Wanderer's Escape

by Simon Goodson

  Jess mentally checked their position then threw the display onto a screen.

  “They've nearly reached jump range,” he said. “Another fifteen minutes. They need to be farther away to jump out than they could jump in to. We could reach them but the Wanderer took quite a beating. I'm not sure we could beat them without a couple of hours repairs.”

  “All right. That's settled then. We can't stop them before they jump and that means we can't reach them till they reach Stone Snake. By the time we arrive they will have passed on their records of the battle. Everyone there will have the info on how this ship fought, and they'll know you rescued most of the prisoners. That means they'll want to come after both us and this station with a large force.”

  “No – sorry. I didn't say. We can catch them after they jump. The Wanderer can go faster in jump space. Not massively so, but we can do that trip about eight hours faster than they can. If we leave in the next six or seven hours we can easily catch them.”

  “That's not possible!” Ali leant forward intently. “My dad was an engineer. He used to talk about this all the time. Every ship moves at the same speed through jump space. He always said if someone found a way to go faster they'd be rich beyond anyone's dreams. Or floating out an airlock without a spacesuit more likely, with their idea stolen by a corporation.”

  “I did it though. The pirate fleet had a seven hour head start leaving Stone Snake but I got here before them. We already know the Wanderer is pretty unique. That's just one more thing to add to the list.”

  Ali looked uncomfortable.

  “When we get some time we really need to find out more about this ship. I know you're hooked into it but the things it can do... they just shouldn't be possible.”

  “So we can catch them,” Sal said. “Then what? Can you force them out of jump space? Attack them while still in jump space?”

  “Attack them, definitely. I was planning to do that on the way here. Reduce their numbers. But I decided it would scare them off. The ship can produce some weapons that will work in jump space.”

  “Then the question is what do we do. Damage the ships? Destroy their engines? Maybe leave them stranded in deep space till their supplies run out or they repair the engines and their message still reaches the pirate base. Or do we destroy them. Make it clean?”

  No one spoke for a time, each thinking through the options. Finally Jess spoke.

  “There's no point in stopping them unless it's for good. We can be gone from here in next to no time so they can't catch us. But they'll know far more about what the Wanderer can do if those ships make it back to their base. I'm still not keen on killing. I hope I never will be. But those are the same people that launched the containers and would have left everyone in them to die. I won't enjoy it but I can do it.”

  “I agree,” said Sal.

  “Yes,” added Ali quietly. “So the question is how. Quick or slow.”

  “For what they did here they deserve slow,” said Sal. “But this isn't about what they deserve. I don't care what they've done, I don't want to leave them to a slow lingering death. If we have to kill them it should be fast. Not for their sakes – for ours. I don't want to take even one step down the road of becoming like them.”

  “Definitely. It needs to be fast. Jess? What do you think?”

  “Well the decision is already made – I'd be outvoted,” Jess said, then grinned as he ducked a half-hearted swat from Ali. “Seriously... I think you're right, but before you spoke I'd have been planning to strand them in deep space with no hope of ever returning. They deserve that, or worse. But you're right. If I think how I'd feel afterwards... I'd be thinking about them every day. Feeling guilty. Feeling angry for feeling guilty. It needs to be done, and it needs to be quickly and cleanly.”

  Sal and Ali both smiled in relief.

  “That just leaves Matt and the pirate base,” said Sal. “You know that even without any details of what happened here they'll know you were involved. That they sent out twenty ships and none came back. With that sort of power at stake they'll never stop hunting us. Every station we go to, every planet we visit, we'll have to be constantly watching our backs. Even if we left you now Ali and I would be marked targets for the rest of our lives. Anyone wanting to control you will start with us.”

  “So what do we do?” asked Jess glumly. “This ship's powerful but the mining complex is huge. We couldn't possibly destroy it all. Even if we could somehow, plenty of ships would get away.”

  “We'll have to think of something. Whatever happens I want a shot at them. A chance to hurt them like they've hurt so many people. Anyway, let's deal with this system first then we can get after those fleeing ships and try to work out a plan.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jess first opened a channel to the station, asking to speak to the governor. A few seconds later she appeared, looking tired and nervous. Jess deliberately set the camera to show all three aboard the Wanderer.

  “Governor,” he said curtly with a nod.

  “Captain,” she replied. “I have to admit to fearing what you have to say. Once again we find ourselves in your debt. Considering how we treated you last time I wouldn't be surprised if you plan to extract some form of revenge. Though if you don't I'm sure the allies of those ships out there will do so for you.”

  “I won't say it hasn't crossed my mind. You kidnapped my friends. Forced us on a mission that nearly got us killed. Then you were ready to hand my friends over to those bastards. And when I rescued them one of your guards shot at us.”

  The governor's face grew haunted.

  “I know it won't help much but... the guard that shot at you has been relieved of duty. He may be facing charges. And he turned himself in. He didn't know it was you. He thought it was one of the pirate ships that had captured him. Even so his actions are inexcusable.”

  Jess stared at her for a few moments then shrugged.

  “It makes no difference. We'd made our decision anyway. Despite your actions there are many innocent children on your station. Quite a few more than there would be, thanks to us. For their sake I'm going to help you again.”

  The governor's face flickered through surprise and hope before a guarded neutrality locked itself in place. Before she could speak Jess continued.

  “Most of the ships out here are disabled or damaged. If you can capture them and repair them then you'll have the makings of a strong defence fleet. I can try to help you take them but our time here is limited. And I need something to offer those on the ships. I need you to guarantee they will receive a fair trial and that even if, or more likely when, they are found guilty execution will not be an option. Either officially or in unexpected accidents.”

  “I think I can promise that. I'll need to speak to some other people first though. Can you give me an hour?”

  “You've got five minutes. In thirty we leave whether we've helped you or not.”

  “Five minutes... I can't... that is...” she paused studying Jess. After a moment something she saw made change her mind. “Five minutes. All right. You'll have your answer. What is this going to cost us? What do you want?”

  Jess scowled back.

  “Want? Nothing. You have nothing we could possibly want, other than to have left us alone in the first place. Call when you've made your decision.”

  Angrily he killed the connection.

  “Well done!” Sal said, hugging him. “Exactly what she deserved. Serves the bitch right.”

  “Five minutes? Just enough time for a shower and change of clothes. I feel filthy!” said Ali, heading for the ladder to the cabins at a near run.

  “Great idea!” Sal followed on her heels.

  In moments Jess was sat alone, a slightly bemused smile on his face. He found his thoughts following Ali. Images of her in the shower, water running down her body, flashed through his mind leaving him both exhilarated and terrified.

  Suddenly the ship threw an override confirmation at him. It had picked up on his daydreaming
. Only the privacy protocol he'd put in place had prevented him getting an immediate view of Ali in the shower. For a moment he considered giving the command, a surge of hormones pushing him towards it. Would it really be so wrong? She'd never know. Except she would. How could he meet her eyes? For that matter meeting her eyes after his daydream of her in the shower wasn't going to be easy. Dismissing the override he forced his mind onto the message he'd send to the pirate ships not about to jump back home.

  Somehow Sal and Ali were done and coming back down the stairs just over four minutes after he'd last spoken to the governor. Ali came down the stairs first and Jess's jaw nearly dislocated. She was wearing a large white towelling robe with her long blond hair still damp. She looked amazing and he couldn't take his eyes off her.

  “You must have something I don't dear,” said Sal. “I'm dressed the same but I might as well not be here for all the attention he's paying me.”

  Jess felt himself turn bright red and struggled to think of something, anything, to say. He was saved by an incoming call from the station. Tuning the camera to only show himself this time he accepted the call. It was the governor again and she wasted no time.

  “Captain. We have discussed your... suggestion... and we accept. Anyone that surrenders will be tried fairly and when, not if, they are found guilty they will not be mistreated. Which is far more than they offered our people.

  However... anyone refusing to surrender. Anyone resisting our attempts to board. Anyone attacking us or resisting us will be executed on the spot. And before you say it yes – we will ensure you have a video feed of all boarding actions so you don't have to worry about us deciding that standing still, or indeed still being alive, constitute resistance.”

  “Thank you. In that case I am happy to offer my assistance for the next twenty-five minutes. I'd suggest you launch your recovery craft now. I'll ensure nothing happens to them.”

  “Some argued against trusting you.” She spoke softly now. “They said sending out our guards and using most of our shuttles gave you the perfect chance for revenge. In one action you could wipe out our ability to defend ourselves at all. Some even thought you'd be being reasonable in doing so. I think they are wrong though. They're making the mistake of judging you by the pirates standards. And, it shames me to say, by our own standards. This is a tough universe. It makes the people in it tough – when dealing with strangers especially. We owe you so much already and have repaid you with pain and trouble. So I offer you some advice, small repayment as it is. We are not unusual. Misguided – yes. Wrong – yes. But not unusual. Expect others to act as we have. Not all will but many, most even, will do. Despite our worst efforts you've made a difference here. A big difference. I think you'll do the same wherever you end up. Just be careful though. Remember what happened here and be suspicious.

  Anyway... the shuttles have launched. We can tackle the fighters easily. The two big ships though... we need the crew off of those. They should have escape pods. We'll pick them up. Anyone left on board we kill on sight.”

  Jess considered for a moment then glanced at Sal and Ali. Both nodded. He checked the status of the fleeing Freighter and it's two heavyweight escorts just in time to see them jump.

  “That seems reasonable. I'll send the message now.”

  Jess cut the call, then quickly sent out the message to the remaining pirate ships. He warned that any attempts to flee or to fire weapons at the approaching shuttles would lead to the offending ship being destroyed.

  He received an immediate reply from one of the damaged fighters. Sent out to all ships in the area it told him to clear off in particularly graphic terms. It also stated that the ship would keep fighting till it was destroyed.

  With a thought Jess sent the Wanderer into jump space for the brief moment it took to emerge near the ship that had replied. Steeling himself he opened fire with lasers and the plasma cannon. The minimal level of shields they'd managed to get working collapsed instantly and with its damaged thrusters it stood no chance of evading the plasma bolts. One moment there was a ship, the next an expanding cloud of debris.

  “Anyone else want to turn down my offer?” Jess sent to the remaining ships.

  Assurances that they'd surrender poured in from most of the remaining fighters. He hadn't expected any response from the three he'd disabled with the ion cannons as most of their systems would be fried, but one had apparently patched something together that let them send out their surrender.

  One corvette responded agreeing to the terms, but the other replied saying they were unable to. It was the corvette badly damaged when it's sister ship had blown apart and they claimed their escape pods had been badly damaged. That using them would be near on suicidal.

  The governor had received the message too and contacted Jess. She suggested clearing one of the station's larger shuttles of personnel and sending it in on automatic. It was too small to have a jump drive and wouldn't be a threat. Jess passed on the idea to the corvette's crew and they quickly agreed.

  The boarding actions met mixed results. The crew from the badly damaged corvette all left on the shuttle, at least those still alive did. The station personnel who boarded said they weren't surprised – the ship was in a terrible state. Luckily several engineers were amongst the party and they managed to bring the engines back under control and into a safe state.

  The other corvette's crew were less honest. Most left on the escape pods but a number holed up in the ship with weapons. With no shields remaining Jess was able to scan the ship accurately and warned the station personnel of the waiting ambushes. Seven waited in all at various defensible locations. Three were killed by precision strikes from the Wanderer's weapons under Jess's control. The other four had to be beaten the hard way, though with Jess's warning the cost was kept down to three injuries – two minor, one major but not life threatening. All four defenders were killed.

  Jess couldn't help with the fighters. They were small with two and three men crews. Two damaged ships surrendered peacefully, while on the other a fierce gunfight broke out. From radio chatter and the video feeds Jess thought two of the station's people were killed and several more wounded before they cleared out all the pirates.

  The disabled ship that had restored communications surrendered without a fight, as did one of the others once the demand to surrender had been fed in over the emergency channel. The final disabled ship made no reply of any kind. As the station's personnel boarded cautiously they found out why. The ships life support had been knocked out too. In such a small ship the air hadn't lasted. One of the crew was found with a nearly depleted emergency oxygen cylinder. The other two crew were dead – not from suffocation but from being shot. A fight had clearly broken out over the oxygen bottle. Jess watched the video feed as the survivor was disarmed, restrained and dragged out of the ship. With a sigh he cut the video feed and sat back. He felt tired. Absolutely exhausted. He still had some tasks to take care of though. He called up the governor again.

  “Captain. Once again, thank you. Are you sure there is nothing we can offer to repay you?”

  “There is one thing Governor. We need up to date navigation charts. Can you supply them?”

  “Yes. Of course. It's the least we could do. We'll send over the official charts but I'm afraid they have many gaps. Many areas are designated interdicted. The Empire keeps a tight rein on who has access to data on those areas. Others are blank because the Empire enforces strict limits in places on the routes that can be travelled. The rest of the data isn't complete either, many stations are not sanctioned by the Empire – there are strict rules against including them in the data.”

  The ship confirmed it had received a data squirt. After confirming it free of any viruses or other toxic payloads Jess looked at it. As the governor had warned it had large gaps in it.

  “However you might find this of interest.”

  The governor was smiling now. Another data squirt came in.

  “It's not official – in fact possession
of it means life imprisonment – but, as I keep saying, I owe you. This is the best we've been able to cobble together from a large number of sources. There's still a lot of gaps but it covers many areas the official charts don't. Just don't get caught with it... or if you do don't mention my name.”

  Jess studied the new charts. As she said it filled in many gaps, as well as adding additional information in other areas. He had no idea how reliable it was but it provided hope if nothing else.

  Acknowledging how useful this would be he found himself smiling back at the governor.

  “Thank you,” he said. “And goodbye...”

  With that he shoved the Wanderer into jump space, setting a course for Stone Snake mining complex. The far away systems on the new charts beckoned, but first they had several pieces of unfinished business to take care of.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jess sat at the table with the other two, enjoying a spicy chicken dish that Ali had called up from the food machine. Both women were dressed now – Jess couldn't decide if he was disappointed or relieved. The sight of Ali in the robe had led to an avalanche of emotions he had trouble coping with. Uncomfortably aware that he'd been wearing the same clothes for a good two days Jess had taken a shower and got changed.

  They discussed their plans while they ate. The plans for dealing with the freighter and corvettes stayed the same. Long term they wanted to get well away from the area around Stone Snake.

  That left the nasty problem of the pirate base. All three wanted to inflict heavy damage but knew it would make the pirates even more determined in their pursuit. Then Jess hit on an idea which allowed them to do serious damage and prevent the pirates coming looking for them. It was a risky plan but all three decided to go with it.

  Ali and Sal spent much of the forty hour journey asleep, recovering from their ordeal. They were both up for a few hours in the middle of the journey and cornered Jess in the pilot's chair.