Page 12 of Star Cruise Captain's Story

The young woman came forward as he lowered his blaster, which he’d unholstered to keep them from attempting to rush him. As he relocked the cage door, she grabbed the scratchy blankets. “Thank you,” she whispered.

With difficulty he kept himself from saying anything else and stalked toward the exit.

The next day he returned with the med robot and one other mercenary to stand guard while he and the robo checked on the three women. The one who was sick was quite a bit improved today, although her mood was somber.

“If you’re going to kill us anyway, you should have let me die from the infection,” she said, limp and listless, enduring the robot’s exam and probes with her eyes shut.

Gil had no good answer to provide so he stayed silent. Once he was done with the women, he considered his next steps.His fellow thug was engrossed in a game on his handheld, not paying much attention, bored by his current assignment. Reaching a decision, Gil stepped to the first cage, which held four men of varying ages and conditions. Gesturing with his blaster, he said, “Go to the back of the cage and come forward one at a time to be checked over. Don’t try anything dumb or my pal here will shoot to wound. You’d live to be handed over but you’d sure as hell suffer.”

The men glared at him but seemed too cowed to mount any resistance. The robo moved into the cage and floated, lights flashing. Gil crooked his finger at the first man, who shuffled up to stand beside the robot and directed an angry glare at Gil. The med unit made quick work of the exams, whistling and beeping, mini alarms going off at all the problems it identified with its scans. Since the doctor had shown him how to operate the unit, Gil hit the reset tab and said,

“I need them to stay alive for the next few days. Do whatever’s needed to ensure that and ignore all the longer term issues.”

Even though the robot didn’t have an AI unit with a faux personality, it radiated distaste for the assignment, versus being able to provide actual comprehensive care. As far as Gil could tell, it gave each man a couple of injects meant to bolster their immune systems and rehydrate them. The same routine went on the in the second cage with the other three men, although the youngest one acted nervous and as if he was going to try rushing Gil and going for the blaster. Gil fired a warning shot into the deck by the hostage’s foot. The sound echoed in the cavernous hold and startled the other mercenary out of his game, drawing his own weapon and staring at the prisoners wildly.

“What the seven hells, Clint?” he said.

“The guy was getting antsy.” Gil slammed the cage door shut as the robot exited. He escorted the unit to Daveed’s cageand recited the spiel again, telling his brother to stand at the rear of the cage. His rage at his brother’s condition simmered throughout his body and Gil had to fight his own urge to kill the other mercenary and try to get Daveed out but the odds of success made the idea futile. His only choice here was to maintain his cover and play the part.

The whole time the robo was treating Daveed his brother stared at him. Although they didn’t share a telepathic bond, Gil could tell his sibling thought he was crazy to have risked himself to be here but was grateful and ready to back any play Gil wanted to make. Quietly Gil instructed the robo to do a more in-depth treatment for Daveed than he had authorized for the others but realistically nothing could be done here in the hold that could undo the effects of starvation and torture which his brother had undergone.When we get home to the Sectors I’ll move the stars to get him a session in a rejuve resonator. The military owe him that much.The idea was comforting but the odds of their ever making it to the safety of the Sectors were slim.

The encounter was over, the robot had done what it could, and Gil had to lock the cage door and leave his brother a prisoner yet again.

“Took you long enough,” his partner grumbled, pausing the game in mid-explosion. “I ain’t doing this again tomorrow. Get someone else. This is a shit detail—anything to do with the cargo on this run is. And no extra pay for babysitting the damn robo.”

“You got that right,” Gil said with intentional irony. “I was only ordered to treat them this one time so yeah, your schedule tomorrow is clear. Live it up, buddy.”

The man flipped him off and preceded Gil and the robo out of the hold. Tempted as he was to take a final look, Gil forced himself to follow without indulging his need to see his brother one more time. He’d done all he could do today.

CHAPTER SIX

Three days later…

This was the second raucous bar Maeve and her escorts Jake and Red had entered on the planet Pagettia Three tonight. TheValkyrie Revengesat in orbit with Jayna and Owen in reserve as backup if anything untoward happened during the bar crawl. Theo, Emily and Tyrelle were in the control chamber, monitoring traffic in orbit and to and from the planet’s surface, and the subaural comlink.

Operating on the assumption Gil had been successful in his plan to infiltrate a gang, and having garnered sufficient intel through a combination of Jake’s resources and Maeve’s contacts to know the hostages including Daveed Fleming had been moved to this planet, the next goal was to find the captain and combine resources. Maeve assured them Gil would be spending the evening in one bar or another with his new cronies, maintaining his cover. He hadn’t been at the first one they’d hit but her hopes were high for the second place. There were more of course. Any world with a population of mercenaries and unsavory people like the terrorists was bound to have a plethoraof establishments catering to their needs. Her intel indicated these two bars were the favorite watering holes for Arturo Main’s gang members and he was the most likely candidate for accomplishing Daveed’s transfer here.

All guesswork but as she stepped inside the smoky, noisy bar, Maeve knew Gil was close by. Jake directed her and Red to a table against the wall and sent Red to the bar to get them their first round of drinks. “He’s here,” Maeve said quietly to Jake while waiting for their feelgoods to be served. “I can sense him.”

Leaning back in his chair as if he hadn’t a care in the world, Jake surveyed the bar, which was huge. There were gaming tables in an alcove and even a dance floor, with a few couples moving in time to the loud music. Mostly there were tables and tables of men and women drinking and smoking illicit substances. Raised voices caught Maeve’s attention and she watched in surprise as a fight broke out. Knives were flashing, women were catcalling and people were making bets as the opponents circled each other and one drew first blood.

“If the bouncers weren’t about to break this up, I’d bet on the black-haired guy,” Jake said casually.

Red arrived with the drinks just as the four huge bouncers used stunners on the combatants and dragged them outside the bar, apparently leaving the men in a heap in the street. Like ripples on a lake, the crowd dispersed, reverting to whatever they’d been doing before the brief excitement.

“I’ll know to bet on the bouncers next time,” Maeve said, taking her drink from Red with a nod.

Leaning over so his lips were right next to her ear, he whispered, “The captain’s here. Don’t look now but he’s at a table in the rear, with a bunch of thugs.” The words sped over the subaural com to Jake and their team above in orbit.

Raising his own feelgood bottle to his lips, Jake took a long pull and surveyed the room, his gaze not lingering on anyonein particular, and said, “Got him. Seems pretty comfortable.” He slapped Maeve on the rear. “Why don’t you go select some music for us, sweetheart? Something livelier than what’s on the system currently?”

Since she was supposed to be their girlie as far as anyone watching was aware, Maeve wasn’t the least bit upset. “Sure thing, boss,” she said, leaning over to run one long finger over the edges of his ear and then kissing his neck. “You gonna dance with me?”

“Maybe later. If you’re a good girl,” Jake said.

Maeve left the table and headed for the music controller across the dance floor. Leaning on it provocatively she studied the song selections and ultimately fed the machine a few credits to play her choices next in its queue. She felt a warm presence at her back and an arm circled her waist.

“Want to dance?” The question was a breath of air on her ear and she turned into Gil’s arms with a smile.

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