"Jonathan, I trust you're comfortable in the seat," I asked. "Xie, you're with us."
"We are, Captain," he replied.
Without further conversation, the three of us exited the bridge and made our way to the armory. "Who has the gunnery nest?" I asked as we equipped what had become a fairly standard loadout: pistols, nano-blades, sensor pucks, flash-bang discs and grenade marbles.
"Sendrei, but only with Jonathan unlocking the guns. I'd like a little more time with him before I give him too much control," Marny replied, handing me a snap-on attachment for my blaster rifle. "Sticky rounds. Good for subduing without injury."
"You kids coming?" Tabby asked as I established our tactical channel.
"Just leaving the armory. See you in a minute," I answered.
"Grab that laser pistol I like. We don't have any on Hotspur," she requested.
We exited the armory, worked our way through the air-lock next to the cargo-hold and jetted over to Hotspur's open door.
"Just hang in the hallway," Tabby announced as we landed. "Nick will ferry us over."
Justice Bringer's cargo-hold door was raised and eight suited figures knelt on the deck with hands over their heads, the postures of several indicating injury. Twelve figures lay prone, lined up in a row just aft of the crew.
"Xie, Tabby, verify the casualties," I requested as we came to rest just above the deck. Someone had rigged a gravity generator, but at .1g it did little more than hold down the surrendering crew.
"All deceased," Tabby announced.
"What are the scope of your injuries?" I asked.
"May I?" A man located in the middle of the group asked. I nodded and he flicked a synopsis of the crew's injuries. None were currently life threatening. We worked quickly to bind their hands behind their backs.
"Where's Tullas?" I asked.
"On the bridge," the same man replied. "They still have atmo and power." He sounded annoyed.
"Davey Jones' Brig?" Tabby asked, using a term she'd coined when we set prisoners adrift in space without the benefit of AGBs.
"I don't think they're going anywhere," I said.
"We've got 'em," Nick said from Hotspur as he spun the top turret over to line up on the hold.
"Let's move," Marny said. "Tabby, you have point. Liam, number two. Xie, you've got our backs." We’d used the formation before and quickly moved through the already open airlock into the decompressed passageway on deck three. Justice Bringer's layout was identical to Intrepid and we easily made our way to the bridge door after making a single circuit of the passageways on the second deck, dropping sensor pucks along the way.
"Tullas, are you in there?" I asked, after activating an acoustic coupler that would transmit conversation through the nano-steel door. We waited twenty seconds and I asked one final time.
"We'll have to breach," Marny instructed, pulling charges from a pack on her back and placing them strategically on the hatch.
Without atmo to transmit a pressure wave, the only danger with explosives was line of sight and ricochets. Even so, we positioned ourselves in the aft corridor, near the captain's quarters. A cloud of atmo escaping from the bridge was the only indication Marny had ignited the charges.
"Go, go, go," Marny said, spurring us inside.
"Clear," Tabby announced, sweeping to her right and forward.
"Clear," I called, sweeping aft. While true, our status reports didn't even begin to describe the scene. There were no targets; only bodies still at their posts, without vac-suit helmets.
"What in the frak?" Tabby asked as the four of us gathered in the center of the bridge. The four officers we’d found at their stations each had a single head wound.
"She murdered them and then suicided," Xie observed.
"That's barbaric," Tabby spat.
"She couldn't afford to be questioned," I answered glumly. "She was mad in her zeal."
Tullas sat in the captain's chair, arms open, pistol lying on the floor a meter from her body. The woman was smaller in death than I'd have thought possible.
***
"What do you mean, they want to start their own settlement?" Councilman Bedros asked, ignoring Flaer and Ganesh who had come with Sendrei to address the Yishuv Council. We'd just finished a meal provided by Yishuv and had transitioned to the purpose of our visit.
"You will address Ganesh on matters pertaining to Libertas," Sendrei replied, warning in his tone.
"I mean no disrespect." Bedros turned to Ganesh. "It is just that Yishuv is a thriving settlement and would welcome you with arms wide."
"What do a bunch of children know of hewing a settlement from the wilds of Ophir?" Peraf asked, clearly agitated. "We've barely survived after three centuries."
"And yet we did just that," Ganesh answered quietly. "Do you believe the Kroerak provided resources for our villages? They provided only access to water. It was up to us to establish shelter and defend ourselves from surrounding dangers."
"You've seen Jonathan's survey of the location," I said.
"You can't give them that spot," Peraf said. "We claimed it."
Ganesh looked at me, concerned.
"No we haven't." Bedros shook his head with a frown on his face. "We passed on the location and will certainly provide as much support as possible."
"What are you doing? You can't give away our planet," Peraf replied angrily. "They'll just keep bringing more people."
"Which will make us all stronger," Bedros replied. "Do you really believe we have the means or moral right to stand in the way of this?" When Peraf didn't respond, he continued. "The resources of Yishuv are at your disposal. Whatever we can do to help, we will do. Councilwoman Peraf no longer represents the majority opinion of the Council."
"Yishuv's knowledge of local agriculture would be much appreciated," Nick added.
"We'll arrange an expedition with farming equipment and seeds," Bedros replied. "It's late for planting most crops, but much work can be done to prepare fields for the next season. We should have livestock to trade within a stan or two."
"No!" Flaer answered vehemently, surprising Bedros.
Ganesh laid his hand on the healer's arm. "We'll appreciate your assistance with crops. We are uncomfortable keeping animals for consumption."
"Of course," Bedros answered, bowing his head graciously. "I meant no offense."
"If you are amenable, we'd like to give you a tour of Libertas," I said.
"You've already settled there? This is all just pretense?" Peraf asked.
"No pretense, Councilwoman Peraf," I answered. "We do not believe Yishuv is capable of controlling an entire planet and have made plans accordingly."
"Nor do we desire to," Bedros replied. "A trip to Libertas would be lovely."
As we stood and exited, I pulled Bedros aside. "Peraf seems ornerier than usual. What's up?"
"Lorraine Tullas promised Peraf she'd be rid of you all and be put back in charge. Suffice it to say, the councilwoman was disappointed by the recent turn of events," he said.
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"Not at all," Bedros replied. "Her approach has not won her any friends on the Council and I believe she'll be voted off in the next election cycle."
***
"Nice and easy, Tabbs," I called over the comms once we'd all loaded into Hotspur's hold.
The trip took thirty minutes as we traveled the eight hundred kilometers to the location Jonathan had surveyed for the inhabitants of Yishuv many ten-day ago.
After setting down, we exited onto a green field. The sounds of rushing water from the nearby river and the backdrop of snow-covered mountains completed the idyllic scene. For not being human, Jonathan certainly knew how to pick a beautiful location.
As the growing settlement came into view, the smell of a campfire was evident and a thin column of smoke rose from above the cluster of temporary habitation domes. A construction bot was busy working on what looked like more permanent structures, pulling from a pile of sheet steel a
nd armored-glass. Apparently, Merrie’s glass manufacturing had already started production.
We were greeted by friendly waves as we passed residents who were busily moving between the habitation domes.
"We're building a central gathering hall, first," Ganesh explained. "Jonathan has been working with us to lay out our new city. His plans seem ambitious, but we have no real experience with materials such as steel."
"You've made quite a lot of progress already," I noted as we passed by one of four towers that had what I believed to be ship blaster turrets mounted on top. "I thought we felt the Ophies weren't a threat?"
"A necessary precaution," Jonathan answered, stepping up next to me. "There is some evidence of local predators."
"Are those turrets from Justice Bringer?" I asked.
"Yup," Nick answered.
I shrugged. "That's appropriate. Speaking of Justice Bringer. Any word on if we're going to be able to get her going again?"
"The frigates need repair, but they're both moving," he said. "I don’t know what you're thinking next, but I'd say we should consider a trip back to Freedom Station."
Just then, a woman carrying a bundle in her arms approached our group. I recognized her as Isha, the first woman who'd given birth aboard Intrepid.
"Why don't you all go ahead," I said to the group. "Tabby and I will catch up."
"Liam Hoffen." She carefully pronounced my name, smiling.
"Hi, Isha. How are you feeling?" I asked, not really sure what to ask someone who'd recently given birth.
"I ask for your blessing," she said, handing me the bundle containing her infant. I looked at her, terrified. I had no idea how to hold a baby. She helped me by pulling my arm beneath its back and pressing it to my chest. Ada appeared and hustled up next to us. She, too, was smiling.
"I don't know what you're asking," I said.
"Just kiss her on the forehead," Ada said.
I looked to Isha and then to the baby, not sure which ‘her’ was being referred to.
"The baby, Liam."
"Oh …"
I pulled the blanket away from the baby's face, leaned in and kissed her forehead, surprised at how sweet the child smelled as my nose brushed her skin.
"She's adorable," I said, enjoying the moment. My doubt as to the value of our mission disappeared in that single instant. Just this one life being saved from the Kroerak was worth all of the risk. I moved to hand the baby back to Isha, who accepted the bundle graciously.
"You're a natural," Tabby said, wrapping her arm around my waist. "Someday, we'll have our own."
"I sure hope so."
"Isha, is there something more you'd like to say?" Ada prompted the olive-skinned woman.
"Liam Hoffen Libertas," she said, shyly, almost embarrassed.
I pinched my eyebrows, not understanding.
Ada laid her hand on the woman's back, rubbing it reassuringly. "She named her after you, Liam."
I looked from Ada back to Isha who seemed to be cringing in anticipation of a rebuke. "That's perfect," I said wrapping my arms around the woman and her child. "You certainly have my blessing."
"Thank you," Isha kissed my cheek lightly and scurrying off.
"Hallo, Captain." Divelbiss said as we came into the center court of the new settlement. The big man was smiling ear-to-ear as he carried a load of firewood.
"Divelbiss, I didn't expect to see you down here," I said.
"Master Chief gave me leave," he said, dropping his bundle onto a growing pile. A woman with long dark hair moved the logs into an organized stack. "But I've been looking to speak with you."
"Oh?"
"Arati, stop a minute," Divelbiss said. The woman who'd been stacking logs looked up to him and came over to his side. The difference in their sizes was almost comical as he towered over the much smaller woman, whose tummy bulged. "Cap, I know you've been more than fair to me and I committed to sailing with you, but I'm requesting to end my commission."
I looked from him to Arati and back. "Really?" I asked smiling. "How do you know so quickly?"
"It's not like that," he said, then looked at Arati with a horrified expression. "I guess maybe it could be … I don't know … I'm not great with words … I'd like a chance to find out, I guess."
"What does Ganesh have to say about this?" I asked.
"We live freely," Arati answered firmly, my AI's translation communicating her resolve as well as her words. "Ganesh will not object."
"Divelbiss, your sacrifice on the moon over Thren's Rest made all of this possible," I said. "If it is your desire to help build the village of Libertas, I will not stand in your way. You are relieved of duty." I snapped my hand up sharply into a salute, which caused the big man to tear up. "Know this, you're welcome on my ship anytime."
"Liam Hoffen," Jester Ripples hopped into view and upon reaching us, clambered into my arms. I'd finally become comfortable with the closeness required by the warm little creatures. "Isn't Libertas lovely?"
"Indeed it is. Have you explored much?" I asked.
"Indeed, yes," he said. "Blue Child and I very much approve of the location. The rivers are a wonderful treat."
"Have you decided if you'll make your home here or continue with us?" I asked.
"Nicholas James says he expects to travel to my home-world. Is this true?"
"It is," I said. "It might take us a while, but we would very much like to be introduced to your family and see what sort of trading might be accomplished between friends."
"We have no capacity for creating nano-steel," Jester Ripples answered. "It would be highly sought after. But my family would simply enjoy welcoming such a wonderful species onto our pads - or homes, as you refer to them. I would accompany you on your journey, if welcomed. Blue Child has expressed a desire to stay in Libertas. He was taken at a much younger age than I and his heart is with his family here."
"It might be dangerous to travel with us," I said.
"Then you will certainly need my help."
HORSE TRADING
"This place looks great," I said as we finished a tour of Petersburg Station. All of the rooms previously closed by Belirand's attack in Descartes had been cleared, pressurized and reopened. Merrie and Amon had set up an efficient manufacturing space for pressing steel plate as well as firing armored glass.
"Wouldn't be possible without all the materials Ortel and the boys have been mining," Merrie said.
Priloe stopped in front of me. "You haven't seen the best spot."
"Really? I thought we'd just received the tour," I said.
"Not everything." He and Ortel grinned at each other.
"Seriously? Show me," I said. "Mom, do you mind?"
She nodded. "I wouldn't dream of standing in the way."
"We're just over half done," Ortel said as Tabby and I followed the two through a rough-hewn, poorly lit hallway.
"Merrie found replicator plans for the goals and ball returns." Priloe said excitedly. "She also created a bunch of really fun mods for changing up the terrain."
"Here we are," Ortel said as we popped through a steel entry door into a podball court that only a kid could love. Two goals had been hastily erected on opposite ends of a large, open space and gravity generators were haphazardly spread along the floor.
"Fire it up," Tabby said, pulling a ball out of the near goal.
"Try to score on me," Priloe taunted. "Bet you can't."
"Been training, have you?" she asked.
He turned the gravity down to 0.05g. "Sure have."
Tabby bounded through the space and allowed Priloe to block her out.
"Gotta be careful," she warned as she spun unexpectedly and fired the ball into the goal. "Sometimes people can be tricky."
"You're super-fast," Priloe said, awed by the woman who'd rescued him from the top of Léger Nuage so long ago.
"Bring it." Tabby challenged, floating back as Ortel picked up the podball. The two of them attempted to play keep away. I saw the error of their
plan about the time Tabby easily intercepted the ball and rocketed back to the goal.
"What do you think?" Ortel asked, giving up.
"We'll let the construction bot have a run at it after you've cleared it all, but I love what you've completed," I said. "Maybe you and Priloe could run tournaments once it's up and running. You could even charge tourney fees. Who else plays?" I asked.
"Jenny Caton is good. Merrie, Amon and Zebulon aren't too bad," Ortel said. "You know - for grounders. I've heard there are a bunch of ex-Belirand from Cape of Good Hope who'd like to play."
"We'll need to work on getting a few more shuttles so you can ferry people from the surface," I said. "Tournaments would be good social interaction."
"As long as we can charge fees," Priloe said.
Ortel put his hands out. "With what currency?"
"Oh." Priloe looked dumbfounded.
"We'll get a currency figured out sooner or later," I said. "Jonathan and Nick are already working on proposals."
"You kids ready to eat?" Mom asked over the comms. "Amon made fresh bread."
"On our way." I wasn't overly hungry, but fresh bread sounded appealing.
"What, no beer?" I asked as we entered the room they'd converted into a combination mess and galley. Amon called it a kitchen, whatever that meant. The smell of bread had changed my mind on just how hungry I was.
"There's a mead to be had in Yishuv," Amon offered.
"Tastes like burned piss," Jenny Caton added, joining us. "I'd kill for a liter of real vodka."
"We'll make sure alcohol is on the trade list," I said. "When we were on Freedom Station, I got a ping from this guy, Jerry Sailer who runs the Contraband Distillery. I didn't think much of it then, but he was looking for grain. Seems like we could trade Yishuv grain for good liquor since we're headed that way."
Mom cocked her head. "Are you planning another trip to Freedom Station?"
"We are," I said. "Intrepid is down two engines and we've barely been able to get Justice Bringer moving again. Freedom Station is currently the only location we can safely get repairs. We also need food replicators for Libertas. Even with Yishuv helping, Libertas will never be independent if they have to rely on others for food."
Give No Quarter (Privateer Tales Book 10) Page 25