A Check for a Billion

by Vasily Mahanenko

  “Major.” The guard nodded to me, striking himself against his chest in a show of respect. I can’t say it didn’t feel nice to be saluted. You can’t help but feel significant, your posture straightens against your will and you get the urge to clap the local on the shoulder in a fraternal kind of way. I even tossed my head to clear the sentiment.

  The interior decor, its tasteless pomp, was already beginning to grate on me. I’d seen the same kitsch in the palace of the Brotherhood’s former leader, as well as Hilvar’s residence. The only major difference was the assembly hall. It was distinct in its simplicity, both in terms of decoration and furnishings. An immense, rectangular table occupied the center, with chairs all around it. The chairs were bolted to rails in the floor which moved at the touch of a button. Wit-Verr had ensured that no one could brandish a chair-leg like a club to beat their neighbor to death with.

  Half an hour remained before the assembly. I was one of the first to arrive. The steward took me to my seat, which allowed me to get a good look at everyone who showed up. The first to appear were the rank and file pirates of note — the ones who had distinguished themselves from everyone else. Then came lieutenants and majors. Eunice appeared five minutes before the beginning, whispering about something with Kiddo. My former companion glanced at me and a fleeting shadow flashed across her face. Then the steward led the girls to their seats. Eunice was seated among the lieutenants, while Kiddo…Kiddo was ushered all the way to the head of the table.

  Hilvar and the Corsican entered the hall one after another. They didn’t bother concealing their ire — publicly wishing me a prompt death when they saw me. I saluted them in return, grinning widely as if they’d wished me good health and fortune. The steward didn’t even lead them anywhere. They walked on their own to Kiddo’s right-hand side and sat down between her and the throne. Okeydokey. Looks like this whole trio now has seniority over me. This is bad.

  Tryd and Gloom appeared in the doorway shoulder to shoulder and I expected them to get stuck like two stooges — but alas the door was wide enough for both to pass abreast. Finally, there came a flourish, and Wit-Verr himself entered to general whispering, walking solemnly and in the company of an intricate cube on wheels. Judging by its numerous stickers — this was some Anorxian aristocrat. The doors on both ends of the hall shut and the clicks of their locks indicated that the assembly had begun.

  The new head of the Brotherhood, walked over to his throne with a toad’s heavy gait, and waited as the Anorxian sat down on his right-hand side. He then scanned everyone assembled with a heavy gaze.

  “I was gone a mere thirty years and in that time you lot managed to turn the dread Brotherhood into some kind of boys’ fraternity. You have forgotten our true power! You have reduced us to a pimple on Galactogon’s back! A couple of days ago, the empires agreed to squeeze us, wipe us out, and forget all about us!”

  The hall erupted in a whisper of discontent but Wit-Verr extinguished it with a wave.

  “Silence! Now you listen! I have returned and will restore us to our former glory. The empires have changed their minds and are ready to leave us alone.”

  Well sure. Didn’t I just kill the Queen?

  “This will give us time to grow strong, to make our preparations. The Corsican and I spoke for a long time about where he took the Jolly Roger Brotherhood. What he turned it into. But I realized the most important thing — our strength lies in our unity! Therefore — in the name of fraternity — I will give the former leader a second chance!”

  How commendable! And not a word about how it was the Corsican who stuck him in that black hole. I wonder how much the Delvian prince paid to get back into his former boss’s good graces?

  “I will now introduce you to my new generals! You know them well and you may trust them completely. The Corsican, Hilvar and Kiddo!”

  The pirates began banging their fists on the table in unison, welcoming and approving the announcement. As for me, it came like a knee to the groin. Obviously I didn’t expect anything good when I saw the three of them sit down next to the head of the table, but I consoled myself with the thought that this was nothing more than a tribute to their past merits and in no way a sign of their current positions. I now had three bosses that hated me — not the brightest prospect for a loner like me. Heck, Tryd was enough of a handful as things stood.

  “They will be joined by new majors and new lieutenants!”

  Wit-Verr listed the pirates I’d already met and then suddenly turned to me:

  “Major Surgeon, report what you found at the Praline base!”

  Everyone’s attention turned to me. Smothering the urge to stand up and report officially, I replied as casually as possible:

  “The Praline base no longer exists. There are six Zatrathi flying fortresses in the system. The planet has been captured and the base itself has been dismantled. The third warehouse, which I was promised as a reward, is no more. I would like to request my due compensation for having accomplished a mission whose reward was not there to begin with. If you need proof that I was at the base, I have brought it with me.”

  “You snuck past six flying fortresses on your own? Now that is quite curiousss,” Kiddo gibed, but stopped short from the look that Wit-Verr gave her.

  “This is your first warning, general. I’m the one who decides what’s ‘quite curiousss’ around here. Major, I recognize your claim for compensation.”

  A system notification appeared that I had received a transfer of GCs to my account. The pirate leader was quite generous: He had transferred ten million credits. Given my current financial state this amount was basically peanuts, and yet it would be an unheard-of sum for most of Galactogon’s playerbase.

  “Major Surgeon’s report confirms my assumptions,” continued Wit-Verr. “The Zatrathi have become too dangerous to ignore. Their offensive may has stopped for now, but in a month it will be even more powerful. The Queen will seek revenge and we will be the first in her crosshairs.”

  Wit-Verr shifted his heavy gaze on me. It boded nothing good at all.

  Is he trying to suggest that I’m to blame? Has this frog lost his damn mind?!

  “With his ill-conceived actions, Major Surgeon has imperiled the Brotherhood, imperiling us with a blow from a deadly and mighty force! Humans have already tried to kill the Queen. Each time, the monster discovered their leaders and wiped their star systems from the face of Galactogon. Now our turn has come. This is why I settled here. Let them rather destroy Barganil III than our home planets.”

  A murmur of approval met the pirate leader’s words. A move worthy of a true chief. If misfortune is imminent — it is better to plan for the worst case, than let the blow fall on your head. I finally understood the indifferent reaction I got from Ash’s people when I told them about the Queen’s location. They already knew what would happen.

  “I always said that this small fry is too unreliable to make major,” Tryd muttered. “A lieutenant at best, and even that’s too much.”

  “Sometimes it is worth admitting your mistakes.” Wit-Verr never once looked away from me. “I was too generous in promoting Surgeon to major. His true rank is lieutenant. From now on it will be so. Steward — why have you seated a junior officer among the majors?”

  Servants began to scurry around the hall, re-arranging the seating. They wanted to lift me along with the chair, unfastening it with a special key from the floor, but I quickly jumped to my feet. As the entire assembly laughed, my chair was moved to the very end of the officer part of the table. I found myself among the rank and file pirates who had distinguished themselves in battle.

  I had never experienced such humiliation. Neither in Galactogon, nor in Runlustia, nor in real life. My face felt like it was burning and it was only thanks to the game’s lack of detail that it didn’t actually blush as red as a banner. I was unsure about what was making the Bufondian do this. Blood pulsed in my temples and a wave of anger swept away all my cooler thoughts. I stood there like an idiot, starin
g at my new place, and could not find the strength to walk over there and sit down. To accept the new place seemed the equivalent of accepting my shame and humiliation.

  “Lieutenant, do you need a second invitation?” Wit-Verr continued. “Sit down!

  The servants grabbed me by the elbows, but I jerked, pushing them away. The Brotherhood’s token appeared in my hand. I looked at the piece of useless metal for a few moments, then threw it on the table, turned and headed for the closed doors. My time in the Jolly Roger had come to an end. I could have followed this up with an irate tirade but I decided to maintain my honor. Why waste it on empty words? We are men of action!

  Wit-Verr grunted something over his shoulder and then announced:

  “Take Surgeon to the brig. We will surrender him to the Queen. The orbship shall be disassembled for spare parts. Lieutenant Nurse, do as I command!”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Stay still,” Eunice ordered a bit too loudly as she tried to cuff the Rialto Bracelets on me. This was too much. Four manipulators had restrained my limbs and I could hardly move. I couldn’t understand why the pirates were so angry. I just wanted to self-destruct with a Zatrathi grenade. True, I wanted to take as much of their stupid pirate mugs with me as I could, but those were details. Unfortunately, they were faster on the trigger. A beam shot out from the hall’s ceiling, instantly defusing my grenade, and after a dozen seconds, Lumara’s transmitter was also deactivated. Though, these dozen seconds were actually too much: When I ordered Brainiac to arrange a small Armageddon on the planet’s surface and then blow up Warlock at the first attempt to capture her, the pirates burst into laughter in naïve carelessness. They did not think that a person could contact the ship without an armor suit and through the assembly hall’s jamming field. It was that much more pleasant for me to see Kiddo’s face grow white and long as she began to receive reports from her people. Brainiac kindly made sure to blow up her personal frigate. Even after my transmitter was neutralized, I kept receiving notifications about my ship’s guns leveling up. Brainiac really did let the pirates have it! Lexus was the next ship to head to respawn. The orbship computer had read my mind.

  Still, sooner or later, all good things come to an end. Wit-Verr had fortified his residence very well. No matter how hard he tried, Brainiac couldn’t overcome all the AA guns around the place. But I could be proud of him: The first fifty docks of Barganil III were no more. And neither were the ships that had been in them.

  “Give me a knife,” I asked in a whisper, watching my wife handcuff me. Mine had been sheathed in my body armor, and the pirates had confiscated it earlier.

  “No way,” whispered Eunice. “Why did you blow up my Lexus?! Spend a couple days in the brig. It will do you good.”

  “Are you having a laugh?” I asked with astonishment. “We have plans!”

  “I have plans…You…you’re just getting in the way. If I were on my own, I would have found the check a long time ago. Did you really think that the coordinates from the cylinder would be of help? It’s a setup. Just like all the other ones before! I’m going to go on by myself from here. And you’re not going to get in my way.”

  “What are you talking about?” I couldn’t understand whether she was being serious or hamming it up for our audience. However, I didn’t have time to figure it out as the pirates began to jostle me toward the exit. Eunice turned sharply and returned to her place, earning the praise of the head pirate.

  “Eunice?” I made one last attempt, but she didn’t even turn her head in my direction, only exchanged glances with Kiddo.

  “Shut yer yap and be on your way,” Tryd suddenly appeared beside me. It seemed that the Delvian wanted to personally make sure that I would be delivered to my cell. Cursing, I took one last look at my wife — who looked perfectly content — and turned to go.

  I was taken to a dark cell and shoved against the bench.

  “Give me the keys and scram,” said the Delvian to the guards, who did as ordered without an extra word. Making sure that we were alone, Tryd leaned closer and growled: “Now listen here, small fry! What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave your empty skull. In particular, don’t you dare say word one about it to your female. Nod if you understand me and are ready to be silent.”

  “I got it,” I replied and doubled over from the blow to my sternum. The breath knocked out of me, I gasped for air struggling against the debuffs that appeared.

  “Are you stupid or just pretending? I said ‘nod!’” Tryd growled. “Nod if you understand me and are prepared to keep what I’m about to tell you secret!”

  This damn local. I regained my breath and glared at the fox with hatred. After a brief pause, I nodded.

  You have agreed to the following obligation: ‘Keep a secret.’ Everything that Tryd tells you must remain between you and him. You may not disclose this information in the game. If you violate your obligation, you will face a penalty of 100,000 GC.

  “You didn’t say anything about a fine.” I did not like the notification and decided to stand up for my rights. “I refuse to comply with something I wasn’t told of in advance! Especially a monetary fine.”

  “You will lose much more than just credits,” said Tryd. “You will lose my respect.”

  “I would be happy to tell you where you can stick your respect, but my upbringing won’t allow me.”

  I wanted to keep arguing with the fox, but common sense prevailed. At this point, I just wanted to quickly finish this entire affair.

  Obligation updated: ‘Keep a secret.’ If you violate your obligations, you will lose rapport with Tryd.

  “I don’t care what you think of me. Our work is much more important. The chief sent you into exile for a reason. You have to find out who works for the Zatrathi Queen.”

  I was at a loss for words when I heard this. Not only had they just kicked me out, but I was supposed to do something for them too? Tryd interpreted my silence in his own way, deciding that I was waiting for him to go on:

  “Someone within the Brotherhood is leaking information. The Queen seems to know exactly where our hidden bases and star systems are located. It was clear back when she gobbled up Volta — she doesn’t just show up at random. The Brotherhood can’t grow strong as long as there’s a rat among our ranks!”

  New mission available: Secret Brother Seamus. Description: Wit-Verr suspects that one of the pirates is working with the Queen, passing her information about the pirate bases. Find the traitor and the evidence of their betrayal. Reward: Promotion to General of the Jolly Roger 2.0.

  “Wit-Verr knew that you would not accept your humiliation and quit the Brotherhood instead. That was the entire plan. We won’t know where you are and what you’re doing and that will only make the rat worry. The rat will try to find you, and you will have a chance to catch it. Don’t worry about your escape. The chief will ignore it, while the Queen only wants revenge.”

  I bit my tongue to keep myself from accidentally mentioning my new relationship with the Zatrathi. The pirates didn’t need to know about it. Given how they’re acting these days, the lot of them can go to hell! Still, I accepted the mission. Not to actually do it, but to escape from this place sooner. Tryd pulled out a long dagger and unfastened my handcuffs. The expression on the Delvian’s muzzle was extremely sour.

  “Now the business at hand. You have to kill me. We have to make it look like you attacked me and then vanished! And damn it all, this’ll multiply my reputation by zero! Do you understand this, small fry?! Me! A space marine veteran with fifty years’ experience will be cut down by a ninny pirate reject. If there was another way…But forget it. Find the traitor, Surgeon. Find the traitor and the evidence. Otherwise I will be disappointed in you. Now get on with it!”

  Tryd tilted his head back, exposing his throat. He didn’t have to ask twice — a sharp blow sent the pirate to rebirth. I had accumulated so much anger with this NPC that I could have torn him apart with my bare hands. And then glued him together and set
him up like a totem on Warlock’s bridge deck. Just to scare any intruders away.

  A shimmering crate fell to the floor, containing nothing but a note:

  “One more thing! Do not trust anyone. Your female is too close to Kiddo. They have business between them. Strange and mysterious business. Do this job on your own.”

  The warning unambiguously suggested whom I should consider rat candidate number one. Now I already knew that Kiddo was a giant rat, but I had been mistaken about the scale of it. In her blind desire to destroy the Qualians, she could go to great lengths. Including working with the Queen. As for Eunice…I didn’t even want to think about it. Had she decided to show her true colors? Well…well…On the one hand, I should have expected it. After all, she had a storied gaming past. And she had always played solo. On the other hand…she should take care because otherwise she might get her teeth knocked out.

  Undressing, I stuck the knife in my chest and returned to Zubrail. My wife’s words had hurt me — they certainly found fertile ground in my mind. I had long begun to suspect that there was no check on the planet that Belmarad had leaked to us, but I had kept this thought to myself.