Centauri Justice

by Skyler Grant

  "Why would you help us to kill your own apprentice? How does that make any sense at all?" Jinx asked, sounding aghast.

  "Geylon has been a grave disappointment to me," Kalisa said. "With his potential he should have been killing his betters long ago. Earning his marks, finding his way free. Instead he was content to sit back and slay only those weaker than himself. You'll make a far more entertaining apprentice."

  "Lady, we meet a lot of crazy people and you're scoring some new points for bad ideas," Kara said.

  "I like it," Tourmaline said, kicking out her feet as the battle continued. "We both do. You've been complaining you need an instructor. Here you go."

  "But you're planning to invade us. Kill us. How does that even work?" Jinx asked.

  "I'll travel with you. While I do so I'll train you in good faith, fight on your side, although I'll not betray the secrets of myself or the other Unshackled. All I see and learn will, ultimately, be used against you," Kalisa said.

  Geylon lifted his axe to shield himself from another strike of the sword, and the blade cleaved cleanly through the haft.

  "You need to learn to fight, I'll teach you to fight," Kara said.

  "Can you even help Jinx? Your magic is completely different," Quinn said.

  "Magic is magic. In humans it has manifested in some very different ways, but we manipulate the same fundamental force," Kalisa said.

  "Old, cold, dead things," Tourmaline said with a glance towards Kalisa. "You get so desperate for a hit of anything new, something surprising. You'll do anything for a hit of life and excitement. She's telling us the truth."

  Kalisa turned her red gaze on Tourmaline. "I know those words. I didn't recognize you in this form. Hello Tourmaline, I liked you better as a man."

  "Is there anyone you don't know?" Quinn asked Tourmaline.

  "I don't remember meeting her. I'm shaky with my male memories," Tourmaline said.

  "You tried to steal some research. I caught you, tortured you, liked you. We were lovers for a time, then you stole my personal shuttle and left with the research you'd come for in the first place. I liked you," Kalisa said.

  "That does sound like me," Tourmaline said.

  Geylon was trying to run away now, guards pushed him back from the arena exit and he found Mara's blade waiting for him. Jagged rents were appearing in the armor with each new blow and blood was leaking onto the sands. No sense of mercy was staying Mara's hand, she was like a woman possessed.

  "I want Joline freed and her ship turned over to me," Jinx said.

  "The ship I only have fragments of, the destruct was triggered when we tried to storm it. The false Empress I can provide if you accept my offer," Kalisa said.

  Mara plunged Ilinar's blade into Geylon's throat. Geylon was still not visible through the armor, it didn't matter. He was clearly dead after a blow like that. The clansmen and women in the audience cheered, a victor was a victor.

  Jinx looked over at them questioningly, searching perhaps for objections.

  "This is your call. I'll allow her on the ship long as she'll answer to my orders. Just like anyone else," Quinn said.

  "The Unshackled answer to no one’s orders. I will however try to keep your captain appeased as much as possible," Kalisa said.

  "Isn't she a plague?" Kara asked.

  "I am not Ilinar. I am ... contagious ... but I can shield myself for short periods if needed and those loyal to you have nothing to fear from me," Kalisa said.

  "Then we've got a deal," Jinx said.

  They'd come to rescue Mara and Joline, and they had. But at what price? They'd implanted a spy into their midst, for all she may prove to be a useful one.

  29

  Kalisa wound up having to separate Mara from the sword. Try as they might she'd allow no clansman or even members of her Centauri close, but the Unshackled simply shrugged off the blows as if they had no force at all, grasping the sword and wrenching it out of her hands.

  Mara returned to herself almost at once.

  To say that she was less than pleased at the arrangement they struck was something of an understatement.

  "Coming to rescue me was bad enough. But this? Do you know the damage that woman can do? The Emperor was willing to purge a whole system to kill two of the Unshackled. Harsh as it is, that may have been the right choice," Mara said.

  "It wasn't," Jinx said firmly. "You and everyone else want to keep throwing me into positions of authority like I'm some damned chosen one, so you can live with what I decide. If this goes bad we'll deal with her."

  Una was guiding them towards where Joline was being held. Kalisa was gathering the supplies she'd need before meeting them at the Centauri Bliss. Una laughed and said, "I like your confidence little one. For one of them she is not so bad, you will see."

  "I liked her, but I like lots of people who will shoot me in the back without thinking twice," Tourmaline said.

  "It's amazing you've lived so long," Quinn said.

  "Shoot often and shoot first, loverboy," Tourmaline said.

  "Words to live by," Kara said, and the two fist-bumped.

  The cell that Una eventually led them to was far nicer than the one Mara had been confined in. A comfortable temperature, real furniture. Joline was seated at a table and dressed in black slacks and an officer's shirt. She was a tall, blonde, with angular features and piercing green eyes that gave her a stern appearance.

  "Well," Joline said in the clipped tones of the Core's upper crust. "This is a lot of you this time and even more ludicrously dressed than usual. This is an execution then?"

  "More of a rescue?" Jinx said.

  "A rescue attempt by either a stripper or a cosplayer entirely too desperate for attention. Neither seems likely," Joline said dryly.

  "I like her. Can I break her nose?" Kara asked.

  Quinn raised a hand. "No need for any of that. We are here to take you back to our side of the Divide. I'm Quinn Jade, captain of the Centauri Bliss. Jinx, Thief of Stars, Tourmaline, Kara Yek, Mara."

  "You don't merit a last name or fancy title? Well, we know who is in the bottom of his esteem," Joline said to Mara.

  "If you're looking for me to be a vulnerable link in the chain, you are very much looking in the wrong place," Mara said wryly.

  Joline rose from the table, moving to take a uniform jacket from a hook on a wall and slip it on. "We'll find out if this is deception in due course. Thief of Stars, you are the idiot that breached the Divide then."

  "That was the Unshackled, Ilinar. I'm the one who killed him, afterward, before he could do more harm," Jinx said, her tone having chilled a good bit. It seemed Joline's approach wasn't winning any points with her either.

  Joline looked her up and down, taking in the glowing marks so prominently on display. "The Unshackled have those, but in red. I don't know you, and I know most of those vying for the throne. Who are you?"

  "Opalia's line," Jinx said simply.

  Joline winced. "Most of us were first or second cousins of the line. Titles to inherit, but not the big one, yet still groomed for power."

  "I've no interest in your throne," Jinx said.

  "Good," Joline said, and motioned towards the door. "Lead on. How did you get access to a skimmer drive to get here? I'm certain you have no dreadnought."

  Una led them back through the halls. The clansfolk they passed in the halls would occasionally raise a fist to Mara as she passed. It appeared her victory had not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

  "We don't, but we found the resting place of Princess Elias," Tamara said in a cultured tone to match Joline’s, after Tourmaline released her.

  Joline slowed then for a moment and quietly said, "A good woman. I knew her in passing, although she was before my time at the academy. We've lost so many."

  It was strange being this close to one of those who called herself an Empress. They'd fled anywhere even close to the Core to put the civil war behind them. Yet, here, far from Imperium space they found one of those causing that w
ar.

  "I didn't know them," Jinx said quietly.

  "No, I know you didn't. You'd expect them to be soft, but they weren't," Joline said.

  "Do you know what happened to them?" Tamara asked.

  "They went missing. Each and every one, although not all at the same time. Several were naval officers with every part of the ship being monitored, and yet the moment there was a problem where they were gone. No bodies, no signs of violence," Joline said.

  "Curious, it sounds magical," Mara said.

  "We thought so. When the Divide was breached everything seemed to fall together. We were being weakened before an invasion. I was determined to find out what had happened, what our enemies were planning."

  "Good job there," Kara said.

  Joline glared at her. "I thought with an Imperial dreadnought there would be nothing to fear. If there were, we'd simply retreat."

  "What happened?" Jinx asked.

  "I didn't count on how much fuel would be burned. We got stranded fighting a running battle with one jump left in the stores."

  "It uses way more than a standard jump and it varies depending on the size of what you're taking with you. It was stupid for the Emperor to put them in dreadnoughts," Jinx said.

  "A dreadnought is a force magnifier, a battle station in and of itself, and the ability to bring one by surprise into a battle changes everything. I admit, however, the fact that they weren't built to withdraw now seems an oversight," Joline said.

  Hours later and they had everyone settled. All the girls kept a private room still, just as Quinn had his office if he wanted some privacy, even if they often shared the captain's quarters.

  The rooming situation was getting complex. Vess wanted to be nowhere near Kalisa—something about her magic—which meant putting them at different ends of the ship. Tourmaline wanted to be near Vess, while Tamara wanted to be near Jinx. Kalisa also wanted to be near Jinx.

  Quinn decided that none of this was his problem and left Tamara to deal with it. Melody wanted to stay on the ground awhile longer and finish fully converting their engines over so they could utilize both liquid and crystallized mana. Given that the clans had little use for liquefied mana anymore, they couldn't even restock on what was locally available otherwise.

  That meant he found himself in bed. It was a crowded night, Mara, Taki, and Kara all wanting to join him.

  Kara and Mara had already gone at it a few times while Quinn was atop Taki. Kara was always turned on by violence, even second-hand, and watching Mara win a duel had her all excited.

  Still, after some time they switched partners and Quinn found himself with Mara. The axe-cut she'd taken was already mending, faster than usual he thought.

  Quinn carefully traced it with a finger. "Do you mend now?"

  "Not mend. I was right, the powers I got aren't the royal line," Mara said drowsily, as she snuggled into his side.

  "Do you know what you do have? I didn't see a lot of anything," Quinn said.

  Mara laughed and the sound was a little wry. "I don't have a clue. I thought I would. I know every lineage and what they can do. While no mage, I am well-versed in magic and its limits. But it’s like having a new sense. I can sense the flow of magic, but my particular manifestation I haven't figured out yet."

  "When you went all twisty after touching Jinx I wondered if you were some sort of shape-shifter," Quinn said.

  "No, most of the line’s abilities focus on creating or controlling things. Elements, minds, matter. I'm pretty sure mine is not focused around my own body. I'd think I'd know, if it was."

  "Others like you tried it in the past. What did those who survived get?" Quinn asked.

  "Two survived. One got aquakinesis, the ability to create and control water. The other unbreakable bones. The gifts of house Kade and Denton, respectively," Mara said, as she reached out to pull him towards her. "But enough talk about magic. I just want to forget that and make some of our own."

  Quinn was happy to oblige.

  30

  They were ready to return to their side of the Divide, but Quinn wanted to make sure the engine modifications worked. Joline had proved just how devastating it could be not being able to jump when you needed it.

  A test jump and he was pleased with the results.

  "Those numbers right?" Quinn asked Dela. She was seated beside him in the copilot chair.

  "No having to pump mana. Multiple jumps of crystals can be chambered and on demand instantly. No downtime needed," Dela said.

  "Think we could chain extended jumps?"

  Dela made a face. "Do you like seeing me vomit? I think we could, but I wouldn't enjoy trying."

  Extended jumps weren't about the enjoyment, they were about taking an enemy by surprise and being where they didn't expect you. Arriving deeper in a system past the Runestone, bypassing security. If they could double-chain, they might be able to get a jump on even extreme security without having to rely upon Jinx and the rune sphere.

  Quinn opened a comm-channel. "We're good. Jinx, on my mark get us back to Hope's Reach. For those of you who haven't done this before, have a bucket handy."

  A few seconds later reality was twisting and bending. Often in the might-have-beens he saw himself with a woman. Sometimes a stranger, often one recently met. This time it was Kalisa. The Divide had never gone up, the clans ruled all. A tumultuous few years of passion and then she'd left him to die on a frozen planet far from civilized space.

  Reality broke back around them—and they emerged into a battle.

  The ships seemed organized into three groups.

  One had over three dozen gunships in the system along with one heavy destroyer and two frigates. The colony had the two cruisers, although the last they knew there wasn't a full crew on either. A third group had around four dozen gunships and several freighters.

  Two groups were engaged in combat, the one with the heavy destroyer and the colony defenders.

  "We've got a battle here," Quinn said over the comms. "Mara, Tamara, I need you on comms. Let’s figure out who is who."

  "Think we know who is who. We hit Sinclair and he's hitting us back," Dela said.

  Quinn feared that she was right.

  "Comm coming in," Dela said. "It's Ice."

  Of course it was.

  Quinn opened the channel. "Ice, I see you made it to the party and then decided not to dance. Not like you to be a wallflower."

  "You've got a habit of running out on your obligations and weren't a hair to be seen of you," Ice said.

  "Well, we're here and we're paying. Get in there," Quinn said.

  "I think you know I want more than a paycheck and I don't move a ship until we come to terms," Ice said.

  Why did every woman he knew have to be so stubborn?

  There wasn't time for this.

  "I'll get back to you," Quinn said and killed the line. "I'm going back to talk to the others. Keep us out of range of the fighting."

  By the time Quinn reached the dinner table the others were already gathered.

  "Son of a bitch," Tourmaline said.

  "Ice isn't going to move unless we let her into the family," Quinn said.

  "Don't see where we have a choice," Kara said.

  Tourmaline said, "Hell no. I'll let Tamara out to say it if you need, but they're her words. No problem with new blood, not even a problem with Ice. But you don't bully yourself into our family like this."

  Taki nodded. "Right. Plus we hate her."

  "I like her," Kara said.

  "You like Tourmaline too. You've got terrible taste," Taki said.

  "Enough. If we aren't letting her in, we need another plan, what is it?" Quinn asked.

  "They've outflanked the cruisers and have started to land ground forces. Whatever we do, we need to make it quick," Mara said.

  "Send me. I'll kill them to the last," Kalisa said with perfect seriousness.

  "No," Mara said. "The colonists are protected from you, but if any of Sinclair's people escape the co
ntagion could spread. You're staying aboard this ship where you can do no harm."

  Kalisa gave her a dry look. "I'm the greatest weapon in this system. It is foolishness not to use me. Tell her, apprentice."

  "If Mara says the risks are too high, I'd rather you be our last resort. Can we stop the ground assault?" Jinx asked.

  "I'm a killing machine. Put a sniper rifle in Mara's hands and she is too," Kara said.

  "Me three. I've been in more wars than the rest of you put together," Tourmaline said.

  "Four," Vess said simply.

  "Vess is a motherfucking dragon," Tourmaline said.

  "Really?" Kalisa asked sounding intrigued.

  "I'll get you in range and you'll take the Whiskey. Dela can pilot," Quinn said.

  Four people against a small army of mercenaries. It was insane, but they were the right four people.

  "With Donna and her mechs they'll at least slow them down. Make them regroup, wait for reinforcements," Taki said.

  "Can we boot those ships out of this sector without Ice?" Quinn asked.

  Joline said, "Take me back to the Core. I have a navy more than capable of handling what sensors are picking up out there. I owe you, I'll pay it back and we can go our way."

  "You don't have a runic sphere anymore. With having to stop for refueling you're a week out even if you don't meet some other would-be Emperor on the way," Tourmaline said.

  "Four days for a battlecruiser and a fuel transport," Joline said.

  "Too long," Taki said.

  Quinn tended to agree.

  "We appreciate the offer, but it isn't going to work," Quinn said.

  "I agree you owe us. This won't be it," Jinx said.

  "There are long-abandoned Imperium naval vessels a system over. Could you do anything with them?" Quinn asked.

  "Yes. I know some ancient Imperial codes, obsolete now, but if they're historical ... yes. With my blood I could get them to accept me as captain. They aren't meant to be automated though, I'd still need a crew," Joline said.