Almost twice what he’d been led to believe, in fact.
He and Captain Jaeger had discussed the rough costs of his becoming a mercenary after the pirate attack. The man had had his sources ask a few questions.
Kernsky smiled. “The fee you were probably thinking of is for a copper rating. We have five possible levels for mercenary companies: copper, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Those are graded based on ability and reliability.
“Because of Captain Jaeger’s glowing recommendation and my assessment of your actions aboard the Louisiana Rain, I’m proposing a bronze rating.”
“What difference does the rating make?”
“It allows you to access better Guild services. Among other things, we maintain a different database of recruits for each level. There is, of course, some overlap, but a bronze company will tend to get more capable personnel than a copper.
“Also, up to a third of a bronze company’s refits and repairs are paid for by the Guild. We’ll pay ten percent of the total outright and cover up to twenty percent with long-term loans. A bronze rating will also draw a higher class of mission with a correspondingly better payment scale.”
That was a no-brainer. He signed the contract and handed the datapad back to Kernsky.
She skimmed it quickly and slid it into a reader slot. “There. Now we can discuss your next steps. From what Captain Jaeger told me, you’re planning on an extensive refit. Will that happen on Ganymede?”
“Captain Jaeger arranged for a berth at the Io Yards. We’re planning on going there next.”
Kernsky nodded. “All right, I’ll begin pulling together a dossier of possible recruits for you while that happens. What sort of people are you looking for?”
He considered the size of the ship and his resources. “Crew for the ship and an eight-trooper ground squad. I’ll need both a senior and junior engineer, a coms expert, a tactical officer, and seven grunts.”
“I take it you intend to command the boarding team yourself?”
“Most of my skills are in that area, so it makes the most sense.”
She nodded again, making additional notes on her computer. “Many of those positions can be filled at your leisure, but you might want to have an engineer on your payroll to oversee the refit.”
“I have some experience in that area myself.”
“You could oversee the refit yourself, of course, but it would lock you down on your ship almost full-time. It might be best to fill your senior engineer position now. I have someone to recommend: Mike Randall. He’s a very good engineer and is available.”
Brad raised an eyebrow, considering the man he’d met outside. “If he’s a good engineer, why is he working at the Guild hall instead of on a ship?”
“You haven’t been around him long enough to see,” Kernsky said with a sigh, “but he has a few personal faults that always seem to bring him back here. We pay him a small retainer when he ends up here, but I’m sure he’d much rather have an engineering position.”
“What sort of faults are we talking about?”
“He has a tendency to tell his superiors exactly what he thinks,” she told him dryly. “For example, he called his last ship a ‘rat-infested sinkhole’ for six months. Pretty much every day, even when told to stop. He’s not shy about critiquing his superior officers, either.”
“I can see why that might not endear him to people. How good of an engineer is he?”
“Before his mouth got him cashiered, he was the senior engineer aboard a Fleet battleship.”
Brad widened his eyes in surprise. There were only three battleships in the Commonwealth Fleet and two of them never left Earth orbit. The other never left Mars orbit. They were considered the last line of defense for Sol’s more heavily inhabited planets against pirates or potential Outer System aggression, so they got the best Fleet had.
“That might help balance out some character flaws,” he observed. “I’m willing to take a chance if he is.”
“Shall I talk to him?” Kernsky asked with a smile.
“If you don’t mind, I think I will. Is there anything else?”
“No, that about covers it. I’ll need the details on your company name and so forth when you make a final decision, but we’re good for the moment.”
“Thanks for your help and for your confidence in me.”
Kernsky inclined her head. “Randall should be in the reception area. If he asks, tell him I approve. Now get going, Captain. I’m already looking forward to sending you on your first mission.”
Randall was indeed lounging in the reception hall. He sat in an open-legged sprawl across a chair, reading a datapad. The man was graying with age, quite a feat in this era, but he was still both burly and muscular.
Brad could see him buried in a drive and covered with grease. He crossed the room and stopped beside him. “Mr. Randall.”
The engineer blinked up at him. “Mr. Madrid, isn’t it?
“You have a good memory. Captain Madrid now. Which actually brings me to you.”
“Oh?” The man’s eyebrows quirked, but he didn’t move a muscle otherwise.
“Ms. Kernsky told me you were a good engineer and currently between jobs. I’m taking my new ship into a major refit very shortly, and I’d like to have a senior engineer aboard to oversee the work. She recommended you for the job.”
The man studied Brad. “I presume she told you I’m an ornery old bastard who doesn’t believe in tact?”
“That might have come up.”
Randall snorted. “Well, it’s true. I’m interested, but technically, I’m still under contract with Heimdall’s Raiders. They suspended me without pay for conduct unbecoming. I’d imagine it won’t take much longer for them to decide to boot me.”
“I can speak with them and speed the process along, I’ll wager. If you want the job.”
“What’s the ship’s name?”
He wasn’t going to keep calling it Bloodthirster, so he needed something new and meaningful.
“Heart of Vengeance.” A snap decision, but it felt right. “That’s not in the official records yet, but it will be by oh dark thirty.”
“I like it,”
Randall said firmly as he stood. “Once my release becomes final, you’ve got yourself a senior engineer.”
“I’ll talk to someone with Heimdall’s Raiders today. If I can smooth things along for you, I’d like you to drop by tomorrow morning at bay zero-six-nine.” He offered his hand. “Welcome aboard, Mr. Randall.”
It took only a simple inquiry to determine which room Heimdall’s Raiders were using at the Guild. It seemed every mercenary company of a certain size kept offices there.
That made sense, Brad supposed. It would be hard for potential customers to contact you if you were always off on a ship somewhere.
The smaller outfits—like his currently unnamed company—would use Guild factors to match them with appropriate contracts, but the bigger, more established outfits had someone representing them in person. If he and his company grew large enough one day, they’d have to follow suit.
Brad stopped outside the office and examined the emblem Heimdall’s Raiders had chosen. It was a mighty warrior with a huge sword and bright eyes slashing at a great serpent. The image was much more detailed than the coiled python favored by the men guarding his ship at the moment.
Of course, it also reflected the Raiders’ higher status. The Pythons were a silver company and Heimdall’s Raiders were gold. And his company was a lowly bronze, he reflected wryly.
The image was marketing. He’d have to consult with someone about getting something done once he had a company name to go with his ship.
He liked the godly connotations of Heimdall’s Raiders. He’d have to look up some gods of vengeance when he had time. No one was going to mind if he stole the theme.
The man sitting behind the desk inside looked up as Brad walked thought the door. “Morning. How can the Raiders help you today?”
Though dressed in a uniform, the man didn’t have the appearance Brad expected of a mercenary. He was reed-thin and young. Perhaps he was just the mercenary version of a receptionist.