“How are Roby and Sempre?” I asked.
“Healing,” Ada said. “Goboble is an ass.”
“A dangerous ass,” Bish agreed, not yet ready to concede his earlier point.
“Let’s get to this, shall we?” I asked. “Why did a dozen of my favorite people take an intergalactic flight for dinner?”
“Our trip is not social,” Commander Munay started.
"Glad you were able to give Mom a ride out to Zuri," I said.
"A decision not of my making," he said. "Powerful entities required dangerously cramped conditions aboard our ship."
Mom didn't look at Munay as she smiled in a way I knew to be less than genuine. "Greg worked diligently to be a wonderful host. Twelve days in the deep dark at max capacity is difficult with younger passengers."
“Why the trip?" I asked.
Munay cleared his throat. "I'm not sure this is the time or place."
Bish caught my eye as he rocked back in his chair and crossed his arms. His ire was rising at the hint of secret plans.
"I'm done holding secrets for Mars," I said. "Don't share anything with me privately that you don't want everyone at this table to know about."
"Admiral Sterra said you would feel this way," Munay said, frowning slightly. "She sends her warmest wishes, by the way."
I smiled at hearing of Sterra's promotion. Of all the military I'd met within Mars Protectorate, she was one who still held my respect.
"What's going on?" I asked.
“A small group of ships are on a mission to locate the Kroerak homeworld, but as you know, there's little information on the origin of the Kroerak species. Our objective is to put humanity into a position where we can strike back."
"So you want to chase the Kroerak," I said.
"There are ten ships like our sloop, Gaylon Brighton, currently on mission. We have lost contact with three of them. It is Admiral Sterra's belief that your crew should be briefed on this mission and that outcome."
He reached into his front pocket and extracted a quantum communication crystal and set it on the table in front of me. We'd used similar crystals in the past and I knew they allowed for virtually instantaneous communication over galactic distances.
"Mars requests your aid," he said. "When the gates are shut down, we'll be physically cut off from Mars. You are literally our last hope if Gaylon Brighton is lost."
"Again," Tabby added.
"What's that, Lieutenant?"
"Maybe you haven't read news feeds," Tabby growled. "We've been putting our asses on the line for Mars and humanity since we started flying. And, I'm not your frakking Lieutenant. Mars Protectorate discharged me."
A flush rose on his neck. "We paid for your tank transplants."
"Dumbass." Tabby pushed away from the table abruptly.
"What?" Munay asked defensively, either unaware or unwilling to admit what Loose Nuts had done to make M-Pro restore Tabby’s limbs.
I picked up the comm crystal. "Just drop it. What do you think we can do that ten crews of the best and brightest can't?"
"Up to me, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You and your crew are loose cannons. There are many who believe your rash actions brought the Kroerak to Earth."
Sendrei’s calm voice cut through Munay’s rant. "Your view of history conveniently neglects a Kroerak visit to Sol ten years before this crew bravely rescued my people — the same people who were being bred as livestock to feed Kroerak."
"Tens of billions of people were killed in their invasion of Earth," Munay said. "Do you really believe your antics didn't impact the Kroerak schedule?"
"I don't know," I said, choking back doubt. The thing was, I blamed myself more than he ever could. Rationally, I knew there was no good choice to be made. The fact was, billions of people had died and I'd been part of it.
"I don't see how you can live with yourself."
"Greg!" Mom admonished.
He pushed back from the table. "You're right. I've said more than I should have."
I lifted my glass of water to him in a sarcastic salute. “Safe travels.”
“Indeed,” he said. "I'll need your answer in the morning."
“That’s a ballsy ask, Munay,” I said, leaving off his honorific title. "Especially considering your diatribe."
“Liam,” Mom said. “Be respectful.”
“That’d be new,” Tabby said. “Mars Protectorate has lied to us, threatened us and pushed us around. Now, Munay chastises Liam for doing the only right thing — conveniently forgetting that it was Liam who literally carried mankind’s salvation from the Kroerak all the way from Zuri. I'd say it is Commander Munay who should learn respect.”
"Tabitha," Mom said, using her best disappointed voice.
“No, Silver, she is right" Munay said, turning to Tabby. "I acknowledge the potential legitimacy of your argument. There are many within Mars Protectorate who are unwilling to face the truth of this threat. It was Admiral Sterra who said we should enlist your help. She said that despite poor treatment, you would place the benefit of society above your own well-being. And to answer your question, it is Admiral Sterra who believes you and your crew can do things that ten Mars Protectorate crews of the best and brightest can't.”
“I hate to be a blemish on her record in that case,” I said. “I’m tired of being M-Pro’s whipping boy.”
“The stakes are too high, Liam Hoffen,” Munay said. "It is not Mars Protectorate that needs your help. It is humanity."
I closed my eyes and tried to block the anger that clouded my vision. He was a masterful negotiator, saving his heaviest punch for last. "No promises. I want everything you have on the lost ships.”
Chapter 3
Zero Liquidity
Hog alternately raised and lowered his hands, pretending to compare the weight of two sizeable objects he wasn’t actually holding. "And I thought my Patty served a genuinely fantastic huevo dish.”
Munay stiffened in his chair and looked at Hog. “It is my impression that young Hoffen can be reasoned with.”
“You guys are all the same,” Bish interjected. “You fill a boy’s head with visions of being a hero, dump all the blame on him when things get tough, and then you pull this crap?"
“Hold on, Bish,” I said. “He's right. Kroerak will come right back to Earth if they figure out a way around the selich poisoning.”
Bish screwed his face into a disbelieving frown. “You can’t be serious, Hoffen. This guy is handing you a load of chicken shit. Don’t fall for it.”
At that moment, something clicked. I looked around the table. I’d missed a detail, but now it was becoming clear.
“Petersburg Station is the carrot,” I said.
The people around the table were the clues I'd been ignoring. Merrie and Amon had been Ophir residents and the first to take up residence on the asteroid I'd renamed Petersburg Station, in memory of my dad. They had helped restart the mining and smelting operations. Ortel Licht had been put in charge of all ore-related services. The only person missing was Katherine LeGrande, Mom’s partner.
“During the Kroerak conflict, Petersburg Station was commandeered by Mars Protectorate,” Munay said.
“There it is,” I said. “You might have led with that and saved us all a bunch of time.”
Munay pushed on without looking up. “We believe Petersburg Station, especially considering the upgrades that were made by our great nation, is of considerable value. The station could help significantly in effecting repairs of Intrepid.”
“What upgrades?”
“An anonymous donor paid to install considerable defensive capabilities into the station. There is a full medical bay, including a grade three medical tank. We also fully integrated the portable armor repair platforms you purchased from Freedom Station into two new repair bays,” he said.
“We even upgraded the pod-ball court. It’s regulation,” Ortel said, unable to contain himself. “It’s frap.”
“Frap?” I asked. My AI
immediately displayed that frap was slang for good.
“Just to be clear. You’ll trade me my own asteroid station for a loose agreement that I'll come looking for you if you get into trouble? I don't feel like I'm getting the whole story."
“I can’t say anything more,” Munay said.
“The station affects you, Mom. What would you want me to do?”
“The station is my home, Liam,” she said. “It's my responsibility to look after the people on it.”
“Mom, Mars Protectorate is using you to leverage me."
"That's not fair, Hoffen," Munay said.
"It's completely fair, Greg," Mom replied. "Liam, do what you need. We'll figure this out."
“Let’s get it on the table, Mom. What about you and Munay?” I asked. “Are you willing to leave him behind?”
“I have told you before. Greg and I are friends. If anything, our dealings here have pointed out deficiencies in our relationship.” Her words were frosty and I caught a rising blush on Munay.
“Loose Nuts, want to give me a vote?” I looked from Nick to Tabby to Ada and Marny.
Instead of answering, I saw green ready-check pings on my HUD. None of them wanted to answer out loud, but they all seemed to think it was workable.
“We're privateers, Munay. If you want my word, you'll provide full IP for every component of Intrepid, including frame and armor. If I want to make a fleet of them, then so be it. And I want zero spyware on my ship.”
“Done.” Munay agreed so quickly that I wondered what else I should have asked for.
"Fine. We're your backup and will come to your aid if called. What am I missing?” I looked to Nick.
“Commander Munay doesn't have the leverage he's implying," Nick said. "This deal has Anino’s fingerprints all over it."
"You can't possibly know that," Munay spluttered.
Mom pursed her lips in disapproval but held in whatever she intended to say.
"Doesn't matter. Sterra knows we'll chase down the Kroerak with our last breath," I said, tipping my glass to the flustered officer. "To be of use to you, the asteroid will have to be dragged to this side of the gate. Nick, I imagine you have an idea where to place Petersburg Station?"
"I do. There’s a group of celestial objects — technically moons — that orbit Zuri. I used the criteria Big Pete used when we analyzed the Descartes asteroid belt survey in the Tipperary System. I recommend we set the station in geo-sync with Zuri and seed mining missions in the Kafida cluster.”
“Kafida cluster? I thought you were looking at moons?”
“The Kafida cluster is a moon that had a collision at some point in its history. It’s composed of ten large asteroids locked together in orbit over Zuri. Kafida asteroids show significant iron on the surface. It looks ideal. We’d just need to recruit miners.”
“Would the Abasi allow that?” Tabby asked.
“Per Abasi law, the claims on those moons have expired,” Nick said. "The process for filing a claim isn’t difficult. We just need to provide a survey of the claim we want to make and then prove we have an ongoing, commercial presence. There isn't even an approval process unless we intersect with another claim and then we move into arbitration."
“When do you leave, Munay?” I asked.
“Contracts have been sent,” he said. “We’ll make way at your earliest convenience. I formally request an escort out of the system.”
“Commander Munay and anyone who will be traveling back with the commander, I’d request that you retire. I’d like time to confer with my family and friends,” I said.
“That is acceptable,” Munay said, standing.
Mom stood and pulled him into a hug. “Good luck, Greg. For what it’s worth, I understand the choices you’ve made.”
Stiffly, he returned her hug and gave us all a quick nod before walking out. He was followed by his engineer and one other lieutenant who hadn’t spoken the entire afternoon.
“Do you have anything stronger to drink, Patty?” I asked.
“We sure do,” she said. “I wonder if I could get a couple of these strapping young lads to help me.”
The four youngest, Ortel, Priloe, Milenette, and Demetria, all jumped at the chance to move and followed her into the back.
“I’ve been saving these,” Patty said as they returned more quickly than I’d expected. She and the kids were carrying oddly shaped bottles. “It’s the last of a batch of sparkling wine we’ve been slowly doling out. Feels like today is the right day for it.”
She passed out the liquor and we poured drinks.
“What a day,” I said, raising my glass. “I can’t fathom adding one more thing to it.”
"Did you pay Hagarsons for the soiree?" I asked Nick. We were back at our shared bungalow. Mom and the group from Ophir had been put up in town by Hog late the previous night. Even with the patch that removed the effects of alcohol, I felt sluggish.
"Hog didn't want anything. He's worried we're broke after losing that deal to Bakira Corporation. I told him we were in good shape," Nick said. "And soiree? Are you going French on me?"
"We are out of funds, aren't we?" I asked.
"We have a lot invested in those stevedore parts," he said. "Yeah. Our liquidity is at an all-time low. I've taken out a short-term note from a Manetra bank."
"Any chance Goboble is going to pick up that note too?" I asked. I'd been surprised at how easily Goboble had transferred our failed bond and didn't want to repeat past errors.
"No, we put collateral up against the note." Nick squirmed uneasily in his chair as he said it and I knew I was in for something bad. "Fleet Afoot was collateral. I contacted the bank this morning and they've agreed to transfer the note's collateral assignment to Intrepid."
"How big of a note?"
"Two hundred twenty thousand credits," Nick said. "Before you ask, we have twenty-three thousand credits. And in ten days we have a twenty thousand credit payment due."
"Before or after Bakira pays the order cancellation fee?"
"They've paid," Nick said. He shook his head as he breathed hard out loud. "I know what you're thinking. I overstepped and risked the whole company. You're right. I thought I had this. The technology is superior in every possible way to what they're using right now. It was a slam dunk."
I laughed humorously. "It's reassuring, you know."
"Reassuring?" Nick asked.
"I'm always the one risking everything and getting our shite blown up."
"I don't find this reassuring. What I really need is ten million in credits and six months."
"Doubling down," I coughed, choking on my synth coffee. "You really are taking one from the Hoffen school of crazy. What in galactic commerce do you need with ten million credits?"
Nick tapped the side of his head and projected a scene on the wall. It was an overhead of our current location complete with Nick's workshop, our bungalow, the road that ran in front, and the ships parked in the field directly across.
"The field is perfect for a manufacturing plant," Nick said, sweeping his hand across the projection. As he did, the ships disappeared and in their place a hundred-meter square, steel-framed warehouse was rapidly assembled. "We could buy steel and glass from Petersburg Station and hire construction work from York."
"We already have parts we can't sell," I said.
"Eff the parts," Nick said, gesturing again. As he did, manufacturing stations popped up on the floor, filling only a small section. "It would be slow at first, ten million doesn't buy as much as you think, but we could manufacture the entire stevedore bot. Think about it — when you make trade deals, who are you doing business with?"
"Everyone and no one in particular," I said. "Shipping and trading is all about finding people who either need something transported or something located."
"But those people all have one thing in common. They need to load and unload material from transports. The fact is, you're in contact with my target market every time you pick up or drop off goods."
"They'll have established contracts with equipment suppliers," I said. "They're not going to want to buy from us."
"They will when they see how a real stevedore bot works," Nick said. "The current state-of-the-art around here takes four to five times as long to load and unload. For a big shipper, this is real savings. At a minimum, we create demand and get our foot back in the door at places like Bakira."
"What are you boys talking about?" Marny asked as she joined us, dabbing at the back of her neck with a towel.
I pointed at Nick's manufacturing plant plans on the wall, which earned me an understanding smile.
"Good run?" Nick asked.
"Weightlifting this morning. I let Tabbs go for a run with Munay's crew," Marny replied. "Sure was great seeing everyone last night, don't you think?"
"Talk about a day full of surprises," I said. "I'd have thought you'd jump at the chance to go out with Tabby."
"Too much blind Ooh-rah in that group," Marny said. "With Munay twisting the knife on us, I just didn't have interest."
"Tabbs wanted to give Mom a heads-up about the Kroerak spawn in the region. None of the folks who came in from Ophir have been inoculated and their scent will draw in the hatchlings."
"They should stay in town behind the wall until they're acclimated," Marny said. "I'll talk to Hog."
"Have you surveyed Tuuq?" I asked, changing the subject.
"No," Nick answered. "What are you thinking?"
"We need cash. We could sell Tuuq. Isn't that the point of a prize?"
"Plenty of folks who need something to do. I'll talk to Merrie and Amon," Nick said.
"She's worth two hundred thousand and that would give us some breathing room," I said. "I'll work on a buyer. Also, I contacted Goboble about our exchange of Fleet Afoot for the grav-suits in Azima. We're going to run over there this afternoon."
Marny planted her feet. "Goboble will bring a crew. We'll have to go in strong."
"I'm thinking Ada follows Fleet Afoot with Tuuq for backup."
"We'll put my little man here on the Tuuq's turret, Ada in the pilot's chair, and I'll hang out in the cargo hold in a Popeye as backup."
Corsair Menace (Privateer Tales Book 12) Page 5
