The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: Call Sign Reaper

by Thomas Wright

  “I talked to my aunt,” she told Ben. “She hasn’t heard anything, but I am not so sure that is true. She hears everything. She is the prime minister. She has more spies than the admiral had and they are twice as good.”

  “Well, we had our 15 minutes of fame, E’Aria. They evidently think they can do things better than us.”

  “There is no us, Benjamin,” she said. “You did everything and let us ride along. I bet the next time we meet the Allond they will give you a Battle Cruiser. Even the Mighty Allond have not stopped the Cjittan with words.”

  “I haven’t stopped anybody or anything,” he said. “They will come if they want to, and I hope we are ready when they do.”

  “Where are your almost-wife and your child?”

  “They went shopping for clothes and food. I think they are getting you something,” he said with a smile.

  “What are they getting me?”

  “I don’t know. Do you think I was paying attention?”

  Natalia had sat down one day about a month ago and made a family tree. She had Ben as her father and Andrea as her mother. E’Aria was her sister. She had Grandma and Grandpa Vander Hoyt and a whole bunch of aunts and uncles: Jen, Lorelei, Aisling, Matt and Bill.

  “How are you doing, E’Aria? Do you like this better than being in the navy?” Ben asked. He slipped his arm around her and pulled her into a hug.

  “I do,” she said, leaning into the hug and smiling. “Your business is starting to really come together and we are a small crew. I stay busy all the time with a lot of different things.”

  “I’m not sure if you even need money,” he said. “Do you feel you are compensated enough for all you do? Whether you need it or not, you have earned every penny. I just want you to be happy with everything.”

  “Nick was quite generous and because the shuttle and gunship are half mine, I get a larger share from any job we do with them,” she said. “I am saving most of what I earn, plus you and I still have credits left from what we took from the pirates.”

  “Set up an account for Natalia and put the remainder of my share in the account. When she starts working next year she can put her own money in with it,” Ben said.

  “You know Mr. Antonio is still working on the lawsuit for your illegal incarceration.”

  “I forgot all about that. Who is paying him for that, E’Aria?” Ben asked. She paused uncomfortably before answering his question.

  “The Trillond government is paying for it.”

  “E’Aria?”

  “The Princess E’Aria Aok is paying for it.”

  “Well she can call it off. There is no need—”

  “End of discussion,” she said with a small smile.

  “Brat!”

  “Why are you two arguing? I could hear you outside,” Andrea yelled from the front door.

  “Yeah, we could hear you outside.” Natalia mimicked Andrea’s tone.

  They each had multiple bags from clothing stores on their arms and in their hands. “We have to show you everything we bought,” Natalia said.

  “I have work out in the barn,” Ben said quickly, “but E’Aria will want to see it all, every piece.”

  “Before you run outside to take a nap,” Andrea said, “Lauren told me that there is a large party arriving and the rooms were paid on a military purchase order.”

  “Did she say when?”

  “Tomorrow. They have ten rooms booked.”

  “It seems my aunt will be here tomorrow as well, with six in her party,” E’Aria added, looking at her com.

  “Did she just tell you that?” Andrea asked.

  “No, my cousin on Trillond sent this message before my aunt departed. I got the message an hour ago but was busy arguing with your almost-husband.”

  “Okay, slacker,” Andrea said to Ben, “you can go to the barn now to do some imaginary work. Harold and Janet will be home soon and we will start dinner.”

  “You want to come out and help me work?”

  “No, that hay itches,” she said. “I will make you work later, you can count on that.”

  “Sounds good,” he said. “On a serious note, we need to have a round table about these visitors. I’m not showing the Claymore to just anyone, and if they try pull some kind of crap, then I see bad things happening.”

  Ben took his com with him out to the barn. “Hey Nick, you got a minute?”

  “Hey Ben, what do you need?” Nick asked.

  “We have company tomorrow. Colonial and Trillond. Can we put everything but the freighter in the hangars and lock them up?”

  “If you’re worried about the Claymore, I say we take it tonight somewhere and hide it and fly the shuttle back.”

  “That sounds like a great idea. Any idea where?” Ben asked.

  “I bet if you asked Mr. Washburn, he probably has a farm near the jungle where we could hide it and have a clearing where we can land and take off in the shuttle,” Nick said.

  “Let me do that right now.”

  It took all of three minutes to get coordinates for a place to hide the ship. The Washburns were good people and good customers. They were back four hours later and sitting on the deck he had built so there would be room for everyone that would be living there soon to sit outside.

  “Did you hear anything else from Lauren while we were gone?” he asked Andrea.

  “No, she said she would contact me when there was something definite.”

  “Well, no sense sitting around worrying,” Ben sighed. “I’m going turn in. I think I’ll go to the office tomorrow morning early.”

  “What are you worrying about?” Andrea asked.

  “The usual. A big shot runs their mouth and I shut it for them. There may be 16 people bothering us tomorrow. Do you think there isn’t going to be a button-pusher?”

  “I think you should let me and E’Aria do the talking,” Andrea said. “Who knows if they are even here to see us.”

  “Let’s say the Trillond are here to take home their wayward princess and the military is here to take you, dear. What would you like me to do?”

  “Kick their asses?” Andrea smiled.

  “Right. Sweet dreams, I’m going to bed.”

  “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  Ben woke up. Andrea was already out of bed and he could hear voices downstairs. He pulled on his shorts and walked down for some coffee. Andrea had his cup ready and put it in his hand. He yawned and looked around the kitchen.

  He saw the prime minister of Trillond sitting at the kitchen table.

  “I think I know you,” he yawned. “Did you bring breakfast?”

  “No, I didn’t,” the prime minister responded. “I’m sorry.”

  “Are you going to cook breakfast?” He heard a gasp.

  “The prime minister does not do servant’s chores for the likes of you!” There was a pompous-looking Trillond male standing in the doorway. Andrea put a stack of toast on the table. Ben grabbed the butter knife and went at him.

  “I haven’t killed anything in two months,” he said, “but today I think I will.” There was a flash of shiny clothes as the pompous ass ran right through the screen door and kept going.

  He sat back down next the prime minister and buttered some toast with the knife, put it on a small plate and gave it to her. “For you, ma’am. Would you like something to drink? Some juice perhaps?”

  “That would great,” she said. “I love this product you call butter.”

  “Have you ever had bacon?”

  “No she hasn’t, and what is going on in here?” E’Aria walked into the kitchen with a knife in her hand but still in the sheath.

  “Bacon is wonderful,” Ben said to the prime minister. “Remind me to get you some.”

  “Ben, I asked a question,” E’Aria fumed.

  “Some guy from your planet got lippy with me before I’ve even finished my first cup of coffee. He owes us for a screen door, by the way.”

  “I thought we were handling things, Andrea?
” E’Aria asked.

  “I didn’t know we would have a dignitary here at 630,” Andrea said. “We have the rest of the day to handle things.”

  “Actually, you don’t,” said the prime minister. “There are a lot of people here to see him, not anyone else.”

  “I don’t think that’s the best idea, Prime Minister,” Andrea said. “If the one who just left here in a hurry is the kind of individual who will be at your meeting, it may end really badly.”

  Ben slid his coffee cup to Andrea. “Would you fill that up for me while you talk bad about me?”

  “Well it’s true, Benjamin, and you know it.”

  “People change,” he said. “They grow and mature.”

  “I know, love, but you’re not one of them.”

  He, stood up and headed for the steps. “I’m going to get a shower and get dressed. Leave the itinerary with my secretaries.”

  “I hope you know what you’re doing, ma’am,” Andrea said to the prime minister. “I think you should have us very close by just in case.”

  “Yes, I think you’re probably right, Andrea,” the prime minister said. “I will make arrangements for you two to join us.”

  Ben came down a little later dressed in his usual ensemble.

  “You don’t have any weapons, do you? This is a diplomatic conference. There will be some guards and that’s about all.” The prime minister looked concerned.

  “E’Aria,” Ben said, “you will be my guard. Change clothes and get your weapons.”

  “Ben, I don’t think they will allow that,” Andrea warned.

  “I don’t care. They started playing head games by showing up here unannounced, and they act as if our lives don’t matter. I have something they want and they will work with us or they can leave.”

  “What was in that shower?” Andrea asked. “You sure changed in the past 15 minutes.’

  “I like E’Aria’s aunt and I know she’s a career politician. But even she didn’t give us any warning. It was E’Aria’s cousin who sent the message.”

  “I told you to go change.”

  “If what they want is the Claymore,” Ben said, “it goes nowhere without our crew. Let’s you and I agree on that right now. It’s the only thing I have they could possibly want, except for you and E’Aria, and they can’t have either of you.”

  “Are you done?”

  “Yes, I think so. Do you have anything to add?”

  “No, I think you’re right. Please let me do the talking if tempers get out of control,” Andrea said.

  E’Aria went all out. She put on her black armor with her twin Trillond short swords and a rail pistol. “How is this?” she asked.

  “Perfect,” he said. “Not too much to carry and plenty of close-quarter firepower.” They went outside and got in the hover car. It was only 10 minutes to the hotel.

  “Andrea, fly over our hangars. I want to take a look before we go to the hotel,” Ben said. They flew by, and in broad daylight there were four individuals trying to get into the large hangar. There was a hover car parked on the back side of the small hangar.

  “Okay, so what do we do about this? I know what I would do, but you two decide.” Ben couldn’t see E’Aria in the back seat. Andrea looked back and nodded. The window went down and Ben heard the rail pistol whine three times. They flew on towards the hotel. Andrea called Sheriff Kilroy to report a theft in progress.

  They walked into the hotel and everyone gave them a wide berth. They young lady at the counter wasn’t bothered; she knew them. E’Aria opened her visor to smile at her, then lowered it again.

  “Nice outfit,” the lady said.

  “I designed it,” Ben said, smiling at her.

  “Come on, Romeo,” Andrea said as she pulled him towards the hallway leading to the conference room. Part of the building’s lower level was all conference rooms. E’Aria walked behind them. Ben could see two armed guards standing outside some double doors.

  “So that’s six,” he said. “Four at the hangar and two on the door. That should leave four inside, not counting the Trillond. I wonder if she even brought guards. I hope the one who owes me a screen door wasn’t a guard.”

  Ben was smiling and relaxed as he walked up to the guards. E’Aria managed to stay mostly hidden behind Ben. They saw her at the last minute and the guard on the right decided to take action.

  “You can’t go in there,” he said, reaching for a laser pistol. Ben grabbed the arm, reaching by the wrist while his fist buried itself in the guard’s midsection. He took his pistol away. E’Aria had the rail pistol pointed at the other guards head.

  “Buddy, I wouldn’t move a hair if I was you. Slowly hand your pistol to the woman with the black hair and open the door. Then bring your buddy inside,” she said.

  He did exactly what he was told to. He pushed open the door and pulled his partner in by the shoulders. Ben stood looking in the open door, not letting the Andrea walk in.

  “E’Aria, clear the room in case there are another couple of guards standing inside,” Ben said. There were two Trillond guards. They gave up their positions too soon when she walked in. Ben stunned one and Andrea stunned the other. They collected their weapons. He pushed the doors shut behind him and propped two chairs against them to keep them shut.

  “You two, move these two over against the wall, sitting up,” he ordered. “Okay, let’s see who is all here.”

  The prime minister was with three others, including the runaway from the morning. General Grey and Emily were also there with two others he didn’t know. These two didn’t wear any uniform.

  He walked up to the group of people.

  “Right now I don’t care why you are here. The first thing I want to know is whose people are climbing all over my hangars. We have pictures of them and the sheriff is a personal friend, so he may have them locked up. When I find out I will have my attorneys contact you. They can add it to the ongoing suit I have against the military.”

  “How was that, dear?” he asked Andrea.

  “You know whose people they are already,” she said.

  “Yes, but she is going by the book and keeping silent. I don’t know the two suits, do you?”

  “Nope,” Andrea said. “I’ve never seen them before.”

  “I’m going to find out who they are,” he said. Everyone could hear their conversation. He turned to the suits.

  “You, with the suit five years out of style,” he said. “You stay seated. You, with the 3000-credit suit. Get your ass over here right now.”

  “And if I don’t, what, will you do shoot me?” the suit asked.

  “Should I shoot you?” Ben asked. “I mean, this is your idea. I was just going to break your leg and beat you senseless. Tell me, what is your part in this?”

  “I’m a senator from Athena.”

  “Really, and how long have you been a senator on Athena?”

  “About 15 years.”

  “Who was the senator before you?”

  “Jamison was the senator, but he was killed.”

  “Oh Mr. Senator, I do want to talk to you.” He looked at Emily. “Em, that leaves you and the general. Are you going to tell me why you’re here?” he said.

  “Yes Benjamin,” she answered. “It’s simple. You could have said no to everything we are here to ask. You are a loose cannon and I wanted some intel on your ship.”

  “Okay,” he said, “well you and the general get your shit and get out. If we need either of you I will send someone for you.” They got up from the table and walked towards the door.

  “The senator doesn’t know anything about your parents,” the general said.

  “Really? How do you know?” Ben got in the general’s face. He lowered his voice. “The colonel seemed to know a lot about what happened, and said others did too before I fed him to the Cjittan as a snack. Are you one of those who knows something about it, General? Did you have a hand in it? What did you gain?”

  The general was ashen and looked like he wou
ld have a stroke. “You might want to be gone far away before I’m done with these talks,” Ben said. “Em, you can stay or go depending, on what the last 15 years have meant to you, but I don’t want you in here right now. If you stay we will talk later.”

  “Ben, the Allond have invited The Alliance to send some diplomats to a peace conference they are going to host in their system. They specifically requested that you bring them and attend. We would like to get some numbers from you on how many people we can take,” Emily said.

  “Captain, how many can we transport comfortably for a two to three week trip?” Ben asked E’Aria.

  “Not counting the crew, I would say 50, but I would rather have less,” E’Aria answered.

  “When is this going to take place?” Ben asked.

  “In roughly five weeks,” Emily said. “But to get an exact departure time we need to look at the star charts on your ship to make calculations.”

  “I will have E’Aria make the calculations and let you know. Most of the ship is off limits to all of you,” Ben said.

  “I will give you a copy of the message from the Allond,” the prime minister added.

  “Yes, we can do that, Prime Minister,” Ben said. “Now to be crystal clear, if you bring guards they will be unarmed on my ship. We are going to store all weapons in a locked room. If we run into a problem, we will hand them out. No exceptions and don’t try anything stupid. It’s a long cold float back to wherever you came from, plus you’ll be dead. My ship, my rules, and my captain will enforce them. The captain and my wife will answer any questions you have.”

  Ben walked out. He felt pretty good about a trip into unknown space. Once this was over, he was going to work on another project. He was going to find out what had really happened to his family.

  Thank you for taking the time purchase to read The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison Book 1 Call Sign Reaper.

  I hope you enjoyed it because Ben and Andrea will be back with the rest of the crew in Book Two Reaper Inc.

  I look forward to reading your reviews and feel free to visit us at www.facebook.com/tawright.reaper