Another short story set in the same universe (well, galaxy actually) as the previously posted “Fallen Gods of Cheam”. At the moment there is no obvious link  between the two, at least not in either of the stories I’ve published. Enjoy and comment below.

Untitled (“Pirate Queen”)

Zsilana awoke with the taste of blood on her lips and a pounding headache. She felt around to see if her clothes were still intact. ‘I wasn’t raped, at least,’ she concluded in silence while surveying the cubic room in which she lay. Only a single door and no window.

“How’s the cell?” At first she thought she dreamt the voice but there was a shimmer of light and shadow through the gap in the door.

“Go die in a hole scumbag.”

“That’s no way to get released.” said a muffled masculine voice with no obvious accent. Moments passed where nothing was said. “That ship you knocked off, bet you think that was funny.” The voice did not echo once but vanished into silence. “You won’t be laughing if you knew who I was. You better wipe that smile off your face, that was my ship you tried to knock off.”

“Yeah… that’s nice.”

“Don’t expect me to take this lightly.”

 “Sure buddy, I jack ships like that all the time. Now throw me the key and I’ll be on my way.”

 “Oh, but you haven’t jacked my ships before… and that’s why you were lucky, until now.”

 “Sounds like you were the lucky one.”

 “When captains lose ships, they lose reputation. When I lose ships I lose billions of credits. I have zero tolerance for piracy, and zero tolerance for scum like you.”

 “What’s a few billion gallons of Jumu cola between friends?”

 “Funny. I’ve seen your work before, I know fellow business owners that have been damaged by your exploits. Those vac-missile drones rip holes in the side of the hulls and if the ships aren’t destroyed then they are forced to limp home with an injured crew. The size of the holes are larger than this security cabin. Do you think about the crews when you perform your heinous acts?”

 “Casualties are part of the job. Flying through space is a dangerous way to live. If it isn’t an asteroid that gets you then its the damn pirates.” Zsilana laughed.

 “Do you know who you stole from?” he barked, “do you know who I am?”

 “Everyone, anyone. I do my research, I know what’s on each vessel before I take it but I’m not so picky; Jumu Cola today, Azorn Minerals yesterday and who knows what tomorrow brings?”

 “Both companies have legal rights to safe passage in Terosan space, as documented in the Kyopix agreement.” His monotonous voice was beginning to irritate Zsilana. Where was he from anyway? “Safe and unhindered passage, I should add.”

 “We’re not in Terosan space, and since when did Kyopix care so much about their workers? I’ve met hundreds of former Kyopix workers in Indie sectors before.” Zsilana replied.

 “The ships are owned by Kyopix. They are my ships. I don’t like it when people damage my vessels. The cola is less of a concern but I do own 30% of the company’s stock.” That had to be the smuggest voice in the whole galaxy, perhaps he wasn’t always so monotonous.

 “So I can keep 70% of it and you can let me out?”

 “Zsilana…” the wall began to vibrate accompanied by an awful whirring sound. A viewport appeared on the blank wall that gave Zsilana a view of the space outside. “Take a look outside. I’m not playing games.” An explosion roared in front of her. An intense shock of shrapnel bounced against the hull of the security cabin.

 “Am I supposed to be impressed by the bright lights?”

 “That was one of your ships, CAL 34. Designation, light freighter, if I’m not mistaken.”

 “And my crew?”

 “They’re safe. I’m not a murderer but you need to learn your lesson.”

 “I have more ships, one isn’t a big loss,” Zsilana said.

 “Is it not? I don’t enjoy losing a ship and I would gauge that you don’t either. You hide your feelings well. Keep watching.” Another explosion occurs outside.

 “I don’t think that’s legal, not this close to the station.”

 “Legal? Don’t make me laugh my pretty. You know nothing of legal.”

 “So why are you talking to me if I am to be punished?”

 “It amuses me to see you in there. I’ve heard much about you, Zsilana, but never had the good fortune to meet you, and now favourable circumstances have presented you here with little effort from myself. It was like I just had to think it and you put yourself in front me. Just when I need you. Perhaps it is serendipity?”

 “You? Need me?”

 “I have a proposition… one that will let you out here, without punishment… but I’ll be taking back the Jumu cola. All of it.”

 “What will I have to do?”

 “What you normally do: steal. There is something that I would like to have. Something that Kyopix feels it could benefit from but it isn’t something that we can acquire so easily ourselves. You see, Terosan recently purchased an intergalactic propulsion system. Not star to star, but galaxy to galaxy. Can you imagine the wealth we could reap with such a device? Why fight over congested starlanes and limited resources when you could jump to a whole other galaxy with a whole load of other resources. We’d be rich beyond belief.”

 “Isn’t the Kyopix Consortium already rich beyond belief? Don’t answer that. I know the answer already. I have to say I’m curious, I didn’t know such technology existed… or could exist. How exactly did Terosan ‘purchase’ this device?”

“Ah, with great cost I assume… from the Hayf Imperium. Unfortunately, Terosan has no intention of sharing this technological wonder… and, well, we want it…” She had a feeling he was smirking but the next thing he was going to say was inevitable. “And you will get it for us.”

 “Hayf? As in the Hayf Imperium?” She expelled her breath in disbelief, “Nah, now you are just making fun of me. I don’t believe it. Not for a second. First, it was an intergalactic drive, then you make it worse by suggesting the Hayf traded it to Terosan. Perhaps you want me to walk over space there, naked, and simply pick it up with my bare hands? Well, of course I’ll knock their door first. I best be polite about it, right?”

 “Hayf, as in the Hayf Imperium. Yes, the same people. We were astonished by it too but that’s what our intel tells us and we know the intel is reliable. I can show you the archive of our doc-streams. Terosan did an impressive job of keeping this one quiet, very quiet. We only learnt about the deal after the delivery was concluded… and I can’t think of a single other times that’s happened… at least not for a long time. What terms Hayf accepted are unknown, but we both know technology like that can’t be cheap. Such a device would lead to untold fortunes and power. I assume that you want to be there along for the ride, don’t you?”

 “Why me?” Zsilana asked.

 “Are you not the best person for the job?” Zsilana smirked at this coy reply, but kept her lips sealed. She waited; baiting him to say more. He muttered, “are you looking for me to give you some praise little girl?” He laughed.

 “Nah…” She paused, “I’m not interested, I’d rather just pay a fine and get out,” Zsilana replied.

 “I can hold you there indefinitely. We’re not in Terosan space as you so rightly pointed out; we’re in wild space, the independent paradise for criminals. Who will come to ensure that you have your rights? Money talks and I’ve bought everyone. You’re in here and you’re staying in here… unless I decide to change my mind.”

 He had a point, “let’s say I do this… how exactly do I get around the Terosan fleet?”

 “Come.” The voice beckoned. The cell door slid open. “Just steal the device and bring it back to me. Simple.”

 Zsilana stood up and strolled out of the door. She exited into the inspection room and saw her would-be employer flanked by two armed guards. A man of similar height and a face of smoothed out wrinkles. An impossible monochrome block of slick backed hair sat atop his head.

 “Their defenses will be down, we’ve got that covered. All you have to do is get inside and take it.”

 Her eyes were caught his and fixed upon him a moment too long, “men definitely get better with age.” She whistled then stepped close to smell his odour. If he’s that way inclined his eyes would follow the cleavage. Zsilana hoped to turn his excitement into favour. Manipulation was always the key to getting ahead. He looked. His eyes dipped. She smiled. The Kyopix boss reached out a hand towards her breasts and grabbed at the ID tags that hung around her neck.

 “Fake tags.” He pulled the tags free and slipped out the hidden data-chip. “Hidden credit chip. Counterfeit too? This is too cliched. I have to laugh.”

 Zsilana snatched at the credit chip. She leaned closer to peck a kiss upon his lips. “No touching. Touching is extra. I’ll get the device but you’ll need to replace those two ships you just destroyed.” Zsilana smirked.

 “You’ll get them.”

 “You set the location and time, and I’ll create the extraction plan. This should be a routine operation, although it is one with considerable risk. The device stays with me until payment is settled. If you fail to pay then I destroy the device,” Zsilana said.

 “It won’t come to that. Payment will be generous, I can assure you. A hundred thousand credits per head should cover it.”

 “That won’t even cover the damage they’ll do to my ships. Five hundred!”

 “I’ll advance you two hundred and that ought to see your ships ready for action. The final repair costs will be covered when you return. Plus an additional hundred per head on delivery.”

 “I want two hundred before I agree to this. Send me the details and I’ll review them. Right now, I need to get back to my ship. The crew will be missing me.” She blew a kiss and walked out of the inspection room.  (edited to here)

Kyopix released control of Zsilana’s fleet and returned her crew. Her return to the ship was short lived, a quick reconciliation with the crew before coming back to the station. They allowed her lead ship to wait at one of the company’s own airlocks⎼a premium spot near the market deck. The walk from ship to market was less than two minutes. Zsilana’s heart beated quicker when the airlock opened on to the main thoroughfare of the market deck. She beamed with excitement. This was a small perk but definitely a worthy sweetener. Her usual docking section was several floors away and required a series of lifts that ensured double-backing on yourself just to get to market. It sounded like madness to anyone that hadn’t visited before, but the station wasn’t designed and built as a single entity⎼it had grown organically, module by module.

 

 Luryae grinned, she held her captain’s hand as they walked into the market. The open air structure showcased a hive of merchant coves intermingled with bars and portable stalls. This module of the station was a half-sphere several stories in height; all the coves appeared to be dug into the exterior frame and faced inwardly looking at each other across the open plaza.

 Ups and acrosses⎼walkways joined one level to another⎼a web of traffic enhancers. Walk on the left, stand or loiter on the right. Never block a walkway. Alcohol must only be consumed in the designated areas. All chemical inhalers must be smokeless (unless inside privileged premises). Walk don’t run. Talk don’t shout. Mobile communicators must be no more powerful than a hundred squats.

 For all that the station was free from Terosan Zsilana felt it ironic that the station had so many rules. She remembered her first visit here with her parents. Evacuees, dirty, smelly, poor, impolite and homeless but that made them cleaner than half the spacejunkers that called Ardent Light their home. Zsilana fondly remembered the creaky welds that joined two mismatched and decaying ship hulls at their seams. Nothing ever fit right, nothing was painted or sealed either. If mice lived in space they could race from top to bottom in a day.

 Those days were an appendage to the modern station. Ardent Light had evolved a long way from its chaotic patchwork beginning. The Kyopix Consortium had done much to modernize the station in an effort to commercialize it, boost local trade, and then extract as much profit from it as possible. They can’t claim to have put the station on the galactic charts but they definitely made it the most popular independent destination bar none. The station had ballooned in population and size since Kyopix bought it. Zsilana reluctantly admitted to herself that it was probably for the best. Tripped out spacejunkers threatening families with extortion wasn’t the best upbringing for a child, and that was something that Zsilana longed to forget.

 Ardent Light was so large that smaller stations orbited it. These new stations catered for specialist needs: refueling, repairs, storage and any needs of the space traveller. The main station had become premium real estate, her mother had predicted. She told Zsilana to watch how big cities can grow by being popular. It was a natural law of the universe as far as her mother was concerned.

If the smaller stations around The Light wasn’t impressive enough then any first timer would be amazed by the the fleets of ships that floated just out of touching distance. The fleets, like the stations, conducted trade and exchanged services with one another. The Light was almost superfluous because it was dwarfed in size compared to the far spread fleets of ships, yet it was the focal point that held everything together. Kyopix reminded everyone that it was the locus of independent commerce.

 “So when will you tell me about this job we got? Is it safe? It sounds too good to be true. Think about it. We all got strung up and now we’re out because the guy doesn’t want to press charges. There is something you’re not telling me,” Luryae probed.

 “Kee, my darling, you gotta trust me on this one. There’s a lot of risk but we can pull it off… I just can’t talk about it in the open.”

 After a quick stroll across the market plaza Zsilana lead them into a shadowy corridor thatshe guessed would lead to further airlocks. In a nearby alcove hid a bank of vending machines.

 “Freebie?” Zsilana smirked and inserted her fake credit chip into a machine.

 “Gimme a Jumu,” Luryae laughed. “Did you give it all back?”

 “The Jumu shipment? He took it while we were incarcerated but we’ll make more on this job than we would have made selling cola.”

 “So, about this job… what is it?”

 “We have been asked to steal something… something big. Kyopix only released us without charges since I agreed to the job. They have agreed to pay us well for the delivery of a certain item.”

 “You said it will be risky, how risky? This item has to be important to simply let us go. It can’t be something so easy to get or they would have bought it already. Kyopix are a powerful player in the galaxy, why would they want our help?”

 “It’s a high level job and this will secure our reputation as a powerful player in the galaxy. We can do it. We can steal anything, isn’t that what we always tell ourselves? No job too big and leave no path unwalked. That’s why they asked us: we can steal anything but Kyopix can’t. They can’t risk their reputation but you’re right it is something they can’t buy, so they want to steal it. That’s where we come in.”

 Luryae grumbled, she didn’t like the risky jobs. She’d agree to go but her expression always betrayed her feelings. “The last high level job we tried almost got us killed. Can you promise me that won’t happen?”

 “This job is risky and I can’t promise we won’t die. If things go awry we can run. We’ve done that all our lives. We’ll make it out. Trust me on this one, the stakes are worth it. When we’re done you can visit Vinri, as you always wanted.”

 “I’m thinking… that I don’t have a choice, you’re going and I can’t let you down. I don’t like the smell of this, we should be rotting in a jail cell, and we would be if it wasn’t for our mysterious benefactor. One who works for Kyopix? So who is our employer exactly?”

 “Oh… only the CEO of Kyopix. The guy at the top of the food chain.”

 “The one and only?” Luryae asked, she hid her surprise.

 “Yep. Him. Did I mention I’m meeting him tonight for dinner?” Zsilana smiled.

 “Is he cute? Will you-”

 “Is that your first concern? Yes, we might ‘you know’ do that ‘thing’ but I’ll be coming back baby Kee.”

 “How old is he anyway?”

 “Could be 60, he doesn’t hide his age and I know he is older than my dad. But less talk on that, you need to push the crew into prep mode. We shouldn’t linger too long. Too many prying eyes and we have a reputation for trouble.”

 “You don’t say,” Luryae shot a look of incredulity, she smiled, “I had three blasters pointed at my head this morning and that was before security arrived.”

 “Hey, they broke three of my ribs before even asking my name. That’s just rude.”

 “Broke three ribs? You don’t even look hurt.”

 “Ok, slight exaggeration. They kicked me while I was on the floor. It felt like I had my ribs broken, who’s counting?”

“Well you just did…” Luryae laughed. “And yes, our reputation is not that of law abiding citizens of the galaxy but I fear we are messing with people and powers beyond our control. What is it we are stealing for them?”  (edited to here)

 “I can’t say, not yet… the bottom line is that we will be infiltrating Terosan, but don’t worry about it. We’ll have the support we need. Look, I need to go, I wish I could tell you more but it isn’t that easy. Chin up and get our crew in order.” Zsilana placed her hand on Luryae’s cheek. “We can back out if it goes wrong. Come, let’s have another box of Jumu.” Zsilana smiled and finally Luryae smiled back.

 “Hey!” A voice shouted behind them, “you can’t do that.”

 “Do what?” Zsilana turned around to confront the stranger. A young male approached the two of them. Zsilana sighed. Cute but a poor opening gambit.

“I just saw you steal two boxes of cola.” The voice was wavering. Zsilana noted the lack of confidence.

“Relax, you didn’t see anything,” She replied.

 “My father will have your head for this, he owns that company.”

 “Your father? And who is he to be so great?” Zsilana said.

 “My father is Vohosecy Gihriwu, Chief Executive of the Kyopix Consortium.”

 “Hmmm, never heard of him,” Zsilana said flatly. Luryae barely repressed her laughter, she choked then let out a light cough that was clearly a laugh.

 “You better give them back. Right now.” The petulant voice was gnawing at Zsilana’s patience, she straightened her back and noticed the young male’s eyes drop to watch her chest raise. The tightly fitting dress was the hook. He was right where she wanted him.

 “Tell you what… I’ll pay for them.” Zsilana pulled out a real credit chip and placed it into his hand. She grabbed his wrist and then placed a kiss upon his lips. He stood still in frozen silence.

 “D-D-Do you have dinner plans?” the young man smiled, visibly nervous.

 “I do… but I’ll make you a better offer.” She winked. “Come to my ship and we can have supper. Luryae can sort dinner for you if you promise to wait for me when I get back.”

 Luryae grabbed him by the shoulders and lead him back to Zsilana’s ship. Her grip was far stronger than his. Had he even tried to resist? Zsilana smirked.

 “Dinner has to be cancelled.”

 “Hmmm?” Zsilana tried to hide her disappointment. She was barely inside his luxurious apartment which sat atop the pinnacle of Ardent Light. Expensive looking art adorned every wall.  The decorations were otherwise plain and minimalist but gave an air of solid craftsmanship. Zsilana half expected to see his portrait on one of the walls but couldn’t see it. Above the bed hung an abstract piece that she wasn’t able to decipher: it was a chaotic mess of colours that might have well have been a computer file dump and then framed. Her eyes wandered the room to the extent that her mind drifted from why she was here.

 “My sixth wife called to say that she has to visit her company’s operations on the station… or so she says but I accidentally left my diary out. Ergo, that’s how she tracked me down. Best if you left, this could get messy. She’s likes shouting, if nothing else,” he said.

 “Can’t be that bad can it? Let’s have a drink? Just one.” Zsilana smiled.

 “I can’t.” He tried to resist the temptation. Zsilana had turned her back and walked to the whisky decanter. She sniffed the aroma then poured two drinks. She looked deep into his eyes and walked over with both glasses half-full. Zsilana smiled then stumbled with a well practised fake trip. The whisky glass slipped from her hands and covered Vohosecy’s shirt.

 “Oh! I’m very sorry.” Zsilana produced a napkin from thin air and started to dab at the wet patch, “let me help you.”

Vohosecy muttered something that sounded like a curse, he pushed Zsilana’s hand back then unbuttoned his shirt. “This will need to go in the washing chute.” He pointed to a hatch on the wall.

 Zsilana stared at his lightly defined abs. Not bad shape for his age. “Do we have time?”

 “Time? Time for what?”

 Zsilana, “Y’know… before your wife comes.”

 “No. We don’t have time for that.” He stared at her, it genuinely looked like anger but she didn’t care. Another barrier to overcome and she liked a challenge, despite how short lived this one would be. Then, again, there was another waiting for her back on the ship. This could be the plot for maintaining control: neither knows about the other. Bargaining chips were always needed when business went sour.

 Zsilana stepped forward to take his shirt, she stepped too close and pressed her lips against his. Gently sliding her tongue into his mouth she grabbed for his belt as he feigned resistance. He pushed her back then undid the belt himself, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer.

 “Clothes. Off. Now!” Was all he managed to say.

 “Captain.” Luryae stumbled to her feet and saluted Zsilana as she entered the bridge. Zsilana had caught Luryae with her feet upon the captain’s computer panel.

 “Luryae!” Zsilana snapped but then relaxed with a smile, “no feet on my computer. Ready the ships for departure.”

 “Things didn’t go well?” Luryae Kee asked.

 “I need to go shower,” Zsilana beamed.

 “Oh! I see,” Luryae smirked, “well then Captain. It seems I better make this ship ready.”

 “We need to leave sharp. A transmission just came in as I was leaving. Our target ship is heading into the sector so we’ll have less time to prepare than usual but let’s make every second count.”

 “Yes, Captain,” Luryae replied to Zsilana, “You hear her.” She shouted to the rest of the crew on the bridge, “release the docking clamps and take us out from station. Let the other ships know our route.”

 Zsilana leaned close to Luryae, “where’s the young one?”

 “In your quarters.”

 “Good. I hope he has been treated well.” Luryae nodded in response.

 “Captain?” Luryae asked.

 “Yes?”

 “May we speak… in private?” Zsilana pointed to the forward lounge.

 The pair stepped inside and sat opposite each other at the oblong conference table. Luryae spoke, “Captain, what are we doing here? The crew is spooked, they-”

 “They can’t know just yet.”

 “But-”

 “Just tell them it’s a routine extraction.”

 “And the truth of it?” Luryae pressed for answers.

 “The Terosan government has purchased a powerful piece of equipment from the Hayf Imperium. The system is being tested nearby and this is our best chance to take it. Kyopix have people on the inside that will deactivate the shields upon our arrival. We will extract the device along with the Kyopix engineers. They will have everything prepped for us. We just need to show up and do our part. It’s a routine extraction.”

 “But, won’t it⎼”

 “It’s a routine extraction,” Zsilana repeated more forcefully.

 “Hayf? That doesn’t sound routine to me. I have a bad feeling about this, we’ve never been near Hayf space before and with good reason. The stories never end in a pleasant way.”

 “But they are just stories. Have you ever met anyone that has survived? Besides we won’t be in Hayf space, far from it.”

 “No one survives that’s why we haven’t met anyone,” Luryae complained.

 “And if no one survives then how do the stories get out?”

 “Well… you know what I mean. They don’t deal with any other species in the galaxy except to destroy them. No one has ever seen them and no one will go near them. That’s good enough for me to know this is crazy. What’s a bucket of bolts like this ship going to do against their destroyers?”

 “Look, the risks are high but we’ll make it through. Tell the crew to prepare for extraction and then stay focussed. We’ll make it, believe me on this one. We’ve got some of the best engineers out there to help us make this go smoothly. Let’s talk more later, I really need to shower.”

 “Yes, captain.”

The ship was loaded and ready to leave Ardent Light. Zsilana slouched in her chair, she watched on the viewscreens as her crew went about their tasks. Silently she beamed with pride, being Captain had its merits. You picked the destiny.

 She leant over with one hand casually stretched out towards the assistant’s chair. Zsilana lunged then clasped Feyu’s hand. The displays of affection were too casual, Luryae had said. It was simple jealousy. This wasn’t a military ship, and discipline had never been a problem anyway.

 “After this job we’ll visit the pleasure domes of Kriin,” Zsilana smiled, she kissed Feyu’s hand. He writhed uncomfortably, Feyu didn’t seem to enjoy the attention. The two chairs sat on a raised podium above the rest of the bridge crew. “Soon it will be time for you to see what makes us successful.”

 “Closing in on the position, captain,” Lieutenant Byrol shouted.

 “Shield up, weapons ready,” Ensign Teran added.

 “There aren’t many ships where half the of officers are female,” Zsilana spoke softy so only Feyu would hear. His eyes were scanning the room, he was watching, anticipating, judging. He must be trying to figure out how much danger we are entering into.

 “In 3… 2… 1… we’re there.” Byrol announced.

 “Visual,” Zsilana demanded, “I want their status.”

 “Their shields are up and are maneuvering into a defensive pattern.”

 “Ensign Sarsen, punch in code 359 then transmit on band M.”

 “Yes, Captain,” Sarsen acknowledged.

  “Captain, their engines are out,” Byrol shouted, “they just turned off for no reason.”

  “Personal transmission for the captain on band M,” Sarsen announced and punched in the commands to relay the message to Zsilana’s datapad.

 “Sarsen, patch a copy to Luryae.”

 “Teran, what’s their shield and weapon status?”

 “Completely nullified. At least for now, Captain, but I can’t say how long they will be down for, might be days but could be minutes. I can’t tell. Their systems are more complex than I’m used to. Yet somehow their defences came down without any effort. Do we have someone helping us on the inside?” Teran said.

 “Another incoming message Captain,” Sarsen said, “patching… “

 “Bring us about and review the on-screen annotations⎼we’ll spearhead the fleet by going here.” Zsilana proded her datapad. The oval viewscreen at the front bridge shone with pulsing lights where the captain outlined her strategy. “Supporting ships will skirt the edges; here, here and along here.” She scribbled more lines with her finger. “Teran, inform the boarding party of docking time, they need to be ready.”

 “Yes, captain.”

 “There are engineers to extract. Tell the boarding party that they will be at these coordinates: patching them now. Make sure they read my instructions fully for extracting the device, I’ve been given clear orders to safely remove the device without even a scratch.”

 Hush fell upon the bridge while the crew members carried out their tasks. Zsilana noted that Feyu’s eyes followed her every movement; whether she sat back or on the edge of her seat, his eyes followed. He didn’t speak and bore no expression.

 “…and docking in 3… 2… 1… engaged,” Teran’s voice broke the silence.

 “Get the boarding party on screen, let’s see their helmet feeds,” Zsilana said.

 “Doors opening. Feeds on,” Sarsen announced.

 “Boarding team, follow the engineers to the extraction point. Crew member 7 direct engineer Rayot to board our ship, he has a copy of the blueprints for the device.”

 “All going smoothly so far.” Feyu’s voice was crisp yet quiet.

 “So far, but we can’t become complacent.” Luryae stood behind Zsilana.

The boarding team had passed through the ship undetected. The internal sensors were still down although it was anyone’s guess when they would be functioning again. Fortunately, the Kyopix spies already on board the ship had helped to disable door locking mechanisms where needed. It also helped that all the other doors were locked shut and allowed the boarding party to progress unhindered.

 “They’re by the device, see cams 3 through 6,” Sarsen announced.

Zsilana edged forward on her seat “Team, make sure device is unhinged for removal. I’m counting on the engineers here, you guys told me you knew how to get this device out. Now prove it.”

 “Yes Captain, device is almost unhinged” came the reply, “but how do we get it out? This thing is huge. There ain’t no way this small team is carrying that thing out on our shoulders. No ma’am.”

 “Don’t worry about that crewman, you’re doing exactly what I asked, just make sure it is completely unhinged from the supports and ready to pop out when I say,” Zsilana replied. She turned and spoke into her ship’s intercom, she had another team to work from this ship, “Are the torches ready?”

 “Cutting torches ready, Captain.”

 “Start etching the hull, we’ll blow it through from this side,” Zsilana instructed then turned back to the open comm-channel to the other crew members, “Boarding team, stand back. This hull’s coming loose.”

 “Yes, Captain,” a crew member replied.

 “Any further resistance?”  Zsilana asked.

 “The Terosan crew are readying a combat team to take back the engineering section. So far they’ve had no luck but we better get moving.”

 “What’s the ETA?” Zsilana looked towards Ensign Teran.

 “Only a few minutes,” Teran said.

 

 The hardest part about being captain was the limited feedback you experienced while stuck in the Captain’s chair. You had to hope that everyone was doing their job to the best of their ability. It wasn’t always obvious to tell that when all you can see if a small section of flooring or wall from a crewmembers viewscreen. The device was unhinged from the supports, so the reports had said but it wasn’t obvious from the viewscreen feeds. It should however have at least a few more pieces that attached it to the rest of the rest, Zsilana guessed, it had to be tied to the ships engine’s somehow. That’s how it propelled, surely. The overview she read from the Kyopix spies made it sound simple, yet neither she nor them were engineers.

 “Make sure the device is ready to pop. We need to move fast,”  Zsilana barked to the away team. “Torches, report in, how is the etching?”

 “The etching process is almost done captain, but the hull was thicker than expected. We managed to use the pneumatic thumpers to punch through the inner hull, should be easy to lift the skin from this one captain.”

 Zsilana looked to Teran, “EM-shields and weapons still down?”

 “Still down,” Ensign Teran replied.

 Almost there. This is going to work, it’s actually going to work. Zsilana steadied herself in the chair, but excitement was building, her stomach churned, her legs stiffened and her brow became moist from perspiration. It was hard to watch. So close now. There’s a lot of credits waiting for us when we get back. A private yacht would be in order ⎼ something to cruise around in without the crew, a little something packed full of luxuries.

 “Cam 4, I need a visual to your left. Possible breach in adjoining corridor,” Sarsen interrupted.

 “Looking. Nothing,” came the reply, “I’ll scout the area and report back.”

   “Captain,” Teran shouted, “the engineers reported that the hull is ready to be pushed through. Suction team has secured the perimeter and are ready for the extraction.”

 “Then let’s make the lift,” Zsilana said, “engineers, move back from the extraction point. Crewman 2, lead them back to the ship.”

 Across an open com channel the entire bridge heard the dirty sound of a discharging bolt rifle. An archaic projectile weapon that made the bloodiest mess. Another shot thundered, it filled the bridge with electronic feedback and reverb. Cam 5 lay smashed and bloodied; dirt, blood smeared the partially working visual feed.

 “Breach! We need back up in engineering. Now!” Member 2 shouted across their com.

 “Member 5 is down,” Sarsen announced.

 “Hold tight, I’m on my way,” Luryae called out. Zsilana stood up. That was nothing she could say but watch and let Kee exit the bridge. She gulped a loud intake of air that made the bridge crew momentarily turn to watch her. For that moment when the air was held it seemed like hours. When the out-breath came the bridge crew returned to work. She couldn’t stop Luryae going, personal feelings only served to make the decision cloudy. The away team needed more leadership. It was the natural choice. ‘Be safe’, her words came out as a whisper.

 Further shots reverberated over the bridge’s com system.

 “Back up needed. I repeat, back up needed,” Crew member 3 pleaded.

 “It’s coming. Sit tight!” Zsilana shouted. “Has the lifting started? I wanted that device out of there. Now!”

 “The hull is breached and but the engineers can’t strap harnesses to the device until the fighting has stopped.”

 “Captain, we have incoming,” Sarsen said.

 “Well? Send more troops then.”

 “No, not in there. Out here. Two frigate sized ships appeared from nowhere. Visual in 3. Scanners show they are on top of the our fleet.”

 “Send out periphery ships. Fleet lead has to stick tight to target vessel.” Zsilana.

 “Ships dispatched.” Teran said.

 “Visual on,” Sarsen said, “those… they aren’t Terosan Captain. That’s Hayf frigates, it has to be.”

 “They’re only frigates,” Zsilana said.

 “Hayf frigates, Captain,” Sarsen said.

 “Look, just make sure those Hayf whatevers don’t get close to our position.”

 “Captain, this is suicide. We won’t survive Hayf frigrates. We should abort,” Sarsen said.

 “Never. No device, no payment,” Zsilanan retaliated, “We need to crush those vessels. How hard can it be?”

 “One of our ships is already damaged; retreating. A second ship now disabled. Captain, this is getting out of hand fast. We need a full reteat.”

 “Not yet, we’re too close.” Zsilana

 “Another ship disabled. And another. Our fleet is going down, Captain.” Sarsen said.

 “Terosan is immobilized, we can hold out long enough.” Teran added support to the Captain.

 “Focus!” Zsilana shouted, “Hayf must have a weakness, there must be a way.”

 “Luryae is now on board, patching her through” Sarsen announced.

 “It’s a stalemate down here, Captain.” Luryae said.

 “Figure it out and be quick, we have company out here. Hayf frigates” Zsilana replied.

 “Hayf? Captain-” Luryae spoke up but was cut short.

 “Do your job Luryae, let me worry about the Hayf.”

 “Another ship gone,” Sarsen said, “frigates closing in to our position.”

 “Bring ships to cover,” Zsilana.

 “Our boarding team has been repelled,” Teran said.

 “Can we still get the device?” Zsilana’s voice quivered.

 “Soon,” Teran replied

 “Captain, bad news,” Sarsen said, “a Hayf cruiser just appeared. No warning and no visual yet.”

 “Luryae? Get out. They’ve brought the heavies.” Zsilana called out over the com.

 Sarsen read out further casualties,“Another ship gone, they’re taking us down too fast, but the frigates have been deflected from our position. This is our gap to leave. That cru-”

 “Forget the device, let’s go. Now! Lieutenant Byrol, ready the engines.”

  A low rumbling engulfed the ship’s hull, the floor vibrated which caused the screens to flicker in and out of life.

 “Pull us free, we need to leave,” Zsilana shouted.

 “We need time to release the clamps and close the airlocks.” Taren replied.

 “We don’t have time.”

 “Cruiser circling to our position,” Sarsen warned.

 “Go! Go! Go!” Zsilana paced back and forth in front of Feyu, she cracked her knuckles and slapped the sweat from her brow.

 “Luryae? Are you on board? Respond, please,” Teran spoke over the com.

 A dim sound came back on the com chanel, “here, lieutenant.”

 Zsilana’s lead ship pulled free from the Terosan vessel, as it undocked the boarding jetty sliced a gash along the hull. Shrapnel and dirt fanned out from the Terosani hull. Bodies, tools burst, pipes all came free into the darkness of space.

 A narrow escape from death itself, this was a story all too familiar for Zsilana. Somehow this was different. She’d never come face to face with any Hayf ship. There was never any need to venture near their territory, and this time was no different. How did they get here so quickly? They’re Hayf her conscience told her. They can do anything.

 She had stared down the barrel of a gun more times than she could count. Sometimes she held the trigger, other times she was on the floor with the barrel in her mouth. Yet none of those times ever lead to death. Zsilana still lived despite the dangers of her style. She was afraid when death knocked, she never learnt to overcome the fear but perhaps that’s what kept her alive. Fear can be suppressed but never killed.

 Despite all of that, all the past experiences, this time felt different. Her fleet had never been so methodically disabled or destroyed by anyone. Not the Terosan, not Kyopix, not her rivals, and the petty kings of factions faceless and unknown that inhabited the non-Terosani freeworlds. Zsilana had tried to explain this to Vohosecy, but he didn’t seem to care. He seemed heartless.

 “I have the plans.” Zsilana smiled, she played coyly with her hair.

 “The device? You don’t have it? I can’t pay you without it, I asked for the device,” Vohosecy replied in a cool tone.

 Zsilana looked at him sternly, “you didn’t say there would be any Hayf presence there.”

 “I couldn’t know”

 “You should have, you knew there was a fair chance I’d be slaughtered which is why you gave me this mission. You knew the capabilities of the Hayf ships but needed someone else to test that theory.”

 “No device, no payment.”

 “Your intelligence agents should have known, you sent us out there to be killed.”

 “I want the device, not your head. Why would I let you go? You could have ran and never come back, I took that risk and I still need the device.”

 “The plans will be sufficient, if you don’t buy them then someone else will. I’ll find a market for them somewhere.”

 “You’ll get a tenth of what they’re worth.”

 “I thought you only wanted the device.”

 “I want the device, yes. Besides, there is no way to prove that you haven’t already copied and sold the plans.”

 “Well, that’s a chance you’ll just have to take. I’m right here, right now. Convenient point of sale my friend.” Zsilana smiled.

 “A known thief with plans of a secret device, sounds like like grounds for making you an outlaw, and all outlaws have bounties on their head. Will you be accepted both dead or alive? We may have to see, and perhaps I should claim the reward myself.” Vohosecy smiled and eyed Zsilana, but she didn’t flinch at the threat. “Guards!” Vohosecy called out, he rubbed his hands together, “give me the datachip.”

 “I have it,” Zsilana flashed the chip, “but you don’t think I came without some assurance? Do you know where your son, Feyu, is?”

 “He was dealing with some local corporations, I left him to deal with them,” Vohosecy paused, “but, now that you say… have you… I see, you’ve met my son, haven’t you? What did you do with him?”

 “Nothing yet, he’s a sweet boy. Kind hearted, warm.”

 “He let himself get captured? He means nothing to me.”

 “I didn’t say I captured him, I just asked if you knew where he was. Feyu is safe, along with the plans for the device. This datachip on the other hand contains nothing useful, it is simply a recording of Feyu asleep on my ship.” Zsilana smiled then threw the chip on to his desk, “If you harm me then you won’t find either the plans or your son.”

 “What makes you think you can get out of her alive?” He baited.

 “If you are thinking of forcing me to go against my will then be assured that I have people on the station waiting for me. If I die they will know and my ship will leave with the plans and your son aboard. I don’t want to die but I think you’d rather have your son back, or you want the plans at the very least.” Zsilana held her head high.

 Vohosecy said nothing. He stared out a viewport into space, he reclined with a glass of whisky.

 “If you won’t buy then I shall be leaving,” Zsilana spoke clearly.

 “Go!” Vohosecy shouted.

 Zsilana straightened her tunic then turned to leave the room. She grabbed for the panel by the door. A low toned whoosh noise preceded the opening of the apartment door. She left.

 “Ok, I yield. I yield. Come back,” Vohosecy called after her.

 Zsilana stood in the doorway. She was silent but smiled.

 “Give me the plans, and my son, and you can have a third of your payment.”

 “Half,” Zsilana complained.

 “You’ve copied the plans already. I can tell. You’re not stupid, so don’t treat me as an idiot either. Your losses are your losses, and you can no longer guarantee exclusivity of the plans,” Vohosecy said.

 Zsilana nodded but hid her smile. A third would be more than enough to replace what she had lost. The Hayf had only disabled the ships, not destroyed them. The Terosans boarded and captured the crew but they ought to still be alive. There was hope.