Galactic Freighter: Scourge of the Deep Space Pirates (Contact) (27 page)

The Captain hesitated and Buck made a move toward him, his blaster pointed at the man's head. "Now."

"You son of a bitch. You'll not get away with this. My men, all my crew are armed."

"Captain, I am here to find three men. Give me what I want and no harm will come to the rest of your crew. Do otherwise and I'll kill you."

Dressed, the man stood and faced Buck. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"I am Lord Fryman, Minister to his Majesty Sebastian, Emperor of Iona. You now know why I'm here."

The Teutonic Captain blanched. "We are over one hundred strong. What makes you think you'll get off this ship alive?" He put his hands defiantly on his hips and stared at Buck.

"Try your comm, Captain." Buck motioned toward the desk.

The Captain did and turned dismayed. "What have you done to my ship?"

"As I said, it is mine and I've shut it down. I've locked all of the hatches and as we speak, my men are moving though the ship. Anyone who resists is being dealt with."

The Captain loosed a tirade at Buck. "How did you aboard my ship? Someone from Barnard's Star will put a stop to you." Verbalizing his thoughts seemed to bring reality to the man as he grasped the situation. "You've no idea what will happen to me if I surrender the people you want."

"But you should understand what I will do to you if you do not give me those who killed our prince. I will shoot you where you stand. Make no mistake about it." Buck's resolute voice apparently got through to the man.

"Seems I can't win."

"The names, Captain." Buck waved the blaster menacingly.

Buck listened and commed the killers identities to Tommy and the engineer responded with the men's billet locations.

"Lock the Captain's hatch when I leave." Buck stepped through the opening into the passageway leaving the dejected, angry captain, and again commed Tommy. "Give me some directions."

Buck turned a corner and found himself confronted with six men.

He ordered them to stop.

Faced with the giant, most did.

One tried to tackle Buck and got a fist to the back of his head ending the effort.

Buck commed Tommy for directions to the nearest broom locker.

Carrying their unconscious comrade, the six squeezed into the utility room, and Buck dogged it shut.

Fifteen minutes and down four flights of ladders, Buck reached the crew bunk area. He keyed the intercom and with the three names ordered the men forward.

Nothing happened.

Buck told the crewmen nothing would happen to them if they surrendered the three.

It took the better part of thirty minutes, until the comm came alive. "Can we get some food and water?" asked a voice.

"Give me the three men now," Buck's voice boomed. "Otherwise, you all die." He turned at the noise as Rasby appeared.

"Toss in a stun grenade," Buck said.

The SEAL commed Tommy to open the hatch for two seconds and then lock it.

"That's just the openers. The next grenade will be shrapnel," Buck said.

His comm came alive. "Minister, I'm monitoring the radio traffic. Gittin' some activity dirtside. They may be onto us," Tommy said.

"Tommy, something's going on in the crew quarters, can you check on it?"

"Sounds like a fight, Captain."

Seconds later, the intercom buzzed. "You can take them. All three."

Buck ordered the men to stand clear and opened the hatch. Rasby stuck the barrel of his flechette rifle through the tiny opening to discourage any aggressive response.

Wrestling the three bound men, Buck and Rasby headed toward the waiting pinnace.

Buck called for Mirabelle and Brenna and got no response. Buck again commed for the doctor.

"Lord Fryman," said Brenna. "In the ship."

Buck bolted for the hatch. Inside, he stopped. Mirabelle lay on the deck.

"What happened?" Buck pushed back the building rage and knelt beside the gravely wounded doctor.

"Two men broke in and shot her," Brenna cradled the woman and nodded at a body a few meters away. "I shot one of the bastards. The guy that shot her ran."

Mirabelle's eyes opened and she motioned Buck to lean close.

Her voice barely audible she managed, "Buck, tell Sebastian he's the only man I ever truly loved." Her eyes closed.

Buck motioned to one of his Marines. "Put her in one of the bunks."

"She's dead, Sir."

"Gawdammit, do as I say. And treat her gently." Buck wanted, needed, to hit something but stifled an urge to slug the man for his comment.

The crewman cradled the doctor and slowly made his way along the passageway and Brenna followed still holding her friend's hand.

At least one Teutonic crewman was loose and not concerned with whom he shot.

Buck set his blaster on full power. "Tommy, can you tell me if any of these hatches have been opened."

"Gimme a minite."

"Yeah, cabin five. Some slick bastard jimmied the thing. Whatcha want me to do?"

"Unlock it and make sure it stays that way," Buck said. His words sounded like death.

A few minutes later, he was at the cabin. "Buck, don't go in there alone," Tommy said in his no nonsense voice. It was the only time the engineer had used his first name since the elevation to lord.

"The son of a bitch is mine, Tommy."

Buck made sure all the dogs were clear. Standing to one side of the opening, he kicked the hatch driving it centimeters back on its hinges.

Laser fire ricocheted off the partly open steel panel, narrowly missing Buck. "You bastard, you're going to stand trial for murder." Killing him wasn't good enough. This guy had to see, and feel, every nuance as people sentenced him to die. Buck tasted his anger and didn't particularly like himself at that moment, but the brutal, uncaring murder of Mirabelle soured him even more.

More laser fire was the answer.

Buck tossed two stun grenades through the hatch and dove through into the cabin, his blaster, now on its lowest setting, sprayed the room with continuous fire.

Instantly on his feet, he heard the rifle strike the deck and raced toward the man who was downed but still moving, trying to reach his weapon.

One of Buck’s giant fists hit the man's head, stopping any further attempt. He dragged the now-tied man along the steel deck to the pinnace.

"Everyone here?" Buck asked.

"All but Tommy," someone responded.

"I'm on my way. Jist makin' sure I got this tub fixed the way I want," the engineer said over the comm.

"We lost two men," Ivan said. "They're aboard."

"Let's get the hell out of here," Buck said a bit anxiously. They had been lucky—so far—and he wasn't about to push it.

He commed Forager and ordered it to send a shuttle and come along side Teutonic. Connor, in Mulholland, was to go on high orbit and prepare to space when Forager joined up. It would take Teutonic's crew weeks to get the ship space worthy—once they got loose.

Ignoring repeated warnings from the orbit master, Forager's shuttle entered Teutonic's bay. With Mirabelle and the two dead marines aboard they returned to the mother ship and, along with Mulholland, spaced for Iona.

Chapter Twenty-Seven:
Sebastian

"
H
ow can I ever repay you?" the Emperor asked Buck. "The bastards will stand trial. Something they didn't give Victor or Mirabelle."

To the Emperor's question, Buck related how they'd pulled off taking the Teutonic.

"Unorthodox, to say the least but, Lord Fryman, you've done it again."

"My Emperor, Tommy Simms is responsible for this hare-brained scheme. I take no credit." Buck had said this before but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Actually, most people, mostly Tommy, said all he did was come with ideas. Buck had made his schemes work.

"If memory serves, you said he also cooked up the plot to recapture the Blue Marlin."

Buck recalled that a driver had said that Sebastian was very intelligent and decided he could add his recall to the description.

"Yes, Sir. If I might suggest an accolade should be directed to him." Buck smiled.

"What would you suggest, Buck?"

"A knighthood. Make him a Knight of the Realm."

"Sir Tommy." Sebastian rubbed his chin. "I rather like it."

"Set it up, please." Sebastian touched an icon on his desk and read the message. "The Queen calls. I made her a promise in a weak moment and now must pay the price." He paused for a moment. "I was sorry to learn Mirabelle died. Dr. Giddings was very special and capable woman. I understand Brenna Smith, I think is her name, killed one of the murderers." He glanced at Buck and from the look the freighters face asked, "Did Mirabelle have any words?"

"Yes My Liege. It's very personal."

Sebastian raised his head. "We were lovers shortly after I took the throne." Buck knew Sebastian and Mirabelle's tryst happened before he married—as had his.

"Mirabelle's last words were that you were the only man she ever loved.

"My Emperor, those words will never pass my lips again." Buck didn't tell Sebastian about his own tryst with Mirabelle on Borcom. That would remain his secret.

Sebastian nodded and thanked Buck. "We are saddened by what happened. Your decision to bring Mirabelle's killer to trial for her murder was the right one."

"What about Captain Connor? Any suggestions regarding him?"

"Sire, when Seltsam joins the empire, it wouldn't hurt to have a symbol of royal presence on the planet. I suggest a knighthood for Captain Connor as well. It would give Seltsam a royal presence."

"I like the idea," the Emperor agreed, thanked Buck and headed for the rear office door and his queen.

Buck appreciated the comment. Mirabelle was special to him as well. He bowed, and backed from Sebastian's office concerned with the Emperor. His thoughts turned to Tommy and how he would take the news. He had no idea what was required to knight someone.

Stepping into the Emperor's secretary's office, he told the man his problem and got assurances that knighting was a task routinely handled. Buck breathed a sigh of relief.

Exiting the palace, he entered his private aircar and commed the Lord High Admiral Hizerman. "How goes the war, Admiral?"

Buck received a brief rundown and it wasn't good. Mahoney had disappeared and Intelligence had no idea what might come next. He then commed Tommy. "Need to see you. Got time to come to my office?"

Tommy agreed to be there that afternoon.

Buck relaxed.

Routine filled the ensuing hours until Buck's secretary chimed, "Mr. Simms is here."

Dressed in a two-piece blue suit, Tommy strode into the office. They shook hands and took seats.

"I like it," Buck said giving his friend the once over. "Tommy, you have served your Emperor faithfully. Sebastian believes your contributions deserve the proper recognition and I agree. Not that my approval is required."

Warily, Tommy eyed his friend. "Buck
,
I got this feelin' that you're fixin' ta do somethin' that I ain't gonna like." His natural suspicion and years around the man was justified.

"Not so my friend. Have I ever done you wrong? Maybe you shouldn't answer that." Both men laughed.

Then, Tommy's facial expression changed, and clearly showed uneasiness at what might come next.

Buck, his smile fixed, standing, leaned on his desk. "The Emperor has decided to knight you for service to the realm."

Tommy gave a quiet snicker and looked out the window, his expression never changing. "Okay, why'd ya ask me over hyere? I got the time, but ya got more important things ta do than jerk me around."

Buck stood, walked from behind the desk, and stopped a few meters from Tommy’s chair. "I'm serious Tommy. Your service, schemes, call them what you want, have twice made a difference. So much so that the kingdom's policies, future, if you will, have changed course. I completely agree with the Emperor's decision. If anyone deserves the honor, it is you, my friend."

Tommy shook his head. "Do we have ta tell about it? Ya know, keep it quiet."

"Afraid of what your friends will say, are you? I know the feeling. I had the same problem."

He pulled a chair beside Tommy and sat. "What other people think is important but remember the people know Sebastian. He never does anything like this unless truly merited. Friends know that. Those, who try to make fun of it, you can still kick the shit out of them. And I'll be there for you if there's more than you can handle."

The two shook hands. "It'll take some gettin' used to." Tommy knew that to refuse would insult Sebastian and that he wouldn't do. As Buck expected, Tommy said he'd demand those who mattered call him Tommy as they always had. It was a threat as much a concession.

Buck assured his friend someone would school him on the manner and responsibilities of a Knight of the Realm.

***

One month later, the Emperor's crier, standing at the back of the room, stepped forward, "Your Majesty, Thomas Arthur Simms, freighter, answers your summons." Tommy, standing next to Buck, well up front of the assembled, dressed in a dark blue formal suit stepped before Sebastian and knelt.

Sebastian placed his broadsword to first one shoulder then the other and said, "I dub thee, Sir Thomas Simms, Knight of the Realm. Arise and accept the congratulations of your peers."

A steward stepped forward and placed a sash across Tommy's chest laced with the gold family crest he had chosen.

Tommy turned and faced the audience. After the applause died, he stepped aside.

Again, the crier said, "Your Majesty, Commander Donald Fielding Rasby of his Majesty's SEALs answers your summons."

Standing at the back of the room, Brenna Smith at his side, Donald Rasby strode forward and bowed. Sebastian took a medallion from a pillow carried by an aide. "Commander Donald Rasby,
The Order of Merit
for extraordinary service at Barnard's Star. This shall be noted in the annals of the kingdom."

Rasby bowed and joined Tommy and Buck.

Then to everyone's surprise, the crier called for Brenna
Nicole
Smith to present herself before the Emperor.