A Matter of Honor (Privateer Tales Book 9) Read online

  "Ridiculous," Bedros said, earning him a glare from Peraf, but nothing else.

  Merrie bowed slightly. "That's what Merik said you'd say. He told me I'd need to prove to you why I need it."

  "And this smelly package will prove it to us? Is it air freshener?" Bedros asked.

  "That's funny," she said. "But no. I need the time to construct an arc-furnace to smelt steel. We have all the electricity we could possibly desire with our solar panels, but what I don't have are the reactor pieces to really get things rolling in the furnace. It's all very technical."

  "I'm confused, how will you demonstrate steel?" Bedros asked.

  "Just a moment and I think you'll see. Captain Gian, why is it your protectors don't carry the iron short swords that the smithery made decades ago?"

  "The Ophie's arm length is such that their clubs reach us before we can strike them with the Gladius style blade."

  "Why not just get a longer iron blade?"

  "There are none strong enough to wield such a blade. Not only that, but iron is not rigid enough nor does it hold an edge," Gian answered.

  "When faced with a similar problem, our ancient ancestors solved this problem by inventing steel," Merrie said. "Fortunately, we don't have to invent anything. We simply need to learn from them. Captain Gian, I present to you a European longsword. Crafted by none other than our very own apprentice smith, Amon."

  Merrie pulled a polished, meter long blade from beneath the cloth and handed it to a surprised Captain Gian.

  "What does this weigh?" Gian asked.

  "One point three kilograms, give or take," Merrie said.

  Gian gracefully swooshed the blade through the air, feeling its balance, with a look of wonder on his face. "It's so light. Surely it is brittle."

  "Captain, I apologize for this next piece, but how could I prove to you that you could use this in combat?"

  "Apologize, why? But, I'd need to use it against an Ophie," he said and then looked to the cart that had several large lumps laying on it. "You didn't…?"

  Merrie placed fingers onto her nose and walked to the cart. "Amon, if you'd help me with this."

  Amon lifted one side as she lifted the other and they exposed the torso of a melting Ophie warrior.

  "You're insane," Bedros said, lifting a handkerchief to his nose.

  "Be quiet," Gian snapped. "Is that frozen?"

  "It was, but I've been thawing it to give us a realistic simulation. I'm worried it's still too frozen," Merrie said. "Would you demonstrate the blade on this corpse?"

  Captain Gian wasted no time and charged in with an overhead strike, the long blade burying itself several centimeters into the thickly armored chest.

  "I don't believe I penetrated to vital organs," he said.

  "I don't think so either, but the long sword was made for parrying, cutting and piercing. Could you try piercing the chest?"

  "Eliora, please strap it to that post, please," Gian asked.

  If Eliora found the task to be gruesome, she didn't let on. She rolled the cart next to the post he'd indicated and lashed it in place with a strap.

  Gian thrust the long sword in next to his initial gash and with some effort buried the tip until it poked out the back of the beast.

  "That's it!" he cried in triumph.

  "Captain, if you don't mind, just leave that there, we have more to demonstrate. I'm afraid Amon was in more of a hurry with our second weapon and it isn't as polished, but I believe you'll find it every bit as interesting. Amon, would you hold up our second corpse?"

  "Your theatrics are a bit much," Peraf said. "This has gone too far."

  "Honorable council members, please see this through. It is certainly gruesome, but these apprentices may have just saved our settlement," Gian said. "To win the war I fear is to come, we must engage in a few distasteful activities."

  "Get on with it then. Our patience is wearing thin," Peraf shut her eyes and took a breath by holding her sleeve over her mouth and nose.

  "Amon, the second corpse?" Merrie asked.

  This particular corpse had its arm outstretched. Merrie would have liked to have had it holding a club, but settled for what was available. She waited for Amon to steady the second corpse to another post and then pulled a second, slightly shorter sword, with a slight curve in its blade and handed it to Eliora.

  "Amon's second sword is a replica of an ancient Japanese katana. This weapon is not meant for parrying, but is designed for fast sweeping strikes and punctures. It is slightly more brittle, but the edge exhibits very little resistance when passing through flesh. Eliora?"

  Eliora walked up to the Ophie, holding the blade to her side. In a single, fluid motion she swept the blade up, through its outstretched arm and then reversed direction and swept down, across its neck. Smooth and quick, she'd completed the movements before the end of the arm and the head hit the floor.

  "How many of these can you make, Amon?" Captain Gian asked in awe.

  "I have enough steel for eight of the katana and five longswords, but they take time to produce," Amon answered.

  "Captain Gian, if you'd please, I have one more demonstration," Merrie said.

  "Dear Merrie, you've convinced the room. What more could you show us?" Gian asked.

  "Eliora?"

  "Captain, I think you'll want to see this," Eliora said.

  "Of course." He opened his hands wide, blinking in disbelief.

  Merrie wasted no time and pulled her compound bow from beneath the oil-cloths and handed it to Eliora. Eliora walked off the length of the room, which was only ten meters, but sufficient for a demonstration. She nocked an arrow and pulled the bowstring back.

  "The compound bow only needs a few pieces of steel. Currently, Eliora is holding twenty-two kilograms of pressure, but the bow will release at forty. We've had trouble with the wooden shafts shattering on launch, but we're now using a more supple wood. Notice that while I'm talking she's able to continue to hold the bow taught. Anytime you want, Eliora."

  The arrow punctured the Ophie corpse, missed the post, and finally embedded itself into the back wall of the council chamber with a solid thwack.

  Peraf stood - jumped really, at the sound. "I can't say I approve of your theatrics, but I believe you've made your point. Captain Gian, Master Merik and Master Nurit, the Council requests your attendance at our next meeting on fourday. Please bring formal proposals for whatever this was."

  She gestured with her hand at the carnage, turned and exited.

  "Gian. Just when I thought you weren't a player, you pull a rabbit out of the hat. I've definitely underestimated you," Bedros said.

  "This isn't a game, Gerald," he said in a voice normally reserved for underperforming cadets.

  "Isn't it? Don't worry, you've got my vote. You've certainly earned it." Bedros turned and followed the rest of the council out of the chamber.

  "Who's going to clean this up?" Merik asked.

  MASTODON

  Moon Irène, Planet Curie, Tipperary Star System

  "I trust your negotiations were successful?" Jonathan asked as I walked up the ramp into the shuttle.

  "More like an old western bank heist," I said.

  "Oh?"

  "You can't think about it that way," Nick said, following close behind. "It's Norris' last hurrah and he's right. We are in a pickle."

  "We're not going to make a dime on the return trip," I said.

  "We'll clear at least fifteen thousand. I kind of like how he played that whole folksy, bumbling trader then figured out just how hard he could stick us," Nick said. "I had a momentary flash of an eighty stans old Liam Hoffen when he dropped that little bomb on us."

  "All I can say is you better really like whoever you're sailing with in that tractor," Ada said. "You're going to be sitting on top of each other for the whole trip."

  "And there's no way to exercise," Tabby said.

  "You're right, Tabby. We'll need to install a stationary track in the hallway," Marny said.

&n
bsp; "Where to now, Captain Hoffen?" Jonathan asked.

  "Curie's main orbital platform. Here." I flicked navigation instructions at him.

  "Yes, sir," Jonathan said, gently lifting the shuttle from the planet's surface.

  "Does Phillippe really not have a guardian to watch over him?" Tabby asked.

  "I have served as his legal guardian for many years," Jonathan answered.

  "But, he treats you more like an employee than a guardian."

  "Master Anino and I have a special relationship."

  "You're right, I'm sorry. It's not my business, but I gotta say, he doesn't act like any teenager I've ever known."

  "No. I don't suppose he does," Jonathan said.

  The trip from Irène to the Curie orbital platform was two hundred thirty thousand kilometers and we arrived a few minutes after 0100. It had been a long day and we were all tired and hungry. Jonathan dropped us at a terminal close to where Hotspur was docked.

  "Food or sleep?" Ada asked, as we trooped along the jet-way that was busy even at this late hour.

  "Food," Marny said. "I've a delivery from a chandlery company in two hours."

  "Ada, Tabby, you might consider getting some rack time. I'm going to join Marny, since stevedores are coming about the same time," I said.

  "What and miss the excitement?" Ada asked.

  Tabby pulled on my elbow playfully. "Yeah, you trying to dust us off?"

  Nick pointed at a diner. "How's this look?"

  It didn't take any convincing and we went in and grabbed an oversized booth.

  "Do you really think Belirand is going to have a problem with this?" Tabby asked as the waitress poured coffees for all of us except Ada, who had tea.

  "What's the worst they can do? Deny passage through the TransLoc gates?" Ada asked.

  "You're right. As long as we're in one of the four settled systems, Belirand has laws they have to obey and government oversight should keep them in line," Nick said. "But remember, if Anino has a ship that can reach Cape of Good Hope, we won't be under anyone's laws."

  "Shite. I didn't think about that," Ada said.

  "Does it matter? The Cape of Good Hope is holding on by a thread," I said.

  "It's not too late to back out," Nick said.

  "Don't look at me," Ada said. "I remember a time when you had to make the same decision about me and my mother. Did you even hesitate for a minute?"

  I put my hand over Ada's. "Best decision we ever made. Although, did I ever tell you how much you barfed all over the inside of that escape capsule?"

  "Cap, seriously," Marny scolded, hitting me with her napkin.

  "Really?" Ada asked.

  Marny scowled at me. "You were in shock and he shouldn't tease you."

  "Buckets. We ended up selling that pod for salvage," I said.

  Tabby punched me in the arm. "Real sensitive."

  "You're just messing with me," Ada said.

  "No, that's actually right. We couldn't get it clean," Marny added.

  The food arrived and we continued to chat until it was time to meet Marny's delivery at the ship.

  "How much lead time do we need in the morning before we meet Anino?" Tabby asked as we arrived at Hotspur.

  "An hour should do it," Nick said.

  I yawned, it really had been a long day. "Set an alarm, Tabbs. I'll be up after we get the cargo offloaded."

  ***

  It was 0500 when I finally slipped into bed next to Tabby. It almost felt luxurious to be back home on Hotspur. I'd been up for twenty hours and was exhausted. We'd offloaded the cargo into bonded storage, loaded the reefer unit to capacity and taken on extra fuel and O2 crystals. In short, we were locked and loaded.

  The alarm mocked me. I was sure it knew I'd only slept four hours and was overly cheery in discharging its duty.

  "Jupiter, I hate that thing," I said, patting the empty covers next to me looking for Tabby, my eyes still too bleary to focus. I slid out from under the sheets to a seated position. Great. Tabby was already gone and I was talking to myself.

  I stumbled to the small office next to the Captain's quarters and into the adjoining head, turned on the shower and stood in the hot water for a few minutes, allowing it to bring me awake. I'd been sleeping regularly up till last night, so it didn't take much. The door opened from the forward side and I turned away, quickly. Apparently, I'd been too boggled to lock the bridge facing door.

  "Hey there, hot stuff," Tabby said huskily. Her brow was beaded with sweat, the result of exercising in the hold's one crew amenity, an exercise area mounted upside down from the ceiling, boasting a reversed gravity field.

  Tabby, still in her tight suit liner, was forced to press against me as the bridge head was barely large enough to hold the two of us.

  "You're all sweaty," I said, turning around to face her.

  "Oh, you are awake now, aren't you," she said, reaching over to the door and flicking the lock.

  I ran my finger down the front of her suit, starting at the lowest part of the 'V' in her neck line. The liner, opening to my touch, pulling away as I traced downward.

  "Anyone on the bridge?" I asked.

  "I'll be quiet, I promise." She pressed her finger to her mouth and grinned.

  If I'd entered the shower with a fogged mind, I definitely exited full of energy and confidence. I still had a difficult time understanding why a woman as amazing as Tabitha Masters had chosen me, but I couldn't have felt luckier.

  Per Marny's instructions, we dressed in our armored vac-suits. They were military grade and had considerable capacity to absorb all kinds of shock from explosions to flechette rounds. If Marny wasn't sure what we were getting into, she required the suits. I didn't mind. They were bulkier, but well designed.

  At 0930 we joined Marny, Nick and Ada at the mess table. Marny must have heard us coming because steaming mugs of coffee and plates full of potatoes, eggs, sausage and gravy were sitting in front of open chairs.

  "Marny, you're amazing. I have to know, can a man have more than one wife?" I asked, earning me a sharp elbow to the ribs.

  "You sure you could handle it?" Ada asked, sipping her tea.

  I looked to Tabby, whose eyebrows were raised. I hadn't crossed the line yet, but she was letting me know I was standing next to it and shouldn't dare dip my toe across.

  "I'm sure I couldn't," I said, looking to Nick for reassurance that I wasn't inadvertently crossing a line with him. He smiled, shaking his head.

  "Cap, I'll cook for you either way. No further commitment required," Marny said.

  "Sure, let's just say that's the only thing he was thinking," Tabby said, smacking me on the back of the head.

  Ada spit out a mouthful of tea.

  I just shook my head, picked up a fork and put food in my mouth. I was hopelessly outgunned and knew better than to keep digging the hole.

  "I received a comm from Norris. He's already aloft and loading cargo," Nick said.

  "Perfect, I hope he's as good as his word. I can't believe we're giving him Sterra's Gift to ferry back for us," I said.

  "She's in good hands," Nick said. "And if she's not, his bond more than covers it."

  "Yeah, I suppose. We ready to get going?" I asked.

  "Who's in the chair?" Ada asked, reminding me that I hadn't let her know who would be taking the captain's chair on the way over to meet Anino and Jonathan.

  "How about you take it with Tabby in number two?" I said.

  "Copy that. I'll start the checklist," she said, jumping up and bounding off to the lift that would take her up to the bridge deck.

  "I'll be right there," Tabby called out, picking up her plate and scooping furiously while standing. She set the empty plate back on the table. "Get that for me, would you?"

  I shook my head. "Kids these days. You won't catch me rushing a meal like this."

  "And I love you for it, Cap," Marny said.

  I finished eating and dropped the plates into the food waste recycler. "What are you working on, Nick?
" I asked. He'd been quieter than normal.

  "Checking in on Jack back at Lèger Nuage. He and Jenny formed a pod-ball team with Priloe. You remember, the stowaway from Grünholz," Nick said. "They're running the league for the city and have seventeen teams signed up."

  "Maybe we could get a pickup game when we're back. That'd be a blast," I said.

  "Did you know Priloe has been talking with Big Pete and Silver about learning how to work a claim?" Nick asked.

  "How old is he?" I asked. "And no, Mom never tells me anything."

  "Twelve stans," Nick said. "Sounds like she might take him and Milenette in."

  "There goes my inheritance," I said. "Maybe Big Pete will finally get the son he's always wanted. One that will stay home and work asteroids with him."

  "Ouch, Cap," Marny said. She'd been leaning against the bulkhead and pushed off with a shrug of her shoulders, walking toward the lift. Nick got up to follow.

  "Only hurts when I think about it," I said, falling in line.

  "All hands, prepare for departure," Ada said. It was the start of a formal process we'd developed to make the transition safer.

  I walked through the bridge and up the short flight of stairs that led to the cockpit. I sat on the top step which was between the two pilot's chairs where Tabby and Ada were currently seated.

  "How's the traffic out there?" I asked.

  "Not as bad as Mars, but it's close," Ada answered.

  "You sailing us out by stick?" Both Ada and Tabby enjoyed sailing through the dense traffic patterns of congested space platforms. I could do it, but didn't find it even remotely relaxing. I much preferred to let the AI negotiate the myriad craft and instructions from local space-control.

  "Wouldn't have it any other way," she said.

  "Security is green," Marny reported.

  "Engineering is green," Nick said moments later.

  Ada dimmed the bridge lights, something I often failed to do, and pulled back on the stick, throttling up gently. I held onto the railing on both sides of the steps, giving me a perfect forward view through the armored glass cockpit window.