Chapter 5: Home

Holly Claymore walked towards the shuttle port. Her boots snapped on the steel deck plates of the station as she thought of her brother. Pulling one of her many com units from her waist, she started typing as she walked. Glancing up, she looked around as she finished the message. She saw a port-socket and walked over to it. Checking the list of routers on her message, she made sure they were correct. She pushed her com unit into the socket, and sent the message. The 'follow on' code erased the trail of the message, and wiped the message from the com unit.

Pulling the com out of the wall, she started walking again, and tossed the unit into the trash disposal unit. The unit made a clunking sound, and then a hissing, as the com unit was broken down into its molecular components.

With the message sent to her allies, she picked up speed. She quickly reached the shuttle port. She weaved her way through the masses to the Claymore's private docks, and walked onto the shuttle. Rubin had the children sitting in their chairs, and she smiled at all of them as she went up to the cockpit.

"Ernie, take us home," she said.

She turned around and sat down in her seat. She reached out, and took Rubin's hand in hers.

"Yes, Ma'am. Please take your seat," Ernie Morrow replied as he stared he preflight check off.

Holly heard the umbilical cords disconnect and withdraw into the shuttle, as the hatches sealed. The air scrubber came on, and fresh air flooded into the shuttle.

The shuttle dropped under the massive station, and headed for the planet below. The ship's IFF sent out its signal to the ground stations, and the shuttle was passed into the restricted sector of the planet. Thirty minutes after leaving the planet, the shuttle landed on a pad at a large estate on one of the eastern-most islands. The house that sat on the hill was ten stories tall. It had enough room for five thousand people.

Holly walked down the shuttle's ramp, and across the concourse. Behind her, her betrothed brought the new slaves to their new home. She watched as they were led to several buses. She climbed into her armored vehicle, and drove up to the house.

Norman Claymore watched as his daughter climbed out of the armored car and walked towards him.

"Hello, daughter, I heard you confronted your brother, today. Did you win?" he asked.

"I think we came to an understanding, but I won't know for a few days," she replied as she kissed his cheek.

Norman burst into laughter, and shook his head. "Girl, you are going to have to kill him and seize power, if you're going to bring this insanity to an end," he said as he patted her ass.

"I know Daddy. What he has done, is going to bring the wrath of the Alderian government down on us. When that happens, all this will be gone," Holly said as she waived her hand around to the fields.

"You are correct. That's why I have been working under the table for you. I want you to go inside. Go to my den, to my bookcase. Look for Moby Dick. Pull at the book, while you pull at the original copy of War and Peace ... by Leo Tolstoy, not the one by Mildred Buckner in 2254," he said as he rolled his wheelchair down the path to the lake.

"Father, I will do as you ask," she said and went into the house.

Walking down the hall, she passed through the living room, into the far hall. She passed door after door for the house members. She finally reached her father's library.

Going into the massive office, she looked around at the ancient furniture that had been brought all the way from Earth.

Going to the library, she searched the bookcases until she found the two books. Reaching up, she placed her hands on the two books and pulled at them. There was a clunk, and then the floor shook.

Hearing a grinding noise behind, she turned around and watched as the center of the mural that was laid in the granite floor started swirling. As it swirled, the floor suddenly dropped down forming a staircase.

Holly felt her eyebrow go up, as she walked to the stairs and looked down. Taking her first hesitant step, she started descending.

Descending three hundred steps, she took a breath and said, "Shit, how far down do I have to go?"

As soon as she caught her breath, she started again, and went another four hundred steps. She finally came out into a large room. In the center of the room was a chair, with a learning helmet above it. Across from the chair, was a large pressure door. She stood there looking around, and jumped when an image appeared before her.

"My darling Holly, if you're watching this, it means that what I have feared has befallen us. The guild has declared war on my former homeland. Before I can explain more, please pull the red handle on the wall."

She stood staring at the hologram of her mother. Then she turned around. Seeing the lever, she reached over and pulled it.

"Good, that seals the staircase so no one can disturb us nor detect your implants. Now Holly, I want you to sit in the chair, lower the helmet and sleep. You will sleep for twenty-four hours and when you awaken. You will know what to do about Raymond when you are finished.

"Also, you will need to beware of Belladonna, I mean Jenny Blackhand. Her hate will fuel her destruction. She thinks the Alderian's killed her parents, but they didn't. It was your father who killed them. He ambushed their ship, when they went to bring the Alderian Navy to our world, to stop the guilds. We were not ready for the war that was to come. If the Alderian Navy showed up, all of us would have died. So your father killed them all. I knew them ... I knew them so well. They thought what they were doing what was right. It wasn't the Alderian's that killed them, we did, and it had to be done. You will learn more, later.

"Belladonna's mother's sister told them nothing but lies. Lies that we allowed to blossom. Now it's time those lies were laid to rest, with the truth. The truth is on a chip, in the next room. Use it to tell her. She will probably try and kill you, and Raymond, and all that you protect. But it must be done. I ... I'm sorry we sent Raymond to her for training. It turned his heart black, and I know you will need to kill him. God forgive me for having one child kill the other, but Raymond is pure evil, now. He must be stopped.

"You must be careful. The guild is powerful, but with what we have provided to back you, you shall succeed. Now sit, and learn, my daughter."

"I will, Momma, I promise," Holly said as she sat down in the chair and laid back. The helmet descended and fit right over her head.

"Daughter, the first thing you are going to learn, is an ancient form of Martial Arts from Terra. It's not taught, anymore, so it will be an asset for you. It's called Ninjitsu. Learn it well. The next item will be 'military space combat'. You must learn how to command warships in combat. Also included, will be navigation, astrophysics, conventional and unconventional warfare ... space piloting, mechanized combat, tactics, theology of warfare, hyper-navigation."

"What are you planning mother?" Holly said.

"I'm sure you're wondering what I'm planning. I'm planning the return of the Tortugaians to the galaxy, as traders and defenders of the weak. This was the original policy of the pirates of Tortuga before the guilds went slave happy. Your first mission will be to wipe out the guilds. Yes, you heard me right. You must gut them of their power. The only way to do that, is to free the slaves. How to do that will be explained later.

"The second thing you must do, is to become the Queen of Tortuga, and the ruler of the system. Now, with Alderia at war with the Gormarian's, I suggest you offer them a secure sight to build ships. They are losing far too many, in the war. Read my journals, they are in the next room, and should provide you with what you need. Keep them secret and don't let anyone you don't trust with your life, have access to them. Good luck my daughter, and know that I love you."