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​​​​​​​CHAPTER 15

We did dock at the same mooring arm we had used almost two years ago. Har-Hi standing next to me at the portside main airlock and tugged at his mask. He had decided to wear the Assassin mask that came with the armor suit."You know we were basically still kids when we came here the first time." His words expressed what I was thinking perfectly."We aren't kids anymore, but I think we are not exactly the experienced and seasoned officer kind either." Shea standing to my other side said. "Yet the Immortal admirals let us lose and trusted us back then. She wore the same white leather outfit she had worn the last time, a shoulder free bodice of white leather, matching over knee boots and a soft flowing,floor-sweeping hooded fur cape. Her hair tied in a ponytail and the same white half mask covering her lovely face almost to her eyes. Narth who was also there, looked like as he did hijacking the slave transport on Itheamh port. Instead of his shroud, he wore a tight suit of reflectionless black and a re-designed Non-Corp helmet . Narth did not only carry a Nul Froth caster but a Rapier in a belt rig. He had received training from De La Lupe and was quite good with it, after all, I still was surprised seeing him with weapons. As always he responded to my thoughts, but lately, he often did it loudly for Shea's and Har-Hi's benefit. "Shea carries a sword, Har-Hi carries two. You are hardly seen without a bladed weapon. So I decided to remember my academy training and arm myself with a rapier. A weapon I am, as you pointed out quite familiar with." Har-Hi nodded approvingly."The sword has always been with us, and you hardly see a spacer without some sort of blade, but have you not always maintained the opinion that your psionics are more than adequate as a weapon?" Narth pointed at me. "She is one of the most potent psi talents, and yet our Captain prefers hacking and slashing things. So I decided I give it a try." Har-Hi's laugh was somewhat muffled under his mask. "I think our Narth becomes more and more comfortable with the fine art of applied sarcasm. He describes you well." Shea's beautiful eyes got a little bigger as she looked at me."You do have Psionic talents after all?" "Yes, some, as it appears. I still don't like them one bit." A clanging sound interrupted our banter, the mooring clams had engaged with our hull. This was confirmed by Shaka."Your friendly Helmsman is happy to report, we have docked to mooring arm two of Brhama Port." I slapped my hand into my face and with this theatrical facepalm gesture I groaned."I hope there won't be any sort of inspection. We are way to relaxed around here." Har-Hi said."We officially have the best helmsman in the entire fleet, Captain. He just came back from his latest evaluation and he is the first reaching a rating of one thousand. That is unprecedented for a living being." "It's not just Shaka...I just want to be a little more fleet sometimes." I saw it in her eyes that she was grinning under her mask."Yet it is you who has the power to change that. I doubt you really want it any other way." TheOther, Hans and Xon had arrived behind us. Looking at that trio of giants, I grinned."If I would encounter you guys like that in a dark corridor, I would be terrified to death." The voice of Suit said."Unlikely, you are many things, Captain. Headstrong, impulsive, jumping right into the middle of things, but since I have the honor and privilege to know you, you never been afraid of anything." "Now I am getting lectured by my own wardrobe. Let's get going guys." TheOther had a hard time whispering, so I could hear him."Anyone or anything encountering her in a dark corridor, accidentally scaring her would be in deep trouble." The air look was cleared and opened to the mooring arm tunnel leading to the actual interior of the asteroid base. Ak Pure and six marines were on the outside in suits, making sure no one was attaching any surprised to our hull. Not that this would be easy with SHIP keeping an eye on everything, but I didn't want to take chances. Something very small could be easily missed. Thinking about that, I said."SHIP, are you certain nothing very small could be attached to you? I remember Kermac Psi Spores, and then we had electromagnetic wave riders and even Transdimensional ghosts." "While there are no guarantees against the unknown, Captain. We upgraded our external security procedures with all these things in mind. In addition to genuine Seenian shields, we have a new outer hull coating. It is near absolute frictionless and magnetic repellant." As I stepped into the mooring arm corridor I asked. "And that means?" "Nothing physical can be glued, stuck or attached in any way to my skin. Anything magnetic is repelled, including mag boots." "I like that." "It was my idea." Tyron said."Circuit commented on his slick skin and complained about it, and Shea... I mean Lt. Schwartz was then lecturing on eel skin and nanodiamond particles. I remembered an article in the library of the fifth. Circuit had Mothermachine help to come up with a manufacturing process. The result..." "I love to hear more about it, but I think there is our welcoming committee." There, at about fifty meters was Mooornt, the same Bassett family member who received us last time. This time however he was meeting us right at the mooring point, instead of receiving us in his office." He was not alone, there was his brother Kooornt, the one buying ships. Besides six armed guards, there also was a tall half Shiss, that could not hide his nervousness. The six guards were in a similar state of nervousness, despite their battle armor and Karthanian weapons, but then this was a corridor, and my companions created an imposing, fear-inducing presence. I greeted the group of men. "Is business so bad, that you have to collect the mooring fee right here?" I snapped my gloved fingers. Hans who was carrying a heavy-looking steel box like it was made of foam plastic stepped up. Mooornt licked his lips in a very lizard-like fashion and said."Welcome to Brhama Port, Captain Black Velvet. We did not come to collect the mooring fee, as a matter of fact, we gladly wave it and offer you free fuel should you need it." "If you are here to buy those pirate ships that left this very asteroid to intercept us, there isn't enough left for the most desperate scavenger, sorry Mr. Kooornt." There was no doubt, Mooornt understood my thinly veiled accusation. "Those were independent freelancers, not associated to us. To be frank we wondered ourselves, why they acted so quickly." "So, if it isn't landing fees or spaceships, what brings you here? Wouldn't an office of yours be more accommodating?" "I am here to introduce you to my superior, Elkir Bassett." "That is an unusual place for such an introduction, I must say." Har-Hi pointed down the corridor at an approaching floater."I think that is the reason." The simple floater platform held eight individuals. Six armed guards, just like the ones in front of us and two official-looking men. The Bassett, just introduced to me as Elkir, hissed something incomprehensible as he turned to see what Har-Hi was pointing at. To me he said. "That is Kirku, my older brother. He is the father of Lia Bassett, and there is much money missing. Just so you know." I said."O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!" Narth could not let the opportunity go."Our captain is quoting an old Terran author." And Tyron was speaking silently directly in my ear."The approaching Bassett has cybernetic enhancements, of Wuthof origin." The one identified as Kirku yelled as he came closer."Don't listen to this lying bastard!" "Listen good, Bassett boys. I came here to get answers, whatever differences you have between yourself is your business. I find it highly suspicious and quite strange for either one of you to try to intercept me and gain my support. Now since we are all here, where is Lia Bassett?" Elkir pointed at his brother."She is his daughter, he ought to know!" Kirku's hand fell on the butt of a big blaster weapon he wore in a holster on his belt. The guards of both brothers were obviously uncertain about what to do. He didn't draw it just yet."And you are the one trying to frame me. We know why you came Pirate Bitch, to get the bounty those cursed Unions put on my daughter's head." Har-Hi sighed."He sure has a way with words. You playing with the proverbial fire, Mr. Cyberarm." Kirku's hands reached for his own head as he groaned in sudden pain. Narth's voice did sound distorted, and inhuman. "He did not pay for Lia's liberation, but he knows she has been freed and provided her with a new ship and resources. His Kermac Psi shield unfortunately burned out while I tried to deactivate it." "No one is perfect, my friend," I said with an amused tone in my voice. Elkir now did draw a blaster of his own."So she was here!"

--""--

Egill no longer was just the representative of a small and unimportant water world and new to all this Assembly business. He, the Narth representative and Alegar were known as the three wise men of the Assembly. Often quoted, approached and almost always asked for advice and opinion. The former hermit of Nilfeheim could not recall seeing the Assembly as livid. Not even when the Red Dragon and the Sinister Alliance attacked Outpost 96. He leaned a little sideways while he listened to the representative of the Nerogello addressing the Assembly regarding the extension of Space Train services into the 2nd region of the Andromeda galaxy. Alegar had become quite accustomed to the body language of the old Neo Viking, that had become his best friend."You are not really listening to the Nerogello, don't you?" "This is what Assembly business should be all about, speaking and discussing the needs and wants of Union communities. While this is technically a commercial issue and Space Train is a private enterprise, I am sure we have plenty of financial surpluses to perhaps subsidize a few stations and a line that connects the main Nerogello system with the main line." The Nerogello representative, almost eight foot tall pointed with both his hands towards the Nilfeheim alcove."Our King is very pleased with the idea suggested by representative Skallagrímsson." He repeated loud what Egill just said. The old Viking flashed angrily at the completely shrouded Narth."Don't try to look so innocent. I know it was you. Probably sent the guy a telepathic message." "One has not attempted to change ones looks to convey such a vague and difficult emotional concept. One has however used the speech to text feature of this alcove interface and sent your recommendation to the Nerogello representative. Even after sharing much of this time stream with you, one finds your linear thought process and grasp of Union affairs quite fascinating." "And you developed quite a sense of humor, you know exactly what I was talking about. You can't even hide your smugness under that hood of yours." "One is amazed indeed." "I hoped we could slowly ease out of that Wise men business. I am not all too comfortable with this role they shoehorned us in." Alegar looked closely at the Narth."You know, Narth. He is right, I too can see you are quite pleased with yourself. After being around with you for almost four years now, that hood isn't as effective as a mask as it once was." To Egill he said. "They voted us into an official position, also quite a while ago. I hate to tell you, but we became quite an institution." "And that is exactly why I am still against it, the Assembly doesn't need institutions." "Maybe it does, it is a government form that is still developing after all." The Assembly listened to the Finance and budget council and placed a GalNet call to the Space Train corporation. The companies CEO himself answered the call and immediately agreed to extend services to the 2nd Andromeda region, and promised to present the Assembly with a few route proposals and cost estimates. Egill still was deep in thought and it was not about the Space Train business, so Alegar who had just returned from a trip to Saresii Prime. "It is the prisoner liberation affair that is on your mind, is it not?" "Not so much the event, but the reaction to it. It seems almost out of proportion." "I heard the news on Saresii Prime. It has been quite a caper, well planned and deep in Union space. It also involves Pirates, a subject that remains a sore issue with the Assembly. Despite the quite successful cleaning efforts of a certain granddaughter of yours." "It is still a minuscule affair and should not have consumed so much Assembly time. Besides everyone talks about the pirates, no one mentions the former fleet officers, agents of the Worm who also escaped the hangman's rope." "You don't think this affair was an insult against the Union itself and thus created this reaction?" Now both the Narth and the Saresii representative paid full attention to the old man."We are too big, too successful to be insulted. What does the Tyranno care, if a Silver flicker calls it names?" Alegar had to agree, his old friend was onto something. "The representative of Dreary planet is one of the loudest voices." "A planet with no real resources, vast deserts, and very little water if any. Yet with a population of over a million..." The Narth consulted GalNet."The Bureau of Colonist Affairs opened the planet for colonization over 500 years ago. While it is classified as a marginal garden world with a very thin atmosphere, it is indeed without valuable resources. The system is in a very thinly populated region and far from any regular space bus lines." Egill nodded."Yet he and sixty-four representatives of similar planets all over Union space have spent much time talking about the insult." "One does not see a connection. Sixty-four representatives from as far as the Large Magellan Cloud and Andromeda. It involves emotions and they are still quite difficult to equate, but perhaps they are affected by personal tragedies involving pirates?" Egill shook his head slowly and held out his old PDD. "Emotions have nothing to do with it, but profit!" Alegar could not follow his friend's argument. "What has profit to do with this?" The idea of commercial operated prisons, prisoner transports, and penitentiary colonies. For the last three hundred years, there are attempts to outsource this part of the Justice Department. It never gained much traction, because the Justice Department was doing a flawless job and because many people including me are strongly opposed to privatizing any part of the Justice system. Once you privatize it, it becomes a business and justice can be bought." Alegar closed his mouth without saying what he originally wanted to say. His face clearly reflected a sudden understanding. "But sixty-four planets, completely unrelated?" "Sixty-four planets, without mentionable resources, far from standard traffic lines. With very hostile environments and all with surprisingly enough population to be able to send a rep to the Assembly." "Profit." The Narth said slowly."A concept as alien as emotions." Egill dialed himself a cup with Vodka and Cola."To raw and too primitive a concept for the aloft Saresii, yet the very motor that keeps those mega-corporations getting bigger. And there is profit that goes far beyond credits." Alegar, who considered himself a highly educated individual asked baffled. "There is?" "Gaining control over one of our most trusted institutions equals power. If you are an immortal for example with the ultimate goal of being the ruler of all, you have time to slowly move your chess pieces into the right positions and once you have done so, no one really notices the white King fall and being replaced by the black king." "Your answer is so full of symbolism, that I can't help but equate that Black King with Rex Schwartz." Alegar shrugged."There is no open or hidden connection I could find and this is why I chose to answer the way I did. If I would be a betting man, I foresee another similar incident within a few months. And perhaps someone will then come forward and suggest privatization." "You are a betting man." The Narth pointed out.

--""--

More armed guards came running, it became quite crowded in that mooring arm corridor. These men acted differently however and their leader, more Shiss than even Koornt held a genuine TKU."There will be no shooting and squabble of Bassetts in front of strangers. Myra will see you both, now!" Elkir and Kirku now clearly showed fear and followed that white skinned half lizard. "How about that?" I said. "If that wasn't the weirdest welcome we ever received so far." Har-Hi put his right hand on the handle of one of his swords."Kooornt is still here. I have a feeling he knows what kind of spaceship Lia got." "That's right." I said."You are the spaceship dealer around here. I am sure you have one of these Kermac thingies in your brain. Unless you want to feel how such a thing overheats and melts you better tell me right now!" Mooornt actually faced his brother."I can't believe you sided with Kirku. He is of the side that has little Shiss. Now answer her." The Bassett ship dealer, still had enough human in him to make him sweat, despite the cold ambient temperature of the mooring arm. "It was a legitime sale to the second in charge. What, I am to say no to Kirku when he wanted to buy the Togar Womptar Battle Cruiser." "Are you insane? That ship was not for sale to anyone. It has been..." He stopped in mid-sentence and then looked guilty in our direction."He gave Lia a Togar cruiser." "I am done playing games. Let's see if I can perform some brain surgery and dig that Kermac thing out of your skull, using a knife." He yelled. "This is our base, you can not do this. We are in charge." But just as he voiced his outrage, he yelped in pain. Narth said."This is just a taste. She is much cruder than me. "The Togar ship was upgraded with Union tech and is now crewed with pirates and former Union officers. They left only three days ago. I don't know where they went." Narth nodded."He doesn't know, but they left along with a genuine Union fleet unit, a Merrimac class." Hans said."Harlequin's Jokers are known to own six of them." "Narth can you sense this Kirku character?" "Yes, he is about to speak to a person named Myra." "Hans, take a team and one of our Doom Eggs and find environmental of this place. Shot and kill anyone trying to stop you. Burn or breach whatever blocks your way. Robot and Destroyer suits authorized." "Aye Captain." "Tyron connect me to SHIP." "You are on, Ma'am." "SHIP you have the Conn. Take off from the mooring arm, Mao target anything that moves. Har-Hi and Xon take our fighters out. Shoot anything that tries to escape or flee this asteroid. Shea take command of the Apparition and engage any artificial contact in this system that is anywhere on any Union list, tries to make a quasi-space run or shows the slightest aggressive behavior. You may also engage anything that comes in. I am done pussyfooting around. " Har-Hi saluted, turned on his heel."I think I love this No-nonsense approach." "Narth, take me there, please."

--""--

The large asteroid had almost two hundred thousand inhabitants, the word that a group of unstoppable warriors led by terrifying giants, one of them a Y'All spread like wildfire. Alarms sounded everywhere, Bassett family members scrambled to their fighters and defense positions. The pirates issued this statement, delivered by a white masked blonde."Deactivate all weapons and shields. remain inactive until told otherwise. Anyone trying to escape until we completed our business will be engaged and destroyed." Not many fighters even made it into space, they were destroyed just as they emerged. The rusty Silver Streak suddenly engulfed in purple shimmering shields fired on anything that moved. Two fighters that did not even register on scanners, swept whatever did manage to escape. No, the Tigershark wasn't a battleship. She was a beast of war and now she and her crew unleashed by her captain thaught the freelancers and outlaws a new brand of fear. I knew my ship and crew were much more formidable than even the Immortal Admirals envisioned, mostly because we spend much of our time disguised and unable to cut loose. Now she was even more powerful. I got the first glimpse when a small handful of my crew defeated an entire regiment of Dai warriors. Narth had teleported me into a large office like room. There were the two brothers Kirku and Elkir, the no-nonsense more Shiss than human guard and a four of his TKU armed men. And behind a desk and in front of a large oval viewport, showing a nice bright explosion, sat perhaps the ugliest woman I had ever seen. She had a skin that looked just like the rotten Fangsnapper leather I had cleared out of Egill's burg. She got up as I appeared. "Guards eliminate that intruder!" I had to admit, that had Shiss was quite fast and a TKU blast fizzled to nothing, a few millimeters before my belly, it was quite a strange experience. But I didn't dwell on it and I had no chance to further evaluate the guard's skills, my TKU blast was much more effective and vaporized the Half Shiss and a good portion of the furniture and interior decor behind him. The weapons of the others jumped as if pulled by invisible strings to the ceiling. I pointed my weapon at the old woman."Tired of living, Bag of wrinkles? I am in a very bad mood already." She opened and closed her mouth."What kind of pirate are you?" "The worst kind. A team of mine is taking a nasty device to the environmental center of this rock, if I am not satisfied with your responses, this rock will turn into a mini sun." "The bounty, you after the Mercenary and the pirates that escaped." "This is just icing on the cake. I want those who pulled the strings. I want this Loki cursed rock shut down. I think you Bassett's pulled the Tiger's tale for too long, hiding behind treaties and the Togar military. Now I came here to investigate, but what do I find? This Kirku character helping his daughter, after all, giving her a ship and then there are your guards with Union Mil-Tech weapons." "You aren't a pirate. You are Union!" Kirku gasped. "Surprise, surprise. By the decision of our Assembly I hereby accept your declaration of war against the Union, by orchestrating an attack on a Union spaceship in Union space. Let's see if the Togar are indeed brave enough to step up and defend you."

--""--

The man in the colorful high tech DeNoir battle suit wore his trademark clown makeup and a foolscap. His right hand clamped around a genuine Union Marine chainsword while his left held a powerful, and highly illegal TKU 12. Many called him insane and truth to be told, he himself was not so sure if he was completely sane, but he was also quite intelligent and the leader of the most successful independent Mercenary outfit there was. He was Nick Harlequin and the owner of Harlequin's Jokers Inc. His gaze swept over the field of ruins and the many dead."I think this will do nicely." He motioned Ronald, his right-hand man to come closer. The man in his yellow and red battle suit, wearing a bright red curly wig stomped on the head of a Nurms, killing the being with utter discontent and joined his leader who stood on top of a mound of rubble."Yes, Nick?" "Contact our customer and report that we cleansed the indigenous population of this dirtball and they can come in and take over." "I do that, right away." While Ronald left to use the GalNet terminal aboard the Killer-Clown, the flagship of the outfit. A genuine Merrimac destroyer with all weapons, but the translocators. It even had real Para Dim Battle shields, another one of his lieutenants stomped up."Nick, you better come too. There are some disturbing news coming over GalNet." "What is it?" "I think you better see yourself." Despite his usual arrogant confidence and his conviction that he was above the law, he could not dismiss the feeling of worry that got a hold of him, as he boarded his flagship. Without taking off his battle suit he stomped into his quarters and snarled. "System, GalNet access." The GalNet console rose from its hidden compartment. Nick turned to the Botnaar who had asked him to check the news."What channel and what news exactly?" "Try Channel 3 and give the keyword Harlequin's Jokers." He did, the system connected to Channel three, the most watched channel of GalNet. Channel One was broadcasting live and around the clock Assembly sessions without any comments. Channel Two was Union government official for news and announcements. Channel three was a commercial and private news channel with moderation, discussions, reports and the like. His keyword jumped to a recorded news segment, that had been broadcasted only an hour ago. The well known Shiss anchor appeared."Most recent investigation updates on the brazen attack on a prisoner transfer ship of the Justice  Department have revealed, that the external agent assisting the prisoners to escape traveled in a Merrimac destroyer." The anchor switched to a visual recording."This footage was recovered from a Takkian crewmember who survived the kill gas attack on the bridge crew." The footage showed men in colorful DeNoir battle suits breaching the bridge and killing the Takkian. Nick, of course, recognized the suit, it was Chucky Harlequin his younger brother and second in command of the entire outfit. The footage changed to an external camera and showed the Merrimac destroyer connected to the transport via a flex tunnel. Nick's throat went dry."This can't be real! Chucky would never do such a thing!" The Botnaar had no problem voicing his opinion."He'd sell you to the hangman for the right price. Chucky is loyal to money only and you know it." They both listened to the Shiss."We are certain Union Police is looking into all sales of Merrimac surplus ships." Nick had not paid attention to the news lately, but now he updated himself on the affair. His secretary sitting in his Pluribus office called just then and told him that the Police was there on a search warrant and wanted to know the whereabouts of all his Merrimac cruisers. System call Chucky, right away." "Sorry, no connection possible. The Laughing Matter is beyond GalNet range or has its GalNet equipment turned off." "Do we return and face the music?" The Botnaar asked. Nick was nearly out of his mind."No, we can't. Chances are they have the PSI corps turned loose. We need to find a safe haven, to lay low and figure out what actually happened." "How about Brhama Port?" The Botnaar suggested. "We got good relations with the Bassetts." "Yes good thinking, that's where Chucky went for sure. I kill him!" Then Nick said."Sent message to all Jokers, we meet at Brhama Port."

--""--

Myra Bassett pointed her gnarled hand at me."Do you think you are in charge now? Do you know why we Bassett's have kept this system for so long? Why the Togar abandoned this asteroid so long ago? She cackled a burst of almost hysterical laughter. It is protected by old ghosts and I know how to summon them. Her words affected a wall panel that shimmered and dissolved into thin air and what appeared must have been some sort of battle robot. It was more organic shaped than any war machine I knew and had a beak shaped head or something like that extruding from its chest rather than a neck. Its limbs were segmented like the extremities of an insect. The whole thing did, however, appear to be made of some sort of metal. It's left arm ended in a blaster weapon and it was aimed at me. Tyron said."I have insufficient data, but SHIP and I think it is of Orlan origin. A Tech Level 11 society predating the Seeinans by maybe a billion years. The Seenians believe it is they who built the Trans spatial Nexus network." "Techlevel 11 eh?" "Yes, I recommend we go into full battle mode." The Old woman said."This is my guardian, Velvet." To the thing she said."Remove her and destroy her ship."

--""--