This time a middle-aged woman came forward, “Who are you to keep us here against our will. This is illegal and I will have my attorney’s all over your corporation,” she said indignantly.
“I can understand your concern, but you chose to book a cruise into an area of disputed space and that gives us the right to detain you, since we are allied with the Petrov Corporation.” Slone then indicated Alisa Golov, “This is General Alisa Golov of the Petrovian military and this is her space you are in. Therefore, you are subject to her laws and she has agreed to release you without ransom, when she feels the time is right. Until then, your cruise is over but you will still be treated well. That will be all.” As more and more people clamored for answers, Slone, Tavia, William Marshal and General Golov left the room. Outside they met up with Hatch, who was kept out. It was decided that the serpents would stay below the cannon decks and evacuate the ship as soon as their wounded were stable. The only people who knew about the serpents were the Sinclair forces and one couple, as well as a gambler. They would now be dealt with.
Slone decided to leave it to Tavia and Bill, since they had requested special handling for them. Slone and the general took a tour of the lower levels and the bridge. Engineering and weapons techs came over from both dreadnoughts to examine the combat capabilities of the Q-Ship. Tavia and Bill now went up to Greg and Ann’s suite. They had not come out since their encounter with the mercenaries and the Romani. Since Dalton was a spy, he was assigned a guard but allowed to remain in his stateroom and move about.
Tavia knocked on the door of their new friends’ suite. Greg’s voice came from inside, “Who is it?”
“It’s Tavia and Bill, open up Greg.”
Tavia heard the lock release and the door open. Tavia and Bill entered and closed the door behind them. They were both still wearing their armor and their small arms, but they left their shield, helmets and rifles outside with the guards in the hall. Tavia looked around and could see Ann sitting on the bed, with used tissues all around her indicating she did a lot of crying. Both she and Greg looked pale. It was now close to three hours since the combat began and things had calmed down. Tavia walked over to Ann and she looked up and saw the bullet holes on Tavia’s chest armor. Suddenly she stopped worrying about herself and looked concerned. “Tavia, your shot. Are you ok?”
“A cracked sternum and a few cracked ribs, but they’ll heal. How are you and Greg doing?”
“I don’t know. We still don’t have any idea what is going on. And, who are you and those men who tied us up and kept asking who we worked for. And that creature. What is going on, Tavia?”
Tavia spent the next fifteen minutes explaining exactly who they were and what the true nature of the ship was. To their credit, both Greg and Ann were horror struck that their corporation would do something like that. As they relaxed, they asked a lot of questions about the Romani and how they managed to live without a corporation. For the past 800 years, no human in corporate space had ever lived without corporate governance. Finally they addressed what was really on their minds, the aliens.
“What are those creatures with you?”
Tavia tried to explain, “They are an alien race that is reptilian. They are also my friends and to a great extent my family.” Tavia then explained how she had first encountered them and how they trusted her and even honored her. She could tell that Greg and Ann had trouble wrapping themselves around these concepts. When she was finished, Greg and Ann asked the next question on their mind.
“What will happen to us now?”
“When we are ready to leave this system, we will allow you to board your yachts and let you go where you want. Until then, you will be allowed to stay aboard and you will be treated well.”
Greg now spoke up, “We do not have a yacht here. We boarded at a space station and we were going to leave when we docked at a station about a week from now. What happens to us?”
“We will have to make arrangements for you then. You are not the only passengers in this predicament. I will have to return to my duties now,” Tavia said but she handed Greg a communication device. “If you need to talk to me for any reason, use this and you will get me immediately. We will be leaving the system in about a week. We are awaiting the arrival of another ship.” With that, Tavia took her leave and she and Bill left. Bill had kept quiet during the visit. He knew his Romani tendency was to consider the other couple weak for not adapting immediately to danger, but then he remembered that they took an adventure cruise because they never saw real danger. Tavia was more considerate of how non-Romani dealt with danger. Every day he fell more in love with her.
Slone and the general finished their tour and pronounced the Q-Ship a marvel of shipbuilding technology. The systems were not as advanced as those on Romani ships, but they were getting close. The techs were enthralled with her. Slone had a message capsule dispatched to Nova Romae with a full report on the events of the capture and the complete blueprints of the Q-Ship, as well as the solid proof that it was from Sinclair Corporation. The message ended with the statement that they would move to the P-038 system and await further instructions. Round trip for the message, debate and decision would be close to three weeks. As they awaited the return of Alaya and the cruiser, things got down to a routine. The Q-Ship never received any messages, which was not a surprise, since its origins were to be secret. Sinclair must have kept track of it by the missing ships it destroyed. The passengers kept themselves busy and interacted with the Romani who were controlling the ship. The serpents were all back on their assigned dreadnoughts and things were settling down.
Chapter 9 – The Gambler
During the evening watch of the fifth day after the capture, Slone was dining with General Golov, Tavia, Bill and Hatch in the captain’s quarters. General Golov was starting to feel so at ease with the serpents that she actually was trying to pick up a few words in serpent speak, with Tavia’s help. Hatch thought this was amusing and seemed to enjoy practicing with the General. Golov was still amazed that there had been an alien race associated with humans for three centuries and no one in corporate space ever knew it. Slone and the General had developed a friendship that he hoped would last a long time. He would rather have her as a friend than an enemy. They were just enjoying desert when his communicator signaled a call.
“Captain, there is indication of a ship coming through the inbound slipstream from the border. Mass readings suggest a cruiser.”
“Very well, let me know when telemetry is received.”
“Yes Captain.”
General Golov turned to Slone, “You may finally be reunited with your wife, my friend.”
“I hope so, it’s been a bit lonely around here and Olivia is a handful, thanks for all your help with her.”
“My pleasure, it has been a long time since my children were that young.”
The communicator beeped again. “Captain, telemetry indicates it is the Cruiser NR Octo Cohortem. She has launched a ship which telemetry indicates is the Gladius, sir”
“Thank you. Tell them to form up with the fleet and remain visible. What is the transit time?”
“11 hours for the cruiser and 9 hours, 38 minutes for the Gladius.”
“Carry on, Slone out.”
Slone disconnected and looked at Alisa, “It appears my wife is as anxious to see me as I to see her. We can enjoy our desert and then I think I would like some rest before Alaya arrives.” Slone poured some vodka and he ended up getting less rest than he had hoped.
The Gladius landed and Christopher Slone was there to greet his wife. Alaya and her crew came off the ship and she first saluted and then hugged her husband. “I brought your cruiser but it doesn’t look like you needed it. I can’t wait to hear the story of how this came about.”
It was near the end of the sleep cycle, so Slone was not yet expected on the bridge. Alaya left it to her crew and the deck crew to secure her ship and returned to her quarters with her husband. She was also anxious to see her daughter. C
hristopher filled his wife in on how the starliner was taken without any damage to the fleet and with minimal casualties. He also told her about how well Tavia and Bill had worked together and succeeded in capturing the bridge. “I only have one more thing to deal with, but I wanted you present when I did so. There was a spy aboard the Rising Star from the Lagarde Corporation. He is a gambler and Tavia tells me he is very charming. I suspect you’ll like him. Tavia and Bill have been keeping him entertained along with a young couple named Ann and Greg from Sinclair Corporation.”
“Ann and Greg?” Alaya said. “Is Greg’s last name perhaps Stout and Ann’s Maxwell?”
Slone spoke to the computer node on the table near him, “Invicta, what is the last name of Ann and Greg, suite 6 on the Rising Star?”
“Last name is Stout, Captain Slone,” the computer responded matter-of-factly.
Slone looked at his wife and Alaya returned the gaze and said, “I know them. They finally got married. I have a decade on them but they used to come to all of the major social events of Sinclair Corporation. I became friendly with them and Ann, whose maiden name is Maxwell, is heir to a very large fortune. Since our survival will soon no longer be a secret, I would like to meet with them. They can tell us how things are in Sinclair space. Her father was one of the few who could stand up to my step-father without fear.”
Slone thought about this and the loose end of the Lagarde spy. He then activated his communicator, “Tom, put me through to Tavia on the Rising Star.”
After a few seconds, “The line is open, captain.”
“Tavia, bring Greg and Ann along with Dalton over here on your yacht and take them to the conference room.”
“Yes, captain.”
Slone closed the connection. Then Alaya said, “When they land, they will see the serpents assigned to the 8th cohort.”
“The three of them have already met our friends.”
“Alright then, shall we have breakfast with them in the conference room?”
“I’ll have it set up,” Slone said. Alaya kissed her husband and went in to take a shower as Slone ordered the kitchen to serve breakfast for seven and one serpent in the conference room. He then put in a call to General Golov to join them for breakfast. He joined his wife in the shower and they almost missed getting ready.
After receiving the message from Captain Slone, Tavia contacted the Stouts and Dalton with the invitation to breakfast on the Invicta. Bill was back with the 8th cohort so she and Hatch would be taking the trio over to the dreadnought. Greg, Ann and Dalton were spending a lot of time with Tavia, since there was no place for them to go and they actually all liked Tavia and Bill. Spending time with Tavia meant spending time with Hatch, who was staying in Tavia’s suite with her. After a week, everyone was getting used to interacting with Hatch and she was careful to use her human speak to keep the humans calm. They met on the hangar deck and Tavia went into the pilot’s seat.
“Mind if I sit in the co-pilot seat?” Dalton asked.
“Can you fly a ship?” Tavia asked in all seriousness. Dalton had learned that this was a very serious young woman, who was not always certain if you were joking with her.
“I have sailed many a small vessel through the cosmos, Tavia.”
“Then have a seat and enjoy.” Tavia flashed him a big smile and Dalton took the co-pilot seat. Tavia asked for clearance from the temporary bridge crew and it was granted. The docking clamps were released and Tavia moved the yacht off the deck and smoothly out of the hangar force field. The Invicta was only a short distance from the Rising Star and the transit was less than five minutes. There was still a lot of shuttle activity as techs and equipment was moved back and forth to the Q-Ship. Tavia was given clearance and she made a perfect landing on the deck of her home ship. She was glad to be back on the Invicta. After the engines were shut down, she and Dalton went into the living area where the Stouts were sitting at the table actually talking to Hatch.
“Tavia,” Ann said as Tavia entered, “Hatch has been telling me a story about you having been what she calls the World Mother of the Serpents. She gave me to believe that you were the leader of all serpents throughout space. Is that true?”
“Yes but only for part of a day. One of my closest friends is the current serpent World Mother and she asked me to fill in for her when she was wounded. Believe me; I was glad to give the staff of power back to her.”
“And did you save Hatch from an assassin?”
“Yes and Sly, the World Mother. She was the target of the assassin.”
Ann looked pensive for a second. “We thought we were taking an adventure cruise and it is you who have had the real adventures.”
Tavia was not used to any kind of hero worship, so she dismissed the compliments and told them it was time to leave or they would be late. She opened the side door and they exited. This was not a luxury ship, this was a ship of war, and where they looked, the new comers could see military equipment and training. The cohort was doing its morning exercises and Dalton could see this was a formidable group, these Romani.
Dalton had been biding his time. He knew the Romani were not sure about him, since he admitted to being an agent for the Lagarde Corporation. He had been sent by his corporation to make contact with the corporation who saved New Wales from the Petrov Corporation. Lagarde was afraid that the Petrov move against what was the Balin Corporation marked the beginning of a new corporate war, and they were very concerned. Lagarde was one of the big seven corporations, but that was a misnomer. Most of the big seven were only big in territory but not all equal in power. Sinclair Corporation was by far the wealthiest and the most powerful while Petrov was the least powerful. That made the invasion of Balin space by them so confusing. They did not have the resources to hold what they conquered. Everyone suspected Sinclair’s hand in it. Just when things looked bleakest for Balin Corp, the Romani swooped in and saved them. Now they call themselves a republic and they have joined the Romani. Then the Romani vanished as fast as they came and three years of searching passed before Dalton found them.
Lagarde needed an alliance with the Romani, because there was no other of the big seven with whom to ally. The rest were aligned with either Sinclair Corp or Highline Corp, the two wealthiest and most advanced corporations. They were now at war, Highline with its allies and Sinclair through its proxies lead by Brandenburger Corporation. The nine remaining small corporations were forced to come in on the side of the big seven member that protected them. In the case of Lagarde, that would be Tudor Industries. Dalton had been given carte blanche to locate the Romani and see if they were interested in an alliance. He was finally going to meet the person in charge here. Tavia stepped down and as soon as the serpents aboard saw Tavia they let out a trilling whistle and the serpents in the hangar faced Tavia and bowed to her for a second and then went back to what they were doing. They didn’t even wait for her to acknowledge them. Dalton was fascinated with the power this young woman had over these nightmarish aliens.
Tavia led them through the dreadnought and up to the conference room on the bridge deck. Dalton had been on many corporate naval vessels in his day and never had he seen one so clean. It looked like it just came out of the shipyard. Tavia lead the group to the top deck and into a large conference room. The table was set for breakfast and at the table were three individuals, one man and two women. Dalton followed Tavia and her alien in and the Stouts came behind. When Ann entered the room, she stopped suddenly and turned white with an expression as if she had seen a ghost. Since Dalton was ahead of them, he did not see it.
Slone stood up and held out a hand to Jack Dalton, “Hello, Mr. Dalton, I am Captain Christopher Slone and I trust we have taken good care of you?”
Dalton took Slone’s hand and knew right away that he was going to like this fellow. “I can’t complain. And who are these ravishing young ladies with you?” Dalton said in his most courteous voice.
Slone first indicate the older of the two women, “This is General Alisa Go
lov of the Petrovian military. She is the leader of the Petrovian resistance and an ally.” Then Slone indicated Alaya, “This is my wife, Chief Scout Alaya Slone.”
“Ladies, my name is Jack Dalton and it is a pleasure to meet you both.” He kissed the hands of both women as they offered to shake hands with him.
Alaya finally looked at Ann and Greg Stout standing at the entrance of the room, speechless. “Hello Ann, how have you been and you as well Greg.”
Ann almost shouted, “Alaya Sinclair, how is this possible. I cried at your funeral, my whole family cried at your funeral. How is it that you’re alive?”
Alaya went over to the couple and gave them both a hug. “Accept that I am not dead, you are all here to hear something that will explain why I am still here. I personally asked for your presence and you are about to hear things that will be affecting the future of human space. For the record, I am no longer Alaya Sinclair; I am Alaya Slone, Chief Scout of the 10th legion of the Republic of Nova Romae. Please have a seat and you will begin to understand.”
The Stouts looked confused, but took their seats and Hatch went to stand behind Tavia, as she always did. Everyone was so used to Hatch’s presence, that she was fully expected to be wherever Tavia was. When all were seated, breakfast was served and it was top notch. There was small talk, but nothing substantive was discussed. In the middle of the meal, the bridge called into the conference room.
“Captain Slone, all ships report ready to leave and all yacht owners are in their vessels aboard the Rising Star.” Alaya recognized Tom Gardner’s voice.
Rising Star Page 16
