Give No Quarter (Privateer Tales Book 10)

by Jamie McFarlane

  "When will you leave?"

  "As soon as we can load fresh supplies," I said. "We've no time to waste."

  "I don't understand," Mom said. "We stopped Belirand, what's the rush?"

  "The citizens of Libertas are just the lucky few we were able to save," I said. "We had to leave thousands behind."

  "Even with two operational frigates, you could only carry a few hundred people. What else will a trip to Freedom Station do for you?" Mom asked.

  I smiled and nodded. She was right, but I wasn't about to broadcast our plans to such a large group. "I guess we'll have to improvise."

  ***

  "Mars Protectorate, this is Hotspur. Come in please," I said for the fifth time. Jonathan, Tabby and I had taken command of Justice Bringer, but I wasn't about to explain to Mars Protectorate why we were calling from the third Belirand ship we'd acquired. Intrepid and Justice Bringer had been underway for seventy hours and had an additional fifty hours of fold-space before arriving at Freedom Station. We were sailing light-handed again with just Tabby, Jonathan, Jester Ripples and me in Tullas's captured flagship.

  "Do you think they've stopped monitoring the crystal?" Tabby asked.

  As if in response, the communication device crackled to life. I relaxed when I heard Gregor Belcose’s deep Russian voice. "Go ahead, Hotspur, you have Belcose."

  "Gregor, so good to hear your voice," I said. "Liam Hoffen."

  "Greetings, Captain Hoffen. It is indeed pleasant to hear your voice," he replied. I could imagine the heavily muscled man straightening his vac-suit as he spoke. "How may Mars Protectorate be of service to you today?"

  "I need to speak with Commander Sterra," I said.

  "I'm afraid her schedule is rather tight. Is there a message I could pass along?"

  "Are you in a secure location, Gregor?" I asked.

  "Relatively," he said.

  "The information I have is dangerous," I said. "I'm hesitant to say anything."

  There was a long pause. "One moment please." When he spoke again, his voice sounded different, like he was inside a shell. "Our conversation is secure, but you must know that I'm bound by duty to report what we discuss."

  "Gregor, if Mars Protectorate is party to what we've run into, your life will be forfeit. Are you sure you want to continue?"

  "I've sworn my life to the service of my home-world and its people. I am not fearful of reprisal," he said.

  I blew out the breath I'd been holding. I'd never be able to un-ring the bell I was about to sound. "TransLoc gates are not necessary for faster-than-light travel," I said. "Belirand has been withholding technology."

  "This is not news, Liam Hoffen. Even in the beginning, Belirand had the capability to travel without TransLoc gates," he replied. "That's how they discovered the initial systems."

  "Three centuries ago, Belirand discovered a sentient species. They abandoned the mission on that planet, hoping the colonists would perish," I said. "They didn’t. Two centuries ago, they ran into a particularly evil species called Kroerak. Gregor, they've been trading humans, who are being used as a food source, to gain favors with the Kroerak Empire."

  "That's preposterous," Belcose snapped. "Belirand reports on their missions and they haven't found another inhabitable planet since Tipperary. They all but mothballed their fleet over a century ago due to their inability to achieve a reasonable return on their investment."

  "Search for Sendrei Buhari of the North American Navy. He was killed in a training accident twelve years ago," I said. "Only he wasn't. Gregor, be careful with this information. Belirand will do anything to keep it quiet."

  "What happened to Lieutenant Buhari?" Gregor asked. Apparently his AI had located Sendrei's record.

  "Set up a meeting and you can ask him yourself," I said. "We rescued him from a planet controlled by the Kroerak."

  "Stay by the comm-unit," Belcose replied. "I'll pass along your message. Captain Hoffen, I hope you aren't up to something here. The people who will become involved in this do not have a sense of humor."

  "Copy that," I said and closed the comm.

  "Like he does?" Tabby quipped nervously and we both laughed, to Jonathan's confusion.

  "He sounded angry," Jester Ripples said, pulling himself onto my lap and wrapping a single, spindly arm around my shoulders to steady himself.

  "It's not uncommon for people to sound angry when they are concerned," I explained. "The news I was giving him was upsetting."

  "Thomas Phillipe Anino would not have taken the same risk you now take," Jonathan said. "He believed governments to be corrupt."

  "Weigh the risks," I said. "We don't have the capacity to save the people on Cradle. If Mars Protectorate is in on this with Belirand, we're no worse off - unless they catch us."

  "How difficult will it be for them to catch you?" Jonathan asked. "You've requested a meeting."

  "A fine point, my friend," I said. "But you're not correctly weighing the risk. My experience with LaVonne Sterra and Gregor Belcose leads me to trust them. I weigh that and the lives of ten thousand people against the lives of my crew."

  Two hours later, the quantum radio chirped, signaling an incoming message.

  "Liam Hoffen, go ahead," I answered.

  "Captain Hoffen, I've been given clearance to arrange a meeting. Would you be able to meet at Valhalla Platform in sixty-two hours?"

  "We can make it, Gregor, but I need assurance from Commander Sterra that neither my crew, my passengers, nor my ship will be detained after our meeting is complete," I said.

  "I'm afraid that's not possible, Captain Hoffen," Belcose replied. "Commander Sterra is not available."

  "That's going to be a problem," I said. "We're taking quite a risk here."

  "Ahh, bullcrap," a bombastic voice cut in. I wasn't completely sure, but I thought I recognized the speaker. "If we'd wanted to grab you, we would never have let you off the Bukunawa." The reference to the Red Houzi dreadnaught confirmed my suspicion.

  "Admiral Alderson?" I asked, confused. "What's going on, Gregor? I thought you said you were with Commander Sterra."

  "You'll need to forgive Gregor's deception, Hoffen. Lieutenant Commander Belcose was under orders to do whatever was necessary to maintain contact with you once it was made. He's moved up in rank and no longer serves with Sterra aboard Kuznetsov," Admiral 'Buckshot' Alderson answered. "You and your crew have been branded as terrorists by NaGEK vis-à-vis Belirand Corporation. Why do you think for one minute we'd believe your ridiculous story or give you any assurances? Seems to me, you need to be put down like a pack of wild dogs."

  "Gregor, did you check Sendrei Buhari's story?" I asked.

  "His presence wouldn't confirm your story," Belcose answered.

  "What if I told you we had a Kroerak corpse aboard?" I asked.

  "Son, if you can produce a real alien corpse, I'll personally give you that get-out-of-jail-free card," Alderson said.

  "Are you giving me your word?" I asked. I'd learned that for all his bluster and political maneuvering, Buckshot Alderson both cared for the people of Mars and was a man of his word.

  "If half of what you've said is true, we'll be so deep in the shite, you’re the least of my concerns," he said. "You have my word that I'll release you if you produce a viable, sentient alien corpse. Honestly, I don't believe you're making as much trouble as Belirand would have me believe."

  "In sixty-two hours, we'll arrive at the following coordinates," I said and rattled off the coordinates I'd worked out. "Please make sure that you don't have anyone sitting within a twenty kilometer radius. I'd hate to bump into them. Hoffen out."

  "Where was that?" Tabby asked.

  "Just outside Platform Valhalla's security perimeter. It's exactly where Commander Joe Alto picked us up and escorted us in from last time. I might like to make an entrance, but I'd prefer not spooking the types of folks they’ll likely send to escort us," I said.

  "Alto was a good man," Tabby said, causing me to wince. I'd forgotten that Alto
and the Walter Sydney Adams had been in the response group that had been destroyed in the battle for Colony-40. It was the same battle where Tabby had nearly died.

  "A real hero," I agreed.

  The remainder of the trip to Freedom Station went without incident. That is, if you consider playing cards with an alien comprised of fourteen hundred thirty-eight sentients and a frog-like creature with genius-level spatial and mathematical skills without incident. Fortunately, Jester Ripples, while extraordinarily bright, was easy to bluff and Jonathan seemed more interested in our inter-personal interaction than actually winning.

  "Here we go," Tabby announced from Tullas's chair. It was a seat I'd refused to occupy. "Transition in five … four … "

  "Any contact?" I asked, when my vision finally cleared.

  "Sensors are clear," Jonathan reported. "Intrepid is forty kilometers off our starboard bow at forty degrees and ten degrees of declination."

  Open comm channel with Intrepid.

  "Good morning, Liam." Ada sounded tired. I figured she'd arranged shifts so that she was at the helm when we arrived in Sol.

  "Good morning," I answered. "You all doing okay?"

  "We had a few decompression events during our trip, but no casualties. That's one benefit of sailing light," she replied.

  "Prisoners?" I asked, remembering the last decompression that killed three.

  "All accounted for," she replied. "How was your trip?"

  "Since most of the ship is closed off, it was pretty quiet," I said. "Looks like we're getting some sensor activity from the station, I'd better ring 'em up."

  "Understood, we'll stand by."

  Hail Freedom Station.

  "Freedom Station, go ahead," a cheerful woman's voice answered.

  "Captain Liam Hoffen requesting permission to approach the station," I replied.

  "We're picking up two ships, Captain; one of Belirand registration. Please maintain standoff distance" the woman replied.

  "Roger that, Freedom Station," I answered. "There's been a change of ownership, both ships are property of Loose Nuts corporation."

  "Do you think that's going to be a problem?" Ada asked over the comm.

  "I don't think so," I said. "I doubt they've forgotten the reception we received from Tullas last time."

  "Agreed," Nick answered.

  Several minutes later, the comm channel with Freedom Station reopened.

  "Captain Hoffen, you old pirate." A familiar voice, with what I'd learned was a Latin accent, preceded the face of Admiral Jorge Penna showing up on the vid-screen. The camera was close in, although I could make out that he was sitting on the edge of a bed. "How in the Constellation of Antlia did you come into possession of Justice Bringer? And don't you ever sleep?"

  "Sorry for the spacer hours, Admiral Penna. Let's just say that Admiral Tullas was overly persistent and we've resolved our differences," I said. "I was hoping you might have some interest in a lightly-used frigate."

  "It wasn't two days ago I told Bard that we hadn't seen the last of you," he answered. "I'll send you back to Central Command and get you some docking instructions. Would you be open for breakfast at 0730?"

  "It would be my pleasure, Admiral," I said and checked the clock. At 0430, it was indeed early.

  "We'll send a breakfast service out to The Collet once you dock. I feel we owe your crew an apology for their treatment on your last visit. I'll also send Lieutenant Fuentes to escort you and your command crew so we might review your proposal," he said smoothly.

  The comm abruptly switched from his bedroom back to Central Command where the uniformed woman who'd originally answered my hail picked back up. "Captain Hoffen. Admiral Penna has given permission for your entry to Freedom Station space. I'm transmitting a navigation path and docking instructions."

  "Copy that, Freedom Station. Hoffen out," I closed comm.

  "Ada, did you get all that?" I asked.

  "We'll follow you in," she replied.

  "Jester Ripples, you should move to Hotspur," I said. "I’m not sure that Freedom Station is quite ready to be introduced to Norigans."

  "That is disappointing," he replied, using the common language of Earth and Mars. We'd all been surprised at how quickly he picked up our language. His voice sounded like a child's, but Jester Ripples was sixty standard years old, still relatively young for his species.

  "I promise, on our next stop, you'll get to meet more humans. They're very interested in meeting with you," I said.

  "I heard your conversation with Admiral Alderson and Gregor Belcose, Liam Hoffen. You were deceptive about my presence," he said. "I wonder why that might be, but I trust that you are my friend."

  I scrubbed the warm, yellow fur above Jester Ripple's eyes, a gesture I'd learned he found soothing. "We are friends, Jester Ripples. Believe me when I say my only objective is to see that the people on Cradle are returned home. That includes Norigans as well as humans."

  "That is something I've wanted to discuss with you, Liam Hoffen," he replied. I'd tried to get him to shorten my name. He seemed incapable of the change. "Blue Child and I may eventually visit our home, but we will not stay. The Kroerak made it clear they will raid our home world if Norigans attempt to rescue their families."

  This took me aback. "Are you saying your family won't let you come home?"

  "Oh yes. Of course they would. But I could not be so selfish to allow that. It would endanger them," he replied innocently.

  "You always have a place with us, Jester Ripples," I said.

  "Liam, we're here," Tabby interrupted. "Do you want to transfer Jester Ripples through the cargo bay airlock?"

  "No. We'll walk him through the terminal," I said, changing my previous position. "If someone sees him and has questions, let them ask."

  "Are you sure?"

  "It's not my secret to hold," I said, parroting Ada.

  As it turned out, all of my posturing was for naught. We left Justice Bringer and traipsed through the deserted jet-way of The Collet, at the dead center of the uniquely shaped Freedom Station. We passed Xie enroute as she transferred to join Jonathan in removing the fold-space generator from Justice Bringer.

  "Welcome back, Cap," Marny greeted us as we entered the bridge.

  "Any issues?" I asked.

  "Negative. Freedom Station upped the security in the jet-way for the duration of our visit and will have a patrol boat swinging by every hour or so," she said. "Lieutenant Fuentes was quite apologetic for our experience here last time and mentioned a breakfast delivery coming in forty minutes. Do you know something about that?"

  "Compliments of Admiral Penna." I heard the bridge open behind me and turned to see Nick enter.

  "Good. You're here already," he said.

  "What's up?" I asked as he passed and made his way to the conference room attached to the bridge. I decided I'd best follow him in.

  "We'll need a firm idea on what we want for Justice Bringer," he said. "I wasn't expecting to have this conversation quite so quickly."

  I smiled. For once Nick didn't have everything figured out.

  "You mind if I clean up?" Tabby asked, leaning on the hatch. "I haven't had a good shower since we left Ophir."

  "Sure, I'll catch up in a couple," I said. "Ada, can you find Jester Ripples accommodations?"

  "I sure will," she answered.

  "I think I've got a pretty good idea of what we need," I said, turning my attention to Nick. "There's no way I want to add another ship to our fleet and I'd be willing to bet Penna is drooling over the idea of sailing a first class frigate like Justice Bringer."

  "I just don't see how you're going to realize the couple hundred million credits that ship is worth," he said.

  "If we can get back to whole and I get the items I want, I'll be okay with it," I said. "Good will with Freedom Station can't be underestimated. The bottom line is we need our ship back just about as bad as we need solid trading partners."

  Nick rolled his eyes upward and shook his head. "I hate
going into these things blind."

  I smiled. "I know. It's not something you can put a spreadsheet to. Trust me on this one?"

  "I was afraid you were going to say that," he said. "Just like I'm sure I'm not going to like our conversation with Buckshot."

  "Probably." I stood up from the table. "I'm going to get cleaned up for breakfast. Meet at the airlock at 0720?"

  "Yup," he agreed.

  By the time I made it back to my quarters, I found a well-scrubbed and naked Tabby lying under the sheets of our bed - asleep. It hadn't been that long, but we also hadn't gotten much sleep while sailing short-handed on Justice Bringer. Instead of taking advantage, I pulled a blanket over her and dimmed the lights. I didn't have time to sleep, but I could at least run my suit through the cleaner and hit the head.

  After getting cleaned up, I considered the beautiful woman who lay in my bed. She might like to go to breakfast and meet the reclusive Bard Sanderson, but I couldn't bring myself to wake her. I quietly slipped out of the room and met up with Marny and Nick at the main airlock.

  "Where's Tabby?" Marny asked.

  "She ran too many shifts on Justice Bringer. I couldn’t bring myself to wake her," I said.

  Upon exiting onto the jet-way, we found Lieutenant Wilmarie Fuentes waiting for us, talking with two uniformed soldiers.

  "Right on time," she said, extending her hand.

  "Doesn't seem like the sort of thing we should be late to," I replied.

  She smiled, but didn't answer other than to gesture down the jet-way, following us to the elevators in the center.

  "We'll be taking the Dirt Side elevator," she explained as we approached the very center where another uniformed guard was holding an elevator open.

  "Should we be concerned about the uniforms?" I asked.

  We entered the elevator car and it began lowering. "I don't think so. The Admiral was embarrassed by your treatment on your last visit and has asked me to make sure we don't have a repeat. I'm just being careful."

  "Much appreciated," Marny replied. "I'd like to trade notes with you after our breakfast. I have information you might find interesting."