Empty Space

by Alan Black

  Blaque spat blood, rolled backed away from York and sat up leaning against his bunk. Speaking around split lips he said, “Of course not, military duty is for sons and daughters who don’t have what it takes to learn the family business.”

  York nodded, “So I was told. Then you didn’t take any training sessions on maintaining silence during torture, did you?”

  “Torture? That’s … that’s illegal and barbaric!”

  York waved the knife blade in a circular motion around Blaque’s head and leaned forward. In a quiet whisper he said, “So is kidnapping, slavery, and child abuse. Let’s see, can we start with an easy question? Mind you, I may already know the answer. What’s this ship’s captain’s name?”

  York leaned in contentedly listening with a mental smile and chuckle. Making a man spill his guts without having to spill his guts was almost as much fun as actually doing it. Blaque rattled on about everyone he knew on the ship, where they were and what their duties were. York barely had to grunt a question before the man told him everything he knew. He was recording this and knew the next step might get him in trouble, nevertheless he was having too much fun to stop.

  Blaque slowed to a stop and hesitated when asked about the ship’s next heading. With a sigh, York stood, putting a boot in the middle of the man’s chest. Grabbing a foot, he stripped a soft leather shoe and fashionable bleached orange sock from Blaque. As if he was peeling an apple, York slid the blade of his knife under the skin of Blaque’s sole. Careful not to cut too deeply, disregarding the man’s screams and thrashing, he skinned the bottom of the man’s foot from heel to toes.

  York sat back down on the chair and held up the single piece of bloody skin. “How about that! I did it in one chunk. Pretty good, huh? Now let’s see, where were we?” Blaque grabbed a pillowcase and wrapped it around his foot, trying to stop the bleeding. The temporary bandage didn’t work as the case was quickly soaked through. Blaque started complaining, but one look at York’s expressionless faceplate and he changed the subject.

  York leaned back and listened to Blaque tell him where the slaver bases were, how his family acted as the middle men for slave sales, both for factory work and for sex. He even listed the families he knew who bought slaves. He claimed he didn’t know all of their customers and York tended to believe him.

  Finally, Blaque said, “That’s all I know. Now, get me medical help. I’m going to bleed to death if you don’t hurry.”

  York sighed with resignation. “I suppose I should get you some help. Don’t go anywhere. I won’t be long.” He stood up and went to the hatch.

  As he put his hand on the hatch handle Blaque cried out, “Hurry, damn you.”

  York reached up and flicked off his data recorder. A few moments later, he left the room, leaving the hatch unlocked. Blaque wouldn’t be going anywhere and no longer needed medical attention.

  TWENTY-NINE

  The next hatch was open. York turned his recorder back on before he looked inside. The space was well appointed and comfortable. The only occupant was the young girl Chrissie had rescued from the central command. The girl was asleep in what looked like the captain’s quarters. He backed out quietly, hoping not to disturb her.

  The next three cabins were empty. The next hatch was locked from the outside. York, hoping not to scare anyone held prisoner by bursting into the cabin, knocked gently on the hatch and his smile disappeared the second he pushed the hatch open.

  Sitting on a bunk without a mattress in a stripped out cabin, wrapped in nothing but a ragged old blanket was Blade Balderano. Blade backed up, trying to disappear into the bulkhead behind him, clutching the blanket under his chin with a white knuckled grip. He’d been fed with substandard out of date meal packs, the discarded containers littered the floor. York could see the bathroom through an open door. From the sight and smell, the toilet had been plugged for a long while.

  Balderano croaked out. “Who …?”

  York flipped up his helmet faceplate. “Hello, sir. I want to apologize for the management’s failure to provide you with proper accommodations.”

  “Sixteen? Wait … we’re still in the Liberty solar system?”

  York nodded, “Yes, sir. Where are the rest of your people?”

  “Get me some clothes, Sixteen.”

  “Sorry, sir. Acting as your valet isn’t high on my list of priorities at this point. I’ll ask you one more time, where are your people? Answer me or I’ll leave you locked in this cabin until we have the ship secured.”

  “You haven’t taken the whole ship yet? Where are the Marines? Did my father send you?”

  York started to step back into the corridor, but stopped when Balderano screeched, his voice tinged with panic. “Stop, please! I’ll tell you what you need to know, just don’t leave me locked in here.”

  York relented, actually feeling quite satisfied after his experience with Blaque. “First, we’re running this rescue operation without marines. The Gambion has left the system leaving you behind. Your father didn’t send anyone to rescue you, in fact, we weren’t even looking for you, so I could leave you here and no one would know. Now, your turn: where are the people who were kidnapped with you?”

  Balderano replied, “I don’t know where anyone is. We started out in here, all except Samdon and I don’t know where he is.”

  York said, “Samdon didn’t get off the planet. He must have fought back and the slavers killed him. I saw his body myself. How’d you get separated from your friends?”

  “We started out together in this cabin, but as the kidnappers got response from our families, they took people away. Baker and Takrel went first. Takrel’s family said they didn’t negotiate with kidnappers and refused to pay the ransom. Baker’s family said they wouldn’t pay money to get that crazy bitch back. The slaver’s took them both away.”

  “Baker is dead. We found her body already. Takrel was alive the last time I saw him, nonetheless the slavers abused him gravely. Where’s the rest of your clique?”

  Balderano shook his head. “They took them away as soon as they got notice of a ransom payment.”

  “And you?”

  “They said my father was still trying to get the money together. I know they thought he was stalling to negotiate for a better price.”

  “A better price? Hell, since you and the Blaque family are in this slavery business together, I’d think they’d give you back for free.”

  “Slavery? Hell no! My family doesn’t—”

  York interrupted, his voice calm and cold “No? That isn’t what Trevor Blaque says. Let’s go down the corridor and ask him, shall we?” He turned, slammed down his helmet’s faceplate and walked back down the corridor, waiting for Balderano to catch up to him. Balderano clutched at his blanket and stepped into the corridor. “I left Trevor in here. He told me your family and his are in the slavery business together, you can ask him yourself.” Pushing the door open, he stepped back and gestured for Balderano to enter first.

  Balderano stepped partway into the hatch and backed out. “Oh, frak me!”

  “What?” York looked around the hatch frame to see Trevor Blaque hanging from the ceiling. “Now why did he have to go and hang himself? He might not have gotten prison time for his involvement in murder, kidnap, rape, child abuse, slavery, false imprisonment, theft and … well, I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but you get the picture. Ah well, follow along, if you please, sir.”

  York continued along the corridor in the direction he’d sent the twins. The cabin next to Balderano’s had the hatch locked from the outside. Standing back, pistol in hand, he directed Balderano to open it. Inside were the three remaining members of Balderano’s dog pack. They were all dressed, sitting in a neat and clean compartment. The slavers must have decided that once they had their money, there wasn’t any sense in mistreating the victims who were going home.

  York gestured with the end of his gun and a nod of his chin, directing everyone out into the corridor, trying to herd them toward eng
ineering. Before he reached engineering, he hoped to find someone who could take these four animals to the shuttle bay. If that didn’t happen he could use them as cannon fodder if a frontal assault was required to reach Master Chief Fugget.

  He called the group to a halt at the next hatch. It didn’t appear to be locked. He pointed at one of the dog pack. “Open it.”

  “Give me a weapon first. This is one of the slaver’s cabins.”

  York snorted. “I wouldn’t trust you with a dull pencil at this point. Open it or you can go join your friend Trevor Blaque.”

  The man nodded, “That’s okay with me. Where is Trevor?”

  York flipped up his faceplate and said, “We stay together or I lock you back in your cabin.”

  The man snorted in shock. “Sixteen! What the hell? I thought we were well rid of you!” He started walking away. Balderano put out a restraining hand and shook his head no. “Why the hell not? Trevor may be working with the slavers, but he’s at least upper class, not like this budger bastard.”

  Balderano said, “Trevor hung himself rather than be taken in for trial. You might end up hanging yourself too if you don’t open this door. It might look like you were colluding with our captors. Isn’t that right, Ensign Sixteen?”

  York didn’t say anything, just pointed at the hatch and slammed his faceplate down again.

  Balderano stepped past his three friends and pushed the hatch open. The room was empty.

  It didn’t take long before the four dog pack friends were taking turns opening doors and collecting slavers as prisoners and prisoners as rescuees. The crowd in front of York grew larger and larger. They bound each slaver’s hands behind their backs. Each victim received hugs and kisses by every other victim except the dog pack. York was amused watching it all, waving away praise from anyone coming near him.

  Finally, with about thirty people herded in front of him, he reached the point where they heard shouting ahead. Booming loudly above the clamor, Master Chief Fugget’s voice was forceful and brash. “Clear a way, here. Drag those bodies in there. Put a gag on that man if he won’t shut up.”

  Rather than shout, York turned on his communicator. “Master Chief, this is Ensign Sixteen. Hold your fire. We’re just around the corner and coming to you.”

  “The hell you say! We’re—” Before Fugget could finish his sentence he marched around the corner leading a long string of slavers, a rope tied from neck to neck to neck. “—coming to you, sir. Damn! It’s good to see you’re alright. Able and Caine said they lost sight of you and when you didn’t come along, we thought something had happened to you.”

  York flipped his helmet off, letting it fall back on the hinges. He scratched his scalp with a gloved hand, rustling through his hair and grinned. “Happened to me? Perish the thought. No, Master Chief, I just got distracted gathering information on the slavers and picking up a few little lambs along the way.”

  Fugget pointed at a man from Delta team. “Jimmy’s going to lead us back to the shuttle hanger. Counting you, everyone is accounted for. I left the rest of Bravo sealed in engineering. Chrissie … I mean, Petty Officer Altamont is still in control of central command. However, I think we’ve got a lot more people to set free and a bunch more slavers to capture. I’d just as soon get our people clear of this ship and then open the outside hatches. Let space clear this stink out, slavers and all. On the other hand, I know we haven’t found all of our people yet.”

  York could tell the man was still running on adrenalin and not done talking, so he let him ramble on as they followed Jimmy along the corridor. Once they reached the hanger, they could re-arrange the teams using all their commandos to perform a cabin-by-cabin search of the ship.

  Fugget had just about wound down when he said, “I guess we have to take prisoners until we can find out who was in charge. He’s got a lot to answer for.

  York smiled and hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Their captain is the third man in the string you’re tugging on. I met a man in central command who gave me a very detailed description of who to look for. So, I still say capture if you can, but don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

  It didn’t take them long to reach the shuttle bay. Rodriguez was relieved to see them. Her team was busy taking charge of prisoners and victims alike, keeping them safe from each other and from themselves. They all looked up in surprise when a shriek of metal and an alarm gave warning as Ernie’s shuttle pushed through the membrane separating space from the shuttle bay.

  His shuttle didn’t land with Ernie’s usual efficiency and precision. It skidded across the deck and came to rest a fraction of an inch from one of the slaver’s shuttles. Even before the shuttle stopped pinging as its cold metal exterior met the warm air of the bay, the cargo hatch flopped open and Ernie flew through the opening to flop on the deck. Captain Altamont walked down the hatch, his fists clenched tight.

  Kenna raced down the ramp. She jumped on her father’s back trying to keep him from kicking Ernie. “No, Dad! Let the courts have him.”

  Altamont tried to shrug his daughter off, but she held on tight, “Son-of-a-bitch tried to kill you when you were picking up my escape pod. He doesn’t deserve a trial.”

  York leaned over to Fugget. “I suggest you give the Lieutenant a hand, Master Chief, for the captain’s sake that is, not so much from Ernie’s point of view.” He was about to turn to other business as Fugget grabbed the captain, but Kenna released her father, raced across the deck and threw herself at York. He expected to have to fight her off, but before he could push her away, her lips clamped onto his.

  This was the first real kiss he’d ever had. Oh, he’d gotten a peck on the cheek or a quick touch on the lips playing spin the bottle back at prep school, but this was his first full-blown, tongue-thrusting, nose-mashing lip lock. When she finally let go and came up for air, he was surprised that this kissing thing was almost as much fun as skinning a person alive. He’d have to try it again sometime.

  York didn’t realize that for Kenna, ‘sometime again’ meant right now. She kissed him again, harder this time and more insistent.

  THIRTY

  York ran swiftly across the decks of Em.T-Sp8s. Vesper and Moneypenny ran circles around him and each other on doggy padded paws. For now, he was alone. The decks were quiet, as they were supposed to be during first shift. Commander Paul was in the communications center, happily playing games on his tablet, letting the station automatically maintain his duties.

  The navy hadn’t sent any replacement for the late Lieutenant Commander Blaque. He’d been allowed by the Liberty courts to confess to a multitude of crimes and then allowed to follow his nephew’s example. Although his influential family objected, there hadn’t been any reprisals as enough accounts of their slave trade involvement hit the newsfeeds flooding the airwaves, even causing a few riots on various planets where they had financial concerns. York was sure that given enough time, the average human would forget who did what to whom and it would be back to business as usual. For now, everything was calm and quiet in Empty Space.

  Second shift was normally quieter than first shift as Paul retreated to his cabin and York slept in his small suite at the Wright’s Right Bed and Breakfast. Today, however, second shift would be loud and noisy as the station expected the arrival of the 41st Naval Reserve, a gunnery specialty outfit from Liberty. York shifted his sleep period to greet them as the station liaison officer. In his capacity as the voluntary secondary duty station gunnery officer, he would take their officers and senior enlisted officers around to the station’s various gun emplacements. He would reset the lockouts and biometrics so the reservists could actually practice shooting what they were tasked with shooting.

  The possibility of an opportunity to shoot a big gun and blow up big stuff in space was exciting, even an unmanned drone. More exciting was that the transport for the 41st was an ex-slaver’s shuttle. The shuttle had been retrofitted for commercial use by the newly formed space freight company of Fugget, Altamont and S
ixteen, or Altamont, Sixteen and Fugget, depending on who you spoke to. Retrofitting the slaver’s spaceship for commercial transport wasn’t going to be as expensive as they initially thought, or so said the Altamont portion of their partnership.

  York picked up speed with excitement. He was glad his company was making money shuttling the reservists up to the station. Still, he was more than glad that the pilot for this trip was the Altamont component of their partnership. Kenna had promised kissing and more this trip. Strangely, for the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn’t feel like killing anyone. He was looking forward to the ‘more’ Kenna promised.

  The End

  Books

  By

  Alan Black

  Science Fiction

  Empty Space

  Titanium Texicans

  Metal Boxes

  Chewing Rocks

  Steel Walls and Dirt Drops

  An Ozark Mountain Series with Bernice Knight

  (1920 Ozark Mountain Trilogy)

  The Friendship Stones (Book One)

  The Granite Heart (Book Two)

  The Heaviest Rock (Book Three)

  General Fiction

  Chasing Harpo

  Western

  A Cold Winter

  Praise for other books by Alan Black

  METAL BOXES

  The best of new space adventure!

  One of the best books of the new breed of scifi writers. Have been a fan of space adventures for the past 40 years and this is by far one of the top ten reads! I cannot remember such a fun and memorable read.

  By FDChandler (review on Amazon)

  CHEWING ROCKS

  A strong female character you can't help but love

  Chastity Snowden Whyte had gotten into too much trouble trying to defend her name and so started going by Sno. What a great name. Sno! Isn't that a weather condition, people ask when first introduced to her, many of whom have never seen snow, being born somewhere off planet, planet Earth, that is? Sno, herself, had only heard stories of snow, having been born on a planetoid somewhere between Mars and Jupiter. in the opening chapter, Alan Black paints an out-of-this-world picture of young Sno busy outside her spacecraft in her EVA suit, by herself, mining asteroids for rock and hopefully, a rare metal or two. When she returns to her home base in Arizona City on a small planetoid called, Ceres, she gets in a barroom scrap with 4 fellow miners from a competing operation. Without harming so much as a fingernail, she puts them in their place and then shortly after blasts off into the asteroid belt again to work a claim. It's what happens when they chase after her that makes Chewing Rocks so much fun to read.