“What’s the scoop, Doc?”
“Hayashi has access to pharmaceuticals that I don’t,” Fiona explained. “She gave Mun a dose of a new wonder drug for patients in his condition. His vitals are a little stronger, but at this point we’re just waiting. I wanted to see if you all wanted to come in; he could wake up anytime.”
“You bet I do,” Heather replied, quickly putting away the chess pieces.
Ronan stood, a pleased expression on his face. “Good to hear, Doctor. Let’s hope sooner rather than later.”
Fiona nodded. “I’m all too aware of just how little time we have to wait here, unfortunately.”
Fiona led the three of them into Mun’s smallish room, where the still unconscious gunner lay. Cyrus hoped that the drug would do the trick; he did not want to be around when the Alliance showed up.
The U.S.S. Phantasm pulled alongside the Ramos, Mister Levin posing as Captain Beaumont. As Levin talked to the Phantasm’s captain, Lorgen was hard at work on his back door into the cutter’s system. It did not take him long. Once he was in, he opened all of the Phantasm’s airlocks and interior doors. Lorgen and his men watched with glee as people were blown out of the ship. He waited a full hour, more than enough time for anyone left to have suffocated. He expected that there would be a few survivors left who had gotten to masks, but it would not be enough to repel Lorgen’s soldiers. Lorgen then opened their shuttle bay.
“Let’s load up in the shuttle, boys. The Phantasm is ours!”
“Yes, sir,” they replied enthusiastically.
All of his crew and soldiers put on space suits, boarded the one shuttle left from the Enigma and flew over to the crippled Phantasm. Once they arrived on the Phantasm, they found no resistance. Lorgen figured that at least a few would be left, but to his surprise, none had survived. Once aboard, he closed the air locks and pressurized the ship.
With the ship now under Lorgen’s command and the interior air again breathable, he removed his helmet.
“Levin, we should have access to everything. Get me everything you can on Royce and that damnable ship of his!”
“Yes, sir!”
Chapter 7
Awakening
Heather slept at Mun’s bedside, finally achieving marginal comfort in one of the hospital chairs, when she felt a gentle, but firm touch to her shoulder.
“Heather, wake up!” It was Father O’Carmody’s voice.
She began to stir, looking around. “Wha …?”
“It’s Mun!” Cyrus added. “He’s moving.”
She sat upright and looked at the previously comatose Mun Kang Hi, who was now stirring. He still slept, but looked ready to wake up. She took his hand.
“We’re here, Mun,” she assured. “We’re here.”
“Fiona’s on her way,” the priest informed her. “I’ve contacted Kendrick; he’ll be here soon.”
“I’m not on my way,” said Fiona, entering as Ronan spoke. “I’m here.”
Fiona began checking Mun’s vitals and it was not long before sound escaped his lips. It was a weak, low moan, but it was a sound, his first in the months since Venus. He began to move his hands.
“Easy, Kang,” Fiona said, using Mun’s first name. “We’re all here. You’re all right. Take it slow.”
It was the first time Heather had ever heard anyone use Mun’s first name. Mun looked around the room, seeing his friends, plus Cyrus, and offered a weak smile and a thumbs up. Heather took one of his hands and gave it a squeeze, which prompted another weak smile.
“Welcome back, Mun.” Heather was tearful in spite of herself. “Hang in there; you’ll be up and running in no time!”
“Thanks,” he whispered.
Heather gave him a peck on the forehead and moved back so Fiona could work. It was not long before Mun’s condition was downgraded from serious to fair. Some of the apparatuses were removed now that he was awake, though the I.V. remained in place. With Mun awake, rapid departure was now possible.
Kendrick had left the ship to see Mun, leaving Lena, Amanda and Terri on board. The maintenance was nearly complete and he liked what he saw of the work. His security team stood vigilantly, the sergeant nodding to him as he passed.
“Captain,” was all he said.
“Sergeant,” Kendrick replied. “You guys want any coffee, sandwiches, or anything?”
“Not while on duty, but we’ll take you up on it later if you don’t mind.”
“You got it,” Kendrick said as he left the terminal.
Phoenix was not large. More like a frontier town, it was easy to navigate. The colony was home to several merc groups, all of whom were contracted to defend the colony, making it unappealing for the Alliance to commit forces to bring Phoenix in line. Kendrick took full advantage of Phoenix’s independence, though he wondered how long it would last.
He felt like he had a spring in his step as he walked, Martian gravity being less than 40% that of Earth’s. He resisted the temptation to jump into the air and leap a building in the idiom of Superman; the gravity was not so low that he could truly leap tall buildings, but he imagined that he could jump to the rooftops of single story structures … or make an amazing dunk from half court. He was considering bringing more equipment than usual to the gig, as it would be easier to carry, but thought better; they needed to make a quick exit, and the less gear to carry, the faster they got back to the ship. He also thought it might be a good idea to bring Ronan or Cyrus with him in case things went south.
As he walked, Kendrick observed the denizens of the town; everyone was armed, which was a nice change from the usual; he could carry his pistol openly without attracting the attention of law enforcement. Occasionally, a passerby would wave and say hello, Kendrick always returning the greeting, though he wondered if he might be greeting an Alliance agent each time. They were here, that he knew. The only question being whether they would greet him in an official capacity, or remain under cover until it was time to apprehend the Selene’s captain and crew. In spite of Keyes’ assurances, the fact that Terri had been targeted for assassination made him suspicious.
He never trusted the Alliance, partly because with an organization that large, there were always agencies within that had their own agendas, agendas that often were at odds with the Alliance’s stated goals and methods. He hoped that Mun would be ready to transport. He wanted to wait only as long as they had to in order to move the gunner safely back to the Selene, and then take off.
Amanda had finally extricated herself from Terri’s arms and legs, gently lifting them from her so that she could leave the bed. Terri still slept, and Amanda pulled the covers around her and kissed her, taking a moment to run her fingers through Terri’s silky golden hair.
“Rest, my love.”
Terri smiled, having heard Amanda on some level before returning to a deep sleep. Slipping into a robe, Amanda went to her computer terminal. With the net now accessible, it did not take the agent long to hack into U.P.A. systems and learn a bit more about what had transpired. Apparently, Xing had been killed, and his body reduced to a slick residue on the floor of his office, with only blood stains on his chair to tell anyone that his body had ever existed. Velos, she thought, recognizing the Chiropteran’s handiwork. As it turned out, Doctor Keane really was of little interest, at least directly. General Martins had an interest in Royce, however, and seemed certain that Keane could be used to get to him. Amanda tried to find out more about Martin’s interest in the captain, but hit a brick wall.
Then she found the details of the Orion. It seemed that there had been another Alliance vessel in range to retrieve her pod, and that the agency was aware of the proximity. General Martins had ordered that ship to stay on course. He had also been the source of the kill order for Terri, though Velos’ involvement was a mystery.
“So they really did leave me to die intentionally,” she said aloud.
Agent Keyes could almost forgive them for that, but not for Terri. Then another item caught her eye; it se
emed that an operation had been set up for retrieving Captain Royce, to be personally led by General Martins. Of greater importance, the operation was scheduled to take place today.
Amanda went to the bridge immediately, still clothed only in the robe. The doors opened without her having to be buzzed in, and she found Lena seated at the helm, seemingly monitoring the ship’s systems. Upon Keyes’ entering, Lena turned to acknowledge her.
“What do you need?” The query was curt, as though Amanda were interrupting the gynoid.
“An Alliance team is on their way here,” Amanda announced. “We need to contact the captain.”
“I monitored your hacking activity,” replied Lena. “I am aware. The channel is open, Agent Keyes. Please deliver the message.”
Amanda found the entire exchange disconcerting, but did as Lena bid. The agent keyed up the clunky old microphone, absently wondering why a modern vessel would have such an antiquated piece of equipment. “Captain Royce, come in!”
“Royce here,” came Kendrick’s voice as soon as she pinged his communicator.
“Captain, its Amanda. The U.P.A. is on their way here. General Martins is leading the operation; they’re coming for you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah; they want you for something,” she explained. “I couldn’t crack into it.”
“Encryption that tough?”
“No,” Amanda replied. “It wasn’t on any of the servers that I could get to, but I don’t get the impression that it’s simply to arrest you. They need you for something.”
“I’m assuming this aint a good thing, based on the tone of your voice.”
“No, sir,” she confirmed. “I don’t know what it is, but based on what I’ve learned about how they handled Terri and me, I wouldn’t trust them, especially not with Lena and Fiona in the mix. There were notes that they could be used as leverage to get to you to cooperate. Consider the threat credible. Captain, we need to get out of here. Fast.”
“I’m booked for a show tonight,” he replied. “It’s a quarter of a million dollars, and money’s getting’ thin. How much time do we have?”
“Not much,” Keyes lamented. “I’d advice canceling the gig, getting Mun, and getting out.”
“Got it. I’m heading in to see Mun now,” Kendrick replied. “He’s awake, so we’ll try to get things moving as fast as possible. Thanks for the heads up, Keyes. Royce out.”
Kendrick ended the call as he walked into the hospital room to see Mun; Cyrus, Heather, Ronan, and Fiona gathered around him. Mun was awake and talking, though his voice was weak. Kendrick felt like a pall had been lifted from the collective crew, especially Fiona, for whom a comatose Mun had been a constant reminder of failure.
“I hear my gunner is ready to return to duty,” Kendrick said, sidling up to the bed next to Fiona.
“Good to see you, Captain,” Mun whispered. “Not quite yet, but I’m ready to get out of here. Fiona tells me that Lena’s alright.”
“She is,” he confirmed. “I just got a call from Keyes; U.P.A. is on their way here now. You comin’ with me, an’ recovering on the ship, or are you stayin’ here? I’d prefer that you come along, but I’ll understand if you don’t. Either way, I gotta know now.”
“You kidding?” Mun was almost sitting up in protest of the idea of being left out. “I’m going with you, Captain.”
“Welcome back, Mister Mun. Fiona, get him prepped and ready. I need him back on the ship and in the Med Bay, like right now. I’ll go settle up the bill. Let’s get moving.”
Fiona took hold of his arm. “What do they want? Please tell me I haven’t put is in …”
“No, Fi,” he said, kissing her cheek. “It’s me they’re after, God only knows why. I’m heading back to the ship to make preparations.”
“We’ll make sure Fiona, Heather, and Mun get back safely Captain,” Ronan assured, Cyrus nodding.
“We’ll bug out once everyone’s aboard,” Kendrick confirmed. “We’ll talk more when we get back to the ship. I had a gig lined up for tonight that woulda paid big, but no way I can do it now. We got paid for the booze, so that’ll help. I’ll see y’all back at the ship.” He kissed Fiona again, then hurried from the room.
Once Doctor Yori discharged Mun and Kendrick took care of the bill, Fiona, Ronan, Cyrus and Heather transferred the non-ambulatory gunner to a wheelchair for easier transport and made for the ship, taking a circuitous route at both Cyrus’ and Ronan’s insistence, in spite of Fiona’s objections. Cyrus seemed to know the area and his route took them through back alleys and side streets, and seemed to add a lot of extra time to their trip. Fiona only hoped that the subterfuge would pay off.
As they turned the corner into a side alleyway, they were confronted by a group of six women, all wearing hooded sweat jackets with the hoods pulled up. Cyrus drew his pistol, but Ronan stayed his hand. One walked forward and removed her hood, revealing long, curly red hair and a fair, freckled complexion. In spite of the clearly Scots-Irish look, she wore the face of Lena; she was an Escort-7 … or possibly a G.A.I.S.F. infiltration unit, they could not be sure which.
“Peace, my friends. The U.P.A. is our enemy too; we are here to aid you.”
“We’re nearly to the ship,” Heather protested. “Let us pass and you’ll have aided us plenty.”
“The Alliance has surrounded your ship, Miss Dalrymple,” replied the gynoid. “The security team your captain hired has been bribed and their sergeant killed. You will all be captured if you approach the ship. Even now, your captain is walking into a carefully laid trap.”
“Then help him!” Fiona’s plea was met with the shake of the woman’s head.
“We cannot, not without being noticed,” the woman replied. “But fear not, Doctor Kinsale; we will aid him as soon as the opportunity arises.”
“And who are you?” Cyrus still had his pistol drawn, not trusting any of this.
“My name is Mairead,” she replied. “Please do not fear us; we know that you shelter one of our own. Word of your charity to our kind has spread since your stop at Atlas and you have allies among us. You must come with us now; time is short. If we tarry longer, we will all be caught.”
Reluctantly, they went with the six women, hoping that they had not made the wrong decision. The women led them into a building, but as they entered, Fiona suddenly stopped.
“I won’t leave him!” The doctor bolted, charging past their benefactors and down the alleyway, the low gravity of Mars strengthening her to overcome the Escort-7 gynoids.
Ronan moved to pursue, but Cyrus barred him.
“We need to protect Mun,” he insisted. “He’s in a wheelchair and Heather is vital to the operation of the ship. I hate to say it, Father, but Lena can do everything Fiona can by simply downloading a program. We need to stay with Heather and Mun.”
“I am a priest,” Ronan countered. “It is my duty to recover the lost sheep.”
“Stay, Father,” Mairead said. “I will go after her.”
Ronan nodded, saying a quick prayer invoking the Lord’s protection on the doctor and on Mairead as the gynoid departed and one of the others closed the door behind her.
Captain Lorgen now had full control of the Phantasm and had full access to everything her dead captain had access to; including knowledge of Colonel Tracht’s presence on board the Liberty and the Liberty’s heading. The Phantasm was like the Enigma; stealthy and quick, but not an out and out powerhouse like the Liberty. Fortunately, it seemed that the Liberty was responding to the same lure that had netted Lorgen the Phantasm.
“Plot an intercept course,” Lorgen ordered. “The Liberty is en route to this location. Back the ship away, out of visual range and run silent. We’ll have a nice surprise waiting for Colonel Tracht when they get here.”
“So, Captain Carol Gifford’s,” Mister Levin mused. “Didn’t she file some complaint against you a few years back?”
“Yeah; bitch got me reprimanded for trying finish some tranny bitch’s …�
� Lorgen held up both hands and made a gesture of quotations. “… transition.”
“You mean you were gonna castrate that asshole,” Stiles said, a cruel smile on his face.
“That’s exactly what I was gonna do,” Lorgen spat. “If a ‘he’ wants to be a ‘she,’ let him; just lose the plumbing and go troll lesbo bars.”
Lorgen’s words were greeted with peals of laughter.
“Bet Gifford’s is a lesbo,” Levin said.
“Give her some time with our marines,” Stiles countered. “They’ll fuck that shit right out of her.”
“A fitting trophy,” Lorgen agreed. “Let’s prepare our welcome for Captain Gifford’s and the good colonel. We wouldn’t want them to think we weren’t glad to see them, now would we?”
Chapter 8
Surrounded
Kendrick used the money from the sale of the alcohol to settle Mun’s bill, while the others whisked Mun from the building, taking the gunner out through a rear exit. With that done, Kendrick made a beeline for the ship. He made it to the port area without incident, but once there, the captain knew instantly that something was wrong. There was a security team around the ship, but it was not his team; instead, it was U.P.A. soldiers; and Amanda Keyes and Lena! Before he could do anything else, something hit him in the back of his head, sending him to the ground. It was all he could do to remain conscious.
“Captain Royce. We meet again.” The voice had a distinct Russian accent and he knew exactly who it was; Borislav and/or Yaroslav.
Before he could recover, one of them stomped on his back, flattening him to the ground as another took his pistol. “You will not be taking us by surprise again, human.” He felt the heel of a boot strike his head, right by his dataport, and was amazed that he was still conscious.
“Don’t kill him,” shouted one of the soldiers. “Kill him and we perforate your bioengineered asses.”
No Safe Harbor: The Silver Liner Page 9