by R. E. Graham
Eventually, his fight guided him to where the attacker had been taken. Mikhail heard a gagging noise coming from the room over as he entered the small jail some other Onyx lord had installed cycles ago.
Hern was wiping blood off of his hands with a small green towel when he noticed the pirate lord.
“Oh hey.”
“How’d it go? Did he say why he tried to shoot me?”
The gunner’s head bobbed side to side. “Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?” Mikhail asked as he crossed his arms.
Hernando smirked. “Well, at first he was real chatty and told me all kinds of stuff like how you were to blame for his best mate biting the dust back on Destiny. Oh, he even made a joke about my mother.”
“That’s it?”
"Well, that and he said that he had a dream that you would lead Onyx to some gods-forsaken doom."
The pirate lord flinched at the idea. “What…does that…you mean he tried to shoot me cause he had some stupid dream?”
“Yeah, that’s what he was goin’ with,” Hern said as he tossed the towel in the corner of the room carelessly.
“There had to be more.”
“You see, I said the same thing. We tried beatin’ it out of him, but he stuck to his guns.”
Mikhail started to get upset again. “I’m goin’ to speak with him.”
“It’s gonna be kinda hard.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, I told him that if he didn’t stop lyin’ to me that I was gonna cut his tongue out,” Hern said with a devilish grin.
The pirate lord’s eyes got wider. “You didn’t.”
“There was a lot more blood than I thought there would have been.”
“Hern, why would you go cut out a man’s tongue?”
The gunner got very serious as his eyes fixated on the floor. “It’s easy Cap, you, Jax, and Rhonda are all the family I got left.” He looked into Mikhail’s eyes and the pirate lord felt a shiver run down his spine. “I spent some time thinkin’ about things on the ride here from Destiny. Ain’t no one gonna hurt the rest of you.”
As Mikhail thought about it, he appreciated the gesture in a strange kind of way.
At least I know he is dedicated to lookin’ out for me…
“Hern, I want to make you head of my security team. Pick three others that you feel are trustworthy enough and bring me the names so I can be sure you get them.”
The other man was caught off guard by the idea and shrugged. “Yeah, I’d be happy to. Um, do I have to call you Lord?”
“Only around the others haha.”
Hern smiled and put his hands on his hips. “Yeah, I can do that. Thank you. Been kinda wanderin’ around here clueless on what to do exactly. Be good to have a job again.”
“Deimos told me that there are others that could be upset about things on Destiny.”
“Enough that they would try and hurt ya? Huh. I’ll keep an ear out.”
Mikhail started to walk away but then turned back. “Oh and get rid of him in there. I don’t want anyone to see him without a tongue and all.”
Hern drew the pistol from his thigh holster and racked a round. “Not a problem.”
Chapter 8
Cycle: 434 Month: 3 Day: 21
Outer Rim Colonial Alliance Space
Planet: Dusk
Location: In System
The ride to Dusk had been much less eventful than the attack on the pirate lord’s life. Before they had left Ko’Bac Rhonda had pulled together a fantastic party where the members of Onyx were able to fully celebrate and embrace the loot they had salvaged from the wreckage of the shock troopers from Destiny.
Mikhail had foolishly drunk some brew from a locally grown plant that had given him a hangover like he had never experienced before. His head felt like someone was banging a drum right next to his head as it throbbed. After the ship hopped into Dusk's system at the trader point, the pirate lord had decided to get some sleep.
As he laid on his silk sheets, he was surrounded by a pool of his own sweat. He thrashed back and forth as his mind was gripped by a nightmare until he finally awoke, breathing heavily.
Despite the room being lit by a dim light in the corner of the room, he looked around him as if he sought someone. Just before he finally relaxed a voice spoke from the darkness as if it were a whisper.
“Mikhail.”
“Who’s there?” he called out completely unsure of where the voice came from.
It sounded to him as though it were speaking from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
“Mikhail.”
He attempted to lift the pistol that rested on top of the stand by his bed, but he couldn't raise it. Try as he might he just could not get it to budge.
In the darkness he could feel that something was drawing closer, but he could not see it. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”
“Mikhail, I have come to warn you,” the voice said.
“Wa…warn me?” Mikhail asked as he backed up against the headboard of his bed.
“Yes…there will be an attack on your life soon.”
“Ha,” he said sheepishly but trying to show his cockiness. “You’re a little late for that.”
“No, another one.”
His eyes grew wide as he could barely make out a figure in the corner of the room. It wasn’t that he finally saw the thing that bothered him, it was how its head rested on its shoulder. A primal fear gripped him internally.
“Heed my warning Mikhail. Listen for the rain of fire.”
Everything in Mikhail said he was staring right at the face of evil. Seeing as how it wasn’t moving closer to him, he was going to stay still until he knew what to do.
“Who are you?”
"Listen, Mikhail. Listen for the rain…" it whispered as it backed up into the corner.
Oddly, the pirate lord suddenly felt like he was alone. He reached over and hit the button controlling the lights in the bedroom. He shielded his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, but the being was gone.
His heart continued to pound in his chest as he bumped his head into the headboard with a thud.
I must have a fever or somethin’…
He continued to tell himself all sorts of thoughts as he calmed down.
No way was that real. I must have been hallucinating.
Now that he was wide awake, he decided he might as well get up. After taking a shower, he looked through the closet.
“Yondo, you had terrible taste,” he muttered to no one as he flipped through the clothes as they hung in place.
Despite knowing he was alone, he would periodically glance over to the corner to see if it was back.
Get it together Mik…
Eventually, he found a shirt that would probably fit him. Yondo was a size smaller than Mikhail and not nearly as built physically. The pirate lord slid the shirt over his head and then put on his worn-out jacket. He secured the holster to his leg and played with his hair until he styled it the way he liked.
“Let’s do it,” he said to himself in a reflector.
As he exited his room, he did a double take at the man standing just off to the side. “Oh, I’m sorry Thomas, I forgot you would be here,” Mikhail said to the bodyguard.
“That’s okay Lord, my first wife forgot about me too,” the pirate quipped.
The joke got a chuckle out of the pirate lord as he headed down the hall. Thomas followed behind but giving Mikhail enough space that he didn’t feel like he was breathing down his neck.
Hern had assembled his team of top bodyguards and wanted to be sure that someone was outside his room when he slept. At first, the pirate lord was against it, but his security advisor insisted, and he knew that would literally be going against the person he had just promoted to protect him.
Thomas along with Dirk Christof and Jole Hiite were chosen from among the Onyx pirates on Ko'Bac. Thomas and Jole were previous gunners on the Midnight and Dirk were very intimidating vis
ually. Granted he wasn't the most skilled in combat, Dirk pledged to Mikhail that he would take a bullet for him.
The pirate lord had made sure to compensate Deimos and the other ship captain for the inconvenience of acquiring their men. Both captains seemed fine with it, but Mikhail sensed that Deimos wasn’t too thrilled.
Oh well, I need to be protected. At least until we can safely integrate with everyone.
Hern nodded to the pirate lord as he met him in an intersection in the corridors. “How do you want to handle things down on Crest?”
“Deimos has mentioned that no lord is permitted to take their security teams into the chamber itself.”
Before the ex-gunner could protest, the pirate lord held a finger up. “I will be fine. Deimos will be with me. He knows a lot more about the internal politics of the Five Skulls than either of us does.”
“Alright. But we’ll be as close as we can. You have the communicator to signal me if somethin’ changes.”
Mikhail felt inside that he had made the right decision in promoting his old shipmate to watch over his safety. “I will.”
The Midnight had Finished its descent to the surface and landed on the fifth pad in Crest. Due to a delayed takeoff from Ko’Bac they were behind schedule for the meeting. Mikhail had decided to be on the bridge as the Oxen transport made for Dusk and had been anxious about not arriving on time.
“Lord, we have a message from Opal that the lords have already convened in the chamber. They are awaiting your arrival,” Gyy said from his communications station.
“Well, stuff comes up when you are doing repairs after a major battle,” Mikhail said aloud to no one in particular.
Deimos nodded in agreement from his captain’s chair. “We have a truck in the hangar ready to take us, Lord.”
The pirate lord unfastened his harness and stretched his back. “Alright, let’s do this Captain.”
Both men exited the bridge with Thomas and Hern as an escort close behind. Dirk took point and led the way down to the hangar where Jole was already in the driver’s seat.
The large Dune wheeled truck was perfect for fitting six full-sized men inside. It had been designed as a military patrol vehicle, but Onyx had acquired a more civilian variation. Mikhail and Deimos hopped into the backseat with Thomas and Dirk climbing in across from them. Hernando took the front passenger seat and then they were off.
As the Dune navigated through the streets of Crest Mikhail found himself perplexed by the obvious visual of the slums around him, while he knew that each of the lords must possess tremendous wealth.
I need to focus on the meeting.
“So, Deimos, I imagine this visit to the chamber won’t be the same as last time I was there. What can I expect?” the pirate lord asked as he turned to his Captain.
"Well, each of the lords brings an assistant or top advisor with them. I had been with Yondo multiple times in the sessions, but after initial discussions are completed, the lords are left alone to barter and deal."
The Dune hit a large pothole in the rough road, and its occupants all bounced harshly.
Mikhail was confused. “Why would they barter alone? Why does that matter?”
"I can't say for certain, but I suspect it is because none of the lords want to appear in need or weak to anyone. The talks in the chambers are said to be completely secret and that a lot of rapid business is conducted in them. Since this is a special gathering to discuss your lordship, I don't know if those typical dealings will occur today or not."
Mikhail rocked to the side again as the Dune's heavy tires drove over the bumpy streets of Crest. "Okay. This just all seems odd. I didn't think that the other lords really cared about any of the branches individually. I'm kinda surprised that they are calling this meeting anyhow."
Deimos scratched an itch over his right ear. “It is normal for the lords to want to meet any new lord. Maybe it is a chance for any of them to try and strike a new deal with you. I would imagine that any secret dealings they had established with Yondo would now be null since they died with him.”
“Do you have any idea what kind of deals they may want to make? I just want to be prepared somewhat for what to expect.”
“I’m sorry Lord, I do not. I have no doubt though that you will respond successfully. There are typically several break sessions where you can speak with me if you would like. I will stick around the chamber to be available in case you need me.”
“Thanks,” Mikhail said as he looked back out the window to his left.
Outside there were all sorts of people with trading posts set up next to the sidewalk. As visitors and citizens of Crest alike went back and forth, the dealers tried to get their attention to make a sale. The pirate lord spotted a fight break out between two scraggly looking men as a crowd became to form around them.
As the Dune continued down the road, he spent time mentally preparing himself. He didn't necessarily know what to expect once the lords were alone, but he was confident he would deal with whatever happened.
I just have to remember that they are thugs and criminals all looking out for themselves.
Dirk and Thomas stepped out first when the over-sized truck came to a stop. Hern popped open his door and surveyed the area, his eyes constantly on the lookout for threats.
Deimos and the pirate lord ducked down as they exited the Dune and shut their doors. Several pirates of the different branches were waiting within the entryway and foyer of the secretive headquarters.
“We should hurry to the chamber, Lord,” the Captain motioned with his head then headed for the chamber.
Mikhail kept up with Deimos but soon realized that many of the murmurs were directed at him. He did his best to appear as serious as he could as to not seem weak in front of the pirates.
Once they Finished their trek to the chamber, several Opal guards waited just outside the doors. Hern nodded to Mikhail, and the other Onyx guards stood off to the side.
The doors were opened for Mikhail as he approached, and Deimos entered behind him. Each of the other four lords sat in their seats, including Lord Henders who had not attended the meeting last time Mikhail was here.
“If it isn’t the new lord of Onyx!” Nadia called out from her chair.
Her left leg strung over the arm of her chair.
Ever the pleasant woman…
Fron of Opal and Chan of Emerald stood up to greet Mikhail while Redbeard simply stood.
"Welcome back to Dusk," Chan said with a glimmer in his eye. "Last time was quite the meeting, and I am looking forward to today's talks."
“Thank you, Lord Chan,” Mikhail said as he shook the other man’s hand.
Fron too extended his hand but was a bit more reserved than his compatriot. “Lord Tarvus.”
“Lord Fron.”
As the Opal and Emerald lords took a step back, Mikhail locked eyes with Redbeard from across the room.
“It is nice to finally meet the man who ended Yondo,” Val Henders said as he too strolled up to the lord of Onyx.
Mikhail got a strange feeling from the other man and noticed that he seemed to be covered in weapons and was as smug as anyone he had ever met.
“I am glad to be able to meet you as well Lord Henders,” Mikhail said as he held his hand out.
Redbeard did not immediately take the offered hand and instead stopped just out of reach. “Please, call me Redbeard,” he said with a coy grin.
It was clear he was not going to accept the handshake, so Mikhail lowered his arm and tried to laugh off the strange encounter. He knew that the lords were all taking the opportunity to size him up and he wasn’t about to let them walk all over him. Deimos looked on as he stood off to the side of the room along with the other advisors for their respective lords.
Time to take control of the room a little bit.
“I apologize for being late to the meeting. We had many things to repair as you can imagine from defeating a lawman and securing my new realm.”
“So, the rumor
s are true then?” Chan asked as he smiled devilishly. “I can’t believe that you were able to pull it off.”
“Did you not think that we had a strong chance?” Mikhail asked as he eyed the shorter man without turning his head all the way to face him.
"Honestly, no. Yondo was a fool, and I imagined it would be the last time I would see him."
“What is a surprise is for you to be standing in his place,” Nadia said as she too stood.
She crossed her arms and stared at him angrily. “Your mere presence here is an embarrassment.”
“For who?” Lord Onyx asked as he turned toward her.
“You came here like a beggar asking for help from us only to lay a trap for Yondo,” Nadia said bitterly.
Redbeard laughed loud and heartily. "Don't tell me, Nadia, that you actually gave two poosh for Yondo's survival."
The woman was insulted by the large man’s tone. “Ultimately no, but he and I did have an arrangement that hurts my operations.”
"Yondo bedding you is sure to be damage to something," Lord Ruby toyed as he walked back to his seat at the middle of the arrangement. He plopped down in his chair and smiled like a predatory beast.
Nadia, on the other hand, was more frustrated. She threw her hand up in the hair and returned to her seat as well.
“Please, let us remember that this chamber is meant to be a sacred place for us to meet in,” Lord Opal said as he looked to the other lords. “We may be pirates, but we can conduct ourselves civilly.”
Chan bowed his head to Fron and looked back to Mikhail. “Perhaps we should take our seats.”
As the other three lords sat Opal pressed a button on the arm of his chair that activated a strange melody to play from hidden speakers in the room.
“I call together this meeting of the lords of the Five Skulls to commemorate and recognize that Mikhail Tarvus now rules over Onyx.” He reached his hand up and clapped them together two times.
Doors on either side of the room opened, and two women entered from each opening in an ethereal white gown. They stepped in and carried different colored plates in front of them. Each of the plates held a small object at the center of them and looked like a piece of jewelry from what Mikhail could see.
