He nodded at her. “You surely do.”
“Thank you, Raferty.”
“Don’t thank me. I didn’t take you on vacation.” He paused.
She smiled widely once again. “Do you want to?”
Rafe smiled again in response. “This is getting complicated.”
Killian got in the final comment. “It always does.”
In a few minutes, Predator increased speed. Five minutes after that, she jumped to maximum sustained speed and headed toward Aquitaine. Two days later the pirate destroyer was in orbit over the planet. A shuttle was launched for Blondie’s small hometown of Applevale with Hawkins at the controls. Raferty was taking his officers to meet Blondie’s family. He knew they would have concerns, and he wanted the family to meet their daughter’s companions and to ask any questions of him. Their daughter had been safe with Home Fleet welded to their bases, but now she was going off on an unknown mission without the Royal Navy support system. They deserved to meet her new shipmates, ask questions, and get answers.
Hawkins piloted the shuttle at a low altitude to get a sense of the planet. The land was flat with no high ground in any direction. The natives had taken advantage of the possibilities presented by the terrain. Over many years, Aquitaine had been transformed into an agriculture producer with few rivals. The fertile soil and steady, dependable rainfall ensure years of large harvests of almost any crop. The last element needed was people willing to do the work to make it happen. The people of Aquitaine were exactly that. They worked hard at their trades. Honest people who lived off the land and wanted little beyond the necessities of life. They were friendly to outsiders but cautious in committing to new people or methods. If they came to the collective conclusion about anything, that conclusion would rarely, if ever, change. They tended to be isolationist, preferring to tend to their own business while letting others attend to theirs. These people were not flashy or fashionable, but they were the bedrock of the Aurora Empire. Raferty Hawkins smiled to himself. It was because of people like this throughout the wide expanse of the Empire that made it great. It was because of people like this that the current war would not be lost. It would take time and sacrifice but, in Rafe’s mind, the issue was not in doubt. The Orion Confederation could have won the war in the first six months. That time has passed, along with that opportunity. It would never return. People like these on this planet would ensure that.
The small town appeared on the flat horizon. At the center was a large square composed of a copse of trees surrounded by a large, well-tended lawn. Several streets and buildings surrounded this patch of green. None of the structures were more than three stories high. Beyond the town, the individual farmhouses and their accompanying work buildings could be seen branching off in all directions. That is in all directions but one. Directly on the other side of the town from the direction of the shuttle’s approach was a large lake. The word “quaint” was created for places just like this.
The shuttle set up for a shallow approach to the small pad on the edge of town. As the distance closed, Rafe could see a crowd at one end of the pad. This was not a surprise to him, but he still frowned. Blondie would have had to tell her family when she was departing and how. The arrival of Tactical just a few hours prior to the shuttle’s arrival would have been a trigger event to bring the whole town out. The recent large scale media campaign on Flot 1 and its leader had made Predator one of the more famous ships in the Aurora Empire, so the planetary air space control could have passed on the word of Predator’s arrival as soon as the ship made contact with them prior to assuming orbit.
Raferty was certain Blondie was the only person from this part of the planet to ever attend The Academy. That would have made her a minor celebrity for the last several years. Now the fact that she was a member of this colorful band of pirates would add to the curiosity and desire to see Blondie’s departure first hand. Rafe shook his head. Nothing to be done but grin and bear it. He guided the shuttle to a landing on the small pad. The crowd at the edge of the pad surged forward as the craft shut down, and soon the audience had the transport surrounded at a distance of five meters.
Everyone departed the shuttle as the majority of the crowd snapped images. The pirates moved to the front of the shuttle so they could keep a watch on both sides of the craft to ensure nobody had contact with the shuttle. The last thing they needed was somebody opening panels or wanting a souvenir shuttle part.
Blondie and her immediate family moved forward with Tactical on one side carrying her bags. They stopped in front of the visitors, but Tactical continued past the landing party and entered the shuttle. Apparently, two hours with these townspeople was her limit. A single man continued his approach and stopped in front of Hawkins.
“Your Grace.” Adrian Bychovskaya extended his hand as he approached. He obviously had followed the news stories on the pirate peer. He was tall and lanky. Deeply tanned with calloused hands, this was a man who had spent a lifetime in the fields under the sun.
“Call me Raferty,” Hawkins replied as he accepted the handshake. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. You have a great daughter.”
The man smiled at the compliment. “She speaks very highly of you.” He shifted his gaze to the entire group. “Very highly of all of you.”
The pirates smiled and nodded in response. Hawkins introduced them, and Adrian stepped to each and shook hands. The man returned to Hawkins. He motioned back to his family and introduced his wife and other children. Nods and smiles were exchanged. Hawkins shook hands with each of them before returning to his original place in front of her father. Blondie stepped up to stand beside Hawkins and turned to her family. “Sorry, but we have to be going.” It was clear she was slightly embarrassed by the attention her departure was receiving.
Hawkins smiled at her and turned back to her father. “Your daughter is a key crewmember in Predator. I know you all must be very proud of her.”
The older man nodded. “We are but are also worried about her. I thought she was safe with Home Fleet because they never seemed to engage in combat. We know she did that raid with you. It was in the media a few months back. Will she be safe with you in the future?”
Raferty shook his head. “No, she will not. Predator goes in harm’s way on a regular basis.”
The man nodded. “She is the Empire’s liaison to your command. You would risk her in your own battles?” He was not being insulting, he just didn’t understand the situation, and he wanted to protect his daughter.
Blondie immediately spoke up. “Father, I am more than the liaison officer. I am the chief engineer, a qualified officer of the deck and am fifth in the chain of command for the ship. There will be times when the Captain will take others ashore, and I will be in command of Predator. I look forward to that.” Her voice was filled with pride. “I am a crewmember of Predator. I take the same risks they do.” She paused and stepped slightly closer to her father. “I am proud of that, and I willingly do it.” She leaned in even closer. “I have found my place.” She spoke in a soft voice, but everyone heard her.
Her father sighed and smiled at her. “Then I cannot ask for more. If you are sure, then the family is behind you.” His daughter nodded at him with certainty. He nodded back in affirmation of his words of support.
He looked briefly at Raferty and gave a slight shrug of acceptance. “She has always been headstrong, and she always knew where she wanted to go in life.” He looked back at her. “You did tell me months ago that you were a pirate. Still are, I guess.” He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. “You do what you think best. We are proud of you now and always will be.” With the last comment, he raised his voice slightly so the family members behind him could hear his verdict. They joined in with clapping and smiles.
“We have to go,” Blondie announced as she teared up. She moved to each relative, hugged them, and exchanged a bit of conversation. There were several more such exchanges with people behind the line of the immediate family as some of the exten
ded family or close friends must have been there. She came back to her father and hugged him last. She moved back to stand beside Hawkins. The two men exchanged final handshakes. “We will look after her, and she will look after us. It is that way on my ship.” Adrian Bychovskaya nodded. He didn’t trust himself with words as he watched his eldest child depart. The pirates began to enter the shuttle. The crowd broke into applause. Raferty touched Blondie’s arm from behind. She paused momentarily to let Raferty come up beside her. He spoke as he passed. “You enter last. Stop and wave to them just before coming in.”
Blondie whispered as they neared the hatch. “The whole town came to see you. It was all they could talk about for the last two days once word got out.”
Rafe smiled back at her. “We are a curiosity to them. Celebrities, if you will, and celebrities are always passing fancies with short term expiration dates. However, you are one of them. For the next hundred years, they will point to you when telling their kids that they can achieve anything if they want to. You are their hero, and that will always be true.” His smile widened. “Don’t even bother to fight it. It is just the way things are.”
Raferty entered the shuttle. Blondie paused on the top step and turned to the crowd. She smiled and waved. The response was an explosive sound of clapping and shouts of encouragement. She was their hometown hero. She smiled at them again and entered the shuttle.
Chapter 14
Predator set course for points unknown. As soon as Tactical and Blondie had changed into working attire, a ship-wide formation was called for in the shuttle bay. Everyone was ordered to attend except for a skeleton watch. The senior officers knew the reason and herded their charges to the largest open space on the ship. The majority of the crew were milling about the hangar area in short order. The area was close to overflowing when Captain Hawkins, Mason Reed, and the other officers entered. Reed was carrying a paper file.
Reed used his command voice. “Listen up, everybody! Make a hole up front here!”
The pirates in the front of the crowd backed up slightly to clear a space for the incoming group. The XO took a square, flat case from within the file and handed it to Hawkins while Tactical, Baby Doll, and Blondie took up positions behind their Captain. Rafe scanned the crowd until he spied the man he wanted. “Joshua Windsor, please join me up here.”
Doc Windsor looked around in puzzlement for a moment and then tentatively left the safety of the crowd to stand alone in front of the Captain. Hawkins turned to Reed and nodded. Reed opened the file and read in a loud, formal voice:
FROM: Queen Alexis the First, Monarch of the Aurora Empire
TO: Joshua Windsor of the Private Vessel Predator
SUBJECT: Medical License
The recent performance of your medical duties has been outstanding in all respects. Despite such challenges as shortage of medical personnel, heavy casualties, and the dangers of combat, you have continually set the standard for professional accomplishment of your duties. This outstanding conduct was recently on display at the Battle of the Electra System. Although wounded early in the fighting, you continued to perform your duties and rendered medical attention to all crewmembers in need. While carrying out this high pace of operations, you also provided medical expertise to other ships in your flotilla during a time of heavy combat and damage to your ship. Your selfless actions and superb medical expertise undoubtedly saved the lives of many of your shipmates and those on other ships as well. Your attention to duty and superior performance in the face of great danger brings great credit upon yourself and the medical profession.
It has recently been brought to my attention that you have been diligently performing your medical duties without the benefit of a medical license. I am quite certain this is a miscarriage of the highest order. I am therefore restoring your medical license to you forthwith to ensure your continued service to Pirate Flotilla One and in recognition of your superb performance for the Aurora Empire in this time of crisis. Thank you for all your work, Doctor, and I look forward to meeting you in the future.
ALEXIS I
The XO’s reading was followed by stunned silence. In that moment Raferty handed the flat case to Doc Windsor. “Your license is in this, Doc.”
Windsor mechanically reached out and accepted the case with a look of disbelief on his face. He shook his head slowly. “My father is the Lord First Surgeon, and he signs all medical licenses. Not a chance he would sign mine.”
Rafe nodded in agreement. “Probably true. I guess it was a good thing the Queen was available to put her signature on the license.”
Raferty started to clap and was quickly joined by everyone in the hangar bay. The applause grew in intensity and was accompanied by whistles and hollering. Doc Windsor turned and stared at the crew as they continued to cheer.
Raferty talked from behind him. “You may not think you are worth it, Doc, but they are damned certain you are.”
The officers stepped forward to congratulate him and then the crew moved up and engulfed the stunned man while pelting him with backslaps and well wishes. Raferty and his officers departed the bay and left Doc Windsor with his admirers.
Twenty minutes later there was a knock on Rafe’s hatch. He looked up from his computer and spoke. “Come in.”
Doc Windsor entered and Hawkins motioned him to a chair in front of his desk. He then reached behind him for two beers from his cold storage unit. He opened both bottles, passed one across the desk to his visitor and drank from his own. Drinking was a standard procedure when Doc visited.
Windsor took a long gulp and relaxed in his chair. He then looked at Rafe. “I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want you thinking I went behind your back or something like that. I did not appeal to anyone or talk to my sister or something like that to get my license back.”
Rafe smiled. “I know you didn’t because I did.” Doc Windsor looked surprised as Hawkins continued. “I was the one who appealed to the Queen. I talked to her directly. You do great work and you deserve it.”
“I’m not giving up drugs or alcohol.”
“Not asking you to.”
“Not cigarettes either.”
“Okay.”
“Not going to shower or shave more than I do now.”
“No problem. We’re used to the smell by now.”
“You’re making this hard for me.”
“Yeah, Doc, I can see that. I got your license back for you with no conditions attached at all. I just expect you to keep doing what you have been doing all along. Boy, I’m a real bastard, ain’t I?”
Doc Windsor smiled. “Since you put it like that, I guess I can get onboard with this license thing.”
“If it really bugs you, put it in a drawer and forget about it. Regardless of the license, I want nothing to change here with you.”
Windsor thought for a long minute while drinking his beer. He stood up and spoke with conviction. “That’s good because nothing will change.” He drained his beer and departed.
Rafe smiled to himself. He knew that was a lie. The Doc was proud to have his license back. As a point of honor, Doc Windsor would not clean up his act, but Rafe knew it would not get any worse either.
Ten minutes later, a knock came on the hatch to the bridge. Tactical opened up without waiting for an invitation. She leaned in. “Got the flight plan for the Commonwealth squadron from Admiral Barrett. The Commonwealth commander is a Commodore Thaddeus Yossian. We are running down the information listed regarding their ships and people.”
Hawkins nodded. “Sounds good. Please forward the flight plan to Killian and Shane. Tell Shane to share with Terrant if he desires. They might know this guy from past encounters. We will need any input from them soonest.”
Tactical nodded. She knew why the information was needed. A fight with the Commonwealth squadron was more likely than not. She was not that concerned about it. In their reality, a fight with everyone was more likely than not.
Just as Tactical meant to withdraw and close the hat
ch, Raferty spoke up. “You seemed to retreat into the shuttle damn fast back on Aquitaine. Didn’t like Blondie’s town folk?”
Tactical gave a slight sigh. “They were all so nice to me. Her family and the town people. Wanted to get their images taken with me. Introduced me around. Shaking hands. Everyone trying to feed me. Blondie telling them stories that made it sound like I was winning the war single-handedly.” She shook her head. “If I had been there any longer, I probably would have gotten a couple of marriage proposals. It was just too much.”
Rafe smiled. “We can only take so much niceness. It will be good to get back to the Badlands where everyone is underhanded and trying to kill us.”
“You got that right,” Tactical agreed as she closed the hatch behind her.
Chapter 15
As Predator moved to a secret destination, a general cleanup was ordered. Logan was responsible for overseeing this task. He went about it with a vengeance. As a former chief petty officer in the Edinburgh Navy, he knew what a clean ship looked like. Several compartments did not meet his standards and were cleaned again. He was all over the ship and did inspections day and night.
This cleanup could mean only one thing: a visitor of some importance was coming aboard. As the cleanup progressed, rumors flowed as to the identity of the expected visitor. The crew knew of their captain’s background from the recent media blitz about him and most thought it was his grandfather coming. Others thought Captain Skyler Mallory was deserting the Royal Navy and joining the pirates at last. High ranking officials on a secret mission to the Badlands were also candidates. A few pirates thought it was Logan’s mother coming for a visit but then came to the conclusion she had disowned him years before. The crew suspected the senior officers knew who was coming, but nobody was talking.
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