Pirate Throne

by Carysa Locke

  “This is stupid, you know,” she said, ignoring his comment. “This plan of yours.”

  “What plan?”

  She slid a sideways glance his way. “Please. A man as powerful and intelligent as you, and you literally just handed yourself to me. You want to go to her.”

  He gave her a bland look. She shrugged. “I needed a win. You want to see her. I guess we’re both happy.”

  Funny, but it didn’t feel like it.

  Casimir shouldered his assault rifle, watching as the dropship took to the air. He was too damn late. Minutes, he’d missed her by mere minutes.

  They’d watched the fight with the beasts on the way down. The moment he’d seen her face on the holoscreen, he knew. He didn’t even need the crown to tell him he’d found the missing heir, against all probability. Her features were unmistakable, especially to someone who had known every member of the Ashir line. And her eyes, their distinctive blue-violet color.

  It was her. Laureyna. It couldn’t be anyone else. She was the right age, with the right look. This wasn’t just some random bastard of the royal line, some second-cousin twice removed. Adriyen’s daughter was alive. Somehow, that infant had survived the space jump catastrophe that took the King’s life nearly twenty-five years ago. She was a woman, a living, breathing woman.

  He wanted nothing more than to rush back onto his ship and take to the air, but however fast they could jump through space, he couldn’t beat her out of the atmosphere. She would jump before he reached her, and he’d be back to guessing games. He had a better idea.

  Yelena. He reached for the AI through his imp.

  Yes, Captain?

  I need you on that dropship about to break free of the atmosphere. Right now. Can you get to it?

  The distance is negligible.

  Do it.

  The AI that wasn’t exactly an AI could duplicate herself. The duplicates she created weren’t quite the same as the original. They were more vulnerable, more machine and less… human. But by putting a little bit of herself into their ship’s systems, Yelena would be able to track them, and more.

  Cas would know exactly where Laureyna went.

  Gideon came to stand beside him. “Sir? Are we leaving?” He, too, followed the ship with his gaze. He’d seen the holo, and Cas’s reaction to it. He knew who was on that dropship.

  “Not yet.”

  “Sir?” Gideon goggled at him.

  Casimir couldn’t blame him. “Don’t worry. Yelena’s on it. We won’t lose her again.” He frowned. “But I want to know more. Why was she here, on Arcadius V?”

  Gideon looked around at the bodies scattered over the area. “Maybe she’s a treasure hunter?”

  “Maybe.” Cas didn’t think so. There was one thing left on this rock of any value, and it was too close by to be a coincidence. He needed to make sure it was still intact. “Everyone on me.” Casimir started walking. “Be on your guard. This planet is where fools go to die.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  They slept. Both of them needed it. They rinsed off in the shower, remade the tangle of bedding, and then slept deeply and without dreams.

  At least, Mercy did.

  She woke to someone saying her name. At first, she thought it was Sebastian. But as the sleep fog cleared from her brain, she knew nothing could be further from the truth.

  Mercy.

  She lay, awake and perfectly still. Almost unable to believe it.

  May I be the first to offer my congratulations?

  That smug voice could never be anyone but her grandmother.

  Lilith. You’re back. She couldn’t decide if she was pleased or not by this turn of events.

  Yes. It seems you’ve finally forgiven me.

  Maybe. Mercy wasn’t so sure. Truthfully, the silence had been a nice change. While there had definitely been times when she’d missed Lilith’s knowledge, having her grandmother in her head wasn’t exactly something she’d missed when it was gone.

  Lilith either didn’t hear her thoughts on the matter, or chose to ignore them. Lovely as this reunion is, it’s not why I woke you.

  No?

  No. You need to get up, and get dressed. You’ve slept for hours.

  Alarmed, Mercy sat up. “Hours?” She’d meant to rest, yes. To nap. Not to sleep like the dead while her friends were out fighting for their lives. She’d actually expected Vera to wake her with the news that Reaper or the others had shown up.

  The fact that they hadn’t made her stomach turn over with anxiety and fear. “Sebastian, wake up,” she said. She was already out of the bed and pulling on her clothes.

  He blinked awake, and she told him what Lilith had said.

  Tell him how pleased I am for both of you.

  Not now, Lilith.

  Mercy could practically feel her grandmother seething at her refusal to do as told. She ignored her, pulling open the drawers under the bed to find something Sebastian could wear that wasn’t full of holes. She threw him some generic pants and a shirt, both emblazoned with a symbol she took for some science corp.

  “These should fit. They’re clean and dry.”

  She put her chestplate back on while he dressed. “Vera.”

  The AI appeared in the room. Sebastian looked up but didn’t comment. His eyes glinted with interest, though, and Mercy figured he’d love to spend the next year down here studying the unconventional AI.

  “Yes, Mercy?”

  “No one tried to gain entry?”

  “No one. It’s been very quiet.”

  That was not the news Mercy had been hoping for. She wished she still had her disruptor. “We’re going to have to go out there,” she said.

  Sebastian didn’t argue.

  “Vera, are there any weapons here? I mean, weapons we can take with us. Not like the turrets, but more portable.”

  “The Enclave is not a weapons depot. We are a depository of information. No, we have no weapons beyond our own defenses.”

  That was unfortunate, but it wasn’t going to stop them.

  “Sebastian and I are going to go outside and take a look around. See if we can find the others. Stay vigilant. Keep Cannon safe.”

  “I will remain as I have, guarding the Enclave.” Vera paused. “I will watch over Cannon, as well.”

  “Thank you.”

  Vera inclined her head, and then vanished.

  “She is fascinating,” Sebastian burst out. “Even more than you described. I can’t get a read on her. Do you know what that means? I can’t meld with her, I can’t join with her, I can’t control her.”

  “Try it, machina.”

  “What?” Sebastian looked up. “Was that directed at me?”

  “Like I said,” Mercy said dryly. “Vera’s not a normal AI.”

  “I need to study her.”

  Mercy rolled her eyes. “You can take the man out of the ship, but you can’t take the engineer out of the man.” She muttered, thrusting a jacket at him.

  He grinned. “You like that about me.”

  She couldn’t help but smile back. “I suppose I do.”

  They headed down the lift and she had to keep prodding him forward as new sights and new distractions caught his attention.

  “You can study it all later. I hope.”

  “This place is absolutely incredible.” It was good hearing him sound happy and excited about something after everything he’d endured.

  “I know, I know.” A thought occurred to her, and she groaned. “Max is never going to forgive me for not bringing him here.”

  “Oh, definitely not,” Sebastian agreed.

  Still, given how many people had died, she couldn’t muster too much guilt. She much preferred Max alive.

  “He’s going to be delighted, too,” Sebastian went on. “He’ll be just as eager to study Vera as I am—”

  He stopped when he ran into her back, because Mercy had stopped dead at the end of one of the aisles. A man stood in front of them, an intimidating looking assault rifle in
his hands. Others stood arrayed behind him. Mercy took them in with a quick, critical gaze, noting they didn’t look much like mercenaries, and even less like slavers.

  “Vera,” she couldn’t help but admonish.

  The AI appeared. She did not look apologetic. “Casimir Aleksandr Mazur has Master Archival clearance,” she explained. “I could not disobey his directive.”

  The man smiled. He looked familiar. “I’m afraid I told her not to give us away. And who exactly are you?” His eyes lingered on Mercy’s face. Dark and intelligent, they studied her more closely than she liked. Almost like he recognized her as well, and was trying to remember her face.

  Was he a smuggler? No. She dismissed the thought almost immediately. His bearing was more military than criminal. Wolfgang notwithstanding, smuggling wasn’t the usual profession for ex-military types.

  Mercy forced a smile. “We’re just visitors, passing through. Vera was nice enough to help us with some research.” As if people made sojourns to Arcadius V all of the time to drop in and study for a research paper. Smooth, Mercy.

  With a sudden spear of alarm, she remembered that Cannon was still safely ensconced upstairs. She’d wanted him left there, safe until she and Sebastian could gather the others. But was he safe? This guy had Master Archival clearance — wait a second.

  “Passing through.” Skeptical, his mouth twitched at the corners like he was fighting a smile. “The only way you could have gained entrance was through a genetic connection to one of the original scholars.” He turned to look at Vera. “Are either of these two related to the original scholars?” he asked the AI.

  “No, Alik. They are not. But their companion is, and they treated the archives respectfully. I granted them future access.”

  All at once it clicked for Mercy. His profile jogged her memory. The same jaw, the same fair hair. The same eyelashes.

  “You’re the man from the holo,” she blurted.

  He turned and narrowed his eyes at her. “What holo?”

  Sebastian took her hand in his. Mercy.

  Sorry, it just slipped out. How often do you meet someone three hundred years old? I mean, that prosthetic body has really held up.

  “Vera, what holo?” Casimir asked when Mercy didn’t answer him quickly enough.

  “They viewed holo P-1264.”

  Mercy’s stomach dropped when the man’s eyes widened and suddenly the tension in the room seemed to ratchet up about a thousand times.

  “Fareena,” he said. “That’s who you remind me of. You’re related to Fareena.” The muzzle of his gun swept up. “You’re a Queen.” It wasn’t a question.

  Sebastian pulled Mercy back, placing himself in front of her. Casimir studied him. “And what are you?”

  “He is a machina Talent, rating significant,” Vera said.

  Mercy’s mouth dropped open. Clearly, Vera had gathered what Sebastian’s Talent was by listening to their conversation, but how did she know his strength?

  Casimir gave a lazy smile. “Tried to use your Talent on Vera, did you? Not this model, boy.”

  Mercy wanted to protest that Sebastian wasn’t a boy, but she supposed to someone three centuries old, he would be.

  Sebastian, if his body is prosthetic, can you access it?

  No. It’s a mesh of organic and biotech. Too human for me, despite not being human, I guess. He sounded disappointed.

  “Alik,” Vera offered, though no one had asked her any questions. “From observing their research, I believe they are seeking a way to stop Fareena.”

  “Is that so?”

  “I am quite certain.”

  “So that’s why you granted them access?”

  “If Fareena takes control of the Commonwealth, there is a ninety-nine point eight nine five percent chance that she will destroy these archives, and me. Rounded down as per your instructions.”

  “Isn’t that interesting.” Casimir lowered the rifle again. He studied Sebastian, and then Mercy. “I think we share a common goal. Perhaps we should talk.”

  Briefly, Mercy outlined their reasons for coming to Arcadius V. As loosely as possible. She didn’t entirely trust Casimir yet, and her priority was still getting all of her people out of here alive. Once Casimir learned they still had people out in the city, perhaps injured, perhaps being hunted by monsters, he suggested they work together to find and retrieve them.

  Mercy stepped outside of the archives on a wave of relief that almost left her giddy. The restoration of her connection to the others was immediate, and so welcome she could have cried.

  Reaper.

  Mercy. He sounded exhausted. But he was alive, and as relieved to make contact with her as she was with him.

  Are you hurt? She couldn’t think of any other reason why he wouldn’t have made his way to her.

  We all are. I’m with Feria and Ghost. We could use a med kit or three.

  How much of that strain in his voice was due to injury? How bad?

  Ghost is the best off. Feria’s hurt pretty bad. We couldn’t move her. I have a couple of deep cuts. Kieran’s blades were sharp.

  Which didn’t give her as much information as she’d like. Reaper could probably be dying and he wouldn’t tell her. “They need medical treatment,” she said aloud. “I know where they are.” She knew a direction, at least.

  Be careful. We found a hole to hide in. Those creatures are still prowling outside.

  We will be.

  Sebastian?

  He’s with me. We got him back. He’s injured but nothing life threatening. Still, if Casimir’s people had med kits, he needed to be treated. Any one of those wounds could be infected.

  I’m glad. A pause. Declan is dead.

  I know. Cannon and I found him. Reaper… Tears swam in her eyes. Cannon. He—he’s in stasis. It’s bad. Too bad for med kits. We have to get him back to Nemesis, and Doc.

  One of the nice things about Reaper was that he didn’t waste time asking questions. While they made their way to them, Mercy opened her mind and let him see some of the more important highlights that had happened. It was easier that way, and she wanted him fully prepped for Casimir and his men. It was best not to surprise someone like Reaper whenever possible.

  Mercy stopped when they were close enough for her to feel the cat-things. And a few other predators. She shuddered at the alien feel of their minds. “They’re surrounded,” she said.

  Casimir suddenly had his rifle in his hands again. Mercy blinked. She could swear it hadn’t been there a second ago.

  “Wait here.”

  “Not happening.”

  They stared at one another for a tense few seconds, and finally Casimir sighed. “Stay out of the way. I’m sure your people would rather not risk their Queen’s precious skin.”

  No, we definitely wouldn’t. But Sebastian kept the thought private to them.

  Thanks, she told him, a little sarcastically.

  What? It’s the truth.

  Casimir led his men in. They moved like a battle unit used to working together. Mercy and Sebastian followed, but at a healthy distance. Neither of them wanted to be riddled with bullets, or eaten.

  Mercy was already crawling over broken walls and rubble when the last creature fell. She skidded down the last bit as it sloped toward the spot where Reaper and the others lay. They were huddled in a space underneath a huge wall that had half fallen. There was an opening small enough for a human to squeeze through, but the cat-things were too large.

  “Reaper, we’re here. Can you help me lift this wall?” The thing probably weighed as much as a small ship.

  Casimir stepped forward and placed both hands beneath the edge. “If you could just keep it from falling apart and crushing your friends while I move it,” he said.

  “Uh, all right.”

  He lifted the wall and Mercy hastened to help with her telekinesis. As soon as it was high enough, Sebastian and a few of Casimir’s men ducked inside to help everyone out. Ghost helped carry Feria, and he snarled like a pi
ssed off bear when one of the soldiers tried to take his place. Sebastian saw that and stared in surprise. The last time he’d seen them, Ghost had been snarling at the Veritas woman every chance he got. Even hearing about his change of heart from Mercy hadn’t prepared him for seeing it.

  Reaper didn’t want help at all. He walked out under his own power, but his face was dead white and he held one of his arms tight to his body. It was wrapped with a makeshift bandage soaked through with blood.

  Mercy ran to his side. “Reaper.” She hugged him, but gently, not knowing where all of his injuries lay. He placed a kiss on her brow.

  He eyed Casimir and the soldiers. She could tell he was studying the other man when Casimir casually let the wall drop. Reaper was probably calculating how best to kill him, even if his eyes weren’t currently an icy blue.

  You trust them?

  She hesitated. Not yet. I want to.

  He looked down at her with a frown.

  I’m not being naive, she told him. I’m being practical, and hopeful. We came here looking for a weakness to use against the Alpha Queen. We found some of her history, true, but we found something even greater in him. He knew her, Reaper. He fought beside her. He knows things, personal things we’ll never find in those archives. And he doesn’t want her ruling the galaxy any more than we do.

  He was quiet, contemplative.

  We found what we came for.

  Perhaps, he conceded. How is Cannon?

  She bit her lip. The same. He was seconds from dying when I put him in that stasis pod, Reaper. I think the only chance he has is Nayla.

  His good arm wrapped across her shoulders, pulling her close. Let’s get him home to Doc. At least he’ll be safe until then.

  Casimir offered the med bay aboard his ship to treat their injuries, and in an act of trust, they agreed. Reaper insisted Feria be treated first, then Ghost. While that was happening, he and Casimir talked. It was like watching a strategy game, each of them maneuvering around the other.

  It was in the pirates’ nature not to trust easily, and Casimir, from what they knew, had been created as a failsafe against their people. Reaper confided to her that even using his Talent, he could not see the most efficient method of killing him. Then he’d suggested dropping the man who’d survived the last three centuries into a star “just to be sure”.