Payback Is a Given: Pirates of the Badlands Series Book 2

by Sean Benjamin

  Baby Doll, Blondie, and Joker joined their captain in greeting Destiny, and then departed the meeting room. Hawkins and Tactical remained with Destiny for follow-on conversations. Joker left the bar in search of Doc Windsor. He would ensure the doctor returned to the ship on time. Baby Doll and Blondie settled into the biggest of the three bars within Destiny’s. They drank a few beers and quietly talked. The room gradually filled up as the day wore on and people got out of work. The two women had an appointment to pick up several small calibrators from a merchant in thirty minutes. Three young men entered and sat at the table next to the two pirates. Conversation started. As always, Baby Doll enjoyed herself in the company of the three handsome men. Blondie checked her watch and stood up.

  “Back in a minute,” she announced to nobody in particular. Baby Doll nodded absently as the man nearest to her had her complete attention.

  Although unfamiliar with the city, Blondie had downloaded a map and knew the shop with the calibrators was a twenty-minute walk away. Soon she was at the shop. The owner was waiting and the transaction went smoothly. Blondie now had instruments to measure engine noise output and to help align the output with the white noise generated by space bodies. She paid for the purchase, placed the four instruments in a bag, and hung it from her shoulder.

  On departing the shop, she decided she had time to take the long way back. After consulting her map, she planned a return trip that took her through the largest park in the city and passed a large church of historical interest. She set off at a brisk pace. After visiting these two sites, she went the direct route back toward Destiny’s.

  Blondie cut time off the walk by moving down a long alley. The trash-strewn path was flanked by the rear of buildings on both sides. It was growing dark in the narrow passageway in the late afternoon, and nobody was visible along the route. The lone woman moved at a brisk pace. At the midpoint of the alley, a voice sounded out of nowhere.

  “Hello there, young lady. You lost?”

  A group of three young men moved out from the shadows in front of her. Blondie stopped and glanced behind her. Another group of three men had moved out silently behind her. There would be no retreat back the way she had come. She turned sideways to keep both groups in her field of vision.

  Blondie pulled her dagger and held it down at her side. The six men advanced toward her from two directions. Oddly, Blondie felt no fear. She assessed the tactics of the men bent on assaulting her. She decided they were ill trained for this, and she should be able to get in a few strikes before she was ultimately taken. The two groups of men spread out in a semi-circle in front of her. She did not back up to the building on the edge of the alley behind her yet. She knew she would need to soon enough but wanted to get in one strike first. The men stopped and considered their options. The leader was in front of Blondie. He had been in front of the first group as they approached and the men spread out from him as he continued straight toward her. He was lean and cruel. In need of a shave, a shower, and missing a piece of his right ear, he was a man on a hunt. As she expected, he continued to do all the talking. “My, oh my. What have we here? A pretty little thing out here all alone. Maybe we should walk with you to keep you safe.”

  “No need. I’m fine, but thank you for your consideration,” Blondie responded. She knew they might lower their guard if pulled into conversation.

  The same man continued to talk. “My, you are a polite one, ain’t ya?”

  Blondie responded instantly. “Always try to be a little kinder than necessary. James Barrie.”

  “Huh?” the man was confused.

  “Never mind. Not important.” Blondie reminded herself she really had to break her quoting habit.

  The men casually closed the gap one step at a time. She decided the leader would be the first target. He extended his hand. “Let’s see how kind you can be. Why don’t you hand me that sticker before someone gets hurt.”

  Blondie said nothing but did look down at the knife as if considering the offer. He extended his hand further as she pretended to think about handing her dagger over. When he was as close as he seemed likely to get without getting suspicious, Blondie struck. She went for his stomach but he was fast and started to back up. She pulled the blade up and sliced his extended arm before he could get it out of range. The clean slice across his wrist and hand began to bleed profusely. Blondie smiled. The cut was deep and she was proud of her adjustment during the attack so she could inflict some damage before the primary target moved out of range. She was learning.

  “Bitch!” The man clasped his hand to his chest to staunch the bleeding. His face contorted in pain and rage. The men briefly glanced at him but when he refocused on her so did they. Now Blondie was afraid. She backed up and the men moved forward to maintain the distance. Blondie felt her back press against the brick wall and she knew she would have to make her stand now. The leader also knew it and smiled at her. His men smiled also. Blondie gritted her teeth and gave them a strained smile in response. She readied herself. She had no doubt she would lose in the end, but she was equally sure at least two of them would lose also. There was total silence just before the attack would begin.

  Snick.

  The silence allowed the sound to be heard quite distinctly. There was no sound like it in the universe and everyone knew exactly what it was. The safety of a shooter being clicked off. Nobody moved at first. A sudden move might get someone killed. They all slowly swiveled their heads toward the sound. A man was walking silently up the alley along the same path Blondie had come. He held a shooter rock steady in his hand. Eli the helmsman stopped about three meters away from the semicircle of men.

  “Making new friends?” Eli lightly inquired of Blondie while holding his weapon on the men.

  “You know me. Always friendly.” The relief was audible in her voice.

  The six men turned as one toward Eli and the leader spoke menacingly as he pulled back the front of his light jacket with his undamaged hand to reveal a shooter stuck in his belt. “Maybe you can’t count. There are six men with guns and only…”

  The beginning of a conversation inevitably puts everyone slightly off their guard, and so it happened here. Thus, the shot came as a complete surprise. The bolt of energy hit the leader squarely. He was knocked off his feet and landed two meters away flat on his back with a smoking hole in his chest. Nobody needed to conduct a close examination to know he was dead.

  “Steady!” Eli spoke with authority as the five remaining men flinched at the shot and the body of their leader flying backward. Eli knew he could not take them all if everyone went for his shooter so he covered the guy with his hand closest to his belt and hoped intimidation would work. That man looked much like the leader and was clearly a brother or cousin. He would be the one person most likely to make a move and Eli covered him with his shooter and a menacing glare. The remaining men kept their hands from their weapons. They would bide their time.

  “Anybody else want to discuss the math with me?” Eli spoke calmly and distinctly. His relaxed manner after shooting a man told the five survivors this was not his first gunfight. None of the men moved or spoke. The men knew they could take him now, but they also knew the first two or three who moved were dead so they would wait for an opportunity. This man and the woman would have to get away from them, and when the distance was great enough, they would move then.

  “Shall we go?” His words were addressed to Blondie, but he did not take his attention off his targets. Eli’s pistol continued to be locked on the man who was related to the dead leader. He motioned with his free hand to the man between him and Blondie to move toward the other men. The man slowly moved out of the way, and Blondie slid along the wall and took up a position behind Eli.

  Eli began to move slowly back up the alley while continuing to cover the five men. There would obviously come a time when the distance would be great enough for the five men to feel safe in going for their weapons and starting a pursuit. As the distance increased, Eli shot two b
olts at the feet of the men who scattered. He and Blondie turned and ran out the alley. As they approached the end, Blondie saw Preacher set up to cover the alley from across the street. Once out of sight of the men, the two ran across the street and went down another alley. As they entered the new alley, energy bolts sounded behind them. The five men in pursuit had come into Preacher’s view as they came to the entrance of the original alley, and he was putting some fire on them.

  Blondie started to slow down. “Keep moving,” Eli commanded.

  “Preacher…” Blondie began.

  “Can run faster than either of us,” Eli finished. “He’s laying down a covering fire and will lead them away from us by running in a different direction. That’s why I left him in the mouth of the alley. We’ll meet him shortly.”

  Blondie sheathed her dagger and Eli thrust his shooter in his belt as they picked up a quick jog to continue their escape. The two of them turned several corners, crossed streets, and jumped two fences. Dogs barked, people stepped out of the way, and electric carts swerved to avoid them. In the general hubbub of daily life here, two people hurrying down the streets were hardly an uncommon occurrence. Breathing heavily now, they pulled up in front of a corner market and took refuge in a secluded side door service entrance. They each leaned against a wall and rested. Eli took out his shooter and held it at his side out of sight, as a precaution. A few seconds later, Preacher ran up and jumped into the shadows with them.

  “They followed me but I ditched them a couple of streets back,” he gasped out between wheezes. “We should be safe enough for a while.”

  The three were silent as they caught their breath. After a minute, the heavy breathing slowed, and Eli said, “The Happy Traveler is a couple of blocks from here. I think some of the crew should be there.”

  Preacher nodded in silent agreement. He was a man of few words. Eli looked at Blondie. “If we get caught again, run two blocks up in the direction we’ll be going. Turn left for one block, and the Traveler will be on the left.” He addressed both of them. “We ready?” He got two nods in response. The two men put their shooters under their jackets in easy reach and the three set off up the street at a quick pace with Blondie walking in the middle.

  After thirty seconds Eli remarked, “Why didn’t you have a shooter on you?”

  “I didn’t think I would need one. I was just conducting some quick business. This planet is supposed to be very safe.”

  Eli glanced at her as the three continued a quick pace. “There is no such thing as a safe planet for us. The planetary law enforcers don’t give a damn about us, and the locals know it. Some of them view it as a rite of passage to tangle with real live pirates, so it tends to be open season if they can catch us off guard. If we travel in pairs or more, and stay out of certain areas or circumstances, it is usually fairly safe. The thing is, the locals know we will take revenge if something bad happens to any of us, so they know leaving behind pirate witnesses who can point them out to a pirate death squad would not be smart, so the locals would make sure there would be no pirate witnesses left.”

  “I’ll remember.” Blondie glanced over at Eli to ensure he had heard her, and saw he was constantly scanning his surroundings even while talking to her. She glanced to her right and saw Preacher doing the same. They moved their heads only slightly but their eyes were in constant motion. They took in all their surroundings, and any sudden movement immediately got their attention. Although she never would have thought it before, part of being a pirate was eternal vigilance. Except aboard ship, there was no safe place, ever. No matter where you were, letting your guard down could get you killed and, outside of the crew, nobody would much give a damn. She now realized how Logan and his party had seen the seven would-be killers on Sundance Drift. Pirates were also scanning their surroundings regardless of where they were or what activity they were engaged in. Blondie began scanning also.

  They arrived at their destination with no problems. Preacher lead the way through the entrance, but Eli touched Blondie’s arm and stopped outside the front door. He looked around to ensure a measure of privacy while on the sidewalk, and also giving one last scan for security purposes before settling his gaze on Blondie.

  “I want to apologize for the slap on the ass. It was a stupid move and I’m sorry I did it.”

  He looked her directly in the eyes as he spoke. Blondie was impressed at the heart-felt statement and, after all, he had just saved her life.

  She smiled, “All is forgiven. And thank you for saving my life. By the way, how did you track me to the alley?”

  “We were at a bar when we saw you walk by. You were alone, and we knew that was a bad sign, so we followed you. You taking a shortcut through the alley came as a surprise, so it took a second to catch up, but it all worked out.”

  Blondie noticed the killing of the one man did not seem to register on Eli’s sensors. Blondie also noticed it didn’t have much of an effect on her. Not only was she not upset by it, she had not given it a moment’s thought since it happened. Yes, she was becoming a pirate.

  As they talked, three crewmembers came out the door. They did not acknowledge the talking pair but immediately split up. One crossed the street and took up an over-watch position and the other two went to either end of the street and began to loiter. Preacher must have done some talking in the bar, and now a safety net was established around Blondie and Eli, and the bar itself. Blondie had no doubt the back of the bar was being covered also.

  Preacher came back out of the front door. “Word travels fast. Captain wants to see us over at Destiny’s.”

  Both Eli and Blondie nodded. Someone in the bar had heard Preacher’s account and informed the Captain. Three more crewmembers came out of the door and formed up with Blondie, Eli, and Preacher. They moved toward Destiny’s as a group with the three lookouts moving with them to maintain the established security perimeter. After a ten-minute walk, the three entered Destiny’s and the escorts moved to other bars.

  Once inside, a woman employee escorted the three through the main bar, down a hallway, to a locked door. A camera above the door had seen their approach, and the door buzzed as the group reached it. The employee opened the door, moved down a hall, and stopped at the door at the far end. She knocked on the door, opened it, ushered them in, and closed it behind them. She had not said a word during the short journey.

  The three entered a room with a long narrow table and several comfortable chairs. There were curtains covering the entire far end of the room. Captain Hawkins and Destiny Flores sat next to each other behind the table with their feet up on it and Baby Doll sat in one of the stuffed chairs in front of the table. It was obvious Baby Doll had just joined the group as she was the only one without a drink and was looking less than happy.

  The three newcomers stood in front of the table. Each had a flashback to the recent meeting in the Captain’s day cabin. Hawkins held up his beer bottle and tilted it toward them as he spoke. “I hear we have had some excitement. Somebody spin me a yarn.”

  Blondie knew this was all her fault so spoke first. She told the story of buying the equipment, the short cut through the alley, and her rescue by Eli and Preacher. She ended with “It’s all my fault this happened, Captain.”

  Rafe nodded and looked at Eli and Preacher. “Anything to add?”

  Both men shook their heads. Blondie’s version had made them look very heroic, and anything they said now would only detract from that. They were both smart enough to quit while they were ahead.

  Rafe nodded again. He looked past them at Baby Doll. “As I recall you were supposed to be with Blondie and yet she was out and about all by her lonesome. How do you account for that?”

  Blondie tried to break in. “Captain, I…”

  Rafe was quick to cut her off. “I’m not talking to you.” The command authority in his voice ruled out argument. He never took his eyes off Baby Doll.

  Baby Doll stood up. “You know she darts around like a mongoose in heat. I turned m
y back for one minute and she was gone.”

  “I didn’t get a report of her being gone, so I assume your back was turned for more than one minute. Sidetracked by some men in the bar?”

  “No,” Baby Doll responded defensively. By the tone in her voice and the manner of her body language, the answer was clearly yes. “There was a conversation going on and…”

  Baby Doll stopped and stared at Hawkins. She had been with him for a long time. Nobody knew how long, but for many years, and she knew him well. Anyone who didn’t know Hawkins very well would have missed the signs, but she did not. He was staring at her evenly with no hint of malice or threat, but the look deep within his eyes and the slightly tighter than normal grip he had on his beer bottle told her this was not the time or the place to come up with a cover story, or to start pointing fingers. She knew he would never throw her out an airlock or put her dirtside. They had been together far too long for that. No, the consequences would be much worse. He would begin to lose faith and confidence in her. She could not allow that to happen. She took a deep breath and stated flatly, “My fault. I guarantee it will never, ever happen again.”

  Hawkins nodded that the answer was acceptable, and air seemed to flow back into the room. He turned back to the three in front of the table. “Tell me about the attackers. Blondie first.”

  “Six men. Young and tough with tattoos everywhere. Dressed the same in casual, ragged clothes. All had short hair. The one Eli killed was the leader and he had done all the talking. He had a thin long face and looked like a stray, hungry dog. He was missing a piece of his right ear.”

  Hawkins held up a hand to stop Blondie and then turned to Destiny. “Ring any bells?”

  “Carter Hansom. Killing him was a public service. The others were part of his gang. There are about fifteen or eighteen in all. One of them is his brother Davis.”

  Eli piped up. “There was another guy there who looked like a younger version of this Carter. A little thinner but that same dog look.”