"You cannot embarrass me," Hali chuffed. "I have proven my strength in battle and even you acknowledge that I am superior."
"Right. Possibly superior in hand-to-hand. And let's be clear, I said maybe. I'm not just a pretty face under this svelte grav-suit," I said.
"You also said you would have been killed by the warrior," she said. "I have killed a Kroerak with my sword with no distractions. You have killed one."
"With a sword," I corrected. "By our own hands, my mate and I killed over eleven thousand Kroerak in the field of battle."
I pushed the Iskstar-tuned blaster rifle into Semper's hands.
"How can this be?" Penda asked.
"Long story, but there is a crystal inside this weapon. It is part of the Iskstar, the same thing that turned my eyes blue," I said.
A trio of Felio bounded into the small clearing where we stood surrounded. At least most of the Felio faced out, obviously guarding their leader.
"One moment, please," Penda gestured to the group. A single orange-striped female approached. "Report, daughter of Adahy."
"An operator in a powered suit guards the ship we saw," the Felio answered, attention fixed on Penda. "We believe the operator to be the powerful Bertrand Marny. At her feet lie the husks of fourteen Kroerak. We counted an additional sixty-two Kroerak that lay in plain sight. The one in the powered suit has secured our home."
"Did you observe combat?" Penda asked.
"The powered suit fires a blue energy weapon. It is effective," she said simply.
"It will be as you say, Bold Prime," Penda said, turning back to me. "We will return to our home and establish communication with our Prime."
"I will leave Semper behind to provide support," I said. "Her weapon is as powerful as the one used by Marny James-Bertrand."
"Left behind, Captain?" Semper asked, her tail twitching.
"Temporary assignment, Semper," I added hastily.
"Volunteer assignment," Tabby said, stepping between us. "Say the word and I'll take the assignment. I think Liam wants to give you some time with your family and isn't communicating very well."
"You will not leave me?" Semper asked, clarifying further.
"My promise," Tabby answered, pulling a closed fist to her solar plexus.
"I would stay," Semper answered, her tail twitching in excitement.
"Ada, do you copy?" I called from Intrepid's bridge. The quantum comm I'd used to talk to Mom on Petersburg station had been left on Intrepid when it crashed. Its twin sat aboard Hornblower, which we’d left at the repair station over Abasi Prime. While rare, the quantum devices allowed communication over vast distances, with one half of a perfectly cut crystal inside each.
"Liam, finally. I've been waiting for your call," she said.
"Everything okay?" I asked.
"Looks like Abasi are making good progress in regaining control of the surface," she said. "Kroerak left a lot of destruction behind, but the Iskstar weapons are a big hit."
"What do you mean?"
"Mshindi Prime is using the Iskstar in a propaganda campaign. She's been broadcasting vids showing how they defeated the Kroerak fleet. At the same time, she's quelling the Taji rebellion by having Abasi troops show up with Iskstar weapons to eradicate the Kroerak armies. The Taji are no different than any other group of people. With Kroerak in the equation, they now want peace and they're willing to live under Abasi to have it," she said. "Mshindi Prime is scary good at this. I'm pretty sure you never want to cross her."
"Never crossed my mind. So what's the situation? Can you get out of there?" I asked.
"What's up? Are you guys safe?" Ada asked. "What about my girl, Intrepid?"
"We're good. I assume you saw what happened to Petersburg Station and York from the messages we sent," I said.
"That's hard, Liam. I'm sorry," she said.
"Thanks," I acknowledged, never really knowing how to handle emotional conversations.
"Your message said something about giving the York folks an option to go to Mhina with us. Any word on that?" she asked.
"That's why I'm calling," I said. "There's a big vote in a few days. Either way, we're outta here after that."
"Where are we going?"
"Bug hunting."
Chapter 8
Back in Chili
"We are going to eventually go after the bugs, right?" Tabby jabbed her fork into a pile of steaming noodles. She'd been staring at the food, unwilling to look up.
While more circumspect with my angst, I felt the same pressure. Running the Kroerak off from the Santaloo and Tamu star systems was a worthy objective, but we all knew it wasn't permanent. Like the Selich root poisoning, the Kroerak would eventually find a defense against Iskstar and they'd be back to finish what they'd started.
"That's not fair." Unexpectedly, it was Ada who came to my rescue. "Those bugs left behind a giant mess. Abasi almost got overthrown by Taji because of the power vacuum created by battle. York and Petersburg were destroyed."
Having arrived with Hornblower only a few hours previous, Ada joined the large group I considered my leadership team to discuss our next steps. In Tabby's defense, the entire conversation had centered on talk of rebuilding York and securing Zuri.
"I get it. Doesn't change anything," Tabby said. "We need to deal with the bugs right now while we have an advantage. This isn't the time to let off the pressure."
Blood rushed in my ears as my stress elevated. The Kroerak fleet had at least two ten-days head start and without a fleet behind us, we couldn't possibly afford to chase them. In our best simulations, Hornblower and Intrepid could expect to stand against no more than forty ships. Even worse, Abasi intelligence had only tracked the retreating Kroerak fleet for a few jumps before they'd been discovered and forced to flee.
"And what? Leave citizens of York behind to die of starvation?" Bish asked, angrily. "Maybe you haven't noticed, Missy, but we just got kicked back to the stone-age around here. Sure, we're holding back the bugs for now, but it took generations to build York to what it was when you arrived. And don't forget, we accepted you with open arms."
"Enough, Bish," I said, recognizing the familiar pattern of the older man getting himself fired up. "Nobody is abandoning York."
"Speaking of power vacuums. I heard a rumor that Abasi are pulling out of Zuri," Hog Hagarson added. The once heavyset man was hard to recognize due to a starvation-enforced diet. "Those mech-suits of yours do a good job against bugs and I suspect they'd make quite an impression on the bandits that are likely to follow. The fact is if Abasi leave Zuri, the Pogona will move in."
I turned to Hog and nodded thoughtfully. I appreciated his level tone in the tense conversation. He was a reasonable man and wore the mantle of leadership naturally. "House Mshindi will be relocating all its holdings to Abasi Prime," I said. "Mshindi Prime won't admit it publicly but her house took extremely heavy losses. She's consolidating her resources and power. The fact is, Abasi don't have the capacity to stand against the Pogona that are coming."
"Are Abasi worried about a Pogona invasion of Abasi Prime?" Bish asked.
"We are," I said.
"You keep saying we when you talk about Abasi," Bish said, his voice challenging. "You know they'll always consider you an outsider. You're a means to an end. Nothing more."
"You're an ass-hat," Tabby spat, slamming her hand onto the table and standing. "You wouldn't be alive without Liam, and all you bring is this petty crap."
"How easy it is for you when the shoe's on the other foot," Bish said. "Remember, we saved you when Strix took your ship and left you creditless."
"I don't need this crap," Tabby turned and stormed toward the door. Ada stood to chase her but I held my hand up, freezing Ada in place.
"Bish, probably best if you headed back to camp," I said. "Things are a bit too raw for you still and I need more level-headed advisors."
"Who do you think you are?" Bish stood and pointed a finger at me, allowing the anger he'd been barely holding a
t bay to surface again. "You're nothing here. Barely more than a kid. I don't take orders from you."
Wordlessly, Marny stood and straightened her vac-suit. "Mr. Bishop, I'll remind you that you are aboard House of the Bold's vessel, Hornblower. Liam Hoffen is not only Prime of this Abasi house, but he is also the captain of this ship. You were invited as a guest and remain aboard at his pleasure. You will be escorted from this ship and I strongly suggest you do not provide resistance."
I watched the confusion in Bish's face as he realized just how serious Marny was when she grabbed his arm firmly. I felt for the man. He'd seen his friends and neighbors die from bugs and starvation, and was struggling to rectify how much his universe had shifted.
"Hog? Are you going to just sit there?" he asked, his anger turning to pain.
"Could I walk him out?" Hog implored, gently placing a hand on Bish's other arm. Marny nodded, releasing him.
"We'll break for ten." I appreciated having a moment where I might be allowed to take care of my own hothead.
"Thank you," Hog said.
I had to use my HUD to track Tabby down, but I found her in a darkened hallway, one deck below where we'd been meeting, with back against the wall and knees up. She looked away and wiped at her cheeks, too proud to admit she was crying. I placed my back against the wall and slid down next to her, wrapping a protective arm over her shoulders while I pulled her to me. We were past the point of words. We'd been through so much together that she had a permanent pass from me on things like storming out of a meeting. I was only concerned about how she was feeling.
She buried her face against my shoulder and I stroked her head as the dam of tears broke. "We'll get 'em, Tabbs," I said, comfortingly. "We've gotta help these people first, but we'll get 'em if it’s the last thing we do."
"He's such a jackass," Tabby said.
"Kind of reminds me of your Dad." It was a true statement. Tabby's dad and Bishop had a lot in common as both were bright men who tended to say what was on their mind, not caring how it impacted those around them. This elicited a chuckle, even as she continued to cry.
"I'm not going back in there," Tabby said, finally. "I can't pretend to care about all this. Nobody gets it, Liam. York doesn't matter. Abasi Prime doesn't matter. Those bugs have killed tens of billions. How many have they slaughtered while we've been having our little pity party here?"
"Are you having more dreams?"
After my encounter with the Iskstar crystal, I had dreams of civilizations that had been destroyed by Kroerak. I had no way to verify the veracity of the dreams, but like Tabby, I believed they were sent by Iskstar to show us the extent of Kroerak atrocities. Since arriving back in the Santaloo and Tamu star systems, my dreams had stopped, but Tabby still thrashed around in the night. When questioned, she denied the dreams, but I wasn't convinced.
She nodded her head, which still rested on my shoulder. "It's just so horrible," she said, fumbling with something at her waist before pulling out a sliver of blue-glowing Iskstar crystal. I felt the pull of the crystal and reached for it. Unlike Tabby, I'd decided to no longer keep a crystal on my person. She'd talked about doing the same, but somehow always reverted.
"I might know where a smaller fleet is," Tabby said.
"Kroerak?" I asked.
"Yes. I'd like to take a ship and check it out."
"By yourself?" I asked.
"I was thinking of taking Intrepid and a small crew. It's just … you're so busy with helping all these people. I get it. But I have to know if my dreams are real or not," she said.
"What if I put Ada in charge of the mission and let her pick a crew?"
"You don't trust me," she said, stiffening.
"Not really." I never wanted to lie to Tabby. Even if it caused short-term problems for us, I knew Tabby needed the bald truth. "When you see bug, you think smash. I need you to come back, and Ada will make that happen."
I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I found Tabby's lips on my own. Her kiss conveyed a desperate urgency. It twisted my gut, as I realized just how broken the two of us were at this moment. I wondered if we'd ever feel normal again.
"Come with me," Tabby said, standing. "I want you. Now."
"People are waiting for me," I said.
"Fine," she said, pushing on a hatch in the darkened hallway and pulling me into a small room. The strong smell of cleanser gave me a clue to the room’s function as Tabby disrobed in the dim light.
"Now?" I asked, already knowing the answer as my mind shifted focus to Tabby's naked form. My eyes traced the slim and familiar curves of her athletic form. My question became irrelevant as I reached for her.
"Doesn't look like it's going to be a problem," she answered, pulling at my suit.
"Cap, you joining us?" Marny called over comms.
"I'm here," I answered, stepping through the hatch into the large conference room, grateful she'd waited a few minutes longer than I'd originally requested.
"Liam, on behalf of York, I apologize for Bish's attitude. He's had a rough run of things. We all have," Hog said, giving me his best earnest look.
"No apology necessary," I said. "We've all seen things, done things, and endured things that no person should have to. Best answer is to let those who can, continue. We have issues that need addressing and we'll push on."
"Well said," Hog answered.
"Liam, what are your plans?" Mom asked. "The people from Petersburg are worried, just like those of York."
"Let's clear up a couple of things," I said. "I've had some of this conversation with different people, but I don't think I've had it with everyone. The Mars corporation Loose Nuts was dissolved and replaced by a new Abasi entity, House of the Bold. I am the leader, with Marny as number two, Ada as tertiary, and so on. Further, House of the Bold has been given the responsibility for the entire Mhina star system. This means we have the authority to collect taxes and must provide protection to those who reside there."
"Isn't that system cut off from Confederation of Planets by a blockade?" Hog asked.
"The blockade was in place to stop the Kroerak from returning," I said. "It has been dismantled. As long as we keep our system clear of Kroerak, the blockade will remain defunct. The fact is, there are currently few ships that could man the blockade."
"I'd heard this, but really? Abasi gave you an entire solar system?" Hog pushed again.
"It's not a gift," I said. "House of the Bold is Abasi and there are two types of ownership for a house such as ours. The first is total, permanent ownership like the land Mshindi has only a hundred kilometers from here. The second is much more like responsibility. We collect taxes, enforce laws and provide protection for the remainder of it. To be honest, it’s a daunting task."
"For an entire solar system," Hog repeated.
"Which has exactly one inhabitable moon – Dorf – in orbit around a gas planet," I said.
"Two," Nick corrected.
"Not really," I answered. "J-F99214-E-07 has a breathable atmosphere, but its average annual temperature is two degrees. Almost nothing grows there."
"We've already received inquiry from the Musi," Nick said.
"About oh-seven?" I asked, remembering that we'd seen a couple of towns on the arctic moon when we'd first arrived in Dwingeloo. They had resembled rat's nests found on space stations and didn’t seem like any place sentients might want to live. We hadn’t found anything alive there, just great piles of bones. Turned out, the inhabitants had been a burrowing, meter-tall, mouse-faced species called Musi. All who had failed to escape had become a Kroerak food source almost two hundred stans before we’d been there.
"The Musi live on the fringe of society," Nick said. "Most sentients don't trust them."
"For good reason," Hog said. "Musi don't honor their contracts unless forced to do so."
"They have no place to live," Nick said. "And the planet has little mineral value."
"They don't honor contracts. Why would we get involved with them?" I asked
.
"Because they're already there," he answered.
"What do you mean, already there? On whose authority?" I asked.
"No one's," Nick answered. "But Musi have been migrating to Oh-Seven ever since the Kroerak cleared out eighteen days ago."
I rubbed my temples. "Fantastic."
"We'd be better off with a treaty than trying to figure out how to remove them," Nick said.
"Doesn’t sound like there's much we can do at this moment," I replied with an annoyed shake of my head. "Let's work on things we can. Ada, I need you to run a mission."
"You're doing it again, Liam," she said.
"True, but you'll like this one," I said, trying to win her with a smile. "Tabby believes she has a lead on a Kroerak infestation. I need you to take Intrepid and check it out."
"Crew?" she asked.
"You pick," I said, flipping a quantum comm crystal to her. "Roby should have her sealed up and ready for flight by 0400."
"What are my mission parameters?"
"We don't know if Tabby's intel is good. If we did, we'd take Hornblower. But for right now, Hornblower is too important here. You'll be loaded up with a couple of Iskstar tuned turrets, but this is intel gathering. I need cool heads on this, which is why you're in charge," I said.
"Tabby's okay with this?"
"She is," I said. "Don't mistake me, though. Tabby is raw. She'll push you toward combat."
"Targets of opportunity?"
"You're in command, Ada," I said. "I trust your judgement."
"Jonathan, Sendrei, Roby, Semper …" She continued to rattle off a crew of twenty. I smiled as she did. She'd anticipated the possibility and was ready for me.
"Godspeed," I said, mimicking something I'd heard both Sendrei and Marny say in the past.
Ada nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she stood. "I request my leave in that case, Prime. I've a ship to get ready."
Judgment of the Bold Page 9
