The Last Flight of the Argus (28 page)

“
Then guess.”

“
It’ll be very tight,” B’taav said after a few seconds. “Very.”

By
the end of the first day, the process of charging the ship’s fuel lines was initiated. Inquisitor Cer found several useful parts in a warehouse on the base’s lower level. Those they couldn’t find, Inquisitor Cer was able to replicate in the machine shop.

The following day, when the ship’s batteries were charged, Inquisitor Cer accessed the ship’s computers and ran several diagnostic tests. The ship needed some major work, but at least it was something she and the Independent could accomplish with time.

“
Now how does it look?” Maddox asked them.

“
We need at least five days,” Inquisitor Cer said. “Maybe even a week.”

B’taav rubbed his hands to keep warm. The previous day he, like Inquisitor Cer, wore a light gray work suit. Like the Inquisitor, that suit was smeared with a mix of oil and soot and almost completely black.

“
We’ll have to work non-stop,” B’taav offered. “Too bad I never found the Accelerant pushers in
Titus
. We could use some of their product right about now.”

While
Inquisitor Cer spent time in the machine shop, the mute Rasp shadowed B’taav’s movements in the
Xendos’
engine room and made sure the Independent didn’t stray from his prescribed duties.

B’taav was either in the main engine room or shuffling down to the machine shop to pick up new parts. Each time he emerged from the
Xendos
and walked the corridors of the base, he saw either Inquisitor Cer or Maddox, but rarely anyone else. The remaining passengers were still being kept away from him.

In spite of this, later that day B’taav saw Stephen Gray and the Phaecian Cardinal walking together down one of the base’s corridors. Their discussion was low but animated, befitting the fact that each man had such a different philosophical background.

At least they aren’t fighting,
B’taav thought.
Yet, anyway.

Rasp noted B’taav’s gaze and gave the Independent a strong push. It caused him to stumble, and he nearly dropped the fuel cell he cradled.

“
I wouldn’t try that again,” the Independent said. “If this hits the ground hard enough, none of us will have to worry about Daniels anymore.”

Rasp eyed the power cell.

“
Old tech,” B’taav explained. “It ruptures and the inside of this asteroid becomes considerably hotter.”

Early
in the third day of their work, B’taav spotted the gray haired lady and her mute boy walking just past the open door to the engine room of the
Xendos
. The boy looked directly through a small window in the rear of the ancient craft’s engine room and at B’taav, who in turn waved at them.

The boy’s expression was sullen and distant and he clutched his ever-present red ball in both hands.

The two walked around the deck and, after a few minutes, Maddox appeared from a side door and approached them. He said a few words to the gray haired lady and both she and the boy departed.

Rasp noticed B’taav attention was focused elsewhere and, after making sure he wasn’t carrying anything that looked like it might explode, gave the Independent a strong push. B’taav fell to the floor.

“
You really shouldn’t do that,” the Independent said.

Rasp’s body tightened. His hands balled up into fists. A sadistic smile crept onto his face. He welcomed B’taav’s reaction, whatever it would be.

The Independent took a deep breath and rose.

“
If that’s the way it has to be,” he said.

B’taav turned away, and Rasp took advantage. He ran at the Independent, his right fist in full swing. But B’taav was quicker. He dodged Rasp’s sucker punch and rammed his knee into the mute man’s midsection. The air exploded out of the silent man's lungs and he fell to his knees.

For several seconds, he gasped for air and was at the mercy of the Independent. He looked up at B'taav with hateful red eyes.

B’taav swung his fist and connected with the man’s jaw. The hit was solid, and Rasp fell to the ground, unconscious.

“
Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

The Independent dragged Rasp’s body to the edge of the engine room and laid him down. B’taav took the man's fusion gun, cradled it in his hand, and then extended his arm fully away from his body. He held the gun that way for a second or two before sliding it into a tight space below the ship’s main engine. He then returned to his station. After a few seconds, he spotted Maddox hurriedly approaching the ship. The bartender held his own gun.

The Independent sighed.

“
So much for getting any work done.”

Maddox
cautiously stepped into the main engine room. He held his fusion gun before him and his eyes locked on the unconscious Rasp.

“
He’ll live,” B’taav said. He wiped his greasy hands on a rag and continued his work.

Maddox approached the Independent and pushed the barrel of his gun against the man's back. The Independent slowly raised his hands.

“
Who do you think you are?” Maddox said.

B’taav didn’t answer. The pressure of the gun’s barrel increased. The Independent's muscles tightened. He didn’t want to act, but the bartender was giving him little choice.

“
Put the gun down.”

The voice came from behind Maddox. It was the gray haired lady. She stood at the door leading into the Engine room. At her side was Inquisitor Cer.

“
He attacked Rasp,” Maddox said. “We’re done with him—”

“
B’taav’s been good so far,” the gray haired lady countered. “Much better than we would –and
should
– have expected. He hasn’t asked many questions or proven much of a bother.”

“
What do you call this?” Maddox yelled while pointing to Rasp's prone form.

“
He’s been our prisoner for a long time now. It was inevitable he’d need to burn off some steam. Rasp made it easy for him to do so.”

The gray haired lady reached into the tight space under the engine and just below where Maddox stood. She retrieved Rasp’s fusion gun from the hiding place B’taav had wedged it into. She gave the weapon to Maddox.

“
Because you rushed out so quickly to confront our Independent, you didn’t see him so very deliberately put this gun away,” the gray haired lady continued. She lady turned to B’taav. “You knew we had you under surveillance, didn’t you?”

“
I suspected as much.”

“
But you couldn’t be certain?”

“
If you didn’t have me under surveillance, and Rasp woke up before you arrived, I wanted to make sure our next confrontation wasn’t…life-threatening.”

“
To Rasp?” the gray haired lady asked and laughed. “That’s perfectly understandable.” She laid her hand on Maddox’s arm, and forced him to lower his fusion gun. “As you see, Maddox, our Independent could easily have shot Rasp while he was down. Afterwards, he could have laid in wait, and ambushed whoever showed up next.”

“
That wouldn’t be necessary,” B’taav said. “I could have sealed myself up in the
Xendos
. You never would have been able to breach her hull. Not with the equipment you have here.”

“
And then, you could have waited until Lieutenant Daniels found us.”

“
Or I could have done something to get his attention.”

“
Your freedom in exchange for our hides.”

Maddox's face turned red with anger. The gray haired lady leaned against a wall of machinery.

“
You’re a curious fellow, Independent,” she continued. “Why are you still with us? Do you fear Lieutenant Daniels that much, or do you have other reasons?”

“
At first I wanted to get away from Daniels,” B’taav admitted. “But things got out of hand so quickly, and you didn’t leave me much choice. When I realized you had an Inquisitor of the Phaecian Empire in your group, the thought of turning you in to Daniels in exchange for clemency did cross my mind.”

“
But turning in an Inquisitor on the wrong side of the border wasn’t enough, was it?”

“
You were wise to keep the others away from me,” B’taav said. “No offence, Inquisitor, but the madam is right. Turning you in wouldn’t have been enough to get a break from Daniels.”

“
And now?”

“
He would certainly give me a deal, should I turn in your group.”

“
Still, you chose not to.”

“
Making a deal with Lieutenant Daniels and having him honor it are two very different things. Last I checked, we’re in the middle of nowhere. If I were to give you guys up to the Lieutenant, what incentive would he have to honor our deal?”

“
Point taken.”

“
That, more than anything else, makes me inclined to follow along. Whatever Daniels wants with you, it’s big. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.”

“
I’ve made a tidy living studying other cultures,” the gray haired lady said. “Every one of them has a saying about the dangers of being
too
curious.”

“
I’m familiar with these sayings as well. It's why I haven’t asked too many questions. My goal, as with any job, is to get back home alive rather than in a box. If, during the course of this particular journey, there’s the possibility of getting a cut of your action, even if it’s only a fraction of a percent, I would consider it a bonus.”

The gray haired lady again laughed.

“
That’s what I like about Independents. Always looking out for the bottom line.”

She motioned to the still unconscious Rasp.

“
What if our friend doesn’t like the idea of giving you a pass? What if he is even less pleased with the idea of making you a partner?”

“
He knows where I am. He’s welcome to file a complaint.”

The gray haired lady nodded. She motioned to Maddox and said, “Get Rasp out of here.”

Maddox didn’t move. His eyes were volcanic fire and locked onto the Independent.

“
I suspect B'taav knows you don’t like him, so staring him down is rather pointless,” the gray haired lady said. “Get Rasp out of here.”

Maddox finally relented. He put away his fusion gun and dragged Rasp out of the engine room.

“
I’m no fool, B’taav,” the gray haired lady said when they were gone. “But neither am I unappreciative. We keep this crazy pace up and it won’t be long before you and Inquisitor Cer are also at each other’s throats. As reluctant as I am to do so, I’ll allow you both some rest. Five hours.”

She headed to the door leading out of the engine room.

“
Keep your cool, Independent, and maybe -
maybe
- we’ll cut you in on the action. But get out of hand and I’ll let Rasp, and Maddox, take care of you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

The
five hour rest flew by, and Inquisitor Cer and B’taav both rose wearily from their cots just outside the engine room of the
Xendos
. They went back to work and progressed without the added burden of significant fatigue.

The two replaced almost all the burnt circuits in the engine’s core computer system as well as the last of the fuel lines. Finally, they cleaned the primary energy connections.

Rasp no longer hovered over B’taav, but the Independent knew at least one camera was still trained on him.

Later in the evening Inquisitor Cer left him alone, only to return with a tray of food. She ate with the Independent.

“
They said we can have another five hour rest.”

“
When?”

“
Tomorrow morning.”

“
We should unionize. Force them to give us vacation and sick leave.”

“
We’re not going to make the deadline,” Inquisitor Cer said. “We are at great risk.”

“
Agreed. Given the amount of work left to do, I estimate we need at least three more days.”

“
Two days past our deadline.”

Inquisitor Cer put down her drink.

“
You said it would be dangerous to remain beyond four days, B’taav. What is the risk of staying six?”

“
Lieutenant Daniels is probably using a standard search procedure. He’ll keep his fighters spread out and circling. Their sensors will shine on each asteroid and every crevice within. They know we used some kind of escape craft, and therefore know we can’t be too far away. If they get the
Dakota
in close enough, they could release the ship’s complement of probes and rewire them so they sense any heat or electronic signature. Even assuming the probes aren’t close, they likely will equip them with a motion detector system. You get a few hundred motion detectors spread out in this zone and every movement will be detected, however minute.”