The Queen's Hammer

by Sean Benjamin

  “So you’re giving her home-field advantage?” Baby Doll asked.

  “How?” Eli clearly was puzzled by the inference Ozzie had an edge.

  “Ozzie is Japanese. Sake is rice wine and is the national drink of Japan on old Earth. She has probably been drinking it for years.”

  “That’s okay with me.” Eli was slightly taken back but put on a brave face. “I’ll let her have the edge on that. Maybe it will even up the match.”

  Baby Doll looked at Preacher. She knew he had to be back in two weeks to allow Blondie to go on leave, so Baby Doll assumed he would be the adult here. Preacher nodded in response to the glance. He knew what the look meant and was acknowledging he would keep Eli out of trouble and would return on time.

  “Have fun,” Baby Doll stated as the two men moved on toward the shuttle.

  ~ ~ ~

  As the liberty party departed, Raferty was on a comm call with all his captains. Blondie sat across from him at the small briefing table in the day cabin, the only non-captain in the briefing. She covered engine upgrade issues and the timeline for each ship’s installation. She concluded with a “Thank you for your attention” and turned it back to Hawkins.

  Hawkins looked at each captain on his screen as he spoke. “The engine upgrades could not be going better, and Blondie is the reason why. We all owe her a debt of gratitude here.” There were smiles and nods all around. Blondie nodded a thanks to her captain. She was fitting right in as a key contributor to Flot 1.

  Rafe covered several topics and congratulated everyone on having no liberty incidences so far. “I know the liberty policy clashes with our heavy work schedules and reduced manning, but we have to get people out for some time off here in the Aurora Empire. Our people don’t have to worry about being attacked here and there are some excellent places to visit. This opportunity may never come again. Thank you all for making that happen.” He concluded with one last task. “One final item before we end the briefing. I think there are two ships to be named here.”

  All eyes turned to the images of Ace and Adam Rutledge, the captains of the newly acquired destroyers from the Royal Navy. They, in concert with their crews, would name the ships. Rutledge spoke first. “We’ve settled on Blackheart. A couple of other names were bounced around but that won out.”

  Everyone nodded and attention turned to Ace. He shrugged and spoke quietly. “I know we are going against tradition here and tempting fate, but this name was the big favorite. Nothing else was even close.” He took a deep breath. “We decided on Rebel II. We will call her The Deuce on an informal basis.”

  Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Naming a ship after a recently lost vessel was considered unlucky and nobody wanted bad omens in their business. Rafe looked at Ace’s image on his screen. Hawkins didn’t have veto power, but he was the commander of Pirate Flotilla One. His opinion mattered. He was caught by surprise here. “Was it a clear favorite, Ace?”

  The new captain nodded. “We kicked around three or four names. None really stuck. Rebel II came from someone in ops. Don’t know who. Once we got over the superstition, the name was popular. Lots of people here had friends in Rebel and you all know Dan was a hell of a captain. He was respected throughout the flotilla.”

  Rafe nodded. Captain Dan Sorensen and his crew had been well liked. They had done good work, and their loss was keenly felt. They had deserved better. “Hell,” thought Hawkins, “we all deserve better.”

  Rafe smiled. “Works for me. Do the name proud.” Ace smiled back. They were bucking tradition here, but that was alright. After all, tradition hadn’t been serving them all that well lately. The meeting adjourned. Hawkins went to the gym.

  Chapter 3

  Rafe stretched out on his rack. He was tired after his workout. “But it’s a good kind of tired,” he thought to himself. The positive spin didn’t work. Tired is tired. Not a thing about it was ever good.

  He frowned to himself. He hadn’t realized how much he would miss Tactical. The two had traveled to Zelenka a few days after arriving here at Wanderlust six weeks ago. They had returned to the ancestral estate they had only recently seen for the first time. This second trip was like going home to a place they had been visiting all their lives. Their grandfather, Tobias Gallagher, the 6th Duke of Black Hallow, had welcomed his long-lost grandchildren with open arms. A man slowly dying, it was as if the two young visitors had given him a new lease on life.

  Both pirates had found him to be a willing ally in their fight and a crafty advisor who had seen more than his share of governmental infighting and personal backstabbing. Raferty smiled as he recalled his last conversation with his grandfather on the morning of his departure back to Wanderlust. The two had talked in the library as Raferty laid out the situation in the Badlands. The discussion quickly centered on the royal support the Sunrise Grange was receiving in their attempt to monopolize as much of the Badlands food production as possible. That support was in the person of Prince Joseph, the youngest son of the royal family.

  The Duke looked at his grandson. “There are a variety of reasons why people plan and scheme. The two most common are for money and/or power.”

  Rafe looked at his grandfather. “I don’t think Prince Joseph would do it for the money. He has money up to his armpits. He wouldn’t do it for the power because he doesn’t care about power. He is a playboy who likes the easy life and has no desire to change.”

  The Duke nodded. “Then that leaves two other answers. Less common than money and power but not unheard of. The Prince is doing it for friends or for family. I doubt it is friends. A person gets to choose his friends. I bet the Prince’s friends are all like him. They like the carefree life and a good time. No way would any of them want to get mixed up in a business deal in the Badlands. They already have all the money they could ever want, and they couldn’t find the Badlands on a star chart even if it was identified with a flashing sign.” The Duke smiled and continued. “That leaves family. Didn’t you tell me the new Goth admiral in the Badlands is married to the Emperor’s nephew?”

  Rafe nodded. “Yes, sir. Admiral Cynthia Hochstadt and Baron Ernst Hochstadt.”

  The Duke nodded slightly in acknowledgment of the information and went on. “That makes the nephew and Prince Joseph cousins. I bet Joseph would do something for his cousin. Find out if those two were close growing up or have been spending extra time together over the last several months. Gossip writers love to talk about the activities of any royal family. It would be easy to find out if those two were ever together at social happenings or charity events. If they have spent time together, then look at Hochstadt as the driving force here. He is using his cousin to advance his own agenda in the Badlands. You eliminate him, and I bet Joseph loses all interest in the Badlands and heads back to the polo field.”

  Rafe liked the reasoning. With the royal nephew gone, the Sunrise Grange will lose its most influential backer as Prince Joseph moved on to new pursuits. With the two royal connections lost and the other troubles the Grange was having in the Badlands, the other high-level movers and shakers involved with the Grange in the Badlands expansion will reevaluate their commitment. No way that turns out well for Sunrise.

  How to deal with Ernst Hochstadt? Rafe knew of only one way. That was a stretch even for him. He knew he could get the guy. Maybe even make it look like an accident. Have to be an accident. Any hint of assassination would have repercussions throughout the Goldenes Tor and beyond. Rafe would have to give this serious thought.

  The Duke watched his grandson’s face. “Killing a member of their royal family gives you pause?” The older man had been reading his thoughts.

  Rafe nodded. “I’m not opposed to the idea, but it has to be done right.”

  “You’re correct. Screw this up and it could lead to a general war. An Aurora Empire peer involved in the assassination of a member of the Goldenes Tor Royal Family. That’s war for sure. There are many in the Goth government who would jump at the chance to join with th
e OrCons against us and such an event would give them suitable cause.”

  “You seem calm about it, Grandfather.”

  The Duke smiled. “We have been at war or on the verge of war for my entire lifetime. The possibility ceased to scare me a long time ago. Of course, I am at the age where I wouldn’t have to do any actual fighting. Regardless, you do it right, and we have nothing to worry about. I suspect Ernst Hochstadt is the manipulating force behind his wife’s rapid rising military career, so many in the military establishment probably hate him. He is the conduit for the Sunrise Grange’s access to government power which would make him enemies among the commercial and business class who don’t have such entry. Since he does all this to feather his own nest and advance his own cause, I suspect he is a real bastard on a personal level, so he will not be missed by anyone if he dies in an accident or of natural causes.” The Duke’s smile widened. “Hell, he wouldn’t be missed even if he was murdered if you could pin it on another Goth who had a good reason to kill him. A jealous husband, a cheated business partner, an annoyed corporate competitor, a disgruntled house servant. Probably many people available to fill the role.”

  Rafe smiled at his grandfather. “You’re as ruthless as me. You just hide it better.”

  The old man returned the smile. “Ruthlessness is an old family trait. All the Black Hallows have always been quite good at it. Your mother was ruthless in pursuing her goals. You got the trait from her and she got hers from me. Whether it is remaking the universe, waging war, or conducting personal relationships, we are always playing for keeps.”

  “So you’re not opposed to the idea of hitting the royal nephew if it comes to that?”

  “I’m not opposed to the act. I am opposed to doing it badly.”

  “If the facts unfold like I think they will, I may move in that direction. I’m not wild about it,” Rafe continued, “but it may be necessary. I will keep you informed.”

  His grandfather shook his head. “Tell me nothing. I can’t help you do the deed, so there is no need to inform me. If I am ever asked about it, I can’t talk about what I don’t know.” He leaned toward his grandson. “If that man is at the center of this matter, you can undo their situation with one blow. Not only would Sunrise lose their entry into the Royal Family, the new Goth Admiral in the Badlands would lose her protector. With her husband using his influence to get her promoted up the ranks, there is probably a large pack of jackals ready to pounce on her once the husband is gone. Could be a quick change of command in the Badlands if the pack drags her down. More turbulence in the Goth military in your sector. New people. New plans. Could stall any move against you for quite a while.” He paused as he looked intently at his young heir. “It is a giant step but if things get desperate enough, you must take it.”

  Raferty nodded. “The opportunity won’t magically present itself. I will have to create it.”

  The elder man nodded. “I agree. Take your time and do it right. As with all things important, there are no do overs.”

  Raferty knew he had to start winning on other fronts besides the battlefield. Sunrise was a large corporation with royal backing. They had huge monetary investments and several planets under their sway. If he could bring Sunrise down, it would start a chain reaction among other companies in the Badlands. The failure of the most visible of entities would make everyone reconsider their commitment in the region. Investors would desert in large numbers. Hawkins would attack Sunrise. He had filed away his grandfather’s advice for future use as he departed Haven Hill.

  Tactical had remained behind and would spend the entire eight weeks at Haven Hill while Flot 1 was at Wanderlust. She had protested the favorable treatment, but Raferty insisted and was supported by the Duke.

  Growing up within their mother’s traveling band, he and his sister had listened to the family stories from their mother over the years. Rafe had not really thought about it while it was happening but he now realized Tactical had been shortchanged all that time. The Black Hallows had missed the daughter and grandson but not the granddaughter for the simple reason nobody had known there was a granddaughter. Given the lives they had led, Tactical could have easily been killed without the family ever knowing about her existence or acknowledging it. Rafe had never been in any particular hurry to return to Haven Hill, and it was only the news of the Duke’s health that had brought the first trip to fruition. Hawkins now realized how selfish he had been in his nonchalance about their heritage. He and Tactical should have done the trip much, much sooner. Even if the visit had gone badly, at least everyone would have known that a granddaughter had been born and had grown into a fine young woman.

  All good steps, but Tactical was still not publicly acknowledged as a member of the Gallagher family. Admitting the two of them were brother and sister would have complications here and in the Badlands. For now, she had to remain the steadfast friend and loyal crewmate. The current story being circulated within Flot 1 was Tactical was doing training and coordination with the Zeke Navy in preparation for follow-on operations in the Badlands. Only a few people in the pirate squadron know of her true location and the reasons behind it.

  Raferty did miss his sister, but it was for a damn good cause. Having Tactical spend the entire leave time at Haven Hill was a small step in making up for that lost time and lack of recognition within the family. Rafe smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 4

  Lisa Cassidy sat at her desk and stared out the wide windows on her office walls at the people hard at work in the large outer room. Naval Fleet Operations was busy around the clock. Wars were not fought during working hours only. Besides, it was always working hours somewhere. Lisa took a deep breath and then turned in her chair to stare out the window behind her at the large capital city of Krasny. Her thoughts drifted to her husband Richard, her late husband Richard. He had been chief engineer on the Wind class battlecruiser Kona. That ship had been at the Royal Navy Base Excandor when that facility was a target for one of the Orion surprise attacks in the opening hours of the war. Kona was one of the few ships to get underway early in the attack. The big ship had held a position in the center of the space port and fought back as best she could. Her efforts attracted the majority of enemy fire and the battlecruiser disintegrated under the OrCon pounding. Only ten escape pods got off. The delaying action fought by Kona and a few other ships allowed several other vessels to power up and join the fight. What should have been a quick victory for the OrCons turned into a protracted battle. Ultimately, Excandor fell to the attackers but several Aurora ships got away. Everyone agreed the early actions of ships such as Kona had been key in preventing a quick and easy Orion victory. Testimony from Kona survivors had told of the deaths of the ship’s captain and XO in the first minutes of the battle. Chief Engineer Richard Cassidy had assumed command and fought the battle with great skill against overwhelming odds until the ship was lost. These sworn statements led to Commander Richard Cassidy posthumously receiving the Cross of Valor medal for bravery. Lisa had received his medal during a ceremony held the first day after her release from the hospital due to her own wounds received in the Badlands fighting.

  She thought of Richard almost every day. She was torn over this. It felt disloyal not to think of him, but she had to get on with her life. She didn’t know what to do, so she just lived with it. If she thought about him for hours on end, that was fine. If a rare busy day passed when she hardly thought of him at all, that was okay too.

  Lisa leaned her head back against the chair’s headrest. She was tired but then she was always tired. She had been badly wounded in the Badlands in the beginning of the war. She had held the rank of commander and served as operations officer for Captain Skyler Mallory in the heavy cruiser Mackenzie. The ship had been hard hit at the Battle of the Nomad asteroid belt and she had been one of the numerous casualties.

  Physically, she had fully recovered. Mentally and emotionally were other matters. She had trouble sleeping. She had to force her
self to do daily physical therapy. She never seemed to have much of an appetite. She never socialized during her time off. Cassidy knew part of the problem was being assigned to Naval Headquarters on Zelenka. She thought if she could be out in the Fleet fighting the war, many of her problems would disappear. She could get a measure of revenge for Richard. Her friends, academy classmates, and a few family members were fighting now. She was in the rear.

  The only recent event to bring her out of her depression was being promoted to the rank of captain. She had been proud that her work and her record had brought this recognition. She had been surprised at how many people sent messages of congratulations. Several were from people she hadn’t had contact with for several years: old friends, classmates, former shipmates, and civilian coworkers from past assignments. Many of Richard’s old friends and crewmates added their best wishes. It was kind of them to take the time, and she was cheered to hear from so many. She had replied to each message and now had regular correspondence with many people she had lost touch with over the years.

  After the thrill wore off, she realized the promotion was a mixed blessing. As an up and coming commander, she had been on a good career path prior to her wounding. If all had gone as planned, she would have had a successful tour as a department head aboard Mackenzie and then she would have been selected for her own command. Officers holding the rank of commander were placed in charge of destroyers and corvettes. The command time was eighteen to twenty-four standard months. If her command time had stretched out to that two-year mark, she would have been in the zone for promotion to the rank of captain at the end of it. Assuming she made captain, then she would have gone to a high-level military service school as a student or would have done a dirtside tour as an instructor at a lower level school, served on a fleet staff, or would have become a department head at one of the various supporting establishments. Then she would have been in line for command of a larger ship such as a cruiser or battlecruiser. If she had gotten that command, who knows what would have followed. Richard had been on the same career path, and they had often talked about how great it would have been if they could have been ship captains together in the same flotilla.