“Tulvar took him,” I said. “There was nothing we could do. I believe if he had found you, he would have done more than take Gunjeet. You have endangered my crew, Jala.”
“I am so very sorry.” Jala looked at the deck as tears streamed down her cheeks. As a younger man, I would have had more difficulty with the tears of a beautiful woman. Even now, I felt the pull of compassion. Fortunately, I’d been played the fool before and wasn’t about to be drawn in again.
“Liam.” Ada cut in.
“Go ahead, Ada.”
“We’re docking at the station,” she said. “We have thirty-eight hours before we meet up with Aantal.”
“Go ahead and take on fuel and supplies. Remove Arijeet and Jala from shore leave. I’m on my way up.”
“Will you hand us to Tulvar?” Jala asked.
“The two of you will spend time in the brig,” I said. “We’ll sort this out once we’re underway.”
The relief in Jala’s face was evident. “Thank you, Captain.”
“What if we’re boarded by station personnel?” Marny asked, following me out.
“Seems Jala has a reasonable hiding place,” I said. “If it comes to that, we’ll let her return.”
Chapter 21
Tribes
“Captain on the bridge,” Sempre announced as I entered.
“What did they think of Nick’s stevedore bots?” Roby asked, rising gingerly from my chair, all the while looking guilty.
Jester Ripples crawled down from where he’d been sitting with Sempre and raised his arms so I’d bring him onto me. I hadn’t spent much time with him recently and welcomed his company.
“Pogona love to haggle,” I said. “They were trying to get me to negotiate price on the demo units before they’d even seen them operate.”
“Is Jhutti beautiful?” Sempre asked. “I have heard the Pogona of Jhutti are well known for their flowering gardens.”
“I think you mentioned that before we went down,” I said. “The industrial area where we dropped off the bots and steel samples wasn’t particularly nice. But one of the companies took us to a social gathering on the shore of the large lake east of Jhutti. It reminded me of planet Curie in the Tipperary system back home — tropical and lush with exotic plants. How was shore leave?”
“Insightful,” Roby said, obviously not interested in talking about it further.
“Jhutti Station is in poor repair, Liam Hoffen,” Jester Ripples said, taking Roby’s terse answer as a prompt. “Roby Bishop is very likely not feeling well as he consumed a considerable volume of something that translates as pork chop mead. I find this translation to be confusing as it references meat from a porcine animal, but it was clearly a beverage distilled from fermenting grain.”
“That was just the brewer’s brand,” Roby said, annoyed.
“Did you get a hangover patch?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“No fights in the bar?” I asked.
“Gunny wouldn’t let us talk to anyone after our third round,” Roby said. “There was this dumb-ass Pogona who was ogling Sempre the whole time.”
“You wanted to set him straight?”
“I guess,” Roby shrugged his shoulders and winced.
“So, you did get into a fight!”
“Wasn’t much of a fight.”
“Roby was very brave,” Sempre added. “The alcohol he consumed slowed his reflexes. The Pogona had not been drinking as much.”
“Marny break it up?” I asked.
“I was near and defused the tension. It was the lesson Marny Gunny had been training us on earlier,” Sempre said.
“Yeah. After the guy dumped me on the ground.”
Sempre nodded her head in agreement, but otherwise said nothing.
“It’s a story as old as ships and taverns, Roby. Crew always wants to blow off steam. Locals like to put them in their place.”
“Were you successful in demonstrating the armored glass and rolled steel from Petersburg Station, Liam Hoffen?” Jester Ripples asked. “I have been in communication with Merrie. She is quite anxious to know of your success.”
“The Pogona were interested in the specifications of the armored glass,” I said. “They are determined to do their own testing because they didn’t believe the specification sheet I provided.”
“Why would they not believe Liam Hoffen?” Jester Ripples asked.
“I took it as a compliment,” I said. “The glass used in this sector has limited armor characteristics. Our armor glass would be a significant improvement for just about any commercial application.”
“That is indeed good news. Will you allow Jester Ripples to share this with Merrie? I will preface with an expectation that Liam Hoffen will provide additional information.”
“Sure, Jester Ripples,” I said. “Roby, do you have anything to report?”
Roby looked at me with surprise at my invocation of formal watch change language.
I raised my eyebrows and returned his glazed look.
“Uh. No. All personnel have returned to Intrepid apart from Ada Chen and Tabby, both due back in forty-two minutes. All systems are showing satisfactory status, although there appears to be something that might need attention in our gray water system beneath Deck-2, starboard side.”
“Roby Bishop, you are relieved,” I said taking my chair. “I order you to report to medical bay for a thorough check. After that, you can re-seal the gray water well on the starboard bilge.”
“How? Oh, never mind,” Roby said and left the bridge.
“I was just thinking of getting rest, Jester Ripples,” Sempre said. “Do you feel like a nap?”
“Yes, Sempre Neema. Liam Hoffen, it is unfortunate that you must occupy bridge watch. I miss napping with you.”
I smiled. While I didn’t mind resting with Jester Ripples, it wasn’t high on my list. “A captain’s life is filled with tasks. Maybe another time.”
After re-checking all of our systems and verifying we’d taken on both fuel and supplies, I turned to writing up the status of our meetings with the Pogona businessmen. I tried not to leave anything out and after an hour, sent all the details I could recall to Nick, Merrie and Mom.
“What are you doing on watch?” Ada asked two hours later, joining me on the bridge. She carried a small bag, obviously having picked something up on Jhutti Station.
“Roby wasn’t feeling well. I think he got into some trouble while on leave,” I said.
“Marny mentioned a minor dust-up in the bar,” Ada said. “I’m surprised he brought it up.”
“I don’t believe anyone would accuse Roby of being stoic,” I said. “What’s in the bag?”
“Bulbs of a beautiful red flower,” Ada said, pulling a drying flower from the bag. It was indeed a brilliant red. “The petals are both edible and contain significant quantities of capsaicin. I believe Flaer would enjoy potting these and utilizing them for her fledgling restaurant on Petersburg Station.”
“Just make sure to plug them into the bio equation for the station, but I doubt bulbs will cause any problems,” I said. “And make sure you wash your hands after handling that flower.”
“Do you think the flower is a contaminant? My AI shows it as harmless.”
“Some plants have adverse impact on others. Petersburg Station is a closed biome. Everyone has to play nice — even plants. As for capsaicin; if you get it in your eyes, you’ll regret it.”
She furrowed her brow and carefully placed the flower back into the bag. “Are we ready to get underway?”
“I am. All crew is accounted for and systems are in good working order. If you’ll pull back from Jhutti Station, I’ll get crew to general quarters.”
She nodded.
“All hands, this the captain, please report to general quarters.”
For most ships, it wasn’t required that all hands report to general quarters stations when leaving port. Intrepid, however sailed light-handed and I wanted everyone in place
when we changed the ship’s attitude. I didn’t expect problems, but as Marny had constantly impressed on me it was rarely what we were expecting that caused problems.
The ship boiled with activity as crew hastily made their way to stations and checked in with their team leaders. Each leader, in turn, reported readiness until we were fully staffed and ready to go.
“And we’re off,” Ada said, expertly guiding Intrepid back from Jhutti Station and smoothly transitioning to forward acceleration.
“Feeling better, Mr. Bishop?” I asked once we’d been under sail for ten minutes and the station had dropped from view.
“Aye, Captain,” he replied.
As we cut through the blackness of open space, I got my first view of the moon Cenaki, the well-known base of Genteresk pirates. The white surface of the moon gleamed a hundred thousand kilometers port and forward of our position. Idly, I wondered how many eyes on the moon were tracking our progress and hoped it was none.
After traveling less than a hundred thousand kilometers, we ran up on the stern of a heavily laden freighter that was laboring to accelerate. My AI identified the ship as the Singh. It was a new ship joining our caravan and would be with us through the next system, Brea Fortul, and then on to Tanwar.
“Hail Singh,” I said. “Greetings, Captain Boparai. Captain Liam Hoffen of Intrepid. I think we’re part of the same convoy, would you care for an escort to our rendezvous?”
A chubby Pogona appeared on the forward vid screen. Beside him sat a slightly smaller version of himself.
“Greetings, Captain Hoffen.” The man had extremely thick jowls. It took a minute to understand he was chuckling as he spoke, the movement in his chin more demonstrative than I’d previously thought possible. “I don’t believe we could stop you if I did. You’re more than welcome to join with me and my boy. I’m afraid we’re cutting it rather close on time, though. I’m sure Aantal Tutt will make sure to leave us behind because of it.”
I checked his current acceleration vector. He would be fifteen minutes late to the rendezvous. My contract required us to meet all time deadlines within thirty minutes or receive a penalty.
“I’ll send word that we’re accompanying Singh. I suspect he’ll wait for us,” I said.
“Mighty kind of you,” he said. “There’d be a bottle of fine spirits in it for you.”
“Not necessary,” I said.
“I insist. Boparai out.”
“Could this guy go any slower?” Tabby complained, pacing.
“It would appear Singh is expending considerable effort to maintain its current acceleration,” Jester Ripples said. “This ship appears to be leaking critical coolant and this might be why Captain Boparai is slowed.”
“I’m not sure I’m the right woman for escort missions,” Tabby said.
An hour later, Ada turned slightly. “Incoming hail, Dullo. Putting it on main screen.”
“You are behind schedule, Captain Hoffen,” Tutt said. “There is no provision for you to take up with Singh. If Boparai can’t keep up, that is his problem.”
“I believe we’re within the agreed time.”
“Prepare for course correction,” Tutt said, ignoring me. “We’re seventy-eight hours to Brea Fortul wormhole. Just make sure to keep up.” Tutt closed comm after transmitting a new navigation plan.
“Is there some sort of rule that he has to be an asshat?” Tabby asked.
I laughed. “All hands, we’re back to standard watch schedule. The helm is yours, Tabbs.”
“Same rules? I don’t get to shoot or ram him?”
“Copy that. Marny, would you mind accompanying me to the brig? Now that we’re out of Fan Zuri control, I’d like to get to the bottom of the intrigue surrounding Jala of Koosha.”
“Aye, Cap,” she agreed and followed me from the bridge.
Ada caught up to us. “Would you mind if I tagged along?”
“Not at all,” I said. “I’m not sure how much she’ll tell us or if we have any reason to keep her locked up.”
“I expect she’ll say anything to get out,” Ada said.
“Jala has had a hard life. There are wounds on her back consistent with torture,” Marny said. “And she has made no overt actions against Intrepid or our crew. I think we need to keep an open mind.”
I knocked on the glass wall that separated each brig cell from the corridor. Marny had thoughtfully allowed the cell glass to be mostly obscured, so that only a narrow line of viewing was possible from the outside. We had the capacity to change the opacity level in the glass in virtually any pattern. High-risk detainees required that we allow full visibility at all times. For Jala, I preferred to give more of the impression of locked quarters.
Jala was seated on the lower bunk, reading something on a pad. Her back was to the wall with her legs were stretched out in front of her. At the sound of my knocking she deliberately set the reading pad down and gestured for Arijeet to join her. She stood with the same undisturbed confidence she always seemed to exude.
“Please enter,” she said, smoothing her dress.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
Arijeet shook his head in disbelief. “You give away my brother and lock us in a cell. What is there to talk about?”
“Stay quiet, Arijeet. This is to be a conversation between Jala of Koosha and Liam Hoffen. Arijeet has no voice today. Liam, of course we may speak. I owe you and your crew an apology,” she said.
“I am sorry for the loss of your son, Jala,” I said. “I saw no option but to turn him over to Lieutenant Commander Tulvar.”
“Lieutenant Commander,” she said, mostly to herself. “Meel Tulvar has done well for himself. I do not find surprise in this. You are not at fault. It was I who should have anticipated the danger we would experience in visiting Fan Zuri. I had hoped that the Tulvar had moved from Jhutti, but it is not so.”
“Are you saying your argument is with Tulvar and not Nijjar?”
“Oh, by the sands of Fernox, of course not. Nijjar accepts all its children. Meel Tulvar is a petty worm who has grown in power. We come from Tanwar, where our families found conflict,” she said.
“How did you know to hide?” Ada asked. “You admit you had no idea Meel Tulvar was aboard the Fan Zuri frigate.”
“I understand your confusion, Ada Chen,” Jala said, turning calmly. “Nijjar ships proudly display faction flags. Arijeet and I watched for the approach of the Nijjar patrol and recognized the Tulvar flag. We knew this put us in danger and so we hid.”
“What are you doing aboard Intrepid, Jala?” I asked. “Why would Koosha put you in danger? You knew enough to watch for the faction flags. What aren’t you telling us?”
Jala nodded. “We owe you this truth.”
“No Mother. You give them leverage. You saw that they gave Gunjeet away to save themselves, they will do the same with us,” Arijeet argued.
“I don’t need her explanation to do that,” I said, cutting off Jala’s response. “You’ve endangered my ship and crew. Why shouldn’t I contact Meel Tulvar and tell him to come pick the both of you up?”
“I can get you through Adit Pah, Liam Hoffen,” Jala said.
“What do you know about Adit Pah?” Marny asked.
“Adit Pah is on the edge of the Dark Frontier and is dangerous beyond anything you have experienced in Santaloo. You should not go there.”
“How did you hear this?” Marny asked.
“Some of the crew are not careful with their words, Gunny Bertrand,” Jala said. “The reason your human ships have failed is that they cannot pass through Adit Pah.”
I frowned. “We don’t know what happened to those ships.”
“I can find this out for you,” she said. “Deliver us to my home on Tanwar and we will talk with my brother. He will know what has happened to the human ships.”
“How did you find out about our mission? Is this why Koosha offered to send you with us?”
Jala gently laid her hand on my forearm. “We are not enemies,
Liam Hoffen. I will help you and tell you as much truth as you request. I need your assurance that you will not turn over my family to Tulvar.”
“You are too late, Mother,” Arijeet said. “Gunjeet is lost.”
“Gunjeet has been lost for many spans, but you are of age, Arijeet. Koosha will accept you into our people. You will wear our flag and you will hold your head proudly.”
“I hate to agree with Arijeet, but Tulvar is behind us. There’s no way Koosha will be coming through the Brea Fortul wormhole,” I said.
“Cap, I believe Koosha isn’t a familial name,” Ada said. “I think Tulvar and Koosha are faction names.”
“We belong to the Koosha tribe,” Jala said.
I shook my head. “But, that’s your husband’s name.”
“Ameek of Koosha is my husband,” Jala said. “The people of Azima call him Koosha. It is a name we are proud to bear.”
“What’s the play, Cap?” Marny asked.
“Jala, you and Arijeet are restored to duty. You will restrict your movements to your duty station or the mess. I will receive a report if you venture beyond those areas.”
“I have no right to ask, but would you allow the forward observation also?” Jala asked. “I miss the stars.”
I looked to Marny, who shrugged.
“And the forward observation room. Please, do not give me a reason to revoke this freedom.”
Chapter 22
Choose your Fights
“Hail, Dullo,” I requested. I’d separated Intrepid from the convoy and arrived at the Brea Fortul wormhole gate in advance of the remainder of the convoy. There were no ships near the gate, which was finally in our favor.
“Go ahead, Captain Hoffen,” Aantal Tutt replied, only allowing an audio connection.
“We’re going to pop through the Brea Fortul wormhole. I want you to give us twenty minutes before coming through. It will give us time to clear any enemy ships.”
“That is ridiculous. It is not the protector’s role to dictate our schedule. Because of Singh and your late arrival, some of us risk penalty,” he said.
Corsair Menace (Privateer Tales Book 12) Page 26
