by Henry Vogel
“Callan, are you all right?”
“I’m a little shaken up, but fine. What about you?” she said.
“Never better.” I eased my grip on Callan. “Nist?”
“Over here.”
“That was brilliant flying!”
“But I broke the Pauline!”
“Callan and I will see that she is rebuilt as good as new. You have my word,” I assured him.
Fighting our way clear of the collapsed envelope, Callan and I emerged into the sunlight. Before us stood Caudill, his laser pistol trained on me. Knowing the pirate could burn a hole through my head before I could do anything to stop him, I went very still. Then Callan wriggled out next to me.
“I found your sword, darling. You-” She broke off as she noticed Caudill.
“Have her slide the sword to me,” Caudill said.
“You’re trusting me to translate accurately?” I said. “Why don’t you turn on your radio and let the ship’s translator handle that for you?”
“You’ve already Boosted twice today, something I’d thought impossible until now. If I split my attention between you and the radio for even a second, you might Boost a third time and take my laser.”
Yeah, my plan was exactly that.
Caudill continued, “Instead, I’ll just give you my undivided attention and let you translate. Oh, and tell your guards to stay where they are or I’ll burn both of you down!”
“What about the pilot?” I asked.
“That was quite a clever job he did landing this tub. I’d say he’s much too clever to leave where I can’t see him. He will come out as well. Hands empty and where I can see them, of course.”
“Callan, slide my sword to Caudill.” I raised my voice. “Everyone besides Nist, stay under the envelope. Nist, show empty hands first, then you can crawl out into the open.”
Caudill’s eyes flicked to Callan as she slid the sword to him but were back on me in an instant. Leering, he said, “She’s quite the lovely paramour, Rice. I can certainly see why you risked your neck to be with her! Once my ship is repaired, I do believe I’ll take her with me. Her sale price will almost cover the cost of replacing Orrons!”
Nist’s empty hands poked out a few feet away. He pulled himself halfway out and sat up. Pulling his knees up, Nist pivoted on his backside. As his feet swung free, I realized something was clamped between his feet. Nist’s legs kicked out and sent Orrons’ head crashing into Caudill’s chest!
The hardened pirate recoiled from the severed head of his young crewmen. Caudill uttered a cry of mingled horror and disgust as he stumbled back a step. The head splattered blood over Caudill’s chest and the pirate wiped at it out of reflex. In that split second, the laser pistol swung down to point at the ground. Finally, his attention wasn’t on any of us!
Boost!
And nothing happened. Time did not slow and adrenaline did not flood my body. There was no time to wonder why Boost failed. I still had to act while Caudill was distracted!
I launched myself into a somersault toward Caudill, grabbing my sword as I came out of the roll. Surprise and horror made Caudill continue backing away, but I saw his laser pistol already tracking back toward me. Lunging as far as I could, I struck the pistol with the flat of my sword. The force of the blow sent the gun flying from Caudill’s hand!
Grinning in triumph, I pulled my sword back for another thrust and stepped toward Caudill. “Surrender or die!”
Caudill’s shoulders slumped and his hands raised. Then he leapt forward, a vibroblade humming to life in his left hand! I jumped back. The vibroblade missed, but I heard the buzz of the blade as it passed.
I thrust wildly with my sword, but my backpedal gave Caudill the same opening I’d needed from him. Dropping the vibroblade, he dove for his fallen laser pistol. Rolling up onto his knees, Caudill raised the gun and trained it on me!
I tensed for a dive of my own — and then a crossbow bolt ripped through Caudill’s throat while another buried itself in his back. Two of Callan’s guards lay just under the collapsed envelope, spent crossbows in hand.
Caudill dropped the laser pistol as both hands flew to his throat in a useless attempt to staunch the spurting blood. As Caudill thrashed and gurgled, I picked up the laser pistol and turned toward my wife and men.
With no one to see his death throes, the most feared pirate in the galaxy breathed his last.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Callan, Nist, and the guards rose to their feet as I approached. I had nothing more in my mind than sweeping Callan into my arms. As I reached toward her, she turned to her guards and Nist.
“Thank you for your quick thinking and quicker actions, gentlemen.” She kissed each of them ceremonially on the cheek. “Without the three of you, I’d be a widow now.”
The younger of the two guards actually blushed. “We were just doing our job, Your Highness.”
Callan crossed her arms in mock disapproval. “David, can you believe what Voss just said?”
“Never, ever say you’re ‘just’ doing your job — especially when your job may mean sacrificing your life to save ours.” I took Voss’s hand and shook it. “Callan and I are honored to have men such as you guard us.”
While smiling and making similar comments to Nist and the other guard, I queried my implant to discover why Boost failed me for the first time. I found the answer and my concentration returned to the real world — where I found Callan watching me.
“Well, what does your implant have to say for itself?” Callan asked when I looked up. I must have looked surprised, because she added, “You get an introspective look when you’re talking to that machine in your head, darling. I assume you asked it why Boost didn’t work?”
“You knew I tried to Boost?” I asked.
“Of course I did, David.”
“Is that another look of mine?” Callan nodded and I continued, “It turns out the implant has a safety override I didn’t know about. Apparently, Boosting several times close together — even if the Boost only lasts for a few seconds — is as dangerous as one long Boost. I’d already Boosted twice within just a few minutes, so the implant blocked my third attempt. But don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I can find a way to turn the override off.”
“Don’t you dare think about doing that, David Rice!” Callan’s green eyes flashed with anger and...fear? “Boosting is dangerous! Those overrides exist for a very good reason and you are not to fiddle with them. Consider that a royal decree, if you must”
“But, Callan, Boosting has saved our lives many times.”
“No, David, you have saved our lives. Boosting is a tool, just like your sword is a tool. What matters is the man who uses the tool, not the tool itself.” Callan wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “David, Tristan can heal many wounds, but we both know Boost burnout is beyond anything he can heal.” Loosening her arms, Callan flashed her sweetest, most dangerous, husband-pay-attention-to-me smile. “So leave those safety overrides alone or you’ll spend the next month sleeping in the guardhouse.”
“You had but to ask, my dear. You know I can refuse you nothing.” I lifted her hand to my lips. “But now we’ve got to figure out how to rescue our friends from the surviving pirates.”
“Do you think a rescue is possible?” Callan asked. “Won’t the pirates on the spaceship know their captain is dead and be preparing for an attack or a siege?”
“I don’t think they know anything that just happened. Caudill turned his radio off so he could threaten me without you and Rupor hearing. He didn’t turn it on again after you and Rupor played on his suspicions. And the wreck of the Pauline blocked their line of sight from the spaceship. Caudill’s men don’t know he’s dead yet, but they will get suspicious if they don’t hear from him soon!”
“Could you wear the powered armor? With the helmet on, couldn’t you just march right onto the spaceship and smash anyone who refused to surrender?” Callan asked.
“I’m afraid not,” I replied. “
Only Orrons could control the armor. It’s another machine-in-your-head thing, but it’s a different one than I have.”
At that moment, Rupor’s airship glided into position above us and began venting gas. Rupor, I realized, was onboard a Tartegian warship rather than a personal craft like the Pauline.
Looking at the descending ship, I asked, “Callan, do you think your ex-betrothed would lend me a few of his marines to lead against the pirate ship?”
Callan sighed. “You’re the only one of us who’s been inside the spaceship. And you’re the only one of us who knows how to open the doors. I don’t like the idea of you going back in there, but you’re the only person who can lead. Rupor won’t like it, either, but he’ll agree.”
Callan was right about Rupor on both counts.
After reluctantly agreeing, Rupor added, “Of course, I’ll be there as your second-in-command.”
I opened my mouth to talk him out of it, then looked at his determined face. “I will be honored to have you at my side, Your Highness.”
Callan gave me a smile and a nod. Apparently, I’d given the correct response. Shortly, the marines from Rupor’s ship gathered around me.
“We have too many unknowns to consider anything but a simple plan.” I gave a feral grin to the marines. “And this one is as simple as it can get. Once inside the ship, you capture or kill everyone who doesn’t speak your language!”
“Direct and to the point, Rice.” Rupor nodded his approval. “I like it!”
“Am I safe in assuming there are no questions?” At the marines’ laughter, I gave them a tight smile. “Now, let’s go capture a pirate ship!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Of course the plan had more detail than I’d said, but not a lot more. Nist rounded up a canvas sack from the wreckage of the Pauline and I put Orrons’ head in it. Next, I pulled on Caudill’s bloody shirt and donned his hat, which was blessedly free of blood stains. Mixed in among Rupor’s men, I hoped to pass myself off as Caudill. The deception only had to last long enough for us to get inside the spaceship.
“How do I look?” I asked Callan, spreading my arms wide and striking a pose.
Callan studied me with a critical eye. “Quite a lot like a dead man walking.”
“With Rupor’s marines packed around me, none of the pirates will see the blood stains. How does the hat look?”
“Is that hat fashionable out in the wider galaxy?”
“I’ve been away from galactic civilization for a few years,” I answered, “but it was all the rage before I left.”
“Then let us desperately hope that galactic fashion has come to its senses.”
“You don’t think it gives me a rakish look?”
“I love you, David, but no.” Callan smiled, shaking her head. “If you pull the brim low and keep your head down, it will hide your face. That is your primary reason for wearing that monstrosity, isn’t it, darling?”
“Of course.”
Perhaps my face displayed disappointment, because Callan rose on her toes and kissed me lightly. “You don’t need a hat to look rakish to me, David.”
I heard laughter behind me. Turning, I found Rupor and his marines watching Callan and me with amusement.
Callan crossed her arms and glared at Rupor. “Shall I tell your men what you wore when we met for the first time, Rupor?”
Rupor’s men laughed all the more as their prince’s face reddened.
“All right, men, you’ve had a good laugh,” I called. “Now it’s time to get serious. Let’s form up!”
Rupor’s men gathered around me. Rupor assumed a prideful look and, the bloody sack held before him, struck out toward the spaceship. I prayed the flash of laser fire would not be the last thing we saw.
The men marched with quiet purpose appropriate to the true situation. My plan hinged on the marines’ ability to convince those aboard the spaceship that they were celebrating, not attacking.
“You’re supposed to be happy, men. Laugh and joke,” I said quietly. “Keep your hands away from your weapons and act as if your prince has won a great victory over that princess-stealing ne’er-do-well, David Rice.”
As I’d hoped, that brought a laugh from the men and even Rupor chuckled.
“That’s the spirit, lads!” I said. “Rupor, try swinging that sack in a jaunty manner, as if it held a treasured trophy. These pirates think you’re all a bunch of savage barbarians, anyway. Have some fun and live down to their expectations!”
That did the trick. The marines strutted and capered, laughing all the while. One man moved ahead of the group with an exaggerated march more appropriate for the stage than the battlefield. He bowed low to Rupor and requested the honor of carrying the sack. Rupor presented the sack to him as if awarding him a medal for valor. Each man stepped forward for his turn; some hoisting the sack like a trophy, others swinging it in time to a few dance steps, and one peeked inside and cackled. Through it all, we drew closer to the spaceship.
Grinning, one of the marines spun past me and asked, “Won’t these pirates just cut us down with weapons like the one their captain used on your airship?”
“You’d think so, but no. Every bulkhead in a spaceship is crammed with vital machinery or conduits for vital machinery. No spaceman uses a laser inside the ship if it can be avoided!”
“What weapons will the pirates use?” he asked.
“They’ll use swords. That’s one of the few things adventures stories get right about combat aboard a spaceship.” We climbed over the last pile of debris and the pirate ship loomed above us. “When we get to the hatch, keep up your chatter and pack tightly in front of me. The noise will help cover the difference between my voice and Caudill’s. Packing tightly will also give me an excuse to ask for someone to open the hatch.”
Seconds later, we entered the airlock. The ruse had gotten us this far. Would it get us inside the spaceship?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Rupor led the way into the pirate ship’s airlock, his men crowding in behind him. It was tight in the airlock and I couldn’t step forward to give the crew a clear look at my face. The men continued their boisterous celebration, with the close confines of the airlock amplifying their noise. Rupor ignored the comm next to the door and, with a flourish, knocked on the airlock. Several long seconds crawled by before the knock drew a response.
“Yeah, what is it?” The voice spoke galactic basic and was barely audible over the din caused by the marines. After a short delay, the computerized translation repeated the question in the language of Tarteg and Mordan.
“Your captain has brought us to your ship to celebrate my victory and cement our alliance with you!” Rupor yelled over the ruckus, holding up the sack. “Open this door and let us begin the celebration in earnest!”
We endured a pause as the computer translated back to galactic basic before we received a reply. “If the captain wants you in the ship, he can open the door when he gets there.”
It was time to see if the noise would help mask the differences between my voice and Caudill’s. Without waiting for the translation, I deepened my voice and rasped, “Did you even bother to look at your view screen? If I could reach the blasted airlock, I would open it!”
The next few seconds felt like hours. At last the voice replied, “My apologies, Captain! I didn’t see you back there. I’ve sent someone to open the airlock!” There was another brief pause, then the voice added, “Uh, Captain, the bottom of that bag is red and looks wet. What’s in it? ”
“The bag holds that scout’s head. Turn off the translation for a minute, would you?” I said, sticking to the deep, rasping voice.
“It’s off.”
“Taking the head is some kind of local ritual. We need these barbarians right now. Order the crew to just smile and nod when the savages show it off.”
“Will do, sir!”
Machinery hummed to life and the airlock door slowly slid open. I thought our ruse had worked, right up until I saw a squad of
armed pirates waiting for us!
I feared the entire squad would be armed with laser pistols. We were in serious trouble if they had modern weapons. Fortunately, old shipboard habits die hard. Either the pirates never considered arming everyone with lasers or too many of the laser pistols were destroyed when the inertial dampeners failed. Whatever the reason, only the leader held a laser. The rest of the pirates held drawn swords. The leader could still burn us all down with the laser. We needed a distraction and needed one quickly.
Gambling that the translator was still turned off, I said, “Rupor, give the pirates a stern and disapproving look, then shrug and pull the head out of the bag. Men, when their leader is distracted, all of you must duck. Stay down until I give the word.”
Rupor straightened, his stance radiating royal disapproval of this breach of protocol. The squad leader, irritated that he couldn’t understand what I was saying, called out to the intercom, “Turn the translator back on!”
Then Rupor pulled Orrons’ head from the bag and thrust it toward the leader. Every one of the pirates recoiled at the sight of Orrons’ head dangling before them. Then Rupor added to their horror by tossing the head to their leader. All pirate eyes followed as the head arced toward their leader.
He instinctively fended off the head with his hands. “Yaaaah!”
The man’s laser pistol swung away from the airlock and I called, “Duck!”
The marines before me dropped into a squat and I raised Caudill’s laser pistol and fired. The bright beam flashed over the marines’ heads and burned the leader’s gun hand off at the wrist! Gun and hand fell to the floor as the leader screamed in pain. Clutching his wrist, the man stumbled backward into his squad.
