Refusing Excalibur

by Zachary Jones

  “Don’t call her a tramp!” Lena said.

  “Not now!” Lysandra said. “Father, Uther Solari has launched a coup on Lysander. He right now controls the throneworld. Captain Dryer helped me escape from him so I could warn you.”

  “I see,” her father said. “I’m afraid we don’t have much time then. There’s a Free Worlds frigate chasing me. They’ll be through the jump point any moment now. Turn away before he makes you a target.”

  “But, Father!”

  “Don’t argue with me, Lysandra! The fleet is gone, destroyed by treachery. No doubt Solari tipped them off before launching his little coup. Close down your transmission and play like a civilian freighter. Don’t tip off my pursuer that there are two Lacanos in this system.”

  “Father, you don—”

  “Contact, two ships!” said the Mae’s sensor operator.

  “Did they jump in?” Lena asked.

  “No, jump flash. The just appeared from nowhere,” said the sensor operator. “Their signatures are Lysandran, two frigates.”

  “They must have been running cold by the jump point,” Lena said.

  “But why?” Lysandra asked. Then the answer came to her. She leaned into the microphone. “Father, those are Solari’s ships!”

  “I gathered that,” her father said. “Get out of here, Lysandra! I’ll try to hold them off.”

  “That yacht isn’t armed, Father. Run, please!” Lysandra said.

  Her father shook his head. “I’m afraid there’s no escape for me, Lysandra. You’ll be empress sooner than either of us wanted. Live. Survive this day and take back our empire. Promise me.”

  “I promise,” Lysandra said.

  “And tell that uncouth captain of yours to jump out as fast as possible.”

  “Good idea,” Lena said. “Sticks, hard burn for the jump point!”

  Lysandra grabbed Lena’s forearm. “You have to help him, Lena!”

  Lena pulled from Lysandra’s grip. “I am helping him, by getting you out of here alive.”

  “Lena—”

  “There’s no way the Mae can outfight a frigate. Let alone two frigates. And besides, your father isn’t worth the risk. You are.”

  Before Lysandra could respond, an alarm sounded.

  “Missile launch,” said the sensor operator. On Lena’s bridge console, several missile icons blossomed from the two Lysandran frigates.

  ***

  Swarms of missiles spread before Magnus like the wings of the Angel of Death. All were individually powerful enough to vaporize his small ship.

  The royal yacht had no offensive weapons, just a sophisticated ECM system. She had been built with speed in mind to evade, not to fight. It was how Magnus stayed ahead of the lone Free Worlds frigate that had chased him all the way from the Gaddon system, despite the warship running her drives dangerously hot.

  But just because Magnus had no weapons didn’t mean he wouldn’t go down fighting. He turned the yacht toward the nearest traitor vessel and redlined the drives.

  He smiled as he entertained the thought of Uther Solari being aboard the frigate, unlikely as it was, and being killed by the emperor who he betrayed ramming his ship. That would be poetic!

  The traitor frigate didn’t attempt to evade, clearly confident their missiles would deal with him before he reached them.

  Magnus committed to proving them wrong.

  The ECM system was already at work, jamming and dazzling missiles as they flew in at hundreds of kilometers per second.

  When the missiles that maintained locks on his yacht reached terminal range, Magus pressed a button on his console and launched every decoy his vessel carried.

  On the sensors screen, his ship became surrounded by electromagnetic clones of itself, forming a slowly expanding shell around the real ship.

  The incoming missiles homed in on the decoys and detonated.

  Dozens of nearby nuclear explosions went off around his ship, and a radiation alarm sounded. He checked his controls. He had just received a lethal dose. No matter. He wouldn’t be around long enough to feel the effects.

  With the fading flash of multiple detonations behind him, Magnus was satisfied to see a traitor frigate finally evaded, their crews no doubt panicking when they saw their missiles had not destroyed him.

  That frigate was fast and maneuverable, but the small yacht was even more so.

  The remaining traitor frigate came in so fast that Magnus wouldn’t even see the ship before he was hit. Instead he watched the time count down as the collision alarm blared. His last thoughts were of his daughter before the yacht rammed into the frigate at two thousand kilometers per second.

  ***

  A new sun blossomed for the briefest moment and then faded as the gas expanded and cooled, all that used to be her father, his ship, and the frigate he was rammed with.

  She felt a hand shaking her shoulder and then noticed Lena’s gray eyes staring into her own. “Lysandra, get in a seat. That other frigate is closing into gun range.”

  Lysandra shook her head. “I tried…I couldn’t—”

  “There was nothing you could do, Lysandra,” Lena said. “Now please strap yourself in bef—”

  The deck lurched from under Lysandra, and she fell, banging her forehead on Lena’s seat on the way down.

  Rolling onto her back, she rubbed her forehead and found blood on her hand.

  “Captain, I lost maneuvering authority. They just took out our main thrusters,” said the helmsman.

  “Shit! Maybe we’ll drift into the jump point. Is the jump drive still working?” Lena asked.

  “We lost that with the thrusters, Captain.”

  “Dammit. What is that frigate doing?”

  “Closing in,” said the sensor operator.

  Lysandra got up. “If they were listening in, then they know that I’m aboard this ship.”

  “Which means they plan to board us or close in to kill us,” Lena said. “Oh, God! You’re bleeding, Lysandra!”

  “I know,” Lysandra said.

  Lena got up and pulled a first aid kit from behind her seat and removed a piece of gauze. “Here.”

  Lysandra applied it to the cut on her forehead. “Thanks, Lena. You should hail the frigate while you still have time.”

  “To what end?” Lena asked.

  “To tell them what they already know. That I’m aboard and that you’ll hand me over without resistance,” Lysandra said.

  “What? No! I got you this far—”

  Lysandra held up a hand. “You and your crew have done everything I have asked of you. You shouldn’t have to die for me. Please, hail them. Tell them you’ll hand me over, and they may let you live.”

  “They’ll kill you, Lysandra!” Lena said.

  “Most likely.” Lysandra smiled sadly. “I couldn’t save my father but let me save you at least.”

  Lena shook her head. “After all this I’m just supposed to let you go?”

  “Lena, please. I—”

  “Jump flash. It’s another ship!”

  “Looks like your father’s pursuer has just arrived,” Lena said. She glanced over at her console and gasped. “Holy shit!”

  “What?”

  “That ship. I know her captain.”

  ***

  “Oh, crap!” Fara said as soon as the Alexander jumped to Tenor 21.

  Instead of a fleeing yacht, like Victor had expected, a crippled freighter drifted toward the jump point. And a Lysandran frigate was after it.

  “Fara, kill that frigate,” Victor said.

  “You got it, Captain!”

  The ship vibrated, and the Lysandran warship broke in half seconds later.

  “Target down,” Fara said.

  “Good,” Victor said. He checked the freighter and then noticed the ID. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “What is it?” Fara asked.

  “That’s the Daisy Mae,” Victor said.

  “Lena Dryer’s ship?” asked Fara. “What is she doing i
n this part of space?”

  “I don’t know, but I aim to find out,” Victor said. He was about to hail them, but the Mae beat him to it.

  Lena’s face appeared on the screen, her hair longer than the last time he saw her. “Victor? I thought that was you. I guess that’s twice I owe you.”

  “I suppose so,” Victor said. “Mind explaining why you were being shot at by a Lysandran frigate?”

  Lena shrugged. “Wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “What happened?” Victor asked.

  “A yacht came from the jump point just as we made our final approach. Then these two frigates running cold by the jump point powered up and ambushed the yacht.”

  “I only saw one frigate coming from the jump point,” Victor said.

  “The other frigate was destroyed when the yacht it was ambushing rammed it,” Lena said.

  Victor felt a chill. “And there were no survivors?”

  “No, none,” Lena said.

  Victor sat back in his seat and let out a long breath.

  “Is something wrong, Victor?” Lena asked.

  Victor sighed. “Yes, but it can wait. Your ship looks damaged. How bad is it?”

  “Main thrusters and jump drive are out, though I don’t yet know the full extent of the damage,” Lena said.

  “Understood. I’ll dock with you and provide what assistance I can,” Victor said.

  “You still have Cormac with you?” Lena asked.

  Victor nodded. “Yes.”

  “Good. If my ship can be fixed, he’s the one to do it,” Lena said.

  Chapter 25

  Lysandra listened intently to Lena as she spoke with the captain of the Free Worlder ship.

  The Alexander, the frigate with the odd name, must have been the vessel that was pursuing her father before…before the traitors ambushed him.

  Lysandra wiped away an angry tear. Stupid, spoiled girl! If only you had found out sooner!

  Lena closed her channel with the Alexander and turned to Lysandra. “Victor’ll be curious why we’re out here.”

  “How do you know him?” Lysandra asked.

  Lena shrugged. “He saved my life, before today I mean. Me and my crew were taken by Mohawk pirates a few years back. He broke us out.”

  “Is he dangerous?” Lysandra asked.

  “Very,” said Lena. “After we parted ways, Victor went on to become the most successful mercenary in the Free Worlds. Apparently he personally decapitated the king of Mohawk.”

  “And he wanted to do the same to my father?” Lysandra asked.

  Lena shrugged again. “Maybe. More likely he wanted to capture your father and give him to the Alliance for a reward.”

  “And now he’s coming aboard to help us?” Lysandra asked.

  “Yes, which is why we need to have a good story for him as to why my ship is out here with you aboard,” Lena said.

  “There’s no way that he already knows I’m here on your ship?” Lysandra asked.

  “No, but I’ll bet that, after losing the emperor, he’d be more than willing to settle for you if he did,” Lena said.

  “So hide me in one of your smuggling compartments until he leaves,” Lena said.

  Lena shook her head. “That won’t work.”

  “Why not?” asked Lysandra.

  “Because then I won’t have a reason to be out here,” Lena said. “I have no other passengers or cargo that would justify heading this way.”

  “So what? Can’t you make up something?” Lysandra asked.

  “I could, but Victor will catch that. And if he finds out I’m hiding something from him, he’ll get suspicious,” Lena said. “Trust me, Lysandra. You do not want to give that man reason to be suspicious.”

  “What do you suggest?” Lysandra asked.

  “Simple. He’s a mercenary. Buy him,” Lena said.

  “What?” Lysandra asked.

  “All that money you said you have access to? Give him a cut of it. That should prevent him from getting suspicious,” Lena said.

  “That strikes me as risky,” Lysandra said.

  “Not as risky as hiding you,” Lena said.

  “All right, fine. How do we do this?” Lysandra asked.

  “I’ll greet him when he comes aboard, then I’ll bring him to the galley to meet you. Just pretend to be the same person you were when you first hired me,” Lena said. “He’ll leave a bit richer, and we can focus on getting you somewhere safe.”

  ***

  The green light came on, and the outer airlock hatch opened. Captain Lena Dryer waited on the other side.

  “Victor,” Lena said. She glanced at Victor’s prosthetic. “Or should I call you Captain Blackhand?”

  “Victor’s fine,” he said, flexing his black composite fingers. “Permission to come aboard?”

  Lena nodded. “Of course. And you, Cormac.”

  “Thank you, Captain Dryer,” Cormac said, crossing the airlock with Victor. His pressure suit squeaked as he moved. “Where do you need my help?”

  Lena smiled up at the tall starchild. “Engineering. And probably outside too. Which I see you’re ready for.”

  Cormac nodded. “I will head there now and see what I can do, Captain Dryer.”

  The starchild turned at the corridor and headed for the stern of the Mae.

  Lena and Victor watched him go until he disappeared around a corner, then Victor returned his attention to her and said, “So why are you out here?”

  Lena looked up at him, crossing her arms. “What do you mean?”

  “I thought you left Free Worlds space,” Victor said.

  “I did leave,” Lena said.

  “Not as far as I thought,” Victor said.

  “Far enough. The Lysandrans merchant fleet has yet to recover from their war with Savannah. That means lots of work for independent freighters like mine. And, besides, I don’t have to worry about slaver-pirates in their space like I did in the Free Worlds.”

  “Then why are you headed back to the Free Worlds?” Victor asked.

  Lena’s brows narrowed, and she placed her hands on her hips. “Where I have to go on a job is not your business.”

  “This is the second time I’ve saved your life and the lives of your crew, Lena. I think that entitles me to know what you’re doing out here,” Victor said.

  Lena’s jaw tightened, and her eyes narrowed with thought. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the rescue,” Lena said. “But the job I’m doing requires a bit of discretion.”

  “And is probably quite lucrative if it’s bringing you back to the Free Worlds,” Victor said.

  “Yes,” Lena said. “I suppose, if you want, I could cut you in on the deal.”

  A bribe. Interesting. “I could be persuaded. What’s the job?”

  “Transport,” Lena said. “Rich girl needed to get off Lysander. She didn’t tell me why, so don’t bother asking me. Anyway, I’m sure with the help you provided, she’d be willing to pay you for saving her life.”

  “I suppose that could help cover my expenses,” Victor said. He wasn’t really interested in the money; he had more than enough. But he was curious about the kind of passenger who would bring Lena out here at a time like this.

  “Good. I’ll take you to the galley, and we can talk with my client there,” Lena said.

  ***

  Lysandra rose from the galley’s main table when Lena came in with the captain of the Alexander.

  He was a tall man, with a long face covered by a coarse black beard. Well-armed and armored too. He wore what looked like an armored pressure suit, had a pistol holstered at one hip, and a post-Fall variblade sheathed at the other. But what really drew her attention were his eyes. Solid black and smoldering with anger.

  Those eyes studied her. It looked like he was deciding if he recognized her. Providence, I hope not.

  “So you’re the reason why Lena’s out here?” he asked.

  Lysandra resisted sighing with relief. “Yes, that’s right. I hired Cap
tain Dryer to take me to the Free Worlds.”

  “Which one exactly?” he asked.

  “Tabor,” she said.

  He nodded. “I take it you have a lot of money squirreled away there? A lot of Lysandran nobles do that.”

  “What of it?” Lysandra asked.

  “Well, in case you’re not aware, there’s a war going on between the Lysandran Empire and the Free Worlds’ Alliance,” he said.

  Lysandra feigned surprise. “What?”

  Victor arched an eyebrow. “The emperor led three Imperial Battlefleets into the Free Worlds as part of an invasion. You’re telling me that you didn’t hear anything of this?”

  “All that I know is that the emperor left Lysander to tour the vassal worlds,” Lysandra lied. “What happened?”

  “The fleets were destroyed, and the emperor fled,” he said. “That was over a week ago. I’ve been chasing the emperor ever since.”

  “The emperor was aboard that yacht? Oh, Providence!” Lysandra said, reinforcing her feigned surprise with genuine grief. “And the fleets are gone? This…this is a disaster.”

  “I know. Couldn’t have happened to nicer people,” he said.

  Anger simmered inside Lysandra. “You don’t like Lysandrans, do you?”

  “No, not particularly,” the mercenary said. “So what made you decide to leave Lysander?”

  Lysandra crossed her arms. “Is this an interrogation?”

  “Yes,” he said. “I’m not entirely convinced you’re not a spy.”

  “Trust me, Victor. She’s no spy,” Lena said.

  Victor turned to the Mae’s captain. “And how do you know?”

  “Because assassins tried to kill us both when we first met,” Lena said.

  Careful, Lena, Lysandra thought.

  “Whose?” Victor asked.

  “I don’t know, but it was close,” Lena said.

  “It could’ve been a setup,” Victor said.

  Lena scoffed and shook her head. “That was no setup. Believe me. Someone on Lysander wants her dead. That strikes me as a good enough reason to want off.”

  “Fair enough,” Victor said. “The timing is a bit suspicious.”

  Lena shrugged. “We’re just lucky, I guess.”

  “Hrmm,” Victor said. He didn’t sound convinced. “Well, if Lena trusts you, I suppose I can give you the benefit of a doubt. I would appreciate being paid for my time, however.”