Retribution Required

by C. R. Daems

  I walked back to the galley and fetched a beer, which Kraig declined. I presumed it was because his boss was coming. I didn't care. I had started considering everything I ate or drank my last meal. We sat in silence as the minutes ticked by—all too quickly as far as I was concerned. My tablet buzzed, breaking into my countless morbid thoughts.

  A woman stood at the entrance, dressed casually in a white pantsuit and blue blouse open at the neck. She had a stocky build, square-shaped face, and ear-length curly auburn hair. She looked amused as she stood appraising the Tykhe. I followed Kraig to the entrance platform.

  "Well, Major, I hope what you have to report is worth my trip to Vereya," she said as she appraised Shadi, who sat by my side, looking up at her. Shadi's head was slightly cocked to the side, as if evaluating the colonel.

  "Good morning, Colonel Sherman. You will have to be the judge of that. I'd like to introduce Miss Zenada Bertok, a freelance merchant out of Tanzan," Kraig said.

  "Judging by the expenses I've been getting, you must have luxury accommodations for your passengers, Miss Bertok," she said, while evaluating me.

  "Transporting a Coalition spy into the Rim is more dangerous than smuggling illegal arms into the Central Systems," I said, enjoying the mental game we were playing.

  "All right, get me something to drink and let's hear the reason you're returning my spy." She smiled. I led Sherman and Kraig back to the galley and fetched three cups of coffee. After we were all sitting, Kraig began.

  "I stumbled across Zenaida quite by accident in Bijapur while looking for transportation in the Rim. I thought selecting random merchants for rides would make me a stranger and people would therefore be unlikely to talk to me and suspicious if I asked too many questions. When I heard the Tykhe was in port I did some research. It indicated she was a suspected smuggler." He quickly held up his hand. "Her father had been caught smuggling years ago. Although after he took his daughter on board, he had a clear record. But his murder a couple of years ago had again raised the speculation it was related to illegal activities. Consequently, Zen was the perfect cover whether the speculations were founded or not. Accompanying her made me less of an outsider and more someone who belonged to the Rim. Zenaida, for her part, had to decide whether I belonged to some criminal organization or was running some scheme. Operating alone, she wouldn't take me as a passenger under either condition. I saw her ship as an opportunity to see all of the Rim systems and an excuse to ask questions. So, I leveled with her and we agreed on a price that justified the risk." He laughed. "She searched my bag each time I entered the Tykhe and locked up my weapons while I was onboard."

  Sherman grinned at me. "Smart woman. And... "

  "In Hohhot..." Kraig went on to explain what I discovered and how I thought it related to the Black Hand."

  "Let's see these canisters," Sherman said, frowning in thought as she rose. I led the way to the bridge and explained how they had entered a second password into my system, along with the application to activate the mechanism to open the missiles. Then I took her to the missile compartment and pointed to the two missiles which now had the backs open. She carefully looked into the opening of each missile, then reached in and pulled out a cylinder. Her mouth hung open as she closely examined the label.

  "If these cylinders contain what the labels indicate then this was worth my trip to Vereya...and Zenaida has a cruiser-size problem," she said, looking from Kraig to me.

  * * *

  After a stop for a quick meal, we spent the next several hours going over each stop in detail, examining the photos I had captured, and describing our subterfuge at Tyrus. Finally, she sat back and closed her eyes. I got up and fetched a beer, not sure what I wanted or expected.

  "This is a mess," Sherman finally said as she opened her eyes. She rose and fetched two beers after I nodded and handed one to Bratcher before sitting. "Ideally, Major Bratcher would have located the Raiders’ ships, we would have sent out a couple of ACS squadrons, and destroyed them. On the plus side, you did manage to disrupt their operations by temporarily delaying delivery of their weapon of choice, and we now have narrowed their biological distributor to Hohhot and the Raiders to the Tyrus system. The bad news is we don't know who the distributor is or where the Raider ships hang out... And Miss Bertok and the Tykhe are at the top of the Black Hands Most Wanted list." She paused and looked toward me while awaiting a response.

  "I want the members of the Black Hand that killed my father but I’m not suicidal. I'll have to settle for pissing them off. I plan to sell the Tykhe, change my name, and disappear down some hole."

  "If I were you, I would do exactly the same thing." Sherman had the nerve to grin. "But I'm not, and I can't let the best chance of finding them walk away." She held up her hand. "Major Bratcher can claim he caught you smuggling chemical weapons for the Raiders and have you hanged or be merciful and have you incarcerated for life—"

  Shadi, I sent an image of Sherman as I rose to position myself facing them. "I'd rather kill you and Kraig, then Shadi and myself. At least that way I'll die quickly and happy," I said, drawing my Mfw and pointing it at Kraig as Shadi shifted to face the colonel. Sherman actually smiled.

  "From your perspective that's not a bad alternative, and doable. I'm sure you could kill Douglass before he could reach his weapon and that beautiful leopard of yours is way faster than me." She nodded while openly admiring Shadi. "If I'm being heartless it's because I'm desperate and many lives depend upon finding the Raiders. I'm not ungrateful for the help you've given Major Bratcher, but you must understand you’re our best chance of stopping the Raiders. Sending you to jail or you killing yourself benefits no one. Therefore I'd rather we work out some arrangement where we both benefit," she said and relaxed back in the chair. Since she thought I'd kill her, she must have nerves of battle metal.

  "The only reason I haven't already killed you is I don't like the idea of killing Shadi." I reached down and sank my free hand in her fur. "So how about you and Kraig take those canisters and leave? That will give you and he time to consider how you think I can help, the risk involved, and why I'd be stupid enough to try. And I'll do the same." I held up one hand. "If anyone tries to break into this ship, I will kill myself. I'm not going to prison and don't plan on being sold into a prostitution ring or worse."

  "Fair enough. We both need time to think about what you and Major Bratcher have discovered and how we can capitalize on it. Please don't try to leave Vereya, unless you have decided to kill yourself," she said as she rose, keeping her hand well away from the Mfw at her side. I followed them to the missile room where they collected the canisters and then to the hatch. After they exited, I slid to the floor and pulled Shadi to me.

  * * *

  I had the overwhelming urge to power up the Tykhe and leave. But where would I go that either the Black Hand or the Alexandria Coalition couldn't find me. Talk about being between a hard place and a rock. The Black Hand would steal my ship, kill Shadi and sell her hide, and I'd be lucky if they killed me after a lengthy punishment session. More likely they would put me on a leash with a razor-wire collar to do their bidding. The ACS wouldn't kill me or torture me—although I might be wrong—but they would definitely have me on a choke-collar leash. Only the thought of killing Shadi kept me from putting my Bahr to my head and pulling the trigger. Mercifully, my tablet buzzed late on the second day. When I accepted the call, Colonel Sherman’s face appeared.

  "Have you formulated a plan and a proposal?" she asked, staring into her camera, looking worried. I assumed that meant I didn't look good, which wasn't surprising after two days of little sleep, food, or personal care.

  "Right now, suicide is the odds-on favorite. The Black Hand will make me into an ill-used slave and the ACS doesn't care so long as they get what they want." I shrugged. Sherman's face turned pale and she remained quiet for a long while.

  "Can we talk, face-to-face?" she finally asked.

  "On the Tykhe, no weapons. I don't want to kill eithe
r of you but I will if I have to."

  "Understood. We will be there in the next ten minutes." She cut the connection. I washed my face and changed clothes, thinking it might help me focus, just as Sherman and Bratcher appeared at the entrance. The cameras showed no one else in sight and they looked unarmed. I opened the door, had them wait while I scanned them, and then unlocked the inner door.

  "I'm in the galley," I said which was repeated over the hallway speakers. When they appeared, I nodded toward the galley. "There is beer in the cold locker and coffee available from the auto chef." I sat with my first beer since they had left. They each grabbed a beer.

  "I'm sure Major Bratcher has imagined being captured by the Black Hand," Sherman said as she sat and put her beer on the table. "But I doubt he could appreciate it from a woman's perspective. It makes me break out in a sweat, vomit, and lose all muscle control. And yet I know the realities would be worse."

  I nodded. Watching her talk, I believed her—or she was an award-winning actress.

  "So let’s discuss what you and Kraig would be required to do, the risk that involves, and what we can do to protect you because the Black Hand will be looking for you whether you choose to help us or not." She paused to open her beer and drink. "I would think they would be out for revenge if you do nothing or run, whereas if you continue business as usual they might be content to get their canisters and continue to use the Tykhe without alerting you."

  "I think our deception on Tyrus was airtight. If they check in Lietzow the customs officials will verify the contract, we are going to pay the one hundred thousand in case they can verify it, and you did deliver Mr. Mahavir’s package to Tyrus as contracted," Kraig said. I agreed with him and Sherman but would the Black Hand?

  "So you want me...and Kraig to fly back into the Rim and continue my business as usual...hoping?"

  "Hoping you can discover the Raiders' home base," Sherman said.

  "What about when they find their canisters missing?" I felt like shouting, they will go berserk.

  "We plan to replace the VX in those canisters with something similar but not nearly as catastrophic if released. They are unlikely to test them as they will be in the same canisters. And if they weigh them they will get the result they expect." She paused for a sip of her beer. "I'm not minimizing the risk, Miss Bertok. A thousand things could go wrong. But we’re willing to equip the Tykhe with some very undetectable devices to ensure you will know if anyone enters the ship, upgrade your missiles, and increase you boosters. And give you the million-credit reward for participating."

  "I'll have to grant them access and new missiles will..."

  "We will use your current Rogue-6a missile casing but replace the guts. They will be the equivalent of our Scorpion-3 missiles, which packs a punch close to sixty percent of our standard cruiser’s missiles." She smiled. I took a couple of gulps of my beer while I worked through the risk-reward ratio. Sherman was certainly being generous. Of course it wasn't for my sake as much as their objective. The risk was excessive but the alternatives were also high risk.

  "Kraig and I also need some protection on the Tykhe if we are discovered and attacked," I said, realizing I had decided to accept Sherman's offer as I had no better option.

  "I'll let Kraig and you decide what that should be. Be ready to depart tomorrow."

  "You can't possibly do all that by—" I began, feeling on the verge of panic.

  "Of course not." Sherman cut me off. "You will proceed to one of our secret depots where the modifications will be made. The time is for you to get some rest. I don't imagine you have gotten much over the past few days."

  CHAPTER TEN

  Star System: Somewhere in Central systems Space

  Kraig appeared late the next day at the Tykhe's entrance with two bags.

  "Good morning, Pilot Zenaida. Your junior partner in crime is ready to depart." He smiled. "Would you like to search my bags?"

  I shook my head. "What's in them?"

  "Clothes mostly. An extra Mfw, a laser, and ammo—essentials."

  "Meet me on the Flight Deck when you're ready. I've begun preparations to depart," I said and headed there. The AIA may want to kill me after this mission is over but certainly not before, so I thought I could trust Kraig until then. I had barely started checking each system when Kraig walked into the room. "I assume you know how to fly a StarJet," I said as he joined me at the control panel. He nodded.

  "Yes, I'm a qualified pilot."

  "Let's give you a system password and eye scan. I have a feeling it's going to take us working together to survive."

  "I think that will greatly improve our odds." He typed in a password and then had an eye scan.

  "All right, where are we going?" I asked and received a chip he inserted into the command system reader. I studied the information for several minutes before commenting. "Whatever this place is, it looks like it resides in an asteroid belt in the Vorde system."

  "I've never been there so you know as much as I do. Whatever it is, it's ultra-secret and I was told to destroy this chip and any record in the Tykhe's system." He grinned. "Colonel Sherman has pulled a lot of strings for this mission. That million credits she put in your account is probably the cheapest part of this deal."

  "Any ideas on equipment to protect us?" I asked. If we were discovered and the Black Hand invaded the ship to kidnap or kill us, the odds wouldn't favor us. We would need an edge.

  "I don't think weapons would work as they don't discriminate and would be a noticeable addition," Kraig said, frowning.

  "I'd favor bombs."

  "They don't discriminate either." Kraig gave me a hard stare.

  "No, but if we are prepared for the explosion and know it's coming..."

  "At strategic places on the ship." He pursed his lips in thought.

  "Percussion and maybe gas and flash bombs." I thought gas would be all right if we had gasmasks or were in a sealed off compartment. Flash bombs would be good to temporarily blind the attackers and especially useful if at night and they were wearing night vision goggles.

  "We can run it by the folks at our next stop." He was quiet for a long time. "Where do you plan to go first?"

  "What about Vayk? I have business associates there. That would be a logical stop for me from Vereya and they are the kind of people the Black Hand would associate...not directly but indirectly.

  "Criminals." His voice carried a hint of amusement.

  "In the Central Systems not in the Rim." I tried to look surprised and shook my head in denial. He snorted.

  "Different rules in the Rim?"

  "In the Central Systems the rules are engraved on titanium tablets and distributed to each system. In the Rim the rules are written on a blackboard in chalk and distributed to systems which have chalk and erasers," I said, trying to capture the two cultures in simple terms. Kraig choked on the beer he was drinking, spraying it across the table.

  "In other words, they vary by system."

  "Pretty much. More so if you can afford chalk and know someone with an eraser," I said, causing Kraig to begin choking again.

  * * *

  When we reached the Vorde asteroid belt, I spent several hours threading the Tykhe through the chunks of rocks the size of small cities while broadcasting the signal Sherman had provided. Four hours later, we received a homing beacon and finally reached the rock we were looking for. As we approached the asteroid, a section opened and I maneuvered the Tykhe into a gigantic cavern. Several minutes later, the green lite over the exit hatch indicated it was safe to exit. A man in steel-gray coveralls waited at the bottom, along with four armed men in Marine uniforms.

  "Major, you and Miss Bertok need to submit to an eye scan for identification," the man in coveralls said. He was smiling. He held up a small handheld device. Kraig stepped forward and stood still while he was scanned. Then I stepped forward. The man checked his device and nodded. "Thank you. If you will follow me," he said, and began walking toward a door at the far end of the cave.
Half the walls looked like they had been dug out with machinery while the other half were rough and natural. Several small starships were scattered around the area. One about the size of the Tykhe had several mechanics working on it. The ship had oversized engines and looked fast and lethal.

  The door led into a tunnel which had several intersections. Finally the man stopped and opened a door into a modern-looking conference room, if you ignored the ceiling was bare rock. Three men and two women were sitting at the table. A broad-shouldered gray-haired elderly man rose as we entered. He looked in his fifties, dressed casually in slacks and long sleeve white shirt. I could easily imagine him behind an executive desk. He had a commanding presence about him.

  "Welcome to the base with no name. I'm Merlyn, the base manager. We've been instructed to upgrade the...Tykhe," he said after looking at his tablet, "missiles, boosters, and unspecified personal protection. This meeting is to discuss the specifics. Before we start, get yourself something to drink. I have Nicole, our lead missile development engineer." He pointed to a small woman of Chinese ancestry. She bowed her head slightly when her name was mentioned. She was tall for her ancestry and had long black hair tied in a rope which hung almost to her waist. "Orville, our lead engine designer." He nodded to a broad-shouldered middle-aged man with short hair. "And Clyde, our special gadgets wizard." Clyde looked thin and fragile and full of mischief, judging by his devilish expression and sparkling eyes. "You will notice we don't use last names here for security reasons. Zenaida owns the Tykhe and her companion Kraig works for Sherman."