Galactic Freighter: Scourge of the Deep Space Pirates (Contact) (41 page)

Buck turned to face the officer. "What's the meaning of this?"

"A shuttle is at the spaceport to return you to your ship. You are to leave now," the officer said.

"And if we don't?"

"These warriors will subdue and deliver you to the shuttle. You will leave, it is only a matter of how."

"What do you think, Tommy?" Buck asked.

"I reckon we oughta find out now who's boss—Djac or this high falutin' bastard."

Many times the two had fought their way through of problems, and Tommy's words were the agreed signal he was ready for a fight.

Buck grabbed the two nearest Pagmok and pitched both into the onrushing remainder headed for the massive man.

Tommy, took advantage of their mistake, pulled the officer from his aircar, and got a chokehold then yelled, "Stop them or I'll break your damned neck."

The officer commanded the Pagmok to stop.

"Release me." The officer pulled against Tommy's hold.

"Not yet." Buck extricated himself from the remaining three Pagmok and keyed his comm. "Admiral Tenkiller, how close are you to Myslac?"

"Just arriving at the spaceport, Lord Fryman."

"Track on my comm signal and get here ASAP."

Less than five minutes passed when the launch landed. Tenkiller along with five Marines exited the ship. He laughed. "What a sight, seven on the ground, the rest soon to join them and you, Sir Tommy with a choke hold on a full Admiral. Remarkable."

The Marines tied the Pagmok warrior's and Admiral's hands and escorted them back to their aircars.

With Marines driving, the four vehicles returned to the spaceport. Tenkiller joined Buck.

"What happens now?" Tommy asked.

"Keep them tied up in their aircars until we finish dinner with Djac then turn them loose," Buck said casually.

"Gonna tell the Emperor?"

"No, I won't embarrass him at least not tonight. He'll get a complete report in the morning."

Their luggage was conveniently at the spaceport, courtesy of the Pagmok raiding the hotel rooms, so Buck, Molly, boys, Tommy, and Tenkiller took turns using the launch and dressed for dinner.

An hour later, the aircar settled in front of the palace and a Kalazecis opened the door.

From the corner of his eye, Buck watched the man. He detected nothing to suggest the palace guard knew of the earlier dust-up with the Admiral and Pagmok.

They followed another Kalalacis down a long corridor to a wing of the building. The man opened a door, and stepped aside.

The three entered and a Kalazecis led them to a small dinner room. Shortly, the Emperor entered followed by his wife, Mjonca and a boy.

Buck, Tommy, and Tenkiller bowed.

As expected, Djac ignored Molly and focused on Buck. "Lord Fryman and Sir Tommy, thank you for joining us and this is the infamous Admiral Tenkiller," Djac said with a note of amusement. "Sir, your name alone caused my people to suggest caution. Many asked if I should have an armed guard at this dinner."

Tenkiller gave a courteous nod. "Sire, I trust you no longer feel my presence a threat."

"Quite the contrary," Djac said. "Sir Tommy gave us an information chip to study. It seems your people are warriors not unlike our Pagmok."

"Yes, Sire. But that's where the comparison stops," Tenkiller responded."

Djac agreed with a chuckle and motioned Mjonca with the boy forward. She motioned Molly to follow. With the practiced grace of a royal, Mjonca held the boy's hand and stepped to within three meters, bowed and looked up at Buck. Awed by his size she none-the-less managed, "I am Mjonca and this is my son, Ajnoc." Buck introduced Molly and the boys. Ajnoc curiously studied the three larger boys.

Ajnoc gave a waist bow, never taking his wide eyes, more of a gawk, off the giants.

Buck leaned over and extended his hand to the youngster, who hesitantly looked at his mother, and receiving a nod shook hands.

To Buck's utter amazement, the boy, in near perfect English said, "Lord Fryman, my name is Ajnoc," bowed again then stepped back.

Djac took his seat at the table and the others joined him.

Seated between the Emperor and his wife, Buck ignored the woman, customary in Kalazecis society. Her presence with the humans in itself amounted to a break of tradition. Kalazecis women seldom appeared in public. In fact, this was the first time Buck had seen one. Molly's presence must have had an effect on Djac's decision.

Tommy sat next to the Queen and Tenkiller reached toward the chair next to him but was beaten out by the boy. It seemed Tommy and Ajnoc had developed a liking for each other and the boy grabbed the engineer's hand. "Can I sit here with you?" he asked first looking up to Tommy, his mother, then Tenkiller.

Both men nodded and Tenkiller lifted Ajnoc into his chair.

Mjonca, a few meters away, watched in dismay.

Tommy motioned for Tenkiller and the boy to move down a chair and asked Mjonca to join them, putting her next to the Queen.

Polite talk permeated the dinner, which included human food. Djac's wife addressed her remarks to Mjonca and Molly. Ajnoc’s mother showed no reluctance and engaged all of the humans in conversation. Djac, from his demeanor, seemed to approve.

Tommy and Ajnoc virtually ignored everyone else as the boy fired questions at the engineer. He seemed the one person there who had no trouble with Tommy's less than conventional English. Djac's face was a picture of satisfaction.

Djac stood, signaling the dinner had ended. The women and Ajnoc, after his mother pried him away from Tommy, left the room. The three guests bowed and backed toward the door.

Djac held up his hand. "Lord Fryman, I understand you humans have a saying,
that a child shall lead us
. Ajnoc has set an example that I believe is worth my people noting."

Buck nodded and said, "Perhaps someday it will be so, your Majesty."

Djac's manner turned brooding. He paused, looked up at Buck. "You and Sir Tommy were attacked this afternoon by one of my officers and a squad of warriors yet you've not mentioned it."

"Your Majesty is well informed." Buck assured the Emperor he had prepared a full report for his Majesty, which he could expect in the morning.

Djac shook his head. "As you now know, not everyone agrees with my decisions where humans are concerned."

"I regret any problems our presence had caused, Sire," Buck said his voice regretful.

"Don’t. The officer and the Pagmok I have dealt with. They will not bother you again." Djac turned and strode from the room.

Buck, Tommy, and Tenkiller left the palace and soon met Molly and the children at the spaceport. "What happened to the Admiral and Pagmok?" Buck asked.

One Marine stepped forward. "Sir, a number of Kalazecis and Pagmok arrived with orders from the Emperor to take custody of them." Buck learned the next morning of their execution. Buck knew nothing good would come of this and had no clue how the humans should respond. Maybe they should pack up and leave.

That night, Buck sent a coded message to the Cochise with instructions to forward a tight beam comm to Sebastian. Of particular concern was how to involve the Kalazecis in the long-life gene. He had doubts how this world would handle such a change. Of particular concern were the Pagmok. Even with representatives of the Emperor as command officers of their fleets, the Pagmok by sheer weight of numbers had de facto control. As Djac had said, if the warriors revolted the Kalazecis could not stop them.

Chapter Thirty-Nine:
The Revolt

T
en million kilometers above Myslac, Buck stood on the bridge of the Cochise.

"Incoming comm," the operator said and added "Coded for Lord Fryman."

Buck turned to Tenkiller. "In my cabin," and stepped through the hatch as the Marine announced his leaving the bridge.

Before opening the comm, he poured a cup of coffee then hit the icon and entered his personal code.

"Buck, for someone who claims to be no more than a freight hauler, you seem to end up in the middle of most of my problems. Perhaps you should be an explorer. I could send you to worlds where we have no interests and far enough away that it would take tens of T-years to communicate. How does that sound? I think it a splendid idea." There was a pause and then the Emperor continued. "I trust Molly and the boys doing well." 

Buck chuckled at Sebastian's levity. He knew his Emperor and that the rest of the message would not carry any humor.

"Lord Fryman, I have no counsel for you. Emperor Djac has manifest concerns some of which I too must face. I could send the fleet but only if Djac wishes it. And of course, it may be too late when they arrive. You've given me no sense of timing; I don't mean that as a criticism. These matters have a way of taking on a life of their own."

Buck listened to the remainder of the comm and sat heavily in his chair. He couldn't discuss the Emperor's message with Admiral Tenkiller, who was not yet privileged with the long-life gene knowledge.

He commed Tenkiller and Tommy. "Get a launch ready to take us to Myslac."

Arriving at the spaceport, Harper Basselrod, Mahoney's chief engineer waited, summoned earlier by Buck. The four men gathered around the table in the Admiral's cabin off the main area.

"Mr. Basselrod, events may get out of control here on Myslac." Buck’s tone suggested it more than a possibility. "If a rebellion against Djac should happen, how would you see the human's reacting? How many would side with Mahoney? How many with the Emperor? Should we prepare to evacuate those who want to leave?"

Damon scooted back from the table, elbows on his knees and hands clasped. For the longest time, he stared at the deck and then said, "First of all, most would run for cover. We are not fighters and want out of the way. It's a guess but if they knew you would see to it that they had transportation home, most would side with Djac. Some are totally committed to Mahoney, I'd say perhaps as many as fifty and they could be a problem. And yes, many will and should leave before hostilities begin."

"And the Pagmok?" His question cast a gloom over the conversation.

"The Pagmok follow orders," Damon said. "They'll kill anything, each other if told to do so. It depends on their officers. Those loyal to Djac are no problem. However, any officers willing to buck the Emperor," he paused, "it would be a horrific blood bath. No one would be safe and that includes Pagmok women and children."

"And the Kalazecis women?" Buck asked.

"Unknown," Damon said. "Pagmok men are trained to avoid the women and strange as it may seem, that may mean no harm would come to them."

"I’ve not seen a Pagmok resembling a woman."

"Ya most likely have," Tommy said. "Ya jist didn’t know whatcha was seein’. If ya seen any Pagmok that was lighter in color, a lot lighter, them is women."

Buck nodded. He had to decide whether to ask for an audience with Djac and offer what help he could. If he were in Djac's situation, the answer would be no. Stay out. Do not get involved. Most likely, he would order those engineers, scientist, or anyone wanting to leave to board a launch and get out of Kalazecis space. The problem with that, Buck knew, was that he and the humans were already involved; the earlier attack on Tommy and him evidenced that.

"The execution of the Admiral and Pagmok has some of both races stirred up," Damon said. "We, well, Dr. Gillespie, called a meeting early this morning. I'm sorry to say, Lord Fryman, he blamed you for what's happened. I had my say and I think most of the people sided with me. But Gillespie's tirade had its effect. The man is totally committed to Mahoney. The two have worked together for years."

Tenkiller leapt to his feet. "Someone just took a shot at the launch."

Buck, now standing, ordered the ship into the air.

"Can't," the pilot said. "They hit the engines."

Tenkiller, on the dead run for the launch, ordered the crew to the weapons stations. "Do we shoot?" he commed Buck.

"Yes, if they try to board," Buck said.

Buck turned to Damon and asked, "Is there any cover close enough that we can get to it?"

"Yes, maybe," Basselrod said now standing, surprised and stuttered as he struggled to control his emotions. "There's a b-bunker one hundred m-meters in that direction," he pointed. "They're all over the place. Used in case a ship loses containment."

Tenkiller activated the outside monitors. "Can't see anyone. Looks like a hit and run. I'd say we just got a message."

"Perhaps, but why knock out our engines? It may be more than that, Admiral."

Tenkiller ordered everyone into body armor, issued a mixture of flechette, blaster and laser rifles along with water and field rations.

"Looks like more company on the way." Tenkiller said.

Buck moved to view the monitor as he wrestled to get into what amounted to makeshift body armor necessary to fit his size.

Two Marines struggled to strap Damon Basselrod's in place. The man had never worn body armor and just the thought of needing it had eliminated any pretense of rationality. One Marine held him upright as the other fitted the man.

Ten armored skimmers stopped fifty meters short of the launch and Pagmok warriors raced to defensive positions.

"Looks like they're on our side," Buck said. "Admiral, try to establish contact."

In seconds, a Kalazecis still in the skimmer responded. "Whoever attacked your launch has fled."

Tenkiller signaled a Marine to open the side hatch.

Several Marines raced out, weapons at the ready. The Admiral, also in Marine camouflage, stepped through the opening and saluted the approaching officer. Tommy and Buck left the launch to inspect the engines.

"We ain't goin' nowhere without some parts," Tommy said and pulled loose pieces from the wrecked engines.

Buck told him to determine what he needed from the fleet and joined Tenkiller talking to the Kalazecis officer.

"It would seem Mahoney's people have forced the issue," Buck said.

"And what issue is that?" asked the Kalazecis staring up at the giant.

"My information is that he wants the boy, his son," Buck said into the translator.