A Matter of Honor (Privateer Tales Book 9) (17 page)

Balla continued, "See. They've got nothing. You can bet if it was good news, we'd know already."

"Here we are," Vass said when we arrived at the medical bay.

"Thank you," I said, earning me a glare from Balla.

Once the door closed, Tabby turned to me, "She's right, you know."

"One thing at a time," I said, as we were approached by a medical technician.

He gestured to another room. "They're in here."

I sighed in relief as we entered the room where Ada and Nick were seated. Next to them was a conscious Marny, face down on a hospital cot.

"Look at all of you, up and at 'em," I said, trying to keep things light.

Ada met us as we crossed the room and hugged me tightly.

"Sorry about Anino," Nick said.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked.

"I've been talking with Jonathan," he said.

I looked at him, inspecting his face for a sign of how much he understood. I'd spent most of my life reading his face and I realized immediately that he knew as much as I did about Jonathan.

"Marny?" I asked.

"Right here, Cap," she said. Her voice was higher than usual and her words slightly slurred.

I picked up her hand and looked into her eyes and wasn't surprised to see dilated pupils. "Looks like they've got you pretty well doped up. Your back?"

Nick answered for her. "Yes. Her back was in bad shape. We were fortunate there was a surgeon on board, along with very high quality facilities."

"Out of bed in a couple of days and good as new next week, though," she slurred. A quick look to Nick confirmed that she was at least mostly right.

"Do you remember much of what happened?" I asked, looking at Nick.

"Some, although the whole thing feels off to me," he said. "I can't come up with a scenario where
Fist of Justice
doesn't follow us here. Anino was too smart for that. It's like he wanted the confrontation. I just can't work out why."

"And why would they have a replacement for Jonathan, and then put it onto
Hotspur
at the last moment?" Tabby asked.

"Replacement? What?" Ada asked. I leaned over to Ada and quietly explained what we'd learned about Jonathan while Tabby continued.

"Dropped nearly a hundred cubic meters of crates on
Hotspur
just as we were loading up for combat," Tabby said. "Then bolted out of there like they were on fire."

"Attention on deck," we heard from the adjoining room.

It got our attention and we turned to watch Captain LeGrande walk through the door, accompanied by a Marine carrying a blaster rifle. It was the first weapon I'd seen and wondered if she'd been having difficulty maintaining discipline.

"Welcome aboard, Captain Hoffen, Miss Masters," LeGrande held out her hand and we both shook in turn. "Your supplies couldn't have been timelier."

"Atmo has a pretty funky smell, Captain. I wonder if we want to try running things through
Hotspur
," I said.

"Engineer Rastof has been beating my door down wanting to talk to you about it. He's worked out a plan to do just that," she said.

"We're leaking atmo from our bridge, we'll need to patch that first. Our engineer is working on it right now," I said. Nick gave me his upraised eyebrow in response.

"How bad is she?" Nick asked.

"Starboard engine is damaged, not sure how bad yet. We were holed through the bridge, big enough that Tabby and I used it as an exit. Engineering and gunny station were completely obliterated all the way down to the tween deck. If anyone had been sitting there, they wouldn't have made it," I said.

"Rastof will help get you patched up and I'll be glad to keep the crew busy. Who should he coordinate with?" LeGrande asked.

"Have Rastof meet me on
Hotspur
in forty-five minutes," Nick said. "We'll meet with our engineer and make plans from there."

LeGrande paused, typed on a virtual keyboard and looked up. "I have to ask the question that's burning in the mind of every one of my crew. Is there any reason for hope for a rescue now that the
Mastodon
destroyed?"

I started to answer when Nick cut me off. "Yes, Captain. We have reason for hope."

I turned and raised my eyebrows.

"We have a lot to talk through, though. Is this room secure?" Nick asked.

"Davi, secure the room and see that no one enters." Captain LeGrande looked at the guard who was standing next to the door.

He turned on his heel and exited the room, sliding the door closed behind him.

"What's on your mind, Mr. James," she asked.

"We have a fold-space generator on
Hotspur
. It will require repair and calibration, however," Nick said. "The more pressing issue is that Tullas has threatened to hunt down your crew if we drop them anywhere in the known universe."

"I can confirm this," LeGrande said.

"Have you shared it with your crew?" I asked.

"It would lead to mutiny," LeGrande said.

Gestalt
. I've only experienced a flash of brilliance a few times in my life. At that moment an idea hit me so strongly I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning. "What if we found you a new home?" I asked.

The whole room turned and looked at me like I was a complete nutter.

"What are you talking about?" LeGrande asked.

Tabby was right there with me. "He's right. We have the location of all of Belirand's failed missions."

"How does that help?" LeGrande asked.

"Captain, will you really go home, given the risk to your crew and their families?" I asked.

"Some will want to."

Tabby tipped her head to the side, accepting the Captain's words. It was a rhetorical statement we all knew would have to be dealt with.

"What you need is a new home, a place where you can safely live without fear of reprisals from Tullas and Belirand. What if we found a suitable place for your crew to make a new life? Wouldn't that be better than being hunted for the rest of your days?"

"It's a tough sell, Captain. Most of my crew have families they're not going to want to leave behind," LeGrande said.

"Surely that's better than getting your families killed," I said.

"That's not how they'll see it," she said tersely.

"Well…" I was getting annoyed. It was the obvious solution and I hadn't expected LeGrande to be so resistant.

"Hold on," Tabby said. "You're both so far down the path of 'if' it's ridiculous. We need to focus on the here and now." She'd placed herself physically between LeGrande and me. I suppressed a grin, it was usually my job to get between her and someone else.

For a tense few moments, LeGrande and I stared at each other and she finally broke the silence.

"You're right. No sense killing the messenger. What do you need from me?" she asked.

"Equilibrium," Nick said. "We clean the air on
Cape
and return
Hotspur
to operational status. At that point you and your crew have a decision to make. We'll drop you anywhere you ask, but you'll have to accept the consequences. You know better than I what Belirand is willing to do."

Yishuv Settlement, Planet
Ophir

"Why have you brought an apprentice engineer to our meeting, Eliora?" Captain Gian asked.

"Merrie has two new inventions," she responded. "I believe they are of enough significant tactical importance to require your immediate attention."

Gian considered the two women. They couldn't be more different. Eliora - willowy, severe, and sharp as a knife. Over the last few months, she'd grown into her role as a leader among the protectors. Merrie, on the other hand, was shapely, with soft hands and a quick smile though no less confident. Each woman was deadly in her own way; one with her martial skills, the other with her mind.

He nodded. "I assume it will wait until we finish our normal business?"

"Yes, Captain," Eliora agreed.

"I would be happy to wait outside," Merrie said, smiling cheerfully.

"That won't be necessary. Shem, you're up first." Gian looked at his second in command.

"Yes, Captain," Shem said, more formally than was usual. "As you know, we're receiving more reports of brief encounters with Ophie. It appears they are surveilling our movements. Also, along the same lines, Eliora will report today that her patrol was met by an ambush. Both of these behaviors are highly unusual for the Ophie."

"Anything else unusual?" Gian asked.

"Yes. We've had several Ophie sightings at the edge of the forest, just past the front gate," Shem replied. "They don't advance, but stand in the open for a short period. They're doing the same near the fields. It is hard on the farmers, so much so that we've moved the blaster cannon to that gate," he said.

"That
is
unusual," Gian said. "Recommendations?"

"I've already upped the patrols around the edges of the fields. But I recommend cutting the forest back to create a dead zone for one hundred meters in all directions," Shem said. "It would give us much better warning when the Ophie did advance."

Merrie started fidgeting and coughed but then looked back to the table.

"Engineer Merrie, do you have something to add to this?"

"Yes and no. Shem's reference to a dead zone gave me an idea. If you were to declare a dead zone, I could install audible alarms - like really, really loud ones - so the farmers wouldn't ever be surprised," she said.

"How would your alarms distinguish between Ophie, people, and wild animals?" Shem asked.

"Not sure. But, where there's a will, there's a way," she said. "Would you like me to research it?"

Gian looked to Shem and Eliora in turn who both nodded assent.

"Yes, that is a good idea. As for moving the forest back, Shem, I will make this request of the council. Did you have anything else?" Gian looked to Shem.

"No, Captain, although I believe Eliora's report will be most interesting," Shem said.

"Very well. Eliora, I understand your citizen patrol ran into its first test," Gian said.

"As Shem alluded, my patrol was ambushed by a full pod of Ophies…"

"You had eight in your patrol?" Shem interrupted.

"Yes," Eliora answered and continued, unperturbed. "We were walking a path we'd established over the last few tendays. A pair of Ophie were sighted just off the path, perhaps thirty meters ahead, so we held up. It was only moments after we stopped that the remaining three jumped our patrol from behind. Popette and Melifan didn't even have time to draw their weapons."

"Their families are understandably upset," Shem said.

"This is not the place for that, Shem." Gian looked at Shem with a raised eyebrow. "Please continue, Eliora."

"Shem is right. These were normal citizens and I put them in danger. It is our job to protect them," she said.

"I shouldn't have to explain this to you both, but the fact is we're fighting for our very existence on Ophir. The loss of any human is a tragedy, but let's be clear, we either learn to fight, or we'll all end up like Popette and Melifan. We are no doubt outnumbered many tens of thousands to one. Please, Eliora, continue with your report. What happened after your group was ambushed?"

"Two of the Ophir were singularly focused on Popette and Melifan. So much so that the rest of the patrol, except for Coral and Dael, had time to draw the weapons that Smith Amon had provided. I'm pleased to report that both the long sword and katana pierced the natural armor of the Ophie," she said.

"What of Coral and Dael? Do we have a problem there?" Gian asked.

"No. As remarkable as the performance of the rest of the patrol was, the real standout was Coral," Eliora said.

"You're just saying that because I down-talked her," Shem said.

"That's enough, Shem," Gian said. "Eliora, if anything, understates her and her patrol's performance."

Gian looked back to Eliora, willing her to continue.

"I'd broken the patrol into four teams, combining an archer and a defender in each team. Coral's assignment was to target the Ophie we'd seen on the trail. Dael as her defender was responsible for protecting her while she was shooting her bow. Even as we were ambushed from behind, she did not break from her assignment and brought down one of the two 'bait' Ophies as they advanced on our position. Dael brought down the second as it attacked."

"Two casualties for a pod of Ophie is quite remarkable, Eliora. You are to be complimented. Our casualties have been significantly higher to date. To what do you attribute your success?"

"Certainly the bravery of the patrol should not be understated. They fought as well as any patrol I've been part of." She paused as Shem sighed and rolled his eyes, but didn't otherwise say anything. "But Shem is right to be skeptical. We've lost many fine men and women who were every bit as brave and were skilled warriors. No, it was the swords and bows that I believe gave us the edge."

"Oh, that's funny," Merrie said and then clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Merrie?" Captain Gian asked as Shem and Eliora both looked at the young engineer.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing," she said.

Gian turned back to Eliora. "I understand that a sword was lost."

"It was. We searched and searched, but one of our long swords could not be recovered," she said. "We had to choose between returning with our wounded and continuing to search."

"You made the right decision. It is a loss, but one we can live with. Do you have anything else to report?"

"I would like to fill in the citizen patrol with new recruits. Even with our losses, I believe it was very successful," she said.

"Shem, do you have any thoughts on this?" Gian asked.

"It is just as I predicted. Citizens have died as a result of these patrols. I am against it, the emotional blow to the population is too much," he said.

"Eliora, any response?"

"I've been approached by a large number of citizens who want to join us and a larger number who would like training," she said.

"How many?" Gian asked.

"I've written down their names," Eliora said and handed Gian a notepad.

"There are over a hundred names on this list," he said.

"Yes. Coral is well-known and liked. Her story has spread like fire through the settlement," she said.

Gian smiled for the first time in as long as Eliora could remember. "We may just survive after all," he said. "I'm creating a new position equal to First Protector, Eliora. You will lead our citizen training program as First Protector of Citizens."

Shem sucked in a quick breath and Gian looked at him waiting for a response. When Shem didn't say anything, he continued.

"Now Merrie. Our First Protector of Citizens has requested you be given a voice at our meeting. What would you share with us?"

Merrie looked away from Shem, embarrassed by the tension in the room. Clumsily, she reached for a bag on the floor, missed it, and then decided to stand up instead. After a few moments, she finally retrieved the bag and set it on the table, drawing out two hand-sized, rectangular objects.

"Communication devices," she said. "The old Earthers called them walkie-talkies. Kind of a cute name if you ask me, 'cause you can walk and talk with them… get it?"

When no one laughed with her, her face burned with embarrassment. She handed one of the devices to Captain Gian, the other to Eliora.

"What do you mean, communication devices? You were able to repair the lost technology of our founders?" Gian asked.

"No. That is still broken. We don't have the materials to fix it, but I was thinking the other day that maybe there was something that would still let us communicate, even if it wasn't our founder's tech. The design for this predates our founders by at least a millennia," she said.

"How does it work?" Gian asked, holding the small device in his hand.

"Push the button on the side and talk into the bottom…" Gian lifted the device to his mouth and Merrie reached across the table to turn it over. "That's right, now push the button and talk into it."

As soon as he did, his voice emitted from the device Eliora held, causing her to jump.

"Pretty great, right?" Merrie asked, all smiles, forgetting about her earlier embarrassment.

"But, I can hear him just fine already," Shem said.

"Notice there is no wire between them. These devices can be separated by quite a range," she said.

Gian looked at her with intense interest, "How far?"

"I don't know, but I tested them with Amon between the southwest gate and the main gate. They reach that far, at least," she said.

"I think 'pretty great' is an understatement. How many of these can you produce?" he asked.

"I brought six to test. They take twenty minutes on the maker machine, but you have to find some old polymer based material. I used what I had on these. I think I could make 'em work with gron-rubber, but it would take time to modify the pattern," she said.

"Merrie, this type of technology changes our tactical capability by more than you can imagine. Why haven't we had this before?" Gian asked.

"We're so focused on what we lost that we didn't look far enough back in time to see what we could have. Steel swords are hardly a new idea," she said.

"Right you are. I believe Eliora said you had two things to show us. What is the next piece of magic you'll pull from your bag?" he asked.

"Bag's empty. We'll have to go to my lab for the other thing," she said.

"Just tell us," Shem said impatiently.

Gian lay his hand on Shem's arm. "I think she's earned a trip to the tannery, don't you?"

Shem looked to the walkie-talkies on the table, to Merrie and then back to Gian. He smiled broadly. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. The world's changing so fast, I guess I better try to keep up."

"Give us a hint," Gian said. "While we travel."

"It was really Eliora's idea. She mentioned that we had two major problems. The first is the inability to keep track of our people in the field, which I think the walkie-talkies will do a nice job of addressing. The second thing was that we don't have any idea where the Ophie live. The only way we've gotten a general idea is because if we send a patrol in certain directions, they never come back."

"Tell me you have a way to map the Ophie's location," Gian said.

"No, but I have something that was invented about the same time as those walkie-talkies," she said. "We've been ignoring all of that early technology, but that's stupid. Our maker machine can actually manufacture that generation of tech."

"You still haven't told me anything," Gian said.

"No, but it was a pretty good hint," Merrie said as they pulled up in front of the old tannery.

"You've been busy," Shem said.

The once ramshackle factory had received a recent facelift. The brick had been tucked, doors repaired and windows replaced.

"Dad… er… Master Merik called in some favors so we don't have to work in the rain," Merrie answered. "We'll go in the big doors."

Merrie jumped out of the vehicle and walked over to two new barn doors that smelled of freshly cut wood and pulled open the rightmost. The four entered to the sight of half a dozen long tables filled with compound bows and arrows in different states of assembly. An older woman worked at a station, fletching arrows, while another at assembling the bows. The workers looked up as the doors opened.

"We're still making bows?" Shem asked.

"Oh, yes, the council ordered more than two hundred thousand arrows. We're hoping to be done with the bows by the end of next tenday," Merrie said.

"And the arrows?" Gian asked.

"I'm not sure, we're waiting on stock from the carpenters and we need more labor," Merrie said.

"Shem, remind me to follow up on that. We should have plenty of lumber available when we cut back the forest," Gian said.

"Will do."

"We're back here," Merrie said, leading them through the manufacturing space.

The table that she stopped at had a large array of ancient looking electronic equipment, most of which hadn't been seen for over a millennia.