VotTS Chapter 14: Richter Base

Chapter 14: Richter Base

I doubt my eyes would have stayed dry, even in a sandstorm on Alvor's Cove when I saw her. There she was, the USS Tigershark. Repaired, refurbished and upgraded.

Now I knew why the destroyer was shaped the way it was. It did not fit inside, but it docked right at the Tigershark's belly.

The biggest visible changes were the docking clamps for the Destroyer and the changes to the landing gear.

Circuit had used mechanical arms and special tractor guide beams to dock the Apparition. To my pleasant surprise, the destroyer fit so well into the overall design that it was barely visible and blended in perfectly.

A top-down ramp gave us access to the Tigershark's lowest deck, we called the basement.

I really had to restrain myself for not kissing the walls or the deck of my ship.

And there they stood, the rest of my crew. All of them!

Eight hundred individuals. In the first row were Har-Hi, Elfi,Shea, Circuit, SHIP's roaming body, Sodoby, and Warner and then there were rows and rows of crew, almost to where the big freight elevators were.

They all snapped into attention as Har-Hoi called and then with a crisp voice said."Welcome back aboard Captain Olafson."

I returned the salute. Started to greet them just as the regulations required, but then I kicked those regulations into the wind."Screw that, this is for other ships."

I started hugging and in Shea's case kissing everyone and took the time to shake the hands of each and every one. "Alice? I thought you would go to the PSI corps academy and stay with your father?"

"And miss my friends and all this? Captain, the Admiral agreed to let me serve my academy time aboard the Tigershark."

It took a while to get to everyone. There were quite a few new beings too. A big Vvolti, a small green Urillua, two Black Klack, a Takkian, and a dozen others. The most memorable new crew member was a Morthim. A six-limbed four-legged creature, the size of a Fangsnapper. Someone described a Morthim once to look like a cross between Tiger, lionfish and weird spine creature. Not that I had seen a Lionfish before, I heard the Morthim could rip Petharians apart. They came from the Andromeda galaxy and some say they were engineered to go against Petharians.

The Morthim identified as male reached the rank of Ensign and was a Missile weapons expert. He listened to the name of Ras Sasmar. He had a surprisingly warm and very deep human voice."Thank you for welcoming me aboard. I am a Morthim."

"Welcome aboard."

After this quite emotional welcome, I had to leave my ship and report to Director Cherubim. She greeted me in her office at the top of the central base dome and came right to the point."Glad to have you back, Captain. Your ship is almost ready, just a few cosmetic details and your crew is all here as well."

"I am glad to be back, Director."

"So you decided to go all the way. Congratulations, it seems you are very comfortable in your new body."

"Yes, it was an easy decision. My time as Black Velvet confirmed my desires and the final step was just a small  adjustment."

"Even on vacation, you appear to be in the center of things. The Dai affair at Thana Shoo and then you pop up, over 70,000 light years in the Spinward sector and at the center of a new mystery."

She folded her hands and looked at a screen I could not see. "The Old Highlander told me that you going to investigate the prisoner escape before you going to be at my beck and call again."

"I spend over a year to round up pirates and when I think the book on those I caught is closed, they end up orchestrating one of the best-planned prisoner escapes in Union history. Damn, right I am going to investigate and make sure the book is closed for sure this time."

Her smooth face was a Bioflex mask, I knew by now and it did not translate or reflect any emotions she might had."Yes, I am still going over the details myself, and you are quite correct. This was extremely well organized. The Assembly Security Council has given this a very high priority. I am going to put the Ypeherix issue on the back burner to use  an old Earth expression and give you this Prison Escape matter as a priority mission."

With a hand gesture, she conjured up a projection of Freespace and much of the Coreward sector."You are operating now under direct Assembly orders. Which include the identification of all involved parties and bringing them to justice. This time you can call for fleet back up if you need it, and I trust your abilities but if you can try to do it without starting a war."

"This is not my goal, Ma'am."

She pulled up another projection. This one showed an Assembly session. "You might feel that this has personal undertones, I assure you the prisoner escape not only made federal news, the Assembly feels this was an insult and an attempt to embarrass the Union." She gestured towards the projection. "While you were on your way to here, the Assembly has not stopped talking about this." She looked at it herself."To put it bluntly, the Union is pissed. It will take very little for the Assembly to call for war."

"I have a few ideas. Lia is a Bassett, so I start at Bhrama port and see if I can pick up her trail. I also think an outfit called 'Harlequin's Jokers' might be involved."

"He and his merc outfit are slick as stainless steel, he is officially a lawful citizen with a very successful business. be careful, he is dangerous."

"How can he and guys like Steen Tirkov be in business on Union side anyway?"

She got up."Care for a cup of coffee, while I educate you and transfer all we got on Nick Harlequin to your ship?"

"Yes why not, I am in a general hurry and really want to get back to my ship but I am not that pressed for time."

Cherubim wore a black and gray bodycon dress with a skirt that ended above her knees. Her almost certainly fake blonde hair fell straight down her back with a crisp razor cut. She started to bet busy on a vintage looking Serv-Matic.

"This is a present from McElligott. It is a working replica of a pre astro coffeemaker. I made it a life rule nor to have too many habits. They can easily be exploited or be used to profile someone, but real coffee, brewed the old fashioned way is certainly a close candidate."

The machine started to gargle and a puff of steam escaped a black plastic lid.

She turned halfway."It was during the Y'All war, things didn't go too well. Colonies pressed the Assembly for help. It was then decided in 3585 that colonies and private companies could hire defense forces. It was a desperate time. This is the foundation of these Mercenary businesses and then we have the Freedom of Business act of 2299 OTT. There are no restrictions whatsoever what kind of service or product the company wants to offer, however certain services and products may be federally or locally limited or restricted. It is the businesses responsibility to obtain all necessary licenses, permits and dispense products and services according to the laws of the Union."

She held out a ceramic mug."Sugar? Milk?"

"I have it black."

I took the beverage and said."So these Merc outfits operate on ancient laws and loopholes?"

"Because you are of a very small group of individuals with a Blue-Blue-Red clearance, your background was checked in great detail. Did you know that your uncle Hogun Olafson was part of a very famous Mercenary outfit?"

I almost dropped the mug. "Uncle Hogun?" But as I said it, I know and in retrospect had to admit there were telltale signs that he hadn't been on dirt side all his life. There was Richard the Outcast, he was not a Neo Viking and Hogun treated him like a war buddy.

She seemed to read my thoughts in my face."The Rhatuurs Brigants was the outfit he flew with. Some of these Mercenary outfits go after slavers and pirates to liberate colonists or affect revenge. Most of them operate outside of Union space and thus outside of Union law."

"I guess I need to learn a whole lot more about this."

She sat down with her cup."NAVINT and other intelligence groups sometimes use Mercenaries, often without them knowing who their real employer is or what their actual goals are. Keep that in mind when you unravel your mystery."

I took a long sip of the invigorating brew, it was excellent coffee indeed. "And there I am, back in the clandestine business."

"The Tigershark was never meant to be a ship of the line, and neither is your crew. Better get used to it, Captain Olafson."

--""--

Admiral McElligott stood by the boarding ramp of a D40 shuttle and looked towards the hangar access doors. A tall man in a simple black uniform, very short marine corps style hair cut had appeared. In the three thousand something years he knew this man, he had never changed. Even to the old Admiral, this man was a constant like no other.

True he wasn't exactly best friends with the Eternal Warrior, but there was no one he respected more. With a smirk on his lips, he watched the two marines guarding the door act as if they had seen God. Well to be truthful to the Marines he was pretty much the very next thing to god.

He did not disappoint them and found a few words.

The Petharian and the Thauran marine guards were on the verge to actually explode with pride.

Stahl then made his way to the Old Highlander, his face unreadable. Well unreadable to most, after three millennia McElligott had learned to read the most subtle facial expressions.

“Sorry, old warhorse, but that is what Admirals do. Inspect things. They did that even back on Earth when both of us had no idea we would once hold that rank ourselves.”

“And are as useless as tits on a boar. Inspections are a waste of time. Either they are ready or they are not, and they better be ready when I show up. Inspection or not.”

“Inspections have their purpose and are an older tradition than we old farts. Besides the USS Baghdad has won the Ship Shape award many times, so the affair will be a short one.”

"I just came from reprimanding two marines for extreme unprofessional conduct. I don't like seeing this kind of behavior from any member of the armed forces, but Marines?"

"Oh good lord, those poor bastards are going to commit seppuku or something."

"Suicide is a coward's way out. My Marines are not cowards, however, they volunteered for a year duty at Lee's Academy."

McElligott shrugged."Lee's Academy isn't that some sort of Union Army Academy?"

"Exactly, Marine corporals on security detail at an Army academy, pure hell."

"Sorry old mate, there isn't any war going on to improve your mood."

“I do not long for war, but now that the Golden and the Nul are on our side it won't be long and the Kermac will make a move. I bet that prisoner caper has Kermac roots, and I don't have to remind you that Erica has just left for her second mission and only God knows who she picks a fight with or convinces to join.”

“She just left two days ago, and I just received a message this morning, she is on her way to Bhrama Port pursuing Nick Harlequin.”

“She is supposed to investigate Lia Bassett. The Harlequins are very large and dangerous Merc outfit, suspected to have a source of serious Union Mil-Tech and a long history of suspected atrocities. If the last reports are any indications, taking that outfit down would take a Marine regiment with a battleship for support.” As Stahl said that, he grinned.

McElligott nodded. “I know, but all respect to your Marines, Nick Harlequin stands no chance, we are talking Erica Olafson and her gang.”

Stahl chuckled. “Yes that girl turned boy and her crew will tear that vicious clown a new one, and he won't know what hit him.”

Stahl sighed and stomped past McElligott and up the landing ramp.”Then inspect the Baghdad. It is the last one right?”

“Yes, and afterward maybe you have time to share a round of golf with me. We are on Patrick Green, after all.”

McElligott followed Stahl inside the shuttle and gave the pilot a hand sign. While McElligott and Stahl were the highest officers, there was no big entourage, Stahl had no adjutants at all and if McElligott had insisted on the official military pomp, Stahl would not have come.

Richard sat down and grinned, “I remember the last time we went, I wonder if that golf course is open again..”

“Well, it was your idea to ask the members of the Olafson gang after they returned from Para-Para  to represent the Navy against the Army.”

“And you wager against General McKenzie, who kept beating you. He has recovered, right?”

“He has, but it was his fault to steal one of Har-Hi's balls. Those Dai proximity mines look very much like golf balls after all. Of course, only a Dai would bring proximity mines to a game of golf.”

“It was fortunate no one was near the fifth hole at the time of impact.”

“It gave a whole new meaning to 'hole in one'. That crater was big enough to hide a destroyer.”

--""--

Richter IV became smaller by the second. Moments ago we had lifted off and now made a Threshold run with a direct course to Bhrama Port.

I sat in my own Command Chair, every bridge position was occupied by a friend. Narth and Har-Hi to left and right. Sodoby no longer occupying a guest chair but at his own station. Officially called the situation evaluation station and he was now officially the Quartermaster of the Tigershark.

"Mr. Narth, I think we need to go back to Pirate mode. If we appear all shiny and openly Union shooting will start, before we are able to ask a few questions."

"The Silver Streak mask is dialed in and ready, Captain."

"Do you think our cover is blown with Lia and thus with the rest?"

Lt. Senhadjii was officially not on duty, but he was sitting next to Hans said."I am sure she won't trust us and she will suspect us to be working with the Union, but she has boarded the Tigershark, not the Silver Streak."

Mao chuckled."There is bound to be a lot of room at the mooring arm, many of the regulars are eliminated."

"What about the back door wormhole?" Shea asked. "We do have the Key device."

"Listen, guys, if we find so much as a speck of evidence, the Bennetts had anything to do with the hijacking, we will shut down that rock. After that NAVINT or whoever can move in. We are not doing much research until this Lia and Meateater are caught and terminated."

--""--

The Bassett family was a very wealthy and quite influential enterprise in this region of space. With excellent connections to the Togar, a system rich with resources and a busy trading post and freelance port. Myra Bassett generally known as the Old Bird has rarely been seen by anyone outside the inner circle and was to many more legend than real.

She was real alright and her power and influence over the Bassett enterprise were very real. She was at the top for over 400 years and ever since her partner Norm Bassett died.

Myra was no longer able to stand for long periods of time and preferred her hover chair, behind her was a sizeable oval viewport that allowed a magnificent view into deep space and the shattered star system. Right now, however, she had no eye for it, she looked at the various reports with both anger and confusion. She called for her oldest Great grandson Kirku, who also acted as the office manager and public face of the Bassetts. He appeared in her office almost right away, even he did not want her getting angry or disappointed. Her own partner and supposed lover, Norm found out the hard way, no one was safe from her wrath and scorn.

"Yes, Grandmother?"

She had several information screens open and pointed at the central one. "Lia Bassett, she is your daughter is she not?"

"Yes, but she's playing pirate and I think she was captured by Union authorities. I don't know what happened or where she is."

"Liar! Your daughter was liberated from a Union prison transport. Their assembly and in extent the whole Union is furious and demand answers."

Kirku was either a great actor or he had really no idea what she was talking about. She suspected the latter, but then he was almost as shrewd and devious as she was herself.

"Grandmother those are news to me. I haven't heard from her since she joined a pirate named Red Dragon and left for some sort of quest."

"Now I know you are lying. She was headed for the gallows, and now I see we paid a Mercenary outfit to get her. 35 Million Union credits from our shadow account. There are only three people even knowing, that we control the Bennett Mineral Trading Company and that Credit account. You, me and your brother Eklir. Eklir has no interest in double-crossing me for a renegade daughter of yours."

"It had to be Elkir, I did not pay anyone to get Lia out."

"You tell me in one sentence you know she was captured and in the next, you tell me you didn't hear from her since she left with the Red Dragon. I hate the Union almost as much as I hate the Kermac, but they are not going to rest until they found out what happened. I have a good mind to turn you over to them. Now tell me, where is she and if you value your life tell me why!"

Kirku, the hardboiled general manager who had killed for simply being in a bad mood, was shaking."I am being framed. Elkir wants to be in charge."

"No, Kirku I am in charge. You have not answered me, where is she?"

"I do not know. I am telling you the truth. I haven't been in contact with her since she left. I only heard about her being arrested."

"You have one orbit to bring her to me, return the 35 million and have an explanation. Don't even consider failing, now go and find your brother. If he is involved bring me proof and I have him skinned alive."

--""--

It was not without a certain feeling of vanity as I once again wore my black leather suit. There was still some residue male personality left in me to realize how I looked in that thin black leather, that molded my curves like a second skin. I decided to tone it down and closed the ziplock seam all the way and wear a leather jacket. Shea, now sharing quarters with me gave me a kiss and a tight hug."You are one hot pirate lady, my love."

"I can not deny the effects of this outfit, but what I feel when I see you have to wait till after duty hours."

We both went back on the bridge. While it was the shift of First Watch, we were almost in range of Brhama Port and I wanted to be on the bridge when we dropped out of Quasi.

Branda, the Delicate got up from the Command seat in a fluid motion of hair and legs."No noteworthy events to report, Captain. Senior officers are on their way. Our ETA is 44 minutes, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Lt. Noleii."

"I am going to change into my pirate outfit." She chirped happily and left the bridge.

Narth was, as usual, the first, but thanks to our superfast I.S.T. the rest was right behind them.

Har-Hi actually wore a purple Do suit as a costume and explained."If Dimon Honshu could wear one, I think I can too."

I frowned."Remind me to ask the Admirals, where he ended up. I don't want to chase the Worm again."

Shea giggled."Especially since he had the hots for you."

"He was cured of that after he realized who I was." With a gesture towards the main screen, I said."We have a job to do."

I sat down in my command seat. Intu-controls raising into the palms of my hands and the whole seat rose into battle view."Oh, how I missed you SHIP."

"I was incomplete without you, Captain."

"While you at it, sound General Quarters, stand by on our real shields."

"Aye, Captain."

"Mao do we still have contact to those KELPIE drones we left last time?"

"Yes, establishing contact now and downloading scanner log."

Sobody got up from his seat and went over to Hans, who was receiving scanner data.

I asked."Sobody, looking for something particular?"

"Yes Captain, Nick Harlequin is known for using the best Union surplus ships. If he was here, the Kelpie drones should have a record of ISAH engine signatures."

"Carry on then, Mr. Sobody." I tried hard to keep the pride I felt for my crew out of my voice.

Shaka's icon blinked. "We are five minutes to Quasi drop."

"I have distinct ISAH signatures isolated. Luitenant Schwartz is comparing them." Sobody reported.

"There are also three known pirates in the system," Mao said.

"None are on the top wanted list." Hans added."We are still number one by the way."

It did not take long after we had returned to standard space when we were hailed."This is Brahma Port, we got you on our scanners, Black Velvet. We are debating right now if we let you dock or if we rather have you find another port."

"I frankly don't care what you debate and squabble about between yourself. I am in pursuit of Nick Harlequin and the trail leads here. I intend to find out if he was here and when."

"Alright, you are the same arrogant, leather-clad bitch you have been before. You can dock against Mooring arm two."

"I am glad you remember certain aspects of my personality."

Mao said."Captain, there are two ships now on an intercept course."

I looked at Elfi.

She said. "I just muted him, he is still on."

I gave her a hand sign to open the communication connection. "Listen good, Bassett man. There are two vessels leaving your asteroid, perhaps your welcome committee. I will not be bullied, threatened or otherwise deterred from my personal business."

"These are associates and friends of Dentar Bloom. What they do is none of our business."

Elfi indicated a new incoming call.

"That's right Black Velvet. We are mates of Dentar Bloom and we are sure you remember Captain Nine. We are going to kill you now and collect the substantial reward."

"Captain who?"

"Don't play dumb with us, the Volting of the Mighty Nine of course. Now surrender and we let your crew live."

"Mao, I beleive they are in range for Loki torpedoes. Fire when ready."

Into the voice pick up I said. "With compliments of Duke Donheer."

--""--

The Old Bird was informed about the arrival of one of the most famous and vicious pirates, Captain Black Velvet. If rumors were correct, she was part of the Red Dragons group. While none of them had returned, unless you count Lia and Meateater who ended up without ships and aboard a prison transport, Black Velvet was back.

She could not explain why Cullag, the Notorious claimed to be a friend of Dentar Bloom. Roaster Alwish, the other one that was now leaving the asteroid to intercept and destroy the Silver Streak, might have met the flashy Thauran, that mysterious Black Velvet killed in the Motherload Tavern almost two years ago. Cullag commanded a very well armed Togar destroyer and Roaster had a similarly capable ship of Karthanian manufacture.

The Silver Streak was in trouble.

One of her screens was populated with the scanner data of the Asteroid's command center several levels below. The sudden appearance of four very fast smaller objects, that defied direct scanning because of purple ParaDim shields streaking at over 3000 stuc per second. Only one weapon she knew off was that fast, that perfectly shielded, Union Loki torpedoes.

Neither Cullag's Togar destroyer nor the Karthanian attack cruiser had a chance. Cullag tried to evade and use his point defense cannons.

The Lokis were so fast that only perhaps two percent of the defensive fire hit the projectiles, easily absorbed by the torpedoes shields. The next moment two brilliant white stars bloomed into existence where the pirate ships had been, utterly consumed by tremendous antimatter explosions.

Myra was certain there wasn't enough scrap left to fill a cup.

"Syrigh na Plaska!" She exclaimed."She has Lokis!"

The grandson of her grandson Elkir was a smart and loyal favorite of hers."Larkor, how did she get a hold of Lokis?"

"Rumor has it that she stole them from Duke Donheer, while Sin 4 was still Sin 4. And there is a chance that she might have Celtest weapons too. This was the declared goal of that quest after all, and she is back. The Red Dragon had some if I remember correctly."

Myra looked even older than she was, covered with wrinkles and cracked scale skin. Black eyes and a brittle tuff of white hair."A few of those Loki torpedoes could do an awful lot of damage to this Asteroid."

"She says she is after Nick Harlequin."

"What a coincidence Lia and that no good Meateater are liberated by that Killing clown. Hired by my no good, doomed grandson and paid with my money and she shows up just a few weeks after."

"I would imagine half the bounty hunters of the Union are after Lia. There is a substantial bounty on her head issued by their Assembly."

"How much?"

"One hundred million credits to anyone bringing the escapees back dead or alive and present evidence who orchestrated and bankrolled it."

"Syrigh na Plaska, three times Syrigh na Plaska in a hot cavern. Why has Kirku done this? If the Union Assembly gets evidence of our involvement it will be our end. Not the Togar, not the Shiss will interfere for us and the cursed Kermac might even help them."

"Grandmother, maybe Kirku is right and this is a frame job, framing not just him but us?"

A feeling of fear started to get stronger, as strong and mighty the Bassett's felt. Truth to be told they were a speck compared to the big players out there. The Freespace treaty was always their best shield, but with the Nul now on Union side, that treaty was now based on a very weak foundation.

"Who, Larkor who would frame us?"

"The Kermac right on top of the list. The Dai who want to take control of the secret backdoor. Cam Elf-Na is as wicked and sneaky as they come. The Shiss perhaps, not that I could think of a motive right now and a dozen other enemies of ours.

"But how did they get hold of our money, our secret codes?"

"I do not know, I am just speculating."

--""--