"An arrangement that's worked well for both of us", Charles said. "Despite the hour, thank you for calling. Are you in some sort of trouble?"
"Not exactly", Boo said, "But I do need your help."
"Name it", Charles said.
"I need a ship", Boo said. "One of the new ones, of course."
"Of course. I don't see why that should be a problem. We just finished work on a marvelous yacht. It's yours."
"Thanks", Boo said. "I don't think a yacht will suit my purposes, though. I have another ship in mind. I want the one we just completed for the UPDF. The new double-hulled model. I believe it's on Deimos, where they're stocking it. Isn't it named the Spectre?"
"It is", Beaulieu said. "But Jean-Michel, you can't be serious. We have over eighty million credits invested in that ship, and that's not including the equipment the UPDF installed in her. Not to mention, that's an awful lot of ship for one person. It would be just for you, wouldn't it?"
"Let's stick to what I'm asking for", Boo said. "That's the ship I want, period."
"The UP will not be pleased. What will I tell them? And then, there's the cost..."
"Tell the UP you'll build them another one", Boo said. "Tell them you need the Spectre for research. Considering that's what I'm going to do, once aboard, you'll be telling them the truth. Of course, I'm assuming you wish for me to continue my work for the company."
"Absolutely", Charles said.
"Excellent", Boo said. "As for the cost, I'm guessing I can afford it? How much money do I have?"
"I have no idea", Charles said. "I'm sure you can afford it, though. Shouldn't run to more than a hundred fifty million, at most."
"I own a third of the corporation, and so do you", Boo said. "Which means, you and I should have about the same amount of money. I imagine you know exactly how much you have, Charles. How much would that be?"
Beaulieu looked like he'd just contracted a bad case of stomach cramps. He studied Boo for a moment, before answering.
“Around five hundred, maybe even six hundred”, he said. “It tends to rise and fall with the markets."
"Five hundred million seems a little low, Charles."
"Ah, my poor clueless brother”, Charles said, sighing. “Billion, Boo. I imagine you have a little more than I do, since you don’t spend it on anything."
"I am, now", Boo said. "I’m buying the Spectre, Charles. Is this going to be an issue?”
"Not at all", Charles said. "I still don't like this, Boo. Nevertheless, I will do my best to get you that ship. Bear in mind, these things are complicated."
"I don't believe it's complicated at all, Charles. Let me simplify this for you. I get the Spectre, and you can continue to vote my third of Dark Energy Corporation as your own shares. I'll continue with my research and development efforts, as normal. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to seek assistance elsewhere. I understand Marjorie has long believed she should be running the company."
"You hate Marjorie", Charles said. "You wouldn't do that."
"I don’t hate her as much as you do", Boo said. "Nevertheless, Charles, I will do what I have to do. Now, are you going to get me that ship?"
"This is blackmail", Beaulieu said.
"Have a nice night, Charles", Boo said. "I'll tell Marjorie you said hi. Sleep well."
"Wait", Beaulieu said, a flash of panic crossing his face. He seemed to visibly deflate.
"Yes?"
"All you want is the Spectre?"
"For now", Boo said. "At some point I might need something else, but I doubt it will be anything large. Right now, I need the ship, and I want the UPDF equipment left aboard, intact. Yank it out from under them before they remove anything. I also want it outfitted with my latest lab equipment and software. Stock it for a full crew of, say, eighty. I believe it was designed for as many, or more."
"It was", Charles said. "Anything else?"
"As a matter of fact", Boo said, "One other thing. Stock it with real food. Lots of it."
I smiled at that one; someone who hated ship’s rations as much as I did.
"Alright", Charles said. "Perhaps you'd like a pony, as well?"
"Not at the moment", Boo said, smiling. "Maybe later. Oh yeah, one other thing. Pull the AI from the Spectre; I already have one."
"One you trust, I hope", Beaulieu said. "We've been having problems, here."
"I can imagine", Boo said, looking over at us, and smiling. "Have they been resolved?"
"Not exactly", Beaulieu said. "We've done what a lot of other corporations have had to do; we're using non-sentient systems, at the moment."
"How's that working?"
"About as well as you might imagine", Charles said.
"So, hire an AI to run everything", Boo said.
"How exactly does one pay an AI?" Charles asked. "What could they possibly want?"
"Try asking one what they want", Boo said. "If you're sincere, and will commit to treating any AIs working for us as free beings, I can probably have someone... influential, put in a good word for you."
"That would be great", Beaulieu said. "Will you come to Mars for the Spectre?"
"I'd rather not", Boo said. "Tell you what... why don't you bring the ship to Iapetus, and wait in orbit there for me."
"Bring it to Iapetus?" Beaulieu asked. "Me, personally?"
"Yes, you, personally", Boo said. "This is not negotiable, Charles."
"Iapetus is dangerous territory, Jean-Michel. The UPDF no longer has a presence in that area."
"I'm aware of that", Boo said. "Seriously, I think you'll be fine, Charles. It is a warship, after all. It's not as though anyone is going to hijack you."
"Those pirate you were with did precisely that", Charles said.
"Well, they won't be hijacking this one", Boo said, and smiled over at us. He was having fun.
"I think I understand", Beaulieu said, and I imagined he did. "Can you give me a week?"
"Three days should suffice", Boo said. "You won't be kept waiting."
"Alright, fine. It's not like you're giving me a lot of options here. Father would not be pleased, you know."
"No, he would not be, least of all with your behavior", Boo said. "You know how he felt about bureaucrats. He'd have that ship already on the way to me, with no argument."
"I'll take care of it", Charles said, looking annoyed again. "Shall I give everyone your best?"
"Probably not a good idea, what with me being missing, and presumed dead", Boo said.
"Good point", Charles said. "Now, do you mind if I go back to sleep, or must all this be done this minute?"
"Go back to sleep", Boo said, "If you can. Morning will be fine. See you in a few days. Pleasant dreams."
"Likewise", Charles said, and the screen went blank.
"Well", Boo said. "I think that solves the star drive problem."
"And then some", I said, looking around at the others. "Sounds like you're gonna have one helluva ship."
"Oh", Boo said, looking over at me. "It isn't my ship; I don't want the thing. I got it for you guys, it's your ship. I just want someplace I can work on my research, since we're going to have to remain incognito for a while. Assuming you don't mind me hanging around."
"Not at all", I said, then stopped, as I was still largely speechless.
"I might want to try out the occasional thing, every now and then, but otherwise, you won't know I'm there. I promise."
"We're all glad you'll be with us", I said. "After all we've been through, it would seem strange if you weren't here."
"Thanks", he said, and blushed.
"So", Eng said. "Once we get this new ship, where shall we go?"
"I've been thinking about that for the last couple of days", I said. "You know, we ended up with a massive amount of data from our raid on the DEC shipyard. If you recall, the navigation data of the Revenge showed that the UP has been doing quite a bit of exploring, and they haven't been sharing the data with anyone. I noticed there is some additional data along
those lines, in what we took from the shipyard."
"Now sitting at the bottom of Lake Thun", Cozi said.
"Most of it, yes", I said. "But, I'd transferred the information I was interested in onto my Pod, so I still have it."
"So, we're going exploring", Eng said. "Sounds... interesting."
"Well, not so much exploring, as... investigating, I suppose", I said. "I found one planet in particular that I thought was more interesting than the others. Much more interesting. It's the planet where the UP is getting the material they're building the new hulls out of. It’s in Epsilon Eridani, ten or eleven light years out. I’ll pass on the data if anyone wants to look at it."
"I've heard of the place", Boo said. "The UP would show up at the shipyard with the hull sections already formed, ready to install. We knew the planet where they were coming from, but they never would tell us how they were making them."
"That’s the big mystery, isn’t it?" I said. "There’s no record, not even in their data, of a colony, or even so much as a mining operation there. I think it’s interesting that they went all the way out there to get the new hull material, which is, incidentally, an entirely new element."
Everyone sat in an eerie silence. Finally, it was Eng who spoke.
"Or maybe a synthesized element?”
“Synthesized by whom?” Kyra asked.
I shrugged.
"We have some time to kill", I said. "Should be interesting to find out, don't you think?"
Everyone tried to speak at once. Eventually, the cacophony quieted.
"First, we need to get to Iapetus", I said. "Think you can get us to the Spectre, Cozi?"
"I believe I can", he said, smiling.
“It just occurred to me”, Eng said. “We’re all basically ghosts, and our ship will be the Spectre. Appropriate, huh?”
It was indeed.
Very appropriate.
The End
About the Author
In addition to writing novels, Nicholas Blue spends his time focusing on nature photography, producing club/rave music, and touring the diners and bars of the world. The latter satisfies his predilection for country fried steak, Irish whiskey, and interesting people.
Nick is also a combat veteran, and served with distinction as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Army. At present, he is enjoying a nomadic lifestyle, though he tends to gravitate toward the Pacific Northwest, the Deep South, and Detroit, Michigan. Yes, that Detroit.
Captain Doon and company will return in the forthcoming Ghosts of Epsilon Eridani.
Dubious Heroes: a novel Page 73