Meateater growled, “I heard Stahl was there himself and that means their hangmen have to run shifts to string up everyone who is on some list somewhere.”
He touched his own throat and said. “Nasty way to go, it takes an Oghar hours to die on the rope.”
A man wearing a brown dust cloak and goggles said:
“It won’t happen here. There are no sentient natives and since the Local Lord has no desire to be hanged he sure won’t ask for Union Membership.”
The Dragon asked the google wearing man. “How about the Brown People, aren’t they native?”
“No, they have come here a long time ago, but they are from somewhere else.”
Har Hi, Sobody and I went in the building. There behind a wooden counter sat the brown skinned Oghar and two beings that looked like large pill bugs. Har-Hi whispered. “Those are Velorians; they hate the Union with a passion. The brown being is an Or-ghe”
“Another one?”
“A species can have many races and yes another one.”
“You sound just like Narth.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
Sobody argued with the brown Or-ghe and managed to haggle down the Landing fee. He paid the being. One of the Velorians counted the Polos and scanned them while the other hammered a colorful stencil mark on a sheet of paper and handed it to me.
“Here is your landing permit and your proof that you paid your water tax for five days in advance.”
While Sobody still talked to the Or-ghe, I took a moment to look around this one room building. There were large paper displays; I think they were called posters. One featured a color image of Tirkov the mercenary and a bounty of 50,000 Polos. I doubted anyone would risk their lives for that kind of money. Right next to it another wanted poster with a grainy picture probably taken through a long range optic of cheap quality. It was me, or better, it was Eric Olafson, standing before the freight ramp of the Slaver ship. I only recognized myself because I recognized the others standing there with me. The text referred only to a Human slave of unknown, probably Terran, origin and there was a bounty of 15,000 Credits plus the offer of tax free living on Alvor’s Cove. The poster was only one of a dozen featuring the images and descriptions of escaped slaves and wanted persons.
Other prints advertising fuel prices, with the prices crossed out by hand several times and a new ones written below.
The Mulwhur Trading Company offered trade deals and discounts for Slave dealers. The text and the offers offended me quite a bit.
A man huddled in the usual local garb of a sand colored dust cloak with hood and goggles entered. He lowered the hood and pushed the goggles and to my surprise revealed a Dai Than. His red skin was much darker than that of Har Hi and it looked as if he regretted his decision to reveal himself as he saw my Dai friend.
Har Hi also appeared to be astonished to see a Dai. While his right hand dropped to his blaster he made a series of signs with his left.
One of the Velorians behind the counter said,
“If you want to fight then you need a Kill license that you can purchase right here for 5000 Polos.”
The newcomer raised his unarmed hand and bowed.
“I am of the Clan Tun-Ha that no longer exists. I am Okthi and I surrender. There is no honor lost to yield to a Hi master, even if he too appears to be Okthi.”
Har-Hi looked down his nose and was about to say something offensive I was certain, but then my friend visibly changed his mind and said.
“There is no purpose in slaying the last of the Tun-Ka clan as our numbers dwindle. Let us share a Thil and exchange words.”
To me Har-Hi said,
“Captain, may I ask permission to leave your side for a few hours?”
I didn’t like him to go unescorted, but he was well armed and able to contact the ship and us. In order to get information and to do our job. We could not simply stay inside the ship or do everything myself. I said.
“Be careful and raise a mug on my behalf as well and return when you are done.”
He turned and left with the other Dai.
Sobody said to me,
“We are done here as well Captain.”
I said to the Velorian,
“This Kill license, what does it allow me to do?”
The being said to me, “You can kill someone and the Local guard will be on your side and clean up the mess too.”
“Just one?”
The Velorian had two short antennas like appendixes on his insectoid head that stuck out the segmented armor of his body and these antennas wiggled excitedly as he said. “We do have the Grand Maximus Permit. Unlimited kills, maiming and torturing included and it also includes any brawls or fights. But no one has ever bought it as it costs 10,000 Polos.”
“I’ll take it.”
The antenna wiggled so hard I thought they were about to fall off. The brown skinned Or-ghe opened a locked chest and retrieved a colorful piece of paper and a different wooden stamp thing. Hans stomped in after I called him to bring the money and Sobody counted the Money on the counter and the smudgy Or-ghe performed almost a little ceremony out of stamping the paper and then handed me a metallic badge. “I am a big fan of yours Black Velvet. I have seen your fight with the Stomper and we heard a lot about you. Everything they say seems true. Kill anyone you want the Local Lord will applaud and cheer and won’t care whoever bites the dust.”
I took the paper and the badge and we went back outside. The news that I purchased this permit had already spread between the beings still gathered there.
The Red Dragon eyed the crude metal badge and said.
“Anyone in particular?”
I shrugged. “No not really, I am just not in the best of mood this time of the month and getting no fuss from the locals when I express my displeasure to anyone is worth a few Polos.”
He glanced at TheOther and Hans who stood behind me and said,
“With such a crew for back up, I doubt anyone will try.”
“That doesn’t mean I intend to support the local economy with my water tax for very long. I came to hear if you still have something to say to me and if there is a future with me following you around. If not, there is business to attend.”
He spread his arms and said:
“Yes I want to offer you to be part of my endeavor, now more than ever as I am convinced you are the right fit. You are indeed a mystery but are as hard boiled as the rest of us. We came here as Captain Meateater still has to do some work on his drive. Then we are off to Itheamh to discuss our planned endeavour. Does that suit you?”
“If he can’t even make it across a few light years, how does he hope to make it across 25,000 light years?”
Red Dragon turned to the Oghar,
“It is a valid question you know.”
Meateater grunted something about insults and squeezing my head off and then with a louder voice and clear language he said: ” I need three days; my engineer will have them patched up good enough so we can reach Itheamh where I will purchase new engines.” He then extended his clawed hand and pointed at me. “You better be careful, Velvet. No one survives long making fun of me.”
I stepped forward. “And I have not forgotten your conduct aboard my ship. The next time you so much as utter a threat against me will be the last thing you do, and you won’t need engines for the journey I am sending you on.”
He wanted to say something but TheOther stepped closer. Hans picked up a head sized rock and it exploded to a cloud of dust and pieces as he crumbled it in his immense fists.”I can do that to skulls too!”
Meateater stepped back almost as if trying to find cover behind the Red Dragon.
I polished the badge I just received and said, “You were saying something, Meateater?”
The Red Dragon actually laughed, “I am not sure what to make of you, Black Velvet, but as I said I like your style.”
“I’ll wait three days. No longer.”
“Three days, Captain Velvet.”
> We returned to the ship. Circuit watched the Intruder, Meateater’s ship over high definition optics and said.
“His engineer seems capable in a mediocre way, but he has a major job to do and from the looks of it, only marginal skilled help. I think he is going to be lucky if they make it in four days, working around the clock.”
So I called a conference and switched to ship wide for those who could not attend.
“It appears we will be here for three or four days. If anyone has an idea how we could close this miserable place forever without blowing our cover, I am all ears. Just as we returned I saw a group of Slaves herded to the Slaves pens. Some of them might be Union citizens.”
Narth said.
“Maybe the Local Lord is the key to this as he is the sole authority here if we could convince him of his wrongful ways.”
“That would need some serious convincing; I doubt he will go for that.”
Shea said.
“We have to be careful, the Togar are not far from here and they are not signatory to the Freespace treaty. If they suspect Union tinkering or influence they might declare war and this is not a good idea in the current situation. Or they might simply move in and take over this place.”
The Golden said,
“We need to find out more about this place. I know you don’t want to hear it but maybe you let me go and get a feel for the place. Narth will come along and everyone will be robed and hooded. We will blend in just fine.”
I sighed.
“I guess staying cool and safe inside the ship won’t get things done. This time you take three Marines along and stay in contact all the time.”
“We can do that.”
Circuit wanted to use the time to work on the bridge systems and tinker them back to his specifications. We could use the auxiliary bridge if we had an emergency in the meantime.
Shaka and Three Four wanted to help Circuit
Elfi and Shea wanted to use the Communications Laboratory to monitor and analyze the local Comm traffic, so it came that everyone had something to do except me.
A space ship is like a small town and everyone has a task. I watched the Golden and Narth leave the ship. Wearing a brown instead of a black robe and hood, Narth would not even have to disguise himself to blend in. Two Marines with them, and a third well camouflaged would be somewhere near. Having an Elite Marine in full camouflage watching over them made me feel much better. I knew we had to take risks but we also had wonderful tools to reduce that as much as possible.
The afternoon watch just took their stations, as forenoon watch went off duty to eat, sleep and spend their free time.
“Ship, who has the Conn right now?”
“Lt. Krabbel just went on duty, Captain.”
So I decided to explore the Tigershark a little more.
There were plenty of areas I had not seen yet. The ship had eight main decks. Some were subdivided in Sub decks. The Hangar deck in the middle of the ship was the largest deck. It also contained Freight bays, main engineering in the back , our recreation facilities including our pool. The other recreation facilities included a gym and a lounge that was all the way to the front of the ship.. It was something like a bar and tavern with access to our Virtu-Chambers and various gaming machines and socializing areas. Ever since we had the Den, it was not frequented as much.
As I walked in I found only a few crew members playing chess. I had been told most such activities now took place in the Den.
The deck directly below was called Deck Seven and contained Marine quarters, the main armory, the brig and Han’s Security Office. There also were the smaller hangars for the landing tanks and the main ammunition storage bunkers for the Translocator cannons. In the rear was Auxiliary engineering with the alternative ISAH drive and conventional engines.
Then came the lowest Deck officially called Deck eight, but usually referred to as the basement. Here was Environmental engineering with the obligatory waste tanks, recycling facilities, water and material storage. Stasis freezers, storage bays for food and supplies and the machinery and systems needed for the Janus Device. Why I went down here I could not really say, other than the fact that I had only once been down here during our training on Richter Base.
I seen most of the ship but had spent next to no time down here. The Tigershark was still a new ship and had a huge swarm of Nanites, teams of robots and my crew that kept everything clean as can be.
To the left and right down the central corridor of Deck eight were heavy doors in regular intervals. Signs designated them as access to such areas as: Environmental Engineering, Stasis Freezer, Supply Factory, Ship Store Office and the like. A double slide belt in the middle of the Corridor, one for each direction, activated as I entered. Other than the slight hum of the belts and the background vibration of our main engines on standby it was very quiet down here and no one else was around. I stepped on the slide belt and was carried down the corridor. Then I heard voices from an open door. The icon sign read: D8 SB Perimeter Control Ground. I knew it was not exactly the finest manners but I stopped to listen. A male voice I was sure I had heard before said.
“I don’t think she wants to hear from us, she is the Captain. I am just enlisted. I tried to become an officer but it wasn’t for me.”
Another voice also male responded: “But she said she would listen to every suggestion regardless where it came from. I think our captain is different. I even ate on the same table in our cool den with her just the other night.”
The first voice said, “Yeah I heard that too, she is a mighty fine Captain and we’re on the best ship, but she didn’t really mean that. Besides it might be a stupid idea.”
The unseen second man said: “I am sure she meant it exactly like that. In what other ship can you hear and listen to what they decide to do on the bridge? I think I’ll walk straight up there and tell her about your idea. What can happen? Either she listens and likes the idea or she doesn’t. ”
“She laughs at us.”
I stepped around the corner, there was a steep ramp leading down into an inverted dome shaped small control room that appeared to be extended from the ship’s belly. A double barrel Directed Energy Cannon was sticking out from the middle and one had a great view of the underside of the ship and the entire landing field.
The two men sat in comfortable recessed seats. One was operating a scanner type instrument panel, while the other kept visually magnifying areas of the landing field and focusing on movement outside our shield parameters.
The one behind the scanner said, “I have a positive live form scan, sector 45, grid point six.”
The other magnified a section on the ground near one of our starboard landing gear and the resolution became so fine, one could see individual pebbles and small rocks. The visuals focused on an arm long snake that was well camouflaged with its color against the same colored ground. The man on the scanner said.
“Scans confirm, local lifeform known as Jathori Snake. Very poisonous and known to attack anything that causes ground vibrations.”
The other said, “I notify OPS and Security with a low priority message.”
I felt pride in my efficient and diligent crew as I watched them perform their duty.
I said. “I really appreciate your meticulousness approach in performing perimeter security and I promise I won’t laugh at any idea bring before me. I really did mean what I said.”
The two turned and I recognized the left one by the rosy face and blue eyes as Derek Simmons, the academy aspirant I had met in the space bus flying to Arsenal Gate for the first time.
He blushed even more and the both got up, the other man I did not recognize other than the fact I had seen him a few times somewhere in the corridors of the ship. He snapped in attention. “Captain on deck!”
Despite being in attention Derek tried to move hiding a pin up poster that was attached to the side of his stations wall.
I said:
“As you were, I am just making my rounds.
I stepped closer and inspected the poster Derek could not possibly hide even if he wasn’t at attention. It was a picture of me, or actually graphic artist’s rendering showing me in skin tight leather, but with a deep plunging neckline, exposing much of my breasts. In the picture I was swinging an axe in one hand and coiling a whip with the other. A flashing title in bold red letters read.
“Black Velvet, the sexiest Pirate of the Universe. Mysterious Battle Amazon of a far distant Galaxy.”
The poster had smaller inserts of moving visuals that constantly repeated the scenes of my fight with the stomper. Below a moving ticker line reading:
“Black Velvet, notorious pirate fights monsters and evades the authorities, there are merchants praying never to cross her path and men dreaming to be captured by her...”
I cleared my throat ad said.
“Interesting choice of wall decoration, a bit perhaps on the kitschy side, but I guess I should be flattered.”
The other enlisted had a hard time keeping a straight face while it looked as if Derek wanted to sink into the floor in embarrassment.
I repeated.
“As you were, at ease guys.”
To Derek I said,
“Mr. Simmon, I bet you did not find that poster in one of your National Galactic magazines. How are things on Harvest 12?”
He gasped,
“Captain, Ma’am you know where I am from?”
I said,
“Harvest 12 has no seasons because weather control and collector mirrors see to that, but there are wheat fields as big as continents, right?”
Derek’s eyes almost popped out as he said.
“Captain, have you memorized all the personnel files or are you Psionic gifted? No one ever knows about Harvest 12.”
I smiled and said.
“No but you told me about it yourself sitting next to me in a shuttle to Arsenal Gate.”
He blinked and then snapped his fingers.
“Ah yes, I told that fellow from Nilfeheim where I am from! I remember him,but I would sure remembered a hot looker like you...ah I mean a nice looking Female being in that shuttle with us.”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 128