“The Tenari took them.”
Jeffers snorted. “There’s no such thing as Tenari. The shadow-stalkers are a bedtime story spacers and colonists tell their children to scare them into line.”
Kathleen Reed stood and drew her pistol in one swift motion. “No,” she whispered. “The Tenari are real.”
She made eye contact with Baldry, who swallowed, sweat breaking out on his bald head. If the girl was telling the truth, they were well and truly screwed.
They had met the Tenari, Reed and Baldry, and done battle with them in the one encounter between the two species decades ago. They knew the myth for its ugly reality.
In those days, the Black Manta was just the Manta, a fast attack interceptor of the Colonial Defense Forces protecting the far-flung outer colonies. Lt. Commander Baldry was the ship’s chief navigator and second officer, Reed a senior lieutenant.
By the time they escaped the colony planet of Iago II with the children left behind from the Tenari raid, half the landing party was lost to the shadowy, lightning-quick creatures, and The Manta, her captain killed in action, had fled the sector at best speed, their hold filled with frightened, orphaned children. It was the last time humans and Tenari had interacted for nearly thirty years. Until this raid.
“How many kids are on the ship?” Reed asked.
“At least fifty.”
“When they came, the adults loaded us all on the ship and we ran, but they found us,” the girl whispered in a tiny voice.
“Captain?” Baldry asked.
“Round the children up and transfer them to the Manta. We get them safe and we run. Keep the crew in teams of three or—”
“Ma’am!” a voice cracked and hissed into her ear. “We have incoming ships! Two minutes to intercept! I don’t know where they came from, captain. They must have been running silent.”
“Seal the airlock and undock!” she shouted into her comm-link. Her ship was helpless attached to the hull of the freighter.
“Ma’am?” Robert’s voice crackled.
“That’s an order, Mister Roberts. Undock and send a distress call.”
There was gunfire, a sound like ripping cloth, and a man’s short scream echoed down the corridor. The lights on the freighter flickered and died as the wail of terrified children filled the air. The comm-link in her ear went silent. Baldry and Janet produced emergency lights from their belts, filling the corridor with flickering, washed out illumination.
Captain Reed gripped her weapon tighter and licked her lips. Her crew had gathered around her, a gaggle of dirty and underfed children mixed into the lot. “All right, Baldry and Jeffers come with me to the Bridge. Janet, take the others. Round up the children and get them to Engineering. Barricade yourselves in and try to get this tub working.”
She turned to the woman at her side. “Tilly, you’re the closest thing to an engineer we have in this party. I’m counting on you to get this ship moving. We need power and propulsion, and we need it yesterday.”
Janet took a deep breath and turned to the rest of the crew. “You heard the captain! Form a circle around the young’uns and stay sharp. Who’s got more lights? Get them out! Move, people!” With a sloppy salute to Reed, Sobrinski took point of her little party, and the whole mess moved out.
Reed watched them for a moment before turning to the two men with her. “Let’s go.”
“Captain? What’s the plan?” Jeffers asked.
“Draw the enemy off. Try to gain control of the ship at the Bridge,” Baldry answered. He looked at the younger man. “You ready for some close-up action?”
Jeffers nodded his head yes, his face pale in Baldry’s emergency light.
They moved around a gentle curve in the corridor and found the first casualty. Baldry frowned. “Levy, God help him.”
“No one can help him now,” Reed said. “We trust to speed. Don’t worry about noise. We want to draw them away from Janet and the children.”
Baldry nodded. “I’ll lead.”
Reed gave him the go-ahead and the older man set out down the dim-lit corridor, Reed in the middle of the formation, with Jeffers bringing up the rear.
“How far to the Bridge?” Reed gasped out between breaths. She was not familiar with many of the older ships still in service.
“It should be just another twenty yards or so, then up two levels. Shouldn’t—”
“Drop!” Reed yelled, raising her pistol. Baldry dived toward the deck and twisted, bringing his own weapon into play.
It shimmered from the darkness, a long, sinuous shadow, six-limbed, the barest hint of wedge-shaped head on a long neck.
Reed fired wildly as the thing moved along the ceiling. The pistol roared and echoed in the enclosed space, bullets rang off the steel walls. Jeffers ducked as Reed fired over his head. As quickly as the creature appeared, it was gone.
And so was Jeffers.
Katherine Reed stared into the darkness that had seemed to consume the man. Just like that, silent as the grave, one of her crew was no more. “Jeffers!” she called.
“He’s gone,” Baldry said, grabbing her arm. “We have to get to the bridge. Captain!” Baldry barked in his best parade ground voice when she failed to move.
Reed jerked her arm out of Baldry’s grip and pushed a fresh magazine into her pistol. “Lead on, Mr. Baldry.” Reed kept glancing over her shoulder, looking for any sign of the Tenari. She had remembered how hard they were to fight, but one of her crew was snatched away while only a handful of feet from her and that brought it all back. She was so busy watching behind them, she ran into Baldry when he stopped at the ladder leading up to the bridge.
Baldry pointed his weapon upward. The light he carried shone silver against the polished steel of the tube. “They could be in there, waiting for us. It’s what I’d do.”
Reed peered over his shoulder up the tube. “Is there any other way up?” she asked.
“Yes, but this is the most direct route.”
“Let’s go.”
Baldry holstered his weapon and started climbing, scrambling up the ladder with the grace of a monkey, despite his advanced years.
Reed gave the corridor a last glance and then followed until Baldry called a stop. Reed looked back down the dark tube, one hand holding a ladder rung, the other aiming her pistol into the darkness. Above her, Baldry worked the hatch, his light rod gripped between his teeth. It unlocked with a clang. Baldry pushed the hatch open and scrambled over the edge, Reed hard on his heels.
Nothing attacked them. Reed closed the hatch and spun the locking mechanism. She stayed crouching, ready to fight, and swept her gaze around the Bridge.
Several of the control consoles were lit up and the navigation station was giving off a gentle beep. “There’s emergency power,” Baldry said, flipping some of the switches. The lights flared to life. Reed holstered her weapon and stepped up to the helm and navigation controls.
“Can you get me internal sensors?” she asked.
“There aren’t any, but I can get the comm working.”
Reed glanced out the port window. Large pieces of wreckage floated past. “Roger?” she called.
Baldry looked up. “Not ours,” he said after a few seconds.
Reed nodded. “Looks like Roberts gave them a good beating. I hope he got away.”
Neither needed to say what they thought. They were trapped, surrounded, and all alone. The soft rustle of movement reached her ears. She turned and drew her pistol. To her left, Baldry had done the same. He pointed at an access panel under the damage control station. Reed nodded, reached down with one hand and snapped the panel open. Baldry reached inside and yanked out the occupant. The small, twisting mass pulled away from Baldry’s grip and backed away from the two pirates. It was a young woman. Her brown hair was ratty, her clothes wrinkled and torn. Like the other children, she looked underfed.
The captain held up her hands. “Easy girl. We’re not going to harm you.”
The young woman gave each of th
e adults a quick look. “Who are you?” she demanded.
Reed decided on honesty. “Well, we’re the ones who disabled your ship, truth be told. I’m Katherine Reed, captain of the Black Manta.”
The girl frowned. “You’re a pirate?”
“Yes, but we’re not going to harm you. We don’t rob children. You got a name?”
“Mira. Mira Morgan. You shot us.”
Reed shrugged. “I didn’t know it was a ship full of kids running from the Tenari.”
“How did you avoid getting snatched?” Baldry asked. “You look old enough for them to take.”
“I hid. They didn’t find me.”
Captain Katherine Reed cursed herself. She had fired on a ship loaded with defenseless children. Reed swore that if she somehow survived this encounter, she would give up pirating. If someone else wanted to take the Manta and continue pirating, fine. She was done.
When she and the others had stolen the Manta from the salvage yard, they were recently decommissioned officers of the Colonial Navy, cast aside after the war with Earth. Their beloved ship, well past its prime and no longer needed by the service, was towed to the salvage yard to await scrapping. They had gotten drunk, and Janet had suggested they steal the ship and go rogue. Reed, several cups past sober, had agreed to be their commander. They captured the ship with no resistance and robbed a remote weapons depot. From that point on, it was all raiding and running from the Colonial Navy. That had been nearly seven years ago. Now here she was, shooting at children.
“I’ve got Janet on the comm,” Baldry said.
“Sobrinski, this is the captain. Report!”
“We’ve made it to the engine room. Tilly says she can get you about one-quarter speed in maybe ten minutes. Captain, I lost a couple of crew along the way. Travers and Burke are gone.”
Reed grimaced. “We lost Jeffers, too. I want you to sit tight, barricade the doors, make sure there’s no way into the room.”
“Captain,” Janet’s voice sounded strained, “these creatures, how do we fight them if they get inside?”
“The best thing to do is set up a hail of bullets.”
“I’ve got external sensors,” Baldry said. “There’s a ship approaching.”
“Ours or theirs?” Reed asked as Mira started to shiver and whimper.
“Ours. We’ll have to wait until she docks and use your radio.”
Reed looked to her long-time friend and executive officer. “Recommendations?”
He frowned. “Go back to the original plan. Get the kids on the Manta and run like the devil is on our heels.”
Reed nodded. Speed was their best bet. She looked at the girl. “That’s my ship coming in. Once she lands, we’re going to make a run for the airlock. I want you to stay between me and Mr. Baldry. We’ll get you to safety.” After Mira nodded her understanding, Reed tapped the ship’s internal communication control. “Janet, are you all right down there?”
“We’re still here, Captain.”
“Roberts is bringing the Manta. As soon as he lands, I’ll give you the all-clear. I want you to move your group to the airlock.”
Janet chuckled. “And we just got settled in.”
The hull reverberated as the ships docked. Reed opened a channel on her personal radio. “Reed to Manta. Report, Mr. Roberts.”
“Two hostile ships attacked. We destroyed one. The other fled, trailing atmosphere. We’ve sent a distress call, but long-range sensors show three more hostiles approaching, twenty minutes out.” He paused. “We took some damage, Captain. I don’t know how much fight the ship has left in her.”
“Very well, Mr. Roberts. Sit tight and wait for orders.” She turned to Baldry. The XO was frowning.
“We might be able to evacuate everyone in that time if everything goes smoothly,” he said.
Reed nodded in agreement. It was time to modify the plan. “Janet, how close were you to having the engines running?”
“Tilly says any second.”
“Get them running and then head for the airlock on the run.”
“Captain,” another female voice broke in, “I’ll need to baby-sit the engines if you want them to keep running.”
Reed growled. “How long will they work on their own?”
“A couple of minutes at most,” Tilly said.
“What are you thinking?” Baldry asked.
Reed settled into the helm chair. She touched the controls on her headset. “If we start moving away, even at a limp, we could buy ourselves a little extra time. Mr. Roberts, give me a heading away from our friends.”
“Make your heading two-one-eight mark six, ma’am.”
Reed punched in the course and gave the old freighter all the power it had. They started a slow turn and acceleration.
“Mr. Baldry, take our friend and meet Janet at the airlock.”
“No, ma’am,” Baldry replied, stepping up to her.
“Roger, I don’t have time to argue this.”
“Captain, the crew needs you to organize the evacuation.” He smiled at her. “They need their captain if they’re going to get out of this alive.”
“Roger, whoever stays here—”
“Probably doesn’t make it. But I’ll seal the bridge, and once you’ve got most of the crew and the kids on the Manta or the engines stop working, I’ll try to join you. Those Tenari ships are coming, and the Manta needs her captain. “
Reed turned on the comm. “Janet, tell Tilly it’s her choice if she wants to volunteer to stay, but the rest of you need to move out.”
Reed relinquished her chair to Baldry and grabbed Mira by the upper arm. “Come on.”
She stepped to the floor hatch, spun the lock, lifted the hatch, and pointed her pistol through the opening. Nothing swarmed up from the darkness to attack them.
She looked back to Baldry. “Roger—”
“Get ‘em to safety, Captain. I’ll join you soon enough.”
Reed nodded. “Good luck,” she said and started down the ladder. She heard Mira climbing down above her and the sound of the hatch closing. They both hit the bottom deck within seconds. Reed looked at the ragged teenaged girl.
“If you think you see anything, scream and point.”
The girl nodded, her eyes wide with fright.
As they approached the soft curve where Reed’s party was attacked previously, they heard distant sounds of shouts and weapons firing. Reed quickened her pace, dragging Mira along toward the apex of the curve.
It rushed toward them. The Tenari’s narrow, furred face on its wedge-shaped head looked surprised in the dim light. There was a dark fluid running down the front of its clothing and into the fur along its slim frame. It bunched its four back legs and leapt at her, extending the dagger-like blades it wore on its hands.
Reed stepped into the middle of the corridor and fired, getting off three rounds before it slammed into her body. She jabbed her weapon into its belly and fired again, even as it stabbed her in the shoulder. Reed pulled the trigger on her pistol again as the Tenari withdrew its blades and slashed her across the face, opening a cut on her cheek. The creature pulled itself up, trying to disengage. She grabbed its clothing, holding it fast and fired into its chest again. The alien gave a low whine, and slumped back down onto her, dead.
Reed pushed the body off and rose to her knees, bleeding from her shoulder and face. She stumbled forward, moving to where she hoped her gunnery officer was evacuating the rest of the crew off the ship. A light touch on her arm made her jerk away and raise her pistol.
Mira jumped back, shrieking.
“Sorry,” Reed gasped, leaning against the wall. She felt the young woman move toward her, settling under Reed’s good arm and taking her weight.
“Come on,” Mira said. “I’ll help you.”
The two limped down the corridor to the airlock. They found most of the Manta’s crew forming a defensive perimeter around the airlock as Janet and the others ushered the last of the children on to the pirate vessel.
<
br /> “Janet?” Reed called out.
“Captain, we just need another couple of minutes.”
Reed nodded. “Finish up here. Baldry’s still on the bridge trying to buy us some time.”
Janet nodded. “Tilly’s down in the engine room as well.”
“Captain,” a younger voice said. She turned to face her helmsman, who was standing guard in the airlock. “Four ships are on intercept. The one that got away is coming back with friends, ma’am”
“How long until they get here, Mr. Roberts?”
“Five minutes at most.”
The freighter shuddered, and a low hum started up. Reed looked around the area for a comm panel.
“Help me over there,” she said to Mira, who was still supporting her weight. The two women hobbled to the unit. Reed toggled the switch. “Roger?”
“We’re accelerating,” came the static-riddled reply. “I can get us a couple more minutes at this pace.”
“Roger, you and Tilly need to come here. We’re out of time!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You too, Captain,” Janet said. “I’ll take care of this.”
Reed nodded in agreement. She was starting to get dizzy from blood loss, and she would not be doing her crew any good if she was passed out on the deck. She let Mira help her all the way to the bridge. Reed settled in the command chair. “Mr. Grisham,” she said.
The man turned in the helmsman chair. “Hostiles will be here in two minutes. Gunny Sobrinski reports that all the children and crew are aboard except Commander Baldry and Ms. Horn.
Captain Reed sighed. She couldn’t wait any longer for Baldry or Tilly. They were on their own. “Mr. Grisham, secure the airlock and begin the launch sequence.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She felt someone press a bandage onto her shoulder. Reed looked to find Mira, who had pulled the first-aid kit from the wall.
Janet Sobrinski dashed onto the bridge, followed closely by Roberts and the rest of her bridge crew. Roberts slipped into the chair Grisham vacated. “The kids are in the hold,” Janet said. “The Tenari are thirty-seconds out.”
“Ready for launch,” Roberts reported.
“Get us free, Mr. Roberts.” Reed held the arms of her chair as her ship shuddered and powered up, pulling away from the freighter. “Janet?” Reed asked.
Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space) Page 23