by Skyler Grant
"I wish I could say you were wrong," Quinn said.
"Good," Kat said, offering another tiny smile. "That you admit it. I mean. Tell Jinx, thank you for last night. I needed that. To see, that."
"I have no idea how that made you feel better about anything," Quinn said.
"Because you're kind of a hero, Quinn. I mean, not the best of them, but you are. And if I needed any more proof that bad girls get you off, I got it. And ... I'm pretty sure I am one and I don't want to pretend to be anything else anymore," Kat said.
"I don't really know how to answer that," Quinn said.
Kat leaned forward and pressed against his cheek. "You'll have time to figure it out. I'll be coming out more."
21
Quinn’s clan fighter jumped back into normal space as others materialized nearby. They'd gotten the alert that the Centauri Bliss was under attack. Fortunately, their new-found station was stocked with fighter craft and as the clan ships ran on crystallized mana they were capable of more jumps than an Imperium fighter. The Centauri Bliss still couldn’t reach the station, but Quinn and the others in clan fighters could jump to the Bliss’s aid.
It was poor timing from their point of view. Their crystallized mana supplies were low so they had only limited use of their shields, and with Quinn not aboard the Bliss had lost its best pilot. Without Jinx they couldn't use the runic sphere for a quick getaway.
There were more than a dozen ships in pursuit and several light fighters.
"Tiger squad, engage the frigate. Hawk and Condor, keep those fighters off the Centauri Bliss," Quinn said into his comm.
Along with the station they'd also got a fair number of clansmen. It felt strange to rely on people who had so recently been enemies, yet what choice was there?
The biggest threat was a cruiser. It was slow enough that it was behind the rest of the vessels, but as the fighters rained disabling shots on the engines of the Centauri Bliss it was catching up.
"Any idea how we're going to deal with that?" Dela asked from the copilot’s seat.
Quinn had taken one of the heavier fighters available on the station. Even if he wasn't as familiar with the systems as the clan pilots, he was confident in his skills to bring those weapons to bear for maximum effect.
They were flanked by Kara, Sand, and Kalisa in gunships. Members of the family had come out in force.
"They look like mercenaries, not Imperium. After the bounties on our head. At least if we take them out they won't have backup," Quinn said.
"Still means we have to take them out," Dela said.
They had an open comm to the others in their squad, the immediate family.
"If I could get aboard I could kill them all," Kalisa said.
"As could I," Sand said.
It wasn't idle boasting. They'd used Kalisa to wipe out forces before. However the fighters didn't have airlocks and the carrier didn't look like it had a hangar. Getting aboard was impossible. The fighters must have launched from a ship that wasn't yet in system.
"Can you hack their systems, Sand?" Quinn asked.
"I'm already trying. Sadly, they don't appear to be idiots. They're not running any open networks and I don't have the equipment on this ship to force one remotely," Sand said.
"Land on the Centauri Bliss. It has all the equipment that you'll need," Quinn said.
"Acknowledged."
Quinn kicked the engines to full and closed the distance. The cruiser opened fire as they grew nearer, fixed mounts filling space with rounds. Quinn used thrusters to engage evasive maneuvers.
"Dela, can you interface with our systems? With what you have in your head, you're a way better targeting system than anything we have installed," Quinn said.
"Of course she is. I do good work. She can provide firing solutions for all of us," Kalisa called.
"I go from being backup pilot to fire-control computer, it’s so glamorous," Dela said wryly. "But yeah, of course I can. Providing solutions now. These guys know their business though. They've been in enough fights and they've learned not to make it easy. Any spot weak on that thing’s design has been covered with extra armor."
"Kalisa, I know pure destruction isn't your thing, but if we get you close can you neutralize their armor?" Quinn asked.
"From a ship? No, but I can weaken it. Make it count," Kalisa said.
They were firing standard rounds her, but the fighters on the ship were using disablers. They obviously wanted to capture the crew alive to collect the bounties on their head. Quinn studied the scans of the cruiser. There were missile ports, which is what he’d thought.
Cruisers like this were usually either built to carry a few fighters for a small mercenary company or fitted for long-range combat with missiles. They weren't using them here because they didn't want to destroy the Centauri Bliss, but that meant the cruiser had an armory filled with explosive warheads somewhere.
"Armory, it should be near the fore of the ship," Quinn said.
Dela nodded and a section of the ship was highlighted in the heads-up display. It was heavily armored. Still, this was their best option.
Quinn closed, continuing to avoid fire, and with a blast of the energy cannons took out one of the cruiser’s turrets.
"Mark the ones with a good solution on this area. Kalisa, we're buying you some time to do your thing," Quinn said.
The gunships closed in. In the dense stream of fire Kara took a shot that caused sparks to fly and her ship to spiral off as she pulled away. The others had better success. The section of armor was covered in flickering red lightning dancing over the surface.
Elsewhere the battle seemed to be going well. As decently equipped as the mercenary vessels were the clan ships had better technology. While a single direct shot might take out an Imperium fighter, a clan ship could take multiple hits before the shields collapsed. It was a force magnifier.
"Clear," Kalisa said, her gunship given a burst of thrusters and turning to unload its weapons.
Quinn did the same, sliding maximum energy to the weapons and holding position for several long seconds as he unleashed the power of his fighter.
A closing fighter opened up and Quinn took the hits for as long as he could. It let him maintain the stream of fire as the armor plating finally dissolved beneath the onslaught far faster than it should have. Another three seconds and he pulled up, afterburners kicking in as he thrust away. An explosion rocked the cruiser, the first of many as the ship tore itself apart from the inside.
22
With the mercenaries pushed back the Centauri Bliss was able to reach the Runestone and resume its progress towards the station, and a few hours later they met back there after performing rescue operations for Kara and the clansmen who'd taken damage to their fighters.
It was around the usual dinner table. Quinn was happy to have Melody's cooking again. The clan were fond of such strong spices it made their food strange.
They shared their exploits of what had happened in the alternate universe.
"While I like us getting a whole extra station we weren't expecting, I can't help but to think that bringing in a murder-happy super-powered Unshackled into our universe isn't in our long-term best interest," Tamara said.
They were having nachos. They were piled high with cheese and some sort of meat—nothing at all like chicken.
"At least they got back safe. That’s the important thing," Melody said firmly.
"Different realities. Can you go somewhere else again? Are you going to do it again?" Tamara asked.
"I can't think of why we could," Quinn said.
"We're the most-wanted people in the galaxy. I can think of a few reasons. Not that I recommend going back to that one," Dela said.
"There might be realities with far more advanced technology than we have. If we want to get stronger in a hurry it is a possibility," Kalisa said.
"We could meet races extinct in our own reality," Dela said.
"We could rob people and get away to a different
universe," Kat said, entirely too excited about it for Quinn's comfort.
That last one did have possibilities though. Provided they actually knew of something worth stealing.
Tamara held up a hand. "I know that possibilities are exciting, but I remind everyone that we are building something here. We have a reputation here. While yes, we're not all that popular in the Imperium right now, we are building something."
"This is our universe. Our extended families are here. We keep it in mind, if we need to run and run far, but I don't think we should be too aggressive with this power. Especially as we don't know how safe it is," Quinn said.
"What are we doing instead then? Stealing more stations?" Dela asked.
"Once the other stations get in place these worlds are only going to have minimum coverage. I wish we could give them more, but this will have to do. We need to do what else we can to get our worlds ready for a war," Jinx said.
"What is our status?" Quinn asked.
"On the civilian side we've acquired a manufacturing and agricultural world more than capable of supporting our civilian needs. That said, we don't have the industrial capacity, materials, or expertise needed to build military vessels or arms," Tamara said.
"Ice has done a good job with the naval side—although I hate to admit it, sir. That is probably the area where we're strongest. We can't match the Imperium, but we've a better fleet than most nobles out there," Taki said.
"We've got the finest research facilities on either side of the border, and the most brilliant scientific minds. While, in areas, technology might exceed ours, it is a gap we can quickly close with samples. With a refiner and a steady supply of liquefied mana we'll soon have enough crystallized mana to support even heavy usage of shields and energy weapons," Kalisa said.
Kara said, "Our ground forces are pathetic. We can neither capture or effectively hold territory in a ground assault. We have soldiers who have volunteered, but lack mechs, tanks, armor and weaponry." Having delivered this disappointing news, she grabbed a whole plate of nachos for herself and dug in heartily.
Jinx, looking thoughtful, settled back in her seat. "This is a mistake, trying to do everything ourselves."
"We're not, you know. I think everything said shows we have a lot of people working on our behalf," Quinn said.
"Oh, I know, I know. But this part? The stealing, we're thinking what can we do? And I know, we're the best at what we do. But this is like with Ice, we can't be everywhere and do everything," Jinx said.
"You want to outsource?"
"We can't do it on our own. We're the Clan of Thieves. That name clan should mean something. We should be feared for how much we can steal. Every thief on either side of the border should want to work with us."
"We need Rena. Not the recent Rena, but ours. Before she had to abandon her planet she was in charge of the largest criminal network in the Core. We offer her a spot in the family. She already knows Quinn, and where better to hide out than with the other most-wanteds?" Dela said.
"I like it," Tamara said.
"Can we maybe put a pause on marrying my exes for a moment?" Quinn asked.
"I was actually going to recommend we marry the other one. The new one. Trained by Imperium Intelligence and yet known to neither the Imperium Intelligence or my family? We need an intelligence service of our own, and she is just the person to help me build it," Mara said.
"Two for one. That could be useful in a lot of ways," Tamara said thoughtfully.
"You objecting for real?" Jinx asked, arching a brow at Quinn.
"We could use them, husband," Tamara said.
"I don't think either of them is likely to take you up on it, but you can ask," Quinn said.
"We'll focus our attention elsewhere. We know a planet filled with everything we need, especially thieves. We're going back to Arkstone. The families will fall in line or we'll steal everything they have," Jinx said.
When they'd first come to this part of space they looked to Arkstone hoping for honest work. They'd be returning to conquer.
23
It was date night with Tamara and Tourmaline. Some of the crew had gone to retrieve and place the other stations, but everyone else was taking some down-time on the planet’s surface. Any world produced some mana, but worlds with mana wells all had a distinctive sort of feel. With the prevalence of mana in the environment most advanced technology would barely function. Shuttles burned fuel at far above the usual levels.
It meant the worlds were usually barely settled, with only a few agrarian settlements and a starport with specialized heavy equipment to lift mana into orbit.
Getting too close to liquefied mana tended to be too magical, but Kalisa had built suppressors that acted much like the one that kept Quinn from being infectious. Except instead of preventing any accidental discharge of mana outward, it stopped a harmful flow inward.
They'd arranged a small cottage on the lakeside. Vess and Kara had taken another long walk down the shore and Quinn had already heard the explosions of their fishing.
"This is your idea of date? No air conditioning, there isn't even running water," Tamara said, looking around the surroundings. She was wearing outdoor gear that seemed perfectly selected. Tourmaline must have picked the outfit.
"It's pleasant enough we don't need it, and if it’s cold at night I'll find a way to keep you warm—and we've the lake to wash in," Quinn said, and then added, "I wanted some time alone with you. Lots has happened."
"This about Kat?"
Quinn shook his head. "No, it isn't. I'm working things out with her and it’s strange, but it is coming together. I'm here because it's been awhile and I miss you. I love you."
Tamara smiled at that and said teasingly, "Good. I thought my claws in you might have started to slip."
"You're the head of this family and first among my wives. I need you, depend on you, and I can't ever imagine that changing."
"This isn't like you. Your trip to another reality changed your whole perspective on things?" Tamara asked, stepping up and pressing herself against him as she sought out a kiss. Then she was pulling away and moved her hands to the buttons of her khaki shirt. "Let’s check out the lake then. Maybe you haven’t screwed up by bringing us here."
"Things aren't getting easier," Quinn said after returning the kiss. "You'd think they would, but they aren't. When Tourmaline got into your head I thought it almost catastrophic. Then we met Sand and she seemed the most terrifying force we were ever likely to meet. Yet, Mahara ..."
"If I'm the only one naked I'll be annoyed," Tamara said, continuing to peel down. A shift of her body language announced something more challenging.
"By which she means she'll probably let me out. Seriously though, she wants to bathe then screw like rabbits, then wash up and do it all over again. It's a hell of a plan," Tourmaline said, before shifting back once more.
Quinn laughed and started to get undressed. It was always strange when Tamara and Tourmaline did that. Even half-undressed the identical body became almost two different women. With Tamara there was always something regal about her, a poise that even in the bedroom never left her. If Tourmaline ever had any poise it had rubbed off during her long years of life. Instead there was just the absolute confidence born of having done it all so many times before.
"You're worried that we're going to pick a fight we can't win. That has been your worry for a long time, and mine. Almost everything we've done is to get us ready for that day," Tamara said.
"Yet none of it has done any good. This family is so formidable and yet it still isn't enough. You want to add both Renas because you know it too," Quinn said.
Tamara carefully stepped out of the last of her attire and Quinn marveled at her body—just as he had the first time he'd seen it. Quinn loved all of his wives and found them all beautiful, but in pure physical perfection none matched Tamara. Mara might be just as genetically engineered, but she was made to be a spy. Tamara was the result of a long line of women who soug
ht to perfect themselves in every way possible.
"You aren't used to being the best. You've always been the scruffy hero, the knight and not the king upon the chessboard. A decent man, but not the one you thought you should be. A competent criminal, but with too many morals to be really great," Tamara said.
"You don't have to rub it in," Quinn said with a wry look, leaving his crumpled pile of clothes in the grass to follow Tamara towards the lake. The water was cold at first, but not too unpleasant.
"I was one of the best lawyers in the Imperium. I don't say this to brag, but as a simple truth. Do you know that no matter how great your record, you always seem to find someone with one equal or greater? Or if you’re at the peak of your career there is the scrappy newcomer who has studied your every case and trained just to beat you?" Tamara asked, following him into the water. No hesitation from her as she moved deeper.
"You are saying this is normal," Quinn said. "We're not normal."
A shift of posture and it was now Tourmaline that spoke. "Listen to her, Quinn. You think you should reach a point where you have to stop struggling, but you never do. Winners have to train and fight every day. It gets easier, but it never stops. Now stop being so serious and let your wife jump you."
"Seconded," said Tamara after a quick shift, wryly amused.
"Well, if I'm outvoted," Quinn said.
"If I'd known I could use parliamentary procedure to get you into bed I'd have done it more often. I promise to use my majority to full effect," Tamara said.
It was sixteen hours until the Centauri Bliss would pick them up. They put them to exceptional use.
24
It was time to discuss what strategy they were going to take with Arkstone. The Centauri Bliss had returned after placing the two new stations and along the way had picked up two guests. Both the Renas were now sitting at the table, a feat which had required expanding it a bit more as they really were pretty much at capacity.
