A Pirate's Tale: The Only Solution Is Retribution (17 page)

• • •

Victoria and Desiree arrived on the bridge and they saw the intersection on the main wall monitor.  It was growing larger each moment and Desiree turned to Victoria, “Do you have a preference of which galaxy we choose to visit?”

“Why would you ask me?”

“Because I’ve never had any experience with any galaxy but this one and you must have some information about others.  After all, your family must have trade relations with galaxies other than this one.”

Victoria shrugged, “We do but I was never involved in any dealings with them.  I’ve often thought about going to see Earth.  The cradle of mankind has always fascinated me.”

Desiree shook her head, “Everyone knows Earth was blasted and pretty much destroyed thousands of years ago.  The database says that humans are still there but it’s a dangerous place to live.  Perhaps we’ll make the trip in the future when all this blows over.”

“Then pick one that’s not far off the major filament we’ll be taking,” Victoria said.

Desiree smiled, “Closest it is.”

• • •

A week later they sat on the bridge and Victoria sighed, “Perhaps we should choose another galaxy.”

Jack looked up from his console, “This one really is the backwater in the universe’s cesspool.”

Desiree smiled, “I’m forced to agree that the tourist planets don’t hold much competition for those in our own galaxy.  There’s one more planet and it’s rated three stars on the Cartian Map.  It has a funny name…Jester.”

“I wonder why it has a human term for its name,” Billy asked from the thruster controls.

Desiree shrugged, “It may not be a human term.  Words can only be put together in so many ways and since the Cartian language is pretty much universally used, the term may just be descriptive of the native term.”

Victoria sighed, “I’ve found it distracting that so many aliens seem to be attracted to me.  Most of the humans have kept their distance.”

Jack chuckled and Victoria looked at him, “What’s funny, Jack?”

“That’s easy.  The aliens see you’re incredibly wealthy and want you to pay for their good time.  The humans take one look at you and know you’re out of their league.”

“What?”

“Men are like that, Victoria.  Beautiful women are looked at as something beyond their reach.  They’re something to be dreamed about and admired from a distance.”  Jack paused, “At least they are if they have a normal ego and aren’t extremely wealthy as well.  Most of the humans in the places we’ve been are doing OK but I’ve not run across any that are wealthy.  The aliens are the ones with the wealth in this galaxy.”

“Well, maybe this planet will be different,” Desiree responded as she entered Jester’s coordinates.  “If this bombs, we’ll head out to anther galaxy.”

• • •

The Play Toy came off the filament and Desiree’s head went back, “I’ll say one thing; this planet has more ships above it than all the others had combined.  This might be what we’re looking for, Victoria.”  Victoria shrugged and Desiree lifted the communicator, “Alright, you know the drill.  Those who are assigned to go to the surface with us need to get ready to leave within the hour.  Keep your distance but make sure you’re close if you’re needed.  Remember to carry your wrist projectors and leave your blasters on board.  The standby shuttle will land and be prepared to come if you’re called.”  Desiree changed the channel and said, “Gem, are you going down with us?”

“Yes, I believe I am.”

“Good, meet us in the landing bay in an hour.”

“Traffic control is contacting us,” Thomas said from the communication console.

“Get our orbital location and see it they can recommend a place for us to go first,” Desiree responded.  She turned to Jack, “You have the ship.”  Jack stood up and went to the command chair as Victoria and Desiree left the bridge.

• • •

Victoria and the three with her exited the tavern and turned south.  Desiree had her arm inside Victoria’s as they walked and Victoria said, “This is better than the others we’ve visited.”

“Yes, it is and the men here aren’t as reluctant to approach you.”

“True but they are pretty self-absorbed.”

Desiree chuckled, “I agree with Jack.  They’d have to be pretty confident to make the effort.”

“Where are we going now?” Victoria asked as she turned and looked at Gem.

“Hey, I’m just along for the ride.  This is your show.”

“I heard in the last establishment that M’s Tavern at the end of the street is a great place to go.  Let’s give it a try,” Desiree said.  Victoria nodded as they walked along the busy sidewalk.  Gem followed a few paces behind them and the two crewmen walking with him kept their eyes out for any trouble but the two women would see it long before they did.  Gem just looked around and smiled at the amazed expressions on the locals faces as they passed.  No one here had ever seen an Insectoid.  The six members of the crew pacing them on the other side of the street were also keeping their eyes on the crowd around Victoria.  They would remain outside the businesses she entered but be ready to move in if needed.

Victoria entered the restaurant and the Greeter smiled, “Are you here for a meal, and my how beautiful you are!”

Victoria smiled at the Arepian, “It’s nice of you to say so.  Please give us a table and a waiter as quickly as possible.”

The Greeter could see that Victoria’s party was dressed in expensive clothes and the jewelry around her neck had to be very expensive.  He waved and a female Arepian came over and smiled, “Please follow me.”  The Greeter saw Gem go with them and his head went back, “What in the hell is that?”

They followed the waitress across the crowded dance floor and arrived at a table slightly elevated above the others.  They took their seats and looked around the room.  Both of them quickly saw the three humans sitting at the bar.  They waited for their waiter to come and Gem said, “Do you see anything in the pattern?”

Victoria nodded, “That man with the dark glasses sitting at the end of the bar is not here for entertainment.  He’s got another motive.”

Desiree nodded, “The couple sitting next to him are also working an agenda.  She has her back to him but he’s the one she’s interested in.”

Gem nodded, “The man is angry at one of the locals sitting at a table with two large bodyguards.”

Desiree nodded, “I can see that.  He’s also carrying a sword.”  Victoria focused on the man and, after a moment nodded.  Desiree thought for a moment and said, “You know, carrying a sword might not be a bad idea.  Most places only scan for blasters.”  She turned and looked at Gem, “What do you think about sword training?”

“Finish the training before you start adding to it.”

“But don’t you think it would be a good weapon to carry?”

“I’ll look into it.”

Their meal arrived and Victoria saw the woman sitting next to the man at the bar turn around and say something to him.  She nudged Desiree, who turned to see them.  The woman and the man with her quickly stood up and left the bar.  The man was clearly frightened and he stood up immediately and headed toward the rear of the tavern.  Victoria nodded toward the rear of the restaurant, “The local man that man has been glaring at has stood up and headed in the same direction with his two body guards.”

“Should we get involved?” Desiree asked.

“NO!  You’re here for entertainment and not to involve yourself in any disagreements,” Gem emphatically stated.

The women looked at each other and turned back to their meal.  Once they finished, a man came up and asked Victoria to dance.  “Why of course, Dahlin; I’ve been so wanting to dance.” 

Desiree watched them and smiled as Victoria didn’t wait to be pulled close but almost wrapped herself around the man whose smile was the biggest feature on his face.  Two hours later, the entire room came to a stop.  Desiree’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head as she said, “What in creation are those!?!”

An alien sitting next to their table answered her, “Those are Venzel Dragons.  They’re probably the most dangerous species in this galaxy and their bite will kill you before you can take three steps.”

Gem leaned in close to Desiree, “They’re here looking for a human.”  Desiree watched them scatter through the crowd and saw one of them turn a scanner toward her as a second Dragon scanned Victoria on the dance floor.  The two crewmen activated their wrist projectors.  Desiree shook her head, “They’re not here looking for us.  Take it easy.”

The Dragons quickly left and Victoria came back to the table.  “Thank you ever so much but I’m getting a little tipsy.”

“Do you mind if I join you,” he asked.

Gem looked at him, “Yes, we do.”  The man took one look at Gem and appeared to evaporate he disappeared so fast.

Victoria looked at Desiree, “I think those creatures were looking for the man at the bar.”

“Either him or the couple sitting beside him,” Desiree agreed.

“It was the man.”  The women turned to Gem, “Those creatures only scanned the male humans in the room.  They were looking for the man with the dark glasses.”

“The couple sitting beside the man with dark glasses had a human male.” Desiree pointed out.

“Yes, but they weren’t as frightened as the man with the glasses and they must have told him those creatures were coming.  I think the female and her companion were also here to take that man but backed off and left before those creatures showed up.”

“He must have done something to really tick them off.”

Gem shrugged, “They’ve probably collected him by now.  It’s not our concern, Desiree.”

Victoria looked at Desiree, “Are you ready to call it a night?”

“I am.”

“Then let’s head back to the ship.”

• • •

They arrived on board and Jack stepped out of the command chair, “We have two technologically advanced warships holding position in the filament above the planet and our scanners show more are on the way at full boost.”

Gem smiled, “It appears they didn’t capture the human they were chasing.”  Desiree raised an eyebrow and Gem continued, “It they captured him they wouldn’t be coming here at full boost.  I wonder what is so important that they would go to this degree of effort to take him.”

“We’re not going to find out.  I don’t like being near this many warships; we’re leaving and going to another galaxy,” Desiree lifted the communicator and announced.  “We’re headed toward the filament.  All hands to Battlestations and be prepared if we’re approached by one of those warships.”

Gem put his right hand on Desiree’s arm, “Don’t boost out of here.  You don’t want to give the appearance you’re running.”  Desiree nodded and took her hand away from the booster controls.  The trip out to the intersection took longer than normal because more warships were coming out of the intersection headed toward the planet.  Gem stared at them on the monitor as they passed and wondered what that human had done to cause this magnitude of response.  But that would remain a mystery; this galaxy was history.  He did notice that the warships boosting toward the planet were highly advanced and moving as fast as the newest Insectoid Warship; these Dragons could be dangerous.

V
ictoria and Desiree were working in the training room trying to score number Twos and both were frustrated but knew that only repetition and time would teach them what they needed to know.  The wall speaker suddenly announced, “Captain, you’re needed on the bridge.”

Desiree looked at the speaker, “What’s going on, Jack?”

“Two ships followed us on the filament at the last intersection.  They’re matching our speed and holding position behind us.”

“On my way!”  Desiree grabbed a towel and looked at Victoria, “Brush you hair and meet me on the bridge.”  Desiree rushed to the bridge and Jack moved out of the command chair to the pilot’s console.  She looked at the tactical monitor on the wall and saw two blips pacing them on the edge of their scanning range.  She looked at Jack, “They must think they’re outside the range of our scanners.”

Jack nodded, “Most commercial ships don’t have military grade scanners.  I think they’re hanging back and allowing us to put some distance from the intersection.  There aren’t any other ships around us at the moment and they see it as a good opportunity to intercept us.”

“You think they’re pirates?”

“Yes, Captain, I do.”

Victoria rushed into the bridge and Desiree nodded toward her chair, “Get ready to talk to some pirates.”

“What?”

“It appears two ships are pursuing us and I expect them to order us to stop shortly.  You need to be ready to try and talk some sense into them.”  Victoria nodded and Desiree turned back to the tactical monitor, “Jack, I don’t want them inside blaster range.  Maintain a safe distance.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Gem entered the bridge and Desiree nodded to him as he went to his chair behind theirs.  “Jack, what can you tell me about those ships?”

“They’re medium sized and have the hulls of a warship.  I can’t see them well enough to determine how many blasters they have but that size usually carries four; two on the top of the hull and two on the bottom.  They’re picking up speed, Captain.”

A man’s image suddenly appeared on the main monitor and said, “You will stop and prepare to be boarded!”

Desiree felt the Play Toy’s boosters increase in power and she nodded to Victoria.  Victoria saw her and pressed the communicate button on her control panel, “Oh my!  Is my crew right?  Are you a pirate?”

The Pirate Captain saw Victoria appear on his display and his head went back slightly.  What was this?  A woman?  “Stop your vessel immediately!”

Victoria batted her eyes and said, “I’ve always wanted to meet a pirate but my crew insists I should do that on a planet and not out in space.  What do you intend to do if I don’t stop, Dahling?”

“I’m going to shoot out your engines; now stop your vessel!”

Desiree looked at Jack and started to order full speed but Gem said, “You might want to use this as an opportunity to give the crew some combat experience.”  Desiree turned around and looked at Gem then turned and said to Jack, “Maintain our distance.”

“Going to one third power.”