The Salvagers (12 page)

Chapter 16     Day 240

             
"December 21, 2259. 0700 hours. Log of Captain John Andrew Nelson, Commanding Officer, UNAG Mining Vessel
Cape Hatteras
. Crewmen Galon and Fitz have reached the mountain chain and report the discovery of a cavern. It will reveal much of the geological history of this very ancient asteroid and give us clues about the early history of the solar system. I have authorized the men to perform a full exploration and report back hourly."

              Only a government official could come up with a convoluted and heavy-handed plan like that, but I did feel better knowing they had a ready supply of warships backing me.

             
"If you'll follow my aide," said Captain Masterson, "we'll surface and get you back to your ship
quietly
."

             
There was no time to ask another question. I was knocked out again. I remember nothing before waking up on the
Amaranth Sun
with my companions.

             
"Jesus, how did we get here?" Stacey asked in bewilderment.

             
"I feel like that crushed NASA probe," Neil said.

             
"My head feels as though it's been bashed in," Kurt added. They must have knocked him out too when they dropped us off.

             
"Don't worry, guys," I said. "I know what happened. I can't talk about it, but our chances of success are much greater now."

             
"What do you mean you know? You weren't knocked out?"

             
"I was, but not for as long as you were. I'll tell you all about it when I can, but for now we need to find out what day it is."

             
"We've been out for 22 hours!" Stacey exclaimed after glancing at the bridge panel.

             
"Set a course for the Reverend's coordinates at Io. We've barely got enough time to get there."

             
It was just over a day before we caught sight of Stunt's ship. Its cylindrical shape suggested that it may originally have been a salvor or fuel ship, but it had numerous modifications that none of us could recognize. Strange spheres were attached to all points of the hull, and it appeared to have twice as many engines as a normal vessel of its size.

             
We established contact with Stunt, and he sent an automated shuttle. I always prefer real pilots over computers, at least until I met Randy, but the shuttle seemed to navigate safely. Automation on that scale was unusual and had to have been very expensive.

             
I had ordered my crew to take the
Amaranth Sun
and rendezvous with the
Cape Hatteras
. It was an uneasy feeling watching my ship shrinking into the distance, but it was an integral part of Masterson's plan.

The shuttle carrying me slid within the Mayor's ship. He had something that I hadn't seen other than on the outside of a space station: a docking bay. I felt a jolt as the shuttle touched bottom and made a seal. A moment later a hole opened in the floor that revealed a ladder. I climbed down to find the Mayor floating in front of me with his arms folded.

              "Welcome to the
Neptune's Revenge
!" He seemed relieved that I'd shown up.

             
"Thank you, Reverend Mayor. I'm sorry that I was delayed, but I've never navigated to Io before. Have you had any luck locating our target?"

             
"Not yet, but don't worry. We've got some of the most advanced tracking equipment in the solar system. We can see four or five times further, and at a much greater resolution, than a ship like yours can."

             
"That must have cost you dearly," I replied.

             
"I came into money some time ago. We've got the latest laser communications, sensors, engines—fastest ship in the solar system—and weapons. The engines were designed on Titan and built in Mars orbit. They're state-of-the-art."

             
Titanian engine design and Martian construction—that's usually reserved for space regatta racers and Union warships. What I really wanted to know about was his weapons.

             
"Yes, you mentioned you were armed to the teeth. May I ask what sort of weaponry?"

             
"Lasers, missiles, machine guns, and a little surprise you'll see if we need it."

             
"Not nuclear, I hope!"

             
"Heavens no! I'm not a savage, Mr. Hunter. Would you care for a drink?"

             
"Tell me it's not more hot water."

             
"No, not that vile water. To tell you the truth, I've never acquired a taste for it, but to be Mayor of New San Francisco you've got to play the part. On my ship we drink coffee. Strong coffee. Or you may also have some of Sister Mary Joanna's cola, if you prefer."

             
"Coffee, please."

             
It was delicious. I drank little else for five days. In that entire time I didn't see a single crew member other than the Mayor and Sister Mary Joanna. I heard sounds, the usual knocks and bangs that a running crew produces, but my meals were set out for me, and my movements were restricted to just one floor of the ship. I assumed that the Mayor's cabin was the gateway to the rest of the ship. It was the only area of our compartment that I hadn't seen.

             
I saw little of the Mayor during that time. When he finally invited me to dinner, I jumped at the chance.

             
"Sister Mary Joanna sends her apologies," he said. "She's indisposed this evening for prayer."

             
"Quite alright. She must have a busy schedule. Er . . . what does she do?"

             
"She's my secretary, of course, among other things."

             
"May I ask you a few questions about your ship?"

             
"What would you like to know?"

             
"What is your crew complement?"

             
"Forty," he said.

             
"I haven't seen anyone at all."

             
"They're down below. They never have reason to come up to the bridge. I prefer compartmentalization, if you get my drift."

             
I wondered how the UNAG operative on board was going to monitor my status when he couldn't see me.

             
"Compartmentalization?" I asked, playing dumb.

             
"Yes. You can't very well be a mercenary and a mayor at the same time without some measure of secrecy. My men never see me. They never set foot on Europa, and the Europans never set foot here. If I need to send a message to the crew, it's done through Sister Mary Joanna."

             
"She's their commanding officer?" I hadn't even heard her speak, much less act assertively.

             
"In a way, yes. But enough about my ship. I need to know everything you can tell me about the enemies we'll be up against."

             
I gave him a detailed report on the
Hyperion
, and I finally broke the news to him about Pace's ramming technique. Stunt wasn't pleased that I hadn't mentioned it before, but it didn't kill the deal. He was confident that he could avoid it. I retired early hoping to get some solid sleep. It was a good thing I did. Just before 4:00 a.m. they detected Finley's ship and, more importantly, the
Hyperion
.

             
When Stunt awoke me on the intercom, I shot immediately to the bridge. He was already moving to intercept. He might even have been able to go up against a UNAG cruiser with that kind of maneuverability. Within an hour we were bearing down. I decided it was time for a radio message.

             
"Alright, Finley, we're faster, and you're outgunned. If you want to keep this nice, you'll need to load the traitors onto your ship, hand
Hyperion
over to me along with every bar of gold that was there when I left, and be on your way."

             
There was no response.

             
"Perhaps we should fire a shot across his bow?" Stunt asked.

             
I agreed. For all his nonchalance in the way he suggested it, the result was shocking. The ship shuddered deeply as a stream of 300 rounds fired in a matter of seconds. It got Pace's attention.

             
"Your ship really is armed. I didn't think you had violence in you, Hunter," he said  as he broke radio silence.

             
"Well, after you tried to kill me, I find it easy. Now hand over my property."

             
"I don't think so, Cam."

             
With that he broke formation with his ship while the
Hyperion
made a run for it. Finley's salvor rotated and set a course straight for us. Sister Mary Joanna burst into the room with a wide smile and settled in at the weapons station, while Stunt took the helm. He tried a number of evasive maneuvers, but somehow Finley ended up in front of us each time and was closing fast.

             
"He's got us, Hunter. We don't have enough distance to shake him. We've got no choice. We'll have to use lethal force," the Mayor said. I nodded, and he pointed at Sister Mary Joanna, gesturing as though he were firing a gun. She squealed and punched a few buttons on her panel. The computer targeted Finley's ship.

             
"Give up, Finley," I said in a last appeal. He didn't respond.

The Mayor’s forward guns roared in a blitz of lasers and lead. They appeared to have no effect.

              "Still here, Cammy boy," Pace taunted. "The modifications that let me ram ships can also stop bullets and lasers!"

             
Stunt grasped his chin as he seemed always to do when he wasn't quite certain if someone was telling him the truth or not. "Deploy the surprise, Sister," he ordered. "Mr. Hunter, if you'll join me in prayer."

             
"Prayer?"

             
"Yes, prayer."

             
Sister Mary Joanna bowed her head.

             
"Oh great and infinite universe, we ask forgiveness for what we are about to do, and let us be thankful for. . . ."

             
"He's getting close, Mayor," I interrupted.

             
"Fire!"

             
Neptune’s Revenge
recoiled as though it had hit an asteroid. Finley's ship disintegrated into a cloud of torn metal, bits of which I heard hit our hull.

             
"What the hell was that?" I asked in astonishment.

             
"A cannon," the Mayor replied quietly.

             
"A cannon? But there's only been one instance where someone mounted a. . . . My God, Mayor Stunt. You and Sister Mary Joanna are the pirates?"

             
She squealed and said, "Arrrgh!"

             
"Oh, I wish you hadn't said that," Stunt said to her. "Bad Sister Mary Joanna!"

             
She sipped her cola, staring at him indifferently.

             
"I was just about to lie and say no. Yes, I am the pirate. Those rubes on Europa are the gift that keeps on giving, and now I'm going to grift them as their spiritual leader. But since you know, I'll have to kill you."

             
"There's no reason to resort to that," I said.

             
"I'd hoped I wouldn't have to. I wasn't even going to rob you of your scrap metal. I don't see how it would have been worth more than what you were paying me, unless you found the
Cape Hatteras
or something. But now I have to take it, seeing as how you can't imprint your thumb on a hypercheck when you're dead."

             
He pulled a particle pistol from his overcoat and pointed it at me. "I'll let you live long enough to watch us kill your traitors. It's the least I can do. I'm sorry, I really am. I hate unpleasantness. After the other ship, Sister."

             
We were on Keating faster than he could begin evasive maneuvers. A brief laser barrage cut the power lines to his engines and reduced his thrust to a weak sputter. As we moved alongside, the Mayor pressed an intercom button, ordering his crew to board the ship.