Pirate Stars

by Andrew van Aardvark

  Jeannie felt good about it. She had a better understanding of the ship and its crew and she flattered herself it'd helped morale some. Also, of course, it meant her conversation with Okoro did not stand out.

  Okoro had been diffident at first, but after they'd gotten into the technical aspects of Jeannie's question had rapidly forgotten that and spoken with animation and confidence. It'd been pleasing to see.

  "It's not that easy to rendezvous with a ship in deep space if it doesn't want you to," she'd said.

  "How so?" Jeannie had said to encourage her.

  "In theory most pirate ships can out accelerate most freighters, but the pirates have to get close in the first place for it to mean much. They don't have that much edge and maybe none if the freighter dumps its cargo," Okoro had replied. "Worse if they dump that cargo after a jump emergence and maybe spike the debris field with some powered down missiles it can be quite the nasty surprise for a pirate following them through jump too close."

  "Ouch," Jeannie said. "But a good thing for our side yes?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Okoro said. "Nobody wants a pirate on their tail, or to lose their cargo, but its nice to know that if they don't surprise you close up somehow you can likely get away. Stern chase is always a long chase even if a trick like that doesn't succeed."

  "So how did the pirates ever make it work?" Jeannie asked.

  "Well a lot of pirates figured if you dumped your cargo they'd got what they wanted," Okoro answered. "Most of the ones the SDF have taken care of already thought that way."

  "But not the dread Captain Student?" Jeannie asked.

  "If that man is real he's no joke, ma'am," Okoro replied. "If he's real he must have been taking ships intact and reliably enough that none ever escaped to tell of it."

  "You have ideas on how he might be able to do that?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Okoro said. "I can think of two ways. Might be others but I rather doubt it."

  "I'm all ears."

  "First way is obvious but tricky. Your pirate has a mole that gives them their victim's exact course. Has to be exact course. Not just a list of jump points, precise times and velocities too."

  "I understand," Jeannie said. "You just wait at a jump point and they come out with a velocity vastly exceeding yours. Even if the victim arrives exactly where expected if they don't co-operate you can't hope to match that velocity. Threats are fine but it's a small window and wrecking your prey will both reduce its value and make rendezvous more complicated."

  "That's right ma'am. So the pirate has to try and precisely match both the exact place and time of their prey's emergence," Okoro said. "And their velocity too."

  "Extremely tricky."

  "Yes, ma'am, and if the victim happens to catch your mole somehow they can easily turn the tables."

  "And you're a surprised blown to pieces ex-pirate."

  "Just so, ma'am," Okoro said smiling. Okoro didn't like pirates anymore than any other decent person did.

  "So most likely they're using this second method?" Jeannie asked.

  "Yes, ma'am," Okoro had replied. "It's more complex and convoluted but less risky, more fail-safe, for the pirate. Just the thing if you want sure captures of intact ships, but not to be spotted if something goes wrong."

  "Sounds just like the approach our rumored Captain Student might favor," Jeannie said.

  "I think so," Okoro said. "It requires some surreptitious manner of acquiring the victim's trail too. Mole or ship lying quiet somewhere in a likely system waiting."

  "Maybe just passive sensors," Jeannie said. "We know already that pirates need secret fueling stations to operate. Nothing much to piggy back a sensor suite on those."

  "That'd work too. In any event the ship that's hunting wants to catch its prey at least several systems away from any possible help while it's emerging from jump."

  "But not by waiting at the jump point?" Jeannie asked. She didn't bother mentioning the obvious point that this technique wouldn't work with the bulk of FTL trade carried by ships that made only a few, often only one jump, between stations. That it meant the pirate's targets would be mostly smugglers or secretive long range expeditions would only enhance the appeal of the approach to their conjectured cautious pirate.

  "No, ideally the hunter will try to stay off his prey's radar, but jump on the same course as the prey's only just a few hours later and faster."

  "So they arrive just after their prey but with an advantage in velocity?"

  "Exactly, ma'am," Okoro replied. "That's their ideal outcome, and even though it's a little tricky to achieve, if they miss it they've still got good chances of ultimate success."

  "How is that?"

  "Well say the hunter is a little ahead of the prey," Okoro said. "He just dumps velocity so he's not too far forward when the prey arrives."

  "And relative velocity is fairly low, probably not too much less than the arriving prey. I see," Jeannie said.

  "Just so, ma'am," Okoro said. "Close together with similar velocities it's all the pirate wants."

  "And if the pirate arrives too late?"

  "Well, the pirate has a stern chase ma'am, but with a favorable start and lot's of room to run his prey down."

  "So, that sounds like what any pirate we have to worry about must be doing," Jeannie said. "What do you suggest we do to prevent it from working against us?"

  "Well, if we haven't already picked up a tail you've done all that's needed in deviating from our planned course," Okoro replied. "That'll render any information from a mole out of date, and we're far enough from our starting point and any place well traveled that there's really no chance any pirates will be lying in ambush. Too many other places we could be for that."

  "And if there's already a pirate on our track?" Jeannie asked.

  "Well they're going to be following us at roughly an interval the duration of half to two thirds the time it takes to transit the system," Okoro said. "So we're gone before we can see them but they get to see us leave. We need to find a good place to hide during that window. Be several hours in most systems."

  "Both ourselves and the pirates will know that time more precisely for a given system, correct?" Jeannie said.

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Thanks, Okoro," Jeannie said. With a less shy individual she'd have used her first name, but Dahlia Okora would likely feel a bit more comfortable with a degree of formality to shield her. "This has been extremely helpful, as well as fascinating. I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me."

  "My pleasure, ma'am," Okoro replied. Jeannie thought she blushed a little but with her dark complexion it was hard to be sure.

  That had completed her talk with Okoro. Her last words to the First Officer hadn't been empty pleasantries. Their talk had been of critical importance to Jeannie's planning, and it had been a pleasure to listen to a professional so solidly in command of her topic.

  Jeannie had expected the talk she had to have with Captain Lee to go much less well.

  She'd been pleasantly surprised.

  They'd had tea in the captain's cabin.

  "Captain Lee," Jeannie had said after the usual polite opening conversational nothings. "I've been thinking of some additional precautions against pirate attack might be in order."

  "Yes, ma'am," Captain Lee had replied. "It might be wise. Better safe than sorry."

  "Evasive tactics I was thinking," Jeannie said. "Course change in case our security leaked. Quickly finding a place to hide in case we're already being followed. Does that sound reasonable?"

  "Yes," Captain Lee replied with a slight smile. "It's what I would have recommended myself if you'd asked." The words were delivered in a pleasant tone.

  "Would you like discuss possible new courses than?" Jeannie asked.

  "No, ma'am. It's best you discuss the details with no one, not even me. As the saying goes 'Two can keep a secret if one is dead'. I would also suggest you be careful about recording your plans in any fashion."

  "You think the crew or ou
r network could be compromised?"

  "No, ma'am. I can't really imagine it, but if this sixth band of pirates exist they must have some manner of acquiring excellent intelligence not expected by their victims."

  "I see," Jeannie had said. They'd talked a little more about trust and security issues after that but nothing of significance.

  And so it was some days later when just after jump emergence Jeannie requested advice on a place the Chang's Venture could hide in system the captain did not protest and gave no sign of surprise. Rather the captain had an immediate answer ready.

  "Ma'am, the rings of the outermost large gas giant are the most obvious choice for a hiding place," Captain Lee said. "Perhaps too obvious. The surface of one of the small terrestrials or in the asteroid belt would be less optimal but less obvious."

  "No, captain," Jeannie replied. "I think the rings will do just fine. Set our fastest zero velocity course for the rings of that gas giant. We've just a couple of hours before we need to be hiding there powered down."

  "Yes, ma'am," Captain Lee replied with the merest hint of satisfaction.

  4: Trapped

  Violence and aggression

  Destroy themselves

  Once again the Pirate Chief was on the bridge of his flagship, History's Revenge, waiting.

  It wouldn't be long now. He could feel his crew's anticipation. He felt it himself. That he'd been able to stand down his crew for a few days and allow them some rum and special meals had helped morale. They were ready for action.

  Powered down and hiding amid the rocks of a no-name gas giant in a dim no-name system for more than a week the ship had felt more like a lost tomb than a vibrant predator of the star lanes.

  Off to one side Doctor Frankfurter emitted a little giggle.

  "Yes, won't be long now, old friend," the Pirate Chief said, "and you'll have some fresh new subjects for your experiments. I'm always eager to see what you're going to do with them."

  The Doctor giggled happily in reply.

  The on duty sensor officer failed to suppress a slight shudder.

  The Doctor was just as intelligent as he'd ever been, and the Pirate Chief knew for a fact just as articulate when he felt the need. They'd had long and far ranging conversations in the Pirate Chief's cabin during the last few days about the Doctor's role in the Pirate Chief's plans.

  Conversations about what the Pirate Chief hoped the Doctor could do with some of individuals the Pirate Chief expected to soon have in his control, and about what liberties the Doctor could take with others of the prospective captives less critical to the Pirate Chief's plans.

  Still before he'd become who he was now the Doctor had relished opportunities for conversation. He'd been rather long winded in all honesty. The Pirate Chief had out of curiosity asked him what had changed.

  The Doctor had graced him with a big happy lop sided grin and said, "I don't think of humans as people any longer. I think of them as somewhat more complicated and interesting lab rats. Lab rats that can talk, but who wants to talk to their lab rats. It's not mentally healthy."

  A delightfully chilling attitude the Pirate Chief had thought.

  "Some of your new lab rats are extraordinary specimens, Doctor," the Pirate Chief said. "They might be worth having a long conversation or two with."

  Smiling almost sanely the Doctor said, "I don't think so. Despite my best efforts I'm still not as objective as I'd like to be. You don't make pets out of animals you plan to slaughter for Sunday dinner."

  "A commendable caution," the Pirate Chief replied, "though I think you underestimate yourself."

  They settled into a companionable silence.

  It was not that long before that silence was broken by the news they'd all been waiting for.

  "Sir, jump emergence at jump point alpha," the sensor officer reported. "Looks right for a large freighter."

  "Excellent," the Pirate Chief replied. "Excellent." Despite his words he could feel the tension on his bridge ratcheting its way up. The next hour, the next few minutes really, would reveal if their long wait had paid off or not.

  Only a few minutes more and the sensor officer spoke again. "Sir, the target has set course for the south navigation point. All other indications are that the target is the large freighter expected."

  It was standard practice for a ship transiting a star system to do so via either the northern or southern standard navigation points. These points lay at standard distances above and below a system's relatively cluttered ecliptic. There were, even for infrequently used systems, carefully precalculated jump runs to all useful jump points from the standard points. It was the safe, reliable, and predictable navigational approach to take.

  In this case the course they'd been told to expect their prospective victim to use the northern not the southern point.

  The Pirate Chief was not unduly worried himself. He had reason to think this was good news for him. Reasons he'd not shared with his crew, the bridge was dead quiet with anticipation.

  Just a handful of further minutes passed.

  "Sir!" the sensor officer said. "Target has changed course and is proceeding directly towards us. Directly to the rings more likely. Current data consistent for an eventual zero velocity course."

  There were no audible sighs of relief. The Pirate Chief could feel them regardless. He smiled. He was pleased himself. Come into my parlor the spider said to the fly.

  "First Officer, report," he commanded.

  "Sir," the First Officer replied. "The assault shuttles are prepped and ready to go. Crews on board. Boarding parties just finishing up their special hot meal. We're ready to start executing the sneak attack plan within the half hour."

  "Good," the Pirate Chief replied. "Looks like our ducks are lining up. Well done First Officer."

  "It's a slick plan, Chief," the First Officer said. "Lot of moving parts though. Almost scary how well it's coming together."

  "Yes, I can taste it too," the Pirate Chief said. "We don't want to be counting our chickens before they hatch. We do want to double check our preparations."

  "Aye, Chief," the First Officer said.

  "Comms Officer," the Pirate Chief said, loud and clear. "Give me a channel to all the ship's interior speakers."

  "Aye, Sir," the Communications Officer replied. He stabbed a few buttons on his console and did a quick check. "You're ready to go, sir."

  "Attention all hands. Attention all hands. This is the captain speaking," the Pirate Chief declaimed. "I believe you'll be pleased to hear our prey has been spotted. Better they're right on course for us. They're coming right into our trap, mates. Everybody do their bit in the plan and we'll have a rich haul to share. Boarding parties to be on their shuttles in a half hour. Battle stations in an hour. Best of luck to us all. That is all. Captain out."

  He'd have liked to have said more but shorter was sweeter. All he could really hope to do was to motivate the crew, get them to focus, and push them on their way.

  It was pointless to remind them that the only thing that could wreck their ambush at this point was someone getting careless. Equally pointless to emphasize taking live prisoners despite the risk to their own lives. The team leaders had all been throughly briefed and in no uncertain terms.

  It would be actively counter productive to tell them he wished he could be with them, but had to stay on the main ship to chase down the prey if they caught wind of the trap, or if they didn't to distract them at the critical moment. It was true, but would ring false.

  Before he'd had the Doctor fix it, it had bothered the Pirate Chief that men preferred to believe simple sweet falsehoods rather than the rather often less tasty and always more complicated truth. To the hell with it and all of them, it wasn't his game he just played it.

  The team taking the engine room needed to be quick and decisive, as much as they needed more engineering crew they needed to pin their prey down more. That team was armed with lethal weapons although ones designed not to hurt vital machinery.

&
nbsp; If that team succeeded the other teams could take their time. With luck there'd still be some fighting left to do when the Pirate Chief boarded from the third assault shuttle.

  The next twenty minutes passed slowly. Finally the First Officer announced, "Sir, the assault shuttles are away using minimal thrusters. Do we have updates on the expected target zone?"

  "Looks nominal, First," the Pirate Chief replied. "As well as can be told at this point they're going exactly where we were told they would."

  Their deployed sensor drones were updating at minute intervals using point to point communications. Normally if you could see a ship it could see you, and although no sensor watch could intensively scan the whole sky it was a poor bridge crew indeed that didn't keep a careful eye on where it was going. Those stealthy drones deployed at the ring's edge, while the History's Revenge and her shuttles hide deep inside, were making all the difference.

  Everyone one of those passing minutes brought their prey closer and made it less likely they'd escape the trap waiting for them.

  Normally even the Pirate Chief's bridge was full of the small sounds of crew moving about, shifting their weight, and having short quiet conversations. Not now. Now they all waited intensely and quietly as their prey moved closer, as if a loud sound on the bridge might spook them.

  "Sir, the target is braking for a zero velocity course to the rings," the sensor officer reported. "Looks consistent with the expected target zone."

  The whole bridge watch exhaled in relief. The Pirate Chief smiled with amusement. Nothing had really changed, but his whole crew of hardened cutthroats was wound up with dramatic tension just the same.

  "Yes, we have them now," he said aloud. "But we're aiming higher than that my boys, we want them in hand without having so much as ruffled their feathers. Too early to relax yet."