Chapter 31

Circuit, like me was dressed completely black, hiding his shiny chrome body as we hushed along in the stark shadow of a stack of shipping containers. While it was night, glaring flood lights kept the cargo area of the brightly lit. The lights however also created hard shadows that allowed us to get close to the parked transport ship. Shea was right behind me and I liked seeing her shapely body in skintight black material. She appeared like a razor sharp cut out against the metallic wall of a container before she melted back into the shadows.

I glanced around the container’s edge and Narth peeled out of the darkness right before me and almost gave me a heart attack. “One does wonder why we are hiding in the shadows when we have perfectly good cloaking technology.”

I whispered. “Because we are supposed to be Pirates engaging in assisting a local revolt and not Union Officers.”

He kept floating next to me as I rushed to the next stack. “And why are you whispering? There is no being near that could hear us? The wind and the ambient city and port noise would make no difference if you yelled.”

I said to him. “Because it is tradition, when you are dressed like that and sneak around one whispers.”

Narth slid back in the shadows and he completely melted into the darkness and I heard him whisper. “Then one shall sneak and whisper right behind you.”

Circuit who was right behind me said, addressing Narth. “It’s more fun like that anyway. Can I ask why you say ‘one’ again; haven’t you started to use ‘I’?”

Narth whispered. “I am experimenting with habits and saying one instead of I, is a typical Narth habit. I think habits are an important part of what defines humans. The Captain has certain idiosyncrasies and so do most of our crew mates. So I am testing which one is most Narth like and yet defines me as an individual. “ I glanced back. “I don’t have idio ... things!”

Narth said. “You do have quite a few, Captain.”

Circuit giggled. “Getting us in situations like this, Captain is one of them.”

With an almost angry tone I responded. “And you should get into the habit of respecting your Captain more. I bet no one ever says anything like that to Captain Harris.”

I had reached the last container and pointed to the large Karthanian freighter that was turned into a dedicated slave transporter. “There it is. Let’s take it over without anyone noticing, they’re going to load the slaves in almost exactly one hour.”

Narth said. “How can something be almost exactly? Either it is exact or it is not.”

Circuit explained. “One second less than an hour is in human terms almost exactly an hour, for example. Yet humans are very flexible with that and even 45 minutes could still be almost exactly an hour.”

I turned again. “You two don’t take all this very seriously do you?”

Circuit shrugged. “Our mission and us trying to end misery and slavery, yes I take this very seriously; us sneaking between containers like port rats, not so much.”

“What a fine crew I have.”

I once more pointed at the ship. “Do you think you can open this flying silver flicker can, without them noticing doing it?”

“No Captain.”

“You told me you could.”

“Because it’s already open. They didn’t lock it. There is no force field and only two...” he paused a second then said. “Correction only one...” again he paused for a heartbeat and then spread his arms. “I mean there are no guards awake. Krabbel is already there and he sent them sleeping.”

While we rushed over the concrete surface to the actual ship, I said to him.

“It must be nice to have android eyes and see everything.”

He said. “All you have to do is pull the multi spectral goggles over your eyes Captain.”

All I could think of was saying. “Smartass.”

Narth looked at Circuit’s behind and said. “I was under the impression X101’s having their positronic component in their heads. Do certain X101 series have their brain there?”

I grinned. “You are a smart ass too.”

I rushed over to the ship and there in the dark shadow of the ship I noticed Krabbel and two tightly packed Drak shaped cocoons.

To Krabbel I said, still smiling. “When I said recon the area I didn’t mean you should go ahead and turn the guards into Christmas presents for Archa kids.”

I was poking one with the tip of my boot and asked my eight legged friend. “Are they actually alive in there?”

Krabbel raised his front legs and said. “I didn’t use a lot of poison I promise. I am sure they are only stunned, not dead, at least for now. If you want them alive we better cut them out in an hour or so before they suffocate.”

Shea peeked around the landing gear and pointed her gun inside the open ramp door. Circuit was right, the ship was wide open.

She made the okay sign and said. “Clear.”

Narth floated right next to her inside and she complained. “Narth, I am having fun here. When do I get to do this secret spy stuff? You must duck and walk sneaky and then say clear.”

Narth stopped and turned in his smooth turn table manner. “Oh right!”

His shroud moved like a living thing and constricted around his body, until he too looked like wearing a cat suit.

He said to me. “Can I have a gun? I didn’t bring one. One needs a gun to be an authentic sneaker spy agent.”

I handed him my TKU and said to my friends while rolling my eyes. “This isn’t a Virtu-novel you know.”

Shea said. “We know, Captain, but it is you who had all the action lately. We sat in the ship more or less the entire time. Besides doing things as the Olafson gang again, is simply making us giddy a little I think.”

I didn’t really know what to say to that. She was right; having my friends around me was very reassuring as I knew I could trust them blindly.

The Karthanian Transport was basically an unarmed version of the Silver Streak, the Janus mask my ship displayed when in Pirate mode. Unlike my ship, this one was of course Karthanian on the inside as well.

It reminded me of the Velorian slave transporter. It was cleaner, bigger and better maintained.

The rows of steel link cages with lock doors and the perforated reddish painted floors, shimmering wet from the last hose down; the chains and the neatly stored rows of prods and whips made this vessels purpose all too clear.

A half-naked leather clad, oafish looking Oghr stepped out of an overseer guard room right before me and stared in my masked face with wide open yellow eyes as my old fighting knife buried deep into his guts. He gargled and drooled blood over my arm as I twisted the blade and pushed him aside and went on to the ships main elevator shaft.

The elevator access was coded and secured, but it took Shea less than a minute to hack into the Ships system. Narth stood behind me while she did her thing and said.

“There are nineteen individuals aboard. Three of them are on the bridge.”

I said. “Alright, Circuit and Krabbel neutralize them. Narth, Shea and I take care of the bridge crew.”

Circuit pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. “You want us to take care of them like that?”

I did not feel any guilt and said. “He startled me and besides he was a slave master, he probably whipped and maltreated thousands in his career. Neutralize them as you see fit, as long as they can’t interfere with our plans.”

I heard Krabbel say to Circuit. “Remind me never to startle the Captain; she’s awful quick for a human.” Circuit responded with something and then they were out of range.

That this was not a Union ship became very apparent. There was no way intruders would have found it so easy to reach the bridge, not even intruders as talented as my friends.

We made it unchallenged to the bridge. A big Oghr, a Drak and to my surprise a human being were present. The Oghr reclined in the command seat and made snoring sounds, while the human who I saw only from behind had her feet on the console before her and was dozing. The Drak, manned what I assumed was the helm position, saw us come on the bridge and jumped out of his seat. I drew the Colt, because Narth was still carrying my blaster and fired without a seconds hesitation. The projectile hit the Drak in the left shoulder. A spray of dark blood gushed over his console, while he spun around and went to the floor.

The Oghr and the human bolted out of their seats, looking into the three inch bore holes of my friend’s TKU blasters. Only now as she stepped more into the light I noticed the light blue skin and the coppery hair of the human, my trigger finger started itching, she was a Thauran.

Shea said. “I suggest none of you make any sudden moves, our Captain is in a bitchy mood today.”

I said slightly irritated. “I am not in a bitchy mood or anything.”

She didn’t take her eyes from the completely perplexed looking beings and said. “Tell that to the Drak or the Oghr below.”

The Oghr growled angry. “What is the meaning of this?”

I focused on him and said. “Your vessel is now mine. Your cooperation would be welcome, but isn’t really needed.”

He said. “I am Heaz Xford, the Asgruhr of this ship. You must be out of your mind. You instigators may have had a few good days in the plains playing with the weak Drak, but your silly revolution is coming to an end very soon. Put down your weapons and surrender and I will make sure you...”

He didn’t get further; I fired and perforated his ear. He was a tough Oghr but having an ear pierced that way was driving the point home. He yelped and reached for his injured ear. Shea raised the gun and the muzzle glimmered in pre discharge mode.

He froze in his move.

I nodded. “That’s better.”

Narth stepped forward and disappeared along with the Oghr.

This frightened the Thauran woman even more and she made a step away from us and said. “Who are you?”

I said. “I am your worst nightmare, Thauran slaver scum. Now lay down on the floor, arms spread, face down. Hesitate even for a heartbeat and I’ll drill holes in you in places you would find very unpleasant.”