Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 3 - New Shores (12 page)

He could also see other vehicles and boats that were lined up under a large patio along the back fence. In moments James was inside the main house by using the security card on a side door, and heading towards one of the larger front rooms. He then encountered a Banger in the kitchen, who turned from an open fridge as James shot him three times in the chest and head.

All the time the loud heavy metal music continued to reverberate through the house and James slowed his breathing down as he loaded another clip. It would not help the girls if he got himself killed now. He moved carefully through the front rooms and spent several seconds listening to establish that they must all be in the large bedroom. James turned off the lounge room light and then slowly opened the bedroom door with his left hand, as he held the gun tight in his right hand.

James did not pause to look at what was happening as he dropped to a knee and fired two shots at the tall Banger looming over Rachael, who was kneeling on the floor at the end of the bed. The Banger collapsed in a bloody heap and thrashed for a moment, even as James fired two more shots at the two men tearing at Amanda as she lay pinned on the bed.

The larger Banger took a bullet to the head and soundlessly dropped to the bed. The smaller Banger, still a larger man than James, fell from the bed and backed into the corner of the bedroom with his good arm clutching his shoulder, even as James now stood and killed him with two more shots. James paused and was fixed to the spot as the reaction to what had happened now set in. He nearly dropped the gun for a moment as his eyes took in the dead men.

Amanda quickly jumped from the bed, paused for a moment to wipe some blood splattered on her arm, and then took the gun from him. As he looked down at Rachael, she had slowly climbed to her feet and moved into his arms. He wordlessly folded his sister into the hug he gave his fiancée and said nothing for several seconds.

A loud section of the music then brought him to his senses and Rachael whimpered again in fright in his arms. James retrieved his handgun as he steered both girls towards his four wheel drive with his arms around the both of them. As soon as he could hear himself think he asked the girls if they needed to go hospital. Amanda replied first as she pointed to the security camera and made a futile attempt to straighten her torn tunic.

‘James, I think we are both okay, but more Bangers could turn up soon. We have to get away from here and probably out of the state for awhile.’

Rachael now spoke and she sounded on the edge of hysteria, even as James held her tight and looked with concern under light from the gatehouse at the large bruise marring her left cheekbone.

‘They will seek us out and kill all of our families if they can recognise us from their security footage. They will pay off who ever it takes to deal with us. Even the police will be of limited help.’

James again felt the steel resolve he had felt earlier as he looked at the gatehouse, and he knew that the well intentioned police would not be enough to protect them. He looked at the club house again, and as he gave instructions, he handed Amanda his car keys.

‘Both of you take my four wheel drive and go to Vic Mitchell and his family at the airport. I delivered pizzas out there tonight as they are going through that gateway very soon. Do not call anyone or go home, just go now and I will see you there shortly.’

Amanda wanted to argue, but she had the sense to back off as she felt the fury boiling now in James. She got Rachael into the car and they carefully drove off towards the airport. James watched them go for a moment before he raced down to the back of the house. The Banger four wheel drive was a late model diesel with a nearly full tank, and the keys were in the ignition. No doubt the now dead men had enough reason to feel secure in their own home. He grabbed a torch from the car and quickly made an inspection of the back yard, and found it to be a treasure trove.

James crossed to the seven metre express cruiser and quickly rejected it, as the inboard cover was off and the engine was removed. He looked at the next boat and realised that it was a sleek and modern eight metre trailer sail boat with a small inboard engine. He quickly verified that boat hull was intact, the mast was present and that trailer was capable of being towed. In minutes he had the four wheel drive reversed, and the trailer hitched up, before he slowly made his way in the car down the drive and then out past the front gate.

James stopped the car and quickly made his way back to the rear of the compound again. He had spotted a few jerry cans in a small open tool shed next to the long patio. He grabbed the two heaviest jerry cans and carried them to the front gate, pausing to pick up a large bucket along the wall on the way. James then left one jerry can at the gate, and entering the gate house carrying the second jerry can. He quickly spotted the security camera setup, complete with hard drives, in an open wall rack.

James then emptied several litres of fuel from the jerry can into the bucket before sealing the jerry can and leaving it well outside the door. Returning inside, he then threw the bucket in one fluid move at the wall rack and raced for the door. A solid rush of air pushed him out the door as the hot electronics ignited the petrol and it exploded into a wall of flame. James did not even stop to look as he gathered the jerry cans and hurriedly made his way to the four wheel drive. In moments he had the two jerry cans stored behind the front seats and he slowly drove off towards the airport.

                                                            ***

Chapter 6

Omerio had arrived several hours earlier at the site of the former Dradfer main colony. He had made his way directly to the far larger Cephrit and Deltas Vass fleets orbiting further out from the Barus cruiser squadron and the research ships. The Barus agent ignored repeated hails from the Admiral Baredio to come first to the Barus cruiser squadron.

Omerio had then spent a considerable amount of time in the board room of the Cephrit flagship talking to the Cephrit station master who was now attached to the Cephrit fleet. He found it interesting that only two Deltas Vass drones were present at the meeting. He did note that they were concerned with the station master now telling Omerio that the involvement of the Maveen was confirmed.

The station master had at first not made a sound apart from a clicking noise that he remembered from his training to be a sign of both panic and hot anger. The station master had been joined after a short delay by several senior Cephrit officers with two silent Deltas Vass drones, and Omerio had to start his story over again. The senior Cephrit male had used the start over to quickly go though Omerio’s logs, and he pointed out a series of gaps in the later parts of his recordings to Omerio.

The Barus trader replied slowly and clearly with his story as he knew that any confusion on his part could be seen as guilt or deception by the Cephrit in their foul mood. After repeating his story verbatim a third time, a fleet officer left the room and returned a short time later to interrupt the meeting.

‘Senior sirs, the specific damage to the Barus scout matches the account of Omerio we see in front of us. The ship is hardly space worthy and Omerio will have to go aboard either our own fleet or join the Barus fleet.’

Omerio now was asked to wait in the corridor as excited chirrs erupted from the assembled Cephrit officers in their own strange language. The Cephrit station master and the Two Deltas Vass drones silently watched him leave before turning to the Cephrit fleet master. The drones again remained silent as the station master now spoke quietly in his soft chirring voice.

‘I believe the body of his account on the malicious actions by the Tilmud. The use of the Voorde scourge is an act of war against our interests. I think Omerio is misdirecting us about how he survived, but I feel that he is not out to do damage to us.’

The fleet master considered the station master’s views carefully as he made his own concise reply.

‘My views are similar station master. He is up to something and we will get the knowledge of it after we deal with the treacherous Tilmud. For now he may return unhindered to the Barus squadron.’

Omerio was summoned back in to the board room and was informed of the group decision, before being thanked for providing the information to the Cephrit. As he left the meeting he was escorted to his ship by the station master himself, who chirred softly once they were alone.

‘Omerio know that we are grateful and appreciative of your important information, and you will leave here amply rewarded. However our suspicions have been activated by your surprise survival against the Tilmud frigates. I must know if there is any risk to the Cephrit by whatever agency aided you?’

Omerio paused and looked at the Cephrit as he framed a careful reply.

‘The galaxy is a big place station master, and what may seem commonplace and trustworthy, like the Tilmud, is anything but so. Conversely the unknown that we fear or have reasons to distrust may actually be our greatest friends in the strategic sense. I put great emphasis on the strategic sense station master. Finally I thank you for the news of the Maveen.’

The Cephrit paused for a moment to consider the statements and Omerio activated the hatch to his ship. The Barus trader and the Cephrit station master bowed to each other as the Cephrit chirred a polite good bye.

‘You have a safe and profitable journey Omerio, until we meet again.’

Omerio undocked his damaged ship and made the slow journey across to the Barus flagship cruiser. As he checked over his still damaged ship he saw that his ship’s hold now held a fortune in rare metals, and a quick check of his ship computer revealed a large increase in his funds. Also he noted that the last comment of the station master had not included the traditional farewell were the blessing of the Zronte and adherence to their edicts were stated. Omerio pondered the significance of that omission as he contacted the Barus cruiser to request landing clearance.

                                                            ***

Captain Narindestat fumed as he looked over the detailed status report of the damaged aero spike engine. The standard diagnostics indicated the engine was fine, but when the captain had fired up the engine in test mode the fail safes kept shutting the engine down. Marenkestat then had cautiously stuck his head through the wide access hatch as the engine had stopped moving, and reporting seeing one of the heavy brackets holding the primary shaft actually flexing slightly from side to side. The captain actually yelled at that point in frustration.

‘This cannot be happening and we will never get off this backwater at this rate!’

He had then ensured the engine starter was offline and now replaced Marenkestat in the access hatch.

Narindestat gave the primary shaft a hearty smack with his gloved hand and swore volubly in Trader tongue. Garendestat and Marenkestat moved off a short distance as the captain, now in a foul mood exited the access hatch and looked around as he spoke.

‘The pressure differentiation from our submersion has actually cracked the rear and central supports for the primary shaft. I have never seen that even after a pitched battle in my earlier ships after which we then limped home.’

The captain now looked thoughtful for several moments, as he turned to regard the two younger Traders and put them to work again.

‘How Halbindestat and his team missed it I will never know, nice find Marenkestat. Now you and Garendestat will both need to access our engineering spares and see if we have anything suitable to replace the brackets. And of course now Halbindestat and his best engineers are not available.’

Garendestat made a quiet comment as he turned to go.

‘Sir, we should really wait until the proper engineers are back with us, a botched repair of this type of job would be lethal. Even if we could speak with Lieutenant Damofestat in the hyper drive module, we could adequately prepare the equipment we need for repairs.’

Captain Narindestat fixed his son with a cool look as he replied.

‘Yes lieutenant and son, thank you for telling me something I needed to know. I am aware of Damofestat’s solid background in engineering. I will talk to the lieutenant as you two look at the spares.’

The two younger Traders ignored the break in command protocol offered by the captain saying ‘lieutenant and son’ and left the service way next to the aero spike engine at a fast clip. The captain thought frantically about how they were going to get over this specific problem as he hurried to the ship’s bridge.

                                                            ***

Omerio was walking along the side corridor to the bridge of the Barus flagship, when a crew member further down the corridor excitedly pointed out a nearby window.

‘The Cephrit are breaking orbit. The unnamed ones must be returning to their star bases.’

Omerio looked out of the window and paused in his stride, as he observed the Cephrit fleet slowly move away from the Deltas Vass ships still in orbit. The crew member guiding him also paused for a moment before speaking.

‘This way Commander, the admiral does not like to be kept waiting.’

Omerio resumed his stride towards the bridge of the cruiser he could have found blind folded as he coolly replied.

‘Thank you but I no longer hold my rank in the Barus Fleet.’

In moments the two Barus were in the meeting room behind the bridge and Admiral Baredio looked up from his desk to dismiss the crew member.

‘Thank you ensign and you may now go.’

The ensign sketched a text book salute and withdrew quickly after closing the door. Omerio surveyed the familiar room with the expensive currulden wood desk and the two large arm chairs in front of the desk. Admiral Baredio turned his attention back to Omerio and paused for a moment to appraise his nephew. He then stood up and walked over to rest his huge hand on Omerio’s shoulder for a moment, before he steered Omerio into one armchair and took a seat himself in the second armchair.