The Queen's Hammer

by Sean Benjamin

  Baby Doll nodded in agreement. “I’ve got assets trying to get a track on the Commonwealth ships. We know they were at Marblefall three days ago while returning to the Badlands after a visit to Rosstrappe. We’ll get a continuous bead on them. They never split their ships up, so it’s easy to track one large group, especially when every ship that sees them chatters about it on all frequencies.”

  “Gotta gossip about something, I guess,” Rafe observed. “One last thing. I’m sending a message to Dylan Whitlock to set up a rendezvous somewhere in the middle of nowhere so we can load onto Flicker for the trip to Agra 2. Don’t know where Flicker is right now, but we need to give him a head ups for his own planning. One thing I will discuss with Dylan is a follow-on mission for Flicker, so don’t schedule anything for them after our trip to Agra 2.”

  Hawkins didn’t offer any clues about the second mission for Flicker, but that was to be expected. Flicker’s missions were always close hold.

  “Sounds like things are going as well as we could hope.” He looked around the table. “Anything else?”

  A bunch of headshakes and the briefing was ended.

  Chapter 20

  Captain Dylan Whitlock did a quick sensor scan. He hoped Flicker’s scan would not be noticed among all the other ships doing sensor scans. The little spy ship was following the Marbellan ad hoc squadron that had answered Captain Terrant’s call to the Badlands. This downtrodden group of two light cruisers and four destroyers had been joined by a fifth destroyer and then had departed their hideout at Mistral. Whitlock sent a message to Hawkins about the fifth destroyer and the departure of the squadron from Mistral. He knew the pirate leader would not get it for two days, so Whitlock would keep trailing the Marbellan ships for as long as possible.

  Dylan turned to Jasmine. “Did you project their course out?”

  Jasmine looked up at him. “Right now a straight course would take them to the middle of nowhere. Probably a rendezvous point.”

  Dylan nodded. “Probably. Maybe other Marbellan ships have come in since we have been at Mistral. Thought we would receive reports from one of our freighter contacts, but a Marbellan ship could have slipped through. With Flot 1 coming home now, the rendezvous is probably with their Captain Terrant. When will Flot 1 be crossing into Badland territory?”

  “Within the next twenty-four hours if you believe Baby Doll’s last update to us,” Jasmine remarked.

  “Interesting you bring that up,” Scarecrow said as he hunched over the comm computer. “Getting a message from Predator now.” A few seconds passed as he decoded the short transmission. He turned and looked at Whitlock. “Captain Hawkins wants to know what we are doing and if we can get away for a rendezvous with Predator in twelve standard days. We are needed to take his group on the final leg to Agra 2. Will discuss follow-on mission at the conclusion of the Agra 2 trip.”

  Dylan smiled. “Hard to ignore that by pleading operational commitments. I want to follow these guys to wherever they are going, and we can watch what is happening. We will probably end up following them back to Mistral. We can rendezvous any time after that.” He moved to the empty copilot’s seat and sat down. “I’ll send the reply. Must be important if Raferty wants an FTF for the second mission.”

  Chapter 21

  Predator completed a rendezvous with the remainder of Pirate Flotilla One in the Perdition system. All ships set course for the Edinburgh System to drop off crewmembers at the three squadron houses. There would be a one-week leave for those with families at the houses. After dropping off crewmembers, all Flot 1 ships moved to other planets within the system to have liberty away from the houses so as not to draw attention to them. Predator dropped off crewmembers at their house but had no follow-on liberty. The ship went to the planet of Potenka for business reasons.

  ~ ~ ~

  Argus Colandra walked down the hall to his mistress’s apartment. He was looking forward to a nice evening meal before returning home to his wife. As he opened the door, he could hear the sound of laughter and conversation coming from the dining room around the corner from the entrance door.

  He heard his mistress, Maria, announce, “I hear the door. He must be here. Right on time too.”

  She now appeared in front of him from the dining room that was still hidden from his view. She smiled happily at her new guest. “Come in, Argus. This is so much fun. They brought the meal. Seafood. Very nice and more than enough for everyone. They even brought the wine. Simply lovely.”

  She stepped to him and wrapped an arm around his left arm and guided him forward. He was uncertain who “they” were, but he put a smile on his face and moved around the corner. As he saw the guests, his smile grew uncertain. Captain Hawkins and three of his crew were seated at the dining table with food and drinks set in front of them. Colandra saw the meal was half eaten, and the wine was flowing. He nodded to the four pirates and took his customary seat at the head of the table. Maria dished food onto his plate before taking her seat next to him. He smiled at the pirate leader. “Captain Hawkins, or do you prefer Your Grace?”

  “Captain Hawkins is fine.”

  Colandra nodded in response. Hawkins now made introductions. “Of course, you remember Tactical and Baby Doll.” Colandra certainly did. They smacked him around at their last meeting in this very place. He decided to get over it. “Ladies, so nice to see you again.” The two women smiled and nodded in response. Hawkins moved on. “And my XO, Mason Reed.”

  Colandra continued to smile although it hurt his face and his pride. Reed had worked for him before returning to the pirate way of life. His last dealings with the man had been when Reed had used his company credit cards to rob him of one hundred and fifty thousand gold krone a few months back. “Mason,” Colandra managed to say through gritted teeth. Reed smiled in response. He then slid an envelope that had been beside his plate down the table to Colandra. The man regarded it for a moment and then picked it up. He looked at the four pirates but received no hint as to what was inside. He opened the flap and pulled out a single sheet of paper. A bank check for one hundred and fifty thousand gold krone. Colandra looked up. Hawkins addressed him. “Best to start out on equal footing here.”

  Colandra gave a wide smile and nodded agreement. “Thank you for your largess, Captain. Let us enjoy your fine repast before getting to business.” This drew nods all around and a renewed interest in the food on the table.

  Thirty minutes later, all the meal’s participants leaned back in their chairs and took satisfaction in the completed banquet. The pirates had selected the menu well, and the wine had been superb. Maria had kept the alcohol flowing and the conversation light and interesting. She was a marvelous hostess, and time had sped by. Now she rose from her seat. “I have enjoyed this evening but realize you have to get down to business.” Her gaze took in the entire group. “I’ll retire to my room to allow you all some privacy.” She spoke in a stage whisper. “I am taking a bottle of wine and some dessert with me.” Everyone smiled as the pirate guests rose from their seats. Hawkins took her hand. “During our last visit here, we consigned you to a closet. I deeply regret that move and hope you can forgive us for that offense.”

  Maria laughed. “Not at all, Captain. These things happen.” She leaned toward him. “I think you and your friends are Argus’s most interesting business associates. I always enjoy hearing news about you and your deeds.”

  Hawkins kissed her hand. “You are too kind.”

  She shook hands with the two women and then stepped to Mason Reed. She favored him with a great smile. “Mason, always good to see you.”

  Reed gave his best grin. “As it is to see you, Maria.” They exchanged a short kiss.

  Maria exited the room and could be heard moving away to her bedroom.

  “You have a great lady there,” Hawkins addressed Colandra.

  “She is a fine one,” he agreed and paused before adding wistfully. “I cannot get a divorce. Religious reasons.” He shrugged “Too bad. I hope she stays with
me regardless of that. She is very good for me.” He shook off that train of thought. “How can I help you, Captain Hawkins?”

  Everyone sat down and Rafe got right to the point. “How’s business?”

  Colandra knew Hawkins would already have the answer to that. It was common knowledge he was hurting financially. He understood that frankness and truth were his best methods to get through this evening unscathed. “Most my enterprises are doing well, but the Sunrise deal is taking the profits from all of them. I will break even this standard year. If projections hold true, I’ll lose money for the foreseeable future in ever increasing amounts.”

  “You tried to get out of the Sunrise arrangement?”

  Colandra nodded. “I don’t even care if I get back any of my investment. I just want to walk away and let them do as they will with their project.”

  “How much did you put in?” asked Mason Reed.

  “Ten million at first and then they demanded two more payments of two million each. Fourteen million in gold krone.”

  Rafe asked, “How many Badlands investors are in as deep as you?”

  “There are four other investors who have as much as me in the project. I understand there are groups of investors who have pooled their money to get in with Sunrise, but we five are the biggest individual Badlands investors. Don’t know who is involved within the Goldenes Tor Empire, but I understand there are investors there as well.”

  Rafe took a drink of wine and he thought for a few seconds. “I assume you have had contact with the other four about getting out.”

  “I did talk to two of them. Somehow, Sunrise found out about the conversations and made it clear to me that such actions would be detrimental to my health so I did not talk to the other two. They also threatened the other four investors about having that same bad idea about getting out. This was two months ago, and we haven’t talked to each other since then. I figure Sunrise has ways of finding out if we contact each other, but I don’t know how.”

  Rafe smiled. “I suspect that one of the two investors you talked to is reporting all contacts to Sunrise. Doing it for a reward, or as a result of threats by Sunrise. That’s how Sunrise knew about the visits before you got to the other two people. He or she will do it again if you try to contact him or her. Which of the two is the most likely to be the talker?”

  Colandra’s forehead creased in wrinkles as he thought. “They are both men. If I had to pick one, it would be Leos Sontek. He is always playing both sides. Smart in business, but a man to be watched. Besides, the other man is Bence Mostova. He is a friend of long standing, and we have done much business and socializing together. He has always been a man of his word throughout our dealings. Difficult for me to believe he would sell me out like that.”

  Hawkins nodded. He knew both men by reputation, and what Colandra just said lined up with what Rafe had heard about the two of them. Colandra now leaned forward in his seat and stared intently at the four pirates. “Do you have something in mind?” He couldn’t quite keep a note of hopefulness out of his question.

  “We do but it will be risky.”

  Colandra nodded. “I will help you all I can. Just name it.”

  Hawkins was surprised at the quick sign up. “You haven’t heard the plan or your part in it. Or the danger.”

  Colandra gave him a slightly bitter smile. “Captain, I have never known one of your plans to fail. Since I have been on the receiving end of a few of those plans, I can attest to that. Also, I have reviewed my options in all this, and have come to the regrettable conclusion that the Sunrise Grange will bleed me dry or kill me if I refuse to contribute more money. No other way for this to end. I am with you and your brave people.”

  Rafe nodded. “Since the Grange is tracking you, Mason Reed will visit the other four investors. Your part is to write a letter of introduction for him and how you fully support the plan Mason will explain to them. The plan is that you five investors will all pull out of the Grange at the same time. You will want back whatever is left of your investment. You five will submit the letters explaining your moves at the same time to the Sunrise regional representative in Baseline on Lorelei. That will happen in one week more or less. The exact time will be determined shortly. We have other events that will drive that timeline.”

  “You seem sure the other four investors will cooperate?”

  “Mason will explain it to them in his own unique way. Also, he will explain to them that they already have a bunch of problems, they don’t want to add us to that list. He will impress upon them our insistence that they play their part in this little uprising.”

  Reed jumped in. “With your letter and your support, it will go easier. I’ll visit this Leos Sontek last.” He added quietly, “I will be sure to make a distinct impression on him as to cooperation and keeping all this amongst us kids. Hate to see anything bad happen to him.”

  Mason Reed had been in charge of Colandra’s security before returning to piracy, and the four investors would know him by reputation and that would help the cause.

  “Let me cover some more details for your part and then give you the big picture,” Rafe remarked.

  The talk went on for another hour. The pirates departed Maria’s apartment with a new ally in the fight against the Sunrise Grange. Mason Reed checked into a nearby hotel and would meet with Colandra in the morning to begin his detailed preparation for his visit to the other big investors. Hawkins, Tactical, and Baby Doll returned to Predator, and the ship departed the Potenka space port to linger in the vicinity of Alejandar awaiting the arrival of Admiral Dietrich and his Blue Squadron.

  Chapter 22

  Admiral Erich Dietrich sat in his command chair on his flag bridge in his battlecruiser Lowe. His Blue Squadron was in orbit around Potenka, and the crews of his twelve ships were enjoying two days of well-earned liberty on one of the nicest planets in the Badlands. Dietrich was catching up on his administrative work before going down to the planet for a formal dinner with Deputy Chancellor Hasim Attus and some of his people. He never was much for this type of affair, but it was the price of being in command, and he liked being in command. Just a few more computer screens to review and sign off and then he could go shower and change clothes.

  A comm operator on the port side of the flag bridge sounded off. “We are being hailed on a discrete frequency.” She turned to look back at the OD. “The pirate vessel Predator.”

  Dietrich looked up. He frowned. His schedule just went to hell, and he just got a new problem. Predator was not in orbit when his ships arrived four hours ago, so she must have come in just now. With the high volume of orbiting traffic, it would not be difficult to sneak in under an assumed identity. Dietrich also suspected the Potenkan officials didn’t look too closely at any ship they suspected of being from Pirate Flotilla One. Although not active allies of this band of pirates, Potenka didn’t get in their way either. In fact, if intelligence reports were to be believed, Potenka, Marblefall, Lorelei, and several other planets were routinely visited by Hawkins’ band, and those planetary officials took no interest whatsoever in their activities. Dietrich sighed. That was a complaint for another time. He made a general announcement to his bridge personnel. “I’ve got this.”

  He punched a virtual button on his floating screen, and Raferty Hawkins flashed into view. The pirate was in his customary command chair posture. His left leg was hung over the left arm of the chair. His right elbow was on the chair’s right arm and his chin rested in his cupped right hand. If Hawkins had a care in the universe, it was not obvious.

  “Your Grace,” Dietrich began the conversation with heavy sarcasm.

  Hawkins went with it. “You’ve heard of my recent promotion. So kind of you to acknowledge it.” He flashed an insincere smile at Dietrich. “You do me honor, sir.”

  Dietrich almost smiled at the return sarcasm. Despite being enemies, he couldn’t gin up a real hatred for Hawkins. He would have to work on that.

  “How may I assist you today, Your Gra
ce?” He gave a genuine smile now to take the edge off the words.

  Hawkins returned the smile to acknowledge that appropriate disdain and scorn had been displayed by both sides, and they could now get down to business. “Admiral, I understand the newly arrived Commonwealth squadron has been touring the area and even paid a couple of visits to Rosstrappe.”

  Dietrich did not bother to deny the statement although “newly arrived” was a stretch in the timeline. That squadron had been here over two standard months while the pirates were at Wanderlust and then returning to the Badlands. He also knew Hawkins would have the same intel about them he had. What he did not know was why Hawkins was talking to him now. He decided to remedy that. “The Commonwealth ships want Terrant and Delacruz, but they know those two have been with you in the Aurora Empire so they have been looking for other Marbellan ships that are supposedly here while waiting for you to return. I don’t see how this conversation will impact that situation one way or another.”

  “Probably won’t, but I wanted to contact you to discuss possibilities. I get the fact your Admiral Hochstadt will wish the Commonwealth people well. If they get Terrant and Delacruz that would be good for the Goldenes Tor. If they get them after fighting me that would be better. You give them intel and supplies, all well and good. If you actively join with them like you did with the Orion squadron at the beginning of the war that would be a problem. Their commander, Commodore Yossian, isn’t even in the military. The Commonwealth invented the rank for him so they could put him in charge of a squadron and get him off planet. Hard for me to take someone like that seriously.