First Command (24 page)

      
Steven approached the entrance to the star cluster just out of weapons range and called the privateer captain over short-range comms.

      
“Unknown vessel, this is Captain Steven Maynard of the Survey Ship Pericles.”

      
He didn’t have long to wait for a reply.
 
“Captain Maynard, this is Captain Lee Chang of the Aldebaran Auxiliary Fleet Vessel, Morning Sun, present your ship to be boarded.”

      
Well, that was to be expected, seeing as his ship had destroyed one of his fellow privateers.

      
Steven started his sales pitch.
 
He said he wasn’t likely to submit to boarding.
 
He asked Captain Chang if he ever felt a longing to be the owner of his own land, in a place where he could live his current lifestyle free of any legal entanglements.
 
He asked him if he would like a facility to maintain his ship where the fees wouldn’t go up based on a successful cruise.

      
Captain Chang came back on the communicator and asked, “Where is this Shangri La you speak of?”

      
Steven replied, “It is right in here behind me.
 
Would you care to have a look?”

      
Chang replied, “How do I know this isn’t just a ruse to lure me into gun range and kill us like you killed the Enforcer, or lead me into a gravity eddy I can’t escape from?”

      
Steven replied, “You don’t, but isn’t the reward enough to overcome the risk?
 
Come in with your weapons charged, Captain.
 
I will do the same.
 
If either suspects treachery, we are free to fire.”

      
The other captain chuckled and said, “I don’t know you, Captain, but I like your style.
 
It will be a pity if I have to kill you.”

      
Steven keyed his communicator, chuckled, and said, “I feel the same way about you, sir.”

      
Captain Chang was impressed by the found world and also realized its potential as a base for those not friendly with the law.
 
He and Steven agreed to sponsor this world to the right kind of people.
 
One of their first joint tasks was to name their world.
 
They looked through history files for any similar arrangements and found an old Earth pirate named Jean Lafitte, who operated a similar gathering of pirates on an island called Barataria, so that became the planet’s name.

      
Steven put the word out through the various prison networks of a world more lenient than those they were serving time on.
 
The word spread quickly through the cellblocks and camps.
 
He told convicts that a world awaited them if they had needed skills and could control their passions.
 
Steven advertised for people with experience in construction, heavy manufacturing, light manufacturing, shipbuilding, agriculture, engineering, hospitality, and other fields.
 
He received queries by the thousands.
 
His population grew and pretty soon his idea became a city.

      
Lee Chang put the word out through the pirate network and ships showed up by the dozens.
 
There were some early problems with some of the pirates being a little too ruthless with their captives.
 
Those captives that weren’t killed were worthless for use on the farms and in the factories.
 
That was when the code of the brotherhood came into being.

      
The code was simple logic:
 
Loyalty to the Brotherhood above all, aid fellow brothers in need, inflict no needless harm to captives, keep the secret of Barataria, and above all, thieves can’t abide other thieves.
 
These simple rules kept the Brotherhood from descending into anarchy.
 
Unfortunately, for those who could not learn to live within these rules, infractions could mean death.
 
Once you joined the Brotherhood and learned of Barataria’s location, you could never leave the Brotherhood.
 
A few had to be hunted down and killed for that lesson to soak in.

* * * * *

      
Fleet comms channels were burning up with messages from the major shipping lines, several corporations, and two world governments to do something about these ship disappearances.
 
There was even Galactic Republic Senate pressure being brought to bear.
 
The Vigilant would be departing as soon as she could be resupplied.
 
They were given priority with base supply so that would be no time at all.

      
Kelly reviewed his orders as the base shuttle delivered him to the Vigilant:
 
Proceed to the vicinity of the Rigel-Aldebaran trade route.
 
Rendezvous with Fleet Reporting Officer Alistair Bennett.
 
Assist him in his investigations, as appropriate.
 
Determine the source of the ship disappearances and resolve the matter successfully.

      
It was a simple mission.
 
All he had to do was do what the Rigel and Aldebaran governments’ best investigators and the combined resources of ten shipping lines were unable to do.
 
All he could think was what a great mission they’d given him.

* * * * *

      
Sensor Lead Technician H’Talli, of the K’Rang Missile Corvette J’New, ran an in-port training exercise for his sensor section in the Combat Information Center, using saved sensor files from their patrol a week prior.
 
He supervised his section as they scoured the old sensor data, rating them on their ability to quickly identify ships by engine signature, type, and size.

      
He had a timer and a list of targets he had personally identified on their last patrol through the D’Rin sector.
 
This sector was peaceful and their only targets normally were commercial vessels of various types and sizes.
 
It was a perfect training opportunity.
 
As the techs worked, he tracked how quickly they identified and classified targets on the basis of his own score.

      
The D’Rin sector was sort of a backwater by K’Rang standards and the J’New was the only ship dedicated to this sector.
 
Here the border had no mines or sensors, but was secure by the impenetrability of the D’Rin star cluster, a dusty star nursery consisting of a few large blue stars, even fewer yellow dwarf stars, and hundreds of brown dwarfs too feeble to ever become true stars.
 
The gravity and the magnetic fields they created were treacherous to ships.
 
Many a scout ship was lost attempting to find a passage through to human space.

      
He checked his list and saw that the next target ship was an ore carrier due in sensor range in ten seconds.
 
He watched to see who would be first to react.

      
Sensor Technician T’Get reacted first, but he should not have been able to detect the target for another eight seconds.
 
H’Talli moved to see what T’Get was sensing.

      
“Sensor Technician T’Get, what is the target you are working?”

      
“Sensor Lead Technician H’Talli, a ship has appeared from the D’Rin star cluster.
 
I believe it is a Human ship of a type not in our data base.”

      
H’Talli doubted the junior sensor analyst and asked T’Get to show his data.

      
T’Get ran the sensor file back and focused on the face of the D’Rin star cluster, where he had seen the ship.
 
In a moment, a ship appeared outside the boundary of the star cluster.
 
The ship was there and the next instant, it was gone.

      
T’Get replayed the file and H’Talli’s pupils widened, his fur stood up, and his blood ran cold as the ship came into view again.
 
H’Talli froze the feed as the ship appeared.
 
He moved T’Get out of his seat and sat down to work the target.
 
It was unmistakably a Human ship.
 
The engine signature was that of a common gravity well/FTL engine of Human design.
 
Unfortunately, it dropped back into the star cluster before its class and armament could be determined.

      
H’Talli stood up on unsteady legs as the realization of the find sunk in.

      
He announced to the room, “This training is ended.
 
Put your positions in proper order and you are released for the day.
 
Report back here at 0500 tomorrow.
 
Sensor Technician T’Get, you will remain behind.”

      
As the section filed out, H’Talli sat back down at the sensor terminal and reprocessed all the data on the Human ship.
 
He had no doubt in his conclusion.

      
He stood up and clasped Sensor Technician T’Get by the shoulder.

      
“Sensor Technician Second Class T’Get, you will not talk of this to anyone.
 
I concur with your analysis.
 
I am forwarding your discovery directly to the Imperial Analytical Cabal.
 
If they concur with what you and I see, I will recommend that you be promoted immediately to Sensor Technician First Class.
 
You have done a great service to the Empire.”

      
Sensor Lead Technician H’Talli left the Combat Information Center to seek an audience with the captain.

* * * * *

      
It was departure time for Kelly’s patrol.
 
The crew was ready.
 
The ship was ready.
 
The captain was ready.
 
“Exec, are we ready to lift off?”

      
LTJG Cortez looked up from her display, which showed green indicators from all ship’s sections and replied, “All sections report ready.
 
Chief Billings has the quarterdeck.
 
The gangplank is down.
 
Awaiting your orders, sir.”

      
Kelly took a look around the bridge.
 
All personnel were in their places.
 
He envisioned his ship as a coiled spring ready to be set free.
 
He keyed his communicator and said, “Chief Billings, bring up the gangplank and secure the quarterdeck watch.”

      
Kelly heard the gangplank come up and lock in place.
 
He felt a slight pressure change in his ears, signifying a good seal on the gangplank hatch.
 
Chief Billings joined them, reported the gangplank up, locked, and the quarterdeck watch secured.
 
He took his position as Chief of the Watch.
 
The ship was ready for space.

      
Kelly keyed his mike again.
 
“Antares Base, this is Vigilant, requesting permission for take off.”

      
“Vigilant, this is Antares Base, you are cleared for take off.
 
Good luck and good hunting.”

      
“Helmsman, take us up, standard departure, 0.5
c
once we clear the atmosphere.
 
Yeoman, start the log.”

      
“Standard departure, 0.5
c
once we clear the atmosphere, aye, sir.”

      
As they cleared the atmosphere Kelly said, “Chief, Billings would you enter our course?”

      
“Aye aye, Captain.
 
Navigator, your course is coming up.”

      
Kelly scanned the navigation screen for ships in their path and said, “Helm, as soon as we clear the minimum safety distance, engage FTL Power 4 and let’s get out of here.”

      
The helmsman entered and verified the course, then replied, “Course is locked in, minimum safety range in six seconds, five, four, three, two, one, engaging FTL Power 4.”

      
Kelly stood up.
 
“Exec, you have the first watch.
 
Chief Blankenship, join me in my ready room.”

      
As the captain and Chief B left, LTJG Cortez passed the conn to Chief Billings and checked on conditions in other sections of the ship.
 
Gunnery was squared away.
 
Sensors were squared away.
 
The galley smelled yummy.
 
Engineering was unmatched.

      
She went to Chief Miller and asked, “Chief, have you run diagnostics on the engine synchronizers?”

      
Chief Miller wiped his hands clean on the rag he always kept handy.
 
“Yes, ma’am, I’ve run full diagnostics on the three active and two spares.
 
All check out within 2% of specifications or better.”