Chapter 15: Orlan

We did dock at the same mooring arm we had used almost two years ago.

Har-Hi standing next to me at the portside main airlock and tugged at his mask. He had decided to wear the Assassin mask that came with the armor suit.

“You know we were basically still kids when we came here the first time.”

His words expressed what I was thinking perfectly.

“We aren’t kids anymore, but I think we are not exactly the experienced and seasoned officer kind either.”

Shea standing to my other side said.

“Yet the Immortal admirals let us lose and trusted us back then. She wore the same white leather outfit she had worn the last time, a shoulder free bodice of white leather, matching over knee boots and a soft flowing, floor-sweeping hooded fur cape.

Her hair tied in a ponytail and the same white half mask covering her lovely face almost to her eyes.

Narth who was also there, looked like as he did hijacking the slave transport on Itheamh port. Instead of his shroud, he wore a tight suit of reflectionless black and a re-designed Non-Corp helmet. Narth did not only carry a Nul Froth caster but a Rapier in a belt rig.

He had received training from De La Lupe and was quite good with it, after all, I still was surprised seeing him with weapons.

As always he responded to my thoughts, but lately, he often did it loudly for Shea’s and Har-Hi’s benefit.

“Shea carries a sword, Har-Hi carries two. You are hardly seen without a bladed weapon. So I decided to remember my academy training and arm myself with a rapier. A weapon I am, as you pointed out quite familiar with.”

Har-Hi nodded approvingly.

“The sword has always been with us, and you hardly see a spacer without some sort of blade, but have you not always maintained the opinion that your psionics are more than adequate as a weapon?”

Narth pointed at me.

“She is one of the most potent psi talents, and yet our Captain prefers hacking and slashing things. So I decided I give it a try.”

Har-Hi’s laugh was somewhat muffled under his mask.

“I think our Narth becomes more and more comfortable with the fine art of applied sarcasm. He describes you well.”

Shea’s beautiful eyes got a little bigger as she looked at me.

“You do have Psionic talents after all?”

“Yes, some, as it appears. I still don’t like them one bit.”

A clanging sound interrupted our banter, the mooring clamps had engaged with our hull. This was confirmed by Shaka.

“Your friendly Helmsman is happy to report, we have docked to mooring arm two of Brhama Port.”

I slapped my hand into my face and with this theatrical facepalm gesture I groaned.

“I hope there won’t be any sort of inspection. We are way to relaxed around here.”

Har-Hi said.

“We officially have the best helmsman in the entire fleet, Captain. He just came back from his latest evaluation and he is the first reaching a rating of one thousand. That is unprecedented for a living being.”

“It’s not just Shaka ... I just want to be a little more fleet sometimes.”

I saw it in her eyes that she was grinning under her mask.

“Yet it is you who has the power to change that. I doubt you really want it any other way.”

TheOther, Hans and Xon had arrived behind us. Looking at that trio of giants, I grinned.

“If I would encounter you guys like that in a dark corridor, I would be terrified to death.”

The voice of Suit said.

“Unlikely, you are many things, Captain. Headstrong, impulsive, jumping right into the middle of things, but since I have the honor and privilege to know you, you never been afraid of anything.”

“Now I am getting lectured by my own wardrobe. Let’s get going guys.”

TheOther had a hard time whispering, so I could hear him.

“Anyone or anything encountering her in a dark corridor, accidentally scaring her would be in deep trouble.”

The air lock was cleared and opened to the mooring arm tunnel leading to the actual interior of the asteroid base.

Ak Pure and six marines were on the outside in suits, making sure no one was attaching any surprises to our hull. Not that this would be easy with SHIP keeping an eye on everything, but I didn’t want to take chances. Something very small could be easily missed.

Thinking about that, I said.

“SHIP, are you certain nothing very small could be attached to you? I remember Kermac Psi Spores, and then we had electromagnetic wave riders and even Transdimensional ghosts.”

“While there are no guarantees against the unknown, Captain. We upgraded our external security procedures with all these things in mind. In addition to genuine Seenian shields, we have a new outer hull coating. It is near absolutely frictionless and magnetically repellent.”

As I stepped into the mooring arm corridor I asked.

“And that means?”

“Nothing physical can be glued, stuck or attached in any way to my skin. Anything magnetic is repelled, including mag boots.”

“I like that.”

“It was my idea.

“Tyron said.

“Circuit commented on his slick skin and complained about it, and Shea ... I mean Lt. Schwartz was then lecturing on eel skin and nanodiamond particles. I remembered an article in the library of the fifth. Circuit had Mothermachine help to come up with a manufacturing process. The result...”

“I love to hear more about it, but I think there is our welcoming committee.”

There, at about fifty meters was Mooornt, the same Bassett family member who received us last time. This time however he was meeting us right at the mooring point, instead of receiving us in his office.”

He was not alone, there was his brother Kooornt, the one buying ships. Besides six armed guards, there also was a tall half Shiss, that could not hide his nervousness.

The six guards were in a similar state of nervousness, despite their battle armor and Karthanian weapons, but then this was a corridor, and my companions created an imposing, fear-inducing presence.

I greeted the group of men.

“Is business so bad, that you have to collect the mooring fee right here?”

I snapped my gloved fingers. Hans who was carrying a heavy-looking steel box like it was made of foam plastic stepped up.

Mooornt licked his lips in a very lizard-like fashion and said.

“Welcome to Brhama Port, Captain Black Velvet. We did not come to collect the mooring fee, as a matter of fact, we gladly wave it and offer you free fuel should you need it.”

“If you are here to buy those pirate ships that left this very asteroid to intercept us, there isn’t enough left for the most desperate scavenger, sorry Mr. Kooornt.”

There was no doubt, Mooornt understood my thinly veiled accusation.

“Those were independent freelancers, not associated to us. To be frank we wondered ourselves, why they acted so quickly.”

“So, if it isn’t landing fees or spaceships, what brings you here? Wouldn’t an office of yours be more accommodating?”

“I am here to introduce you to my superior, Elkir Bassett.”

“That is an unusual place for such an introduction, I must say.”

Har-Hi pointed down the corridor at an approaching floater.

“I think that is the reason.”

The simple floater platform held eight individuals. Six armed guards, just like the ones in front of us and two official-looking men.

The Bassett, just introduced to me as Elkir, hissed something incomprehensible as he turned to see what Har-Hi was pointing at. To me he said.

“That is Kirku, my older brother. He is the father of Lia Bassett, and there is much money missing. Just so you know.”

I said.

“O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!”

Narth could not let the opportunity go.

“Our captain is quoting an old Terran author.”

And Tyron was speaking silently directly in my ear.

“The approaching Bassett has cybernetic enhancements, of Wuthof origin.”

The one identified as Kirku yelled as he came closer.

“Don’t listen to this lying bastard!”

“Listen good, Bassett boys. I came here to get answers, whatever differences you have between yourself is your business. I find it highly suspicious and quite strange for either one of you to try to intercept me and gain my support. Now since we are all here, where is Lia Bassett?”

Elkir pointed at his brother.

“She is his daughter, he ought to know!”

Kirku’s hand fell on the butt of a big blaster weapon he wore in a holster on his belt. The guards of both brothers were obviously uncertain about what to do.

He didn’t draw it just yet.

“And you are the one trying to frame me. We know why you came Pirate Bitch, to get the bounty those cursed Unions put on my daughter’s head.”

Har-Hi sighed.

“He sure has a way with words. You playing with the proverbial fire, Mr. Cyberarm.”

Kirku’s hands reached for his own head as he groaned in sudden pain.

Narth’s voice did sound distorted, and inhuman.

“He did not pay for Lia’s liberation, but he knows she has been freed and provided her with a new ship and resources. His Kermac Psi shield unfortunately burned out while I tried to deactivate it.”

“No one is perfect, my friend,” I said with an amused tone in my voice.

Elkir now did draw a blaster of his own.

“So she was here!”

Egill no longer was just the representative of a small and unimportant water world and new to all this Assembly business. He, the Narth representative and Alegar were known as the three wise men of the Assembly. Often quoted, approached and almost always asked for advice and opinion.

The former hermit of Nilfeheim could not recall seeing the Assembly as livid. Not even when the Red Dragon and the Sinister Alliance attacked Outpost 96.

He leaned a little sideways while he listened to the representative of the Nerogello addressing the Assembly regarding the extension of Space Train services into the 2nd region of the Andromeda galaxy. Alegar had become quite accustomed to the body language of the old Neo Viking, that had become his best friend.

“You are not really listening to the Nerogello, don’t you?”

“This is what Assembly business should be all about, speaking and discussing the needs and wants of Union communities. While this is technically a commercial issue and Space Train is a private enterprise, I am sure we have plenty of financial surpluses to perhaps subsidize a few stations and a line that connects the main Nerogello system with the main line.”

The Nerogello representative, almost eight foot tall pointed with both his hands towards the Nilfeheim alcove.

“Our King is very pleased with the idea suggested by representative Skallagrímsson.

“He repeated loud what Egill just said.

The old Viking flashed angrily at the completely shrouded Narth.

“Don’t try to look so innocent. I know it was you. Probably sent the guy a telepathic message.”

“One has not attempted to change ones looks to convey such a vague and difficult emotional concept. One has however used the speech to text feature of this alcove interface and sent your recommendation to the Nerogello representative. Even after sharing much of this time stream with you, one finds your linear thought process and grasp of Union affairs quite fascinating.”

“And you developed quite a sense of humor, you know exactly what I was talking about. You can’t even hide your smugness under that hood of yours.”

“One is amazed indeed.”

“I hoped we could slowly ease out of that Wise men business. I am not all too comfortable with this role they shoehorned us in.”

Alegar looked closely at the Narth.

“You know, Narth. He is right, I too can see you are quite pleased with yourself. After being around with you for almost four years now, that hood isn’t as effective as a mask as it once was.

“To Egill he said.

“They voted us into an official position, also quite a while ago. I hate to tell you, but we became quite an institution.”

“And that is exactly why I am still against it, the Assembly doesn’t need institutions.”

“Maybe it does, it is a government form that is still developing after all.”

The Assembly listened to the Finance and budget council and placed a GalNet call to the Space Train corporation. The companies CEO himself answered the call and immediately agreed to extend services to the 2nd Andromeda region, and promised to present the Assembly with a few route proposals and cost estimates.

Egill still was deep in thought and it was not about the Space Train business, so Alegar who had just returned from a trip to Saresii Prime.

“It is the prisoner liberation affair that is on your mind, is it not?”

“Not so much the event, but the reaction to it. It seems almost out of proportion.”

“I heard the news on Saresii Prime. It has been quite a caper, well planned and deep in Union space. It also involves Pirates, a subject that remains a sore issue with the Assembly. Despite the quite successful cleaning efforts of a certain granddaughter of yours.”

“It is still a minuscule affair and should not have consumed so much Assembly time. Besides everyone talks about the pirates, no one mentions the former fleet officers, agents of the Worm who also escaped the hangman’s rope.”

“You don’t think this affair was an insult against the Union itself and thus created this reaction?”

Now both the Narth and the Saresii representative paid full attention to the old man.

“We are too big, too successful to be insulted. What does the Tyranno care, if a Silver flicker calls it names?”

Alegar had to agree, his old friend was onto something.

“The representative of Dreary planet is one of the loudest voices.”

“A planet with no real resources, vast deserts, and very little water if any. Yet with a population of over a million...”

The Narth consulted GalNet.

“The Bureau of Colonist Affairs opened the planet for colonization over 500 years ago. While it is classified as a marginal garden world with a very thin atmosphere, it is indeed without valuable resources. The system is in a very thinly populated region and far from any regular space bus lines.”

Egill nodded.

“Yet he and sixty-four representatives of similar planets all over Union space have spent much time talking about the insult.”

“One does not see a connection. Sixty-four representatives from as far as the Large Magellan Cloud and Andromeda. It involves emotions and they are still quite difficult to equate, but perhaps they are affected by personal tragedies involving pirates?”

Egill shook his head slowly and held out his old PDD.

“Emotions have nothing to do with it, but profit!”