by Skyler Grant
It also gave time for Mara to go through the systems of the ships in orbit, and she later gathered everyone together to discuss it in the dining room of the Centauri Bliss.
Tamara started them out. As usual she was dressed the most elegantly of anyone—although that might change, since she'd insisted on a brand new wardrobe for Jinx at the next port with proper shopping facilities. "We're all gathered to discuss business affecting both the Centauri and the ship. Some big changes, and we'll go around the table so everyone can share what they've been up to."
"Starting with you?" Kara asked.
"Indeed. I've drawn up a contract. For one year what we've contributed is a loan after which repayments will begin monthly and continue for the next three years paying us back three hundred percent of our original loan. After that time we own in perpetuity a ten percent stake in the colony," Tamara said.
"And I personally own another ten percent personally as their thiefy ruler person," Jinx said with a frown.
"The tripling of our money is nice and all, but that’s a long wait for it. This doesn't seem like that great a deal," Quinn said.
"You've been to Core worlds. You've seen the estates their rulers can afford. If this colony thrives, your descendants may never worry about money again. The long game, remember," Tamara said.
Perhaps so.
"So how much did our original investment wind up being?" Taki asked.
Dela raised a hand. "I can answer that one. I filled in a gap with some hard currency to make it a nice round number and between it and fair market for the value for the salvage we provided, we've put seventy-five thousand into the colony."
Quinn hadn't realized the full value of what they'd salvaged. That could have been a full ship refit, or enough to get the Centauri Bliss into a real shipyard to fine-tune the engines.
"I’ve asked Donna to stay on as temporary planetary administrator—she says only until I can find someone better," Jinx said. “But I want her to stay.”
"That lady is tough as nails. What they need out here on the edge of space," Taki said.
"But someone does have to deal with the finer financial and political concerns. Would you like me to find and hire a seneschal?" Tamara asked.
"Do so," Jinx agreed.
"In terms of the ship, we're ready to launch. I got our battle damage fixed up on both the Centauri Bliss and our shuttles, and we're fully fueled. The Whiskey is completely out of ammunition though for everything except its energy pulse cannon," Melody said.
"I'd recommend we get it restocked as soon as we can. Guns are useful," Mara said.
"And fun, and kind of sexy," Kara said.
"We'll see it gets done. While all this talk of accounting is exciting and all, I'd really like to get on with hearing about our tale of epic revenge," Quinn said.
"I managed to find out a lot about the Black Fist, but not a lot about who hired them. These were rank and file. But what I discovered did raise some questions. They received their orders to begin a ground invasion four hours after we reported our successful supply drop," Mara said.
"So Sofia is working with the Coalition," Taki said.
"Or the Coalition is barely involved at all," Tamara said.
Quinn thought there was something to that. It had bothered him all along. The Coalition was supposed to be a collective of undeveloped worlds pushing back against the military might of the Imperium and the money of the families. It seemed that each of these factions would have their own way of dealing with a problem of a rogue colony. Each had one different resource in abundance. The Imperium had technological superiority and a powerful navy, the families money, and the Coalition had manpower.
The Coalition could have swarmed this planet with troop transports if they really wanted to take it. Begun with a ground campaign from the start and overwhelmed the defenders. The use of a mercenary fleet took money, a lot of money and that spoke to the families.
"If we assume that most of the money to fund the Black Fist didn't come from the Coalition, are we dealing with all the families or just one?" Quinn asked.
"Remember the Longstrider. We're pretty sure we'd hit another family to get that ship," Dela said.
"Sofia and the Delcoro family are working alone then. To what end?" Quinn asked.
"Do what we did and steal a whole planet? Tamara was just telling us how valuable this place is," Kara said.
"Perhaps, but her search for at least one member of the Unshackled raises more questions," Mara said.
Dela said, "I hope I’m not the only one fashion-minded enough to have noticed the kind of selective color scheme of Sofia and her family. The whole red look?"
"When Ilinar came to this colony, he said that he was searching for his family. It’s not unreasonable to think Sofia and her lot are descendants of his. Plotting to find their missing ancestor at the edges of the Imperium," Mara said.
"All this guessing is fun, but it isn't truth and it isn't a plan. Tamara, you were saying the other day how we'd need to be careful trying to bring Sofia down. Do we have enough?" Quinn asked.
"No," Tamara said with conviction. "We've got our own testimony, but that won't be enough. Power protects itself."
"Oh, I know it. What do we need?" Quinn asked.
"Ideally we need to turn the Imperium and the other families against her. Our best option is going to be the colony here. If we can prove that she conspired to seize it, behind the backs of everyone, it may be enough," Tamara said.
Quinn focused on Mara. "Can we do that?"
"Not with what I have. I'd need access to Black Fist records they likely don't keep anywhere but at their base of operations. I do have its location from what I got aboard the ships—the Canopas system," Mara said.
"While recent events might have made us feel all mighty and smashy, I don't recommend going in hard against a mercenary company headquarters," Taki said.
"I can go in stealth. Your Tango isn't a bad little ship," Mara said.
"Or I could go in with the Whiskey. I've done a lot of bounty hunting and if they look me up, they can find me. Mercenaries are great for taking on numbers, but for a single target they work with outside contractors," Kara said.
"Something to that, Captain. Sometimes it is easier to walk in the front door than sneak in the back," Taki said.
"I've yet to go in your Whiskey. Can it hold more than the pilot?" Quinn asked.
"I'm a bounty hunter. I've got space for a prisoner, and a partner, though it gets crowded," Kara said.
"I'd say three, but it’s like she says, somebody is going to be sitting in somebody’s lap. What are you thinking?" Dela asked.
"I'm thinking we've used that ship enough they might find out we've had our disagreements, if they look hard enough, and I'm not sending Kara in there without someone to watch her back of things get all shooty. Mara rides along in her stealth suit," Quinn said.
"That thing going to hold up if they do a thorough scan?" Taki asked.
"There are sensors that will penetrate it, but I doubt they're using them," Mara said.
"I can go with her," Taki said.
"I'll go. If things do get hot we're going to need our best pilot behind the controls to get out of there," Quinn said.
Nods around the table greeted the plan.
They put the colony behind them. It was a day’s travel to get in range of the Canopas system. Dela would stay at the controls of the Centauri Bliss while the others went ahead.
The good thing about going in disguised as a bounty hunter was you didn't have to disguise your armor or weapons. Quinn went in the best standard armor they had, pants and a long-sleeved shirt both lined with armored panels. Each could, potentially, take at least one round from standard ammunition without penetration, although after that it got dicey. Kara had her usual armor while Mara was in her stealth suit.
The Whiskey was cramped, and Mara did wind up on his lap. It took them three hours to reach the Black Fist base. There were worse ways to spend the time.<
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31
One cruiser was in the system along with a dozen smaller ships. It wasn't as heavy a presence as Quinn expected. The blockade must have consumed most of their resources. Losing those ships and men was going to hurt them badly, maybe bankrupt them. Their loss would be the colony's gain.
"Unidentified vessel. Identify yourself," crackled the comm.
Kara tapped a key. "Kara Yek. Hunter's Guild, checking to see if you have any work."
"You certified by Arkstone?"
"Negative. That a problem?"
"Willing to work at a discount?"
"I'm good enough I don't need to. Check the records, if you need proof."
There was a long pause. Quinn couldn't be sure if they were bothering to check Imperium records, which would be expensive, or if some peon was just having a discussion with someone in authority.
"Cleared to land. Follow the transponder and you can have a look at our contracts."
The Black Fist base was several decommissioned freighters strung together orbiting the third planet. The bay for shuttles was already occupied by two others, both marked with the insignia of the Black Fist.
Mara had activated her stealth suit by the time they landed. Even with her sitting on his lap Quinn could barely see a faint distortion where she should be. As the hatch eased open even that vanished and he felt her weight slip from his lap.
There was a young man waiting for them, shaggy-headed and wearing fatigues with a pistol at his waist. "I'm Kanax, wow, you're greener than I was expectin’. Prettier too."
"Meaner too," Kara said, reaching out to shake his hand. "I'm Kara, this is my partner Quinn. You've got a real dump here."
Without proper air filtration everything on a station was covered in a layer of dust and ooze. Every inch looked grimy.
Kanax looked around sheepishly. "Aww, it ain't that bad. Is it? Ain't never seen much ‘cept for the farm ‘fore comin’ here."
Kanax's accent was painful to hear. Whatever world he grew up on, it didn't get many visitors. You had to be pretty isolated to drift that far from galactic standards.
Quinn shook his hand as well, a strong grip.
"If ya'll will follow me I'll show you to a terminal," Kanax said. The corridors of this station were cramped, despite that they encountered barely anyone on the way. They were led to a small cubicle with a single terminal.
"Fancy," Kara said, settling down and starting to tap at the keys. "Looks like this is just the local jobs feed. Nothing specific you needed done?"
"I was jess told to let you have a gander. You'll be workin’ for us and we keep a share," Kanax said.
Of course, the local bureaucracy was there for them as well. They might not need a bounty hunter themselves, but for a commission they were willing to play middleman and help an independent hunter avoid local certification. If they'd found someone willing to do the same for smuggling when they entered this part of space things would have gone a lot easier.
A buzzing sound came from Kanax's waist. "Scuse me. The commander, I should take this." He slipped out the door.
"See a camera in here I'm missing?" Kara said, getting out of the seat and moving to the door to press an ear against it.
"Nothing. Doesn't mean there isn't one. If you're hoping to hack their systems from that thing you're mistaken," Quinn said.
"It isn't that. I've got a feeling. Something just went wrong."
Quinn sometimes had those feelings himself. He didn't now, but that didn't mean that he didn't trust Kara's instincts. He drew his pistol. Fortunately they hadn't tried to disarm them.
"Four, no, five of them outside," Kara said after a moment.
From outside the room a voice bellowed, "Kara Vex. Stand down. There is an outstanding contract out for the capture of Quinn Jade. We're prepared to give you a finder’s fee of twenty percent. It is good money."
"How much could you possibly be worth?" Kara asked.
"One way to find out," Quinn said, heading over to the console. It wasn't in the Hunter's database, but mercenary contracts were listed here as well. There it was. One hundred thousand credits for the capture of Quinn Jade and his safe delivery to Maiden.
"Oh, I'm good money," Quinn said.
Kara took a look and she whistled appreciatively. "Stud, you're fun and you're clan, but I got to say I'm tempted. You really pissed that lady off. I'm going to handle them before they rush us. You have a call to make," Kara said.
Before he could stop her Kara rushed out the door. There was the sound of gunshots and then of a body slamming against a wall. Five people, she was good, really. Quinn hit his comm.
"They're onto us. You have what we need?" Quinn called Mara.
"No, but I'm close. I was going silent, but if we're in a rush I'll make some noise. They had an ID of us?"
"Not exactly. Remember Maiden? Hundred thousand for the pleasure of my company," Quinn said.
A pause at that. Mara said, "She'd moved on by the time my sisters got to her. This is another lead to follow. I'll have them work it. Stay safe, lover."
That seemed unlikely. Quinn stepped out into the hall. Bodies were scattered around the floor with Kara standing over them. Blood both red and black speckled the walls. Movement came at the far end of the hall and Quinn fired off a shot causing the figure to duck back.
"Killed Kanax? Shame, kind of liked the kid," Quinn said.
"Me too. Alive, broke his gun hand. Maybe he'll find a new line of work," Kara said, as she moved down the hall back in the direction they came. These narrow corridors were bad for gunfights, offering no cover or concealment—which made it all come down to who shot first and aimed best.
Before they'd even made it halfway back to the shuttle bay alarms were sounding. However, it seemed the Black Fist really were undermanned. They encountered only a dozen on their way back, and at returning fire half of them fell back and didn't pursue.
Quinn could only guess they hadn't been informed about the price on his head. For that money people would have been more willing to risk the bullets.
Things were different when they reached the shuttle dock. A crude barricade had been erected between them and their shuttle, and automatic rifle fire opened on them the instant they opened the door.
"Stupid choice in guns this close to the hull," Kara growled. "I didn't think they'd let us wander around with grenades. I don't have one."
"We could try circling around, but we don't know the ship layout," Quinn said.
"I can do it, but you're going to have to strap me in afterwards. They've enough firepower to tear me to shreds and they'll know just where I'm coming from," Kara said.
"I hate it when you do that," Quinn said.
Kara leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. They tasted ever so faintly of blood, probably somebody else's. He tried not to think about that. "I know you do."
Quinn's comm beeped. "You're clear."
Kara shrugged. "I didn't hear anything. Let's see."
Five bodies were sprawled behind the barricade. Two had neatly spaced shots right at the juncture of their skull and spine, one was strangled, and it looked like the other two had been stabbed through an eye.
"That was fast and deadly," Quinn said.
"And hot," Kara said. "It is totally my lap getting sat on this time."
That was kind of the plan. Quinn took the place behind the controls as Kara got in the back. A shimmer a moment later and Mara appeared on her lap.
"They're barely trained farmers pretending to be soldiers. I met all of three with any military training while we were here," Mara said disgustedly. "I hate it, like slaughtering sheep, but if they've a gun in their hand they're fair game. Let’s get out of here. I got what we needed."
The hangar doors weren't opening. It wasn't really a surprise, they were likely in lock-down. Quinn armed the Whiskey's energy cannons and raked a spray of fire that blew them apart, hurling the debris outward as he kicked in the engines.
Cannon fire greeted them a
s soon as the Whiskey left the bay, fighters in position just in case they escaped. Quinn avoided most of the shots with a sustained side thrust and roll, taking the moment to fire a spray of shots into the doors of the other shuttle bays.
Unlike with the Centauri Bliss versus most ships, he didn't have the advantage of speed. But at least they had prepared for a hot exit.
"We ready for date night, Mara?" Quinn asked.
"Stage set and music playing," Mara said.
Quinn hit the long range comms. "Dela? Date night."
"Got my dancing shoes ready. Two minutes," Dela said.
32
The Black Fist might have been ill-trained novices with their pistols on board the station, but they didn’t throw farmers into the cockpit of fighters. These pilots did have both skills and training.
Quinn weaved and bobbed while being strafed from three directions, one hit causing sparks behind them as he did a sharp roll to get a lock on a fighter. Energy bolts caught it on the underbelly sending it spiraling out of control.
The fighters were a problem, and the cruiser was a bigger one. Those guns packed a lot of power and their anti-fighter defenses were respectable.
They were blocking the Runestone, preventing any ship entering or trying to leave the system. This actually put the cruiser in a seriously vulnerable position, but they must have had some idea what they were dealing with. They weren't scared of the Centauri Bliss even if it did arrive.
The Whiskey shook as it took another hit, the engine taking on a painful whine as Quinn looped to return fire, energy bolts taking out another fighter. There were over a dozen now trying to lock a firing sequence on the Whiskey. It wasn't a tenable position for long.
Quinn was buying time while the clock ticked down. Dela would be going over the numbers, triggering the jump sequence. Making sure that all the pieces were in place.
