The Queen's Hammer: Pirates of the Badlands Series Book 5

by Sean Benjamin

  Hawkins spoke quietly. “You read my early life story in the Zeke media while we were at Wanderlust?” Terrant nodded without looking up. “After my Mother and her party were killed, we kids did some damage to the Goths and the mining company on Bolindale. We thought we were so bad ass and inflicting serious damage on our hated enemies. In reality, we were just committing acts of vandalism that were annoying more than anything else. Then one night we hit a small refinery. Eleven kids. Three were killed, three were wounded, and three were captured, including one of the wounded. Five of us got away. Two were wounded. The captured wounded kid died in jail. A month later we busted the other two out and got off planet. The bottom line is I lost over half my force in about two minutes of fighting.

  “The point is, I had a learning curve too. It was on a smaller scale than yours but the same process. The Aurora Empire is going through that right now. Their commanders are learning as they lose ships and people. You would think with all the wars that mankind has gone through over the centuries, we would have it down pat by now. I guess every generation of military leaders has to relearn the same lessons.”

  Terrant remarked, “Also, the traits that get people promoted up the military hierarchy in peacetime often do not always translate into wartime success. Lots of our commanders didn’t have the right qualities to get it done on the battlefield.”

  “Agreed. Unfortunately, people must die before that becomes obvious.” He paused as he looked at her hard. “You should think this through before you decide on any course of action. Talk to some of your people about how they see the future. If you do step away, it may be because you have accomplished your mission. You got the people here, and they are safe. You can be proud of that. Remember, they knew they didn’t have to follow you, but they did. They had choices, and they picked you. You must have been doing something right.”

  Terrant nodded her thanks at the compliment. “Would you have any problem with us staying in Flot 1?”

  “None at all. How many ships are we talking about here?”

  “Probably all of the ones that can be made combat worthy. I know my crew wants to stay. They like winning and the lifestyle. I suspect the others will want in also. You have a good team in place and you have already had your learning curve. Maybe we can help achieve a final victory here in the Badlands and stay around after that.”

  “No problem.” He paused and then continued. “Not counting Cottonmouth, you have seven ships. I know they are beat up, but we should be able to get four good ships through cannibalizing and getting them into the yards. If people don’t want to join, they can take the other ships and do whatever they want. Those four ships make a fourth squadron. If Cottonmouth goes to the new squadron, then one of the new ships would go to Shane.” He paused as he watched her. “We would have to get the new squadron a supply ship but that is easy. Of course, the new squadron would need a commander. Let me know if you can recommend someone. I don’t see him or her coming out of my ranks. Your people probably want a Marbellan commander. Whoever the choice is, I would run it by my people to get their opinion. I think it is doable.”

  “You would trust me with a squadron?”

  “Yes, now I would. Depending on what your people want to do, the selling of a couple of ships for money would be easy. Could pay for repair and supplies without being a burden on anyone.”

  Terrant was uncertain and Hawkins noticed. “If the idea doesn’t work with your people, you can go your own way with no hard feelings.”

  She shook her head. “I would have loved that offer of a squadron command not too long ago and would have leaped on it. Now, I’m not too sure it would be good for me or you. Your people don’t trust me, and I’m not sure I’m the right person for the job.” She stared at him for a moment. “Let me talk to some of the people who came out on the ships and get an idea on what they want to do. Hell, they just might want to get a piece of a planet and never go into space again.”

  Raferty nodded and Terrant made to step away. She stopped after half a step and looked back into Hawkins’ eyes. “I want you to know something that is the absolute truth.” She had his full attention. “When this all started, the plan was to sell you to the Goths. We needed the money and the goodwill of the Goths. You were just an outlaw with a bounty on you. After getting the bounty, we would have repaired our ships and formed an independent force of ships while we tried to find a place to live. But that changed as we were integrated into the flotilla. After travelling to the Aurora Empire and the fight against the Goths on the border and against the OrCons in the Electra system, there was no way I would have sold you out. By then, I didn’t want to and, even if I had wanted to, my crew would have mutinied at the suggestion. Problem is I didn’t know how to get you to believe that. The other Marbellan ships were arriving back here in the Badlands, and I knew once those ships became known, I would be out of the Flot 1 in a heartbeat or be dead. I didn’t want to continue the lie, but I didn’t know how to tell you the truth.”

  She glanced down then returned to his face. “I thank you for the approach you are taking with all this. My people deserve it. I’m not sure I do.” She turned to leave as she concluded her remarks. “I will talk to all the people that I can and get back to you with an update. We may not join you, but I guarantee we will not be your enemy, Captain Hawkins.”

  “Call me Raferty.”

  She stopped her departure, turned, and smiled. “I would like that. Please call me Lew. All my friends used to but I haven’t heard it in a long time.”

  “Talk to you later, Lew.”

  She smiled and nodded. She turned and moved down the rise to the camp. She would join Shane in seeing everyone was settling in as best they could. The landing party would be returning to the freighters in two hours. The freighters would depart and return the captains to their ships. In the meantime, Marauder and Blackheart were closing on the planet in subspace. Once in close vicinity, they would emerge and take up a sentry position close to the planet’s surface.

  Chapter 35

  Raferty Hawkins leaned back in his chair and put his feet on his desk. Tactical, Blondie, Mason Reed, and Baby Doll, seated around the desk, took that as an invitation and also put their feet on Hawkins’ desk. He looked at the result and shook his head. “I am way too casual with you all.” Everyone laughed and took their feet back down. Rafe smiled and drank from his beer bottle.

  “Well, one fire put out. Back to our original schedule. I think we are ready for the Sunrise move.” He looked at Reed. “Where are we on the list of investors from the computers Killian took from their headquarters?”

  Mason Reed was in charge of the Sunrise investor aspect of the operation. “One of the secretary’s machines had all the admin details we could ever need.” He nodded at Baby Doll. “Took Baby Doll and her people about five minutes to break her passwords and the company encryption.”

  Rafe nodded at Baby Doll in acknowledgment of the compliment. Baby Doll shrugged. “The truth is the secretary did most of the work for us. She had the passwords saved and had set up shortcuts around the encryption and security measures. She just didn’t want to go through all the protocols every time she logged on.”

  Raferty smiled. “I’ve always said the biggest threat to a company’s security has always been their own employees. I see no reason to change that opinion.”

  Baby Doll held up her beer bottle in a toast. “Thank God for lazy employees.” Everyone else smiled and held up their own bottles before taking a drink.

  Hawkins continued. “Before we talk small investors, where are we on the timeline for the five big investors?”

  Reed smiled. “Got a comm from Colandra while you were coming back from Kiraloch. The five big investors have submitted their letters to Sunrise. Colandra even sent copies to a couple of big investors in the Goldenes Tor that he knows by reputation in hopes of getting them riled up. If word spreads back there, that will just add to the fun.”

  “Have those five taken steps to pro
tect themselves?” Rafe asked.

  Reed nodded. “All have moved their families to other places to keep them out of the line of fire, and they will stay away from their families. All have hired security or augmented their usual security and have changed their routines. I gave them a list of things to be considered. Tactical, Baby Doll, and I went over their plans and made some suggestions. They should be alright. Colandra has put himself out there as the ringleader on this so, if Sunrise goes after anyone, it will be him.”

  Tactical threw out a comment. “I’ve never liked the guy, but I got to admit he is going all out for this.”

  Rafe agreed. “He is putting himself out there. We need to ensure he doesn’t get hung out to dry.”

  Reed nodded. “I talked to Catherine Putinsky while I was on Potenka. She has all the information on this and will be keeping tabs on all the known hit people and the like. If someone starts to check out Colandra, she should hear about it.”

  Everyone nodded. Commissioner Putinsky, head of Potenkan police and security forces, was very good at her job, and she and the pirates went back a long way. Everyone knew she would give this her personal attention.

  Reed continued. “That covers the big five. As to the smaller investors, there was a complete list of everyone in the Badlands who has or had any investment at all in Sunrise on the secretary’s computer. We even have the names of the investors who were hiding behind corporation names and investment groups and the like. Sunrise used the list to keep everyone up to date on how well it was all going. They also did advertising to these people about future opportunities for investing. All that usual stuff.

  “We have the list on our computers now. I have assumed the role of a small investor and have composed a comm to inform my fellow small investors about the upcoming withdrawal of the five major investors in the region and how these five people must know something everyone else doesn’t. I also update everyone on the events with the Agra planets. I point out the loss of those planets puts a serious crimp in the monopoly plan and hurts profits and stock prices.

  “Switching topics, I described the recent raid on their headquarters as an example of how vulnerable Sunrise is. The very fact outsiders waltzed into the regional headquarters and got a list of all the investors will not be lost on these people. They will see it as a failure by Sunrise to properly secure information. Lots of these smaller investors will cut ties or, at least, become pains in the ass by demanding explanations and that changes be made, etc., etc. It will keep Sunrise busy. I point out that these bad people now have all our names and addresses and some of us might be threatened by these people. Also, the Sunrise hierarchy is keeping all this information from us so they cannot be trusted.

  “After sending this memo, I will leak it and the list of investors to the media for general viewing by anyone who wants to take an interest. There are several planetary officials and other corporation leaders on the list, usually hiding behind investor group names or private corporation names. I think many of these investors will be very unhappy to see their names in lights. Sunrise is not universally loved. They’re bound to get some pushback when family and friends find out about this. Also, there will be some questions about whether these people made some official decisions based on their portfolios. Lots of opportunity for conflict of interest. Could cost some investors their jobs.”

  Rafe smiled at the thought. “When are you putting your comm out to all the investors?”

  “Right after I leave here. The five big guys should be putting their letters of termination in right now. Word will travel fast and my comm will hit the computers of the nearest investors in a couple of hours. They will be digesting the news of the big five dropping out and then get my news. Should stir up the herd and get them stampeding.”

  Hawkins was happy with the timing. “Along with the Agra situation, this new event will send Sunrise stock dropping and kill any chance of getting more investors. You’re right in saying investors do not want to see their names out there, especially the influential ones. Bet there are a lot of surprising names on that list. Now it will be their turn to be surprised. There’s going to be a lot of dropouts, and probably some legal ramifications for Sunrise in not protecting sensitive information like investor lists.”

  Hawkins looked around at the group. “Good job, everyone.” He looked at Mason Reed. “Send the comm, and we can sit back and watch the fun.”

  Baby Doll cut in. “Now a different topic. The Regional Director named Morgenstein did use all the security protocols, but the secretary showed us the blueprint for getting past them, so we took a tour of his computer. Some interesting names and groupings.” She set a briefing chip on the desk and activated it. “Since we were looking for lists, this popped up in a hurry.” A list formed in the air over the chip. Everyone took an interest. Baby Doll smiled. “This is a list of so-called subcontractors. I ran the names through all our databases. Although not labelled as such anywhere in their database, everyone on this particular list is a hit team leader. The list also includes their locations and contact methods. Our database identified them from their past activities and from our own data that we have been compiling over the years. Hell, we paid off a couple of these guys after they fulfilled one of our blood contracts.” Eyes narrowed as people read through the floating document. There were a few names recognized by Hawkins… people who were in the trade and sold to whoever needed their services. Some he didn’t know at all.

  Hawkins looked at Baby Doll. “Nice. I noticed three of the names on the list are on Potenka. One of them will get the call if the Grange goes after Colandra. Since Colandra is the leader of the inner rebellion, I think we should assume he will be targeted just to be on the safe side.” Hawkins turned to Reed. “I see Jack Kemper is one of the three. You recognize the other two?”

  Reed looked at the floating list. “I know Kemper just like you. I know Bowie Wickersham. He is scum. He would do a contract on his mother if the price was right and it wouldn’t have to be a big number. The last name there, Sherry Atwater, I assume is a woman, and I never heard the name before now. Probably a new player.”

  Rafe nodded. “I like Kemper. He has always been straight with us and did a couple of good jobs also.” He turned to Reed. “You know him best. Send a message to him telling him he might want to sit this one out.” Reed nodded in response. Raferty turned to Baby Doll. “Send a message with this list as an attachment to Cathy Putinsky. Tell her everything we know. At least one of those hit team leaders will be on the move soon. Cathy might get a jump on them and take them down.” Baby Doll nodded. “One more thing,” Raferty added. “Tell Killian and keep her in the loop on this. She promised Morgenstein she would kill him if he sent out any hit teams. We will help her fulfill that promise if it comes to it.” Baby Doll nodded.

  ~ ~ ~

  The timing for the five withdrawal letters worked well. The letters hit Morgenstein’s new computer while he was reviewing his comm traffic just after arriving at work. Attached to each letter were the financial instructions on the dispensation of whatever monies still remained from their investments and the legal documents drawn up by each man’s financial department to ensure the withdrawal was done per regulations. The legal documents also hinted at court action if the Sunrise Grange did not adhere to the law.

  Morgenstein looked at the additional addressees on each letter. It was the same for all of them. Lawyers and accountants in a variety of organizations. No way could the withdrawal of these five major investors be kept a secret. The information would leak out in about five seconds and then the smaller investors would begin to falter. Morgenstein knew he couldn’t stop the information, but he could set an example as to what would happen to people who crossed the Sunrise Grange. People may start to drop out, but a dramatic event might make them reconsider such action. Morgenstein turned to his new computer and went deep into the address book. He looked under subcontractors and found the names he was searching for. He typed out a message and sent it to three add
resses.

  Catherine Putinsky, Commissioner of Police and Security for Potenka, was reviewing a high-level legal case when a comm hit her computer. She casually glanced over at her comm page. The new comm was from the Carnival Pudding Company with a subject line of New Menus. Putinsky smiled. She knew it was a shell company for Flot 1. Baby Doll always came up with the names. Besides Mason Reed, Putinsky hadn’t heard from any Flot 1 member since receiving birthday wishes and an update from Baby Doll eight weeks ago while the flotilla was at Wanderlust. She brought the message up and read with interest. After thirty seconds, she picked up her private comm unit and dialed a number. “Putinsky. I want the full surveillance package on three people immediately. My authorization and bypass everyone else.” She listened for a few seconds and responded. “Let me worry about the legality. You’ll get an authorization from Attus shortly, but time is pressing. I’m sending the names now.” She hurriedly typed three names and addresses and sent them. She waited for a reply over the comm unit. “Excellent. Move with a purpose. I guarantee at least one of those three will be on the move shortly with a contract to fill.”