Magnum took her upstairs, and Ben followed slowly. It felt strange to be out of danger. But he had to admit that they were. They were on the fringe of the known galaxy, far away from the Briggs system or any other system. They weren’t beyond the Imperium’s reach, but they were safe for the moment.
Ben went up to the galley and found Kim waiting. She had a mug of ale waiting for him. They watched Magnum escort Beck into her cabin. He was in there a few minutes, then came out and shook his head.
“Was that a laser I heard downstairs?” Kim asked.
“Yes,” Ben said.
Magnum approached, and Kim poured him a drink. He took it, drank all down, then set the cup on the table.
“I’m going to check on that explosive,” Magnum said.
Kim raised an eyebrow. Ben just nodded.
“Where are you keeping those rifles?” he asked.
“They’re in a storage compartment in the recreation space,” Magnum said.
“Any chance it could go off without the detonator?”
“Always a chance,” Magnum replied. “I’ll toss it out the air lock.”
“Wow,” Kim said. “I leave the bridge for two minutes and you guys get into explosives and gunfights. Tell me the lieutenant is still alive.”
“She is,” Ben said.
“Good,” Kim said. “A quick death is too good for her.”
Chapter 33
“We have a decision to make,” Ben said.
It had been a full twenty-four hours since they passed through the black hole. The ship was still stationary, and no other vessels had been sighted. Once the batteries were fully charged, Ben shifted everything over to the auxiliary power and combined the Zexum from the two tanks. They had a total of just over half a tank of gas left.
“We need repairs, obviously,” Ben said. “But we don’t have any way to pay for them at the moment. We have one more delivery to make, but not a lot of fuel left.”
“Yeah, I don’t want us trying to go atmospheric without the wing engines either,” Kim said.
“We also have prisoners,” Nance said. “I won’t rest well until Lieutenant Liachov is off this ship for good.”
“We could shove her out the air lock,” Kim suggested.
“Or,” Ben replied, “we could take her back to the Confederacy. We know the secret base in the Bannyan system survived the attack by the Imperium Fleet.”
“They might have the means to repair the ship,” Nance said.
“And Lieutenant Cuckoo might convince them we’re to blame for all her problems,” Kim said. “No, thanks. Besides, they’ll insist we run more missions to pay for the repairs, which would probably be worthless to begin with.”
“Which leaves Brimex Station,” Ben said. “We know the Confederacy does business there, they can take Rena and Beck off our hands.”
“And we could get paid,” Magnum said.
“Paid or payback,” Kim said. “That twerp Webb has a thing or two coming.”
“They may have the means to make repairs to the ship,” Ben said. “If not, they can pay us what they owe and we can return to the Genovisi system for repairs.”
“You think six hundred Imperium credits is enough to pay for two new engines?” Kim asked.
“I don’t know, but I don’t really see that we have much choice,” Ben said.
“Do we have enough gas to get to both places?” Nance asked. “We’re farther out than we’ve ever been.”
“Isn’t there anything closer?” Kim asked. “Surely, we can find a way to barter for more Zexum.”
“Planets,” Ben said, “but no space stations. “Besides, I’m not sure I want to go somewhere new.”
“Yeah, I see your point,” Kim said.
“So we’re agreed,” Ben said. “Brimex, then Genovisi.”
“Sounds like the best bet to me,” Kim said.
“I agree,” Nance said.
Magnum nodded.
“Alright, let’s plot a course and get moving.”
The trip back to Brimex Station in the Skopes system would take five days. It was their longest hyperspace flight yet. Ben worried that the ship would have problems, but despite having flown through a black hole, the Echo was in surprisingly good shape. Lieutenant Liachov, on the other hand, was almost catatonic.
Beck had been allowed down to see her after the one-handed officer had refused to eat for two days. But Rena didn’t respond to Liachov any more than she had to Ben. After being moved to the gurney, she lay there day and night, sometimes sleeping, sometimes merely staring off into space.
Ben’s arm continued to worsen. He did some research and discovered an ailment called compartment syndrome. His fear was that the swelling had blocked the blood supply to his hand for so long that the tissue and nerves had died. Surgery was needed.
“I told you that you needed to see a doctor,” Kim said.
“I never said I didn’t,” Ben replied as he looked at pictures of limbs suffering from compartment syndrome on his data pad.
They were in the crew lounge, trying to decide what to do.
“This says if not treated, I could lose the use of my hand,” Ben said.
“Well, that wouldn’t be so bad,” Kim said. “You could get one of those prosthetics with all the tools built in.”
“Tools are expensive,” Ben said. “Besides, I don’t think you’d like me with a mechanical hand.”
“You could always open things,” Kim teased.
“Come on, this is serious,” he argued. “It says without proper treatment, I’ll have to cut it open to relieve the pressure.”
“I’m not doing it,” Kim said. “No way.”
“You think I want you cutting me?”
“I think you’d let me do just about anything I wanted,” Kim said, pretending to be alluring.
“You’re crazy.”
He tried to ignore the pain, but after two days of boredom and constant agony, Ben relented. Magnum was his first and only choice. The big man wasn’t squeamish and had a knack for working on small, delicate weapons. It made sense to Ben’s mind, that he would be the optimal choice to filet his broken arm.
They met in the sick bay after Ben had consumed enough Chembrew ale to not care that he was going to be operated on with no anesthesia. Liachov had been moved up to the galley, with Kim keeping a close watch on her. She seemed to be in a state of shock, but it was possible that she was merely putting on a show, waiting for her chance to strike at the crew again. Meanwhile, Ben was laid on the exam table, where Magnum strapped down his legs.
“You ever done this before?” Ben asked.
“Cut people?”
“Never mind,” Ben said.
“Only in self-defense,” Magnum said.
“I’m not sure I believe that,” Ben said. “You have a shady past. Not that I’m judging. We have skeletons in the closet.”
Magnum nodded, which Ben, in his inebriated state, took as permission to continue talking.
“You don’t talk a lot, but I think that makes you more mysterious. You’re an enigma, Magnum. A big…walking…enigma.”
“Is that right?” Magnum said, strapping down Ben’s good arm.
“Why are you doing that?” Ben asked.
“So you won’t whip out a gun and shoot me down, killer.”
“It was a lucky shot, you know,” Ben said, his words slurring and his eyes half closed. “I just got so mad. Rena is always threatening us. I don’t like that.”
“Me neither,” Magnum said, slipping a strap around the bicep of Ben’s broken arm.
“You think this is going to hurt?” Ben asked.
“No,” Magnum said.
“Oh, really, well...in that case, I won’t worry.”
Magnum poured isopropyl alcohol over the blade of a small knife. Ben started humming, and Magnum sat on a small stool and hunched over Ben’s broken arm. The broken bones were in the upper forearm, but the danger was in the lower part of the extremity—mainly his
hand. The big man started slowly, cutting through the swollen flesh. Ben stopped humming and moaned a little, but didn’t flinch.
Foul-smelling fluid seeped from the wounds, and soon Ben passed out from the pain. Magnum made several long cuts down the top and sides of the lower forearm and wrist, then several more on Ben’s hand. The entire procedure took twenty minutes, with Magnum spreading out the tissue so that the thick, mucus-infused liquids could drain.
Following the instructions found in their research, they left the incisions open for twenty-four hours. Fortunately, despite the pain of the incisions, Ben’s arm actually hurt less than it had before. The swelling went down and the circulation resumed. Convinced that things were finally on the right track, Magnum cleaned the incisions, slathered them in antibiotic ointment, and sealed them using skin glue.
Ben still had a lot of healing to do, and in some ways, his arm was even more fragile than before, but he was confident the healing process was finally underway. And best of all, he could move his fingers again. They kept the arm wrapped in clean bandages and hung in a sling for protection, which eased the pain considerably. Ben’s only regret was that he waited so long to have his arm seen to.
Once they reached the Skopes system, it took six hours to reach the dock. Ben, Magnum, and Kim led Beck and Lieutenant Liachov down the docking corridor to the Commons. Rena was pushed on the gurney, seemingly oblivious to where she was. They found Vice President Len Webb waiting for them.
“Well, well, well,” he said. “I must say, it’s a miracle. A real, bonafide miracle. Can I shake your hand?”
“What the hell is he talking about?” Kim asked.
“I’m talking about you,” Webb said. “And once word gets out, the whole galaxy will be talking about you. I mean, they already are, but no one knows you survived. Come with me. We have a lot to discuss.”
“We need to do something with Lieutenant Liachov and Corporal Beck,” Ben said.
“We’re meeting Holt soon. He can take charge of your Confederate friends,” Webb said.
He led them across the grand lobby and into a well-appointed meeting room. Liachov and Beck were left on one end of the rectangular room, while Webb took the others to the opposite side.
“It’s not every day I get to sit down with actual battle-hardened heroes,” Webb said as he poured drinks for them from a flask he produced from a hidden pocket. “I mean, some folks might call you terrorists, but around here we like to keep an open mind.”
“What are you talking about?” Kim asked.
“I’m talking about the small independent ship that took out an Imperium ship of the line,” Webb said, before holding his glass up and taking a sip. “It’s the first time that’s ever happened, no matter what lies the Confederacy tells.”
“We didn’t take out an Imperium ship,” Ben said.
“Oh, posh. How many Kestrel class vessels are out there running guns to Brigton? Only one I know of, and trust me, I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak. I know what’s going on.”
“Is that what the Imperium is saying?” Kim asked. “That we took out their ship?”
“Of course not,” Webb said. “The Royal Imperium never admits defeat.”
“So where’d you hear about it?” Ben said.
“Like I said,” Webb bragged, “I have my sources. Some are even ranking officers in the Fleet. Money is a great way to make friends, you know. That’s something you should keep in mind.”
“Here’s something for you to keep in mind,” Kim said. “If you ever send us out on a delivery to pirates again, I’ll shove your guns so far up your—”
“What Kim is trying to say,” Ben interrupted his pilot, “is that we had some trouble on KX21.”
“That is unfortunate,” Webb said. “But I believe I spelled out in the information packet that they were privateers.”
“Your information was wrong,” Kim said with her teeth clenched.
“They were outlaws who tried to steal our ship,” Ben said.
“Is there anyone who can back up that claim?” Webb said.
“As a matter of fact, we kept one,” Kim said. “And he sings like a canary.”
“Let’s talk about what you owe us,” Ben said.
“Owe you?” Webb said, acting as if he had no idea what Ben was talking about.
“Yes, we settled on a tank of Zexum gas, two hundred Imperium credits, and three hundred station credits per run.”
“And I paid you for that,” Webb said.
“Wrong,” Kim said. “You owe us, baldy.”
“There’s no need to resort to name-calling,” Webb said. “Someone as exquisite as you shouldn’t let foul language tarnish your lovely lips.”
Ben put his hand on Kim’s leg, hoping it might calm her down.
“Look, let’s be honest, Webb,” Ben said. “You owe us another tank of gas, four hundred Imperium credits, and three hundred station credits for the work we’ve done. We made the run to Halpha and the Knoxx system.”
“But you just said the Knoxx system was a bust,” Webb said.
“They attacked us with the weapons we delivered to them,” Ben said. “That’s two runs.”
“Well, I see your point, but there’s a small problem.”
“We’re not looking for problems,” Kim said. “Only solutions.”
“Well, it’s just that you’re the most wanted fugitives in the galaxy at the moment. I mean, you aren’t now because the Imperium believes you perished in the same black hole that took their cruiser. It didn’t survive, I’m assuming. Correct me if I’m wrong.”
“It did not,” Ben said.
“So you see, if we give you aid, the Imperium will want recompense. I can’t afford to bring that type of heat onto our operations.”
“So pay us what you owe and you’ll never see us again,” Kim said.
“Actually,” Webb said, taking another sip of the strong spirit he’d poured from his flask, “at the moment we can claim that we had no idea who you were or what you were about. But if we aid you in any way now, that makes us culpable in your crimes.”
“I can’t believe this,” Kim said.
From the far end of the room, a raucous cackle echoed. Everyone turned and saw Liachov sitting up on her gurney. Holt was standing next to Beck with a smirk on his face.
“Well,” Webb said, getting to his feet. “I am sure Mr. Holt is fully capable of aiding you. I’ll be sending a message to the Royal Imperium, of course. Not that I want to, you see, but the government is sure to hear about your arrival here from other independent parties. I only do what I must to ensure the safety and continued prosperity of the corporation. I’m sure you understand. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, but I assume Imperium agents will be along shortly.”
Ben wanted to scream, or better yet pull out his blaster and show Webb what he really thought of his double-dealing. They still had the goods they were tasked with taking to the Monarch system, but it was mostly transmitters and solar power equipment, which wasn’t worth nearly as much as the guns they had delivered to the other systems.
“How do you like dealing with Webb now?” Liachov shouted as Webb slipped out the door. She cackled again, then slumped over onto her gurney.
Holt came walking toward them. Ben was furious, but he had no options. Brimex was closed to them. The Echo was damaged and in need of repairs, but they had no money. They had just enough Zexum to get them to one more location. Genovisi could probably make the repairs, but the goods they had on hand weren’t worth enough to pay for them.
“Well, if this isn’t the worst possible outcome,” Kim said under her voice as Holt approached.
“You’re like a bad penny,” Holt said.
“Careful,” Ben said. “Your people nearly got us killed. I wouldn’t come with a snarky attitude.”
“And from what I’ve seen of your ship, I wouldn’t expect you to be so uppity,” Holt replied. “Did you really fly through a black hole?”
“Does it matter?” Ben said.
“Sure it does. You’re the first to ever do it. And perception is reality. You faced down a ship of the line, escaped through a black hole, and lived to tell the tale. All on Confederacy business, which will help us sway more planets to aid in the war.”
“It’s your war,” Ben said. “We never signed up to fight.”
“If you have better options, I understand,” Holt said. “But according to my compatriots, you’re broke and with no prospects.”
“We don’t need your help,” Kim said.
“Sure you do. Look, we can help each other. Right now, we need to capitalize on your good name. Can you get your ship to Genovisi?”
“Yes,” Ben said.
“Good, let’s go. The Confederacy will cover the repairs. Then we have a task for you.”
“Of course you do,” Ben said. “But we’re almost out of Zexum gas.”
“I know a place that has plenty,” Holt said. “What you said about that pirate true?”
“About him being able to admit to his crimes?” Ben asked. “Yes. And we know where he is, but he isn’t here.”
“You left him on Brigton?” Holt said.
“On a deserted island,” Ben said. “It seemed fitting for a pirate.”
“Almost poetic,” Holt said. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 34
Holt was a man of his word. The Confederacy paid for new wing engines and new laser cannons as well. Ben spent a week overseeing the repair work, while Nance worked nonstop on updating their computer systems.
On the station, they were lauded as heroes and none of them paid for a drink or meal the entire week. Word was spreading fast that their little Kestrel class ship had taken on an Imperium Cruiser and won the fight. Ben tried to tell the truth, but the fact that they had successfully flown a black hole only made their reputation even larger.
They were offered jobs by almost everyone they met. Especially Kim, who was offered money, goods, and even a few slaves in exchange for piloting ships. She turned it all down, though, and Ben was grateful. He would have understood if she had decided to move on. After all, Webb had been right, and it was no secret that the Imperium was anxious to capture the ship claiming to have survived the black hole.
Jump Point: Kestrel Class Saga Book 2 Page 22
