The Pirate Guild

by Steven J Shelley

  “How long is he here for?”

  “Doubt it’ll be more than a few days. We need to work quickly. I suggest we browse the resort catalog and buy some threads first. Maybe even a disguise or two.”

  That was something Charley had no problem doing. She raised a catalog projection from the coms display on the bedside table, gasping at the wide array of cocktail gowns and leisure wear. It took close to an hour to scroll through the various dresses plus accessories. She was careful not to exceed a couple of thousand credits. In the end, she selected a gorgeous burgundy gown with plunging neckline. She also selected a topaz necklace and Orfalian high heels in a matching color. On impulse, she also paid for a midnight blue hair dye. There was always a chance her image had been distributed among the Night Runners and she wasn’t about to take any chances.

  Charley and her cohort cooled themselves off with a local beer while they waited for their clothes to arrive. Dusk was descending as three hotel staff arrived in a beach buggy. Charley’s dress was delivered straight to the bedroom. She lovingly caressed the impossibly light material before retiring to the en suite to dress and apply the hair dye. Her breasts filled the low cups perfectly and the hem was a nice distance from the ground. The heels were a nice fit too. Half an hour later she looked a completely different woman. Vin gaped in shock when he saw her.

  “Still beautiful?” she asked jokingly.

  “Just as beautiful … just different. More dangerous, maybe.”

  Dressed in a pristine tuxedo with a blood-red tie, the rogue hadn’t brushed up so badly himself. To preserve his identity, he wore a stylized eye mask favored by certain men of leisure across the galaxy. They were supposed to be items of high fashion, but Charley suspected they were designed to allow dirty old men to ogle young women. She didn’t mind - as long as he was looking at her.

  “You look dashing,” she said truthfully. He shrugged.

  “We need to watch our money,” he said. “By my calculations we only have enough for a few days.”

  “Should be more than enough time to take care of Fallon,” Charley pointed out.

  “We’ll only get one chance,” Vin warned. So let’s make it count.”

  Charley nodded, beginning to feel the real menace that lurked in every shadow here. A soft ocean breeze came in off the water, moderating the humidity of the day and refreshing her senses. Vin offered his arm gallantly.

  “Wait,” she said. “What about weapons?”

  Vin considered her dress.

  “Allow me,” he said, fashioning a small band from the elastic in his socks. He pulled it up Charley’s bare leg, leaving it at thigh-height. Smiling, he hooked a small blaster through the band on her inner thigh.

  “You’ll need to adjust your gait for that,” he said. “You’ll get used to it.”

  The cold metal against Charley’s thigh was unpleasant but nothing she couldn’t deal with. The pair chose to enjoy the cool evening and head to the center of the island on foot. The jungle was alive with the croaks, squawks and hisses of a thousand different creatures. At one point Vin held a protective arm across Charley as a python slid over the boardwalk ahead of them.

  “I suppose our objective is reconnaissance?” Charley asked Vin as they moved on.

  “It would make sense,” came the reply. “Fallon is a known gambler. We should sit back, watch the floor and make a list of potential threats.”

  “I wonder if it’s possible to get Fallon on his own,” Charley mused.

  Vin snorted. “Not likely. Unless …”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Just a stupid thought.”

  Charley was curious as to what that ‘stupid thought’ might be. She had a hunch it involved pimping her out to Fallon to get close to him. Apart from the obviously nauseating aspect, she had to admit it made sense. Hardened killers like Fallon could smell assassins a mile away, but he’d never met Charley Silverton. Countless experienced professionals had lost their lives underneath women who had suddenly turned on them. It was the type of kill that would never go out of fashion.

  “I can do that, you know,” she said quietly as they headed through a ballroom forest lit with twinkling green lights. “I have no issue with it.”

  “I would never ask you,” Vin said. “But men like Fallon don’t have many weaknesses. In any case, I’m more worried how I’d deal with it.”

  Charley grinned and squeezed his hand. It was reassuring to know he felt that way. The glittering lights of the casino loomed ahead. The pyramid was ablaze with golden light that swirled like a mirage. Vin took Charley’s hand and led her down a red carpet toward the casino’s west entrance. A burly security guard dressed in the purple livery of the casino let them in with a smile.

  “Our names and credit profiles have already been scanned,” Vin said under his breath. They know we’re not far away from scum but like the look of 4000 credits. They’ll probably let us spend that tonight then refuse us entry if we return.”

  “Scum?” Charley asked, offended.

  “Sure,” Vin said. “You’re from a sand hill on Abeya and I have the worst credit history this side of the core worlds.”

  Charley nodded glumly. She knew they were only welcome as long as the money flowed but it was nice to live the fantasy. If only for a little while. The pair entered a glowing casino floor filled with a variety of games tables. Dice, deck, old school tactical, famous war maps. The one constant was the steady clink of casino chips.

  “Let’s start with a drink,” Vin murmured, steering Charley to a side bar.

  He ordered himself a flat Darkan spirit and looked at Charley with a raised eyebrow.

  “Blood Sunrise,” she said.

  In truth it was the only cocktail she knew. Vin wore a faint smile as they sat at a table.

  “Yeah, so I’m a bumpkin,” Charley said sternly. “You gotta problem with that?”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Vin said. “It gives you hunger.”

  “Hunger for what?”

  “I don’t know,” came the cryptic reply. “A hunger for more.”

  Charley pursed her lips, but she suspected Vin was right. She’d been hibernating on her shithole of a planet for too long and wanted to make up for every lost minute.

  “What do we do now?” she asked, happy to change the subject.

  “We sit and watch,” Vin said. “Hopefully we get a look at Fallon himself. His level of protection. His vices. Points of weakness.”

  Charley nodded, scanning the crowd.

  “Time for my first lesson,” she said. “What do you see here?”

  Vin frowned. “I see plenty of money, but only some of it is legit. I’ve already identified five merchantmen who look like they’re packing serious credit. They usually have two or three bored bodyguards. Those guys get sloppy from lack of action. Most of these assholes are nefarious to some extent. I smell thieves. Hackers. People who do inside work for big payouts. These types dance a line between the good life and maximum security.”

  Charley watched the milling crowd of smartly dressed men and women. All she saw was a bunch of good looking people. Some had deck implants, some were victims of over-scaping. She couldn’t come close to the level of Vin’s assessment.

  “I have a feeling Fallon is already here,” Vin said. “A lot of folks on this floor seem like lower level operatives to me. Let’s move up the pyramid.”

  Charley finished her blood sunrise, enjoying the bitter tang. Feeling a little light-headed, she followed Vin into a drop shaft. They were whisked away to the next level, which was more compressed due to the shape of the pyramid. A circular tank of shimmering blue water embraced the games area. Several patrons were looking at something through the glass.

  “Bullet squids,” Vin said. “They like to kill each other, so why not put money on it?”

  Charley was so entranced with the gambling activity that she bumped into the chest of a swarthy alien. Apart from a bulbous, meaty gut, the tall creature was ripp
ling with muscle. Its head was enormous, dominated by sawn-off stumps that might have been horns once. The face was similar to the mud warthogs Charley sometimes saw on Abeya. Frowning, the alien blinked at her. She noticed the powerful blunderbuss strapped to its back. How it got that through security was anyone’s guess. The imposing beast wore custom armor plating over its large frame. Judging from the scarring, it’d seen plenty of action.

  “You should watch where you’re walkin’, lil’ miss,” it said in a voice like a chainsaw.

  Charley froze. Apart from the occasional sand skink on Abeya, she didn’t have much experience with sentient non-humans. Vin stepped in between the pair.

  “I’m sure it was an accident, friend,” he said in a flat tone. “Unless, of course, you’re saying this little lady could be a threat to you.”

  Nostrils flaring, the rotund alien considered Vin.

  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that death can arrive in the smallest of packages. Wouldn’t you agree, pirate?”

  Charley didn’t dare breathe. How did this thing know they were pirates?

  33

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Vin said. “Which is why you’d better park your fat ass someplace else.”

  The crowd had gone silent, tearing their attention away from the tanks to watch the confrontation. Purple liveried security staff inched closer, stun batons at the ready. The alien looked ready to butt Vin with its head. Charley had no doubt that such a blow would cave in her partner’s skull. Vin didn’t lack for courage, that’s for sure. Not for the first time she wondered if he had some kind of death wish. After a pregnant pause during which Charley was sure there’d be violence, the alien suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily. It was a rumbling wave, like an earthquake.

  “There’s no problem here,” it growled amiably. “Gronko is at peace.”

  Vin nodded, unable to mask his relief.

  “Have a good night, Gronko,” he said before moving on with Charley.

  “What the fuck was that?” Charley whispered as they headed across the floor.

  “He’s a renki,” Vin explained. “They come from Astar VI. Big, loud, and prone to anger. They’re also loyal to a fault, apparently. That one was clearly an assassin.”

  “Then why let him in?” Charley asked.

  Vin shrugged. “Credit is the measure of all beings on Mina IV.”

  Charley frowned as they rode the central drop shaft to the apex of the pyramid.

  “Gronko called us out,” she said. “Is our cover blown?”

  Vin grimaced. “The term ‘pirate’ can mean a lot of things. Gronko wasn’t necessarily calling us out.”

  “Sounded like it to me,” Charley said.

  Vin’s worried expression told her that he agreed.

  “Hopefully we still have a chance,” he said. “I may have been called out, but that doesn’t mean you have.”

  The uppermost floor of the casino catered for high rollers. The pirate pair headed into a plush restaurant with 360 degree views of the island. A VIP area was roped off and guarded by several scowling men in light combat suits. Charley made eye contact with Vin, who nodded. Fallon was in there somewhere. They could smell it. No doubt the casino was bending over backwards to please a man who had become bandit overlord of the system. The very idea sickened Charley - the sooner they took this asshole out the better.

  One of the guards barred entry into the VIP area. Charley got a glimpse of a round table occupied by men smoking chukkah. Wafts of laughter drifted across occasionally.

  “Sorry folks, this floor is off limits,” the guard said.

  “No problem, we were just leaving,” Vin muttered, taking Charley by the arm. But there was a man standing behind them. Charley hadn’t seen or heard him approach. He was a lean, almost petite man with fine features and long eye lashes. Though he looked a little weaselly, Charley suspected that some women might even find him handsome. He had a slouched, low key air that very nearly concealed a hint of menace. There was no mistaking the feral gleam in his eyes.

  “Petyr,” Vin said confidently, extending a hand.

  “Always nice to see an ex-pirate,” the bandit leader enthused with a disturbing smile. All of his teeth were meat-tearing incisors. Charley couldn’t tell whether they were real or augmentations.

  “I heard about your late father. My condolences.”

  Vin swatted the veiled insult away with discipline.

  “No doubt his time had come,” he said. “His passing inspired me to get back in the game. So I came to see you.”

  Fallon laughed, though it was more a high-pitched squeal than anything else.

  “That’s an interesting mask you’re wearing,” he said in a nasal whine. “One might have concluded you’re trying to hide from me.”

  “I don’t think many could hide from you, Petyr.”

  Charley didn’t know what to say. She was still in shock that Petyr Fallon, the man they’d come here to kill, had managed to sneak up on them so easily. She resolved to get stealth training if she made it out of the casino alive.

  Petyr’s thin smile faded. “Unfortunately I’m not hiring at the moment, Vin, but if I hear about something I’ll be sure to pay you a call.”

  “Thank you, Petyr. I’m in your debt.”

  Charley was about to drag Vin away when she noticed that the bandit had his eyes locked on her immaculately presented breasts.

  “What have you got here, Teks?” Petyr sneered.

  “This is Candy,” Vin said, not missing a beat. “I have her for three nights.”

  Fallon shook his head, his eyes devouring Charley on the spot.

  “I have a mind to take something of yours,” he said darkly. “To keep you honest while you’re here.”

  To Charley’s horror, Fallon offered her his arm. She looked at Vin with what she hoped was a blank gaze but inside she was burning with seven kinds of terror. It didn’t help that he shrugged, not even looking at her.

  “Easy come, easy go,” he said.

  Fallon smiled and clapped him on the back.

  “Till next time, Teks,” he said. “I hope you find employment soon.”

  Vin turned and headed for the drop shaft. He looked like a guy who’d dropped a credit bit down a storm drain, nothing more. In essence, he’d played his part very well. Charley wondered if this had been his plan all along. To use her as exotic bait and trust that she had the means of disposing of him when the time came. She almost resented the expectation, but could see the logic of the ruse. Fallon was clearly a well protected man - running a direct assault was simply not going to work. Fallon didn’t trust Vin, that much was obvious, but there was no indication that he knew who she was. She was dressed like a classy, high-priced escort. Exactly the kind of look that men melted for time and again. Fallon clearly thought he was taking something from Vin. Hopefully his naturally suspicious mind wouldn’t question Charley unless she did something incredibly sloppy or stupid. For her part, she was a mess of anxiety as she rejoined Fallon’s dinner table. Eight suited men in total, possibly business affiliates of the Silent Runners.

  “Gentlemen, I bring you ‘Candy’,” he announced with a chuckle. “She’s with me now.”

  A number of brutes leered at Charley. On the bright side, she sensed she wasn’t expected to contribute to the general discussion. One of the few compensations to playing the whore. What did worry her was the high turnover of Fallon’s mistresses.

  The table conversation turned to platinum stocks and strategic investments. Despite the dangerous situation, Charley’s mind wandered. She wondered whether Vin would be allowed to leave the casino. Now that Fallon had ‘made’ him, it was doubtful that the Purple Sands Casino had enough clout to protect him. Hell, the Silent Runners probably owned the entire operation. She hoped against hope that she hadn’t seen Vin for the last time.

  Fallon’s dinner dragged interminably. Occasional he would drape a hand over her leg, but the pressure was limp and his touch
revolted her. Still, she played the role of mute escort fairly well, arching her back, sticking her breasts out and crossing her legs seductively. She was careful not to let the blaster at her inner thigh show. At length Fallon yawned and decided it was time to retire for the night. Charley had listened in for intel but it seemed this gathering was simply a loose collection of businessmen, nothing more. Fallon grinned at his bodyguards as he guided Charley into the drop shaft. He activated a level above the restaurant, a skyhouse only he could access. The drop shaft admitted to a huge living area at the apex of the casino pyramid. Charley gawked at the high ceilings, the glass walls, the spectacular view. She could see a galaxy of twinkling green light in the jungle stretching out far below. Her secluded beach was a dark smudge on the north shore. She thought of Vin and a wave of anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. Had he managed to escape to safety? This Fallon character didn’t seem like a man who was prepared to let his competitors live.

  The bandit leader approached with two glasses of Salorian peach wine. Charley had to admit it was exquisite.

  “Where are you from?” he asked casually, beckoning her out to the balcony. The cool night breeze ruffled her dark hair as she rested the glass on the rail.

  “Abeya, originally,” she said. “I had a thirst to explore the galaxy.”

  That, at least, was true.

  “And being a practical little flower, you chose a profession that guaranteed a safe, stable income,” whispered the bandit with smarmy eyes.

  Charley simply smiled, but inside her senses were screaming at her to get away.

  “You know, I had one of my men check you out,” he went on smoothly. “You don’t work here. Where did Teks find you?”

  Charley assumed a look of frightened desperation.

  “I was a stowaway on a tech freighter,” she said. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

  “Mmm, no fixed address,” Fallon mused, playing with Charley’s hair. “No one would miss you if you disappeared.”

  34

  The bandit said it lightly, like he was telling a joke. Charley smiled back, but felt anything but comfortable.