The Unscheduled Mission (18 page)

“Sounds like normal, everyday politics, to me,” Park admitted wryly.

“Sadly, yes,” Rebbert agreed, “but since the matter of what to do about Earth and the people – Mer, Atackack and Pirates – who live here has been tabled, pending investigation, I was free to come here and see for myself.”

“So are you the official investigation committee?” Park asked.

“No,” Rebbert shook his head. “The Diet is so stuck they can’t even decide that. The good news is that gives us all a bit of breathing room while we decide about you Pirates especially.

“We call ourselves Humans,” Park told him softly, trying to keep rancor out of his voice.

“We all call ourselves Humans,” Rebbert laughed. “But I’m afraid Pirate is the designation that has been assigned to your species. It started during the initial news reports and the name stuck.”

“We could be called Terrans or Earthlings,” Park replied.

“Actually, not mentioning Earth increases the potential status of your people,” Rebbert assured him, “at least in the minds of many people. Terrans and Earthlings would be thought of as weak and the terms are derogatory to many.”

“It can be very effective to take such a term and redefine it as our own,” Park pointed out.

“Perhaps,” Rebbert replied, “but the word ‘Pirate’ denotes strength.”

“Also ruthlessness and dishonor,” Park told him.

“It has a certain romantic connotation too,” Rebbert pointed out.

“It shouldn’t” Park debated.

“Perhaps not,” Rebbert nodded politely, “but people will think what they might. What made you call yourself Black Captain McArrgh?”

“That!” Park laughed. “It was a joke, or should have been. We also have some silly, romantic notions about pirates when we come from. We have stereotypical ways we think they speak and act. Probably they were never true, but that’s the way it is. So when an
Alliance officer called me a pirate on our first encounter I sort of growled back, ‘Arrr! I be Black Captain McArrgh and all your base belong to us,’ or something along those lines. I don’t really remember the details. I was just making it up as I went.”

“All your base belong to us?” Rebbert echoed.

“It’s a very long story,” Park sighed, “and I’m not sure I could really explain it so that it makes sense.”

The two ships never quite rendezvoused in space, but
Phoenix Child
reached Van Winkle Town several hours ahead of
Pride of Dennsee
. At Lord Rebbert’s request, there were no formal welcoming ceremonies and instead he spent over an hour privately closeted with Dannet, presumably catching up with each other.

“I want to arrange to pay Dannet’s ransom,” Rebbert told Park and Arn later that evening. “Dannet has explained that institutionalized ransom is not a custom among Pirates, but I can assure you it is a time-honored and honorable system among the Alliance Worlds. In fact for you to refuse that ransom would cause Dannet and me to lose face in the eyes of our peers. To accept it would help to demonstrate your worthiness to join the
Alliance.”

“You mean, by taking your money,” Arn interpreted, “it would demonstrate that we are civilized blokes fit to invite over for tea?”

Rebbert smiled. Evidently Arn’s humor translated into the future better than Park’s. “Essentially,” Rebbert nodded, “that is the case. Now Dannet’s ransom is normally a set amount, based on his station as heir to the throne of Dennsee. Since you are not members of the Alliance, that amount is subject to some negotiation, but we should keep it at least as high as it normally is.

“The rest of your hostages,” Rebbert continued. “Yes, I know you don’t think of them as hostages, but they too have set amounts of ransom. Naturally theirs is not as high as Dannet’s but their worlds do owe you whatever we agree for them.”

“I don’t like the idea of accepting ransom,” Park began, adding, “No offense intended, it just is not our way, but if we must I think it best that we accept the standard valuations. To demand less, I understand, is as much an insult as refusing to accept any and while demanding more may be deemed a compliment in some quarters, it would also make us seem unduly greedy and that is not a reputation we want either.”

“I had hoped you would see it that way,” Rebbert nodded. “There are times when extraordinary ransom terms might be expected, but I do not think this is one of them. But whether you like the custom or not, the ransom money will give you Pirates a financial stake in the galactic economy and can be used to build credit among our banks.”

“It will only be of use if we are allowed out of the system,” Arn pointed out.

“It can be used for your advantage even if you have to hire agents to handle it for you,” Rebbert told him.

“I usually like handling my own money,” Arn told him. “That way I know what’s going to happen to it.”

“My agents are quite trustworthy,” the Lord of Dennsee replied.

“You’re a very important man and you are on the scene,” Arn retorted. “I’m not so important to your
Alliance and if my chosen agent decided to abscond with our money, there is nothing at the moment we could do about it.”

“But we’re working on that,” Park added.

Just then an alarm sounded. “I’m getting tired of those bells and sirens,” Arn complained. “I wonder if I could replace them with the chimes from an old ice cream seller’s truck.”

“Then you’d never be able to eat ice cream again,” Park told him.

Arn twiddled with his torc and spoke a command, “Report!”

“Another incoming spaceship, sir,” came the reply.

“We have ships coming and going from the Moon to and from the outer system all the time,” Arn pointed out irritably.

“This one is coming here from the Moon, sir. We never saw it arrive, but it’s the biggest ship we’ve spotted to date.”

“On my way,” Arn replied and broke the connection. “Sorry about this, Lord Rebbert, but I have to run.” He got up and sprinted for the door.

“What’s the matter?” Rebbert asked.

Dannet replied, “A large warship was just spotted heading from Earth to the Moon.” Arn’s conversation had been in English, so when Park looked surprised, Dannet explained “I haven’t had much to do, but read since I got here, but most of your library is in English. Marisea taught me and several others who were interested.”

While Dannet was answering, Iris moved over to the comm. and made a call to the Spaceport.

“Okay, I just assumed you were using your implants to translate,” Park replied.

“I suppose I could have used them for the spoken language, but they don’t help when reading unless you program them in the required language,” Dannet told him. “I’m not a programmer and I don’t have any way to install a new program here in any case.”

“Maybe we should all go to the spaceport,” Iris suggested, hanging up the comm. set. “Apparently this new ship will be in Earth orbit or in the process of landing or just dropping bombs in two hours.”

“Damn!” Park swore. “And
Phoenix Child
is a sitting duck on the runway. I’d hope to get her out of here when something like this happened, but she’s not ready to fly again so soon.”

“Have someone on board with the plating active,” Iris suggested. “If there is trouble, the ship will not be harmed.”

“The stasis plating?” Dannet asked. “Have you perfected it?”

“Where did you hear about that?” Park asked. “I thought we were keeping that hushed up.”

“Everyone’s been talking about it for months,” Dannet replied.

“No secrets on this base,” Park nodded. “Well, so much for being coy. It’s not quite what we were hoping for, but she can probably withstand any normal attack. Still, I was hoping to take someone by surprise with it.”

“I haven’t told anyone about it,” Dannet replied. “I only reported those things you made clear were to be passed on. As a hostage I shouldn’t have been sending reports to Luna at all, but since you asked…”

“I see,” Park nodded. “Well, Iris is right. We should go see what’s happening, and inside
Phoenix Child
may be the safest place for all
Alliance personnel.”

Park had all the hostages and all of Rebbert’s people assembled and loaded into
Phoenix Child
before rushing to the control room. Much to his consternation however, Dannet and Rebbert insisted on joining him there. “I wanted to keep you two safe,” he grumbled as they arrived in Control.

“We may be of more value here,” Rebbert replied, “and we do not yet know if there is any trouble.”

“What ship is approaching?” Dannet asked a Mer at a radar screen.

“Unknown, sir,” the Mer replied. “They have their beacon turned off.”

“That’s illegal,” Dannet replied.

“Do you want to arrest them or should I, sir,” the Mer shot back. “We have identified it as a Carrier-class ship. She cannot land, but she has twenty warships that can.”

Dannet whistled loudly. “She can also drop bombs on us if she wishes. How did she get into the system without anyone noticing?”

“We think she used the Moon as cover and came in on a fast parabolic course,” Arn told him. “We aren’t sure if she is ignoring hails or just hasn’t heard us yet, though.”

Dannet suggested a frequency and they tried it.

“This is the
Alliance ship,
Quaestor
,” came the long awaited reply. “We shall be placing ourselves in Earth orbit until further notice.”

Rebbert stepped over and took up the microphone, “This is Lord Rebbert II of Dennsee,
Quaestor
. Explain yourself.”

There was a long silence until, “This is Captain Tennsoma Worrac, Lord Rebbert. I might ask the same thing. What is the Lord of Dennsee doing on Earth?”

“Conducting an investigation on behalf of the Confederation Diet, Captain,” Rebbert replied coldly, “if that is any business of yours.”

“I’ve heard of this Captain Worrac,” Dannet whispered to Park and Iris. “Her reputation is, uh, quite ruthless and she is fanatically loyal to the Allliance.”

“Aren’t you loyal to the
Alliance?” Park asked.

“Of course,” Dannet replied, “but not unthinkingly so.”

“What a coincidence, my lord,” Captain Warrac replied almost sarcastically. “I have a passenger who tells me that he was sent here by the Diet too. Are you acquainted with Pakha Grintz?”

“I have had the honor,” Rebbert replied, not betraying any emotion as he spoke.

“Well, perhaps you will be able to get reacquainted when he and his staff arrive there in two local days,” the captain replied. “
Quaestor
out.” She broke the connection.

“This is not good,” Rebbert told the others. “Not at all good. Our enemies on the Diet must have waited for most of us to leave and then reconvened to appoint the Pakha. He is generally only sent to investigate situations where a military solution is expected.”

“Putting one of your largest warships overhead doesn’t exactly score points for tact and subtlety,” Park replied.

“The Pakha always travels on a carrier when on duty. If he decides military action is needed, he won’t wait for further Diet approval,” Rebbert told him.

“And Captain Worrac has destroyed cities on a dozen worlds of the
Alliance periphery,” Dannet added. “I had not heard she had been brought here to the relative center.”

“You’ve been a little cut off lately,” Park told him.

“Park,” Arn cut in. “I want all our defenses ready again, same arrangement as last time. Any ships that come here will be in the crosshairs from the time they appear in the sky until they leave again.”

“We’ll land them on the new strip then,” Park decided, “and keep
Phoenix Child
pointed at them, just in case. But if it’s going to be two days we can get everyone off the ship and back into their usual accommodations. Um, why did you call him ‘the Pakha?’” he asked Rebbert.

“Pakha is a title,” Rebbert replied. “I’m going to check his credentials closely though. I doubt he would lie about such a thing, but the Diet was declared officially out of session for a month just before I left. I want to know how he got his appointment.”

“The Prime Speaker can make such an appointment during an emergency,” Dannet pointed out.

“This is not an emergency and if Hargrits Munz has dared to declare it as one, I will do everything I can in my power to see him impeached,” Rebbert swore.

The next day was a hectic bundle of nerves as everyone prepared for the arrival of Pakha Grintz. Up in orbit, five normal-sized ships detached themselves from
Quaestor
and took up evenly spaced positions over Earth. And while all that was going on. Doctor Henim Farns, the archaeologist, asked to speak with Park in his rarely used office in Van Winkle Base. At first Park was tempted to put the elderly archaeologist off, but then he decided that the gentleman might be as worried about the ships in orbit as everyone else was. That turned out not to be the case.

“Come in, Doctor,” Park invited the man when he knocked on the office door. “What can I do for you this afternoon?”

“I’m sorry for taking up your time,” the archaeologist apologized. “It seems even busier outside than usual.”

“It appears we have an official investigator from the Confederation Diet coming,” Park explained, suddenly realizing the man had been so deeply involved with his studies he had not even realized there was anything happening that was out of the ordinary.

“Really?” Farns asked. “Whatever for? Oh, the incident with Jance, I’ll bet. Well, be sure to have them talk to me. I’ll tell them he caused all the problems here.”

“I didn’t think you took much notice of him,” Park commented.

“I didn’t,” Farns admitted, “But it is obvious he must have started the trouble.”

“Evidently the Diet is not as sure of it as you are,” Park replied blandly. “So it that wasn’t why you asked to see me…”

“Oh no,” Farns shook his head. “I wanted to let you know what I’ve learned so far, but if you have all this other business on your head, it can wait.”

“No, Doctor,” Park shook his head, “I could use a pleasant break. Please continue.”