StarFlight: The Prism Baronies (Beyond the Outer Rim Book 2)
Page 45
“Blasts were fired!” Brattle reported. “They got their guns in it, alright. But they didn’ hit a bloody thing! He got in, got tha girls, n’ got out. Didn’ overturn one damn stone!
“Security failed three secuns ‘fore he got there, n’ none o’ tha cameras got a solid pic of tha bastard while he was in the feckin’ place!”
“Sounds like you got hit by a ghost, son,” Mother said as she approached with her entourage of guards and enforcers; each one of them female and completely loyal to the uncrowned Queen of the Bowels. The Pazibred woman stood two and a third meters tall and the floor announced each stride delivered by her two hundred and thirty-five kilogram frame. “… a large, powerful, fast and nearly imperceptible ghost. I leave to handle a personal matter, a matter that you already know greatly impacts our position here, and I return to find a Bowel Tide, that I did not call for, raging wild on the surface level. But alas, that is a matter for another son.
“Normally, such initiative would make me proud, save for one thing: I lost my girls! And now you want me to believe that it was a monster ghost that made off with them.” The woman glared at Brattle through increasingly angry yellow eyes, but expressing her disappointment was suspended by the sound of laughter. Mother turned quickly to see the one who would dare such an insult.
“He’s no g-g-ghost,” Amosse chuckled and coughed. “Ghosts you can e-e-exorcise, ward off! Can’t w-w-ward off Z!”
Once-angry eyes now flared wide with wonder. Wraayna Doroson had heard that name in her excursion from Black Gate, and it had been expressed in a similar tone of wonder, anger, and futility. Wraayna’s younger and smaller cousin, Ruukar, was not given to speaking in such a voice and the former Black Gate Keeper had mentioned the name more than once. She had half-dismissed his words as the whining of a man who had lost his humility and had been forced to pay the price for over-estimating his power and authority. To hear the name Z again in a comparable capacity made Wraayna quickly put her hand to her wrist-com. She recorded a message that she would soon be in contact with her cousin and that he should hold fast to the hopes that he would return to Black Gate. The message was sent as Mother motioned to Eleda to stand the surface scab up.
Eleda quickly approached Amosse and struck him sharply in the shoulder. He winced for a moment and took in breath to scream. He looked at his wound to make sure it was still there as he could suddenly no longer feel it or his arm. The pain had been taken away from him. Eleda then offered her hand to Amosse and he took it, feeling the woman’s ample strength as he was lifted to his feet.
“Tell me about this Z,” Mother said.
“How much time do you have?” Amosse asked, “… because the long version will take a while.”
“Sum it up for me then,” Wraayna said, placing her left hand on her hip.
“I’ve seen the man fall once,” Amosse shared. “Once! And to be entirely truthful, I wasn’t there to see it, so I can only assume he fell. You see, he had just saved the Governor of Black Gate. But that was after he carved out a plan to take out a compliment of Imperial Chevaliers and at least a score of mercenaries.” Amosse motioned for the woman to come closer and when the two leaned in toward each other, Amosse whispered, “But that was after he and his pirate captain managed to steal raw stones from a mine and escape a battle group of Gulmar Brigade and Imperial ships!” Amosse stood back and nodded. “That about sums it up.”
“And you?”
Lowering his head and dealing with the bitter taste of the truth, Amosse rolled his lips between his teeth. “A former member of the crew,” he stated. “… an overly ambitious member of the crew.”
Mother nodded as she looked down on the man. “Yes, I can see the ambition hasn’t been beaten out of you just yet. That is a quality I can work with.”
“W’Zonn was about to send him to the Grey Realm,” Eleda said plainly. “I didn’t hear fear in his scream… just rage.”
“And that endorsement yields you a trip to our Ripper!” Wraayna declared. “Son Brattle, what were you going to do with him?”
“He’s got cunections up top, Mother,” Brattle informed. “… both in tha city ranks ‘n At-til-wil-deer-wil College. His attendance has been suspended, but I had cred ready ta reverse that. One set o’ eyes on ‘im and one in ‘im… figured I could walk ‘im through a meet or two. We could use a bloody InvokeR o’ our own!”
“Now that’s the son I raised,” Wraayna said, scratching the underside of Brattle’s chin. “Eleda, take a task force and investigate my apartment. Make sure the report my son gave me is accurate. If it is, I’ve got no harm in mind for you, Brattle. But if it comes back otherwise–”
“It won’t, Mother,” Brattle insisted.
Mother stood up straight and gave a slight nod. “If nothing else, I believe you believe that. Still, we must be sure.” With a wave of her hand the Castigator turned, signaled to two of the enforcers, and departed for the apartment building.
Mother watched the three women walk away before she looked to the floor. “First, my cousin has his position as Black Gate Keeper all but taken from him.
“That reminds me, Brattle,” Wraayna said, remembering a much-needed step she wanted to take. “Get word to the new Governor and tell him I will bring an end to this Bowel Tide if he will grant me audience.
“My cousin sets a trap in NayFall for a man who was holding what Ruukar said was simple treasure. Now I believe that treasure was nothing of the sort, but deception is something I’ve come to expect from little Ruukar. That’s not the rub here. What is the rub is that I have heard that a female pirate and her blue-skinned hand have unseated the old Governor. In truth, I had nothing but gratitude for the act; did NOT know he was a blood-sucker!” Wraayna shivered at the thought of being so many times in the company of an Upyri. “… but then there’s a hit put out on this woman. The contract did not go through me, but that is the Imperial way, and this time I didn’t have to lift a hand to remind them that they were out of bounds. The hit fails, and for a time, things are quiet. Now I hear more tales of the fantastic regarding this hand, who apparently is without his captain, but no less a formidable entity. He befuddles Brattle and steals my triplets.
“It’s clear these people are pirates!” Wraayna declared, putting her hand to her chin. “And without my little ones, I’m forced to go back to my former means of information gathering. Get that scab-boy through the Ripper and bring him back to me immediately! Going to hear the long version of that explanation. In the meantime, son, you and I are going to discuss your plans for this latest asset you’ve managed to acquire.”
“And then we go af’er tha blue ghost?” Brattle asked excitedly.
“No,” Wraayna quickly decided, surprising her adopted son. “You go chasing after pirates once they’ve reached their chosen waters, make sure that one of the ships you take with you is a coffin! This is Black Gate, boy. We leave word with our eyes to look out for their ship, and then we wait. Patience wins out over piracy, Brattle. Trust me. Besides, we have a new Governor. With my cousin removed, I no longer have eyes on the administration of Black Gate. The reports I’ve received from Ruukar have all said this Isaiah Gundryss is a man on a mission. I have no issue with that, so long as his mission stays well away from the Bowels! Come, Brattle. Delight me with your scheming.”
Riding in the atmospheric transport, on their way to meet the Governor, the last of the commands had been typed in and the list of names, with the matching biological information, floated in front of Mother’s face. She smiled as she looked over the files, cutting a very proud smile over to Brattle.
Eleda had returned with a clear and concise report. Brattle had been truthful, though his version was an understatement. Eleda had the area around the apartment complex swept and searched. Whoever this ghost was, he had been well-trained. She could find no trace of his approach path or his exit trail. There was no trail her eyes could see. Even the view inside the apartment chilled the specialist. Brattle was right; her peo
ple had fired their weapons and the instruments showed it had not been done in patterns of wild firing. She found many shells that were untouched. Energy readings of the apartment came back clean. Eleda had seen electromagnetic pulse generators that could stop bullets, but they left ozone in the immediate area for weeks after the event. It had only been days since the triplets were taken, and the place was clean of any foreign energy sign.
“I’ve seen well-paid and veteran professionals make worse entries and exits. And this man serves another?!” Eleda had thought, wondering if she ever wanted to meet either of these people with the intent of combat in mind. It did not help matters that it seemed to be a woman who was giving the blue ghost his orders. Eleda knew why she followed Mother. She respected the Pazibred woman’s passion, power, and precision. Was this ghost as loyal to his queen as she was to hers?
Wraayna had seen the concern in Eleda’s eyes and had been glad she had decided not to engage in a chase of these people. It seemed that Black Gate was their only advantage. That, and the ghost might not have been aware of who actually ran the Bowels. She would not forfeit either asset. She would wait these pirates out and see if, like so many others, they would grow forgetful and relax, lower their guard while they were in Black Gate. Then she would strike… then she would have them!
“Well, at least this Governor is punctual,” Wraayna said as she looked down at the platform. He’s also not foolish. Look at that formation!”
“I count forty, Mother,” Ainille said softly as she took the air transport into an approach turn. A very capable pilot, no one said anything when she looked away from where she was going in order to put her sharp green eyes to the task of counting bodies in light body armour.
“I’m more concerned with the one standing behind the Governor,” Eleda added. “From the looks of her she’s L’Konno. I’ve yet to see one that’s an easy kill. And, Mother, if she’s willingly with a non-L’Konno, that dark-skinned ex-Magistrate is no lightweight.”
“I have seen Gundryss before, but this is the first time I have seen the yellow-skinned woman,” Wraayna shared. “Normally I come alone to these meetings. But I feel as if we should make a showing for this new Governor.”
“My cred is on the fact that you missed her, but she’ll recognize you, Mother,” Eleda remarked.
“Noted,” Wraayna said, feeling very proud of her girls. “Thank you, ladies.” The Pazibred woman called Mother turned to look at the healed Amosse who was still looking at where his shoulder wound should have been. “The stiffness will fade in time,” Wraayna explained. “The damage done has been repaired, but the muscle tends to remain tight, even in the wake of the healing. It’s been my experience that only Priest healings fully restore the body, and even they have limitations.”
“Sounds like a load of experience I’d rather go through life not knowing,” Amosse replied.
“Smart man,” Wraayna smiled. “You understand your place in things, yes?”
“I know you have countermeasures in place, Mother,” Amosse stated plainly. “You wouldn’t be in power if you were stupid. But I’ve also come to know that you are a woman of your word. And you have given me yours that I would deliver the killing blow on Z! Until that moment, you will not have to question my loyalty.”
“Until that moment?” Wraayna pressed.
“I’ve also come to know that you’re a woman who appreciates honesty,” Amosse said. “You can have the Bowels. You can have all of Black Gate for all I care. What I want he has locked away by now. Once Z is dead, if we can do what we wish without getting in each other’s way, I’ve got no quarrel with you.”
“Each other’s way,” Wraayna laughed as the transport came to a stop and started lowering down to the platform. “Boy, hear me this and hear me clean: you will never reach this treasure of yours alone. You could train hard for a year and not be half the measure of this Z. Men like him train in their sleep! You’re going to need me and the Bowels you love to look down upon. And when you reach your goal, I will need you. We will see what sort of man you are on that day… should we both live so long.”
Amosse thought about what he had been told and when the transport reached solid ground, he looked up into the yellow eyes of the giantess. “See to my treasure, and it will see to you. That is the pact!” He held up his hand toward Mother who looked at the palm for a moment. She nodded and took hold of his hand.
“A struck pact we have, Amosse Jilchild. So swears Wraayna Doroson, the one they call Mother.”
“The one I call Mother,” Amosse added, bowing his head.
“And I await the day I call you Master,” Wraayna returned, bowing her head.
Stepping out of the transport, Wraayna smiled and she could sense familiarity in the eyes of the yellow-skinned woman. She had seen the Pazibred woman before, and she knew she was being read.
“Governor Gundryss,” Wraayna called to the man as she walked toward him. “This auspicious meeting has been too long in the coming!”
“Has it?” Isaiah asked. “Why don’t you impress me before we actually have this meeting.”
“You get right to the point,” Wraayna said as she came to a stop. “… how very mannish!”
“I don’t see what is served by us dancing around the reason why we’re all here,” Isaiah returned.
“It’s called foreplay, Governor. Surely a virile man such as you can appreciate some courtship before we get into bed with one another.”
“Which only brings me back to my point,” Isaiah replied. “You have to show me you’re worth my time, effort, and considerable bedding skills! Virile men must hold to certain standards. I’m sure you understand.”
“No, not a lightweight,” Wraayna thought, smiling in response to what had been said. “And now that I’ve been allowed to draw closer, I can see that most of his forty are actually robots dressed in uniforms and body armour. Very clever… and very dirty… I might actually come to like this Governor! Of course, that only means he will receive a quick and painless death the moment he gets in my way!
“As you wish, my Lord Governor,” Wraayna said, waving back to the transport. Brattle spoke into his wrist-com, waited for a moment, listened and then nodded back to Wraayna. “It is done.”
“Lieutenant?” Isaiah asked, looking to, but not over his left shoulder. One of the only five actual soldiers Isaiah had brought with him accessed his brace-com and typed in a command.
“Sir, receiving reports of simultaneous withdrawals of perpetrators … on all fronts of the First Level.” Isaiah looked back at Wraayna and nodded.
“That reminds me,” Wraayna said, recalling a point of interest. “How is it that you managed to keep this tide to only the First Level?”
“I was given advanced warning of movement in the Bowels,” Isaiah admitted. “A certain blue-skinned acquaintance of mine. I’m sure you’ve been made aware of him.”
“Yes. Yes, I have,” Wraayna replied.
“That’s one item on our meeting agenda.”
“Indeed.” Wraayna said, brought from her deliberations. She motioned to the transport and Eleda stepped out, pulling Amosse behind her. “And, as you can see, he has been fully restored.”
“How are you, son?” Isaiah asked without looking away from Wraayna.
“Ready to get the hell out of here, sir,” Amosse answered, yanking his arm away from Eleda. The two locked eyes for a moment, but Amosse walked forward. The Lieutenant stepped forward to receive him and Isaiah stepped forward to address Wraayna.
“Impressive, Mother,” he said softly. “But forgive me if I decline to meet with you–”
“That’s not part of our agreement!” the woman said, broadening her stance.
“In the place you requested,” Isaiah continued. “The Games begin in two days, I would like to invite you to take part in watching them with me, in the privacy of my skybox.”
“The Governor’s skybox!” Wraayna exclaimed with a soft voice. “A very much unexpected honor.”
“Why not simply reinstate my cousin?”
“He’s burned that bridge,” Isaiah replied. “I don’t give many hands-off orders, but I expect the ones that I do give to be followed.”
“Lord Governor, this woman and her crew must be very special,” Wraayna said.
“No need for conversational lures, Mother. JoJo Starblazer and her crew have done this entire station a service that cannot be measured. Significant figures on both sides of our particular spectrum owe their lives to that woman.
“And let’s get one other thing straight, Mother,” Isaiah said plainly. “I know this is Black Gate! I’m not trying to save it. For my weight in cred, I don’t think it wants to be saved. But there are people here who want to live their lives in the splendor this station provides, just as those who skulk in the shadows do their deeds in a peace they’ve come to expect. I won’t come with the floodlights if you can corral the shadows. Because at the end of the day, you’ve got the numbers and I’ve got the firepower. Both of us lose if we act like silly schoolchildren.”
“And that means?”
“A tribute from you to me, and from time to time I’ll even enlist some of the aforementioned firepower to your disposal.”
“What?!” Wraayna barked.
“You heard me, Mother,” Isaiah said as he turned to leave. “Think it over and start cooking up the numbers. If we do this right, we can increase your position in Black Gate… something of a silent Governess position.” Gundryss stopped at the door of his air-car and lifted his finger. “But there is one thing that must be understood.”
“When you give a hands-off order, it must be followed,” Wraayna said softly. Isaiah smiled, lowered his hand and the L’Konno opened the door. “So long as that order is not beyond reproach, I can make a pact to you here and now.”
“A pact without numbers?” Isaiah said as he got into the air-car. “You must take me for a wannabe hero, Mother. See you at the Games.” The L’Konno closed the door and started around the air-car to get in behind the controls.