The Pirates of Sufiro (Book 1) (Old Star New Earth) (12 page)

Stone was dismayed by Raton's laughter. "There are no hotels in the fine city of Succor."
"I thought Firebrandt would live in New Des Moines," protested Stone.
"Nah, that place is for businessmen, not people who work for a living," said Raton, smiling. He helped Stone load his luggage into the open back of the carryhover. Stone looked at the vehicle with a feeling of dread. It was old and beat-up. The seats were of a worn cloth. Stone got in and straddled a spring that poked through the cushion at his crotch as best he could. His son sat beside him and Raton took the controls. As they pulled away, Roberts led Captain Ellis to a similarly beatup hover.
They drove in silence to Raton's ranch house. Once there, Raton led them into the large living room. He introduced Stone and his son to Carmen and the boys. Manuel and Sam seemed to hit it off quickly as they sat down to dinner.
Stone found out about Espedie's interest in taking some time to explore the other continent as they spoke over dinner. Carmen chided him and told him to keep his dreams to himself. She reminded him of his responsibility to the boys and the farm.
"But Ellison said he and Roberts would take care of the farm if I were to go exploring," he protested.
"I keep telling you, you should be careful how far you trust that old pirate." She waved her finger at him. "You already got yourself into enough trouble volunteering to help him with that power station."
Stone chuckled lightly. It was the first sign Raton had that the man had a sense of humor. Even so, Raton was growing to like the man in spite of himself. They had a lot of things in common. Not the least of which was the desire to make a better life for their families. After dinner, Carmen and the boys cleared the table while Stone and Raton continued their conversation. "What if I mentioned that I have it on a hunch, that there was Erdonium on the other continent?"
Carmen Raton let out a cackling laugh as she wiped down the table. "That's ridiculous," she said. Espedie glared at her. He was interested now, although he mildly resented how easily he had been hooked.
"Not so, my good lady," said Stone with a genuinely charming smile. He went to his luggage and produced a map of the other continent and placed it on the table. On it were marked the locations of several Erdonium deposits.
"Where in God's name did you get that?" asked Espedie.
"Does it matter?" Stone kept his fingers lightly on the map.
Carmen came in and looked over his shoulder. "It's like pirate's buried treasure."
"Better," whispered Espedie. His brown eyes widened. He put his hand over his mouth and stared. "That's more treasure than anyone could spend in a lifetime." He looked at his wife and pointed at the map. "Even if this is a fake map, it's worth investigating."
She shook her head, doubtful. "I don't know..."
"Think about it," said Stone, rolling the map up. "That's all I ask. If you're not interested, someone else will be."
"We'll talk," said Espedie.
Carmen ushered Stone to the room she made up for him. It was a beautiful but cozy room with wooden vigas, a large bed and a fireplace. He knew he would dream pleasantly of imminent fortune in this rustic room. He unpacked and went back out to the living room, where he found Espedie brimming with questions.
* * * *
Captain Jerome Ellis sat at the head of a rectangular table while Captain Ellison Firebrandt sat at the other end. Roberts and Fire had positions in the middle. The table was long, but not so long as to prevent communication from one end to the other.
Privateer captains had the right to wear whatever uniform they saw fit. Many picked uniforms that were gaudy and ostentatious with orange pantaloons and yellow striped shirts. Others wore simple white turtleneck sweaters and dark trousers. Still others wore outfits that resembled military uniforms. Wearing exact copies of military uniforms was a severe violation of the articles of war. However, many captains—Firebrandt included—felt that a military look legitimized their positions. Firebrandt's uniform consisted of a simple black jacket and black trousers. A blood-red stripe ran down the leg of the pants. On the breast pocket of the jacket were a crossed pipe and sword. Gold epaulets adorned the shoulders of the jacket. Underneath, he wore a white turtleneck shirt.
Roberts wore a near-copy of Firebrandt's uniform. Instead of epaulets, he wore a purple sash. Fire wore a relatively simple dress that was cut to accentuate her body. The cloth was woven from a local fiber and the dress appeared to be many shades of red that shifted as she moved. Jerome Ellis found himself captivated by the colors and the contours created by the body underneath.
Jerome Ellis was pleasantly surprised when he realized that Firebrandt was happy to talk about life in space rather than the mundane life of a farmer. Firebrandt spent much of the conversation talking about life as a privateer captain. Fire had heard many of the stories before but delighted in hearing them again. Jerome Ellis grudgingly admitted admiration. He had been taught to despise privateers, yet Firebrandt painted a picture of himself as a defender of Earth. He told how it took an admiral from Alpha Coma Berenices to end his career.
"Wasn't that Barbara Firebrandt?" asked Ellis.
Roberts cleared his throat. Firebrandt took a drink of wine. "I believe that was her name, yes," said Firebrandt, swirling his glass and looking into it.
"There can't be many humans in the galaxy with an unusual name like Firebrandt," said Ellis. "Was she a relative of yours?"
"I doubt it." Firebrandt set down the glass and looked at his feet. "We don't even come from the same planet. I came from Earth while she came from Alpha Coma."
Fire looked at Ellis, deciding it was time to change the subject. "So tell me, how did someone from Nantucket end up as a captain aboard a corporate ship?"
"Actually, I'm a little surprised that anyone not from Earth has even heard of our little island," said Ellis. Fire smiled winningly. Oceans and their lore fascinated her and she read as much as she could about them.
"Is it really so surprising?" Roberts clasped his hands together. "Historically, Nantucket was a center for corporate shipping. Look at the whaling industry of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries."
"It's true," said Ellis. "My family is filled with sailors and ship captains. Edward Ellis captained the whaler
Madaket
. His son, James, commanded the
Orion
."
"All whalers?" Fire looked down, sadly.
"Not all," said Ellis. "When the danger to the whale population became known, the family took an active part in stopping the hunting. We pride ourselves on being a long line of captains, not that we hunted whales. My ancestors sailed every ocean of Earth. Later, the family commanded space vessels. You may have heard of Howard Ellis, captain of the
Hawking
."
"That was the first ship equipped with an EQ generator, wasn't it?" asked Roberts, searching his memory.
"
Einstein's Folly
was the first," Ellis corrected. "But the
Hawking
was built only two years later." There was a sparkle of pride in the captain's eye.
Fire looked toward a corner of the room, her brow knitted, searching her memory. "'Nantucket! Take out your map and look at it. See what a real corner of the world it occupies; how it stands there, away off shore, more lonely than the Eddystone lighthouse.'"
Ellis smiled. "That's from Melville, isn't it?"
"
Moby-Dick
," she said. She looked at him, concentrating. "'And thus have these naked Nantucketers, these sea hermits, issuing from their ant-hill in the sea, overrun and conquered the watery world like so many Alexanders.'" She smiled, inclining her head. "'Let America add Mexico to Texas but remember that two-thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketers.' So, too, remember that ninety-nine percent of all space belongs to the Nantucketer."
Ellis found that his eyes were moist. No one outside his family had ever sensed the island's importance to him. "Thank you," he whispered. Then he looked at his watch. "It's getting late, I had better call for the launch to come retrieve me."
"Why not stay the night?" asked Fire, perhaps a little too quickly for her father's taste. "I would love to hear more about Nantucket. You could stay in my room. I'll take one of the crew bunks."
Firebrandt pursed his lips. "It goes against tradition for a captain to stay away from his ship overnight."
Ellis shrugged. "The Navy tradition, perhaps. The ship's going to be here a week, I'd be charmed to stay overnight. Pfister can see to the unloading operations."
Firebrandt held out his hands. "Then please feel free to be our guest."
Ellis nodded and excused himself to call the ship. Firebrandt led his daughter aside. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Daddy, I think I'm in love," she said.
"Love at first sight?" grumbled Firebrandt. "More like lust at first sight." He felt a twinge of guilt, scolding his daughter. The last thing he wanted was for his daughter to hate him, like he hated his own mother.
"Dad," she scolded. He looked at his feet while she talked. "It's my life. You promised never to interfere. Jerome Ellis is one of the first men I've met from outside. He's intelligent and witty, a lot like you. I don't want you to send him away, just as we're starting to get to know each other."
Firebrandt nodded. "I guess so. He is a pretty special visitor, isn't he?" He looked at his daughter. She was twentyone already. He knew she wanted to see some of the rest of the galaxy. "Perhaps we could arrange passage on the
Nantucket
for you to Earth."
"Would you?" she asked excitedly, her voice rising. "Would it be possible?"
Ellis returned from calling the ship. "Arrangements have been made. I think my first officer was just a little
too
happy to see me go for a night."
"First officers are like that," said Firebrandt, grinning and walking over to pat Roberts on the shoulder. Roberts simply grinned in reply. Firebrandt asked Ellis about arranging passage for Fire. Ellis explained that they would be meandering through a number of systems before returning to Earth, but quoted the price for passage. "Do you accept payment in gold?" asked Firebrandt.
"Unconventional, but we can convert it. Amount of gold subject to the exact value on the Gaea exchange, of course." Ellis took a drink of wine. "I must say though, that Pfister isn't going to be terribly happy about giving up her quarters for more of the journey."
With that, the group adjourned to the front room of the house. They talked for another hour before Firebrandt and Roberts went to bed. They each had to go to work in the fields in the morning. Fire lost track of time after that. When Ellis next looked at his watch, it was after local midnight.
"You should probably show me to my room," he said, sheepishly. "It's even getting a bit late by ship's time."
"It's toward the back of the house, near Dad's office—but away from the other rooms," she said. She led him back through the dining room in the middle of the old star cruiser, to the wooden addition in the back of the house. She showed him the door and led him in then closed the door behind her. She walked up to him and put her arms around him. She was nearly as tall as he was, but she put her head on his shoulder.
Ellis could smell the sweet fragrance of her hair. He felt the supple lines of her body molded against his. "Suki, this is very sudden." The cliché was the only phrase that came to his mind.
"No," she said softly into his shoulder. "It's taken twentyone years." She looked up into his eyes. "I don't know if I love you. I do know you are the most attractive man I've ever met. Hold me."
Ellis' stomach was queasy. He was suddenly well aware of his own groin as he returned the embrace. Though he was hardly a naive man, he was not used to a woman being so forward. He kissed her hair. "What about your father?"
"My life is my own," she whispered. Though Ellison Firebrandt was concerned and often times overly protective, he held true to his lifetime principle that he would not rule the personal life of another not serving under his command. Fire had taken advantage of that fact. She and Manuel Raton had played what now seemed silly sexual games. There had been neither love nor chemistry between them. There simply had been hormones. Her father never said anything about it. She wasn't sure if he knew, but was sure he wouldn't interfere.
Fire stepped back and unbuttoned his uniform jacket, slipping it off his back. Her fingers worked his neck muscles. He was surprised how strong her hands were. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want," she said. "I really do respect your feelings." Ellis smiled lopsidedly, knowing what he wanted, but unsure of the circumstances.
"You're intelligent and beautiful. I can't help but be attracted to you," he said at last. He turned around and held her. As he kissed her, her tongue darted into his mouth. Hungrily, he responded in kind then turned his attentions to her earlobes followed by the soft curve of her neck. Meanwhile, his hands began explorations of their own. A short time later, he found himself on the bed, his shirt off, her dress gone. Fire straddled his legs and arched her back. For their size, her breasts were surprisingly firm. He fondled them appreciatively. To her, his touch was self-assured and confident. She moaned as a shiver of gentle pleasure wandered up her spine. She undid his pants and pulled them down to his knees.
Fire slid herself onto him. Both sighed with electrified ecstasy. They rocked back and forth, euphoric. She knew the thrill of traveling the far reaches of space. He felt the joy and love of growing up on a small farm world. Finally, his passion reached its climax. She shivered and sighed with her own orgasm. She lay down beside him, her unconstrained breasts aching from gravity's pull. Fire and Ellis were drowsy, but comfortably happy. They talked about space and the joys of exploration until both were sound asleep.
* * * *

The next morning, Peter Stone found Espedie Raton out in the field, finishing the plowing he had begun three days before. When Raton saw Stone crossing the field, he cut the engine on the hover-tractor. As Stone heard the engine die, he raised a hand in greeting. Raton waved back. Stone arrived at the tractor, panting from the exertion of the walk.

"This gravity's not easy to get used to," Stone said between breaths. He bent over, hands on his knees, for a moment.

Raton poured him a glass of iced tea from his cooler. "Here, this will help," he said.
Stone drained the glass and Raton refilled it. "That's better." He looked up at Raton. "Have you had a chance to think about the Erdonium."
"I've been out here on this tractor busting my butt ever since the sun came up," said Espedie. "I've been thinking about how hard a living this is." He shook his head. "This is a poor planet Señor Stone. If my children want to be more than farmers they have to leave this planet. I'm surprised Manuel hasn't left already."
"There's nothing dishonorable about farming," said Stone, playing devil's advocate.
"No," said Raton. "There isn't anything dishonorable at all. But not everyone wants to be a farmer. This planet and my family have a lot." He looked around at the horizon and the river. He saw the mountains and he looked at his field. "This planet has a lot, but it could have so much more."
"Does that mean you want to help me search for Erdonium on the other continent?" asked Stone, hopefully.
"It would be a great adventure, but it would be hard work." Espedie sat back on the tractor. "It would be a great gamble and that's what my wife is afraid of."
"But the map..." protested Stone.
"I have no evidence that the map is real," countered Raton.
"Do any treasure hunters have evidence that the treasure is real?" asked Stone. He looked around. "This place is beautiful, but there are sure to be other beautiful places on this planet. Does it really matter if we find anything? Think about the adventure."
Espedie sighed. One of things he had done for money on Earth was to con people out of money, selling them things for many times their value. He recognized the technique Stone was using. He knew from the night before that Stone was devious, but he could turn on a part of himself to sell something. At last, he looked Stone in the eye. "Okay, what I really want to know is why me? There's a whole planet full of people you could get to help you. There are hangers-on in New Des Moines that would leap at the opportunity to go with you to the other continent. Why me?"
"Because I need
you,
" Stone said firmly. "You are respected here. Last night, I found out that you were one of the first legitimate settlers here. When I find the Erdonium, I'm going to need local clout to push my claim."
"Your claim?" asked Raton. "Why do you need clout? Why not just claim it?"
"If I'm not careful, the Mao Corporation might just walk in and make their own claim."
"Ah," said Raton. His smile broadened. "I see now. You found out about the Erdonium while you were aboard the
Nantucket
."
Stone swore at himself. He had not meant Raton to figure out how he got the information. Now he had to think fast to make sure no one else would find out. "I may have," he said rapidly. "The reality is if Mao finds out how I learned about the Erdonium, my claims will be forfeit."
"Our claim," said Raton, grinning. He got off the tractor and put his hands on Stone's shoulders. "Never forget that, partner. It's
our
claim. I get fifty percent of what we find. You renege on our deal, I go to Mao."
Stone's feelings were mixed. At once he cursed and congratulated himself. He now had Raton on his side meaning the expedition would come together and his claim would be legitimized. On the other hand, Raton had leverage against him. Raton also had mixed thoughts. He came to New Granada to get away from the corrupt, dishonest life he had lived on Earth. He came to raise children with the wife he loved. Now, he found himself going back to the old ways. He had a momentary vision of himself standing at the side of a crowded, claustrophobic street trying to unload a plastic bag filled with tobacco so he could have enough money for dinner and the day's taxes. Yet, now that he knew where Stone got his information about the Erdonium, he knew he wasn't gambling with anything other than his own soul. Stone held out his plump hand. Raton took it.
"Partner," said Stone.
"Partner," replied Raton.
"What about your wife?"
"Carmen?" Raton smiled. "She'll understand." * * * *