Rivka heard Red’s pounding stride before Lauton. “Stand still, so he doesn’t do anything funny. He seems to think I’m in trouble.”
Lauton stood as still as a statue. Red stopped before he showed himself. The railgun appeared first, then his face.
“We’re in here. I need you to open this door.”
“That’s it? I ran all the way here for that?”
“For fuck’s sake, Red, where are your pants?”
“I thought you were in trouble! I wished you would have let me know so you didn’t come down here alone.”
“Lauton is with me,” Rivka countered.
“You know what I mean.” Red signaled for the women to take cover. “Fire in the hole!”
It didn’t take much to blast the door open.
“Damn, I love this thing!” he declared. “Since I’m here, I might as well do my job.”
“You look ridiculous,” Rivka said of Red’s boxers and combat boots.
Red looked hurt. “You have to let me do my job, Magistrate, no matter what else is going on. I can’t let any harm come to you. I have a professional reputation to maintain.”
Rivka almost touched Red’s arm but thought better of it. “I understand. My apologies. You are the best bodyguard I’ve ever had.”
“I’m number one,” he replied, knowing that she had never had a bodyguard before him. Red led the way through the alcove and into a room. The railgun had exploded one piece of equipment. Red shrugged. “The door’s open.”
Rivka looked for power switches, turning on all the gear except the damaged tower. “How’s that looking, Erasmus?”
“There should be a main router. Once that’s active, I’ll be able to access the systems. I can see that they’re on, but I can’t get inside.”
Red, Rivka, and Lauton looked at the only piece of equipment that wasn’t powered up. “How can you do it without the router?”
“Ankh would have to physically bypass it by building a secondary router. Why? What’s the problem?”
“Your router doesn’t appear to have survived the process of breaching the door. Oh well. We’ll see you topside.” Rivka strolled out, with Red close behind. Lauton followed, not wishing to be left underground.
“That’s it? You’re giving up?” Red wondered.
“Of course not. I can’t build a router. Can you?”
Red shook his head. Lauton shook hers, too.
“We’ll let the guy who can build it take care of it. We’ll just have to wait. I have a report to write, and we need to prepare to go to Quarst and Belheeake. More evidence to put a bow on this package, but we also need to inform the right people to keep the supply chain from breaking down. I need to call Nathan Lowell and let him know. Maybe the upheaval will be transparent to the end user.”
“’Transparent to the end user.’ Nice lawyer talk for ‘they won’t know the difference.’”
“Except that prices may be lower. Maybe…unless budding entrepreneurs are looking to line their pockets with the delta, that is. The difference between the old and new prices.”
“We can let people know,” Lauton added.
“Knowledge is power,” Rivka offered. “Getting you back into your position could be the key to bringing Zaxxon through this. We need to clone you for the other planets.”
“I don’t want a clone.” Lauton looked serious.
“We don’t clone people,” Red assured her. “She was joking.”
“Good. I don’t think people should be cloned. That could lead to some very bad things. Can you imagine? Who’s that? Lauton Four, not the real Lauton, but she looks like one. No, cloning is a really bad idea. It shouldn’t be allowed.”
Red mumbled something unintelligible.
Rivka sighed. “There is no cloning of sentient species in the Federation. Relax!”
They walked the rest of the way to the ship in silence.
When they reached the ship, they called Chaz to open the hatch. New SOP.
“You go in last. I don’t want to see your ass in front of my face.”
“I do,” Lauton chirped. Rivka pointed for her to go first.
“Next time, I’ll tell you, even if you’re in the middle of your all-star wrestling match.”
“All I ask is the chance to do my job, Magistrate.”
“Don’t we all, Red? If we only knew exactly what our jobs were, it would be so much easier.”
Chapter Nineteen
Ankh woke up exactly four hours after he’d been knocked out. Jay appeared five minutes later.
“We need to get whatever Mandel used to someone who can reverse engineer it. Four-hour knockout! Be the life of the party...” Red joked.
“That’s not a bad idea. We’ll turn him over once we get to a Federation station. Ankh, we need you to build a router.”
“I feel empty inside,” Ankh said in a small voice.
“On that, Erasmus needs your help to get back where he belongs.”
“That must happen first,” Ankh declared.
Rivka leaned close. “I always assumed that Erasmus was in that bag you carried around. What is in the bag, if it’s not him?”
“My stuff.” Ankh didn’t elaborate.
“Okay,” Rivka conceded. “What do you need from us to help you with Erasmus?”
“Peace and quiet.”
“Take the bridge.” Rivka stood aside to usher Ankh through. Once in, he secured the hatch.
“Chaz,” Red began. “What other bars have been programmed into the food thing?”
“Too many to mention. Here’s the list.” On the screen in the rec room, four columns of menu items appeared.
Red strolled to the dispenser. “Pepperoni pizza roll, cheeseburger, and fudge sundae, please.”
The three bars popped out one after the other. Lindy snapped her fingers and pointed to the last bar out. Red looked at it briefly before handing it over. He took a small bite of the pizza roll bar before shoving the whole thing in his mouth.
“I love Ankh,” he mumbled while chewing.
The hatch to the bridge opened and Ankh walked out, more upright and confident than before, even though his expression remained as neutral as always.
“Erasmus has made me aware of your problem.” The Crenellian closed on Red and stared up at him.
“What?” Red asked. “I love these. You’re the best, Ankh.”
“Look where you’re shooting. You and Terry Henry Walton—blowing stuff up before you know what it is.”
“It was behind the door. Door was closed. I opened the door. I apologize for nothing.”
“Then you fix it, and the food dispenser is getting reprogrammed,” Ankh stated flatly.
Red took a knee to be eye-level with the Crenellian. “I am completely ashamed of what I’ve done. I am sorry, and won’t let it happen again.”
“I guess that will have to do. Where is this router?”
“Show him, Red. I have reports to write.”
Vered stood and turned to Lindy. “Want to see the underground lair?”
“It’ll be nice to get off the ship. Peacekeeper isn’t very big.” Lindy held out one hand, and Red slapped a pistol into it. She tucked it into a pocket.
“Follow us, big guy,” Red told the small humanoid. Lindy patted his shoulder as she walked past. Ankh trailed them off the ship.
Jay and Rivka looked at each other. “What have you done?” Jay accused. Lauton stayed clear in case there was a fight.
“I think I’ve created a monster,” Rivka admitted. “We have Red, and now we have a female version of Red. Will I be safer with two bodyguards? That’s the question.”
“What if they have a falling out?” Jay suggested.
“Then we better get some spacesuits so we can abandon ship.”
“Probably a wise choice.”
“I’ll be on the bridge. The reports won’t write themselves. I love the law!” Rivka declared as she swaggered to the bridge and jumped into the captain’s chair.
“I’m going outside to see the sun. Care to join me?” Jay asked.
“I’d love to.” Lauton nodded and followed her out.
Rivka turned her head to watch them go. “All is right with the world when no one is shooting at us,” the Magistrate declared. “Okay, Chaz, you and me. Bring up Form 617 stroke 1A, Report of Execution...”
Ankh looked at the router and then at Red. He examined both sides of the tower. “What did you shoot this with?”
Red pointed to his railgun.
“Neanderthal.” Ankh had no idea what the term meant, but Ted often used it to describe people who thwarted technological progress.
“We’ll be out here if you need us,” Red said before leaving the Crenellian to his work. Ankh ignored them and started dismantling the case to see if there was anything he could use.
Red and Lindy went from alcove to alcove, practicing breaching techniques. He gave her the railgun and showed her how to stalk with it, looking over the barrel, making sure it was pointed wherever she looked.
Lindy kept turning her head without moving the railgun.
“It takes a lot of practice.” Red tried to be encouraging. It did take a lot of practice to make it a habit.
“Yes, but it cuts reaction time. Makes sense.”
“A quick scan. If you want to look around a corner, you dip your head out and pull it back as fast as you can. Your mind will remember what you saw, and you’ll present almost no target to your enemy.”
She tried that a number of times to get the hang of it. “So much to learn.”
“Why do you want to learn it?” Red asked.
“On the ship. When that bastard grabbed me, I didn’t know what to do. When you guys were talking with him, it struck me that I’d only get a superficial wound if I turned, and it would give you a free shot. Then I wanted to know more. I never thought about being a warrior, but it seems that the vocation is calling me. I’m never going to wait a table again. I need to learn all the weapons, and more hand-to-hand. No one will ever put me on my heels again. I’ll fight back. I may get punched in the face, but I’ll fight back.”
“My tigress.” Red bowed his head to her.
“Rawr,” she purred.
Ankh came running from the alcove. “We have to get back to the ship. There’s a fleet inbound.”
Red tossed the railgun to Lindy and picked up Ankh. They ran up the stairs as fast as their legs would propel them, through the entry and outside, where they found Jay and Lauton lounging. “Into the ship! We gotta go,” Red yelled as he ran past. Lindy waved at them to hurry.
Jay was up in an instant. Lauton hesitated, but Jay pulled her to her feet and propelled her toward the stairs.
Once they were inside, Red secured the hatch.
“Buckle up so we can take off!” Rivka shouted from the bridge. The crew jumped into their seats. Before they were strapped in, the ship launched from the ground and raced skyward.
“Erasmus will operate the shields and weapon systems,” Ankh said.
“Did you get done what you needed?” Red asked.
“Yes.” Ankh’s eyes lost focus and he assumed his blank stare, closely engaged with Erasmus. He hugged his pack to his chest.
“Someone must have stolen his toys when he was a child,” Lindy suggested.
“I wonder what it’s all about, but I’m not going to be the one who violates his trust.” He indicated the bag with his eyes.
“Not me! He can probably kill me with his brain.” Lindy shook her finger at Red. “Shame on you.”
“Don’t look at me!” Jay shot an angry look Red’s way. He smiled back and shook his head.
“I wouldn’t do that, Jay. Leave Ankh be. He’s already saved us once. That’s why I’m not worried now.”
“I am,” Lauton exclaimed, eyes wide in terror as the ship continued its steep ascent. It powered through the upper atmosphere and immediately started dodging. They could hear the weapons discharges.
“Hang on!” Rivka yelled from the bridge.
Red started to question his faith in their survival. “Fuck me! Just when my life was on track.”
Lindy chuckled and stretched her arm toward the big bodyguard. They held hands and smiled.
“That’s it? You’re going to hold hands while we’re about to die?” Lauton’s words spilled from her in a rush.
“As part of this crew, I’ve learned two things.” Lindy hesitated as the ship bucked and the lights flickered. “Don’t waste time worrying about what’s not in your control, and trust your teammates.”
Peacekeeper spiraled one way before jerking and diving. It bumped and screamed as it reentered the upper atmosphere.
“Fuck you!” Rivka shouted through clenched teeth, giving the double bird to the main screen. She was jerked back and forth even in the captain’s well-padded chair. The screen to the left showed the pirate fleet on the tactical display.
“That’s your secret, you bastard,” Rivka growled. The screen showed nine frigate-class ships and a massive brute that probably carried the last of the fighters from the Ixtali War. “I knew there should have been more. That was how you brought the planets under your umbrella. They had no way to defend themselves from your fleet, because they didn’t have one. Then you’d use your wealth to buy your way across the galaxy.”
The corvette continued into the atmosphere, but none of the ships followed. The tactical display showed ten ships in orbit, with a squadron of the old fighters detaching from the carrier.
“Erasmus, tell me that we can hold our own against those fighters.”
“I will tell you that if you would like, but it wouldn’t be the truth,” the AI replied.
“Thanks for the honesty. Are we better off fighting them within the planet’s atmosphere?”
“Yes. Their weaponry is most effective in the near-vacuum of space.” The ship slowed significantly and reoriented upward. “They will lose maneuverability during reentry. I will eliminate as many of them as possible during that transition.”
Rivka nodded, her knuckles white from gripping her armrests. Her gaze darted back and forth between the main screen and tactical. The ship accelerated upward as if launched by a rocket. The corvette’s small railguns sent streams of projectiles toward unseen targets. The main screen showed the dark blue of a transitioning sky. Rivka could see nothing specific. Erasmus continued accelerating, firing as he went. Two missiles detached from the ship and raced away, then two more.
“How many missiles do we have left? Are we going to be able to survive the next fight without them?”
“If we don’t survive this fight, Magistrate, the next one is irrelevant.”
Tiny explosions dotted the main screen before the view changed. Peacekeeper began running parallel to the planet. The remaining fighters quickly overshot the corvette as they attempted to slow.
Erasmus swung the ship around, firing at the fighters from a distance. One more died before the single-person ships regained their maneuverability and started to spread out.
“Four left,” Rivka muttered to herself. The corvette headed straight for them. The gravitic shields had not been challenged by the fighters’ weapons. Erasmus planned on them holding, hoping that the fighters had not been reconfigured with more powerful weaponry than what the ships had carried during the war.
The last four fighters approached from different vectors. Peacekeeper fired and maneuvered. Their plasma weapons bracketed the corvette as they closed. Some splashed off the shields.
“So far so good,” Rivka whispered.
The screen whited out with a sparkling flash before returning. Rivka’s modified eyes adjusted quickly. The screen showed the fighters skipping by on their high-speed passes. The last two missiles launched into the path of the incoming vessels, too quickly for them to maneuver. Peacekeeper was buffeted by the explosions. The corvette tipped on its side as its thrusters attempted to drive a sharper turn.
The fighters jetted skyward, disengaging. The corvette slowe
d.
“I’d say chase them, but that’s Angry Me talking and not Smart Me.”
“Smart You is aligned with Smart Me,” Erasmus replied.
Rivka unbuckled herself and left the bridge. “Everyone okay back here?”
“Did we win?” Red asked.
“We won a reprieve, or maybe it’s a stay of execution. I believe this fleet has orders to kill us, so it’s probably not a stay.” Rivka made a fist and hammered it on the table. “I’ve had about enough of the Mandolin fucking Partnership.”
“Maybe we can tell them he is no more and that they won’t be getting paid?” Jay suggested.
“They already want to kill us, so it can’t hurt. Erasmus, can you craft a message? Include pictures of his corpse, and transmit to their fleet.”
“Done,” Erasmus replied almost instantly.
“And they are starting to move away...” Rivka let it hang as if Erasmus would confirm her hopes.
“None of the ships are showing any inclination to leave orbit.”
“Keep transmitting. Maybe it’ll get through their thick heads that they won’t be able to replace what they lose since they won’t be getting paid!” Rivka leaned against the galley counter.
“Ankh programmed lots of good eats into our hooya there,” Red stated, pointing with a tip of his chin. “If I get too technical, stop me.”
Rivka shook her head as she looked at her crew. “Keep up your good spirits. We’re going to need them before this is all over. What should I order?”
“Pepperoni pizza roll or turkey and stuffing. It’s hard not to find something that’s great. Except that Vegemite sandwich thing. That made me gag, but I showed it who was boss.”
“How many of the new bars did you eat?”
“All of them!” Lindy interjected.
“Not all,” Red clarified.
Rivka ordered one each of the first two and avoided the third. “What’s your plan, Erasmus?”
Ankh stood and stretched. “We will land and attempt to get the other ship airborne. If it can provide enough of a distraction, we may be able to clear the atmosphere long enough to gate out of here,” the Crenellian stated, not talking to anyone in particular and not asking permission.
Judge, Jury, & Executioner Boxed Set Page 37
