48
Meeting with the Guildmasters was strangely sobering. The mysterious organization had already assessed the pirates’ updated loot and kills. Their man on Bonesse had deployed a remote drone over the Silent Runner facilities that now lay in ruins. The Pirate Guild had risen several notches in the overall Guild rankings, but were still considered a minor force. Though she was considered Captain by her own crew, Charley had risen in rank from Novice to Gunslinger. The number of kills against her name was disquieting - thirteen. She hadn’t remembered killing that many bandits and felt a little sick. Though she’d promised herself not to be detached about the taking of people’s lives, when such deaths occurred at a distance it was difficult to show due respect. Charley felt as though shards of her soul had been stripped away with every kill. And yet, at the end of the day, it came with the territory. There were more kills to come.
The highest ranked pirate crew member was Gronko, who was now officially recognized as a pirate. His kill count was staggering. Harry came next, his ranking reflective of his long period off the grid. Vanessa was of course listed as a novice pirate. Vin was listed as deceased and Charley was quite happy for the Guildmasters to believe that. The memory of Vin tearing the Silent Runner space station apart with his bare hands was difficult to shake, but all she wanted to do right then was focus on more immediate pleasures. She’d earned the right to relax and by the Gods she planned to.
The Guildmasters noted the Pirate Guild’s successful deal with MinCorp and further updated their estimated earnings. The last item of business was a warning - several assassins were en route to Deep Blue to wipe out the Pirate Guild. Not all were commissioned by the Silent Runners - at least two had been sent by the Emperor himself. Charley could hardly believe that her little band had come under the attention of Galactus, but the Guildmasters rarely dealt in bad intel. Charley could only assume that Galactus was serious about his war on criminal activity. That spelled trouble for the pirates. But all that could wait. For the first time, the Guild had serious money. That meant options and leverage.
Charley needed a long soak and a good sleep before tackling her enemies once more. She was glad to find two burly hotel bodyguards standing ready to escort the crew to the Ajuna Sapphire penthouse. She fidgeted nervously as they piled into the central drop shaft. It would so simple for a determined assassin to leave a limpet mine on the external casing of the shaft. For the moment she would need blind faith in the hotel security.
Charley’s heart was in her mouth as she paced a glass corridor with superb views of the ocean. Harry ordered the bodyguards to wait outside an ornate door. The penthouse was dominated by an open plan living area spilling into a deck that encircled the penthouse dome. The external walls were bulletproof plexiglass through which miles and miles of stormy ocean could be seen. A hearty fire roared behind a grill in a central smoke shaft. The kitchen was replete with fresh fruit and champagne. The master bedroom floated in a raised loft overlooking the entire property. A hand over her mouth, Charley ogled in silent wonder. Now this was living. Amused at Charley’s reaction, Harry and Vanessa made themselves comfortable. With a chuckle, Charley realized she had tears in her eyes. She hadn’t realized how important this moment would be. The discovery she was actually somebody in the universe - a person of influence and status. The penthouse, materially hollow as it might be, represented everything Charley had aspired to on Sandflower Downs. She’d grown up with nothing and was made to believe that she would always have nothing.
Weary but reasonably relaxed, Gronko ordered room service and retired to his chamber. Charley unhooked her weapons belt and snuggled alongside Vanessa on the couch. Together they flicked through the fashion catalog offered by the hotel, the colorful light projection filling the floor space. Dresses, lingerie and accessories passed by in a rapid procession. The pair laughed out loud when the clothes arrived within half an hour. A TradeBot deposited several racks and completed the transaction with a minimum of fuss. Harry poured a few glasses of champagne and toasted the girls’ “impeccable” taste. Night had fallen, revealing an aurora against the northern sky. Streaks of blue, green and yellow rippled across the dark sky. It was the perfect close to what had been a very good day. Charley sipped at her plum champagne and decided it was time for a soak. Vanessa read the expression on her face and thoughtfully withdrew to her chamber.
Charley changed into a red string bikini and climbed into the hot tub built into the deck. She decided against activating the bubbles, disliking the soapy mountains that obscured what was happening under the water. Harry appeared, dressed in … nothing.
“I didn’t get a chance to shop,” he explained.
“I don’t mind,” Charley murmured, her hand closing around the pirate’s manhood. “Just try to keep up.”
49
Charley woke to the lapping of waves against Deep Blue. Such a peaceful sound - the perfect beginning to a new day. Her first task was to address Gronko’s medical needs. The big renki had earned the right to be spared no expense. Charley booked him in to the private medical facility and requested a quantum limb installation. Such limbs were much like the fleshy originals, only significantly stronger. The catch was that they were hideously expensive. Gronko’s new arm was going to cost 12,000. The alien was collected by a medical team and dispatched for day surgery. Charley ensured he was accompanied by at least two hotel bodyguards.
The next issue was ongoing security for the Pirate Guild. Harry compiled a list of likely candidates from Nex. Charley scrolled through the options and found a woman in her forties. Never married or had children. She wasn’t from Deep Blue (not many folks were) but from Gisten, the neighboring system. Her name was Molly Tanner and she had long experience working for MinCorp on Deep Blue.
“MinCorp would be a tough client,” Harry said. “That kind of experience is invaluable.”
Charley requested a meeting and was rewarded with Molly’s presence within the hour. The security expert stepped into the penthouse and eyed her surroundings critically. She looked different to how Charley had pictured her. Not exactly overweight, just a little chunky. Long, curly hair and a face carved from granite. She was clearly very strong, hefting a thick ammo belt as well as a lethal-looking medium range assault rifle.
Molly’s smile lit up the entire penthouse when she discovered that Charley and the others were pirates.
“Well, ain’t that the bees knees! Fuck, I’d be tempted to work for free.”
“No need for that,” Charley assured her. “But all my employees join the crew if things work out.”
Molly’s expression was one of such childlike wonder that Charley had to hire her on the spot. A twelve-month contract was signed with options to extend.
“Welcome to the Pirate Guild,” Charley announced theatrically. “I have a feeling we’re gonna see a lot of action.”
“I’ll second you on that,” Molly enthused. “I hear the Imperials want to execute every scoundrel out this way.”
“Seems that way,” Charley agreed, stifling a surge of anxiety. “We need to expand our power base.”
“Copy that,” Molly said. “Believe it or not, you chose a great place to hole up in. It might be ostentatious but its height makes it difficult for assassins to reach.”
“Good to know,” Charley said. “Are you able to escort me to the shipyard? You can collect your things later.”
“Lead the way,” Molly said cheerfully. “I like to get straight into it.”
The Deep Blue shipyard was effectively a huge hangar stretching into the water. Waves crashed against the steel shell as Charley, Harry and Molly arrived in a bullet tram. A portly shipwright stepped forward to greet them.
“Welcome to Deep Blue Shipyard. I must also congratulate you on the recent deal with MinCorp.”
Charley’s smile was tight. Of course they knew. It was their business to know how much money she had in her pockets.
“I may not be spending the profits here,” Charley said, s
lightly annoyed at the shipwright’s presumption. “You may not have what I need.”
Harry winked approvingly. She was fast becoming the skilled negotiator she always hoped to be. The shipwright was now on the back foot and would struggle to match Charley’s demands.
“I need an armadillo-class fighter,” she said.
The shipwright brightened. “I have just the one, ma’am. Alas, it’s been considerably damaged in a firefight and will need extensive repairs before it’s ready.”
“How old is it?” Charley asked.
The shipwright consulted the inventory on his wrist pad. “Only seven years,” he said hopefully.
“Repair the vessel yourself and I’ll pretend you didn’t just offer me a clapped-out hunk of junk. Once the job’s done, I’ll consider buying it.”
The shipwright look aghast. “But ma’am, I can’t commit to -”
“Fine,” Charley said, beckoning Harry and Molly. “We don’t need a ship that much.”
She was halfway to the waiting bullet tram before the shipwright called out.
“I can do the repairs, ma’am,” he said in a defeated voice.
“Good,” Charley said with a smile. “And you can throw in some discounted repairs to the Surprise.”
The sun was bright off the ocean. A flock of sky blue gannets rose into the air and luxuriated in the weak sunlight, many of them just outside the penthouse window. Vanessa sat by the window, watching the graceful creatures with rapt intensity.
“How did you go?” she asked as Charley sat beside her.
“We might have a new ship,” the pirate captain said with pride. She was already thinking about how they could put a second ship to good use.
“You sure we needed another armadillo?” Harry asked. “We could’ve chosen a scout, or a larger corvette, for example.”
“The pirate brand is important,” said Charley. “Both armadillos will have guild colors. I like the idea of a symmetrical fleet.”
Harry shrugged good-naturedly. “You’re the boss, boss. I see a lot of respect for pirate traditions. You’ll be a great captain, Charley.”
Charley reddened with embarrassment and gave the old man a peck on the cheek. Her wrist pad pinged.
“Betty?” Charley said into the com. “Is everything alright over there?”
“Go ahead,” Charley said, exchanging a worried look with Harry.
“Are you reading from a missive, Betty?”
“Here?” Charley said incredulously. “Why would he be interested in this place?”
“When will His Magnificence arrive, Betty?”
“Thanks. That’ll be all for now.”
Harry paced along the glass wall, deep in thought. Charley felt a flowering sense of dread. Why couldn’t the galaxy just leave them the fuck alone?
“There’ll be a huge security presence ahead of the Emperor’s visit,” Harry said eventually. “Some of it will be arriving already. We’ll rot in a prison cell if we don’t act quickly.”
Charley sighed. What was she to do? The Surprise and the second ship both needed repairs. She needed at least 24 hours, perhaps more. To make matters worse, her enemies were closing in on all sides. Enemies with greater manpower, firepower and fleet capacity. She looked at Harry, then Vanessa. Molly stood quietly by the wall, scanning the horizon for threats. Charley felt much safer with her on the team. Her emergent pirating skills were about to face their sternest test yet.
PART III
50
The atmosphere at Deep Blue was tense. Charley only had days to consolidate her assets, assemble her crew and ensure that both her ships were ready for action. She still had to pinch herself at the concept of that last element. Two ships! That mining run for MinCorp had been extremely lucrative, though it had come at a high cost. The Silent Runners were now hellbent on destroying the Pirate Guild. If that wasn’t enough, the Emperor himself had decreed that all criminal guilds be hunted down. For now, Charley and her comrades had the run of Deep Blue. It was only a matter of time before the first Imperial scouts arrived to prepare the way for the Emperor. She planned to be long gone before that happened.
Gronko was still in the hands of doctors having his new arm fitted. As such, Charley’s first point of business was to sort out her ships before the alien recovered. Harry escorted her to the shipyard to inspect the fleet. She had to admit the Deep Blue engineers had done a magnificent job. Both craft were armadillo heavy fighters and she’d ordered a paint job in the colors of the Pirate Guild - red, white and blue stripes. The Surprise, ostensibly Charley’s flagship, was in fine working order and had been completely refueled. The second ship had been repaired and thoroughly cleaned. Happily, the interior was similar to that of the Surprise. The new vessel needed a name. Charley glanced at Harry, who seemed to know what she was thinking.
“That ship was on death row before we arrived,” the old pirate murmured. “Perhaps we should call it the Phoenix?”
“Perfect,” Charley said. “You have a knack for these things, Harry.”
She squeezed the older man’s butt with a wink. The pair had grown even closer over the last few days. In between organizing their resources and ensuring appropriate security measures, they’d found every opportunity to make love in the loft area of their penthouse suite.
A team of engineers stood waiting for further instruction. Charley saw an opportunity to overhaul the ships’ weapons systems.
“What do you think, Harry?” she asked.
Harry borrowed a schematic off one of the engineers and scanned it carefully.
“We should keep the forward lasers,” he said at length. “They have multiple uses and you never run out of ammo.”
Charley could agree with that. A major downside to lasers was heat management, but provided they were used carefully there wasn’t likely to be a problem.
“The Surprise has extra storage capacity,” Charley commented. “I don’t think the Phoenix needs the same loadout.”
“Good point,” Harry agreed. “It makes sense to load that ship with missiles for protection.”
“A mixture of long and short range,” Charley told the head engineer. “The Phoenix will ride shotgun with the Surprise.”
“I understand,” the engineer said. “If you sacrifice the main cargo bay we can install a wide variety of missiles.”
“Do it,” Harry said.
The pirates took their leave. Charley checked her wrist pad - time to check on Gronko. As the pair rode the drop shaft through Deep Blue, Charley was glad to see Molly scanning the corridors far below them. The bodyguard looked to be worth every cent - she was experienced, calm and as tough as nails. The pirates needed all the protection they could get with so many bounties on their heads.
Charley and Harry stalked the corridors of the medical facility. She caught glimpses of sunlit ocean through the windows. The day was uncharacteristically clear and calm for the turbulent planet. The big renki was propped up in bed, flexing his new, gold-chrome hand in childlike wonder.
“Girl,” he grunted, “I think this will do nicely.”
Charley smiled, relieved that Gronko wasn’t too traumatized. It’d been horrible seeing that bastard Holger slice the alien’s arm with a vibroblade. And a pity she hadn’t been able to salvage the weapon. Vin Teks had been assiduously laying the space station to waste at the time. Charley cleared her head of such thoughts. She was consciously trying to block Harry’s son from her mind.
“We look after our own, G
ronko,” Charley said. “I expect you to smash skulls with that hand, you hear?”
Charley had meant it in jest, but Gronko looked at her seriously.
“I’m in your debt, human,” he said. “Where there’s trouble, I’ll be by your side.”
Charley didn’t doubt it for a second. Renkis seemed to have strong notions of loyalty and debts of honor.
“Just as well, Gronko, because I need a skipper for my second ship, the Phoenix,” Charley said.
Gronko’s eyes widened and he seemed momentarily lost for words.
“I used to fly haulers back home,” he eventually said. “I won’t let you down, Charley.”
That was the first time he’d used her real name.
Charley nodded her appreciation. “You’ve earned it, Gronko. I’ve also booked you a room to yourself in the Ajuna Sapphire. You can recuperate there, but be ready for my call to launch. We may need to leave quickly.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
51
The penthouse was quiet when Charley returned. FIGJAM was offline, possibly dreaming about naked women. Vanessa was running errands. Molly entered behind Charley, her security detail over for the time being.
“Take some time to relax,” Charley said. “Have some breakfast on the deck.”
Harry grabbed Charley’s hand. “A word, Charley?”
There was something urgent in the old man’s eyes. Charley followed him to the open section of deck. The crash of waves and the salty smell of the sea greeted them. Charley liked to sit out here as often as she could.
“I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground,” Harry said. “There’s a local situation you should know about.”
The Pirate Guild Page 24
