The Queen's Hammer: Pirates of the Badlands Series Book 5

by Sean Benjamin

  Baby Doll went with the spirit of the moment. “Consecrating is fun, ain’t it?”

  “Sure is.” Eli agreed as he turned to her. “You shoulda seen-.”

  “Enough!” Rafe waved his arm in front of him as if trying to make it all vanish. It didn’t work. He spoke in a commanding tone. “All this is more than I would care to know. Much, much more.” He looked at Eli. “So, I’m to understand there will be no changes to the current situation?”

  “Correct, Cap’ain. We’re just married is all. We don’t want to hang around each other all the time.” His tone clearly stated that would be a crazy idea.

  Raferty shook his head and offered his hand. “Congratulations on your marriage, Eli.”

  Eli shook his hand and then did the same with Baby Doll and Logan. The two young men departed. Preacher looked back. “I know Blondie leaves for her home planet shortly. I will take over first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll be ready.” He seemed to want to reassure the Captain that he knew his responsibilities. Rafe nodded. “I know you’ll be on it, Preacher. I was never worried about that.”

  Preacher smiled at the reassurance and turned back to Eli as they moved away. Logan provided the final comment. “Strange thing is, we have all heard of weirder marriages. Lots weirder.” The other two nodded in agreement.

  The three-person greeting party continued to welcome returning crew members as the shuttle emptied all the passengers and then began to load the last group of sailors to depart on leave. Flot 1 would be pulling out in fifteen days if the engine replacement schedule held up, but Predator was departing five days earlier than the other ships to conduct a side mission, so this last group going on liberty had to be back in ten days.

  As the line of departing crewmembers began to enter the shuttle, Blondie hurried up to Hawkins. She came to a stop and dropped her one duffel bag. “Captain, I’ve just talked to Preacher, and I’m not sure I should go at this time.”

  “Fortunately, I am sure you should go and, guess what, I decided to go with my judgment on this, so you’re going.”

  Blondie was not giving up so easily. “Preacher looks a little wrung out, and I heard about Eli’s wedding. Maybe I should stay for a few more days.”

  “Preacher assures me he will be bright eyed and ready to go tomorrow morning, and that was always the timeline for you two to switch over. I think he can hack it but, if not, best to find out here and now.”

  Blondie frowned but had no ready reply. She picked up her bag. “I’ll be back in ten days then.”

  Rafe shook his head. “Nope. We will pick you up at your home planet in twelve days.”

  Blondie looked surprised. Rafe had deliberately held back this information as he knew Blondie would react just as she was doing now. He did not want to give her time to come up with a plan that included not going on liberty. He continued. “We’re not going out of our way for you. This ship will be passing near your planet as we go on our little side mission. As it happens, Tactical will be arriving on your home planet to be picked up as well. Then we will do our side mission.”

  “Captain, I don’t know about Preacher being in charge while the ship is underway with the new engines for the first time. He is-.”

  Hawkins overrode her. “I do know. Good bye, Blondie.” The young woman paused as she tried to come up with more objections. “GOOD BYE, Blondie.” The tone left no doubt the discussion was over. Blondie smiled a tentative smile and shouldered her bag. She boarded the shuttle.

  Chapter 11

  Tactical and her grandfather sat in the library. They shared the sofa in front of the lit fireplace, each engrossed in their reading. This was their favorite room, and a tradition had already been established of this room being the center of their activities together while in the house. Neither was given to grand farewell plans, so reading and quietly enjoying each other’s company in this favorite place was the perfect routine for their last night together. Tomorrow morning Tactical would head for the planet Aquitaine to join Blondie and rendezvous with Predator.

  Tobias Gallagher looked at his granddaughter with great affection. In many ways, they were closer than he and Raferty. He thought that may be because she reminded him so much of his daughter. She looked much like her, moved like her, and had many of the same gestures and voice reflections. As he watched her, it suddenly occurred to him to address that. He needed her to understand.

  “Rebecca?”

  She looked up from her book and smiled at him. He smiled back and continued. “I want to make certain of one thing in our relationship. I love you for you. Your mother does not enter into this.”

  The young woman smiled at him. “I know that, Grandfather.”

  He nodded as he shifted closer to her. “I want to be sure about this. You are much like her, and it would be easy to think I was trying to use you to make up for my torn relationship with her. I want you to know you are not a surrogate for a ghost.”

  Tactical was struck by his intensity. She smiled and reached out for his arm. “When I was young, people were always saying I was so much like my mother. It never bothered me because I didn’t see it. I had none of her fire for reform or judgmental ways. She would say things and do things I could never imagine myself saying and doing. We may have had the same gestures and appearance, but I was never a younger edition of her. I never once thought you were using me as a stand-in for my mother.” She slid next to the older man. “You have made us welcome in this house, and you made us feel this is our home now. We were very worried about our first visit here. It could have ended with us being turned away, but it turned out to be much better than either of us could have hoped. That is all due to you. I love you, Grandfather. In a perfect universe, Raferty and I would be known as Zachary and Rebecca, and we would live here and never leave.”

  Tobias Gallagher nodded. His version of a perfect universe had that exact same scenario.

  ~ ~ ~

  The next morning dawned bright and clear at Haven Hill. Early summer was upon the land and had driven away the morning mist and the afternoon rains of springtime. The temperature was slightly cool in the morning but would soon climb to that perfect zone when nobody even noticed the temperature as they went about their day. Tactical would not be here to experience it.

  She stood on the landing pad next to the family shuttle. She was anxious to leave to get back to Flot 1 and, at the same time, reluctant to leave here. She shook off the melancholy and smiled at her grandfather and the many others who turned out to wish her farewell. This was more difficult than the last departure. She had Raferty with her then, and they were planning to return in less than a standard month. Now she would make the return trip to Predator alone with no set return time.

  Tactical hugged everyone there. She shared words with each. The second to last was George. He kept up a brave front, but Tactical could tell he was not happy. Not so much for himself as for her grandfather. George knew how much the two grandchildren meant to the Duke. The two exchanged heartfelt words and hugged again.

  She turned to her grandfather. “Time here both stands still and flies, doesn’t it?”

  The older man smiled at her. “I don’t know how, but time does both simultaneously in Black Hallow. No matter how much time you spend here, it is never enough.” He smiled at his granddaughter. “I know you cannot say when you and Zachary will return, but I will be counting the days. Take care and keep doing what you have been doing. It has worked so far.”

  She nodded and silently hugged her grandfather again. She didn’t trust herself to speak without crying. She drew back, and they shared a smile. Then she turned and boarded the shuttle.

  Chapter 12

  Predator was due to depart when sunrise hit the base the next morning, the reminder that flotilla would depart five days later under the command of Killian O’Hare. Now was the time for final meetings and final work details. Pirates met with their Royal Navy counterparts covering intelligence, logistics, operations, shipboard engineering, ordnance, and a va
riety of other subjects. Flot 1 ships completed their last stages of testing for the new engines. Ships were loaded with food, water, repair parts, supplies, and munitions. Intelligence briefs and databases were updated and uploaded into ship computers.

  There was one more meeting between Admiral Barrett and Raferty Hawkins. They met aboard Predator for a last dinner. Completing the guest list were Captain Mallory, Mason Reed, Baby Doll, Shane Delacruz, and Killian O’Hare. Hawkins made sure he and Mallory sat next to each other. He also ensured Barrett and O’Hare had the same arrangement. Those two had only returned from their leave late yesterday. What was to be a four-day holiday had turned into seven days. Hawkins had not talked to O’Hare since her return, but he assumed all went well.

  Shane provided his chef as she was the best in Flot 1. The meal was excellent and the company and conversation more so. Killian O’Hare assumed the hostess role and played it well. She kept the conversations on track, included everyone in all talks, complimented the guests, ran the timing for the various courses to be served, and ensure the alcohol flowed. Mason Reed was at his charming best and Shane Delacruz showed the refinement and courtesy he had learned as a Marbellan Navy officer. Baby Doll was Baby Doll, and that always worked. A great meal in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

  After dining was done, everyone leaned back in their chairs with after-dinner drinks in hand. Conversations continued. Captain Mallory looked at her watch and looked pointedly at the Admiral. He nodded in response to the look. “We got to move along in a few minutes. I have a comm call coming from Naval HQ.” He looked at the group around him and smiled. “Let me talk business briefly. I know your intel is good so I assume you know of a Commonwealth battle squadron in the Badlands now.”

  Rafe nodded. “Fourteen ships with two battlecruisers. They’ve been there for seven weeks.”

  Barrett nodded. He was not surprised Hawkins and his people knew this. “I assume they are after Captain, formerly Admiral, Terrant.” He nodded toward Delacruz. “Perhaps Shane also.”

  Nobody missed the use of the last name for Llewellyn Terrant and first name for Shane Delacruz. The Admiral knew Shane Delacruz and trusted him, but Terrant was a newcomer. Everyone also noted that the Admiral knew Terrant had been an admiral in her previous life. The question was whether Barrett found that out on his own or Terrant told him at the formal dinner seven weeks prior. Most of the pirate money would be on the latter possibility.

  Hawkins looked around the table and back at the Admiral. He decided to share his information. “They are coming to the Badlands as a response to Marbellan Space Navy ships coming to the Badlands. Terrant called the Marbellan ships to rally there. Right now, there are four destroyers and a light cruiser hiding out and we got word the other day of another light cruiser coming in behind the Commonwealth squadron. That Squadron has to be after those ships. Of course, Terrant and Shane would be an added bonus if the Commonwealth could grab or kill them. I suspect they knew about Terrant being here but not Shane. They will know about him now though. Our sources say the visitors have had much contact with the Goths. I suspect the Goths will share all their intel with the Commonwealth if it gets the Commonwealth after us.”

  “What’s Terrant’s motives for calling together ships?”

  “I suspect two motives. The first motive is to bring those ships into Pirate Flotilla One with her as a squadron commander so she has a base of power. The second motive is to make a deal with the Goths to sell us out at a most inconvenient time for us. She gives us to the Goths, she gets a free pass into the Badlands and a new group of best friends. At least for a while. There are plenty of planets in the Badlands where Terrant and her force could be the big dog if the Goths stay out of the way. Maybe Terrant wants a place to start a colony for disillusioned Marbellans.”

  Barrett nodded. “I assume you have a counter plan?”

  Hawkins flicked his eyes to the Admiral’s right and locked onto O’Hare. “Unleash Wolfpack at a time convenient to us. We take out Terrant, those other Marbellan ships will join us or run away.”

  Barrett nodded again. “The Commonwealth force had to pass through Empire space so had to file appropriate flight plans and manifests. Not in my AOR but I think I can lay my hands on the paperwork. I’ll see that you get a copy for intel purposes.” Hawkins nodded his thanks. Mallory looked at her watch again. Barrett got the message. He rose. “We have to be getting on.” The others rose with him. He looked at Hawkins. “A quick private word, please.”

  Hawkins nodded and led the way to his day cabin while the others moved to the hangar bay. The two men took seats at the briefing table. Admiral Barrett smiled at Hawkins. “Thank you for talking Anastasia into a quick vacation. I understand you were the driving force behind that.”

  Hawkins smiled back. “Since you know her real name, it must have gone well.”

  “It went better than I could have hoped. I understood her reluctance at accompanying me, but I am so pleased it happened.”

  Hawkins nodded and grew serious. “You’re operating outside the rules here.”

  “She is worth it. All that and more.”

  “Your career?”

  Barrett nodded without hesitation. “I don’t give a damn about my career. I have sacrificed everything for my career. Never been married. No children. My brothers and sisters are near strangers. After all the years, I am now tethered to the home systems in times of crisis. With Anastasia, I think I have something real here, and I want to take the chance. It may be my last opportunity, and she is a godsend.”

  Raferty smiled. “A godsend? I’m willing to bet serious money you are the first person in the universe to ever say that about Killian O’Hare.”

  The Admiral smiled at that, and Rafe could see his commitment. If things didn’t work out, it would not be this man’s fault. Hawkins went on. “You may not give a damn about your career, but I do. From a purely selfish point of view, you are the best friend we have in the Empire. I also think you are a damn fine officer and leader. If the rest of the leadership were of your caliber, the war would be well on its way to being won already.” He paused and eyed his guest. “You know there are those who will use this relationship against you, if possible.”

  Barrett shrugged. “Thank you for the compliments. My enemies can’t get me if Home Fleet continues to sit on its collective ass. Since we are tied to our base, there are no opportunities to screw up. The war can’t be won unless we commit all our forces to the offense, and that includes Home Fleet. If something goes wrong at that time, then they will leap on me.”

  Hawkins agreed. “True, but that offensive won’t happen until your people build up the military and get rid of all the idiots currently in power positions in the military and the government. War has a way of doing that, but it is a long process and is usually accompanied by a high body count.”

  “Unfortunately, true.”

  The two men stood up and departed for the hangar bay. The others were waiting there. Handshakes were exchanged. Barrett spoke to the group. “Thank you for that fine meal. I prefer the relaxed atmosphere to the more formal settings.”

  Rafe nodded in response. “You’re always welcome on any Flot 1 ship, Admiral. Thank you for your generosity.” He glanced briefly at Sky Mallory and nodded. She returned the nod. That was all there could be for now… long war and longer distances. Too long for promises or plans. Right after the Electra fight, they had recently spent time together at Haven Hill. Not enough time, but it would have to do.

  The Royal Navy shuttle departed. They would drop off Delacruz and his chef at Vindictive, and then O’Hare would return to Nemesis. Or not. Hawkins was going with “not.”

  Chapter 13

  The next morning at sunrise over the Wanderlust surface base, Predator departed. She set course for Blondie’s home world of Aquitaine. Travel time at maximum sustained speed was two days. Rafe was in his command chair as his ship began to depart her anchorage. “Eli, keep the speed at minimum headway.”

&nbs
p; Eli looked back at him, a bit surprised. That was much too slow for normal departure speed, but he knew enough not to ask questions. “Aye, Captain.”

  Hawkins brought up a hull camera on one of his floating screens. He locked onto Sirocco. He didn’t have to wait long. A shuttle departed the flagship and set a direct course for Nemesis. Hawkins watched it dock on Nemesis’s port airlock for one minute and then the shuttle set a course back to Sirocco. He rose from his chair. “In ten minutes, increase to normal departure speed until clear of Wanderlust controlled space and then go to max sustained.”

  Raferty moved to his day cabin desk and hit a virtual button on his floating screen there. He sat down as the comm call went through to O’Hare.

  She answered immediately from her day cabin. “Yes?” She smiled at Raferty.

  He smiled back. “Since you extended your trip from four to seven days, I assumed your vacation went well, but I wanted to hear it from you.”

  O’Hare continued to smile. “It was fantastic. Paul and I had a great time.”

  “I assume Paul is what the ‘P’ stands for in Lawton P. Barrett.”

  “Correct.” She couldn’t stop smiling as she remembered the experience.

  Hawkins tried to assume a hurt tone. “He never asked me to call him Paul.”

  “You don’t sleep with him.”

  “If that is the price to call him Paul, I guess I will always be stuck with Admiral Barrett.”

  “Your loss.”

  “I can live with it. Does he get to call you Stacy?”

  Killian leaned toward the screen and her smile went wistful. “You are the only one who will ever get to call me Stacy, even though you haven’t called me that in a while.”

  “I’ve thought it many times. That’s got to be worth something.”

  Killian kept her smile, but it changed slightly. Her new expression drew a like smile from Hawkins. They silently enjoyed the smiles and recalling shared experiences from long ago. Neither was in a hurry to move on with the conversation as their past flashed through their memories. The quiet went on for many seconds. Finally, Raferty spoke. “We’ll see you in a few days.” O’Hare’s smile changed again in acknowledgment of the change in topic. It grew broader and Hawkins matched it. She spoke. “You broke the spell first. I win the stroll down memory lane.”