HAB 12 (Scrapyard Ship) (25 page)

“So you can shoot us in the back? I don’t think so. Just stay back and keep out of the way.”

“Um, Cap?”

“What is it, Rizzo?” Jason asked, anxious to move out.

“How will the rhinos go between decks, travel through the DeckPorts?”

Jason didn’t have an answer. He spun around and found Ricket.

“They’ll be fine. Make sure they go in one at a time and hold up two fingers,” Ricket said.

Traveler grunted and relayed the information to the others.

Jason put a hand up, “Give me a second.” He initiated a NanoText hail to Nan.

* * *

Nan sat at the table directly across from Captain Stalls. He was talking about his community, what he referred to as his family. She had only picked at her dinner, and found herself watching the wax drip down the sides of a lit candle. He was talking again and she tried to look interested, even smiled at his attempts at humor. Although his intentions had been clear, she had been able to keep him at bay, so far. He seemed to respect the fact that she had a daughter on board and her safety was her priority. But it was obvious he was growing impatient. As she sat there wearing the small black dress he’d configured from the garment replicator, actually more like a negligée, his eyes continually moved over her body as he spoke.

Not knowing what it was at first, she remembered—she was being hailed for a NanoText.

Receive inbound NanoText: Captain Jason Reynolds:

Capt. Jason Reynolds:

Are you still dining with Stalls?

Crew Nan Reynolds:

He has something else on his mind right now. He does not like the word No.

Capt. Jason Reynolds:

Has he hurt you?

Crew Nan Reynolds:

No. But you better hurry.

Capt. Jason Reynolds:

Soon, on my way.

Disconnect NanoText Command: Captain Jason Reynolds

The connection was cut and she tried to relax, let her fear dissipate some.

“I don’t deny that life with me, among our people, would be different,” Stalls was saying. “As my wife, you would have power and influence of your own. And of course, your daughter would want for nothing,” Stalls said, reaching a hand across the table and encircling hers. He scared her. She’d always been able to handle men, using her intelligence to keep them in their place. But Stalls would not be dissuaded by a flippant comment or humor. She looked down at his outstretched arm, the wide muscles of his upper shoulders and up to his thick neck. He’d tied his long black hair into a braid. Nan looked up and returned his stare.
A handsome face, but such cold cruel eyes.

“So you’re what? Like a king? King of the pirate’s lair?” Nan said, not meaning for it to sound so sarcastic.

“You mock me.” Stalls’ face flushed. He pulled his hand away. “No, far more than a king. More like a father, or a benefactor—yes, a benefactor.”

“I didn’t mean anything …” Nan withdrew, felt naked and exposed. She wrapped her arms around her chest. “Why don’t you tell me more about your home. Tell me about your family. Not the other pirates, but your real family.”

Stalls wiped his mouth and placed his napkin on the table. “Enough talk.”

He stood and slowly walked around the table. Stood before her, looking down.

“Up, get up,” he said quietly.

“I’m not done eating—”

Stalls grabbed for her arm and pulled her to his feet. With her face inches from his, he leaned in and kissed her. As she resisted, what had begun as a gentle kiss quickly turned violent. In two steps he had her up against the bulkhead. Pressing into her, one arm around her throat and his other exploring her body. Nan’s mind fought for something, some idea of how to escape this, how to avert the inevitable. She pulled at his wrist and the hand wrapped around her throat. Something was there, beneath his sleeve. The hilt of a hidden knife. She couldn’t pull it free, not with him so closely pressed into her. He was pulling her hair, forcing her head back. He was kissing her neck, pulling the strap of her dress from her shoulder. Nan relaxed, stopped resisting. He stopped and looked up into her eyes. She attempted a small smile. As he pulled back, ever so little, her hands were free to move. The knife came away from it’s hidden scabbard. A moment later she had the point of the slender blade pressed to his neck; a trickle of blood ran down his throat and disappeared down his chest beneath his shirt.

Stalls stopped moving. “A resourceful woman. You know, this only makes things more interesting for me,” he said as the ends of his mouth curled up.

Nan continued to maintain the pressure of the blade against his neck.

“Slowly, take your hands off of me. No quick movements, or I’ll shove this blade in as far as it will go.”

Stalls slowly brought his hands away and stood back, away from her. Nan had no idea what to do next. How would she keep him from making a move? She wouldn’t be able to maintain this position for long. And she was right. His right hand moved in a blur, catching her wrist and twisting it away from his neck. She dropped the knife. Still holding her wrist, he twisted and backhanded her across the mouth with his left hand. He’d released his grip just enough for her to pull free. She ran …

Chapter 29

Brian was having difficulty with Bristol and his injured hand, so Jason asked Rustling Leaves to carry him. Jason felt a wave of guilt; Rustling Leaves had, again, become their de facto pack-mule.

“Get Bristol into a MediPod, then split up. Ricket, head to Deck 4B to try to re-establish communications with the AI. Rustling Leaves, you’ll join Billy and Three Horns down on Deck 2. Bristol, you make one sound, and you won’t live to regret it,” Jason said.

They all left the Zoo at a hurried pace. Billy and Three Horns stayed to the back of the pack and would head off to the lower decks once they reached the DeckPort.

Studying his HUD, Jason counted fifteen pirates on Deck 4. Most were concentrated on the bridge; others were milling about here and there throughout the deck. There were only a handful of his fellow crewmembers—although there hadn’t been that many to begin with.

Jason was the first to go through the DeckPort. The corridor was nearly unrecognizable. Trash, various types of equipment, and food trays from the mess littered the floor. They split up with Rustling Leaves and Bristol heading off toward Medical. Jason, Rizzo, Orion and Traveler moved forward toward the officer’s quarters and the bridge. Jason heard noises ahead around a corner and held up a hand for his team to hold.

Jason NanoTexted Nan.

Establish outbound NanoText hail: Crew Member Nan Reynolds:

Capt. Jason Reynolds:

I’m close—can you hold out a little longer?

Nan didn’t bother to NanoText, opting to use standard voice NanoCom.

“He’s a lunatic! I’ve locked myself in the bathroom. He’s trying to kick down the door; for God’s sake, get your ass in here!”

“Just a couple of minutes. You should be safe in there. We need to take back the bridge first. Just try to hold on.” Jason hated leaving her, knew he’d pay for this decision later. But he also knew if he didn’t deal with the insurgents close by on the bridge first, all would be lost anyway.

Jason signaled his team to move forward. Still out of sight of the main corridor, Ricket and Rustling Leaves, with Bristol squirming under one arm, headed off toward Medical. Where several forward ship corridors intersected, Jason peered around the corner. Two of the biggest men he had ever seen were standing sentry outside of his cabin. Jason checked that his MultiGun configuration was set for the most powerful of the stun settings. On the count of three, they all rushed toward the bridge. Jason fired as soon as he’d turned the corner, hitting both raiders in the chest before they had time to draw their weapons. Neither went down. Both raiders wore their weapons gunslinger-style and holsters low at their hips. Their sidearms were more like shortened rifles than pistols. Both moved with practiced ease, separating away from each other, then dropping to one knee. They could be twins, long black hair worn in ponytails. Sleeveless, tattooed, muscular arms drew weapons and fired simultaneously. Jason took the brunt of the energy bolts to his upper chest, his battle suit still working enough to save his life once more. On the ground, a warning signal flashed in Jason’s HUD. Battle suit integrity was at critically-low levels. He watched as the two pirates continued to take multiple plasma fire to their bodies—black craters erupted on their upper torsos. They screamed out in pain and scrambled to an adjacent corridor up farther toward the bridge. The floor shook from behind, and Jason knew Traveler was making his move. In all likelihood, they were used to being the biggest, baddest boys on the block, so when they encountered the charging thousand-pound rhino warrior barreling down on them, they hesitated. It was only a second or two, but long enough for Traveler to move ten yards closer. Traveler’s hammer was already moving in a sideways swing, hitting the left raider just below his ear, caving in the side of his head. Jason, Orion, and Rizzo concentrated their fire on the other pirate. He too went down.

Jason hailed each team member at the same time: “Forget using anything less on these guys other than the highest plasma pulse setting.”

Billy came back on comms, “Cap, we’re at a bit of a stalemate down here. We could use some more help. Both sides are pinned down. Three Horn’s not looking too good either. Think he might be down for the count.”

“Hang on as long as you can, Billy. We’ll get down there as soon as we take back Deck 4.”

Together, Jason’s team sprinted toward the bridge. Three more raiders rushed out with weapons drawn. One went down with a shot to his head. The other two dived and rolled and came up shooting.
These guys are good,
Jason thought. Again, both raiders concentrated their fire on the biggest target, Traveler, leaving their flanks exposed for Orion and Rizzo to bring them down with two shots each.

According to his HUD, there were six more raiders held up on the bridge. Obviously, the element of surprise was gone. They rushed forward with Traveler in the lead, his bulk shielding them from another barrage of plasma fire. The rhino’s chest took simultaneous blasts—numerous black craters smoldered and pocked his hide. Traveler used his energy weapon and took down two of the raiders. Jason moved left while Rizzo moved right. Four raiders were left, each were within inches of fellow
crewmembers. Their weapons pointed at their heads.

“Jason, stop!”

Her voice came from behind at the bridge entrance. She was wearing a short black dress, one strap hung loosely down her arm. The side of her face was pink and swollen; a trickle of blood was at the corner of her mouth. The blade of a long thin knife was at her neck. Standing behind her, with his arm wrapped around her shoulders, was a mountain of a man, easily a head taller than Jason. Smiling and confident, his eyes were leveled on Jason.

Stalls spoke slowly and calmly. “Captain Reynolds, please instruct your men to lay down their weapons. Do so now or your ex-wife loses her life.”

Jason hesitated, then hailed the other teams and spoke aloud. “Stop fighting. Lay down your weapons.”

“Excellent. I can see you are a man of reason.” Jason noticed that Stalls, as well as the other raiders, had ear-comms devices. Jason’s own NanoCom went active.

“Cap, what do you want us to do? Are we giving up?” Billy asked.

Jason had run out of ideas. “Hold, Billy. Don’t do anything for now.”

Nan looked terrified. Jason looked at her and nodded, tried to convey a sense of calm. He’d run out of ideas, he knew Stalls would not hesitate to kill Nan. Sounds came from behind them.

“Put me down! Put me down!”

Jason recognized the squeaky voice. It was Bristol.

Stalls moved Nan further forward onto the bridge and spun around to see what was happening. Rustling Leaves, his arm outstretched, was holding Bristol by the neck several feet in the air. Bristol kicked and flailed, his face red and angry. Jason noticed that Bristol now had all ten of his fingers fully intact.

“Put me down!”

Stalls’ irritation was evident as he watched his brother pulling at Rustling Leave’s fingers.

“There is a way out of this, Stalls,” Jason said.

Stalls didn’t say anything but looked over toward Jason.

“Let’s make this about you and me. You release her, and your brother’s neck stays in one piece. You and I handle this one on one. That is, unless you prefer fighting defenseless women?”

Stalls smiled, then looked over at Bristol again.

“The lengths we go to for family.” Stalls shook his head and frowned at his brother. “All right, Captain. It’s to the same end, anyway. Killing you with my bare hands makes this all the better.”

Chapter 30

The Deck 2 mess had been decided upon as being open and large enough. Both men relinquished their weapons; both were shirtless. Jason watched as Captain Stalls removed the small knife sheath from his arm. Jason had left his boots on, while Stalls had opted to go barefoot. His pirates stood right along side
The Lilly
’s crewmembers around the perimeter of the mess. Nan was back wearing a spacer’s jumpsuit.

“This is juvenile, Jason. What … are you back in high school?” Nan said, irritated.

Jason eyed his opponent. He was a big fella. Broad muscular chest, arms twice the size of his own. Easily a seven or eight inch height advantage. Jason saw Billy out of the corner of his eye and looked over at him for moral support. The best Billy could offer was a shrug and half smile
. Great.

Jason didn’t wait on formalities. He charged the bigger man, feigned a punch, then spun low with a sweeping motion to the back of Stalls’ legs. He went down hard. Jason followed with a kick low to his head. Stalls dodged, rolled to his right, and got to his feet. He moved fast and came directly at Jason, both fists clenched. Stalls punched, a wide roundhouse swing that glanced off Jason’s ear, which was immediately followed up with an upper cut to Jason’s chin, sending him onto his backside. Dazed, Jason stood and stayed low, hands out—he moved back and forth, ready to anticipate Stalls’ next move.