Battlecruiser Alamo: The First Duty

by Richard Tongue

   He was being watched by at least three people in the room that he could see, which meant that probably as many more weren’t being so obvious about it. All of them would know about the bounty, and while he might be safe enough in here, he’d be fair game once he got outside. The pistol stuffed in his pocket was comforting, though creating a scene wasn’t high on his priorities.

   The security trooper squinted at him, barked a laugh, then said, “Don’t I know you?”

   “I don’t think so.”

   “Sure I do! You were with that bunch that hit the slave auction, I saw you on the news.”

   “That wasn’t me,” Cooper replied, moving over to him, his hand getting closer to his pistol. The rest of the room was doing their best to ignore the conversation, no doubt more concerned with their own business.

   “Hell, no hard feelings. Not in here, anyway,” he said. “Want a drink? Or a girl? On me?”

   He proffered a brunette sitting by his side, who flashed him a look of disgust, and Cooper shook his head, “No, thank you. I’m with someone.”

   “I saw your boss this morning,” he said. “Some top brass guy turned up and took him, right out of the interrogation room. Damn bastard. We caught him, and why should someone else get to take all the credit. Proctor’ll take any excuse not to give us our bonus.”

   “Where did they take him?”

   “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

   In one quick move, Cooper snatched the man’s collar, threw him down to the floor and knelt down on top of him, his drink sloshing across the counter and his companions moving away.

   “Yes, I would. And you are going to tell me.” The man looked around at some of the other patrons, but the only ones who were watching seemed more interested in taking notes on Cooper’s technique than anything else. “No-one here will lift a finger to help you.”

   “Site Nine, dammit. Out beyond the Wayback Mountains. I don’t know anything else.”

   “You sure?”

   “Yes, yes, I’m sure. Get off me.”

   With a curt nod, Cooper rose to his feet, and the guard rose, flashing daggers at him, “Big mistake. Now…”

   Glancing back to him with a sigh, Cooper replied, “Don’t say something stupid. I wouldn’t break sweat.” He placed another note on the table and said, “That’s for the drink I spilled.”

   Cantrell walked over to his side, looking down at the disheveled guard, and said, “We’re all set downstairs. They enjoyed the display on the monitor.”

   “Just making friends,” Cooper said with a smile.

   The two of them walked past the counter and through a door into a small back room; she pulled up a hatch exposing a shaft that seemed to go nowhere, and stepped down into it.

   “Part of the old tunnel complex they carved out. Coming?”

   “Sure.”

   They descended into darkness for almost a hundred meters before reaching the bottom, feeling their way down the ladder; the overhead hatch slammed shut while he was half-way down. Once they were both on firm ground, white-bright lights flashed on, blinding him in the glare, and a door opened up. Squinting, he saw a pair of figures standing in the door, pistols pointed at them.

   “Your weapon, please, Mr. Cooper.”

   Cantrell nodded, and he pulled his pistol from his concealed holster, sliding the clip out and into his pocket, before passing the gun across, butt first.

   “Ammunition isn’t cheap.”

   “I quite understand,” one of them said in a sharp voice. “Jerry, search him.”

   Rough hands patted him down, expertly checking for any hidden weaponry. They came up with the stimulants in his pockets, and after a quick examination, put them back; his wallet also passed muster, and was returned with the contents intact.

   “You’ll get your gun back when you leave, not before,” the searcher said. “Pretty standard piece anyway.”

   “Understood.”

   “Not that we don’t trust you, but we can’t be too careful, especially with newcomers.” He flashed a look at Cantrell, and said, “No matter who vouches for them. Come through.”

   They walked down a short corridor into a more luxurious version of the room above, and it was obvious that the patrons down here had been selected with rather more care than those in the public bar. A couple more guardsmen were sitting in the corner, with insignia of rank on their shoulder, but the focus of the place was with the tall, suited man on the far side of the room, lounging comfortably on a soft chair with a beautiful blonde on his lap, fur wrapped around her neck. His eyes coldly examined Cooper, and for a second he had the feeling that he knew exactly what Cooper was planning to do.

   Cantrell walked him over, and said, “Cooper, this is Mr. Smith.”

   “You must be Lance-Corporal Cooper,” Smith said. “Miss Cantrell has told me much about your talents, and I must confess you put on a reasonable show upstairs. Tell me, what did he do to offend you?”

   “I don’t take people bragging about brutalizing my friends very kindly.”

   “I see,” he replied, turning to one of his hangers-on. “Clive, tell Mr. Potter that he is off the payroll, and that he should consider methods of repaying his bar bill immediately. If the Corporal is to work for us, I think it important that we provide him a show of good faith.”

   “Consider it done, boss,” the man replied, who bustled over to a corner.

   “Now, Mr. Cooper, I understand that this is only to be a short-term relationship, is that correct? Long enough for you to save up sufficiently to leave this planet and return to your Confederation.”

   Glancing at Cantrell, he nodded, and said, “I hope that isn’t going to present a problem. My duty is to return home as soon as possible.”

   “Not at all. I don’t question the life goals of my employees. Naturally, I will expect you to keep quiet about what you see here, though I don’t think I need to fear an imminent Triplanetary takeover too much. I will, likewise, ensure that no record of your activities exists.”

   Cooper didn’t believe him for a second; there would be some carefully placed files preserved in case he returned as part of an occupation force. He didn’t like being beholden to this man, not even for a moment.

   “As long as the pay is good,” he replied. “And as long as you are going to play fair.”

   Smith chuckled, and said, “It is refreshing to meet someone who isn’t automatically afraid of me. My employees will testify that I am not tardy with my wages, and the only thing I demand is your loyalty and discretion. Miss Cantrell has indicated that you will be willing to follow those dictates.”

   “I don’t have much choice, I think.”

   “Excellent. Then I will pass the word that you are working for me. While you are under my protection, you don’t have to worry too much about the bounty. I don’t think any of the independents would dare try for it.”

   Frowning, Cooper asked, “And you won’t try and claim it yourself?”

   “Young man, that would be a poor, short-term decision. You are far more valuable to me alive than you are dead, and after a certain time, control becomes far more important than wealth. Money is not something that concerns me, only as a means to an end.”

   “The end being the maintenance of your power.”

   “You see?” Smith said. “I’m glad you understand. Shall we shake on it?”

   He held out his hand, and Cooper walked up to take it. Now was the critical moment, and he quickly looked for the tell-tale alteration to Smith’s suit. Cantrell had said that it was underneath his breast pocket, and he didn’t want to think about how she had found that out. He spotted it, and as he made to shake Smith’s hand, he lunged forward, snapped his hand into the concealed pocket, and pulled out the pistol concealed within. Top of the range from the Lunar Republic, and loaded, naturally. Smith tried to lunge for it, but Cooper was too quick, the pistol pressed
against his neck. The blonde jumped off, running out of the way.

   The response from the rest of the room was immediate, a dozen guns pointed at him within a second. Cantrell stood still, hanging back, herself covered by a pair of rifles. Cooper kept his focus on the man in front of him, who remained absolutely still through the proceedings.

   Smith smiled, and said, “Excellent, Mr. Cooper. Excellent. Any doubts I had about your skills are dismissed.”

   “I’m afraid this wasn’t a demonstration.”

   “Then I fear you have made a very silly move, and it will cost you your life.”

   “Yours as well. If your men shoot me, you will die at the same moment. Assuming one of them doesn’t decide that it is time for a promotion.”

   A bead of sweat ran down Smith’s face, and he replied, “You won’t get away with this.”

   “I rather think I will. Cantrell, take the rifles. I don’t think anyone will move.”

   She walked over to the nearest man and reached for his rifle, with a glance at his boss, he handed it to her, and she strapped it to her back; the other gave it to her without a fuss. Smith looked around with fury, then took a deep breath.

   “Put down the gun, walk out of here, and I will forget this happened.”

   “I haven’t finished yet,” Cooper replied, turning to the girl. “How much money is kept here?”

   She looked around, then said, “I don’t know…”

   “You wouldn’t be hanging around with this creep if you weren’t being well paid. How much and where?”

   “A hundred thousand credits, Cabal currency. In a safe at the back.”

   “And you have the combination.”

   “Of course I…”

   “Damn it,” Cantrell said, “you can’t kid a kidder. Go and get the money.”

   The blonde flounced off through a concealed door, her shoulders dejected. Cooper couldn’t blame her; she’d probably spent a long time and worked hard for the contents of the safe, and he felt a brief tinge of remorse at snatching it from her. A few moments later, she came out with a briefcase.

   “Open it,” he said. She complied, and Cantrell moved forward to check it.

   “Looks good. You want me to count it?” she said.

   “No need. We can always come back if we want a refund.”

   Smith smiled, and said, “You don’t think we’re just going to let you walk out of here, do you?”

   “Oh, I think that you might. Stand up.”

   Rising to his feet, Smith lunged forward, but Cooper was too quick, ducking back out of the way, a twinge of pain in his back indicating that his painkillers were beginning to wear off. Five more minutes and they would be out of there.

   Gesturing with his free hand to the woman, he said, “You’re going to carry the money for us. Cantrell, keep an eye on her.”

   “Got it.”

   “Now what?”

   “Now we’re going to leave, quietly, but all of your men are going to get out first.”

   He laughed, and said, “Why would they do that?”

   “Because I doubt any of them want to be arrested.”

   “Mr. Cooper, here I fear your plan is going to fall apart at the last hurdle, and it was going so well. What a shame. I have enough friends on this world – including the Proctor – that there is absolutely no chance of the security troops coming here.”

   His guards started to move a little closer, but Cooper replied, “No, I presumed not. But thirty seconds ago, I contacted the Cabal battlecruiser in orbit, informing them that a pair of Triplanetary fugitives were being provided with assistance by their resistance contacts in this bar.”

   “You did what!” he shouted.

   “I think that just might spur a reaction.” One of the men was already quietly leaving, making his way to the surface. “There isn’t a rush. You can all leave first; I think we have at least five minutes before anyone arrives.” He tossed a datapad to one of the nearby guards, who frantically scrolled through it.

   “He did, boss! Message sent fifty-two seconds ago, and it’s got the right coding.”

   Three more of the gunmen were making their way to the corridor, and the woman with the briefcase was looking longingly at the exit, Cantrell pointing a rifle vaguely in her direction as a suggestion that she should remain.

   “Get out of here, now,” she yelled. “You’ve got a couple of minutes.”

   They hastened to obey her suggestion, piling out of the room as Smith impotently watched, only a trio of his guards remaining, loyalty overwhelming their cowardice. Cantrell glanced at the shaft, and turned back.

   “We’re clear.”

   “Right. You are going first, Smith, then the girl, then Cantrell. I’ll be last. I assure you that my finger will be very quick on the trigger, and that I will not for a single moment hesitate to shoot anything or anyone.”

   “You haven’t heard the last of this,” Smith said.

   Smiling, Cooper replied, “Then perhaps I’d better shoot you now and get it over with.”

   “Boss, let it go,” one of the bodyguards said. “There will be another time.”

   “A very sensible man. Come on.”

   Hesitantly, Smith walked over to the ladder and started the climb, the girl following. Cantrell took a last look at Cooper, and nodded, following them upstairs. Cooper moved with his back to the shaft, covering the three of them.

   “In case you have any heroic ideas, I would recommend you consider that whatever happens, you will have a lot of explaining to do, and your boss would still be dead.”

   As quickly as he could, he leapt onto the ladder, climbing slowly with one hand as he pointed his pistol at the bottom. No-one disturbed him, and he reached the now-abandoned bar on the surface, Cantrell covering Smith and the girl with one of her rifles.

   “Excellent. This is where you get off, Smith. Go back downstairs.”

   “But…,” he said.

   “Move,” Cooper replied, gesturing with his pistol. Smith shook his head and stepped back onto the shaft, and the three of them hastened out into the deserted street, where their car was waiting for them; Cantrell raced forward, popped open the engine case, and inserted a component from her pocket, watching the servicing lights go from red to green.

   “Ready. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

   “What about me?”

   “Hate to lose a good hostage. You’re welcome to come with us.”

   She looked at the two of them, shook her head, and scrambled into the passenger compartment. Cantrell sent the car speeding along the road, heading nowhere in particular, as helicopters whirred overhead.

   “He’ll get away, you know. There are secret entrances underground,” the girl said.

   “I was counting on that,” Cooper said, turning from the front seat. “By the time he gets to the surface we’ll be out of here. What about the transport?”

   “I was quoted eighty thousand from Sinbad to Hydra, and a guaranteed cargo at the other end.”

   “You’re getting off-world?” the girl said.

   “That’s the idea,” Cooper replied. “I don’t intend to be here for Smith’s revenge. Think he’ll come after you?”

   “Probably.”

   With a sigh, Cantrell said, “This is another one of those noble gestures of yours, isn’t it.”

   “You know me so damn well.” Turning to the girl, he said, “Come with us. To Sinbad, at least. From there you can go wherever you want.”

   “Right to the nearest whorehouse, most likely,” she said with a scowl.

   “With whatever we’ve got left after we’ve paid off the freighter captain as a stake.”

   “That could be twenty thousand…”

   Cantrell shook her head, saying, “We could use that money, Cooper.”

   “We’ve got bigger things to worry about than your in
vestment portfolio. Get us to the starport. We need to borrow a shuttle.”

   “Where are we going?”

   “Somewhere called Site Nine.”

   “The military outpost?” the girl asked. “Why can’t we just get out of here?”

   “I’ve been wondering that myself,” Cantrell muttered.

   Cooper smiled, turning to the road ahead, and said, “There’s someone we need to pick up first.”

   The girl looked at the two of them, wide-eyed, and said, “Money’s no good if I’m not alive to spend it. I’ll get out here.”

   Cantrell skidded the car to a stop, and she ambled out into the night. Cooper shook his head.

   “Turning down that sort of money? Crazy.”

   “She’s got a point, Cooper,” Cantrell replied. “I almost got out with her.”

  Chapter Seven

   The sky was full of stars, an array of twinkling lights the like of which Orlova had never seen, and she gazed up at them, basking in the star-shine. Her feet crunched in the sand as she walked in a vague circle away from the camp, taking deep breaths of the cool, fresh air, basking in the glorious view. She’d visited only a dozen of those lights in the sky, and there were thousands, tens of thousands up there yet to see.

   Around her, the bleak desert was broken up only by a few trees fighting for survival, small crawling flowers waiting for the one day in a century when the rains would come, and they would have their chance to bloom; this was a dying world, too small to maintain its biosphere for long, but there was a beauty in its death, a stark wilderness around her, as far as she could see.

   On all sides were the ruins that had brought them here in the first place, tall stones scattered around, the remains of some long-forgotten settlement, abandoned as the crops failed and the Neander were forced to become hunter/gatherers. A series of mounds in the corner held the bones of thousands of their people, and Carpenter’s first decision had been to leave them in their rest. She was still wandering around to the north with her detector, probing around in the gloom.