by Reiter
“That works for me, Boss. Thank you,” Hennix returned, quickly taking his seat.
“Are there any further questions?”
“Yes, I have a question, Boss,” Cilrus said as he too stood up from his chair. “It’s hard to put this to words without it sounding like I’m calling you to the hilt… because I’m not.”
“Thanks for making that clear,” Llaz gave a soft smile as he spoke.
“But do you think it’s wise to wait all of that time before we put things into motion?” Cilrus asked. “I can’t shake the feeling the Captain might be in a pinch and needing us to come and get her.”
“The thought has crossed my mind too, CeCe,” Llaz said softly, looking at the floor but resuming his pacing. “The one thing that keeps me from putting action to those thoughts is the Captain’s instructions. She gives the ‘cry havoc’ code and everybody gets back to the ship as fast as possible, maintaining full stealth until she signals for us to do otherwise. That release signal hasn’t been received, and with all of the activity in the vicinity, I’m not going to play fast and loose with interpretations.”
“I’m not so sure we should be playing it safe either,” Mel stated. “We’re supposed to be pirates, right?”
“Tank, what kind of pirates would we be if we didn’t see to the ship and crew?” Llaz quickly shot back, hiding his surprise at hearing Mel speak up against him. “No one is playing at anything here. We also will not pressure ourselves into making a bad decision. If there is nothing further, we all have work to do, let’s get to it!”
Everyone rose from their seats and started out of the room. Llaz could see Olkin and Silnee walk over to Mel before they exited the room. Siekor also lingered behind, but he made no false presentations about it; he made it clear he was going to talk to Llaz.
“There they go,” Siekor sighed, “… the holy trinity. Each one of them’s had a burr up their butt since Annsura died. Are you still reeling over Mel coming at you like that?”
“Can’t say I expected it,” Llaz admitted. “I thought he and I were tighter than that.”
“Well, you did just backhand him down a peg.”
“You mean the Brain Trust thing?” Llaz asked.
“Well, at least you’re aware of what you’re doing,” Siekor stated.
“This isn’t about playing favorites or senior people,” Llaz declared. “Mel’s engaged in just about every field of science Z has to offer. He doesn’t have time to lead a section. At least with Kryltane, he’s keeping everything at computers and nothing but computers.”
“Well, that and his training,” Siekor added.
“All the more reason.” Llaz did not want to take too much time thinking about it. He looked at Siekor and shrugged his shoulders. “Anyway, there’s a grindstone with my name on it, just waiting for my nose.”
“And Tank?”
“I’m not about to make time to hold everyone’s hand on this ship,” Llaz declared. “He’ll either get in gear, or go to the hilt.”
“Wow!” Siekor said, taking a step back as Llaz started for the door. “I thought you guys were tighter than that.”
“So did I.” Llaz walked out of the Mess Hall and out into the corridor where Silnee stood waiting. “Don’t you have a training session waiting on you?” he asked as she opened her mouth to speak.
“Yes I do.”
“This doesn’t look like the Sim Room, Tolip.” Llaz walked right by the young woman without ever looking into her eyes.
“Yes sir,” she replied with anger in her voice.
“Boss or Llaz will do nicely, pilot. That will be all.” Silnee turned around quickly to watch Llaz walk away from her. He never looked back, never changed his stride, but she could feel a wall between her and the Second Mate. She wanted to say something… wanted to scream, actually. But she could not see anything of worth coming out of such an engagement. She stepped to the lift pole and made her way to the Simulator Room.
“It would sure be nice to get an open channel from the Captain right about now,” Llaz thought as he walked. “Her or Z, it really wouldn’t make much of a difference. How do they do it?! How do they wear the responsibility and make it look so damn easy?!”
** b *** t *** o *** r **
Screams echoed through his mind; ones of sheer terror and ones of indescribable pain… flashing lights burned at his mind’s eye, followed by thundering waves of deafening darkness… scores of small mouths, fitted with razor-sharp teeth, ate into him from all sides and they did not stop once they reached bone!
Hurdran quickly sat up, crying out and lifting his hands in an effort to command MannA to his will. The restraints kept his hands from moving, and the Olasson man panted in fear and confusion.
“You’re safe,” Zyzo said softly. “We’re at your castle. You’re in the care of your Healer. She placed you in this room as a precaution. We couldn’t have you waking up and leveling everything in sight, now could we?”
“The castle?” Duke Vyllynthe asked, looking around the room. “How long have I–”
“Do not bother to make the attempt,” Hillgray said as he turned from the window. “It wasn’t a bad dream. We were all gathered there, waiting to spring the trap the Keeper of Black Gate had been so gracious to assist in setting, and we were undone by a better trap.
“Ukara is also on the mend,” Zyzo said as he crossed the room. His steps were quicker than normal and he sighed before reaching the door. “I will let the Healer know you have awakened.”
“Zyzo, please,” Vyllynthe called to the Delman Warrior.
Zyzo stopped, taking such a hard grip on the thick door that the aged and nearly petrified wood creaked under his strength. “I say again, do not bother to make the attempt. I followed you into raiding that ship. ‘They are unaware of what they have’, you said. ‘They’re not ready to contend with the power’, you said. Well, they were certainly ready to contend with us… and sans their Captain or her blue wonder of a warrior!
“And you convinced us,” Zyzo turned and looked at the weakened InvokeR. “No, I allowed you to convince me to try, yet again, to take the MannA Keys from them! We used means that aren’t our main stride! Well, they certainly aren’t mine. You seemed to flow with the tide of it all quite nicely. For all of this supposed power the MannA Keys possess, the Enacranites managed to lose them, and we certainly failed in taking them away from Starblazer and her crew of pirates. Certainly does give one reason to ponder.
“Well, I have pondered, Hurdran,” Hillgray said softly. “I cannot say I like Zyzo Hillgray at the moment. He’s a fool of a brute who allowed his love for you to cloud his judgment. A true friend would have stopped you long before lives had to be lost. I will wear that failure the rest of my seasons.”
“Zyzo,” Duke Vyllynthe said softly, almost coaxing the Delman back into the room.
“We have no right!” Hillgray barked, his eyes all but shooting jets of fire at his longtime comrade. “And the time for your lies to go unchallenged ended while you were pitching about in your fever. You want the Keys, Vyllynthe! You don’t want to protect the people, or the artifacts, you want the power… and damn me for a fool not to have seen it sooner!”
“Hard to see what has been kept hidden so well,” Ukara said as she placed her hand on Hillgray’s shoulder. The Delman whirled around and took a hard grip of her wrist. He knew it caused her pain, but the cold smile never left her face. Zyzo’s face twisted as he looked up at the woman.
“Ukara? What are you doing?” Vyllynthe asked.
“You’re right, Hillgray, a true friend would’ve said something sooner… just as I told Hurdran this outcome would, sooner or later, come to pass. Do you know what he said? He told me that I had crossed the line to even imply that the two of you would ever have to cross swords. That’s when I knew he would never be the man for the job.” Unable to keep Ukara’s wrist, Zyzo’s hand fell to his side. “… and measures were taken then; contingencies to contain even one of your strength and skill.
You of all people should know to keep your hands off an InvokeR!” Zyzo wanted to speak but his jaws would not move and his body was steadily growing weaker.
“Guard,” Hurdran called out, pulling against the restraints of the bed. “Guard!”
“Note that Tonka is not on my back, Hurdran. I’ve taken measures to see that we will not be disturbed,” Ukara stated as Hillgray fell to his knees. He mumbled something before falling, face first, to the floor. “You do realize, it takes considerable power to work an enchantment in an Olasson castle... if you’re not the Olasson that put it there, that is. Fortunately for me, however, you like the amenities of technology, and the wiring for the lights goes all over this place!” Reaching down into a secret pocket sewn into her sleeve, Ukara produced a small disc that she dropped onto Hillgray’s back. With a flick of her hand, the Delman was hurled deeper into the room, colliding with the wall just beside Hurdran’s bed. Ukara staggered as she approached. “That Delman is heavier than he looks!”
“What are you doing, woman?! That man saved your life!”
“You both have,” Ukara returned, walking to the foot of the bed. “… which is the only reason why I’m not going to kill you. That disc will keep him under wraps for an hour, which should be about twenty minutes more than what I need to get something out of you. You see, I need something of yours before I resume my search for the MannA Keys.”
“I will give you nothing!” Vyllynthe vowed. The Duke knew well the sort of restraints the Healer had employed. Any MannA he could either generate would be immediately absorbed. There was nothing he could do!
“Silly man,” Ukara giggled, producing a second disc. “Who said that was a prerequisite? I said I wouldn’t kill you. No one said anything about mind-warping, excruciating pain!”
** b *** t *** o *** r **
(Rims Time: XII-4203.25)
Beginning to breathe more heavily, given the distance he had already run, Siekor stopped for a moment before entering the Ready Room. All of the Team Leads were already present. “Sorry I’m late. I went to the Mess Hall.”
“That’s understandable,” Llaz replied. “I don’t think any of us are all that comfortable being in here without the Captain. If we ever have to do this again, we’ll use one of the labs.”
“Here’s hoping we never meet in the lab then,” Silnee quickly said. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Llaz nodded. “And I need to open with an apology. I had stated earlier that we would meet to decide what we should do. That’s not going to happen. We have one single objective: to find the Captain and get her back to the ship. I have a means by which this can be initiated. What I need from you people is simple. Give me your suggestions on how to edit this plan and make it more feasible for us to accomplish.
“The first thing we need to do is address the barony,” Llaz started as a familiar tone sounded off in the room.
“Boss, I got an incoming transmission,” Bruveia reported. “It’s got all the bells and whistles on it, but the ship it’s coming from is not on the right bearing, and it just came out of freakin’ nowhere!”
“We came out from behind the dead moon to be in a better position to respond to an SOS call from the Captain, Southpaw,” Llaz reminded the woman.
“We sure did,” Bruveia replied. “In that case, it’s the Xara-Mansura that’s out of position, and that ship’s making a bee-line for where we’re supposed to be.”
“Verify our range to the Haggenshire,” Llaz commanded. “Ready missile launchers and put it through.” After a series of clicks, there was a soft tone signaling a connection.
“C’mon, babies, don’t be shy,” Jocasta said softly. “Momma’s home.”
Llaz walked to his seat and sat down, sighing as he did. “Good to hear from you, Captain. We’re maneuvering to rendezvous with you. I trust all is well?”
“Good as it’s going to get for the moment,” Jocasta replied. “Though I have every confidence things are about to get better. Get somebody to ready the Passion for departure. I’ve got a few friends aboard this bucket who are eager to get their hands on her… but don’t worry; Momma’s got something here to take her place!”
“Message received and understood, Captain. She’ll be ready to fly by the time you land. This ship and her standing crew are present and accounted for. We’ve got eager and anxious souls here, but no troubles to report.”
“Sounds like you did your job, Boss,” Jocasta said plainly. “Drop fields and open hangar doors when I am in range. Starblazer out.”
Llaz stood up and adjusted his weapons belt. He pointed at Siekor. “I want you, Tank, and Sonar in snipe and attack positions. Tell CeCe to gear up, he’s going to be my flank. Tolip, have Feather ready to launch and I want our Tandem launched in Cruel Intentions before the Captain can land! Shotgun–”
Kryltane was already up and moving toward the door. All the others that were seated took his movement as their signal to do the same. The Brain Trust Team Lead spoke to Llaz over his shoulder as he left the Ready Room. “I got a lock on the computer the second we made the connection. Download of the system into the virtual database is nearly complete.”
“You find anything on board that can be used against the passengers, put it into ready-mode!” Llaz ordered as he stopped at the door of the room. He looked back, half-expecting to see Jocasta seated at her desk, toasting him with a glass of rum and smoking a cigaro.
“Soon!” he thought, closing the doors after he left.
Life is short and if you’re looking for extension, you had best do well. ‘Cause there’s good deeds and good intentions. They are as far apart as Heaven and Hell.
Ben Harper
(Rims Time: XII-4203.25)
Quordion’s smile was equally bright and infectious. No one could look on how pleased the man was without smiling themselves. The man’s chuckle nearly became cackling as he ran his hand down the hull of the Prism Passion.
“Nothing,” he said as he continued to laugh, “… nothing in the worlds feels quite like Soborian Pearl. There’s a tingle to it that’s unmistakable! Captain, there are no words.”
“Well I sure as Kot hope there’s credits!” Jocasta quickly replied. Teo chirped his response as he sat on Jocasta’s shoulder. “That would put a serious stain on these proceedings.”
“And neither one of us would want that to occur,” the Onyx Baron said as he came away from the side of the ship.
“You’ve got a whole barony on edge down there, and they’re waiting on you,” Jocasta said, petting the simiate. “Why don’t you make your return entrance in that baby!” Quordion whirled around in surprise. In fact, everyone in the hangar had been caught off guard by Jocasta’s words.
“We have yet to decide upon a price,” Quordion stated. Jocasta chuckled, nodding toward Thandace, who returned a very warm smile and gentle nod. Jocasta then looked at Cilrus, Mel, Olreye and Llaz. Without a word spoken, all four men started for the door with the Second Mate stopping long enough to usher Hansel and Xaedra out of the hangar. Teo gave Jocasta a kiss before hopping off her shoulder and crossing the floor to jump up into Thandace’s arms.
Shaking her head once, Jocasta put her hands on her hips and locked her eyes on those of the Onyx Baron. She slowly back-pedaled for the door. “Baron, I think you can believe me when I tell you that it was my crew that nabbed that bird. Add to that lump one wannabe Enacranite who is obviously not your biggest fan. He went and managed to hire some pretty nasty people to put you in a tight spot. I wasn’t even dressed for the occasion, and I got you out from behind those crosshairs.” Jocasta stopped at the doorway and smiled. “What you’re about to fly out of here is my crew’s first unassisted haul. I think they deserve one serious ‘attaboy’ for what they’ve done!
“You’ll pay me, Baron. You’ll pay me quick and you’ll pay me proper. ‘Cuz the last thing you want is for my mood to change for the worse. I’ll be in the neighborhood until I receive payment… and men like you don’t keep ladies waiting
. Take care of him, Teo, and yourself, Thandie.” Jocasta waved, folded her arms, and walked out of the chamber.
Thandace chuckled as she looked at her brother who had no words for what had just happened. “Would you like me to take the controls?” she offered.
“Please do, sister. I don’t know about you, but I am thinking of eight figures.”
“So long as the first figure is not a one, I would concur.” Thandace walked onto the customized ship. The main generator was already active and the engines were warm. “The ship’s been prepped,” she said as she took the pilot’s chair. Teo moved to the co-pilot position and announced his arrival to the console. “We are ready for launch. But what I cannot understand is why the hangar was not defended,” Thandace said softly as she decided to go without charting a course. The barony was in visual range. “Or did she think the skills of those men would be enough to hold the chamber had we decided to just take the ship?”
“Had you and your brother attacked, I feel the three of us would either be in regenerators or on our way to our graves,” Teo offered. “There were many scents in that room… far more than the crewmen we could see.”
“Aahhh, now that sounds like JoJo,” Thandace smiled as she requested clearance from the bay.
Walking down the corridor with her arms still folded, Jocasta was followed by Cilrus, Hansel, Xaedra and Llaz. All four looked up when they heard the engines of the Prism Passion jetting away from the Xara-Mansura.
“Have a little faith, people,” she said softly. “The Baron’s gonna come through. If he doesn’t… we will! Hmmm, and just thinking about that kinda makes me wish he welches!”
“Glad to see that nothing’s changed with you, Captain,” Llaz commented, shaking his head.
“Not at all, Boss. I have got to get out of these clothes and into my own.” Jocasta stopped to turn and face the new additions to the ship. “Speaking of things out of sorts… Llaz, also known as Boss, is the Second Mate of this ship.”
