Fatal Blade (Decker's War#3) (10 page)

“I think I’ll go with you, Ser Whate.”

They slipped out of the booth without hurrying and headed for the back door behind the bar, trying to look entirely innocent.  It almost worked.

“Hey you!”  One of the cops shouted.  “Stop right there.”

Decker resisted the temptation to raise a rigid digit salute and simply followed his companions down the narrow passage and out into the Paradise Hotel’s junk-filled backyard.

“Not the brightest cops, are they?”  He asked, scanning his surroundings while they jogged between piles of rusting metal and discarded plastic containers, trying to find their way to the street.  “If you’re going to take someone in, you cover all the exits.”

“If they were smart, Ser Whate, they wouldn’t be taking bribes from everyone,” Kinnear replied, “thereby making themselves unable to go after anyone but off-worlders, and then only those not under the protection of locals.”

“Like us.  I suppose we could always wave a stack of cred chips under their noses, but since we’re headed back to the ship, it would probably be a waste.”

They slowed their pace once they reached the main road, to avoid attracting attention.

“Did I understand that you’re offering me passage on your ship?”  Kinnear eyed the big man by his side with undisguised suspicion.

“I’m going to guess that you’ve come up empty for whatever job you have here because it sounds like you’ve been in Yavan for a while.  That means you were probably close to leaving anyway.  Now that the cops have seen you with us, it makes sense that you move up your timetable.  If we don’t conclude a contract, you can pay us the price of your passage to our next stop.  If we do, we’ll add it to our fee.  Deal?”

“It seems I have little choice, Ser Whate.  Thank you.”

Talyn glanced back over her shoulder.

“It may not be quite as easy as we’d like,” she said.  “There’s a ground car with nice blue emergency flashers turning away from the Paradise.”

“Over here,” Decker pointed at the huge septic disposal vat they’d passed the previous day.  “A good stench tends to keep dirty cops away.  They don’t like the competition.”

“I hope you’re proposing we hide behind it and not inside.”

“Considering how many good leather jackets I’ve lost over the last few years, I’m going to make sure this one lasts, so yeah, we’re hiding behind it.  If they have sensors, the organic stew in the vat will hide our signature.”

“Aren’t you worried that they’ll seize your shuttle, Ser Whate?”  Kinnear asked once they were ensconced in the shadows, watching the reflection of the lights grow on the neighboring storage tank.

Decker chuckled grimly.

“Not a chance.  That thing is almost impregnable and if they try to cut in, the self-destruct mechanism is going to give them one chance to stop and back away before the entire spaceport vanishes in a bright flash.”

“Radical, but practical, I suppose.”  A pause.  “Would you really blow up the spaceport if they try to take your shuttle?”

“Technically, they’d be blowing themselves up, but yeah.  Wouldn’t you?”  Zack grinned at Kinnear, knowing that he’d be eroding his disguise even further, but if they were going to take him aboard
Phoenix
, the truth would have to come out at some point.

The man shook his head briefly then turned his eyes back towards the road, just in time to see a police car speed by.

“Let’s hope that once they see we’re not at the spaceport, they go off on a wild goose chase all over town,” Talyn said.  “I suggest we wait here until we see them come back.”

“I hope that won’t take all day.”  Decker sniffed the air.  “If we stay here too long, the stench might become impregnated in our clothes, and I’ll lose another good jacket.”

“Don’t worry, Ser Kinnear, he’s not like this all the time.”

“Like what?”  Decker demanded, half-indignantly.

“Whiny.”  She winked at Tran.

The flashing lights took almost an hour to reappear, this time, headed back into Yavan proper.

“Let’s hope they didn’t leave someone behind,” Talyn said, leading the way out of their hiding spot.

“More likely they told the administrator to keep a lookout and report when we show up.  Not that it’ll do them any good.”  Decker banished the lingering smell of decay with a shake of the head.

Talyn pulled out a small pad and stroked it a few times with her fingertips.

“There.  The shuttle’s going live and warming up.  It’ll be ready to lift by the time we get there.  Since I doubt they’ll try to shoot us down if we take off without permission, we shouldn’t have any more problems.”

***

“We have a problem,” Decker said ten minutes later, peering over the perimeter fence at their boxy little spacecraft.  “Two cops standing guard.”

“I suppose we could just walk up to them and offer a little help with their insomnia,” Talyn replied.

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they start shooting and we don’t want to go there.  I think we might get the bribe queen to help us out if we make enough creds stick to her fingers.  After all, she pointed friend Kinnear in our direction, so she can’t be all bad.”

“It’s worth a try.”

Triane Lyde looked up from her cluttered desk when the trio walked in, the expression on her face changing from annoyance to alarm.

“I see you found them, Ser Kinnear,” she said, quickly recovering her composure.

“Indeed.”  Tran inclined his head in thanks.  “I’ll be departing with them, but we appear to have an infestation of sorts on the tarmac.”

“Yeah.”  She raised her chin towards Decker and Talyn.  “Damn cops seem to have a bone to pick with you two.  I’m to keep you here and call them right away.”

Decker pulled out a few cred chips and tossed one on her desk

“I’m sure you’ll find our offer to not call them much better.”

A second chip joined the first.

“Same with our offer to not keep us here.”

Chip number three sailed through the air.

“I’m sure the two goons guarding our shuttle would accept one or two of these to come inside and warm up with a cup of coffee.”

Three more chips joined the rest on the growing pile in front of Lyde.

“Your commission to offer the goons their inducement to take a nice coffee break.”

Lyde looked at Decker with narrowed eyes, then down at the money, calculating the risk-reward ratio.

“And a performance bonus – payable in advance,” she finally said, scooping up the pile.

Two more chips flew towards her and this time, she caught them before they landed.

“The office beside mine is empty.”  She pointed at the connecting door.  “Wait there.  When the cops are inside, you can scoot out and take off.  The moment you’re in your shuttle, there’s nothing anyone can do to keep you here.”

When they were alone in the neighboring room, Kinnear asked, “Do you think she’ll stay bought, or bring the police down on us anyway, in the hope of taking what’s left in your pockets?”

“Wouldn’t do much for her.  She’s got everything I had and even if she didn’t, the cops would steal what was left, then demand she bribe them over and above what I gave her to lure them in.  No, I think Sera Lyde is the kind who stays bought where the so-called law is concerned.”

Talyn glanced through the grimy window.

“She’s got them walking back into the building with her.”

“I guess we’re about to find out if she stayed bought.”  Zack checked to make sure he could draw his blaster smoothly.

A sharp rap rang out from the door leading to the waiting room and then, soon after, they heard animated voices in Lyde’s office.

“I guess that was our signal.”  Decker pulled the outside door open with a mighty heave, dislodging years of encrusted dust and grime.  “No running, please, just in case there are hostile eyes on us.  Amble along casually.”

The shuttle’s rear ramp came down at their approach and, with a last look around, Decker shepherded his companions aboard.  Talyn dropped into the pilot’s seat and sealed the craft up again.

“Sera Lyde’s a sly little creature,” she said, scanning the sensor log.  “She tried to break in.  I guess that’s how she figured we would be safe once we were aboard.  So much for her extra security fees.”

“Just once, I’d like us to work on a planet where the people are honest, there’s no war and everyone’s smiling,” Zack grumbled from the passenger compartment while he checked Tran Kinnear’s seat restraints.  “You just stay right like you are until we’re on our ship, buddy.”

“If there is such a thing as a happy, safe and honest place,” Talyn said while Zack strapped himself into the co-pilot’s seat, “it wouldn’t have any work for people like us, but if you’d like to retire to a planet with those utopian features, be my guest.  You’ll be starting bar fights within a week just to have some fun.”

“Oops.”  Decker pointed at the console’s tactical screen.  “There’s a lot of blue light coming up the drive from the main road.”

“I guess she hedged her bets.”  Talyn gunned the thrusters, and the shuttle lifted off in a cloud of dust, heading for the ribbon of indigo sky ten kilometers above Yavan.

“Or the guys guarding the shuttle smelled a rat and called in before taking the bribe.”  He shook his head.  “That’s is what I hate about corruption.  You can never tell who’s doing what to whom without a program.”

He turned his head towards the passenger compartment.

“You all right in there, Tran?”

“Never been better.”

ELEVEN

Kinnear let out a low whistle once he’d stepped off the shuttle.

“Nice.  And there’s only the two of you to crew a ship big enough for a hangar deck this size?”

“It’s a wonder what modern AIs can do,” Decker replied, locking the small craft to the deck.  “Plus, my partner’s a pretty good pilot, and I’m a wizard when it comes to gunnery.  You could say that I’ve mastered it.”

“He’s a master at something alright, but I’m still trying to figure out what that is,” Talyn said, ushering Kinnear into the corridor.  “I’m going to ask you to stay in your cabin until we’re on our way.  We have a lot to do before we break orbit.”

“Of course.”

They stopped in front of an unmarked door which opened at Talyn’s touch, revealing a sparse compartment with two sets of stacked bunks, a row of lockers and a table with chairs.

“Just to make sure you don’t inadvertently wander around, we’ll lock you in.  I hope that doesn’t present any issues.”

Kinnear nodded once, “No problem.  I understand.”

Then he stepped into his quarters.

“Thanks again for taking me with you.  Andoth would have become pretty uncomfortable after the cops saw me talking to you.”

“We’ll discuss business later, Ser Kinnear.”

She shut the door and nodded towards the bridge.

“Time to get going, master of gunnery and other fun activities.”

“You think Kinnear’s decided that I have more than a passing resemblance to his former commanding officer?”  Decker asked, taking his seat at the tactical station.

“I’d say so.  The people you brought back probably have your ugly mug permanently engraved in their memory and while your disguise might fool the opposition, it won’t fool your friends all the time.  Anyway, mannerisms will give anyone away to folks who’ve known them well, and you have some pretty distinctive ones.”

“Tran’s smart enough to go along with whatever story I feed him.  He’ll figure I have my reasons, and he knows I’d never screw him over, not after what we went through together.”

“Loyalty is a commendable sentiment,” she retorted with a sharp tone.  “Don’t let it get in the way of the mission.”

“I think this time it might coincide with the mission, little Miss Sociopath.  Are you going to get us away from here or are you waiting for something magical to happen?”

“Sublight drives need time to spool up, buddy.  You’d know that if you truly were a master of anything other than shooting off your big gun.”  She turned to face him.  “What makes you think Kinnear might be involved with the Garonne rebellion?”

“Let me see.”  He began ticking off the items one by one on his fingers.  “He’s a former soldier and a good one, with no known ties anywhere in the Commonwealth.  He’s looking for a shipper willing to take risks in one of the places the analysts figured might be connected to the supply pipeline.  We know the rebels have been recruiting former soldiers suffering from an excess of idealism and last but not least, I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“That was my take as well.”  She nodded.  “I’ll add that he was quick to take you up on the offer to hitch a ride, meaning whatever he’s doing isn’t something he wants to advertise.”

“Sure.”  Zack nodded.  “That one was so obvious, I didn’t think it needed saying.”

She made an obscene gesture, but before he could retort, the AI chimed softly, drawing her attention back to the helm console.

“We’re ready,” she announced.

“And we’re going where exactly?”

“Right now, I figure we’d lose ourselves in the outer system, just to make sure we don’t get unwanted company, like those Shrehari marauders who mistook us for a yacht.  Then, we’ll have a nice long chat with your friend Tran.”

“I recognize that tone, Hera.  You’re not interrogating him.  If Kinnear’s involved with the Garonne bunch, we’ll have a better chance of tracking down who’s behind it by becoming part of their supply pipeline.”

“And I recognize that look in your eyes, Chief Warrant Officer Decker.  We are not going to get involved in the rebellion, no matter how noble the rebels and how nasty the colonial administration.  If the central government decides to intervene, it’ll send the next available Marine Regiment.”

“Aye, aye, Commander Talyn, sir.”  Decker tossed off a mock salute.  “But my idea is still a good one, so we’ll go with it.”

“For now,” she conceded.

“If the Coalition is trying stir up something that’ll further destabilize the sector, then it’s our job to sort it out.  Just keep in mind what we saw on Marengo.  They’ll be going down the same path as Garonne if we don’t find out what’s really going on.  And after Marengo?  Heck, Cimmeria could be next and wouldn’t that make the Shrehari howl with joy.”

Talyn sighed.

“I get the picture, Zack.  I’m just afraid that your sense of honor, duty and doing the right thing will make you lose sight of what our job really is.”

“Defending the Commonwealth and its citizens?”

“Making sure sweethearts like the Coalition don’t undermine the system to the point where we find ourselves fighting a third migration war.”

“Yeah.”  He nodded.  “And that would tempt the Shrehari into trying a do-over of their last invasion.  Enough talking, Captain Pasek.  Let’s get
Phoenix
away from this damned place so we can let Tran out of the brig.”

“It’s a cabin, Zack.”

“Does he have access to a bar?  No?  Then it’s a brig.”

***

“Please sit, Ser Kinnear,” Talyn gestured towards the table in the ship’s saloon.  “Can we offer you some refreshments?”

“Coffee would be nice.”

“Bill?”  She glanced at Decker.  “Could you whip up some of your good stuff?”

“Sure.  Give me a moment.  Want a splash of something in it.  We have a palatable rotgut that won’t make your hair fall out.”

Kinnear instinctively touched his head, now covered in a thick shock of black and Decker smiled.

“I’m glad to hear that, Ser Whate.  I’ve grown rather fond of my mop.  Yes, a small splash would be welcome.”

After he’d served the coffee, Zack’s and Kinnear’s redolent of whiskey, Talyn broached the subject that sat heavily in everyone’s mind.

“At present, we’re headed outwards, but with no particular destination in mind - just trying to get some distance from Andoth.  I think there are a few things you need to know before we discuss what you’re looking for.  We’re essentially mercenaries, Bill Whate and I. 
Phoenix
carries more firepower than you’d expect, which is handy when we’re carrying stuff that attracts greedy eyes.  We’ve got plenty of cargo space for a ship this size, but less than most of comparable tonnage because we traded it for weaponry.”

Kinnear nodded.  “That actually makes hiring you more attractive than less.”

“Okay, so far, so good.”  Talyn nodded before taking a sip.  “We don’t come cheap, but we’re willing to go further than most free traders.  We can actually outfight what we can’t outrun.”

“A Shrehari trader tried his marauding sideline on us near Kilia Station recently,” Decker said.  “The atoms that used to make up its crew might get back to the Empire in a few million years.  We can be good friends with the right people and dangerous enemies to those who try to fuck us over.”

“I was getting that impression, Ser Whate, after what you did to Syko and his crew.”  Kinnear nodded solemnly.  “The people I represent can also be very good friends or very deadly enemies, though we like to think of ourselves as being on the side of freedom.”

Talyn and Decker exchanged quick glances.  Perhaps Zack’s old comrade and fellow former slave soldier had become involved in the Garonne rebellion.

“You’ll have to excuse me,” Kinnear continued, “if I’m a bit scarce on details.  I’m sure you can understand the need for operational security.”

Decker nodded.

“Sure.  We can do business without knowing everything, but if we come up against something you didn’t mention, and it puts us at unacceptable risk, the contract is either renegotiated or terminated.”

“Understood.  I’d feel the same in your place, Ser Whate.”  He took a long sip of coffee, evidently framing his next words carefully.

“When I first approached you, I was looking for a fast transport that could land on a standard planet with an atmosphere and without needing a spaceport.”

“Smuggling?”  Talyn raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Yes and no, Captain.”

“Let the man continue,” Decker growled, “otherwise we’ll be in interstellar space before we figure out where we’re going next.”

“Sorry.  Please go ahead, Ser Kinnear.”

“Now that I’ve seen your ship, and you’ve informed me of your status as mercenaries, I’ve been thinking about the possibility of hiring you not only to transport a few things but to escort the other ships we’ve hired.  Your experience with the Shrehari marauder wasn’t an isolated bit of piracy.  We lost one of our contracted freighters a few months ago.”

“Marauders?”

“We don’t know.”  Kinnear seemed pained.  “The ship carried some people I worked with.  Losing them set us back quite a bit.  They were some of the most experienced folks we had.”

“We can fight off single ships or even a pair if they’re not too big, but we won’t fight the Navy, ever,” Decker said.  “And we’re not getting involved in anything that’ll have the Commonwealth authorities looking for the nearest tree to hang us.”

“You needn’t worry on that account, Ser Whate.  The Navy has no interest in what we do and the freight we’re looking to ship doesn’t involve drugs or slavery.”

“Then why not hire a regular shipping line?”

“As I mentioned, we need ships that can land just about anywhere.”  He bit his lower lip, carefully mulling over his next words.  “You should know that some planetary governments consider what we ship illegal or borderline illegal, and that’s about as much as I can tell you right now.”

“So you’re saying that provided we keep away from those governments, our risk is just regular piracy and the like?”

“Pretty much.”  He seemed relieved that Decker didn’t pressure him for more details on the contraband.

“Sounds like something we can handle,” Talyn said.

She quoted a fee that might have seemed outrageous, but Kinnear didn’t even flinch, possibly evidence that someone with deep pockets was financing his organization.

“I’ll have to get my superiors’ confirmation, of course, but we’ll hire you under those terms.”  He examined Zack’s face again, frowning.  “Ser Whate, you really do remind me of someone I once knew, a man who saved my life; an excellent soldier.”

“They say we each have a doppelganger somewhere in the universe.”  Zack shrugged.  “The only life I’ve ever saved is my own and maybe, if she’s not too nasty, I might save my partner’s.  I’m not what you would call a generous man.”

“I can vouch for that,” Talyn added.  “I’m sure the day I kick him out of my bunk is the day he won’t save my life for love or money.”

Kinnear looked at the two operatives in turn, then nodded.

“Understood.”

“And where do we go from here, Ser Kinnear?”  Talyn asked.

***

“I’m not feeling the warm and fuzzies right now.”  Decker stared glumly at his readout.

They had made a long passage out of Commonwealth space and now orbited what he’d charitably described as a useless hunk of rock.

“If there were any way to get out of landing, it would have my vote.”

“Your buddy Kinnear isn’t worried.  Why should you be?”

“You can stop rubbing it in any time now, Hera.”

“I’m a sociopath, as you keep pointing out.  I have no empathy for your feelings.”

“Bull.  You were feeling things just fine last night.”

“Sex and emotions are two different things, lover boy.”  She turned and blew him a kiss.

“Maybe in your twisted world.”

“You’re living in that same twisted world now.”

“Sadly.”  He nodded at the main screen, which showed their destination on the planet’s surface.  “The term hive of scum and villainy comes to mind, though I’ll be damned if I can remember where I picked up that expression.”

“In the last hive of scum and villainy you visited?”

“That would be Tortuga Station, of ill fame.”  He snorted.  “Though I’m sure the folks there remember my visit with a lot less fondness than I do.”

“You have that effect on a lot of people.”

“Those two ships with the sleek look aren’t honest.  I’m sure we outgun them once I drop the camouflage plates, but that’s not going to do us much good on the ground.”

“Maybe we should do a strafing run before landing, you know, to clear the way.”

“Don’t tempt me, woman.”

“And that’s another thing you didn’t mind about me last night.  I’m sure we’ll be okay.  These places can only exist because they keep the various parties from killing each other when they’re in port.”

“The Navy ought to run a clean-up sweep one of these days.”