Erica Olafson, Voyages of the Tigershark 21

Chapter 21: Subtle approach

I was sitting on the main diagnostic table of our sickbay. Cateria had taken me out of a regen tank just moments ago and was now examining me.

“What did you do, Captain? Fight a blast furnace” I could not find the emotions to smile, Tyron’s demise was heavy on my mind.

“What I faced was certainly hot enough to melt metal.

“Har-Hi was standing outside the privacy bubble and said.

“Whatever you guys did, worked the run-away Orlan equipment is inactive and we can no longer detect any random transplacement activity.

“Shea who had no need for a privacy field stood right next to Cateria.

“Narth and I were able to crack into that central unit. As we expected, it was a combination of Krabbel diverting the main core energy into some kind of sending unit and the incorrect and garbled chants of the Farnok priests that made this command center react the way it did. Other factors include the great age and the partially deteriorated system control levels.”

Narth shimmered into existence right next to her.

“I will compose a detailed report, but it was the actions of Luitenant 3452-991 isolating the energy tap and shutting it down, that made the system inert and thus ended the trans-spatial activity.’

“Can you explain, why I fought or almost fought myself and then was face to face with an Anti-universe goon of considerable size, torching hear and the desire to kill me?” “I can only speculate, Captain. Maybe it was your emotions or similar factors that triggered these meetings.”

Silently and directly to my mind, he said.

“You are no longer just human. You are developing into an entity that is beyond Narth, but Narth knows there are many that fear your rise and there are those who want to prevent it.”

I responded in the same silent way.

“You know more about this, don’t you?” “I can now sense two personalities that starting to separate. You are the Dark One and you are Erica. Not I not all Narth knows you, only a few aspects about you.

“Cateria put down her handheld med scanner and wiped the info bubbles out of existence.

“Medically you are as fine as ever.

““Where are we with the Farnok evacuation. It is no longer needed, right?” While I stepped into the auto-dresser, Har-Hi said.

“We rendezvoused with the Apparition to get our toasted captain to sickbay. We have suspended taking children aboard and are now reversing the procedure, as we have taken on three hundred of them already.

““How long?” “They are kids and despite their Non-human nature, they are scared, not very organized or disciplined. We are doing it as fast as we can, Captain.

“He looked up to the ceiling.

“SHIP how long do you think?” “About two hours, Captain.

“With a careful motion, I took the container with the rest of Suit.

“After we have done this, I want to commemorate Tyron Suit, our first casualty. The suit has become a friend to me and many.

““He has indeed.

“Har-Hi agreed.

“Cateria is not a suit or Seenian tech expert, but she thinks Tyron can be restored.

““I care not about the suit, but its personality. Is there a chance it has survived?” Cateria said.

“It is not a patient I can help, but the core still has energy. Maybe it can self-repair, if not, we should take Tyron to the depot. The last servant has the technology and the knowledge to answer your question.

““Then there is hope and we will go there. Tyron saved my life.”

The Shetland had settled on the landing field of Kelly’s planet, just outside of New Limerick. This was a planet deep in Union space, just a few regions removed from Pluribus and technically under the protection of Nineteenth fleet. But like many of the ‘old core fleets’, the nineteenth was stripped of many dreadnoughts and battleships and have been replaced by Frigates, cruisers and the like. Their daily missions involved trade lane patrol, assisting Union police, parade, recruitment and training. It was McElligott himself who made these changes, as he did not expect an enemy penetrating that deep without clashing with the more battle ready fleets. He also handed the command positions to admirals that were excellent administrators, often had great contacts with the justice department and even legal expertise. The admiral of the 19th, for example, was an excellent golf player, had a brilliant legal mind often used to draft the more complicated fleet rules and regulations. He certainly was capable enough to fight an unknown aggressor, but the admiral and commandant of the nineteenth had been taking an extended vacation on Para-Para. While he was notified right away regarding the situation, he made a few awkward command decisions that delayed rapid deployment. The Admiral of the fleet, debarked and was met by that admiral. There was a tight cordon of marines and robots around the high ranking officers and their entourage. Beyond them, the evidence of the recent attack was very evident. There were craters in the landing field, the wreckage of a Union Postal service ship and many spaceport service buildings damaged. Admiral Herbert Gaylord, the commandant of the 19th wore a condor suit. While this would have been perfectly normal for a Wolfcraft pilot, McElligott knew that this man had no fighter craft experience or clearance at all. The old admiral always thought very highly of this man who was born on New Connecticut, planet and came from a very old and influential family of that similar old and well-developed world that had been colonized by United Earth, even before Union times. Gaylord’s suit displayed urban camouflage patterns, the fabric image frozen and not active adapting. He also had decided to wear two TKU Eight in leg strap holsters. Over it all, he wore an officer’s jacket with the logo of the 19th and a duckbill cap, complete with scrambled eggs across the shield and the stylized silhouette of the USS Albany, an Arthur class Battleship and the flagship of the 19th. He swiped his right index finger across his thin pencil beard and gave McElligott a very sloppy salute.

“Welcome to Kelly’s Planet, Sir. My experts have the situation well in hand. We are assessing the damage right now.

““And?” “The damage is well within reason, Sir. We think two or three billion credits will have it all fixed. There are just 21,000 fatalities, so far, there might be a few more here and there. If we take the numbers of the local civilians, there might be 1500 missing, taken for slaves by the unknowns perhaps.

“He made a nonchalant gesture.

“You know how it is with civilians, they are so unprecise.

“A bulky man with a torn, bloodstained shirt tried unsuccessfully to shoulder himself past the marines. He yelled.

“I am the planet manager. If you jack-boots don’t let me through, I will add this to my complaint I will carry before the Assembly!” Gaylord rolled his eyes annoyed.

“That simpleton is getting to me. Marines remove that man from sight. We are professionals and have it all under control.

“McElligott knew about the showboating character of Gaylord for years, but he always thought of it as an acceptable quirk. He was such a brilliant administrator and excellent golfer, he helped him win several times against his arch nemesis General McKenzie of the Union Army. However seeing it unchanged in the face of real tragedy and losses, it was more than disturbing. Why the marines suddenly stepped aside was anyone’s guess, but the marines let the planet manager through. Gaylord protested mildly and with a superior grin.

“I warned you, Sir. He is abrasive, to say the least.

“The man had stormed close.

“Oh, I am going to be so much more!” He eyed McElligott.

“Kilt and sporran. You are McElligott, are you not?” “Yes, I am Admiral McElligott. I came personally to assess the situation and make sure this will not happen again.

““Where are the ones that have been abducted? And in sweet Mary’s name can anyone tell us who it was that attacked us?” McElligott tried to put some of his immortal gravity into his voice.

“Good man, we are still investigating and once we know more...

““You and that arrogant prick can go back from where you came from. You should be out there and hunt whoever did that and bring our people back.

““I understand your anger and frustration, we are doing what we can.

““Yes, I can see that coming in battleships, after the attack, there are almost 22,000 dead.

“Gaylord sighed.

“And here we go, unprecise civilian exaggerations. There are just 21,000 fatalities, we could have had much more.

“McElligott frowned.

“I feel your loss, the attack occurred from unknowns that utilized a suddenly active and previously unknown spatial gateway of sorts. This planet has over 12 million inhabitants, while this is a terrible loss, it is a small percentage. Admiral Gaylord may have phrased it without enough empathy.

“The planet manager held up his PDD and the projection of a face hovered over it. Very short high and tight haircut, a distinct scar under his left eye. Some considered the man displayed a myth, others considered him a propaganda construct, but most Union citizens knew this face and the man it belonged to, they called him Eternal Warrior. McElligott now knew why the marines made way and he silently groaned.

“That show boater had to stick his nose into everything. Why could he not fight the unknowns and let me do the rest?” Gaylord stood close enough to hear some of the old admiral’s words.

“He isn’t real anyway, isn’t he some sort of avatar you constructed?” “I am afraid he is very real.

“Stahl thundered.

“It is not a percentage, not a clinical number. Each and every single one had a face and loved ones. Even one single person lost to hostile action would be a terrible tragedy. Your callousness and absolutely despicable way dealing with this will have consequences.

“Stahl then turned to the planet manager.

“Mr. Berry, this attack was conducted by a species called the Nocenzi and they came from the M-110 Dwarf Galaxy. Captain Hendricks, of the USS Caledonia, is on his way bringing you back almost all we could rescue and liberate from the Nocenzi. I can’t be there personally, I am about to pass through that gate and teach them a thing or two about Union retaliation towards unprovoked attacks.

“The Planet Manager raised his fist and his eyes glowed.

“That is what needs to be done! Rescuing abductees and retaliate. Not prancing around in costumes and thinking we are consoled by the display of arrogance and incompetence.

“The planet manager ripped off the rest of the tattered sleeve.

“I helped to dig out victims, what have you done?” Gaylord said.

“We are command officers, we don’t dig in the rubble. We must assess and direct.

“The man identified by Stahl as Mr. Berry said.

“I am Master Sergeant Finbarr Berry former Marine. I commanded a Thor Gunboat. I am not a civilian, but I wore that uniform to serve each and every civilian. Because that is what the Union Military is here for. You never have seen the inside of a Wolfcraft, I can tell.

“Then he pointed at McElligott.

“And you need to retire, we don’t need you.

“That angry spat hit Elligott harder than a fist, and he had no response. Gaylord didn’t see it coming.

“You are out of order, a former marine. This is the Admiral of the Fleet and I am...

“Finbarr Berry, the planet manager relieved his frustration in a very traditional Irish fashion and hammered his sizeable fist into Gaylord’s face, the blow resulted in a cracking sound and a gush of crimson blood as Gaylord stumbled back. Finbarr shook the same fist at McElligott.

“Only the little respect I have for you saved you from the same treatment, Sir. Now if you excuse me, I see the USS Caledonia making planetfall. After that, I will travel to Pluribus.”

“Seems to be a lively place,” Har-Hi said as we approached the large asteroid that drifted without a sun in deep space. I lowered my seat back onto bridge level. Our sensors had picked up hundreds of energy signatures and contacts of all sizes. Mao said without turning.

“Captain, two signals are on a direct intercept.

“I sighed and reversed the direction of my seat and back into Battle-View. Since we were still at General Quarters I had Har-Hi announce Battle Stations. The Tactical analysis was already blinking and I acknowledged. Narth had summarized tactical and science and said.

“Both ships are of unknown configuration. All indications point to Tech level seven. Both are armed and well shielded. I could see the two ships, the tactical view clearly showed their changed course and indication plots confirmed their intercept intentions. They both were of considerable size. One was a six hundred meters unit and the other was almost seven hundred meters from bow to aft. They were under full shields and according to our energy distribution scan, their weapons active.

“Elfi, hail them, please. All channels, maximum transmission energy.

““You are on, Captain.

““This is Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. I might be new around these parts, but two ships on an intercept course with active shields and weapons are generally not part of the normal welcome procedures. So I give you the benefit of a doubt and ask before shooting starts.

““We know who you are, Velvet of the big star spiral. We know your rusty clipper is full of treasure. Now before shooting starts, we outnumber you and we have big guns. Let us board and give us a generous helping of your treasures and we consider the matter settled.

““Mao, target the left one, TL Kilo load where the transmission originated.

“The six hundred meter unit was indeed well shielded, but that didn’t prevent the equivalent of one kiloton of high explosives in the form of a matter-antimatter reaction obliterating that ships command center and ripped the rest to glowing shreds.

“Now you will tell me where Lia and the rest of her crew is, she had to be the one talking about me. Then you will beg for mercy and I might consider this matter settled.

““They try to run,” Mao reported. I could see the same as the remaining ship was reversing course. I opened the comm link and said.

“I didn’t give you permission to leave.

“To my tactical officer, I said.

“Target their drive and if you damage their engineering that’s fine too.

“After this ships aft had been shredded by Mao’s precision shots, we were hailed.

“Have mercy, please have mercy.

““And...

““The female from the big star spiral is with Plostrak and they should still be on Quarva.

““And you are objecting of us being here? Did whoever runs that rock sends you?” “No, we wanted to please Plostrak and get your treasure. Can we please go now?” “I can’t see how, without a drive section.

“A new voice said.

“We are Quarva and we have no objection of you being here, whatever business you have with Plostrak or his associates is none of ours.

““Odin’s beard, the first contact in this star cluster that says something I like.

“The voice actually sounded amused.

“Scrap and space ships can be sold here, Captain Velvet.

“To the contact on the damaged ship, I said.

“You heard Quarva. I am towing that junk in and sell it, anyone aboard I find alive, I feed to my monsters.

“After the connection was terminated. Narth asked.

“We have monsters?” “Yeah, one with a black hood for one,” I said with a smile.

“I do not eat beings and if we apply the Union dictionary accepted definition of monster, you will eventually be the biggest and most frightening monster.

“Har-Hi also grinned.

“He said it, not me.

““Focus ladies and gentlemen, we have a job to do. Prepare to tow that piece of scrap we just acquired and prepare for landing or docking. Stand down from Battle stations, but maintain condition yellow. We are surrounded by bad people and whoever this Plostrak is, seems to listen to Lia’s propaganda. I wonder how she knows we are here.

“Fifcheer said.

“This is no real mystery, Captain. We weren’t exactly hiding our names or origin while we were at Central Control planet of the Farnok. We furthermore made no secret about our intentions, I am certain there were plenty of ears and eyes with access to some sort of messaging system.

““Seems this Flickerfish jumped the net, and the subtle approach is out.

“Shea said.

“I think the whole subtle approach doctrine was never your strength, Captain.

““What a fine crew I have.

“SHIP interrupted our banter, while my bridge crew was preparing to tow an alien ship towards a humongous asteroid, the size of a small moon.

“Captain, I am sorry but I have fantastic news!” “You even sound excited, what is it SHIP?” “I was successful in reactivating Tyron’s core. It is the same Tyron and not just a Seenian Battlesuit. With Circuit’s help, we are replicating repair nanites. Tyron will soon be able to communicate and serve you again.

“A flood of warm emotions reached my throat and I noticed there weren’t many dry eyes on the bridge.

“SHIP, that is wonderful news. As a Captain, I should scold you for working on Tyron. If he would not have been the same, he would have posed a serious threat to the safety of this ship, but how can I? Tyron was and thankfully still is a dear friend and he is yours too.

“SHIP said.

“I understand and I should have informed you, but Circuit and I isolated the core center and it had no nanite resources to restore itself. There was no danger.

““Keep me posted on his status, please.”

Plostrak did not go to the Crucible himself, he had sent one of his most trusted men. He wanted the Crucible and more so He-who-guards-the-Crucible to keep word and produce more Pepiro. He didn’t trust that old AI and was secretly afraid of it. Being too close to it, who knew what resources that thing had to make him do its bidding? Being at a good distance with quite a few bargaining chips in his control, he felt safe. The Pepiro pirate with the Mora-6 cyber enhancements had his own spread inside the huge pirate base, that was known far and wide as Quarva. This huge asteroid had drifted for eons in deep space, ejected from its star system by some cosmic event and discovered most likely by accident by the Anadda. He and nobody he knew much about the Anadda, other than they eradicated themselves somehow many hundred thousand long periods ago. A succession of societies and civilizations occupied and utilized this huge rock ever since. It had seen periods of abandonment, battles have been fought over it and it had been conquered, lost, bought and sold. Quarva had a long and eventful history, just no one really bothered to record it properly. Almost all of it was simply told from mouth to mouth, and Plostrak was sure much was completely fabricated or so twisted that it had nothing to do with what actually occurred. Some of the persistent legends claimed that the Anadda came from the big star spiral and had been the survivors of a tremendous empire that had suddenly collapsed because its ruler decided to disappear or something like that. Why the Anadda fled or came this way was unknown, and each of the many speculations to the reason was as good as the other. It was the same persistent legend that had a fair ring of plausibility stated that it was the Anadda who constructed the Crucible and gave it an artificial consciousness. The Crucible was to create the most capable and fierce warrior lifeform for the purpose of finding and destroying someone or something called the Dark One. The fantastic and most likely fairy tale part of the legend claimed that this Dark One was actually some sort of god that had been slain and cut in twelve parts. The parts were strewn and scattered across the big star spiral because a prophecy foretold the resurrection of that God once all twelve pieces were reunited by one person. To find and destroy these parts or to prevent the birth of that person able to reunite these parts was the purpose of the Crucible. Plostrak was very interested in that history as he and more so his kind was directly linked to it. The Anadda had met the Mora, a local civilization that was technologically advanced or perhaps gifted engineers. Why or how the Anadda convinced the Mora to built the ships needed to sent the warriors made by the Crucible to be sent to do what they were made for, was another part of the legend that had no real explanation. Plostrak sat in his elaborately decorated master salon that was part of his Quarva palace and reclined in a wide upholstered hollow egg-shaped rest divan. His left hand had been replaced with a Mora-6 cybernetics alternative. He no longer missed his real hand and used the many flexible metal tentacles with the same unconscious ease. Three of the finger thick tentacles had sneaked around a Kratna, the traditional drink container of the Wraw filled with Niff, his favorite liquor. Pepiro had no traditions and no culture, the Pepiro were the result of genetic manipulations of He-who-guards-the-crucible. According to that arrogant machine, an inferior and worthless product with no redeeming qualities. If Plostrak’s research was correct, a batch of five hundred Pepiro was made, evaluated and labeled a failed product. He-who-guards-the-crucible destroyed 400 Pepiro, but Plostrak managed to escape with 99 others. Homeless, bred to fight and kill, Plostrak and the rest became pirates. Hunted and eventually captured by a coalition formed of several space-faring societies and led by the Farnok he was captured and sentenced to a lifetime exile on a marginal garden world. Of the original ninety-nine, only sixty survived the hunt and released onto Tosera, planet. Blustrik, his best friend was attacked and killed by something big and scaled the very first hour of their harsh exile. Plostrak raised the bowl-shaped Kratna as his memories drifted to that day twenty-eight long periods ago.

“I will conquer this galaxy in your name, Blustrik and kill each and every Farnok. Fate or whatever has dropped the tools to do just that into my grasp.

“It was then twenty-eight long periods ago when he in search for shelter, found the cave and the access to Mora-6 technology. Tosera was not a planet without hope, but an abandoned colony of the Mora civilization the sixth incarnation to be exact. It was here he met the Remote and with its unlimited access to technology that was beyond that of the Farnok. He needed people now, with the Mora tech and a race of his own, this galaxy was his for the taking! The bitter Pepiro got up, crossed the big room and took an elevator down, to join the rest of his crew and the newcomers from the large star spiral. Their supposed leader, a female of sorts and with the name Lia was not all that useful but she had brought others along from her star isle, that were utterly professional. These men of different species claimed to come from a society called the Union. These beings had a collective arrogance and unshakeable confidence in their skills and training. It was not just imagined bravado, but quite real. He found twenty of his men and most of the homeless refugees that had arrived in this galaxy only recently gathered around the two beings claiming to be former fleet officers of that Union. The one calling himself Julkus was telling them about his former home. Plostrak crossed his arms and silently joined to listen.

“It is called the USS Devastator.

“Julkus just said.

“It is a battleship of alien origin. It is the product of a very advanced space-faring species.

“One of the Pepiro made a dismissive gesture.

“So all your Union has is a single ship of alien origin?” The Spindlar, also claiming to have been a former Union officer turned his head almost all the way to the back so he could face the man.

“It makes no difference what you think. The Union fleet is the most powerful entity in the M-0 galaxy, you shit in your space suit seeing just one Union Battleship.

“A bulky humanoid, identifying himself as a Triple-Strong and former Chief Petty Officer, who had been convicted of stealing Mil-Tech for the Worm said.

“Besides the Devi is much more than a Seenian battleship. She can cloak and not even Seenian sensors can detect her if she is under cloak. She is among the fastest ships. While she has eight of the biggest military grade ISAH pods built so far, but she also has “Alien engines” that according to Seenian Tech experts are not of Seenian origin.

“Plostrak could clearly detect the pride in these former Union men. Julkus frowned.

“It is safe to say that there never has been a more famous starship in the known history of the Milky Way. There are bigger ships, there are ships more advanced but none is as famous and none has that many legends, stories, and myths told about it than the USS Devastator.

“Plostrak was noticed standing in the back as he said.

“Do go on. I want to hear more about that.

“The former Luitenant Commander looked in Plostrak’s direction.

“Besides, it is assumed that it once was a Seenian battleship as it has the same design features and shape and that it had been built over a million years ago. No official records exist, regarding what happened to the ship after the Seenian empire collapsed and until it was found by Admiral Stahl.

““The ship was found by a man of your society?” Plostrak asked. Julkus nodded.

“Yes, the modern history of the ship begins during the end of the last Y’All invasion when all seemed lost and exiled Admiral Stahl returned after being gone for almost eighty years. Stahl returned with a new weapon and new shield technology.

“Plostrak squinted his cybernetic enhanced eyes.

“And it was this weapon that defeated the Y’All?” “It was only one factor of the defeat. Back then only the Devi had Translocator Cannons, while that ancient weapon proved very effective, everyone in our galaxy knows it was Admiral Stahl who defeated them.

““This Stahl is still talked about after such a long time? Do other ships have that weapon?” Julkus laughed.

“Stahl is an immortal. He is very much alive and I doubt there is a more beloved and respected man.

“Then he tapped with his right finger against his temple.

“Every ship has Translocators and they are much more advanced than the ancient Seenian originals. We are tinkering and improving on them for over 1500 years. Union Translocators and the loads they displace are far beyond that old Seenian tech and I can build them.

“One of Plostrak’s lieutenants said.

“Just got message, that the other newcomer hunting Lia, has left Control world of the Farnok two days ago and my sources at Control world think she is coming this way.

“Plostrak snorted.

“The last thing I heard is that these cursed cats evacuate because that alien tech controlling the gates is running amok and displacing half the planet.

““Then you are not up to date, Plostrak. The word is, that the Newcomers were able to stop the control devices and saved the world and millions of Farnok.

“Farnok turned his head to Lia.

“She is hunting you, you know of her and she has a Y’All in her crew. Who is she?” Lia, in turn, looked towards Meateater, who hadn’t much said ever since they had arrived at Quarva.

“He knows more about her. Meateater was aboard her ship too.

““She is hunting you, now speak what you know. These Union men have value, you have little and it becomes less by the hour. I command, you obey.

“The leader of the last remaining Pepiro was not able to read Lia’s facial expression, otherwise, he would have seen her anger as she flashed him a scolding look. However she knew, the big pirate was not to be trifled with.

“No one really knows much about her. Some say she is the same Black Velvet, a pirate that was active 400 years ago. Some say she is associated with the monster witches that hide in the Igras expanse.

“She had to interrupt her narrative, as someone asked what the Igras expanse is and Julkus explained it. He also told them about the Coven.

“I don’t know much about them and I personally think those stories about flaming demons are just that, silly spook stories told an retold by drunk and bored Scoopers.

“One of Plostrak’s men, not a Pepiro but an especially ugly purple skinned being blubbered.

“Don’t dismiss these stories so easily, Union man. There are many things out there we can’t explain.

“Plostrak waved his tentacles.

“Enough of that. I want to hear more about this Black Velvet.

“He snapped his tentacles towards Lia.

“Get on with it, maybe I find use for you cleaning things. So don’t spoil your good fortune.

“Again she gave him a warning glare, and continued.

“She surfaced about two years ago, quickly becoming one of the most wanted pirates of the Upward sector and she participated in a quest for a Seenian depot. We ended up being captured by a Union captain, she was not. Now she is hunting us, perhaps for the bounty. That’s really all I know about her.

““The Y’All. I want to know why she has a creature in her crew that resembles a Y’All warrior in great detail.

““No one has seen a life Y’All for 1500 years. I doubt it is a real Y’All.

“Meateater was eating something, Plostrak had not really seen that brutish and always smudgy being not eating.

“You, Meateater. What do you know?” “She’s a bitch, a cursed bitch. Her ship looks like a piece of scrap on the outside, but she has enough treasure in just her den, to buy you half this roid for sure. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Heaps of Iridium coins, Polonium, artifacts worth millions of Polos. She is resourceful and shrewd, regardless of the trap or situation, she came out the other end.

““And you don’t know about the Y’All either?” “Oh, I’ve seen it. That four armed creature isn’t the only bruiser she has in her crew. There are Nul and Pertharians. To me, it is as much a mystery to see Pertharians on the wrong side of Union law than the Y’All.

“Meateater took a drink from a big tankard, caring little about the fact that some of the liquid drooled down his cheeks and onto the stained protective suit he wore.

“She deals with slaves and maybe bought the Y’All somewhere. I swore I am going to kill her and that is what I will do, now that she is here as well.

“Plostrak’s associate, the one bringing news from the Farnok planet, gazed on his communicator and said.

“There is your chance, filthy boaster. That newcomer just dropped from Other-space.

“Meateater’s hand dropped to the butt of his weapon.

“Be careful with your insults. Next time I kill you!” Then the Oghr grunted.

“I made friends here already and they will relieve her from her treasures and bring her to me.”

Plostrak had activated a view screen and watched like the others as two ships engaged the newcomer. He knew about these ships and their owners. Manfick and Rohbumser were successful freelancers and commanded formidable ships. Nothing compared to his Traa, but the two of them could have given him a serious fight. The images were captured by high-resolution optics installed all over the big asteroid. Then suddenly the Ilkvi of Manfick was ripped in half by a powerful explosion that centered right in the middle of the well-shielded raider. The Uelup of Rohbumser tried to change course and her engines fought the forward momentum to gain reverse thrust. All six of the Uelup’s engines exploded.

“What are the chances that both ships experience such fatal failure, at the same time and during an attack?” Someone asked. Meateater shook his head.

“Not a chance in hell, those are not engine failures. That bitch has Tee-Els.

“Julkus slowly nodded.

“It certainly looks that way, I wonder how she got a hand on genuine Translocators.

“Lia hissed.

“The Seenian depot of course. We failed to find it, who says she has?” Plostrak was not as confident as he had been.

“What defense is there against these Translocators?” Meateater glared hatefully at the image, showing the Silver Streak taking the Uelup in tow.

“There is none, neither shields nor armor. Anti-matter explosions beamed right inside the target. The Kermac and pretty much everyone else is trying to crack that secret, for as long as the Union has it.

“Julkus grinned.

“Translocators can not bypass TransDim shields. I just happen to know how to build them too.

““Then built one and equip the Traa!” “It is not that easy. I need the facilities and tools to do so. This asteroid does not have advanced enough tech shops.

““The asteroid does not, but Mora-6 tech on my secret hideout does.”

Lia followed the big pirate. She was no amateur, and she was part Shiss. However, she did not have the cold blood or cool senses the Shiss supposedly had. She was furious and knew she had no chance against the Pepiro in an open fight. Not in a personal match or against his ship. But she was not about to give in or let that brute insulting her. Treating her like that was about to have consequences. She had not left Brhama Port emptyhanded, the microdrone launcher of the Do tribe, she had purchased many years ago from Dimon Honsu, a friend of her father. She had collected enough DNA data for the systems molecule sniffer. She didn’t have to be close to use the weapon but didn’t want to be seen doing the deed. There he was, entering an elevator, perhaps to retire. Lia had a cold smile on her lips. He was about to retire from life. To make sure she triggered four micro drones active. The little things were no bigger than a Jorin fly and carried enough Shail poison to kill a Bandrupo. A shrill voice behind her made her spin around. The floating robot thing, Plostrak called the Aggresso suddenly decloaked.

“Master, quick activate your shield. This female has released drones aimed at you.

“Assassin drones of the Do tribe were marvels of engineering, but useless against an energy shield. All four drones burned to little puffs of smoke as they impacted with Plostrak’s personal shield.

“You!” He yelled as he saw Lia.

“You tried to kill me after I shown mercy?” In his anger, he activated his arm cannon. Only Lia’s legs and feet remained, the rest and a sizeable part of a decorative wall column had been vaporized. He was still angry, mostly at himself for reacting like that. He wanted to torture her, question her about the weapon and the reasons. But then her reasons were no real mystery. To the floating robot, he said.

“Make sure the other newcomers are monitored from now on. I will decide soon, who I need and who I do not.

““Master, the courier has returned from the Crucible and he brought the Y’All control device.”

Chapter 22 »