Chapter 14

STEEN

The Hard Eight had made planet fall. Tirkov got up from his seat. “Well we made it. I hate flying across Freespace without so much as a cutting laser for offensive weaponry.”

Lagda Phoenix his First mate.”She’ll might be here you know. We should make her pay for what she did to us.”

“She let us live, let us keep the Hard Eight. We are not hunting her anymore. We are here to buy new teeth for our ride, hire and replace fighting crew and go back to business.”

The cybernetic woman touched her cyber implants. “I need to go to a body smith too and you are right, a nice little local war, with us hired by the winning side be nice indeed.”

CHULA

The New Siam prince did not sleep much, even though he occupied the top suite of the most expensive hotel, complete with a small army of Togar and Oghr keeping the place safe. He had spend most of the night watching reruns of the Death Arena fight. He did hear about the complete destruction of the Donheer island and the city headquarters of that syndicate.

He was also told not to use the suites balcony or top pool, as the planet was even more violent than usual. The three remaining Syndicates fought tooth and nail over the bits and pieces the Donheer syndicate had left behind.

Chula Chakrabongse had no interest in local affairs. He did hear that the female pirate had not left. One of his friends explained that Black Velvet would most likely attend the pirate’s market.

“We need to go there then!” The prince demanded.

The aid apologized. “I am sorry your highness, you are a Union citizen and not a pirate. You will end up as hostage in the custody of a pirate.”

“Who would dare to stand against me?”

“Someone with a blaster weapon, your highness. I was urged by your father to keep you safe.”

“Then this is what we do. We become pirates ourselves. My yacht is a genuine Union destroyer. We can arm it and then hunt that Black Velvet.”

DIMON

It had taken the disguised man quite some efforts to get back to the Baro enclave. Sin 4 had truly gone mad, while it always was a dangerous place, it was a controlled place with unwritten but nevertheless observed rules. Now the Cartel appeared to be dissolved and any previous alliances and agreements meant nothing.

He had finally made it, the Baro enclave was bristling with weapons and he had almost been shoot down in a Taxi flier that did not sport the Baro logo.

The grizzled face of the old Simian looked concerned after he greeted Dimonn in his study.”I am sorry for what happened to you, the Donheers guarantee your safety. That this cursed Duke wasn’t keep his word was not foreseen, even though not completely unexpected. I did warn you.”

Dimon sighed and sat down.”You did, Ludor. You did and I felt like an amateur walking into a trap. It was all for nothing though. The Gray One died on the surface of the spaceport of all things. Sin 4 is a mad house, like never before.”

The old syndicate leader, sat down and lit a smoke stick. “It was much like this during the last Purge War in 4923, when the four big syndicates emerged and formed the Cartel. Who do you think decapitated the Donheer syndicate so completely?”

“I can’t say for sure, but I think it was that pirate Black Velvet. Donheer captured her and a few of her crew. He made her fight in the Arena, and Siktar be curses, she fought like a demon let loose.”

Ludor got up and went to his bar filling two tumblers with Bromhir Sweat and while he was doing this he said. “After you mentioned her, I did ask a few people about her. You know there is the rumor that she became a demon herself while she was fleeing inside the Igras expanse. No ship could have survived that.”

“I would say that is all superstition, but I seen her fight and chances are she was the one clipping the Donheer syndicate. The entire island is gone.”

“There is still much out there that not even the Narth can explain.” Ludor said. “Of course there is a very strong rumor out there, I tend to believe more. The Duke obtained Loki torpedoes and someone not knowing what to do messed with them. Those Union Terran weapons are awful powerful.”

Ludor handed Dimon one of the glasses.”It is more likely than a pirate taking on one of the most powerful syndicates on the planet. After all, short of mythical demon magic, how could she have done it? I mean she was fighting for her life in the same arena as you. Albeit very impressive, I think it was the fumbling of a self proclaimed weapon expert that had no idea how dangerous Union weapons really are that did them in.”

Dimon had to agree, that sounded very plausible, especially since he knew the Duke did have Union weapons. But Dimon knew how powerful Loki torpedoes were, and there was the talk of a genuine P-Bomb. They would not sit here and talk if one of those went off. Besides there were two explosions, a second one leveled the Donheer mainland HQ. He also knew the Duke was at the arena and not at his compound.

This smacked much more like clandestine operations of NAVINT, Union Mil Tech up for auction. Maybe SII who had an operation on SIN 4 told NAVINT or did something about for NAVINT. He was not just Dimon, but the Worm himself and he knew just how irate the Union became when someone else poked into their military secrets.

He took a sip of the Brohmir Sweat, knowing well of its addictive properties. Thankfully such things did not affect immortals. Ludor was similar careful and diluted his with water.

Dimon voiced some of his thoughts.”Burt how do you explain two explosions and where is the Duke?”

Ludor shrugged and lit another one of his smoke sticks.”I can only speculate. After the compound got leveled, a fight broke out in the continent HQ. I am sure there was more ordinance and it was used. Or perhaps Union Terrans got wind of the upcoming auction. You can’t hold an auction without advertising, even the most selective advertising might be overheard by someone with ears and eyes for the Union.

Their intel services are very good after all.” He looked at his glass.”That’s why I never touched Union Mil Tech ... too dangerous.”

“So what will happen next?”

Ludor sighed. “There will be war. It is very likely that the Nul received the broadcast from yesterday by now. There are fringe colonies with GalNet and Nul have their ears on them. You know the Nul better than me.”

“Bad news for everyone. Sin 4, Freespace, the Dai and every independent society from here to the Shattered Kingdoms.”

“I am going to head for N’Ger. Right now there are only few knowing about the Nul, the Pirate market will calm things down here, the rest of Donheer’s empire will be carved up.”

Dimon agreed with the wisdom of the old syndicate leader.”I think you are correct indeed.”

“See me at N’Ger if you survive the coming storm.”

The Pirate market was not far from the space port, located on a cleared field of perhaps six thousand square meters completely surrounded by a ten meter high wall with several gates in each side.

The event was sponsored by the local syndicates and was still being held despite the recent turmoil in their ranks.

Mostly because a virtual who is who and a small space fleet of pirates and similar crooks had descended on Sin 4 and every possible landing field.

Even the big Gorotolah space port was now filled with ships of all sizes, types and tech levels. A very big Oghr combat cruiser had landed in the water right at the shore and set up a mobile refinery, selling fuel. That he was doing his business undisturbed was guaranteed by an entire company of armed Orc-Oghrs. Two Karthaninan landing tanks with the logo of the Ke’Bere syndicate were visual confirmation as to who received a share of the Oghr business.

A small city of tents, and other temporary buildings had sprung up inside the walls. Not only pirates set up shop, but also weapon dealers, scavengers, scrap and second hand commodities buyers. The sad tents and pens of Slave dealers as well as exotic live form merchants and ship part sellers intermingled with bar tents and food stalls where the guests and visitors to this market could drink and eat.

The Sojonites had placed one of their pink tents at a prominent location near the main entrance and most likely did brisk business. Other establishments of similar business were represented in every flavor imaginable. There were tents of mercenary outfits offering their services as well as places where the Assassin guilds and similar organizations recruited and offered their services.

Wares and Slaves from all corners of the Galaxy were displayed on carpets, pallets and platforms.

The tents were decorated and advertised with an ocean of colorful flags, signs and banners. Beings of every known world and quite a few unknown worlds mingled in the aisles between. There was an air of commerce and a din of busy noise everywhere and the scents, smells and odors that wafted over the place formed a cloud of indescribable stench that was overwhelming.

Even though the diversity of beings here could not have been greater, our arrival caused a stir with many stares and whispered comments.

Looking over my crew I had to admit we were quite a unique collection of individuals. Krabbel, Hans, TheOther, four Pertharians, a Quadiped, the Togar female who had her fur dyed black. Mao with naked upper body full of tattoos, Har Hi in Dai Armor bristling with knives and weapons. Sodoby in a shiny golden robe looked regal despite the x shaped branding that was of course only simulated. Elfi in an outfit that consisted mostly of semi-transparent veils that highly contrasted to the H&K Missile rifle she carried like an afterthought over her shoulder. Circuit had come along after all, since he realized we went to a market where we could shop had disguised himself like Narth in a Non-Corp suit with mirrored face plates. The NWC Battle walker manned by the three Mini Terrans stomped at the end of our group, looking particular menacing with an added Missile launcher pack on its back.

Specialist Warner, the little rodent, was riding on Hans shoulder and thus was able to tower over almost everyone. It was obvious he enjoyed both the view and the safety his big ride provided.

Most of us were dressed in black leather and armor. The eight human marines that also accompanied us had beards and wore black bandanas. Everyone was armed to the teeth with blasters, boarding axes, swords and other weapons. TheOther carried a full size H&K Chain cannon with missile ammo container that was normally carried in the field by Battle robots, easily weighing a full ton. Hans held a Nuc-Flamer, an almost forgotten weapon of the Piostla war, able to project the heat of a nuclear explosion in a devastating beam of fire. This size was usually mounted to landing tanks

Shea wearing her bathing suit like bodice with thigh high boots, was armed with her mysterious sword.

As I saw her with it I remembered I wanted to ask her about it and again she promised to tell me the story how she got it later.

There was our Leedei, also disguised of course.

Sobody had put a black leather vest over his golden costume and smirked: “Ah what an entrance. I wish we could be here for real business. We made quite an Impact already.Captain we could be the most successful pirate outfit ever.”

“You are the undisputed leader of the Golden, you make more profit in one day than all pirates in the Universe.”

“Captain, those are mere numbers on a balance sheet. This is real and oh so much fun. Besides I am retired.”

The crowds parted before us as we walked through the aisles.

Sobody could not be stopped, he made a deal for the Arti Colis right there and gleamed with pride as he reported. “Told you captain. We made quite a nice profit, that dealer over there pays us 7,000 Polos fullweight for the lot. Polymers, Boron Discs and Arti Coils. You paid 135 plus a 2 coin delivery bonus.

That is 51.09 times your investment. Quite a nice profit indeed!”

I knew he could not see my smile as I looked at him with realized fondness. “I have completely reversed my initial objections towards you, Mr. Sobody. I don’t think we could manage this assignment without you and I really mean it.”He glared proudly.”Mr. Warner helped me make that deal. I think Holdians could sell worthless dirt to the most shrewd Golden. I mean who could refuse them?”

A melancholic smile creeped over my masked face, remembering the small Holdian commandant.”Indeed who could, Mr. Sobody? And yet the Holdians had to fight many wars just because others thought of them as cute and soft.”

He nodded.”I know Captain.”

We stopped here and there and inspected the wares put out for sale and slowly approached the center of the market that way.

TIRKOV

Negul, one of the old hands and the designated engineer of Steen’s merc outfit poked his leader. Tirkov was just haggling with a Togar weapon merchant over a genuine Kermac large caliber Line Cannon and six Togar missile launchers and grunginly realized he could not haggle that sly cat any lower.”Alright, you greedy sack of Togar lice. 1,500 Fullweights for the Line cannon and 800 each for the launchers but you do throw in the 100 missiles as promised!”

The Mercenary sighed deeply as he just spend almost half a million credits. He was truly scraping the bottom of his war chest. The Togar merchant however rubbed his paws and agreed to deliver the merchandise and the missiles by the end of the day.

Negul poked his leader again and this time Tirkov turned irritated and snarled annoyed.”No you can not have new Engine cores, we need new walkers and surface cannons, first.”

But Negul wasn’t asking for equipment, he pointed down the center row of the Pirate’s market. A large group of mostly black dressed beings made their way past the sales stands. They all were armed with the finest hardware and their outfits were worn but in perfect repair and excellent condition. The group included the biggest bruisers this galaxy had to offer. Well perhaps even beyond. There were Petharians, all with the signet of the Arcane order. Finding a Petharian not loyal to the Union was like finding a Terran who could resist touching a weapon. She had found four of them, there was a nightmarish dressed giant, most likely a Saturnian. Then there was the Y’All. No one had seen one alive in almost 1500 years but that this four armed monster was genuine Y’All, there was no doubt. Tirkov had seen it rip out the bridge security door, as if the five ton door was made of cardboard.

But that was not the extent of this spectacular group. A disgraced Golden, a genuine Dai and a towering battle robot or battle walker of unknown design, but it looked as if it could go toe to toe with a Cerberus and there was nothing in this galaxy as far as the mercenary knew that could equal a fully equipped and enabled Cherberus.

At the very head of that group, wearing soft shimmering black leather from head to toe, the infamous pirate captain, Black Velvet. While she did hid her face behind a decorated face mask, her blonde hair moved in the warm breeze and her body filled out that skin tight leather in a very sensual way. That she was much more than a fashion doll and knew how to use the weapons she carried, he knew.

She was flanked by the Dai and a man in a brown dust cloak, black leather harness and H&K Sniper rifle. Right behind her three more human females. A petite one with flaming red hair, a statuesque blonde and one wearing something made of black veils and leather. Like the rest they were armed and had their faces hidden. It was a surprising effective way to add mystery and professionalism to that crew of pirates.

The Dai warrior drew one of his blades so fast, not even his enhanced senses could distinguish more than a blur. A Stegnar pick pocket, perfectly camouflaged and almost invisible on top of a tent canopy stared at his arm stumps. It’s spidery hands on the dirty ground below.

The group did not even react to that and simply kept on coming slowly closer.

Tirkov wasn’t sure what to do. Should he tried to run and hide, ignore them and hopen they ignored his group or greet her?”

The pirate market was technically neutral ground and there was a generally accepted truth even between the worst enemies, but she was knew and most likely ignored such unwritten rules just as she ignored the written ones. So he decided to take the edge of a potential situation and stepped before the weapon dealers tent.”

Har-Hi still cleaning his sword after he cut the tentacle like hands of a well concealed being hiding on a tent roof.”You know there is that merc. The one you left alive at Dyne, the crook that captured me.”

“I see him. What do you want to do, kill him? Go right ahead my friend, but make sure he draws something first.”

Har-Hi sighed.”I wish I could, but I am not just a Dai, I am Union and a fleet officer...”

Narth who apparently had a great time said.”That individual is openly impressed and secretly terrified to his core. He hopes we let him live. Oh and he finds our Captain quite attractive, his glands are stimulated. Not that I could understand why.”

Elfi in her veil and leather outfit giggled behind her veil.”That’s why Cherubim insisted on tight leather and heels. Good old Testosterone still rules the brains of many humanoids.”

While Shea quietly tried to explain that to my confused friend.

Tirkov bowed slightly. “Greetings, Black Velvet. Thanks to you I had to spend half million credits worth of polos to replace some of the teeth you pulled out of my ship.”

“Thanks to me you are still alive, Mercenary and you still have a ship.You are welcome to complain some more, but then I will rectify what I should have done.”

He spread both his arms.”Of course not. I decided that 20 million credits are not even close enough to make it worth angering you. I am no longer hunting you.”

“Well it wasn’t much of a hunt.”

I let him stand there and moved on.

Narth confirmed that Tirkov had indeed changed his mind and was thanking his fate, that he was still alive.

A sales stand kept in a red and golden theme, with an open half tent and a big standard shipping container caught my eye.

A row of genuine S 10 Robots stood in a split open shipping crate. A large stack of passenger luggage, bales of Saresii Silk and cases of Terran Liquors on one side. A sturdy, sad cage with about twenty Humans and four Klack was behind that collection of wares. On the other side, the big closed shipping container that caught my eye in the first place. In the middle of this sales stand, a raised podium with a throne like chair shaded by a red fabric roof held up by flag tipped poles on each side. On this throne like chair sat a red and gold dressed individual. He wore a deep red uniform richly adorned with golden embroidery drawing swirling patterns all over the shiny fabric. He had well defined muscles, broad shoulders and even sitting appeared to be tall. The man wore a wide brimmed hat of the same color as his uniform.

Like me, he did not show his real face to the world, but wore a disturbing looking skull mask with black eye sockets and a lipless grin made out of the exposed teeth.

He was flanked by a rowdy looking crew. I counted nine humans, five Togar two of them female, seven Karthanian, three black furred Nogol, three Oghar, and two Insectoid beings looking like man sized mosquitoes with silvery wings on their backs. Narth as usual filled the gap in my knowledge and said: “These are Frudians.”

I acknowledged and then noticed a beardless Kermac in the crew of the Red Dragon.

The man in the frightening mask got up and stepped in my way, made an elaborate curtsey and held his hat before his chest.

“If your face is only half as lovely as your body then I am sure you are among the most beautiful women this side of the Orion arm. You must be the Black Velvet that I have heard so much about.”

I put my hand on the heavy blaster that Har-Hi was raising and said. “And you must be either very brave or perhaps insane to step in my way, whoever you are.”

He put his head back on. The jaws of the Skull masked moved only a little while he talked. “You must surely have heard of me, I am the bane of the Union, the living nightmare of merchant captains and the new incarnation of the Dark One himself. I am the Red Dragon.”

I made an airy gesture and said. “I don’t keep up with gossip all that much and I don’t subscribe to the newsletter of the self-help group for delusionally challenged egos, but I am sure this is what you are. Now that does not explain why you found it necessary to interrupt my business.”

He put his hand on his chest. “Oh my, you are as cold and arrogant as they say you are. I love that in a woman. Besides I am in a good mood so I will overlook the insult for now. Our community of freelancing entrepreneurs is a small one and new players are scrutinized, especially one that operates under the identity of a five hundred year old Pirate that suddenly reappears.”

I looked him up and down and said. “So you decided to scrutinize me? I don’t particular care what you do in your spare time, Red Dragon, but it can be very unhealthy to stick one’s nose too deep into my business.”

His voice lost all friendliness and he said. “I am very impressed by your display of fighting skills in the arena and I am certain it was you who clipped the fat Dukes wings. Rumors have it that you stole his Loki torpedoes too, but make no mistake. I am not a little planet bound gangster. I am the Red Dragon and I command the Sinister Alliance.”

I also put more edge in my voice. “Then it comes to no surprise to you that I am not impressed by alliances and groups. Duke Donheer wasn’t so little just yesterday. I wonder if you would have said the same thing three days ago. Now come to the point why you stopped me or make way. I intend to do business here.”

He held up his hands. “Maybe this is going into the wrong direction. Come and see what I have to offer. I see four lovely ladies and I do have loads of Union fashion.”

I looked over his offerings and said. “I don’t wear second hand cast offs, but I might be interested in these rolls of Saresii silk I see over there and perhaps the slaves.”

He walked over to the silk and said. “You have a fine eye, this comes from the Gahabee Looms of Sares-Four and would bring enough credits to buy a new ship if one had access to an Union Xchange. The slaves are all healthy. I got rid of the rubble at Alvor’s Cove, those only good for the stew pots of Togr. The liquor, the robots and most of the rest are finest Union wares.”

I waved to Sobody and said. “I’ll have my associate check your offerings if you don’t mind so I have a clearer understanding of the actual value.”

He nodded and gave Sobody access.

While my golden Friend checked the wares with obvious expertise the skull masked pirate said. “Having a Golden in the crew for such business matters must be a great bon.”

I watched Sobody as he looked at labels and said. “He is my quartermaster and has proven his worth many times.”

He looked over his shoulder. “Even I have not seen a crew like yours. Is that a real Y’All?”

I waved at Sobody and said. “Let’s go, the proprietors of this business are a little too nosy for my taste.”

To the Red Dragon I said. “It is no one’s business to question the origins of anyone in my crew. If you really want to know, go ask him. I doubt you’ve brought enough men or weapons to survive the answer.”

He spread his arms. “Captain Velvet, I am sorry. I admit I am a bit curious and I see you are as no nonsense as they say you are. Now let’s do business and I promise I won’t ask any more questions.”

I nodded and Sobody haggled with the man and at the end we agreed to purchase the Liquor, the Slaves and the silk. Sobody said. “The Robots you can keep. Without the proper Factory registration and activation codes, they are as useless as scrap metal.”

The Red Dragon sighed. “He is quite correct. I guess I have to find another fool to get rid of those.”

Even with his mask he could not hide his feelings as Sobody did his key routine and opened the Polo chest, carried by the NWC Battle suit. “Business must have been good for you Black Velvet and I wonder where you do business. I have never seen such a magnificent fighting robot outside of Union tech. This machine looks as if it could go toe to toe with a Union Cerberus and come out on top, yet I can’t identify the society that might have produced it.”

Before I could say something he said. “It was a rhetorical question. I don’t expect an answer.”

One of his Oghar took the 20 bags of Polo coins and said after scanning them. “It is all there Red Dragon. The money is genuine to the last coin.”

He still eyed the chest and said. “I heard how you dealt with Dentar Bloom and I know you sold the Mighty Nine. The Volting commanding her was an associate of mine. All this and your decisive action against the Duke show me you are not to be trifled with. Maybe you are the perfect addition to my plans. This peddling with second hand merchandise is not what you and I are about. You delegate it to a Golden and I do it out of necessity but I have bigger goals.”

I said with a slight amused tone. “Ah right, I think I did hear of that one. Attacking an Union outpost, from what they said at Brahma Port it wasn’t exactly a very lucrative venture and very costly to those who decided to partake.”

He almost hissed like a snake as he answered. “Yet I managed to do it. I attacked an Union Outpost and got away. I dared what no one dreamed to attempt. This was not an undefended colony and we managed to land troops. The prize would have been Translocator cannons, shiploads of Union tech and thousands of slaves. Yet I am no longer interested in Union tech, I found something much better and the day I will be able to fly openly all the way to Arsenal or any other planet in the Union and lay waste to their fleets is not so far away.”

As delusional as he sounded there was something in the way he said it, that I almost believed him. I said. “What makes you think you could challenge the cursed Union in a way not even the combined forces of Kermac, Nul and Shiss could?”

He laughed silently. “By doing the same thing as the eternal soldier did. Going somewhere and gathering technology beyond anything they have.”

I gestured to the robots. “Sounds like the phantasies of a mad man who has to sell scrap metal to pay his crew. No one knows where Stahl got the Devastator or the Translocator tech.”

The Red Dragon cursed under his breath and then said. “Maybe you are five hundred years old, but you know nothing of the Union and the Devastator. It is a Celtest ship and the Translocators are Celtest technology. The entire Union military might is centered on a single weapon system. Imagine what would happen if an enemy shows up that is immune to that weapon? If that enemy had shields that neutralizes the TransDim abilities of that cannon? The entire Union fleet has suddenly no teeth and even Stahl could do nothing but run in his big ship.”

He stepped towards the closed shipping container and said. “Come Black Velvet, I will show you something that will change your mind about me.”

He opened a secure door by touching a biometric lock.

Of course it was not the brightest idea to follow an obviously mad pirate with a violent temper inside a metal box alone, but I was well armed and my friends were outside so I followed him

It was dark inside the container, and it was empty except for a single transparent show case, illuminated by a single spotlight. Inside the showcase was a dark grey one piece coverall like garment. It was like a cat suit with shoes, gloves and a tight fitting hood that would leave only the face uncovered if worn. It hung in an ArtiGrav field and looked pretty unspectacular. I said after he remained silent. “Okay, so you like to display your underwear in a fancy manner. I fail to see the point.”

He snickered and said. “Very funny but if I tell you that this is a Celtest battle suit, a product of a Tech Level 11 civilization and the equivalent of a Union Quasimodo. It has more firepower than a shipload of Nul, better shielding than anything the Union has. It is deep space worthy and you can travel vast distances with greater speeds than a Wolfcraft. Its shields are completely immune to Translocator fire.”

I knew of the powers of a Seenian battle suit first hand and while he somewhat exaggerated the abilities of the suit. I was very concerned if he had access to this technology. He was right, an enemy with Seenian technology would be more than just a serious threat to the Union. I said to him. “If this is all true, why are you not wearing it?”

He opened the seams of his uniform blouse and said with pride in his voice. “But I am. I am wearing a similar suit. This is but one of many pieces of Celtest technology I have. Not broken artifacts, but fully functional and well maintained.”

I tried to keep the distress I felt about this information out of my voice and asked. “Why peddle scrap metal and petty things if you have Celtest artifacts worth billions?”