The Privateer 2: AN HONEST LIVING

by Zellmann, William

  The king turned a furious gaze on him. "We do not fear, star man."

  "My apologies, your Majesty," Cale said hurriedly. "I spoke carelessly. But if your Majesty will permit us to withdraw, we have weapons that overmatch those of the flitters. I am told they approach from the direction of the nomad lands, probably to keep your Majesty from being warned." He grinned. "Perhaps we can shoot them down in the nomad lands. I'm sure the nomads would be happy to take care of any survivors."

  The king's grin was equally savage, and for the first time, Cale felt he'd made real contact with Rajo. "The nomads are very good at that," he replied. "We suspect that on your worlds they would be tried and executed.

  "Very well, you may depart. We will mount our defenses here." The king started to turn away when Tonio said, "With your Majesty's permission, I would beg to remain. We have sample weapons on our flitter, I may be able to demonstrate them on live targets, if they get this far."

  Rajo looked at him speculatively. "You would fight?"

  Tonio shrugged. "I am no soldier, Majesty, and no warrior. But I came here to demonstrate the weapons. If I must do so with live targets . . . "

  Rajo flashed his grin again. He waved at Cale "You may depart. We must see to our defenses."

  The spacers literally ran from the audience chamber to their flitter. They spent a frantic few minutes unloading Tonio's samples, and then, after a rushed 'goodbye', Cale and Dee climbed into the flitter and headed for Cheetah.

  "Status!" Cale snapped as he and Dee entered the lounge. He was hardly surprised to see Zant's image on the main viewscreen.

  "Four flitters lifted from the colony about an hour ago," Zant reported. "They headed into nomad territory, and at first we thought they were on a nomad raid. But once they were about fifty miles from the colony, they changed course, and they're making a beeline for Valhalla."

  Cale nodded. "Ochoa-Mariden knows that Rajo is the natural leader of an alliance against him. He's trying to take him out before we can connect. Cheetah can reach them before they get here. Can anything else reach them?"

  "Maybe," Zant replied. "Think you'll need help?"

  Cale shrugged. "Perhaps not," he replied. "But starships aren't designed for in-atmosphere flight, much less in-atmosphere fighting. There are four of them, and it would only take one getting past us to cause real damage, and maybe kill the king. If that happened, well, I don't think anyone would be talking alliances."

  Zant nodded. "You're probably right. Well, the Strengl's no good in atmosphere, and a Din-class is too cumbersome. I'd say your new exploration ship is our best option. It's got two infantry quick-firers, and that would be plenty for flitters. Hang on. I'll be right down."

  "I'll try to hold their attention, and maybe get you some good shots," Cale said. He hated to admit it, but in atmosphere, Cheetah was no match for the flitters. With no wings to support her, she would only be able to fly ballistically, and the flitters' maneuverability would make the battle almost a joke. The only tactic Cheetah could use would be a head-on ballistic attack run. It would take her two hundred Kiloms to reverse her course and attack in the reverse direction.

  But the exploration ship was a different matter entirely. Her retractable wings, jet engines, and repellers would give her excellent maneuverability, nearly as good as that of the flitters. Hopefully, between Cheetah's headlong attack, and Explorer's more usable configuration, they would be able to defeat the flitters.

  There was also the fact that Tess would be of only limited help; the prohibition against harming a human was absolute, and was hard-wired into her most basic programming. So, while she could fly, and maneuver within the limitations of physics, the only help she could provide in the fighting was to allow use of her viewscreens and sensors. Cheetah carried a large laser and an equally large quickfirer; but it would be up to Cale and Dee to use them.

  But while it would have taken a human at least an hour to compute the ballistic course to intercept the raiders, Tess completed it in seconds, and immediately lifted off.

  Dee hurried to the "control cabin," actually a small cubby, and activated the control for the quickfirer, while Cale set up the controls for the laser in the main lounge.

  He barely had time to say, "Dee! Don't forget, we're in atmosphere. You'll have gravity and weather effects!" before Tess announced detection of the targets.

  Cale's laser was unaffected by gravity or weather; it would fire in a perfectly straight line. But he held his fire for a short moment so both he and Dee would have the advantage of surprise.

  Smoke began pouring from the hull of the flitter Cale targeted, but it appeared to remain under control. In only a fraction of a second, they were past the targets, and Tess was bringing Cheetah around for another pass. They would have slightly more time, this time, since they would be overtaking the targets, rather than approaching them head-on.

  Cale was scrutinizing the rear-facing viewscreen to judge their effectiveness. "I hit one of them," he told Dee, "but it didn't knock him out. I hope I hurt him enough to make him turn back. Any idea how you did?"

  "I saw the canopy begin to shatter," she replied grimly, "and I'm sure I got at least some of the passengers." There were tears in her voice. "Cale, I don't like this. It was one thing to shoot up a starship in space. But I could see people!"

  Cale's voice was also wintry. "I know, Dee, and I'm sorry it ever became necessary. But these people are killers, and we can't let them get to King Rajo. Tess, they didn't hurt Cheetah, did they?"

  "Negative," Tess replied crisply. "Surprise was complete, since we were supersonic. But they will be expecting a return leg."

  Cale nodded. "Yeah, they'll be ready for us this time. I wish Zant would hurry."

  Just as he spoke, the viewscreen lit to show Zant's grin. "Here I come, Cale," he said. "Did you get them nice and warmed up for me?"

  Cale smiled. "Well, they certainly know the skies aren't their friends anymore. At least two are damaged. One was smoking, but still under control. The other has a shattered canopy and probably some dead passengers. Their standard doctrine for air attack is to head for the ground; to fly as low as possible and hope we'll lose them in the ground clutter."

  Zant's grin grew wider. "Yeah, but those doctrines were written for advanced planets. There's no power running here; those flitters will stand out like spotlights. And if they get just a bit too low, they could run into nomad arrows."

  "Tess," Cale said, surprised, "did we pass over any bands of nomads?"

  "Two," Tess replied, "Although one was almost a Kilom off our track."

  Cale nodded. "Where are you, Zant?"

  "I'm about a mile behind you, and losing ground fast."

  "Good," Cale replied. "We'll make our pass, and do what we can. Then you can sweep in behind us and get anything we miss. Dee, are you all right? Will you be able to go on? I can take over the quickfirer, if you'd like."

  There was a mighty sniff, and a feminine voice full of tears. "No. No, I can do it. I can!"

  Cale's voice turned gentle. "No. Tess, switch our controls, so that mine control the quickfirer. And disconnect the laser. I won't do this to Dee."

  "Done, sir." Tess replied crisply. "Target acquisition in four, three, two, one, Now!"

  Dots appeared on the viewscreen. Two were veering off to the south. The other two had split up, and were flying zigzag courses. Cale put his crosshairs on one of the fleeing flitters, and at Tess's "Now!" he mashed the button. There was a faint thrum, and Cale was frantically trying to stay on target as they flashed past.

  He sat back. "They're all yours," he told Zant.

  "On it," was all he heard. He was already on his feet and hurrying to the control cabin.

  Dee was collapsed over the control panel, weeping uncontrollably. Cale helped her to her feet and out of the tiny cubby. "Tess," he said, "I'll take her to our stateroom. Have one of your 'bots meet me there with a sedative."

  "I . . . I'll be all right," Dee protested weakly. "Sure you will,"
Cale replied. "You just need to lie down for a while." He put her tenderly to bed, and administered the mild sedative Tess provided. Then he returned to the lounge, once again all business.

  "Any damage on the last pass, Tess?"

  "They are armed with a single laser," Tess replied. "They fired on us, but we were moving too fast for them to damage our hull armor."

  Cale nodded briskly. "Good. Now, get us back to Valhalla. I want to be there if one of those flitters makes it past Zant."

  "I must remind you that our weapons are mounted on the centerline, not in turrets. We will be unable to fire on them unless they pass directly in front of us."

  "I know. But even a hand laser would be effective against a flitter. And it's even more important that King Rajo see us fighting for him, standing with him against the General's forces."

  Almost before he'd finished speaking, they were over the town of Valhalla, framed by the huge panorama of the ruins of the old city. Cheetah settled to the ground again, and Cale called Tonio on his personal communicator.

  "Ask King Rajo to send me down a dino, would you, Tonio?" he asked. "I don't want to risk damage to the flitter."

  "Of course." Tonio relayed the request, and in seconds, the castle gate opened to reveal a messenger on a dino, leading another with an empty saddle. The rider started down the hill at top speed.

  Cale hurriedly gathered up a shoulder-stocked laser, a belted holster containing a hand model, and several power packs. By the time he got to the airlock, the messenger was at the foot of the ladder, dino pacing impatiently. Cale mounted, and they returned to the castle.

  King Rajo was now in burnished armor. He was cradling one of the pneumatic crossbows, and his eyes glinted with excitement. "Were you successful, sire Cale? Did you destroy the vermin?"

  "In truth, your Majesty, I don't know," Cale replied. "We damaged two of the four badly enough that they turned back, but my ship is poorly equipped to deal with such opponents. I called upon a friend in another vessel. I am not yet certain of his success.

  "I am certain, however," he continued, "that none of them will reach here undamaged. I have little doubt that we will be able to defeat them. My ship will notify me as soon as more information is available."

  "And the lady Dee? She is unhurt?"

  Cale smiled. "She is well, your Majesty, and will be honored to hear of your interest. She remained aboard the ship to coordinate our communications."

  The king nodded and changed the subject. "Sire Tonio, here, has been demonstrating the new weapons. But they are not like the star weapons you carry."

  Cale shook his head. "No, Majesty, they are not. These weapons," he said, indicating the two lasers, "require technology Jumbo does not yet have. We felt it important to provide you weapons which your people could use with little training, and with current technology.

  "The only exception is the power packs for the crossbows. We felt that the advantages offered by the weapons outweighed the requirement for electrical power to charge them. For the moment, we can recharge them aboard our ships. But once the war is over, the colonists will have to recharge them for you, until you can generate your own electricity."

  "Ah!" the king replied. "So that is the hook in the bait! To use these marvelous weapons, we must become associated with your colony."

  Cale shook his head soberly. "Not at all, your Majesty. The compound bows can be reproduced by your own bowyers, as can the arrows and bolts. As for the crossbows, I am assured that they can be pumped by hand, though by doing so they become as slow as your own designs. But sire Tonio will be updating your own library files, to show electrical generation methods suitable for Jumbo.

  "You already possess grenades; our versions are merely smaller and more powerful. Our rifles and cannon use your own gunpowder, they merely load from the back and use self-contained ammunition. Our mortars are merely a modification of your cannons. Our main consideration in designing and buying weapons for Jumbo was that they be reproducible by your own people."

  "Cale!" Tess's voice rang in his head. "Zant reports that he got one of the two flitters headed for Valhalla. The other is seriously damaged, and is attempting to turn back; but Zant does not expect it to get far. He is orbiting it, following until it crashes or gets home. He says, and I quote, 'I suspect the nomads are going to have a fun evening'."

  "Tell him to go check on the other two, to make sure they don't turn around." He paused, and then continued slowly, bleakly. "Tell him he's cleared to finish them off, if he thinks it advisable. Remember, we will have to face any survivors again, both machines and men."

  He turned back to the king. "Your Majesty, I am pleased to report that all four of the attackers have been driven off or destroyed."

  King Rajo frowned. "A most unsatisfactory method of waging war, Sire Cale. How can one experience the thrill of victory when the fight is many Kiloms away?"

  Cale shrugged. "Unsatisfactory, perhaps, your Majesty, but how many of your people would have died if those fire-spitting flyers had reached Valhalla? Better the attackers do the dying, and as far from your home as possible."

  King Rajo's face relaxed into a smile. "I suppose you are right. Still, though, it rather takes the exhilaration out of a victory, does it not? Now, let us go for a proper demonstration of your new weapons. Sire Tonio tells me they are too destructive to demonstrate in the courtyard. I am interested to see if that is true, or simply trader's talk."

  Tonio laughed aloud. "Your Majesty, I would make the worst trader on Jumbo. Not only am I a terrible bore, but I'm such a poor liar that I was forced to give it up years ago!"

  "Ha!" King Rajo laughed. "Then you make a pair with my wizard. He, too, is a crashing bore, and a terrible liar." He sobered. "But he is a very wise and learned man, and my most trusted advisor."

  The king took them to a field several hundred yards wide and long, studded with targets and straw figures at various ranges. They made quite a procession. The king was accompanied by his guards, of course, and additional guards were 'escorting' the star men. A goodly selection of courtiers had joined the procession, as had Hiraf, and even someone who was apparently a blacksmith.

  Tonio waved one of his guards forward. "This is the back-and-breastplate your Majesty was kind enough to provide me," he said. He pointed to a figure about twenty yards away, and asked the man to put it on the straw man.

  "Now," he said, "If your Majesty will select your strongest archer, the one who draws the strongest bow . . . "

  The king waved, and a tall young man with huge upper arm muscles stepped forward. "This man draws a 70-kilogram bow, and can sometimes pierce a breastplate like that one."

  Tonio bowed slightly. "A mighty archer, indeed. May I see one of your arrows, young man?"

  The arrow was heavier than those he had brought, of course. The tip was of cast metal in the shape of a long, tapered diamond. At the rear, where it joined the shaft, it was about a centimeter larger than the arrow's shaft. The style was familiar to Tonio; it had been used on many worlds to penetrate chain mail armor, and except for the metal and casting of the tip, it closely resembled some of those they had brought.

  "Do the people of Jumbo use chain mail?"

  The king shrugged. "Not so much anymore, although a yeoman who can afford it sometimes buys some. It's effective against nomads, but not as useful against the people of the villages, who use that style arrow."

  "And against plate armor?"

  The archer grinned. He grunted and sinews cracked as he drew his heavy recurved bow. He loosed, and even at this distance they could hear the clang as the arrow impacted the armor. It penetrated; the arrow remained in the breastplate.

  "Do you use a different style against nomads and unarmored enemies?" Tonio asked. The archer bobbed his head and removed another arrow from his quiver, this one with a cast broadhead point. The edges of the point had been roughly sharpened. Cast iron does not hold a very sharp edge, but this was certainly sharp enough to do the job when launched from a 70
-kilogram bow.

  At Tonio's request, he fired the broadhead into an unarmored target figure. Then Tonio handed him one of the off-planet broadhead arrows. "'Tis light," the archer commented. He expressed pleasure at its straightness, and then examined the point. He grunted in surprise. "Three blades," he said. He looked more closely. "Beautifully made, milord." Tonio warned him about the razor sharpness of the ceramic blades, but it wasn't until he'd carefully touched one and cut himself that he smiled.

  The archer quickly nocked the arrow, pulled, and let fly. It hit within a fingers' breadth of the first arrow he'd fired.

  Then Tonio had him fire one of the explosive arrows at the armored figure. All of the locals, including the king, flinched at the crack! of the explosive charge.

  They hurried downrange to the targets. Examining the broadhead target, they found that the Santiago arrow had sunk into the target all the way to the feathers, or flights, penetrating the target, and leaving a full fifteen cems sticking out of the back of the figure. The Jumbo arrow had penetrated less than half as far.

  But it was the smoking armored target that caused the most excitement. The Jumbo arrow had indeed penetrated the breastplate and ten cems into the target. The exploding arrow, though, had punched a hole through both the breast and back plates, and left the straw smoking.

  They also tried the crossbows, and fired both weapons at a target figure wearing Santiago body armor. The fact that none of the Jumbo arrows pierced the body armor disturbed the king, but he was cheered when he saw the results of the explosive arrows.

  The archer was unimpressed with the complicated-looking compound bow. But when one of the less powerful archers tried one, it produced a huge grin. The man had been amazed as the 45-kilogram pull eased as it approached full draw. The man purposely held the bow at full pull for over a minute before releasing. The king tried one, and his eyes widened as he drew the bow.

  But it was the rapid-fire pneumatic crossbows that brought the widest grin to the king's face. Every archer killed in battle was a tragedy for the king, as it took years to train a replacement. But crossbowmen could be trained in days or even hours, though the slow firing rate limited their usefulness. The idea of a weapon requiring only limited training, with great power, and with a rate of fire superior to an archer was enough to turn King Rajo's expression to one of unbridled delight.