The Privateer 2: AN HONEST LIVING

by Zellmann, William

  Zant grinned. "Well, you certainly sound like a trader!"

  They loaded the skimmer, and then squeezed in themselves. Crammed in among cart pieces and 'inventory', the flight back to Valhalla was long and uncomfortable. Still, exhaustion permitted Cale to get a few hours' sleep.

  He stripped naked in the airlock before entering Cheetah. As he cycled the airlock's inner door, he found one of Tess' 'bots standing just inside it with a can of insecticide. It scurried into the lock as he hurried to the'fresher. He spent most of the next hour "Mmmm"ing and "Aaaaah"ing in the hot needle spray.

  Once he finally felt clean again, he went to greet Dee, who was anxiously awaiting him in the lounge. Dee's welcome was exuberant and carnal, Tonio's excited and pleased, and King Rajo's cool and formal. Zant briefed him on the current situation.

  "The volunteers are starting to arrive at the river port," he reported. "Of course, Tonio is training them, with a lot of help from Hiraf. His reputation as a wizard lets him convince the recruits that there's no magic involved in the star weapons.

  "You know that King Rajo set up an 'intelligence office'; well, it's up and running, and the King found the right man to run it; an old courtier well known for his paranoia. I've been working with him. He wants to meet you. He's very impressed by the way you recruited your snipers and that spy in King's Town.

  "Dee's working with him, too, running that radio network we set up. At first the king and Rocco, the Intelligence Head, didn't like the fact that she was a woman. But she's been travelling around with Rocco's recruiter, and talking to the women. Since two spies were caught infiltrating Valhalla based on reports by women, they don't complain as much."

  But Cale was interested in something else Zant said. "Rocco? He gave you his name?"

  Zant shrugged. "I think so. I don't know whether it's his real name or not, and he won't give me his last name, but at least he answers to 'Rocco'."

  "And what about me?" Cale asked. "I'm sure you've got plans for me."

  Zant sobered. "If anything is going to defeat us, it's these peoples' worry about 'honor' and 'honorable' war. We need our own spec ops people; people who aren't so concerned with 'honor' that they won't let themselves win. We need more of your snipers, and some dirty tricks types who aren't above rigging booby traps and such."

  Cale sighed. He'd been looking forward to a few weeks of civilized comfort and cleanliness. After a moment, though, he grinned. "So, what you're saying is that I shouldn't unpack."

  "Yep."

  But his first job was figuring out how to supply his sniper recruits with rifles and ammunition.

  After several discussions, he and Zant decided that the only way to sneak in undetected was by sea.

  Even in the Old Time, there were few who would brave the hazards of the sea on Jumbo. Aside from a few entrepreneurs who survived by offering thrill-seeking sailors from other planets an unmatched sailing challenge, there had been very little commercial sea traffic on Jumbo.

  North and South Continents were separated by a single, globe encircling sea. Thousands of miles of uninterrupted sea, coupled with Jumbo's light gravity, permitted the development of truly monumental storms and tsunami waves. The Old Time cities along the coast, like Nirvana itself, were frequently damaged by hurricanes and inundated by half-mile high waves. Zant confessed himself unable to fathom why the coastal cities hadn't been relocated inland.

  Nearly all the seacoast between the Great River and the Mile High Mountains was occupied by ruins, whose reputation guaranteed that no one would build a new settlement there.

  But between the Great River and the Giant Forest was a narrow clear area that men could widen and use to create a road to the sea.

  It had been mostly wasted effort. At the end of the road, where the Great River flowed into the sea, lay a small fishing village. Since it was so isolated, though, the only product the village could produce was salted and dried fish. Storms regularly destroyed the village and decimated its population, but somehow the village went on.

  Such fish was an expensive delicacy in Nirvana, but only the few traders willing to walk that long and lonely road profited much. In fact, some of the wealthiest merchants in Nirvana were in the fish business. Meanwhile, the villagers lived on the verge of starvation, subsisting mostly on a diet of fish and such produce as the traders brought them.

  After carefully examining high-def photos taken from the space station and a low-altitude pass by Explorer, they decided that it might be possible to avoid the village and still land from the sea.

  Cale called his contact in the hunting village. He explained how they planned for the villagers to sneak past the fishing village and meet the flitter in a small cove abutting the Giant Forest.

  "Give us two days," their contact replied after a few hours.

  On the afternoon of the second day, their contact called them. "There is no need to avoid the village," he said. "Last week star men arrived in a flying thing and demanded nearly their whole days' catch. They shot a man that protested with the light-that-burns. The people of the village are angry. They will not inform the star men. We can meet you in the village."

  Cale and Zant exchanged glances. "They got a flitter working again. I'd better warn everyone." Zant hurried out, while Cale talked with the hunter.

  When Zant returned, Cale explained the new plan. Since there was no need for concealment, they would use Explorer rather than their vulnerable flitter. They would fly along the coastline below the level of the giant trees. The locals swore there was a large clearing in the Great River delta that was solid stone.

  "That flitter is a problem."

  Zant nodded. "I know. The space station can't explain why they didn't spot it."

  Cale frowned. "Offhand, I'd guess the General knows the space station's rotation schedule, and is grounding the flitter when the station is above the horizon."

  Zant grimaced. "Smartass. How come you're so smart so late?"

  Cale smiled. "I didn't think of it until now." He sobered. "But it's something we need to deal with before they make another run on King Rajo while the station's over the horizon, and catch us by surprise."

  Zant nodded. "Yeah. Sheol, we don't even know whether they have one or both flying."

  "Now, that may be something I can find out. But I think we're going to need something watching the colony day and night."

  It was Tor-Jen who came up with the answer. "We've got more ships than people, now. We can put Greener's Pride in a geostationary orbit. Her sensor suite is easily sensitive enough to detect a flitter at 15 Kiloms or so. We don't even have to put someone aboard permanently. We'll just send the sensor readings to the station or to my Din-Class."

  By the time Explorer was loaded and fueled, the station was able to confirm that there seemed to be only one flitter flying. "I can't guarantee that, of course," Tor-Jen said. "But they had the one flitter making three trips to the same place. If they'd had two, I think they'd have used them. They think we can't see them, so why hold one back?"

  Donord confirmed that several soldiers had complained recently about the extra load the single 'beat-up' flitter imposed on their schedule and operations.

  "Well, keep a close watch on it," Cale said. "I don't want them shooting up Explorer; when this is over, we're going to need her!"

  Finally all was in readiness. Zant would accompany Cale. They had decided that it would be best if the snipers had more than one familiar face among the star men.

  Using their jet power, they swung wide over nomad territory to close on the eastern limit of the Giant Forest. They dropped below the treetop level of the mighty trees, and suddenly they were going very fast. The ground rolled by beneath them, frightened animals fleeing in every direction. Afternoon faded to evening, and still Kilom after Kilom of grasslands, the endless wall of trees on one side, appeared and disappeared beneath them. Once again Jumbo was making its point about size.

  Finally a line of blue appeared on the horizon in the fading light, the
trees suddenly disappeared from their right and the endless green became endless blue. Cale twisted the stick, and Explorer swung right. Once again, the forest giants lined their right like an endless line of soldiers on parade.

  Beneath them the ocean was almost glassily smooth, and soon became a monotonous vista that quickly faded to black as night fell. With the blackness came boredom. The hugeness of Jumbo collapsed to a night vision screen. Colors faded to black, luminous lines showing the vastness of the forest on their right, and the horizon ahead.

  After about an hour something broke water beneath them. They had only a quick glimpse as they roared past above it, but the one impression they received was that whatever it was, it was huge.

  "Hey!" Zant said. "I'll bet that was a water dragon! Biggest animal on Jumbo. It was probably after a whale."

  "You sure know a lot about Jumbo, for someone who's never been here before," Cale commented.

  "When I study a planet I like to learn as much as I can," Zant replied. "Besides, you can't research Jumbo without learning about water dragons. Fools actually hunted them in submarines. They had to sign a waiver that their heirs would not hold Jumbo at fault if it killed them. And it killed quite a few, I understand."

  Finally, Cale slowed the aircraft, and transited to the silent impellers. They were at last approaching the tiny fishing village and the jumble of ruins across the river.

  "There they are," Zant said. The thermal sensors were showing a large circle of glowing figures off to one side. Cale aimed the ship for the circle, and bellied down in its middle. Both of them held their breath for a moment as the ship's full weight settled onto the field beneath them, but the villagers had chosen well, and after a moment Cale sighed with relief. He flicked a switch to turn on exterior lights, and rose to greet the welcoming party.

  Chapter 14

  Donord's friend led the villagers, a burning torch lighting his way. As light flared, the villagers hesitated, looking around. The man smiled as he recognized Cale.

  "Well," he said in a hearty tone that only indicated his nervousness. "There is certainly no doubt now that you are a star man."

  Cale grinned. "And we have brought the toys I promised. We brought an extra dozen rifles, in the hope that you might find others who would like to kill an evil star man or two."

  The man waved forward another, older man, with the rough, weathered look of all who earn their living from the sea, everywhere. The man's hair was mostly white, but he moved with a rolling grace that belied his apparent age. "The headman of the village," he said simply.

  Cale bowed. "An honor. I am Cale, and this is Zant. We have come to free Jumbo from the evil star men."

  The man looked surprised. "You give your names?"

  Cale smiled. "Yes, we do. We do not fear magic, for we have a powerful magic of our own, called 'science'. Perhaps tomorrow our friend, here, will demonstrate some of it."

  Donord's friend nodded enthusiastically. "That I will. It is a weapon such as has not been seen on Jumbo since the Old Time."

  The six men with Donord's friend made short work of unloading the crates of rifles and the heavier crates of ammunition from Explorer, though they spent some time simply looking around them at the ship.

  Donord's friend looked around him, too. "If the other star men have such wonders as this, how can we hope to defeat them?"

  "They do not have ships like this," Zant replied, "We have seized them. They now have only the small, fire-spitting one they used here. And we will be working to destroy that one. The people of Jumbo need to fight their body armor and their weapons. But, please come aboard. There are some things you need to know, and to pass along to the others."

  During the next half hour, they taught the man about thermal sensors and capacitance alarms, and how to defeat them "It is important that you teach your people these things," Zant told him. "If they do not learn them, they will die. It is that simple."

  The man nodded soberly. "I will teach them. Each animal requires a specific hunting technique. Why should it be different hunting star men? Actually," he continued, "I have been concerned that sire Cale, here taught us only how to use the 'rifle'." He stumbled slightly over the unfamiliar word. "I was sure it would not be so simple. We hunt the rainbow cat," he continued proudly. "We are used to hunting deadly game, and are careful to learn the techniques that men have died to learn. We do not wish to learn to hunt star men by dying."

  Cale waited until the party had crossed to the shore before switching off the external lights and lifting off. They flew out over the ocean for a while to gain altitude and conceal their departure point from the General's sensors, and then Cale lit off the reaction engines, going ballistic and taking them to Valhalla in minutes instead of the hours they had taken to reach the fishing village.

  Zant had work for him here, too. The mountains bordering the ruins were as wild and uncivilized as the Great Forest, and there were almost as many hunters; but the big bonus here was that, unlike the people of the Great Forest, the mountain people did a lot of trapping, as well. Zant was hoping the mountain men might be the 'dirty tricks types' he wanted.

  King Rajo's Head Forester briefed them on the people they were to meet. "The men of the mountains are a strange breed," the Forester told them. "They do not live in villages, but in solitary cabins, often Kiloms from their nearest neighbor. Of course, the snows come and seal them in for months every year, and so they go months without seeing other humans. A few have mates that are as wild as they. Twice a year, in Spring and Fall, they meet at 'gatherings' to trade their furs and smoked or salted meats for the few things they need from Valhalla. These 'gatherings' last a week. Aside from their trading, they have games and contests, but mostly they stay drunk and brawl. It is not unusual for one to be killed in a fight.

  "Your timing is good, if you want to talk to a number of them at once. There will be a gathering in three days from now. We will have to leave immediately if you want to talk to them before they all become besotted with drink. But I warn you, these people have no regard for learning or civilized accomplishments. They are savages!" This last was blurted out. Evidently, the mountain folk did not accord the Head Forester the honor he felt he deserved.

  Cale ushered the Forester out, and turned to see a widely grinning Zant rubbing his hands together enthusiastically.

  "A Gatherin'!" He said. "Just like on Selfa! Ha! I'll take the lead on this one, Cale."

  Cale was confused. "What's got you so excited?"

  Zant forced himself to calmness. "Look," he said, "I think these mountain people are just like the woodsrunners on Selfa. Th' only difference is that on Selfa we had tri-Vee screens. Twice a year we'd have a Gatherin', just like these folks, an' it was a week-long party. We'd spend all year huntin' and tannin' hides and doin' fancy beadwork an' stuff, just to show it off at Gatherin'. Then we'd sell our furs an' crafts, buy our supplies, and party away the rest of the money. Th' Spring Gatherin' was the best, 'cause we'd have a whole winter's catch. By the time we went back into the woods, we'd be hung over an' broke, and go back out an' start all over again." Cale noted that Zant's accent had changed, become more provincial.

  Cale looked quizzical. "It sounds like a lot of work for very little party," he commented.

  Zant's grin didn't fade. "Yeah, but it's one sheol of a party!" he said. "Why, gamblers and whores would actually come in from other planets for Selfa's Spring Gatherin'. Imagine several thousand men cuttin' loose with no rules and no blues. If this gatherin' is anything like a Selfa Gatherin', we're in for a treat!"

  Cale chuckled. "It sounds like your cup of tea, all right. Maybe you ought to handle this one, and I'll just make myself useful around here."

  Zant sobered and shook his head. "Naw. We're not woodsrunners there to sell furs and party, we're there to recruit some people for this fight. Oh, I can probably relate better than you; I expect they'll recognize a frontiersman when they see one. But I'll just be befriendin' 'em, and brawlin' with 'em, an' spreadin' a
little propaganda. I'll be roundin' up candidates to send to you. It's you that'll demonstrate the weapons an' convince 'em to spend the winter down here fightin' instead of up in the mountains huntin' an' trappin'."

  He frowned. "In fact, now I think about it, we won't need to hide the fact that we're star men. I think we oughta go to the Gatherin' in the flitter, or maybe even Explorer. That way, we can take samples of almost every weapon we have. Weapons an' tools are what these men will be interested in. We don't have any tools, but we sure do have weapons!"

  Cale frowned in thought. "I think I have some tools in my trade inventory." His face cleared. "In fact, I think I've got a lot of stuff mountain people might like."

  Zant shrugged. "You may be right; I didn't get a good look at your stuff. But I'll check it out, if you want. Might as well take some trade goods that'll attract attention."

  Cale chuckled. "You don't think a spaceship will attract attention?"

  Zant shrugged. "Sure, for a few hours, everybody will be wantin' to see it. But they'll wander off in a few minutes lookin' for the real important stuff: trade, booze and women. Anyway, if we're going to take a ship, we don't have to leave right away. We've got a couple of days to work on it." Suddenly the grin was back. "A Gatherin'! I knew there was somethin' I liked about this planet!"

  They did take Explorer. The Head Forester did his best to conceal his terror as the surface of Jumbo dropped away, but he wasn't particularly successful. Even the aerial view of Jumbo didn’t excite him. When told they needed him to guide them to the Gathering site, he dragged himself reluctantly to the viewport. It took him a few minutes to relate the aerial view to what he knew of the ground, but eventually he began spotting landmarks, and finally indicated a large cleared area that was already filling with visitors.

  Still, there was plenty of room to land Explorer. Their task was made easier by the fact that people were fleeing in all directions. As she settled to the ground and Cale shut down the repellers, some of the braver souls began creeping back to examine the flying machine.