by R. E. Graham
“Identification,” the one guard said through his helmet’s external speakers.
Praetorium guards were said to be some of the most elite soldiers that the Republic had to offer. To join the ranks, a citizen would have to perform a very daring act on the battlefield along with a pristine military record. While some felt the Praetorium was way too cushy of a position, no one ever questioned their capabilities.
Lin held out his ID badge, and the other guard scanned it. A green light indicated that the man had clearance to be on the Prefect's floor and had the credentials to enter.
The guards stepped to the side giving the Arcanum plenty of room to proceed. They didn’t say another word as they went back to their station standing guard outside of the Prefect’s door.
Within the next room Prefect Haines had a young intern sitting upon his lap.
“Tell me Ms. Hoova do you enjoy the capital?”
"Oh yes, I do Prefect. I really do!" she gushed as she playfully kicked her suspended legs back and forth.
“You know, I could have you stationed here as one of my assistants…if you wanted.”
Suddenly the door slid open, and the Prefect's face turned red. The girl shot up and straightened her skirt.
“What is the meaning of this Arcanum? Don’t you know how to knock?” Haines asked as his anger climbed.
“My sincerest apologies Prefect. I thought that you would want to hear the update on Inquisitor Cyrus immediately.”
Haines waved away the young girl, and she bowed towards Lin before exiting through a door on the right side of the room.
"I must say I am surprised to hear the report coming from you and not from him specifically. He seemed quite adamant to impress me last time we spoke," the Prefect said as he sat back down at his desk.
He leaned back in his luxurious leather chair and smirked at the intelligence officer.
“Regrettably, the Inquisitor is dead my lord.”
The Prefect felt like he was nearly knocked right out of his seat. “Dead?!”
“Yessir, along with the entire 12th DSST.”
Haines was truly shocked. He sat forward but looked away as he tried to process what could have happened to such a veteran unit and lawman.
“Do…do we have any idea what happened?”
Lin raised his left arm and typed away on his gauntlet. He flung data onto the Prefect’s holotable which displayed still photos from Destiny. The Prefect stood as he stared at the images which also included Cyrus’ headless body.
“From what we can tell the Inquisitor had located the hideout of those responsible for Senator Servius’ death on Destiny. However, they were not present when he came to investigate, and he judged the town as being corrupt. He had the town destroyed and captured the family of a Captain Mikhail Tarvus.”
"Who is he?" Haines asked as his anger replaced the earlier shock.
"From the records the recovery crews were able to discover from the Silverbolt, Cyrus believed that he was the Captain of the pirates who attacked the Senator.”
“I don’t understand. How could some lowly pirates do all of this? It isn’t even possible.”
“With respect, it appears that it is,” Lin said as calmly as he could manage.
Despite his efforts, the Prefect got angrier. “Just get to the point dammit!”
“It appears as though a fleet of ships hopped into the system and joined the attack against the 12th.”
“A fleet of what, warships?”
The Arcanum shook his head.
“Then what was it?” the Prefect asked confused by the conversation.
Lin pursed his lips as if he was searching for the right way to break the news. "At this point, it is too early to be certain. However, I have seen no indication that any other nation was involved in the attack. Rather, I believe that it was, in fact, pirates from Onyx."
“Frick!” Haines exclaimed as he smashed his fist onto his desk. “I want your best people working on this Lin. We have two rotations before Servius’ ship was meant to arrive at Canopy. This is going to cause me a massive headache. Get on this and find out what in the void happened there!”
“Yes, Prefect.”
“You know what, send for Val Henders too.”
“Redbeard, Lord?” Lin asked surprised by the request.
“If Onyx is involved, then I want to know what he knows. Have him meet me here on Gallirae as quickly as he can. He may know more than the BCI on this one.”
“It will be done my Lord,” the Arcanum said before he turned around and left the office.
Prefect Haines sat in the silence of his office and simmered on the dreadful news. In a flurry, he stood up and stormed across the room to look out to his personal garden through the thick glass windows. He had worked so hard to bring stability to Siimon for his plans, and now all of that could be in jeopardy.
"Damn you, Cyrus," he muttered to himself.
At that moment it felt as though he wasn't alone.
“Problem?” a twisted voice asked from behind the Prefect.
The sudden noise did not startle the older man as he recognized who the speaker was.
“A minor inconvenience, Greed,” Haines said as he continued enjoying the serenity of the plants and flowers below.
“You said that this would be taken care of.”
The Prefect’s lips smacked in displeasure at the statement. “It will be,” he said as he spun around.
While most of the room was very well lit, there was a portion that was shrouded by the massive opened curtains in the corner of the room. A shadowy figure inched forward just enough for Haines to make out the shape of the visitor. Its head laid on its shoulder at an unnatural angle. There were no discernable features as it was concealed in the darkness. That is, except for its deformed and sharp-toothed smile.
When it spoke, it sounded as if more than one person was talking at the same time. “You better make this right Haines, or you will have to answer for your failures.”
“I have not forgotten our arrangement. However,…”
The being interrupted the Prefect. “No excuses!” its voice shook the room.
Haines trembled ever so slightly, but he did his best to conceal that fact from the creature of darkness. Unbeknownst to him, the Vice could smell the man's fear, and it brought him a hint of pleasure.
The Prefect stood up straight and tugged at his robe. "I have held up my deal of the bargain, and I will make this right as well."
“You better,” Greed said with an unholy smirk.
The being took a step back into the shadows, and the room felt empty again to the Prefect. He swallowed hard then turned back to the garden to soak in a moment of peace. A chill ran down his spine, and he convinced himself that he had much to do as he quickly exited his office.
Chapter 5
Cycle: 434 Month: 3 Day: 19
Outer Rim Colonial Alliance Space
Planet: Ko’Bac
Location: Onyx Headquarters
The technicians had worked many long shifts to continue repairs on the remnants of the fleet. Mikhail had spent time going back and forth between meeting crewmembers and checking on his old crew. When he had any alone time to sleep, he broke down and would cry for an hour before he would pass out. In turn, he spent as much time busy and focused on his work and avoided his bed as much as he could. Eventually though, his body needed rest, but unfortunately, he would do little more than mourn his family's deaths.
When they arrived on Ko’Bac Mikhail and Rhonda broke away to take a personal tour of the facility.
“You know, I was really expecting this place to be so much more than this,” the pirate lord remarked as he shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Rhonda said jokingly.
The Kilroy, one of the transports that had been in the battle on Destiny, slowly Finished its descent to its designated stonecrete landing pad. Its four landing legs touched down and groaned at the wei
ght of the ship. Its hull still had plenty of scorch marks from the fighting and would probably take weeks to conclude its repair.
Mikhail looked at all of the visible signs of damage on the spacecraft and shook his head. “We sure were lucky we didn’t get spotted by a recon patrol in orbit around Destiny.”
“In more ways than one,” the woman said as she looked at a different Onyx ship that was being unloaded. “What are we gonna do now that we’re here?”
“Get ourselves fixed up and go from there.”
“You don’t have some much bigger plan in mind?” Rhonda asked as she turned to the pirate lord.
“Well…not right now.”
“I know you Mik. You aren’t going to let the Republic just get away with what they did to Largo…to Leesa.”
The pirate lord looked down at the ground and kicked a loose piece of gravel that was next to his boot. “I have some thoughts, but I know I’m not thinking clearly. My head has felt all sorts of clouded since Destiny.”
“How can I help?”
Mikhail raised his head and stared off into the distance. “I…don’t know. I need to lock down my lordship here or someone else may make a go for me.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Why wouldn’t it?” the man asked as he faced his shipmate and long-time friend. “I set the precedent that the lord could just be shot dead in front of everyone. How am I supposed to guard against that?”
“Easy…you make them fear you.”
Mikhail scoffed at the suggestion.
Rhonda’s face became very stern. “I’m dead serious. These men are thugs. They care only for their pay. Being dead is a very strong deterrent.”
“I think I would have scared them plenty by dragging the head of a lawman around.”
“Yeah, that certainly helped,” Rhonda said as a smile broke on her lips. “But if you are really concerned about your safety…I don’t see another way.”
“I’ll think about it,” Mikhail said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for sticking by me in all of this.”
The woman raised her chin. “You are still my Captain, regardless of what happens now.”
A strange feeling gripped Mikhail’s heart.
What is this I feel when I look at her? Love? Or is it just lust? My wife just passed away…how could I be so low?
Rhonda spotted the turmoil that showed through Mikhail’s eyes. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” he said as he shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“Truth be told, I’m kind of overwhelmed by all of this.”
“You have suffered a great deal…”
“I’m not the only one Rhonda,” Mikhail said cutting her off. “You, Jax, and Hern have had to endure just as many trials as I have.”
The woman reached out and took his hand. She looked deep into his eyes. “You’re wrong. You have been through more. I can’t imagine the burden that has been on your shoulders these past few cycles.”
Why is she looking at me like that?
He gently pulled his hand free from hers. “I don’t deserve all of this.”
Mikhail again looked out into the distance and Rhonda stepped in front of his view. “I disagree. You are the only one of us who can do this. We will follow you to the end of the ‘verse.”
The man shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “Alright.”
I feel so guilty for feeling this way right now. I’m a terrible husband…
“Would you join me as I meet with Deimos? He is supposed to give me a detailed report of things going on in Onyx and the status of all of our assets.”
“I would be happy to Mik,” she said with a sincere smile.
Within the warehouse was an inner room that was used as Yondo's personal office. Mikhail was greeted with yet another example of the previous lord's endeavor to impress anyone that walked into the room with his wealth. There was more value in the entire room than what the whole structure and ports outside were probably worth.
“This is just too much,” the pirate lord said as Rhonda inspected a small statue.
“I don’t know, I like some of it.”
“Really?” he asked, surprised by her remark.
“I mean, it is over the top, but he was a real lord after all.”
Mikhail scoffed. “Only in his dreams.”
“This is all yours now. What are you going to do with it?” Rhonda asked as she moved onto staring at an old painting of a boat at sea crashing into a violent wave.
“I was thinking of doing away with much of this and simplifying things. Maybe even give some of it away to key leadership in Onyx to help secure my position further.”
The woman nodded at the idea but also had an issue with some of it. “I get that this isn’t you, but you have to remember that a portion of being a lord is in acting the part.”
“Yondo’s behavior is what got him killed,” Mikhail quipped.
“No doubt he was a piece of trash,” she said as she turned from the painting to face the pirate lord. “However, can you really be a powerful pirate and not have some flash about you?”
The man stopped to think on the comment but swatted away the idea. “I hear you, but it just isn’t me. I would rather stick with what has worked for me up until now and be myself.”
“That is your decision…” Rhonda started to say before there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Mikhail said as he stood behind a chair set around a small holotable.
The door opened, and Deimos stepped inside. “Hello, Lord.” He saw Rhonda and bowed his head slightly to signify her presence. “I have the report you requested,” he said turning back to Mikhail.
“Excellent. Please, have a seat.”
The large pirate sat at one of the empty chairs and pulled up a file on the datapad he was carrying. He set it down on the table then pushed it over to his lord.
As he picked it up, Mikhail motioned with his head toward the woman who was standing off to the side. "Moving forward, I am making Rhonda my personal counsel. I wanted to mention it specifically to you Deimos as you have been key in helping with the transition. From now on, she will be referred to as Duchess Thrice."
“Yes, my Lord,” Deimos said as he acknowledged the woman’s new rank within Onyx.
Rhonda was caught entirely off guard by the promotion but tried to hide it from her face.
Mikhail's eyes glanced over to the woman, and she graciously bowed her head and mouthed "Thank you."
“Now, onto other business,” the pirate lord said returning to the visit from the Midnight’s captain.
“There is much more detail in the report, but essentially you employ over two thousand men and women, not counting affiliates that operate for us in the realm, and twenty-seven ships ranging from the Midnight to small freighters,” Deimos said as he sat up straight in the chair.
“What about WarMechs and other vehicles?” Mikhail asked as he scrolled through the primary file on the tablet.
“Across the realm you own somewhere around twelve mechs. I will have to get exact numbers on other vehicles. However, we are still assessing several of the mechs we brought back from Destiny, but right now there are six operational ones at the moment on world which does include the two aboard the Midnight.”
“Six?” the pirate lord asked as he looked up at the Captain. “Why weren’t they all committed to the fight on Destiny then?”
Deimos looked as though he was searching for the right answer. “I can’t say for certain why Yondo held some back. Perhaps it was to protect Ko’Bac just in case. They are stationed here.”
“What about other setups in the Onyx realm?” Rhonda asked as she leaned up against a counter built into the wall behind her.
“My apologies Duchess, what are you referring to?” Deimos asked as he turned his head toward her.
“Well Onyx makes its money from somewhere, right?”
“Yes of course. There are a number of drug distribution, smuggling,
and other forms of business conducted across the realm.”
Rhonda appeared excited by the conversation and decided to walk over to the table with the two men. “Do you have reports of those?”
"Well, not with me. I can get them though Lord if you would like me to."
Mikhail thought he knew where Rhonda was going with this and figured it was a good idea to play along. "Yes, if you could Deimos. As you can imagine, it is quite a lot taking in all of this at one time. However, your assistance has been a huge help."
“I can tell you off the top of my head that we pull in a substantial amount of income from our various posts and operating points. I would say though that things could be managed more properly but Yondo was more concerned with how to spend rather than growing Onyx,” Deimos said regrettably.
“Things are different now,” the Duchess said confidently.
“Yes, I can see that.”
“Thank you for this initial information,” Mikhail said as he held the tablet up. “I will be spending quite a bit of time digging through all of this. Is there anything else you wanted to bring up at this time?”
“No Lord, I don’t think I do. There is quite a bit to tend to on the Midnight, so if you will excuse me, I must return,” Deimos said as he stood from his chair.
Rhonda’s face beamed as soon as the door slid shut leaving the two of them alone in the office. “Duchess?!”
"It has a nice ring to it huh?" Mikhail asked, his face lighting up from her apparent happiness.
“Makes me sound like royalty.”
“Well, I figure if you are going to be my personal counselor that you should have a fancy sounding title,” the pirate lord said as he sat in his chair at the holotable.
His eyes began to scan through the information on the tablet while Rhonda continued to process her promotion.
“Thank you by the way.”
Mikhail looked up at the woman and smiled. “You um…your help means a lot to me. So, don’t mention it.”
He looked back down at the tablet to try and focus himself on his work. The Duchess felt so excited internally, but she didn’t want to seem too over the top with the pirate lord. She was just about to ask a question when the holotable received an incoming call.
