by Saxon Andrew
Everyone heard crowd noise and immediately noticed the customers gathered around the entrance began scattering as Barney said, “It must be eight o’clock.”
Everyone at the table looked toward the door and saw an eight foot tall Insectoid moving through the crowd toward their table. It walked on four legs with two arms emerging out of its thorax below its huge triangular shaped head. Two large multifaceted black eyes were located on each side of the triangle that were large enough to wrap around its head from the front to the sides. It was flashing different colors of green and neon blue as the lights in the tavern flashed of the hard shell that protected its body. The woman said, “I was wrong. None of you are that ugly!”
Leo turned around and saw the Insectoid being given plenty of space by the crowd. He stood up and met the creature before he arrived at the table and said, “Thank you for coming; I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I may not be staying. I just wanted to see what she looks like.”
Leo shrugged, “She’s pretty close to the original but she is not Victoria.”
The Insectoid turned his multi-faceted eyes toward Leo, “Is she not worthy of the gift?”
“Actually, her heart is purer than Victoria’s. You’ll have to make your own decision about whether or not she’s worthy of the gift.”
Ana watched them communicating and stood up, walked over to them, and looked up at the huge Insectoid. They stopped talking and Ana said, “I understand that you provided the DNA Technology to change my appearance.” The Insectoid nodded. “I was not happy at first but now I’ve become accustomed to my appearance and I want to thank you for your gift. I’ve managed to stay alive because of it and I want you to know I truly appreciate it. Please lean down for a moment.” The Insectoid leaned down expecting Ana to whisper something but she went up on her toes and kissed it on the side of its triangular shaped head. “Thank you!”
The Insectoid stared at her for a long moment and then turned to Leo, “You’re right, her heart is purer.” It turned back to Ana, “You are welcome. I see that Leonidas has chosen well on who to use it on.”
“Are you going to stay?” Leo quickly asked.
The Insectoid looked at Leo and then back at Ana before answering, “Yes, I think I will for a while longer. At least for the time being.”
Leo smiled and waved him over to the table. Ana smiled as well and followed Leo back to her chair as the Insectoid stood behind Leo looking around the table where the former mercenaries sat in silence staring at him. “Everyone, this is Gem. He’s been a close friend and has helped me more than I can say in developing my survival skills. He’s here to listen to what’s going on just like all of you and I’m hoping he will join us. You can introduce yourselves to him once you hear what I’m planning but we need to get down to business now.”
The Insectoid looked at the gathering and said in a calm voice with perfect Cartian dialect, “I apologize if my appearance causes any of you distress. I understand that initially my appearance can cause some to feel ill but, after some time has passed, you will become accustomed to how I appear.”
Barney smiled as he said, “I’ve seen much worse. I think all of us are glad you’re here with us. We’ve heard many things about your species and I can honestly say that I’m hoping to find out if they’re true.”
“Thank you.” The Insectoid looked around and said to Leo in a soft, clearly modulated voice, “Do you wish to keep this conversation private?”
Leo said without turning around, “I do.” Suddenly, the entire group was surrounded by a light blue colored privacy field. Leo smiled and said, “I know all of you are wondering why I brought this woman with me. The name you will use to address her will be Victoria or My Lady, which is not her real name, but it makes it easier for you to not inadvertently say her name.” Leo looked at Ana, “Alright, tell them what you want.”
Ana’s eyes went wide, “I thought you were going to do that?”
“You’re the one paying them. You asked to be here so it should be you who tells them what’s going on. Tell them everything; they deserve to know what they’re getting into.”
Every eye around the table, including Gem’s eyes turned to her. She looked around the table and sighed heavily as she began speaking, “About a month ago I was traveling on a Starliner for Kellinger. We were boarded by pirates led by John Blakely and he killed two members of the group I was traveling with…”
Leo sat back and listened to Ana retell everything that had happened down to the smallest detail except for the name of her family. He was genuinely surprised she remembered all of it. She even remembered the trigger ring on the man’s hand in the black vehicle. He watched the former warriors gathered around the table and saw she had their total attention. He could even tell that Gem was also totally focused on what she was saying. He saw most of the warriors looked directly at him when Ana mentioned that he was going after Blakely for killing his brother. That information will have to be handled after Ana finished. He turned and listened with the others.
“…so when Leo said he was going to pick up a crew, I asked if he might help me find a crew to fly my ship as well. That pretty much brings you up to date. I’m here with him to hire a crew to fly my ship.”
Jack looked at Leo, “Tell me about this brother. I never knew you had a brother.” Leo saw Ana’s head jerk around to stare at him. Leo sighed, “Most of you know after the unit was dissolved, I shipped out with my former Regimental CO.” The group nodded. “He was given a medium warship as pay he never received and left before the Unity Fleet arrived. We moved around the galaxy hiring ourselves out as mercenary escorts defending commercial shipments. We were between jobs and traveling on the Unity’s filament, when we heard a distress call from a Unity Warship. The ship was under attack by a pirate fleet and most of the support vessels were knocked out of action.
We boosted in and opened fire on the three ships moving in to board the ship and breached their hulls causing them to withdraw. Four of the remaining pirate ships started pursuing us as three other pirate ships began moving in to replace the ships that were knocked out of the fight. Then a Unity supporting fleet came boosting in at high speed on the filament and the pirates fled. We also got out of there fast and thought we had lost the Pirates. We went to Jergan to replenish our stores.”
Leo paused for a moment and continued, “Evidently, one of the pirate ships managed to follow us to Jergan and called in the survivors of the pirate attack. I was on the planet’s surface purchasing supplies when they boosted in and surrounded my ship and blasted it into rubble; Mark contacted me before he died letting me know that a John Blakely was leading the pirate fleet.”
The table looked somber and the woman said, “Mark is gone?”
Leo nodded, “He is and I intend to make the ones that killed him pay for it.”
The woman’s sorrow was clear as she said, “I’ve been looking for both of you since the unit disbanded.”
Leo slowly shook his head, “Mark told me that he felt you should get out of the business of war and settle down, Desiree. He didn’t want you to die.”
“He didn’t have the right to make that decision without discussing it with me, Leonidas.”
“He did what he thought was best and you would be dead with him if he had taken you with us.”
“But I would have at least had some happy moments instead of the miserable life I’ve lived since the two of you flew away and disappeared. Count me in on this!”
“Lieutenant, I don’t know if taking you with me would be a good thing.”
The woman stared at him and sternly said, “The same thing goes for you! You’re emotionally involved in this just as much as I am. If you can maintain control, you know I can as well. Would you want to be left out in punishing his killers?” Leo stared at her. “WOULD YOU?!”
Leo stared a moment longer and said, “No, I wouldn’t. However, if you do anything to endanger this mission I will personally toss you out of the airlock
and not give it a second thought! You got that!”
The woman nodded, “Yes, Sir! I expect nothing less. I want to be there with you when you confront his killers.”
Jack looked at Leo, “How many will you need to go with you, Sir?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m going to arm our ships and the armaments will determine how many I need to operate them.”
“You will need twenty to operate the armaments on your ship,” the Insectoid said behind Leo. Leo turned around and looked at him as it said, “I will arm the two ships and take on training Victoria as you’ve requested to learn the skills she’ll need to survive.”
“Will this cause you an issue with your leaders?”
“No.”
Leo smiled, “Ok, this is how we’re going to do it. Desiree along with Barney’s group will join me on my ship.”
Barney’s eyes narrowed, “Why are you choosing me to go with you instead of others that served with your CO? They deserve the right to make the pirate pay for his killing one of their own.”
Leo smiled, “Because you actually look like pirates, Captain. With the way you’re dressed along with your beards and long hair, you’ve learned to live like a pirate on this planet. You’re going to have to teach the others chosen to serve on my ship how to play the role.”
Barney stared at Leo, looked around at the others, and then smiled, “Arggg, Captain, we be pirates.”
The gathering burst out laughing and Leo looked at the others, “The remaining fourteen members of my crew will be selected by drawing lots to determine who goes with me and who stays with Victoria. I want those of you that go with Victoria to understand that if any harm comes to her while you’re on this assignment, I will hold all of you personally responsible for it.”
Jack quickly said, “Sir, we don’t have any personal arms. They were confiscated by the Unity Forces. We have nothing to defend her.”
“I will provide what you need,” The Insectoid answered immediately.
Leo reached in his backpack and pulled out a velvet bag that jingled. He took out the coins from it and took a marker out of the backpack’s side pocket. He marked fourteen coins with the marker and put thirty-five back into the bag. He handed the bag to Ana, “Please mix them up.”
Jack quickly said, “Gem said that you’d only need twenty crewmen. Barney’s group has eight and Desiree makes nine; fourteen more totals twenty-three.”
Leonidas smiled, “I’ll need twenty to operate the weapons. I’ll also need three others to man the bridge and fly the ship. Since Desiree will be one of the three, I’ll need fourteen others.”
Jack rolled his eyes, “Sorry, Sir. You’re absolutely right.”
Billy spoke up from the end of the table, “What about Victoria’s ship? I understand it’s much larger than yours. Won’t it need more crewmembers than yours?”
Gem shook his head, “Victoria’s vessel has twice the room inside it which allows for much larger weapon consoles. She will only need nine crewmen for the missile controls and nine for the blasters. That will leave three to man the bridge. Since all of the weapons will be hidden inside the ship’s hull, the control panels will have to be more extensive than the smaller ship. It will also be more powerful than the smaller ship because of housing more weapons.”
Ana took the bag and began shaking it from all different angles. The coins were all the same size and the group knew that this was truly going to be done by the luck of the draw. She handed the bag to Leo and he opened the top, “I want all of you to understand that Victoria is possibly in more danger than I am.”
Barney’s head went back as he asked, “How can that be? We’re going after Pirates and she says that she is going to fly around the universe having a good time.”
Leo looked at him, “She didn’t tell you who was trying to capture or kill her.”
Everyone stared at her and Ana said, “My father is Serge Romanov.”
The gathering was shocked by the admission as Leo said, “And he possess the wealth to go after her with forces that are beyond your wildest dreams. She is going to do all she can to avoid being found but the Romanovs are a lot smarter and more powerful than any fleet of pirates we go up against; they will be using modern warships and arms to attempt to capture her along with the most modern scientific methods to find her.”
Leo held out the bag and Desiree said, “Before you start drawing coins, you need to put another marked coin in the bag.”
Leo lowered the bag, “Why is that, Desiree.”
Desiree sighed, “Victoria is going to need a woman to go with her as an attendant. There will be places she will have to go where a man can’t go with her. If I don’t go with her, you are going to have to hire a female to do it and I don’t know if you can find anyone that can’t be turned by Romanov’s wealth. I want to go and kill this John Blakey with you more than you know but the scope of this assignment calls for me to put my personal feelings aside to do the right thing. The mission requires a female to be on her ship and I don’t think anyone else around this table can pass that physical.”
Leo smiled as he reached in the bag and took out an unmarked coin. He marked it and put it in the bag. “Lieutenant, you were always the best officer in the battalion at developing strategy. I honor you for your willing sacrifice in making this plan stronger and you’re absolutely right about needing another woman on board Victoria’s ship.”
Desiree looked at the Insectoid, “Would it be possible for you to train me with her?”
The Insectoid stared at her before saying, “Some of the training is very painful.”
Desiree looked at Ana, “If she can take it, I believe I can as well.”
“It will be as you request, Lieutenant. However, I can only train two.”
Leo looked at the group, “Desiree will be in overall command of those that go with Victoria’s Ship and will develop the strategy to keep her safe.” He handed the bag back to Ana, “Please mix them up again.” Ana took the bag and shook it again. She stared at Desiree as she shook it and wondered if this was a good thing or not. She handed the bag to Leo and he opened the top, “Pull one, please.”
The thirty-five remaining warriors began pulling coins and some of them said, “Damn it, man,” when they pulled an unmarked coin. At the end, Leo said, “Those who are going with me will go with me to my ship. The others will go with Victoria to her ship.” Leo turned around, “Gem, we’ll follow your ship to where the ships and crews will be armed and you can join Victoria’s crew there.”
Victoria quickly said, “There’s an issue we’ve not addressed.”
Everyone was standing up and they immediately sat down. Jack looked at her, “What issue is that, my lady?”
“Leonidas will determine the pay for those that go with him on his ship. Those of you that go with me will be paid a hundred thousand credits a week for spending money.” The sudden intake of breaths was loud. “That’s not all; all your expenses while serving on this assignment will be paid and if at the end of it we’re successful, each of you will receive ten million credits.”
Desiree’s mouth fell open, “Are you serious?!”
“I need to find a way to set up an untraceable account for all of you but, yes, I’m serious.”
Gem said, “I will set up the accounts, if you will give me the names you wish to attach to each of them.”
Leo looked at his crew, “You will not be going to planets to party and have a good time. You will be playing the role of pirates and there is a good possibility that all of us might be killed.” He looked at Gem, “Is it possible for you to also set up an account for each member of my crew and transfer fifteen million credits into them?”
“Do you have the funds to make the transfer?”
“I do and I’d also like a beneficiary listed on each account in the event the worst happens.”
“Have your crew provide the names and I’ll have the cards for them before the ships are finished being armed.”
“I
want you to give the cards for my crew to Victoria to hold until my mission is over.”
“Why?” Carl quickly asked.
Leo smiled, “Because some of you will really be tempted to use those funds and that could blow our cover of being poor pirates.” Leo looked at Carl, “Captain, buying the Romulus Gold Chronometer you’ve always wanted could get us all killed. I will take care of any expenses during the mission but most of you will be living on a small amount each week. That’s why your end bonus will be fifty percent larger than the crew with Victoria.”
Leonidas looked at Desiree, “You’re not only protecting the Lady but our futures as well, Lieutenant, and you are now promoted to Captain and will be in command of Victoria’s vessel.” He looked at Ana, “You will follow her orders just as you would mine.”
Desiree rolled her eyes, “As if I needed more pressure.”
Ana said, “Gem, could you hold on to those cards and make sure Leonidas’ Crew’s beneficiaries receive them if they kill that bastard and don’t make it?”
Leo shook his head, “No, you will hold the cards!” She tilted her head as he said, “I’m holding them responsible for your safety. Being responsible for the safety of their comrades’ future retirement makes sure they make their best effort to keep you safe.”
“But they will lose their own reward if they fail. Isn’t that enough?”
Desiree sighed, “Victoria, losing ours won’t be near as hard to accept as losing those belonging to our brothers. Leonidas is right, it should be done this way.”
Victoria looked at her and said, “Then Leo will hold the cards of my crew.”
Leo looked at her and smiled, “I will put them in a safe place. Is there anything else we’ve not done?” Ana shook her head.
Leo raised his hands as everyone started to stand up, “There is one other issue. Jack, you and Desiree will start a physical training regimen to get the crews in top physical shape.” Ana rolled her eyes but noticed that none of the others showed any reluctance.
Glenny leaned over and whispered to her, “My Lady, we all know that if we’re not in combat physical condition, we won’t be at our best. Most of us aren’t after the long layoff.” Ana nodded and smiled.