Star Wolf (Shattered Galaxy)

by David G. Johnson

  “Are you kidding?” Alex snapped. “You see that gray skin and them yellow eyes? This is a bona-fide Prophane Pariah. How many friends have we lost to these soulless fracks in the border wars against the Ascendency? Don’t you think it’s time for a little payback?”

  “Pariahs ain’t with the Ascendency no more, Alex. Heck, their people hate them worse than they hate us, which is sayin’ somethin’. She ain’t the enemy, Alex. Let her go.”

  “She sure as heck ain’t our friend. Besides, how do you know the Ascendency didn’t plant these Pariahs right in the middle of us so they can wipe us out with our own weapons once our guard is down, huh? Ever think of that?”

  “I don’t think the PI would be usin’ ‘em on our ships if they was enemy agents.”

  “Shut up, you inbred huckleberry. You wouldn’t know an enemy from a relative. Besides, don’t worry yourself about what I am doing. Do you have any idea what them GalSec spooks are going to do to her? Heck, man, I’m just getting her warmed up for the main event.”

  Alex took the end of the baton and ran it tenderly down Voide’s cheek. She clenched her teeth expecting him to activate the electrified tip. Fortunately, the shock never came.

  “Besides,” Alex said eyeing Voide closely, “she looks like she kind of likes this, don’t you honey?”

  Voide’s mind raced as she saw a chance to turn the tables. Forcing through her pain, she summoned her most alluring closed-lipped smile, not wanting her oversized canines to look threatening. She licked her lips while sending a provocative ripple down the length of her body. If she could draw Alex closer, she might be able to strike back and buy herself a much-needed reprieve from his attacks.

  “I don’t know what your friend is talking about, Alex. I thought we were having fun,” Voide said, then dropped her voice to a whisper as she continued. “Fun always makes me hungry.”

  Voide edged her head forward, parted her lips slightly, and partially closed her eyes. Alex fell for the ruse.

  “See, Jasper, I told you. Come here, sugar, and give old Alex a kiss.”

  As Alex’s face drew close and tilted slightly to meet Voide’s lips, she lashed her head forward, baring her extended canines as she bit fiercely into the soft flesh of Alex’s nose. She tightened her bite with all her strength as her captor recoiled, struggling to retreat from the unexpected attack. A large chunk of flesh tore away from his face and blood gushed from where Alex’s nose used to be.

  Voide spat the chunk of flesh on the deck in front of her as Alex collapsed into a screaming pile on the floor desperately trying to stem the tide of blood pouring from his face. Jasper stood frozen, gasping in horror with clearly no idea what to do next.

  “Aw, come on Alex,” Voide taunted, blood trickling down her chin as her tone changed from sensual to sneering. “Don’t you want to play anymore?”

  “Why you crazy—” Alex’s invective was cut short when the door to the brig opened.

  A thin, dark-skinned man in a black business suit entered, flanked by four security officers dressed in black with shoulders bearing the black shield and inverted gray triangle emblem of GalSec. Voide recognized the swarthy man as the GalSec officer, Simmons, who had disabled her during the attack on Star Wolf. Simmons motioned toward the downed Alex and the stupefied Jasper.

  “Remove these imbeciles and confine them to quarters. I’ll decide later if they should take a walk out of an airlock.”

  Simmons spoke just as calmly as he had during the assault. He clearly did not need to raise his voice to inspire obedience and fear.

  “Oh, and take this with you.” he said, toeing Alex’s detached nose toward one of the security personnel, who stooped to retrieve it. “The surgeons might want to reattach that if I decide to let him live.”

  Two of the security officers took hold of Alex, dragging him from the room still bleeding and screaming. The other two escorted Jasper, leaving Simmons alone in the brig.

  “I’m terribly sorry about that,” Simmons said.

  He pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped Alex’s blood from Voide’s chin. She thought for a brief moment about taking a finger or two off this cocky agent, but something deep in the back of her mind sent a ripple of caution through her, keeping her from acting on any violent impulses.

  “I can see you are struggling with the desire to continue to fight,” Simmons said. “You being Prophane, it is to some degree genetic, so I cannot blame you. I would, however, strongly advise against it.”

  “Who are you?” Voide asked.

  “I am Senior Special Interrogator Simmons of Galactic Security.”

  “This is a PI ship,” Molon shouted from behind the security grating of one of the large holding cells currently housing the majority of Star Wolf’s surviving crew. “Star Wolf is an unaligned vessel and we are PI licensed free traders. Our vessel has been unlawfully seized. What does the Provisional Imperium want with us?”

  “What the Provisional Imperium wants and what I want are not necessarily the same,” Simmons said, the first hint of a subtle smile gracing his stoic features as he answered Molon’s question without ever taking his eyes off Voide. “I cannot speak for Rear Admiral Starling’s wants and desires, but on this journey, he is merely our chauffer. This cruiser is under the command of Galactic Security, not the Provisional Imperium.”

  “Fantastic,” Voide replied, flashing what she hoped was her most professional and least insane-looking smile. “I am a former GalSec agent, so we are on the same team. Release me and let’s talk about how we can help you and be on our way.”

  “If only things were that simple,” Simmons replied with a shake of his head.

  “Hey, Simmons,” Molon yelled from his cell. “Admiral Starling promised that no-one else from my crew would be hurt if we surrendered. Is this how the Provisional Imperium honors its commitments?”

  “Captain Hawkins,” Simmons replied, finally acknowledging Molon with a subtle nod in the direction of the holding cell. “Unfortunately, Admiral Starling was not in a position to make such a guarantee.”

  “Then why did he,” Molon growled.

  “I suspect to reduce casualties for his marines boarding Star Wolf. For such a small ship and crew, the resistance you managed proved quite troublesome.”

  “Yeah,” Molon replied. “Being attacked without cause tends to bring out that inconvenient survival instinct. Sorry our will to live caused you such grief.”

  “Nevertheless,” Simmons continued, ignoring Molon’s jibe, “we have no reason to harm you. What was done to your crewman,” he said, motioning a hand toward Voide, “was neither Galactic Security’s orders nor Admiral Starling’s.”

  “So those two dreck-eaters thought that up all on their own, did they?” Voide snapped, battling to control the rage rising within her.

  “I am afraid that your race inspires unseemly behavior. The Revenge has spent considerable time on the tailward front engaging the Prophane Ascendency. They have an understandable basis for ill feelings toward your people.”

  “They aren’t my people,” Voide replied. “Like I said, I served for many years with GalSec, and right now my people are the ones locked up in those cells.”

  “Yes,” Simmons said, glancing off for a moment with a wistful look in his eye. “Nonetheless, rest assured the two guards responsible for your mistreatment will be disciplined accordingly.”

  “You said letting us go was not that simple. Can you tell us why are we being held?” Voide asked, her voice calm and her face painted with a soft smile.

  She was working hard to suppress her rage. She needed to build a rapport with the GalSec Interrogator. If she could get him to trust her, perhaps Simmons would free her. Then she could repay his kindness by snapping his neck.

  “That is a complicated question. Before I address it, I have a question of my own. You claim you are a former agent?”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “I know of several Pariahs who have served with Galactic
Security. What is your name?”

  “Senior Agent Yasu Matsumura. I was a field agent under Special Agent Mark Russel. I’m sure you know of him. I hear he is deputy director of the Intelligence Division now.”

  Voide had no idea if name dropping would work out to her benefit or not. She had left GalSec under less than optimal conditions, but to her knowledge, her GalSec record was clean and they had no reason to be openly hostile. Mark’s rank might carry some weight in her favor.

  “Really?” For the first time Voide detected an excited fluctuation in Simmons’s normally dead-level voice. “This is quite a coincidence.”

  “What is?”

  “Listen carefully, Agent Matsumura,” Simmons continued, ignoring her question. “I am going to release you from this uncomfortable position and escort you to a cell for the moment. I am afraid I must leave the wristlets on, however. They dampen your voidspace transition ability. Admiral Starling made that point quite non-negotiable I am afraid. I am sure you realize why a teleporting Pariah running around on board might make the admiral somewhat ill at ease?”

  “Understood,” Voide said already running through in her mind half a dozen scenarios to take out Simmons and free the crew as soon as her hands were loosed.

  Simmons first freed her feet from their restraints. He paused, however, as he reached up toward the clasps on the manacles attached to Voide’s wrists.

  “Of course, I know you are a trained agent,” Simmons said, his voice dropping again into that eerie calm tone as he gave her a subtle, knowing smile. “You no doubt are working through what you plan to do as soon as I release your hands. I admire your adherence to your training, Senior Agent Matsumura, but I would strongly advise, for the moment at least, that you curb those thoughts. I am not your enemy…yet.”

  The icy calm in Simmons’s voice as he delivered the veiled threat caused Voide’s chest to tighten. He was an interrogator. They went through an entirely different preparation process from the regular GalSec agents. She had no idea what he might be capable of, but it was not in her nature to miss an opportunity, no matter how much she believed his veiled threat.

  As soon as he pressed the release button on the manacles holding her wrists, Voide snapped into action. Slashing downward with both hands, she hoped to catch Simmons off guard and drive him to the ground with a double-fisted hammer blow. Once he was down, she could move to gain control of him.

  The blow never landed.

  Quick as thought Simmons sensed the unseen blow, stepping in toward Voide and spinning behind her. Even as she fought to check her downward swing and adjust, Simmons grabbed her waist, thrust a leg out behind hers, and hip-tossed her to the ground.

  Voide was shocked at Simmons’s quickness and strength. Speed was usually her advantage in hand-to-hand combat. Prophane were naturally stronger than most humans. Simmons, though, was insanely forceful and reacted faster than she had ever seen anyone move. Voide could sense a bridled power in Simmons belied by his wiry frame. There was something extraordinary, inhuman, about him.

  Before she could even twist to position herself and regain her feet, he was on top of her, grabbing her left arm and forcing it behind her back. He was not only strong and quick, but also precise, applying pressure just shy of dislocating her shoulder. She knew if she continued to struggle, he could apply the minimal additional pressure needed to pop her shoulder out of its socket and send her into agony.

  “I told you, Miss Matsumura,” Simmons said without the slightest hint of agitation or windedness in his voice. “Resistance is unwise. I have no desire to injure you, but if you insist on attacking me, I will incapacitate you, and it will not be pleasant. Do you understand me?”

  Voide nodded, trying to analyze what she could have done differently that might have changed the outcome of their brief altercation. She drew a blank.

  “I am about to release you,” Simmons continued. “You are going to rise to your feet and advance to the cell in front of you. I will open the door, you will step inside, and I will close it again. Any deviation from this plan will result in regrettable and completely avoidable pain for you. Are we clear?”

  “Yes,” Voide said through gritted teeth.

  She found herself fighting her instinct to continue resistance as soon as she was back on her feet. A well-trained agent not only knew how to fight, but also when restraint was the better choice. She was not sure she could trust Simmons, but she was positive she could not best him one on one.

  “Very well,” Simmons replied. “I will work to expedite the release of you and your crewmates as quickly as possible, provided you continue to cooperate.”

  Simmons released his grip on Voide and was on his feet before she could even brace her arms against the floor to get up. He stood above her, poised and ready to react to anything Voide might try. She rose slowly and cautiously, measuring the situation to see if any possible opening to overcome Simmons presented itself. Nothing had changed. As soon as she was secured in the cell, Simmons turned and left the brig without another word.

  “Voide, I’m shocked,” Molon murmured. She could hear the subtle sarcasm oozing in his voice. “I’ve never seen you give up a fight while conscious. You sure those GalSec spooks didn’t fix you up with some subliminal brainwashing in case they ever had to face you again?”

  “Spare me your feeble wit. As fast as he moved and as strong as he was, Simmons had to be a sub-C auggie.”

  “Sub-cutaneous augmentation?” Molon replied. Voide heard no lingering hint of humor in his voice. “SCs are illegal within the military and Empire government. That would include Galactic Security.”

  “You of all people ought to know, laws don’t always apply to GalSec. I could tell you things about GalSec that’d make your fur fall out. Besides, do you honestly think High Archon Zarsus is concerned about the Provisional Imperium following Old Empire laws?”

  “You got that right, Senior Agent Matsumura,” Molon replied, obviously mocking Simmons’s chosen form of address for her. “So, you know GalSec. What’s their game here?”

  Voide spun and faced the bars separating her cell from Molon’s. She bit back the bilious response she almost launched at him and tried to remember that the captain rarely asked stupid questions. Sometimes he just looked to Voide or Twitch to confirm what he was already thinking.

  “You are kidding, right? An impossible, cryptic message arrives luring us back toward Ratuen. Upon arrival at Hatacks, an unavoidable bottleneck en route to Ratuen, a GalSec commanded PI cruiser and a Dawnstar assault force equipped with VDEs just happens to be waiting for us. This whole thing stinks of a GalSec setup. You know good and well what they are after, or at least who they believe can lead them to it.”

  “So,” John said groggily, struggling to consciousness within Voide’s cell. “Turn me over to them. Maybe they will let the rest of the crew go.”

  Several other crewmembers, including the five Lubanians who were more hearty and resistant to chemical agents than humans were, also showed signs of regaining at least partial consciousness. John, somehow, was ahead of the recovery curve for the humans.

  “That is unlikely, John,” Molon called out from the other cell.

  “Yeah, pale,” Voide snapped in John’s direction. “Even if we turned you over, no way GalSec lets a ship full of witnesses just fly away.”

  “You know,” John answered, scratching his cheek and blinking like he was trying to shake the sleep from his eyes. “There is a band playing a marching tune with nuclear instruments inside my head at the moment. You could stand to be a little nicer…and quieter.”

  “Suck it up, pale,” Voide responded. “It’s your fault we are here in the first place.”

  “Also, for the record,” John continued, taking no note of her accusation, “when someone offers to exchange their life to save yours, I believe thank you is the appropriate response.”

  “Thank you?” Voide answered, not bothering to wring any of the sarcasm out of her tone. “I didn’t rea
lize useless gestures fell under the thankworthy category.”

  “Knock it off, you two,” Molon barked from the other cell. “John, if you have enough of your wits about you, see if anyone in your cell has anything worse than a narcozine gas hangover. Voide get a headcount. I need a casualty report from the boarding action.”

  “Eighteen, captain, counting me and doctor damsel in distress here.”

  “Hey!” John snapped.

  “Dreck,” Molon replied. “Twenty-six here. We were three short of a full complement before the boarding. That means we lost eleven people.”

  “Might lose two more,” John answered, glaring sideways at Voide while he examined the other crewmen in their cell. “Kid I patched up in the cargo bay, Bobby Lee, has severe radiation sickness. I need to get him to a med bay soon or he is done. Mel was also hit and isn’t looking too good either, but at least her wound was a through and through. Can you believe those devils were using irradiated ammo?”

  “Rad rounds were outlawed in the Empire decades ago,” Molon growled.

  “You are such an idealist, Molon,” Voide answered. “I told you this is GalSec. They make their own rules. Oh, and in case you missed the news update, there hasn’t been an Empire for eight years. There was this thing called the Shattering…”

  “Don’t patronize me, Voide,” Molon growled. “The Provisional Imperium has maintained that it is the legal successor to the Old Empire until a rightful heir can be identified. I knew Zarsus was a rat, but marines using rad rounds? Has his insanity really gone that far?”

  “If they ever let you talk to Starling, you can ask. Like I said, though, I’m not sure the Provisional Imperium has much say with GalSec in command of this cruiser.”

  *****

  Molon worked in his cell, Voide and John in theirs, to get as many of the crew conscious as possible. There were other wounded besides Mel and Bobby Lee, but none so critical.

  “Captain,” John called out. “I have to see if they will give me a med kit to treat them, or maybe even access to the cruiser’s sick bay. Bobby Lee will die without treatment, and Mel might.”