Chapter 4

Just then I remembered Wiz sitting anxiously over on the Loony.

"Mrs. O'Connor, my ship's engineer is very anxious to talk to you, and to examine your ship ... if it's okay with you? He feels that some of the innovations you have developed could be of great importance, and would like to speak with you as soon as is convenient."

"Of course, have him come over, and I will be glad to show him our ship. I am very proud of the way it turned out."

Later, after Wiz had rejoined us, Mike elbowed me and spoke through a laugh.

"Look at Wiz! He looks like a kid in a candy store, not knowing where to start first."

"He does look eager. If we gave him a chance, I think he would probably try to dismantle the ship just to learn all its secrets."

"Either that or try to kidnap Mrs. O'Connor for himself. I've never seen him so fascinated with another person."

At that, Tom spoke up and said, "Wait a minute, there! Desirée is my wife. Is she going to be safe with this Wiz character?"

"Relax, Tom, she's perfectly safe. It's more just a case of admiration than anything else. You see Wiz is one of those technology geniuses, and this is the first time he's ever met someone who's just as big a techie as he is."

"As long as she is safe with him. Okay, while Desirée is showing Wiz the ship, where do we go from here? I need to know when I can interrogate the prisoners. They have information pertaining to the whereabouts of Ambassador Timmons' daughter. I need this information badly, since there is a twenty-five million Galactic credit bounty on her safe return. And I'm sure that there are also bounties outstanding on the pirates."

"That's the problem. It seems we are both on the same mission, here. Our orders are also to effect a safe return of the ambassador's daughter. We will see to it that you get the bounty on the pirates. Furthermore, if you could think of a way to recover their ship you can also claim salvage rights on it. That should bring you much more than the twenty-five million credits."

"Commander, you're not really offering anything more than what we had before you showed up. Their ship was already disabled, and we were perfectly able to secure it on our own. As far as recovering the ship that would've been no problem it either since the ship is equipped with all the equipment necessary to tow another ship, as it was salvaged from a space tug."

I'm sorry but I've got orders to rescue the Ambassador's daughter and I have to follow them. I'll try to see that you get credit for the bounties' you have coming but I have my orders.

I'm sorry too, but as I'm no longer in the military and am a private citizen I'm still going after the bounty.

Just as I was getting ready to reply Sheila commed, "Commander, we've just received orders from headquarters to escort the 'Luck of the Irish' to the nearest Imperial planet. And to await the arrival of representatives of headquarters and the Imperial Department of the Defense and Shipbuilding."

"Sheila, where is the nearest Imperial planet?"

"The nearest planet is Cyrus Three, which just happens to be the home planet of the O'Connors'."

"That's just fine and dandy. Do they expect us to sit on our ass for weeks, waiting for some representative to get there? What about our main orders for the ambassador's daughter's rescue?"

Then Tom spoke up, saying, "Just wait a damn minute! I'm a civilian, now. I don't have to take orders! I'm on track to collect a large bounty, and I'm not just gonna sit on my ass and let someone else collect it first."

Sheila spoke up and said, "The representatives will be at Cyrus Three within two days. They are arriving on a 'fast courier', very much to their own discomfort. Headquarters said it was very important that they speak with you O'Connors, and examine your ship."

"How the hell do they even know about us, or our ship?"

"Sergeant Willard transmitted his basic findings to them while still on the Loony."

"I still don't see what this has to do with us?"

Sheila then said, "Anytime there's a new concept that can make our ships better, the standing orders are to report as soon as possible. That is what Sergeant Willard did when he reported the way that your ship could cloak itself from our sensors."

"So we are supposed to sit on our asses, just because they are interested our systems?"

I could see the O'Connor's were very upset about this turn of events, so I said, "This is very important to the Empire. They will make sure that you are amply rewarded, and are not losing anything."

"Not losing anything? What about the ambassador's daughter? She's still being held hostage, and I still need to rescue her!"

"Our primary orders are still the rescue of her. However, we've also received orders to hold you at Cyrus Three, until the representatives have arrived. As much as neither of us likes it, orders are orders. I think after reading your service record, you should realize this."

"I know all about that. That's why I'm no longer in the Galactic Marines. Regardless of that, the Empire has no right to detain us or our ship."

"I may agree with you. However, I still must follow orders. We can take up some of the time interrogating prisoners, after which you can turn them in for the bounties on them. Also, by the time you can tow their ship to Cyrus Three, the representatives should be there."

As we approached Cyrus Three, we noticed a fast courier ship already in the local spaceport docks. Doc and Cyndi landed the pirate vessel next to the planetary authority's office after informing them that it was a seized pirate vessel, now owned by Tom and Desirée O'Connor.

Tom was negotiating with the planetary authority on ownership of the vessel. The peacekeepers stated that they needed to thoroughly inspect the vessel, before they could release it.

When I said, "That won't be necessary. The vessel was seized during an act of piracy in open space. It is not subject to your planet's rules, regulations, or laws."

After identifying myself, and showing my ID with the Imperial Guard, they seemed satisfied.

The representatives arrived. After greeting them and introducing them to Tom and Desirée O'Connor, they seem to get quite anxious to inspect the 'Luck of the Irish' and hear about all of her improvements.

After a quick tour, we all gathered around. The representatives were truly amazed by all the improvements.

Desirée said, "I don't see what the big deal is? Most of the things I've done are just common sense!"

"Common sense? All the improvements to your ship are just amazing! How did you manage to achieve stealth characteristics by use of the ship's shields?"

"I thought that because most ship's sensors read either a positive or negative signature of a ship's shield, that that would cause our shields to form two shields one inside the other. They start as one positive and one negative then alternate back and forth just trying to create a stronger shield. However, while it was doing this, I discovered that they create a field between them. It dampens most scanner effects, including ours, and has tended to render us invisible. The best solution I could find was to calibrate our sensors to read as the fields were cycling. This wasn't the greatest cure, although it did work somewhat better."