Pursuit of the Bold Page 6

  "You can glance, but Gunjway will be an apt description of you if you pay those hussies too much attention," Tabby said. I smiled at her use of the term Gunjway, the Felio word for a neutered male, which was about the worst insult a Felio could level.

  Tabby and I were joined by Jonathan and Nick as we turned onto the ramp that led to the airlock. Knowing that Jonathan's body was projected, I inspected him more diligently than I had previously. The disguise was nearly perfect, but I finally discovered small imperfections where light interrupted the projection. Without foreknowledge, however, I'd have had no reason to disbelieve what my eyes were seeing.

  Our timing was just about perfect, the Abasi shuttle arriving only a few seconds after the four of us loaded into the airlock.

  "Are you apprehensive, Liam?" Jonathan asked. "We believe much relies on your successful negotiation."

  "No pressure." Tabby laughed as she allowed her hand to stray from where it rested on my hip onto my butt, giving me an affectionate squeeze.

  "Such was not our intent," Jonathan said. "We are unable to observe outward signs of stress."

  I shrugged, then casually pulled Tabby’s hand back to my waist. "It's a different kind of stress. We've been shot at enough that I'm not overly worried when arguing about the disposition of ships. I don't see it as a good sign that Mshindi Prime sailed all the way from Tamu system, though."

  Our conversation was cut short when the red-furred face of Mshindi Tertiary showed in the airlock window. Noting that the air pressure had equalized and the panel showed three green chevrons, I placed my hand on the security pad, allowing the station door to open.

  "Masters Warrior," Mshindi Tertiary growled, just as the doors disappeared into the bulkhead. "You best sharpen your claws. There is no challenge I will turn from."

  "Majida," Tabby replied, stepping around me, extending her arm so her forearm crossed in front of her chest. "Do you understand the challenge court? I don't want any excuses."

  Mshindi Tertiary pulled her lips back, allowing fangs to slip out and hang over her lower lip. She mirrored Tabby's position and bumped forearms in a greeting I'd never seen from the Felio in the past. "There will be no excuses. My people have a similar test, only we use a live stargenos as the prey to be. Will you use Bertrand Chief as your second?"

  "I will not," Tabby answered. "My boy, Liam, is all I'll need to pluck the whiskers from your haunches."

  Mshindi Tertiary chuffed, her eyes flaring at Tabby's response. "You curse as only a Felio could. Saliva moistens my fangs in anticipation."

  "You guys need a minute?" I asked. "I was under the impression we were on our way to an important meeting."

  Mshindi slid her gaze away from Tabby and thumped her paw onto her chest. For whatever reason, she'd never liked me much and her treatment bordered on insult. "Greetings, Hoffen Captain. It is talk that you desire and it is to this meeting we will hurry." Her tone conveyed little respect, but I was fine with that. "I am not sure how you survive the chatter, Masters Warrior. I do find the clean shaven one to be friendly to the eyes, though."

  I looked to Tabby incredulously as she just smiled and followed Mshindi Tertiary onto the shuttle where a male Felio gestured to open seating.

  "Hoffen Captain, a refreshing drink is offered." The male Felio who spoke had thick brown fur that surrounded his head and neck. Near his chin, the fur had been cut short with a geometric design shaved into it.

  I accepted a pouch which I was pleased to discover was filled with fresh water. "What is this challenge you're talking about?" I asked, looking at Tabby.

  "Don't worry your pretty little head," Tabby answered, obviously enjoying the tension Mshindi Tertiary had created. "I told Majida about pod-ball and challenged her to a couple of games. Semper was telling me about how they have a similar game they play as kits, either one-on-one or two-on-two. I guess they can get pretty rough. You in?"

  "Frak, yeah. It'll be a vacation from the whooping you're always handing out," I said, glancing at Mshindi Tertiary who was staring at me. I believed I could hear a low growl emanating from the Felio as I spoke.

  "A feisty mate is delightful," she said, addressing no one in particular as she moved past us to the pilot's chair.

  "You think that's why she's smack-talking me – trying to get me fired up?" I asked in a low voice. "I don't think she likes me very much."

  "I think you're reading her wrong," Tabby whispered back. "You might want to be careful around her. I think she'd jump you if she could."

  "Ooh," I said, looking at the back of the Felio. From where I sat, I could just see where her uniform wasn't completely covering as much as most human females considered necessary and my mind jumped to things it shouldn't.

  "You're such a horndog," Tabby said, slugging me painfully in the shoulder. I feigned ignorance with a shrug. I'd been caught, no sense in making it worse.

  Fortunately, the trip to Thunder Awakes was short and Mshindi Tertiary set the shuttle down in a wide landing bay near the center of the ship.

  "You will accompany Mshindi Second to your meeting," she said. "Do not worry, Liam Captain, I will endeavor not to damage your carastan-smoothed skin overly when we battle."

  My AI showed that there was no direct translation for the word carastan. It roughly meant pretty, but was only used when talking about a male's underbelly.

  I was saved from having to respond as the shuttle doors opened and Zakia, Mshindi Second, strode purposefully up the ramp. With considerably more deference, she raised her paw to her lower chest and bowed toward me. I bowed slightly, not bringing my hand to my solar plexus, but instead holding it out for a handshake, which she honored.

  "Captain Liam Hoffen, it is indeed pleasurable to see you once again in the fur," she said, not catching her faux pas. "I have heard great tales of your adventures and they appear to be confirmed by the proximity of a Kroerak vessel and the Genteresk ship, Sangilak. I am sorry to inspect the damage done to the sleek warship, Intrepid."

  I wrapped a free arm around her and we hugged briefly. My relationship with Zakia was much different than with Majida. Only a few standard years older than her sister, Zakia seemed to genuinely enjoy our interaction, although we'd spent quite a bit more time together, including a nasty battle with Kroerak.

  "There's always a price to pay where Genteresk are concerned," I said, referring to a particularly dastardly tribe of Pogona pirates.

  "You should know," she said. "The pirate Belvakuski was found guilty of conspiring with a mortal enemy of Abasi. She was executed four days previous."

  "That was quick," I said as she led us through the ship's passageways.

  As we walked, every Felio we passed pulled out of our way and gave us a wide berth. This behavior seemed equivalent to the Abasi stationary drill command for attention, which was simply a ready pose with feet at shoulder width.

  "Justice comes quickly to those who would throw in with the Kroerak," she said. "It was discovered her people had been aligned with Kroerak and were supplying dead to the site on Zuri where the Kroerak vessel was trapped beneath the ground."

  "Geez," I said. "Talk about not getting the bigger picture."

  Zakia stopped for a moment outside a large door that was inset into a wood-framed bulkhead. "A most apt turn of phrase. A bigger view might be more accurate, but such is the nature of our translation units," she said, nodding to a male crew member who stood at attention next to the door controls. In response, he turned to the panel, causing the door to open, and exposing a room already filled with a score of Felio.

  Following Zakia, I recognized the common setup: an open floor separated from a gallery of seating by a wooden railing and a table with two shallow wells. Each well contained a fist-sized bag; one painted white and the other black.

  "Do you wish counsel?" Zakia asked. "You are allowed a single companion at your side."

  "Are we allowed communication with our other companions?" I asked.

  "It is allowed," she answered.

/>   "We have sufficient counsel. Tabby will join me," I said. We'd already discussed the seating and agreed that Tabby's presence sent the right message.

  Zakia stiffened as a good portion of the gallery rose and joined her at attention. The four of us turned to see Mshindi Prime, flanked by two powerful looking Felio guards, enter the room. I couldn't help but be intimidated by the feral vibe I got from her guard.

  "Captain Liam Hoffen, mate Tabitha Masters, Nicholas James and Jonathan – friends of Abasi and honored among House Mshindi – I offer welcome," she said. Behind us we could hear chuffs as her faithful acknowledged the greeting.

  "We are honored by your presence, Mshindi Prime, first of House Mshindi, friend of humanity, and mighty warrior," I answered, using a prepared line Jonathan had helped me cook up. It must have been acceptable because I heard appreciative chuffs around the room.

  "There is much to discuss, and time favors the enemy," she said, still looking at me. My AI informed me that she was using a common Felio idiom, generally used to indicate a desire to move a conversation along. "Are you prepared to defend your prize claims under the terms of the Letter of Marque provided by Abasi?"

  "No sense letting grass grow beneath our feet," I said. "We are ready."

  She smiled as I suspected her HUD was showing her the closely matching human idiom. "In preparation, I state the Abasi find no claim required upon the ships known as Fleet Afoot and Gaylon Brighton. Both are recorded as belonging to humanity and are outside of the scope of our discussion.

  "As there is disagreement, it is to this court that we will rule on the disposition of Sangilak and the captured Kroerak cruiser. Gundi Second has requested first words on Sangilak, a motion I permit."

  I breathed out a quiet sigh as both Lindia, Gundi Second, and Badru, Gundi Fourth, approached a portion of the rail that separated the gallery from the open court. I knew Badru strongly opposed anything that increased humanity's standing in the system and did not appreciate the new role we'd taken in protecting their shipping lanes.

  "Badru, Gundi Fourth, will speak for House Gundi," Lindia said.

  Badru stepped forward and glowered at me as he spoke. "It is a simple matter. Four days previous we executed a pirate that plagued the merchants of Santaloo star system. We cannot trust these furless creatures. They have shown a clever capacity for surprise attack and they fight without honor. If the ship Sangilak is granted, we will trade a Pogona pirate for a human pirate."

  "What say you, Liam Hoffen?" Mshindi Prime asked.

  I waited a few moments while Nick pushed a few messages onto my HUD. He'd picked up on an interesting conflict in Badru’s statement and I knew just how I wanted to argue.

  "We have shown nothing but deference and respect for Abasi, even when they facilitated the dishonorable theft of our ship Intrepid by Strix," I said. "Not only did we act with honor after this disgrace, but we went further out of our way to restore honor to your long-dead ancestors.”

  Badru started to talk, but I cut him off. "If I accept your argument, it would seem to me that you are saying House Gundi would prefer to weaken an ally that fights with honor on behalf of Felio."

  "You speak with lies dripping from your teeth," Badru said. "You seek to only enrich yourselves. We will regret that day we allowed humans to occupy our system."

  "And you're positioning an argument you know you can't possibly win," I said, gambling that I understood where he was headed. "Our Letter of Marque is quite clear on the disposition of Sangilak. Either grant payment of value or transfer the ship. Your chattering is non-productive and is simply a prelude to the arguments you wish to have regarding the Kroerak cruiser. Is honesty something only the female Felio possess?"

  "Easy tiger," Tabby said under her breath. "That's an enemy for life you're creating there."

  "Do you challenge me in front of this court?" Badru asked, his anger getting the better of him for a moment.

  "I will not stand here and have my entire species dishonored by a fourth-ranked cur," I said, my ire momentarily shorting out reason. "If you wish a challenge, I will have no trouble opening you with my blade. And thank you for being plain spoken; I prefer to be able to recognize my enemies. I'll leave the challenge to you, Badru. I assume this is not how all of the honorable House Gundi feel? I recall their defense of humanity as quite vigorous."

  "A moment to confer, Mshindi?" Lindia, Gundi Second, asked before Badru could respond.

  "It is allowed," she said, gazing back at me with a look on her face I didn't recognize.

  We all watched as House Gundi conferred in low tones that sounded less than friendly. After a few moments, Gundi Second walked away from the speaking platform and sat down.

  "Badru, do you have further words?" Mshindi Prime asked.

  "House Gundi respectfully declines further comment," he said, not making eye contact with either her or me.

  "House Perasti has offered comments on Sangilak," Mshindi Prime said.

  A female I'd seen before but couldn’t name replaced Badru at the speaking podium. She looked much like the powerful guard that crouched within easy reach of Mshindi Prime.

  "Thank you, honored of Mshindi," the Felio said. "It is I, Mpenda, Tertiary of House Perasti. We fully support the title transfer of Sangilak to Loose Nuts. Upon review of their interaction with the pirate Belvakuski, we find them to have operated within the legal guidelines of the Letter of Marque in both spirit and action. Further, we find no value in the pathetic vessel known as Sangilak and wish our human friends fortune in discovering a value unseen by this House."

  "Thank you, Mpenda. Are there more who would oppose recognition of Sangilak as property of Loose Nuts?" Mshindi Prime addressed the room, looking around the gallery, waiting for any response. "A vote is required. Acceptance is to transfer. Rejection is to purchase Sangilak for its value of one-hundred ninety million credits Abasi."

  I nodded. There was a lot we could do with that much money and part of me wished they would vote against the transfer. Pensively we waited while a stream of voters passed in front of us. The vote was almost unanimous for transfer, with the exception of House Gundi which abstained.

  "As for the Kroerak cruiser," Mshindi Prime pushed, growing impatient at the proceeding which was dragging. "It is commonly agreed among the Abasi houses that under the Letter of Marque we have no jurisdiction over this vessel. This alien ship was obtained in a system that is not within Abasi control. Further, Loose Nuts caused this enemy ship to be removed from Zuri, much to the benefit of Abasi." She stopped and looked at me. I could tell she had more to say, but wasn't sure she wanted to get into it.

  "I feel you have a ‘but’ coming," I said, perhaps a little more casually than I should have. "I'd prefer if you said what you were thinking, my friend."

  Her whiskers twitched, as did her tail, and I hoped I hadn't offended her. "Very well. Many of the houses have argued that we should seize this vessel. It is argued the vessel is a danger to Abasi simply by its existence. This is a truth that hides a lie."

  An uncomfortable murmur spread through the gallery as she spoke.

  "The witnesses will quiet," she said, clearly not interested in brooking further discussion. "In working with human government, I discovered that it is acceptable to openly admit to issues that have no obvious solution. Captain Hoffen, I ask that you transfer this vessel to Abasi control for the benefit of the Abasi people. Its existence demonstrates a truth that agitates our populace and challenges peace."

  My heart fell. It was exactly the type of argument I was easily sucked into. She'd laid her cards on the table and asked for a favor. I recalled being on the other side of the table as I asked her to consider coming to humanity's aid. With little hesitation she had stepped forward, knowing that to enter the fight meant certain death for many in her house. There was a lot more than money at stake in this conversation.

  "Done."

  Chapter 6

  Match Point

  "Liam!" Tabby whispered harshly. "You
can't just give that cruiser away."

  "I have to," I whispered back. "Hold on."

  Mshindi Prime stepped forward, turning quietly to face us and maintaining eye contact with me. Over the next few minutes, the voices in the room began to hush, until all eyes were on their leader. Finally, Mshindi Prime spoke.

  "You freely offer this enemy vessel to Abasi because Mshindi Prime requests?" she asked, her voice incredulous. "Why would you associate no value?"

  "Humans have an ideal that many subscribe to. We desire to do the right thing for the right reasons," I replied. "You are correct. The value of the Kroerak vessel to Loose Nuts is substantial. It represents much needed capital that we would use to build our company and restore the fleet with which we pursue Kroerak. The fact is, however, when humanity called to Abasi for help, Abasi responded with honor and sacrifice. How can we turn away from House Mshindi when it requests the same? The simple answer is that turning the Kroerak vessel over to Abasi is the right thing. Our sacrifice is financial and not the blood of our people. It is a poor gesture at best, but it is what we have to give."

  "As it is freely given, we accept this most noble action," she said.

  A chuff from the galley caught my attention and I looked over to see that Mshindi Second stood with paw to her chest. A moment later, Mshindi Tertiary also stood, chuffing and saluting. The action was soon mimicked by the remainder of the gallery.

  "That was some expensive sucking up," Tabby whispered, as we looked out over the assembled Felio. My eyes landed on Badru. While he stood, I noticed he did not have his hand on his chest and if he could have burned a hole in me with his eyes, I'd have certainly been on fire.