A Pirates' word

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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY

Midnight thirty on the streets of Solanche’s main city and two figures walked the streets, a Celican and a Canid. Even though they were keeping to the shadows it could be picked out that the Canine was substantially larger than the Celican as they moved, watching the vehicles along the streets as they lay silent. In the distance a camera watched the area from a high pole, its green light blinking quietly as it recorded everything.
“First thing someone like me would do would be to walk along here, looking for good options,” Janus told Hastur, keeping himself slightly hunched under a big coat and flat cap. He kept his hands in his pockets. “I’d use a key scanner with pre-loaded codes to see if any high or mid range vehicles respond.”
“If you think I’m interested in any of this, you’re delusional, Jan,” Hastur replied, shivering against the cold in her light jacket.
“Hey,” he protested, reaching out and touching one of the vehicles almost reverently, “a skilled theft is art. Not like the punching you do. That’s just charmless.”
“I’ll show you charm…”
He grinned. “Wish you would. Anyhow,” he continued, “then I’d go away for an hour before coming back in a different outfit, blinding the camera before it sees me and swiping one. I get it to a local ‘entrepreneur’ and they pay me. Then the owner claims on their insurance.” He raised his arms and, thusly, his coat. “No-one loses.”
“Except the Insurance companies who then recoup from the people buying policies from them.”
Janus looked up at her curiously. “You sure you’re in the right line of work? Nah. It’s what they have insurance for. Never try defrauding them though.” He shivered and Hastur wasn’t quite sure it was to do with the weather. “They think they’re being diddled and they get like Tigrons with a headache. One guy I took a ride from? Claimed on his insurance. For the same car he’d ‘lost’ three years previously. They noted the ahem similarities, investigated, prosecuted and gave him a whopper of a fine and twelve months inside. Never provoke them.”
“Wasn’t going to,” Hastur told him. “So, now you’ve shown your… scintillating skills and located a couple of choice vehicles and ‘educated’ me on how you’d do it, where would you wait the hour?”

The music was loud to her ears and the lights flashed too fast. Hastur wasn’t enjoying her first trip to a nightclub and it was evident from how she was sat in the corner, watching the room. Janus was at the bar, getting a couple of drinks that had offensive loads of fruit and decoration that he brought over. “Not going for street cred, then,” she asked, closing up the little umbrella and removing the foliage from her glass.
“Not in their fruit only stuff,” Janus complained. “Reckon the barman has suspicions about me.”
Hastur noted the Canid was looking over at them so she pulled Janus halfway across the table and kissed him hard. She pulled back after a few seconds and tried not to laugh at his confused face. “Now he doesn’t,” she said.
“I’ll, uh… I’ll have to get more people thinking that,” Janus said, gathering his wits and restraightening his ear.
“One time only, Janus,” Hastur warned.
“Gotcha.” the Swift replied. “Of course, it does make it more likely that no-one’ll try and pick you up either. Speaking of, scooch over, muscles.”

She slid over so he could get up on her side of the table and they could watch the floor and, indeed, be seen by the others in the room. “Wanna put your arm around my shoulders,” he asked.
“I’d be too tempted to put it around your neck,” Hastur half joked, taking a sip from her fruit thing. “See anyone you know,”
Janus scanned the floor as best he could with the strobing lights. “No faces,” he offered, “but check out the Lappinean in the red suit, far corner. She’s watching the room and drinking Casson juice. Looks like beer but none of the effects.”
“She doesn’t seem comfortable here,” Hastur agreed.
Janus looked up at her before lifting his drink and almost getting an umbrella up his nose. He scowled and threw the offending object out. “I forget,” he said, “you’ve got the nose but my eyes are sharper. She’s dressing down. Little bit of dark make up under the eyes, the ear fur scruffed up, her jacket just a bit too open…” He shook his head. “She’s either the high class swiper we’re looking for or she’s out for a cheap shag.”
“Why don’t you offer,” Hastur asked him, hiding her smirk behind her glass. “Can’t get cheaper than you, Janus,” she opined, missing that he was sarcastically mouthing the words at the same time she said them.
“Also means you’re not enough for a cheap date,” he shot back.
“Or that I need to share you to spare you,” she countered.
Janus actually laughed. “We need more nights like this, Doris.”
Hastur pulled up one of the drink decorations. “Call me that again and I’ll stick this parasol in your ear and open it, Janus.” But she was smiling too.

“I am not used to meeting people at oh one o’clock in the dark, in the middle of a field,” the Lappinean posited as he sat in the shuttle, looking at a Coydog and a Celican.
“I hardly care about your comfort,” Savra said, not turning to look at the Havannan. “Time’s of the essence and I think Jeboah told you that so suck it up.”
“Yes, yes, I heard. So, you’re looking for people who might be able to move high end vehicles off planet quickly and you came to me. Why?”
“Because Jeboah said we should.” Savra swung the chair around to face him. “You’re a middle player. You shift things. No questions asked. Therefore you’re either the one doing the running or you know who is. I don’t want them, I want the people needing the things moved. Jeboah wants the people who need these things moved. Half the sector wants these people. One word in the right ear and this quiet little playworld of the new rich you have here? It’ll have thousands of federal troops engaged in pitched battle and the colony name plastered over Galnet.” He leaned in closer. “So who do I have to, ahem, ‘speak with’, my friend?”
He told Savra a name, then indicated Vatrick. “Who’s this guy?”
“He’s my bodyguard,” Savra growled. “Don’t make him mad or he might eat you. Get lost.”

As they heard the Lappinean go, Savra moved the shuttle to the pre-established second location. “Said we’d need one,” Vatrick pointed out.
“Hmm. You’re still on thin ice, Vatrick. Better hope your alterations to my plan work out too.”
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

Hastur and Janus are the comedy duo I never thought I needed.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Does that mean one of them (preferably Janus) will get hit in the face with a pie as a part of their "routine"? :D
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-ONE

“I...I want to ask a question,” Vatrick said nervously, watching the monitors for movement.
“You want to know why we’re doing this,” Savra remarked, pre-empting the question. He mulled over whether or not to answer the strawfur’s query but decided that, as they had time, he might as well. “It began with taking the boy back and spread out from there. If this Calavixen group manage to establish a firm foothold in the patch we’re all in trouble. At the moment we have no real, focussed, opposition trying to stop us. We have the militias who don’t talk to each other and the USC who don’t have enough ships. They cause us trouble when we encounter them but, if we do hit and run raids, we’ll avoid them. Now, what do you think happens if a rival criminal group establishes themselves?”
Vatrick pondered the question for a few seconds. “Sooner or later we’ll end up fighting them,” he offered.
“Seems likely. Plus, like I told the Rabbit, if the sector command feels he can’t deal with them – and we’ve seen nothing to indicate that they CAN deal with them their way – then he’ll be one of the one demanding back up and better communications between the Militias. Neither of those is good for us either. Now, what are the children up to?” He pointed to the monitor.
“They seem to be moving,” Vatrick noted.

The others were playing ‘follow the Rabbit’. The target had left the bar after delicately picking the pocket of one of the dancers she’d passed in a way that only Janus had actually spotted. “My respect for this one grows,” he muttered as they left a moment after her. Hastur was leading the way, using her exceptional nose to pick out the Lappinean in a city of Lappineans, the hint of her drink giving her away until Hastur could lock on to the scent that went with it. Janus was, occasionally, glancing around to make sure they weren’t being followed themselves. It probably wasn’t necessary but it was in his nature. “Oop,” Janus commented as they saw the girl in the distance, “she’s stopped by the Makaralli.” He smiled. “Not a bad choice. Let’s see what the ‘pocket key’ picks up.” His pocketed hand pressed a button and, a few seconds later, the lights of a vehicle flashed. “In,” he said, pushing Hastur around to the passenger side. “I’m driving.”

The guard was still there, in the background, as Pantha held up a handful of cables. “These,” she called, “I just took from the main conduit! They are defective! A power surge during repairs would have meant half the doors in the central core would neither open nor close. I’ve replaced them with others I found over there in the stockroom. Why weren’t they done already? Well,” she demanded of the other engineers.
“Why… Why should we answer a prisoner,” one replied.
“Because the best cabling is used to keep things like the bridge and the medical bay running,” another cut in. “Chief Vatrick likes to keep them peaceful.”
Pantha nodded her head. She’d heard that a few times. “Chief Vatrick is too scared to go to the bridge officers, you mean.” She shrugged. “I get that but it’s a fools game. If you have these in play,” she said, holding out the defective wiring for emphasis, “it’s not going to matter buttons if primary areas are still working, no-one’s going to be able to get to them. You want to know how to work it?”
She waited until the one who’d had the gumption to ask replied before going on. “Replace all the outdated and dangerous wiring in the pivotal areas with the new stuff before Vatrick gets back. Then the older stuff is what you have left. The other departments will have to take it. Then they’ll complain and Vatrick can protest to the high us that it’s all he has and you need a new supply. The other departments will even back you.”
“What the hell do YOU know,” one of the team asked bitterly. “You’re just a prisoner! Get…”
“Smell her,” her guard said nastily. “She smells of Gallen.”
The braver engineer, a Mican called Techrat – he’d said techmouse would be a stupid name – ventured up and sniffed the hand she, very reluctantly, offered. He nodded to the others as Pantha rolled her eyes. “She spent all last night in his bed,” the guard said. “She’s his current lady. She has his ear.” Someone commented she also had something else of his.
“Yes, that too,” Pantha snapped angrily. “Now, if you DON’T want word to get back to him, you’ll get the work done! Now, let Techrat here tell you where needs doing! I’m going to work on the forward cannons if you need me.” She grabbed a spare toolkit and stalked off, guard in tow. “You made me sound like a I'm a spambot in there,” she told her angrily.
The guard laughed. “Like they care about your skills? They don’t know your skills but they know who you open your legs for, girl. If knowing that gets the work done then that’s power to your arm. What’s that saying? It’s not what you know but who’s laying you?”
Pantha stared at her with shocked hatred but she supposed the Mican was just telling her how things worked around here. And it had, probably, worked. She stopped outside the forward weapons power room. “Do I need any protective clothing for going in here?”
“Nope,” the guard replied. “Ain’t got none anyhow.” She rubbed the side of her mouth with her arm. “Wouldn’t stay in there longer than ten minutes though. Unless you want to see the Doctor.”
Pantha took a deep breath. “Right,” she said, opening the door and pulling her guard in with her. “With you in here,” she said, “you’re more likely to let me out!” She smiled with a hint of evil. “It’s not what you know, after all…”
The guard smiled frostily. “You’re getting it,” she said.

As the cars left the city and headed out into the countryside, Janus switched off the headlights and chose to use his sharp eyes to trail the vehicle ahead. “Following lights in a city are easily explained,” he told Hastur, anticipating her desperate question about turning the lights back on. “On a country road,” he continued, “she’d realise she’s being followed within a few turns. This is my speciality, Doris, I know what I’m doing.”
“Winding me up when you know I can’t strike back isn’t smart, Wayne,” she replied testily. “It just means I’ll get you back later.”
“Wish you would get my back later,” he told her. “This seat’s horrible. I’m getting a knot.”
“I’ll knot you into a pretzel.”
“Promises, promises. Oop, hang on. She’s stopping.” He brought the car to a halt by the side of the road and Hastur pulled out a miniature pair of night vision binoculars and stepped out onto the grass to watch the Rabbit draw the car into an isolated barn. A few minutes passed before the target came out, this time driving a beat up little vehicle. She brought Janus to the ground besides their car and lay atop him as the car went past, its headlights running over her back. As it passed on, Hastur got up. She didn’t need night vision to know Janus was grinning like a loon. She punched him playfully. “Get up,” she told him. “Still got work to do.”
Last edited by Welsh Halfwit on Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

You have an uncanny ability to make me hate characters you just introduced, like that Guard.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

That goes with just how much of an awesome writer he is! I hate the guard also.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

SHe was there for that. Even if she was letting Pantha know the easiest way to get things done.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I hope they know that sometimes the easiest way isn't always the best way.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Would have put this up on Christmas Eve but I didn't think it a Christmas cliff-hanger...

THIRTY-TWO

Marran found herself coming around alone in the medical bay. Fear and worry gripped her more than the pain, thanks to the painkillers. She tried to work out what had happened and what she was doing in Virrik’s chamber of horrors and if she was supposed to be awake and did the other medically trained crew really live in closets waiting to be summoned? She decided that last one was silly, even to her befuddled mind, as she’d met a couple of her underlings around the shipand they didn’t have any input sockets on the backs of their necks. Her eyes were opening and she found herself being bored by the ceiling and the lights. Her Mican nose picked out several odd scents under the anti septic fluids and her ears could hear someone talking in a generally monotone voice somewhere off to her left. She worked to move her legs. At first they didn’t want to move but, then, she managed to push them over to one side and tried to stand. Her legs struggled to support her but, with her hands still on the bed and a catheter stand, she pushed herself up from her knees. “H…” She coughed. “H...hello?”
“Stay in there,” the Brockians’ voice said clearly from off the passage.
“I… was wondering what…”
“STAY IN THE BAY,” Virrik roared as Marran stepped into the morgue, where the Doctor was cutting up the dead for useful organs.

Her eyes alighted on the one currently under the knife, organs already on the table. She looked into the dead eyes of her mate, Chittrick, and screamed, beginning to topple.
“Ah, krik,” Virrick swore as her assistant swooped in to stop Merran hitting the floor. Virrik put the scalpel down and put both hands on the table in exasperation. “Even I’d stop short of wanting people to find out like this!” She gestured. “Get her back on the bed! And strap her in this time!”

Gallen, watched the viewer. In the distance was Solanche, where the Captain was currently doing devil knows what and he was here, hiding behind the moon; out of sight of the local Militia. Not only that but he had half the night shift on the bridge at the moment and Barnabus on communications. He’d told the boy the basics but it seemed he remembered the lessons taught him on his fathers’ system quite well. Taking into account the fact that he didn’t need to scan frequencies and had learned to tell people if he heard anything as a result of the bomb fun, the boy was perfect for the job. One thing still worried Gallen though. Chakka the cook had been overheard on the internal comms as he discussed the bomb. That, logically, meant he had been talking to someone else on the ship. Someone they still didn’t know about. “Anything from the surface, Mister Barnabus,” he asked cheerfully, hoping to make the boy feel at home.
“Nothing yet, uh, sir,” Dastari replied. “Do you really think my dad’s here?”
Gallen tilted his head. “Honestly? We don’t know, Barnabus. The trail leads here, though. Captain Savra will find it and kill anyone who gets in the way. Promise.”
Barnabus replied to the small smile the First gave him with one of his own, despite the flop of his stomach at the casual mention of more death. He trusted them. At least to try. He turned back to his job and listened in to the Militia talking to each other and their command.

Janus and Hastur made their way down to the warehouse on foot, leaving their vehicle out of sight. “Why aren’t we going after her,” Janus asked, feeling his feet ache as they walked quickly, looking for cover and observation as they went.
“Because this is where she brings the new cars,” Hastur hissed, “and swaps them for the old junkers. Either she’s going home – in an old junker – or she’ll return here.” She pointed to a wire that ran along the ground. “Probably best hop that,” she mooted. “If she doesn’t come back, we have the cars location. If she does, we have the car’s location and her and she’ll robably let you shag her in the cells.” She glanced at her smaller companion. “What, you think I don’t know you like da prey?”
“Shut it.”
“Witty repartee there,” Hastur whispered as they got in close to the wall. They could hear humming from inside – or she could at least as she didn’t know about him – and it indicated the presence of a generator system of some sort. There was also the tell tale sound of voices inside and Hastur readied her sidearm as the pair attempted to get to a better position to spy on what was going on inside. Janus gestured and they hid between the main building and an outhouse as someone walked by as though on patrol. He looked their way but, with them tight against the side, didn’t see them and moved on as they moved back.

Janus stepped out, around the corner, first and Hastur heard the familial call of someone coming up behind him. She saw the light from his torch and used that to estimate size and height to grab the creature as it went by. She clamped a hand over his mouth and used her strength to pull him back into the passage, her hand getting bitten but keeping him from calling out as she tried to get an arm around his neck for a sleeper hold. Suddenly he jerked in her grip, his face frozen with wide eyes as he died, Janus’ knife through his ribs and into his heart. He withdrew the metal and she laid him down in the tight space. She’d been looking to silence him andshe supposed, in his own way, so had Janus. “Your hand OK,” he asked.
“Yeah,” she replied, ignoring the pain. “Good job he wasn’t Raitchian.” She activated her comm. They needed the Captain now.

“They’re signalling,” Savra told Vatrick. “Code two. Must have been spotted.” He looked over. “Ready to get your hands bloody, Vatrick?”
“Better had be, hadn’t I?” The Engineer sighed. Why hadn’t those stupid kids done a better job? Staked the place out for longer, perhaps? Now here he was, heading towards danger. He strapped himself down as Savra engaged the anti gravity lift to push the shuttle up and off the surface.

They came down towards the front of the property, having no real way to tell exactly where Hastur and Janus were. “This should be quite a distraction for them,” Savra said as several people inside identified the strange shuttle outside. Small arms fire from the braver – or, as the wisened Celican thought of them, the stupid – panged off the shuttles’ protection as they drew back, bringing the occupants out of hiding.
“Distraction’s in play,” Hastur whispered to Janus as they watched several people run and hear weapons fire. “Let’s get inside.” Janus grasped a door as it threatened to close and Hastur put her fist into the face of the person who’d just come through, launching them off their feet and unconscious to the ground as the pair swept into the building at the back. Hastur gave a last glance at a previously hidden spotlight as it moved to follow the shuttle.

“Reckon we’re far enough away,” Savra asked.
Vatrick did some mental calculations. “For atmospheric? Yes. The distance and the walls should stop the danger to those inside.”
“Fair enough,” Savra said before turning the shuttles’ machine guns on the assembled opponents.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

I see that Virrik likes channeling Dr. Frankenstein.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Well, it's easier to do transplants if you have the parts and Virrik doesn't need you to carry a donor card...

THIRTY-THREE

Janus led the way into the offices as machine gun fire spilled through the night and the far wall. A stray bullet pinged off a car being stored for transport over to his left and hastur had to duck on impulse. The next door took them away from the point of danger and into a section that smelled of bacon and cauliflower and Kallic Powder. That, atop the scents of several dozen people having passed the area in the last few minutes, rendered her nasal skills irrelevant so she looked for information with her eyes. “We need to…”
“You’re not going to say ‘split up’, are you,” Janus asked, in an urgent whisper as he peeked around the corner to see if the way was clear.. “If you think I’m splitting off from protective muscle, you’ve got to be kidding. Stairs.” He led the way down to a basement level that still had the signs of newness. They could hear someone talking.
“...under attack by unknown ship,” the voice was saying and Hastur gestured that Janus should stay quiet. He fumed at the suggestion he needed to be told to do something so obvious and made a slightly obscene hand gesture at Hasturs’ back as she took the lead, stepping quietly across to where she believed the voice was coming from.
“No, I don’t know who,” the voice said and Hastur thought she could make out a Panderan accent. From the Northern Continent, probably. That indicated a Mican but, as Pandera was the biggest colony in the sector, it had become multi species these last few decades so it wasn’t a certainty. She’d just have to find out when she… “...Yes,” the voice continued, “I’m close to getting the name of whoever stole it but I’m having to be careful. No, sir, I don’t know why he’s being so obstinate. Right. I’ll do that. After that shuttle’s shot down. It seems this place is blown. Yes, sir.” He hung up. Hastur smiled slightly. An old style telephone. When vidcalls are being routinely monitored and everyone in the room can hear everything, they didn’t consider the low tech. She gestured for Janus to go to the other side of the door and waited. The sounds of movement continued. Janus pulled his stained blade and Hastur gestured for him to put it away. He scowled and put it back in the sheath as the figure appeared in the doorway.

The Peromian type Mican saw Hastur first, then wheeled around to see Janus. He jumped, as was the way with his genus, and Hastur snapped out a hand to catch him by the tail. It fractured audibly under the strength of her grip and he fell backwards to the floor. “Who…” he managed before Hastur put an arm around his throat and squeezed. His hands flapped ineffectually at her arm as she kept choking the air out of him until he was nearly gone. She relaxed the grip and he fell, gasping, to the floor. Janus took the chance to quickly check him for any weapons or credits before taking the extremely non issue handcuffs from Hastur and putting them on him. He lifted the coughing Rodents’ chin up with a finger claw. “Your life now depends on co-operation,” he said happily. “The Captain may want what’s IN your head rather than your actual head.”

Savra laid off the machine gun. He waited for the survivors to make their decision and run whilst he considered that, if they didn’t know who the enemy was, the fact that someone had done this would be made more frightening by the recollections of survivors. Crumpled bodies lay in front of him as he wondered if he’d given the others enough time. He’d have preferred to be in on the action with them but he needed to be in control of the only means of escape to make sure they didn’t use it without him. Hastur he was sure he could depend on. Loyalty was part and parcel of the Doberian type Canine. Vatrick he was sure was too frightened of him to try anything but Janus was an accomplished runner. And a pilot. Savra was hoping the day wouldn’t come when he had to replace him and bury him. Hastur was on the comm. “You’re serious,” he asked.
“Huh,” Vatrick asked, seeing no-one talking.
Savra pointed to his ear and Vatrick understood. “Find him, then bring them both back. We have to move,” he said as the scanner picked up militia vessels heading their way. “I’ll notify the Kerbal to ready a run to get you when you’ve the pair. Out.” He pulled the shuttle away from the incoming ships.

He kept the ship low, barely clearing the trees in the darkness as he decided he was thankful for the night. In the daylight the fighters would be able to see him. In the night sky, it’d be much harder after landing some place safe. Not letting them see the glowing thrusters would also be smart so he spun the craft around, almost taking Vatrick out of his seat. He brought the ship down close to a river. “Go get us something to eat,” he told the Coy. “Bigger the better.”
Vatrick undid his belt and was halfway to standing up before he remembered something. “You… you won’t leave without me,” he asked nervously.
“Not if you’re fast,” the Captain replied frostily, opening the door.

Vatrick headed out into the near black, unfamiliar surroundings and started running immediately. He could hear the sounds of small animals out there and his speed brought him to a farm with barns. They were closed up but he could hear sounds of scurrying ‘things’ inside so made his way through a window in the faint light to sight hutches with Lapus Rodenta in them. Long eared non sentients that tasted decent enough with a salad but better on their own. He stepped down next to the ropes and hoes common to farming life and trotted over to the hutches. The Coy was about to open the frame when he heard the door open and slunk into the darker corner as a light switched on, revealing a young Lappinean who shut the door behind him and came over to play with his pets. Vatrick planned his next move…

Ten minutes passed before the door to the shuttle opened and he stepped in, throwing a struggling, squirming, Lapus to the Captain before snapping the neck of the one he’d brought for himself. “Found them in a farm,” he admitted.
“Kept away from the locals, I hope,” Savra grumbled, holding his meal tight.
“Kid came in the barn. He’s bound and gagged.”
Savra eyed him to make sure he wasn’t lying, then bit deep into the meat as it squealed.

Hastur walked the Mican in front of her, keeping his hands at an unnatural angle by gripping on to the handcuffs. They could hear Militia upstairs now, beginning to take control of the scene. Or the local Police. It didn’t matter. They’d be down here soon enough and she wanted to be away by then. She commed Savra and told him so he could get the Kerbal moving. They had minutes, with or without Speight and their captive. But he’d led them to a locked door. She noted the iris scanner and, despite his objections, forced her captive to the scanner, holding his eye open as it made the scan. The door opened.

Inside, Hastur could see a bare room with a single chair in it. The chair had an occupant but she wasn’t completely sure what species it was. She was eighty percent sure it was Raitchian but the extensive scarring and bruising that had swollen both eyes shut almost gave him a Canine expression. She noticed the damage to his feet and hands and the notches in his ears. “Captain Speight,” she said rhetorically. The figure moved. “Good grief,” she said, not quite believing it despite hearing the prisoner earlier. “He’s still alive…”

Before she headed over, She turned and brought her fist up into the Micans’ gut, leaving him coughing blood. “Captain,” she said to her comm as she crossed to the captive, “we have him. But we need him with the Doctor. Fast.”
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

An interesting concept is sentient and non-sentient animals interacting. Would a Mician, for example, recognize a rat as being similar to him?
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Re: A Pirates' word

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Just caught up since I was away for 2 days and it is really interesting! Wonderful job once again Welshy!
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Harry Johnathan wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 11:21 am An interesting concept is sentient and non-sentient animals interacting. Would a Mician, for example, recognize a rat as being similar to him?
Thought about that once or twice. A few characters mentioned they've met Earth versions and been 'a bit weirded out'.

Speaking of smart Rats...

Coming to cinemas next year...

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Re: A Pirates' word

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I'm a simple man. I see Terry Pratchet, I like.

Also we've reached 3 pages. Yay!
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Re: A Pirates' word

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His topics usually tend to hit multiple pages as soon as possible even if it is just me posting. LOL
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Re: A Pirates' word

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THIRTY-FOUR

Savra smacked the console, making Vatrick jump with alarm in the co-pilot’s seat. The Coydog watched as the Captain set his eyes to flint and his red lined jaw to evil and angry. “All right,” he heard the Captain say, “use transport tags. I’ll send the ship.” Vatrick could feel the heat from the Celican from several feet away. He was fuming as he turned on the comm panel. “Savra to Kerbal,” he said simply. “Rescue B is in effect. Janus and Hastur need immediate evac with the tagged. We’ll meet in three hours. Go.”

Above and hiding, the Kerbal started moving after Dastari relayed the communication through the bridge speakers.
Gallen sat forward. He had a bad feeling about this. Plan B was Savra’s indication that urgent medical attention was required for at least one person but he didn’t know who as he ordered Palfrey, the Lappinean helm Officer to take them in tight over Hastur and Janus’ location and sent the locator information to him. He watched as the ship became visible to the Militia and they started moving to intercept. They had to get through those lines and get close enough to teleport four people up at speed and they couldn’t use their shields whilst they were doing it. There was no beaming through shields. He hit his comm. “Bridge to engineering.”
<”Engineering,”> a voice said. Dastari thought it was Fluid but he wasn’t quite sure.
“Plan B rescue in effect. We’re about to take damage.”
<”Understood.”> She cut the link as Gallen noticed a Militia cruiser was getting annoyingly close.
“S...Sir,” Dastari said hesitantly, “they’re, uh, calling us?”
“That’s OK, Barnabus,” Gallen replied. “They’ll be shooting us in a minute!”

Hastur kept her hand around the Micans’ muzzle, tight enough that he could barely struggle or, even, breathe as Janus watched the passageway outside. A torch beam cut the gloom in the distance as the people investigating came a lot closer than he liked. The Swift wanted the Kerbal to get here in the next ten seconds or so as she heard Hastur whisper to Speight that he should keep quiet. He couldn’t help moaning and Janus gave thought to putting the poor sod out of his misery but he had the feeling Hastur wouldn’t like that. Barnabus was making her soft in that respect. He kept hold of hope but wondered if Palfrey was up to it. It would be Palfrey they used, he supposed. The Rabbitoid was a decent pilot but this really needed him up there, in the comparative safety of the bridge. Here he was trapped. Here he had to be prepared to fight…

Gallen held on as fire impacted the Kerbal’s shields before the ship made its’ pick up run. The ship juddered and fought under the onslaught from three ships that had chosen to chase them down to close orbit. Pollit, in charge of the teleport machinery, estimated it would take him twenty seconds to lock on and rescue the quartet and that time was going to hurt if… “OK, Kurmak,” he told the science officer, “now!”
The shields dropped as they sped over the location given by the locator beacons. Just one sweep, he told himself as he heard explosions against the hull. He wondered if anyone had fallen out. He certainly hoped they were smart enough to get behind bulkheads as fast as possible. Then again, that was for the next time. As for now he hoped that…
<”Pollit to Gallen,”> the comm said. <”got ‘em.”>
“Palfrey, kick it! Velocity two. Fast as you can.”
“Aye, sir. Uh, which way?”
Gallen pointed straight ahead. “That way! Away from the Militia!”

It took five hours before they could get to the secondary rendezvous position behind the planets second moon, with Pantha modulating the engine output readings to match that of a Lappinean freighter whilst other engineers worked on the surface repairs and changing out as many cables as they could before Vatrick got back but they’d made it and the shuttle had docked successfully. Savra walked the corridors with intent and found Pantha and Hastur outside the medical bay door. “So you got him,” Savra asked.
“Yeah,” Hastur said absently, before shaking her head. “Uh, I mean we did, sir!”
“You don’t seem too happy about it,” he sneered.
“They’d given him a real work over, sir,” Hasta explained.
“Worst I’ve seen,” Pantha admitted.
“How DID you see,” Savra queried.
“She was working the halls when a nurse brought him through,” Hastur said quickly.
Savra wondered if, perhaps, it had been a little TOO quickly? Never mind. “You’re supposed to have a … Right, Hastur’s your guard. Has anyone told Barnabus?”
Pantha sniffed and he caught a glimpse of sticky fur under her eyes in the light. “Wasn’t sure quite how to… bring it up,” she said.
He nodded. “Don’t. Yet.” He pointed down the hallway. “Go that way.”
“But…” Pantha started to protest but Hastur gently pulled her away.
“It’s better this way,” she said. “Only the Captain is allowed to look on the face of our Doctor.”
“Is she ugly,” Pantha asked as the door next to the Captain opened and he went in.
“Something like that,” Hastur replied.

“Welcome back,” Virrik said from inside her surgical room, where she was wearing full protective gear. Behind her lay Captain Speight – at least he thought it was Captain Speight but it was quite hard to tell under the wounding. “They really worked him over,” Virrik confided. “A punctured lung, the other about to go. Damage to the spleen, the stomach, his legs and arms. They poisoned him and applied the antidote… They really had some fun with this Rat.”
“Can you save him,” Savra asked.
“I can repair the damage to the lungs and spleen and patch up the stomach wounding. The bones will take longer, of course…”
“So the answer is yes,” Savra said, cutting her short.
“The answer, Captain,” she replied, “is no. I can repair those parts because I have the equivalent spares in supply. I can repair those. I can even bring him around for a while but they also did substantial damage to his heart and that I DON’T have spares for. Whether they intended to or not, their beating has killed that Rat.”
Savra growled. “There’s nothing?”
“I’d need Council medical facilities. They could probably save his life. This equipment is antiquated in comparison. We’d just be prolonging the inevitable.”
“Do what you can, Doctor,” Savra advised. “Make it so he can take visitors as soon as possible.” He straightened up, any sign of laxity gone. “I’ll deal with the rest.” He strode out of the room and back to Hastur and Pantha. “He has damage we can’t fix,” he said, making Pantha sag. The Captains mind flicked to the boy and himself in that same position in decades past. “Hastur, get Gallen to locate the nearest USC vessel and engage an intercept course. We can’t,” he told Pantha, “they might.” He looked back at Hastur. “Where’s the prisoner?”
“Interrogation room,” she said. “He’s ready for you.”
“Good,” Savra said, stepping away.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This is such a very nice chapter! Keep up the good work!
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Re: A Pirates' word

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Should make it clear. Savra's in a nasty mood in the next part...
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I sort of had somewhat of an inkling it would go in that direction. I still can't wait to see it!
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Re: A Pirates' word

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I always think nastiness is more striking when it doesn't raise it's voice...

THIRTY-FIVE

Savra stepped into the interrogation room and walked around the incumbent as the door closed. He kept the lights down so he couldn’t properly be seen with the only bright light being in the face of the blindfolded Mican as he hung from the ceiling, his wrists in manacles. He smelled the cheap perfume the trapped male was wearing that obfuscated his pheromones. He scented a little like an Equinna, a fact that spoke to the cheapness of the guy. Quality scents were more Celicanny.
“I demand to speak to a lawyer,” the Mican tried.
Savra knew the gambit. The prisoner was trying for information. It must be evident he wasn’t on a USC vessel as they didn’t tend to string you up from the ceiling. They tended to let you rest at a desk with a comfortable seat. Savra could either confirm the blindfolded individuals suspicions or lie to him straight off. One gave the Rodent the advantage. The other eroded trust. It wasn’t a bad move, especially with the Captain currently feeling somewhat hostile. “Demand all you like,” he hissed into the captive’s left ear, close enough to make him flinch away. “They’ll be no help to you now. You think you’re with the USC right now?” He poked the Mican in the ribs and watched him jump sideways, his feet never leaving the floor due to equal manacles around his feet. He gave passing thought to why Hastur or Pantha had stripped him but there might be an answer in the fact he wasn’t much bigger than the boy. He smiled as the target breathed hard. “IOC,” he asked with restrained menace. He chuckled. “Oh, no. Trust me, your coin flip has landed on the dark side of the Council.” Again he whispered into the ear. “The side we don’t talk about. The side that doesn’t care about your rights. You don’t have any as far as we’re concerned.” It wasn’t a lie. He just hadn’t told him it was the Pirate Council he was talking about. “I can do to you anything I want.” He ran a claw across the Mican’s white chest, drawing out a trail of red behind it as he cut the surface despite the Mican flinching back. “And I’m going to,” he added.
“What...what if I tell you what I know,” The Mican squeaked.
Savra pondered for a moment. “Then I can stop,” he admitted. “But I need you to know I’m serious.” He stepped over to a cabinet and pulled out what had once been a cigar cutter. “I know you can’t see this,” he told his prey, “so I’m going to let you feel it.” He took hold of one of the Micans’ hands and forced the fingers out from the fist the guy had attempted to form. He put the device on the finger and pressed it so the blades were just touching the skin. He heard the panicked breathing and it brought another smile from him. “You know what this is,” he asked. The Mican nodded, almost choking. “For every lie, I’ll take off one of your extraneous digits,” Savra warned. “In no particular order.” He closed in for a whisper again. “And I can count to twenty-one,” he warned, before licking the ear. His prey jumped again. Savra headed over to put the clipper down and brought over the small trolley with the lie detection system on it. He took his time adding the detection discs and electrodes to the Mican. “Baseline test question,” he said. “What planet were you taken on?”
“So...Solanche,” the Mican said tremulously.
Savra glanced to the monitor. The guys’ heart rate was fast, of course, but the detector couldn’t read any lies. “What species are you?”
“M...Mican.”
“You get one free lie. Use it now. Subgroup?”
“K..K..Kanga,” he said, jumping a second later as the electrodes registered the spike in the machines’ reading and delivered a shock.
“Good,” Savra mused. “Now for the real questions. Where were you communicating with when my operatives found you?”

Pantha sat in the mess and idly stirred her hot sludge – sometimes likened to coffee – with a finger as she held her chin with her other hand. “How exactly do I go about telling him,” she wondered aloud. “They’ve rescued your dad but he might not live long, Dastari? You should go see him?”
Hastur looked up from the sandwich she’d bought and had been chewing on with equal enthusiasm. “That’s not what the Doctor said in their report,” she said, indicating the padd she’d received the message on. Virrik had thought the Captain probably wouldn’t stop to tell them anything so she’d sent Hastur a quick report, detailing the damage and prognosis. “Doc says he’ll live if we find a USC ship and get him across to them.”
“Saw that,” Pantha conceded. “Still, even then… They say he’ll have a lengthy stay in hospital. Several months at least… What do I do in the meantime? What does Barnabus do?”
Hastur frowned. “I… don’t think I’m getting you,” she said cautiously.
“Captain’s got insurance,” Pantha explained idly. “Ship’s insured and he’s fully paid on health so he’ll be protected whilst recovering and can get a new ship when he’s fit enough.” She spread her hands wide. “But what do I do in the meantime? I can’t go on another ship because I probably won’t find any who’d take me and a kid and someone needs to look after Das… Barnabus. Very few ships take a moth… uh…”
Hastur looked at her blankly. Then she blinked. “Well,” she admitted, “that makes me feel a third wheel around him. I take it he doesn’t know?”
Pantha sighed. “No. It was easier that way. And you shouldn’t feel that way, Hastur… You do prefer to be called that, yes? I thought I heard that little Celican call you…”
“Remind me to thump him later,” Hastur grumbled. “Yeah, I prefer it.”
“Anyhow,” Pantha continued, “you shouldn’t feel that way. Times he’s visited my room, you’re most of what he’s talked about. Miss Hastur showed me this, Miss Hastur told me about this place. Miss Hastur almost strangled this Mican who was trying to talk to me… He adores you, you know?”
Hastur almost beamed with pride. “Well, he’s easy to love, y’know?”
Pantha nodded, smiling to herself.
“Why don’t you both stay here,” Hastur asked.
Pantha almost coughed on the drink she’d finally deigned to taste. “You’re joking,” she spluttered.
Hastur shrugged. “Not really. You need a place for some months, we need an engineer worth her salt and we can train Barnabus up as a comms officer. Both of you’d be earning coin. Captain Savra’s not a really evil sort. He only kills when it’s absolutely necessary and does listen to our input. Knowing him, he’d let you off when you want to go. You should think on it.”
Pantha sighed again. It was an offer of work and she’d be able to afford to keep Barnabus close by again. But they were pirates and… “I’ll think about it. Still doesn’t help me tell Barnabus, does it?”
“No,” Hastur agreed quietly, “it doesn’t help what we’re going to tell him.”
Pantha looked up. “We,” she asked.
“Didn’t think I’d let you do it alone, did you? What kind of big sister would that make me?”

Savra looked down at the tray with two digits on it, then up at where the criminal hung, whimpering, in the restraints as he switched off the recording device. “I think that’s about it. Now I know where we need to strike. I know where your people are hiding and I know what you know about your organisation and all it cost you was a finger and a toe. I have to say, I DO believe you.” He whispered again, putting his head between the ear and the bandaged hand. “But I have been conned before. I’m going to take you to some experts at getting information, Mister Kalitt. You’ll like them less than you do me. But, for now, I think you’ve earned a respite.” He stepped away and opened the door. It closed again. “I never said I was going to give you one though, did I,” Savra asked coldly, before growling. “I saw what you did to someone I respect and I think that needs repaying in kind, don’t you?” Savra extended his electro-whip and began extracting his revenge, lash after lash.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Hope that Savra doesn't go too overboard and kill him. His body might not take the lashes well.
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Re: A Pirates' word

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THIRTY-SIX

The door booped and Savra entered Dastari’s cell come quarters to see the boy. He’d not been there when Pantha and Hastur had ‘double teamed’ him with the information about his father as he’d been ‘cleaning up’ after his conversation with the prisoner. He’d avoided the emotional outburst that had been the immediate reaction but the boy had been quiet since. He looked at the boy, curled up on his bed as the door closed behind him. He sat on the bed, pushing Dastari’s feet out of the way as he did so. “What’s got you snivelling,” he asked, knowing the answer.
Dastari looked up at him, his eyes still watering and his nose running. He sniffed mucus back up his nose and swallowed. He looked at the Captain, confusion on his face. “My.. my father’s going t...to die,” he complained.
“Who told you that,” Savra asked.
“Miss Pan...Pantha,” Dastari said, turning around so he could sit up next to the Captain.
“He’s not going to be allowed to,” Savra said. “My Doctor may not be anyone you ever want to see but they are one of the better ones. They say they can fix up much of the damage but not all of it.” He put a hand on the boys shoulder. Dastari looked at the hand and chose to let it stay there. “We’ve located a Council Clipper ship. Better engines than ours and better medical facilities. They’re a day away at our best speed and we’re headed their way.”
“Why...why can’t I see him?”
“Hmm,” Savra said. “Our Doctor’s working on him. They have to do some work to keep him alive until we can get to that clipper.”
Again, Dastari sniffed. “Don’t… Don’t they have a closer one?”
“Only the Rodomont,” he replied. “She’s a battleship.” He glanced at Dastari. “And we are NOT going anywhere near her! She’s problematic as it is.”
Dastari frowned. “Why?”
“We know the patrol routes of the Security Council ships,” he confided, before leaning in to whisper. “Someone on the inside, y’know?” He sat up again. “The Rodomont’s not supposed to be here. She may well be searching for us.” He gave half a grin. “We’ve ruffled a few feathers over the last few weeks, eh?” Dastari couldn’t help but fight a small grin through for a few seconds. “A Clipper is far more likely just to take your father to hospital and not try to attack us, Barnabus.”
“Will.. Will I be getting off then,” Dastari asked.
“Yeah. If you want to.” Savra sighed. “Has Miss Pantha talked to you about staying?”
Dastari cocked his head. “She, uh, said s..something but.. I didn’t really get it?”

Savra took the time to explain the cruelty of finances and insurances.

Pantha sat close to Gallen, once again wearing the requisite silverware that allowed her to stay at his place of an evening. She noted that he’d tidied up in here during his off-hours. Clothes were in the hamper. He HAD a hamper. The Breakfast dishes had been disintegrated, there had been slight signs of polish used on the table… The shower was still broken and only able to provide sonic showers that set her fur on end – literally – but she supposed it was baby steps. None of which was cheering her any more than the shoulder massage he’d given her a little while before. “He was so crushed,” she said, speaking of Dastari. “All I could do was deliver the information and…” She took a breath. “...And, when he went to one of us for a hug, he went to Doris.”
Gallen chuckled. “Don’t let her hear you call her that,” he warned before putting his manacled hand onto her leg to give it a reassuring squeeze. “She’s just made a great impression on him, is all. He loves you, I’m certain of that. He’s got so much of you in him it would be impossible for him not to.” He gave the slightest smile at her frown. “He may have his father’s cunning intellect and humour but he got his courage and adaptability from his mother, didn’t he?”
Pantha raised her hands skywards in frustration, pulling his with her. “Is it that obvious a fact,” she asked. “I’ve kept it for years and…”
Gallen laughed and put one hand around to the far side of her head to turn it towards him. “It’s easy to keep it from a nine year old,” he said, “but it’s not so easy to hide it from someone who meets the pair of you at the same time.” He brought her closer for a kiss, which she responded to. After rasping his tongue with hers for a moment, she pulled back and cut down the purring. “There was one thing I objected to today,” she told him, before relating to how the engineering crew had resisted her advice until they realised she was sleeping with the First Officer. “I want to be acknowledged for the work I do, not whose lay I am.”
Gallen coughed. “Can’t speak fer them,” he admitted, “but it was your intuitive skills that first attracted me to you. The way you planned to help Chittrick was one that showed how smart you were. You’ll show them all in time, Wayla. But, as for now, if it’s working, I’m happy to help.”
She decided to assume he had a point and stood up, encouraging him to stand. She pulled out an armless chair and made him sit on it before sitting on his lap, facing him. “Then I suppose I’d better get a top up, hadn’t I,” she asked before locking lips with him again. Whilst she was doing it, she figured her problems would wait and she was happy to make them. Let her have the time, she decided as she used her free hand to hold the base of his tail. She decided she wanted to get used to the metallic taste.

The Captain was the escort this time, as Dastari decided he wanted to risk the messhall again. He happily – well, sort of happily – trotted along and wondered why the Captain gave a longing glance to what he’d decided was the ‘petting room’ with furry non sapients that Miss Hastur had let him play with a few days back. He decided the Captain just didn’t want anyone to know he occasionally petted soft things. He’d heard all the Captain had said about financial things and his father not being able to support him and possibly starving or having to go with Miss Pntha to some other ship and he’d sort of made a decision. With a proviso, of course. He was after a deal. He was, after all, a Raitchian. He waited until after the Captain had intimidated the Lappinean who was serving today with a question about what was good today. He thought Mr Bunny was brave to say ‘nothing, but the Juva Salad was fair and the Plakta was edible. He took the salad and the Captain the Plakta. Both took lemon drink as it was the only drink still being served by the machine.
“We’ll have to stock up on supplies soon,” Savra confided, taking up a seat at a table with the boy. “Running low on food stuffs.”
Dastari looked worried. “Another ship raid,” he asked.
Savra shook his head. “Precious little profit in raiding a ship for food, boy. Better to do it at the base. We’ll be heading there after handing your father over anyhow. We need to hand over a prisoner.”
Dastari looked excited. “You caught one of them?”
“We caught the one who hurt your father,” Savra told him, “and, after he told me all he could about the people he works for, I made him wish he was dead.”
“Good,” Dastari spat. “If I’m to stay here, sir, there’s something I want first.”
“What,” Savra asked, knowing the answer.
“I want revenge, sir. For my father.”
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Re: A Pirates' word

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Good chapter. All I can really say. I'm grieving Betty White if you know who that is.
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Re: A Pirates' word

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Amazee Dayzee wrote: Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:44 pm Good chapter. All I can really say. I'm grieving Betty White if you know who that is.
Deadpool always thought she was his Golden Girl.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

Dastari is... not happy to say the least, yikes. Gaellen and Pantha make a cute couple. And although the guy he interrogated was awful, Sarva is still a psychotic creep.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

These are people that you would not want to cross at all. Give them a wide berth.

Also, Betty White was Ryan Reynolds's Golden Girl, not Deadpool.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

Amazee Dayzee wrote: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:43 pm Also, Betty White was Ryan Reynolds's Golden Girl, not Deadpool.
Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool, Dayzee.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Harry Johnathan wrote: Sat Jan 01, 2022 1:11 pm
Amazee Dayzee wrote: Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:43 pm Also, Betty White was Ryan Reynolds's Golden Girl, not Deadpool.
Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool, Dayzee.
Although, of course, he also can't be as he shot Mr Reynolds through the head to prevent 'Green Lantern' ever being made. (And also killed X-MenOrigins:- Wolverine's 'Deadpool' too.)
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

I will never forgive Tom Rothman for X-Men: Origins.
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

None of this changes the fact that it was Bea Arthur that Deadpool liked and not Betty White no matter what you say. So respectfully you are wrong. Do a Google search if you don't believe me.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Or he just loved them all.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

The Captain has a 'softer' side...

THIRTY-SEVEN

Virrik stepped out of the medical observation area and huffed in her helmet as she allowed the door to close. She took her hood off so she didn’t need to waste the speakers batteries. “Well,” she told Savra, “I’ve done all I can and I’ve informed him as to the situation regarding his heart and the damage so you wouldn’t have to. I kept the chemical suit on so he didn’t see who I was. As for the rest of it, you can do that. My interest in him is over as long as he doesn’t start flatlining. Now,” she continued, “I’m off to my room to rest. He’s knackered me.”
“Good work, Doctor,” he said to her retreating back.
She waved dismissively back at him. “From you that’s worth less than my paycheck.”
“I hardly pay you anything.”
“Absolutely correct,” she said, entering her room. The Captain had never been in there and didn’t really look forward to the day he’d have to. He fancied she had more knives than he did and was proficient in the use of them. Every ounce of cleaning fluid the technicians brought in the medical bay was weighed in and out with an absolute analysis of how much was used but he’d be surprised if she’d not taken some of the chemicals and treated her blades with them to add extra danger. Some Bounty Hunters were legendary for it. He remembered one Feline he’d encountered the once who’d coated his claws in the stuff. THAT had been one nasty fight. But that was enough reminiscing. He needed to talk with Speight. He opened the door and stepped in.

“One of the ...koff… last people I wanted to see,” Speight said through half closed eyes. “So, Savra’s your name, huh? Your Doctor said it but I couldn’t… couldn’t place it. This… This is all you, you know?”
Savra sat in the chair opposite the bed before moving it so Speight could see him more clearly. “We have some blame,” he agreed, “but you’ve got a fair amount too. Working with Berwick was stupid.”
“I didn’t have… much choice.”
“The boy told us you’ve dealt with Berwick for years. He thought Berwick had a hostage. His mother, perhaps. But that’s not true, is it? Don’t lie to me and I won’t to you. And I have news you’ll want to hear.”
Speight tried to laugh but only a strange, strangled, sound came out. “Threats and cash is better than just threats.”
Savra nodded. “I get that. Done it myself on occasion. The Doctor told you about the prognosis?”
Speight coughed again. “Yes. She… it is a she… told me she can’t do anything for my heart so… so you’re getting me to a Council base?”
“We’re going nowhere near a Council base OR a major hospital planet. Too well defended. We’re intercepting a Council ship and transferring you.”
“And… and Dastari?”
“Yes, well… Your insurance won’t feed him, will it?” The Captain took the next few minutes to lay out the intentions and plans and arguments for the boy to remain with them but he had the pure feeling Speight didn’t believe his intentions. Fair enough, he thought, neither would he.
“He should be… Kaff… with family,” Speight declared.
“He will be,” Savra told him. “That’s the good news I intended to give you a few minutes ago, Captain. Dastari – or, as he’s chosen to be called, Barnabus – won’t be alone. When we found your ship crashed, we found a survivor.”
Captain Speight conveyed surprise in the slightest expansion of his eyes. He waited for Savra to continue.
“Wayla Pantha managed to get into an environment suit and we found her alive. She’s here and their staying is her idea.”
“Does… does..?”
“Does Barnabus know she’s his mother? Not from any of us.”
“Why..? Why..,” Speight coughed. Savra had a feeling he knew what the Captain was trying to ask.
“You didn’t tell them anything about us is part of it,” he said, “despite… all this. Secondly, Dastari, even when taking the name Barnabus…”
“Soddin’ Vidshow…”
“...never stopped believing you’d rescue him until we found the wreckage. Then he never stopped believing you were alive. I was raised by a mother who didn’t have much time for me. I honestly don’t know if she’s still alive and don’t care. He has the sort of bond with you that could change the direction of my life if I’d had it when I was his age.” He stood up. “I’d say I should let you rest but I think Pantha and Barnabus would kill me if I did. They’ll be in in a moment or so. And that’s something of an order.”
“You’re...koff… not MY...Captain,” Speight claimed. Savra could see he was trying to smile.

“Are you ready,” Hastur asked Dastari as she waited for the boy to appear from the tiny bathroom in his quarters. “The Captain did say we should hurry, yeah?”
The door opened and Dastari threw his coveralls at her playfully. “I’m ready, Miss Hastur,” he said, stepping out in the same clothes he’d been wearing when they’d taken him. “Shirt doesn’t fit as well as it did,” he complained.
“Weel, I think you’ve gotten a bit stronger since you’ve got here,” Hastur replied, feeling his arm muscles as he flexed
“Or, uh, the washer shrunk them?”
“Hah. I won’t tell him. C’mon, little bro.” She offered a hand. He slipped his into hers. It wasn’t that he lacked the confidence to walk without the support but they were going to the medical bay and, frankly, that worried him quite a bit. The Doctor had quite a reputation…

They met Miss Pantha and her guard outside the medical bay. “I’ll accompany her from here, Sivva,” Hastur said. The guard nodded quite happily. She didn’t want to go in there. Hastur entered the code and the door opened. A nurse was on station but the Doctor, as arranged, was absent. Dastari glanced at the room and smelled the blood tinged sterility. It would have burned his throat if he’d breathed through his mouth, he was sure. So he kept his mouth shut and followed Hastur and Miss Pantha. He stepped into the room and… despite Miss Hastur’s words about how hurt he was, ran over and hugged him as best he was able. His dad gingerly hugged him back and kissed him on the lips. He glanced up at Hastur. “Who..?”
“Hastur, sir,” she told him. “Barnabus’ guardian on the ship.”
“Fair...koff...enough. We have things...koff… to tell him,”
“Oh, boy,” Pantha moaned.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Glad to see this softer side! It is really is a very nice part to showcase!
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

Hastur is the best character. And I wonder what details Pantha and Speight will reveal to Dastari?
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But [The LORD] said, “Yes, you did laugh.” - Genesis 18:15 (NIV).
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Re: A Pirates' word

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THIRTY-EIGHT

Hastur entered the access code and stepped into Dastari’s room. The boy was face down on the bed and she could see his shaking as she pulled up a chair and sat, facing him. The door closed. “I see you’ve figured out the code to get in here, huh,” she said, hoping a small joke would ease a little of the tension.
“Go ‘way,” he told his bed.
“Nope,” Hastur replied. “Can’t really, Barnabus. Know why?”
The heaving shuddered to a stop and Hastur wondered how much stuff he would have thrown around if he’d had anything. His shirt was in a pile of its own in the corner. “’Cause you care,” Dastari said, almost sneerily, into his bedding.
“Pardon,” she asked.
He raised his tear stained face from the bed and looked at her with hostility. “Because you care! Everyone I know who cares lies to me!” he snorted mucus back up his nose and swallowed. “How can I trust anybody? One of the first things you said was you didn’t have much sympathy for me but now you do? How do I trust you’re not lying to me, Miss Hastur?”
She wondered about what words to choose. If there were any that could help. She decided to take something the Captain sometimes said to heart and stood up. “Shift over,” she said. “I’m sitting here.” She pointed to the left of his bed, where his feet currently were. “Shift ‘em or I’m sitting on ‘em.” He shifted them so she could sit there and swung his feet towards the floor. “Back then, I didn’t have much sympathy for you, I admit that. But time and exposure changes things, Barnabus. It always does. Nothing stays the same over time when you throw in experience. Did you think much of privateers when you first got here?”
“I hated you,” Dastari admitted. “Still do. Some of you.”
She smiled slightly. “Not all of us now, then?”
He sniffed. “Some are nicer than I figured,” he conceded. “but some are only conning.”
She shrugged. “Trust is important. I mean… You trust Pantha and your dad would never want you hurt, yeah?”
He gritted his teeth for a moment, his eyes flashing anger and tensing his fists for a moment before relaxing slightly. “I… suppose not,” he allowed. “But why would they lie, then? She’s my mom!”
Hastur sighed. “I can’t tell you why they kept it from you at the start, sweetie,” she said, putting a hand on his bare shoulder, “but I can tell you why they kept it up.”
He looked at the hand on his shoulder and decided he didn’t much care if it was there or not. He turned his face up towards the big dogs. “Why?”
“Captain says Lies grow harder to break over time,” Hastur said. “I think what he means is, if you get comfortable with a lie – whatever reason you had for it in the first place – it gets to the stage where telling the truth causes more damage to what you’re trying not to harm than continuing the lie.”
“Huh,” he asked, his face showing confusion.
“I, er, mean…” Hastur paused. “Think of it like this. Miss Pantha – you don’t have to call her mom if you don’t want – is a great engineer, yeah?”
Dastari wiped his nose with his arm and swallowed as he nodded.
“That’s gross, by the way. Anyhow, if she’s great engineer, why did she never leave for a better job? Engineers don’t normally stay on one ship so long. They tend to want their own. So why stay?”
Dastari sighed. “I suppose you’ll say it was because of me?”
Hastur poked him in the chest. “Absolutely right. She stayed close by, when it would have been so easy to leave, because she loves you. That’s why your dad kept you close too. Hey,” she said, poking him again, “there’s definitely some chest muscles coming in, Barnabus, you been working out?”
He nodded. “When the door’s locked, I do push ups,” he claimed.
Hastur smiled genially. “And try to work out the code to unlock the door.” She tapped him on the nose. “I know you try, little bro, so don’t fib to me, eh? And you’re sure it’s just working out?”
“What else,” he asked, working his way through what she’d just said to see what was different.
“Well, we’ve never gotten around to blocking that channel… hey!” She protested as he twigged what she was referring to and whomped her with a pillow.
“Yes, it’s just working out,” he protested, his anger forgotten for the moment.
“You’ve snotted in this pillow,” Hastur cried out from under it.
Now he actively grinned, cutting an odd sight with his tear stained facial fur. “Makes it a byer logical weapon, don’t it?” He yelped as, defending herself, Hastur reached out with her hands and started tickling his sides. He jerked somewhat but she kept up the pressure until he dropped the pillow. Seeing he was now heaving with laughter rather than anger, Hastur relented. “Did you… did you mean that,” he asked. “Little brother?”
“Yeah, I did, I think,” Hastur replied. “If you want a big sister, I mean?” His response was to try and wrap her in a hug. “Is that a yes,” she asked, carefully putting her arms around him.
“No,” he said into her chest, “I’m trying to break your ribs.”
She laughed and kissed his head. He raised a smiling face towards her and she kissed his nose too. “I just snotted out of that nose,” he said
“Yeah,” Hastur replied, mock spitting, “I remembered that as soon as I did it…” She looked out of his window as a familiar sparkle caught her eye. “Shields have gone up,” she said ominously.
Dastari let her go so she could stand up and she tossed his shirt to him shortly before the comm buzzed. <”All crew to stations,”> Gallens’ voice said. <”Battle alert.”>
“Good job we don’t have to get your shoes on,” Hastur remarked, recalling how long it sometimes took him. “Come on, comms Officer Barnabus!”
Shirt on, Barnabus wiped a piece of mucus off Hasturs’ jacket before joining her in a run to the bridge.
Last edited by Welsh Halfwit on Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Loving how everything comes together in this chapter! Good work!
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

THIRTY-NINE

Pantha felt dis-spirited as she worked on the underside of a console in the engineering section, her guard further over in the room, wishing she didn’t need to be there. It had, it seemed, gone wrong so fast in there. He’d gone from confusion to anger faster than she’d been able to get over her fear of him knowing and he’d run off faster than she could stop him. She’d been glad Hastur had gone after him, though. It had enabled her to have more time with the Captain. More time to help him understand it was more her choice to keep the secret than his. A two night layover on Caldera, that was all. They’d done a few trips together before but that was one where the Captain had been promising to take her to see the cascade waterfalls and they’d had a night out and one of them had been more worse the wear after than the other and she didn’t know which it was and things had gone from there. She’d wanted a child so there was no talk of… that. But she’d also wanted a career and not to be judged as a single mother so… She choked back a memory as someone tapped on the console. She slid out on the roller board. Vatrick. Great. What did HE want?
“You’ve been under there, doing nothing, for three minutes,” Vatrick said, his tone showing a little amusement. “Things on your mind?”
“Nothing to do with you, Vatrick.”
“Technically speaking, it’s ‘sir’ when you talk to me, Engineer. And I need a word with you about wiring…”
“I’m busy.”
“I’m sure you are. So am I. And I don’t want my conkers cracked like last time but you should know something about this wiring plan of yours.”
“And what, pray tell, is that,” Pantha said tightly, She was going to have the imprint of her sonic wrench in her skin from how hard she was gripping it.
“You get the credit if it works and the blame if it doesn’t. It seems a good idea and it’s worth trying but… It’s not my pelt on the wall if they ask. Some probably will. Now,” he added, crouching down and doing his best to look concerned. “Is your mind on your work or do you need a meal break, Weyla?”
“You think I can’t do the job?”
“Worse,” Vatrick admitted, “I know you can. But I’d hate to get injured because you were distracted, yes?”
She growled. “I’ll do my job, SIR. I’ll stand in for you when you’re not here and follow your instructions when you are. Now, as for my mind? I’m fine and focussed. Sir.” She hauled herself back under to work.
Vatrick wandered to the other half of the room to check on the intermix ratios and fuel consumption before he muttered ‘you are now’ to himself. He noted the power drain as the shields turned on. “Hello,” he told himself before the ship comm sounded, “what’s this about?”

Hastur and Dastari made it, almost simultaneously, to the bridge and tried to hide the fact they’d raced each other half the way, pitting his youthful stamina and speed against her power and length of stride. Dastari hopped up into his seat and Hastur caught him before he fell off the revolving chair. She straightened him up before taking her station, noting Savra and Gallen weren’t talking as the ship moved towards a small asteroid belt.
“Where’ve you been,” Janus asked quietly, watching the screen intently.
Hastur turned slightly towards the Swift. “What’s going on,” she asked.
“Not answering the question,” Janus goaded. “Playing with the kid? We’ve got someone following us. Kurmak’s been picking up an intermittent trace of a vessel for the last several hours. So we’ve pulled out of hyper about a half hour before meeting the Council ship for…”
“Enough with the recap, Janus,” Savra mooted. “Barnabus, you’re listening for any incoming signals or anything else you can pick up. There’s a chance – just a chance – that this could be something to do with the people who hurt your father. They might send communications to other ships in the area.”
“Aye, uh, Captain, sir,” Dastari remarked, wondering how he was supposed to do half of what he was being asked to do.
An unexpected voice came from the hallway, attracting their attention. “I’ll… I’ll help him,” Marran said, leaning on a walker and gritting her teeth.
“You should be in bed,” Savra snapped.
“I don’t… want to see… my bed right now, S...sir,” she stammered as she fought her way onto the bridge. “Might… as well sit here. Budge up, sprat,” the Mican ordered.
Barnabus got up and helped Marran into her seat before sitting down again. “I’ll help you listen, kid,” she said. “I’ll twiddle the knobs and you...ow… listen in, yeah?”
Dastari nodded in agreement. THAT he knew how to do.
“How do I get a lock on if it’s a near invisible ship, Captain,” Hastur asked.
“By being smart, girl. Use your eyes and tie the targetting systems into Kurmak’s sensors. Lock on to the location of the intermittent signal. It’s probably something to do with the plates we took.” he mused. “I wonder who bought them from Jeboah? Never mind, I’ll ask him later. With menaces if needs be. As it goes, though, they may not be aware we’ve detected them.”
“They should be with us in about a minute,” Kurmak advised.
“Right,” Savra decided. “Soon as we’re in the asteroid field park us. These fields are common transfer points so it might look like we’re waiting on someone. Ready to engage battle alert, Hastur?”
“Of course, sir.” Battle alert. A surge of power that took weapons from idle to online and firing in less than three seconds. It cost a lot more, energy wise, than cycling them up normally but helped predators playing prey become predators and trap prey. A useful trick. She kept a hand next to the switch.
“Twenty-five seconds,” Janus muttered as he used the thrusters to shift their axis around an asteroid. “Twenty…”

“Why am I listening for them,” Dastari whispered to Merran, “and won’t they know the Feds are nearby?”
“Stealth ships can’t use long range sensors,” Merran whispered back. “If they did, they’d be sensed. As for the rest? They still send out signals. To their fighters and the like.”
“Oh.”

“Five…” Janus said.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Harry Johnathan »

Hastur and Dastari are so cute together it should be illegal (Hastur also needs to get her mind out of the gutter.) Also bet Pantha and Speight are really regretting everything now.
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Re: A Pirates' word

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I know I would be if i was them. Then again I wouldn't do anything as stupid as them. Wonderful work Welshy!
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