The Asking Price of Stars Read online

  Fat looked across his desk with sweat dripping off his face and said, “Gorgeous, rip off your clothes and join me on the couch and any information I have is yours. Otherwise my fee is a hundred imperials and that’s a discount because Sam sent you.”

  Centari calmly sipped the ice-cold beer just served to her and responded, “Fifty total, half of it upfront and half if the information is good. You can keep your damn couch for the whores down stairs.” She licked the foam off of her upper lip.

  “Done,” Fat replied starring at her tongue and lips.

  Centari sat her beer on the table and plugged in her data pack and transferred the funds to Fat’s data pack. Next, she transferred two groups of pictures to Fat’s data pack. The first was enlargements of the lens doc from the girl’s eye with the letter of intent engraved into it. The second was several pictures of Auntie Tara and information on dates that she may have been at Horizon.

  Nirabella and Spider sat waiting for Fat’s information as he sipped a fresh cold beer and began.

  “Rarkiikar Clovis hired the young assassins to get Commander Jang’s data pack. Why I don’t know but they offered good money for the pack.”

  “Who is Rarkiikar Clovis?” Nirabella asked.

  “Not ‘who’, but ‘what’ is the question,” Fat corrected. “Is the term ‘Rarkiikar’ unfamiliar to you? Rarkiikars are independent operations within the Empire who provide information, security, mercenaries, and assassins and, only the gods know what else, to the few who can afford them. They are ancient and secretive groups. Rarkiikar Clovis is one of the few headed by a human. I have no idea why they wanted your Commander’s data pack. I place my life at risk by telling you even this much.”

  “Thank you for the information,” responded Nirabella, “What did you find about the lady that was in the photos?”

  “My source in Station Records found a lady very much like your pictures who arrived during the 5th month as a passenger on a transport named Running Dog. The lady’s docs gave the name Jane Star, which is a rather common name. She rented rooms for a week with a woman called Jennifer Wolf and then she disappeared. The records show Jennifer listed her profession as Special Heath Therapist. I think you know what that means. Let me give you the location where Jennifer works if she is still on Horizon.”

  *********

  Tracey expected the guards or the General himself to kill the old man. However, they showed him great diffidence and helped him to the center chair.

  After sitting down the old man continued, “Commander Jang you, your officers and crew are a major disappointment. Commander, I had great hopes for you based on the fact you reached Horizon at all, much less, with a costly live cargo intact. Also, the kills Ms. Watkins and Sergeant Freeborn made on the space station were impressive. I expected to recruit the Outcast Lady for our pirate fleets. Reports of your crew’s kills on Pangerbar –which was nice work by Light Freeborn - and the defense of the White Star on Martha’s Hide, - Kat's wild counter-attack and Peter's brilliant missile launch - lead me to believe the crew of Outcast Lady was the stuff of pirates.”

  “However, your actions here at camp totally disqualify you from consideration,” the old man continued. “Each of you treated myself and the other bound laborers with respect and kindness. No one who shows such humanity to the old and frail is fit to serve in my fleets. I talked to each of you and your main concerns were not money, power, killing and sex, but rather the mission of the ship, the safety of the cargo and your crewmates. You are UNFIT! Totally and completely UNFIT!”

  The guard on the right exclaimed. “Lord Erasmus Sunstar, Prime Minister of Horizon, God of the Fleets, and Lord of Wealth and Power has spoken!”

  Kat appealed, “High Lord Sunstar I ask that--”. He was cut off when the lady to the left of Lord Sunstar raised her hand. She was small, dark haired, with a heart shaped face and of an indeterminate age. She was human but dressed in the traditional flowing blue and orange Trocnavar robes. Two black and gold striped c-cats sat at her feet.

  “Commander Jang, do not make things worse by speaking.” The woman instructed.

  Warlord Garman Rayyan rose and spoke, “Tomorrow at high mid-day, two of your crew will fight my son Major Karrack Rayyan. He is bigger, quicker and stronger than me and is called the ‘Hand of Death’ by his troops. You will be transported to the volcano crater. The battle will take place on an ancient stone arena at the edge of the crater. You will fight unarmed. If two of you can push Karrack into the volcano, victory is yours. By first light you will state which of your crew will fight. Should one or more of you survive; the Lady here will talk to you about the future. The gods have given Major Rayyan victory nine times; the gods will give him more!”

  Welcome to Horizon. Nice really nice, how can we be so damn lucky? Cici thought. That thought passed quickly and she then volunteered to fight.

  As soon as they were locked in quarters, Peter said, “I am the strongest here, I volunteer to fight.”

  Light and Shadow each said, “We should fight we’re quick and have killed in the streets.”

  Tracey then said, “I am both quick and strong I should be one of our fighters.”

  Kat, as the Commander declared that he should fight. And so, it went, all of them volunteering to fight Karrack Rayyan in the volcano. The debate lasted two hours.

  *********

  Nirabella, Spider and Centari found themselves not in some sullied slum but at an elegant club on the golden beach kilos south of the city. The Sea Goddess Club was tucked in among the private estates that lined the beach. The club offered both women and men to those clients who could afford the prices.

  Nirabella, Spider and Centari were looking for a whore named Jennifer. All three were heavily armed, or as heavily armed as one could be in beachwear. Nirabella was dressed in a light summer rap. Spider and Centari wore string bikinis but carried oversized beach bags.

  They landed in the mini-lifter which ensured a certain dazzle; not everyone arrived in their own lifter. With thoughts of Imperial coin as tips, the club staff rushed to help Nirabella and her companions. A ‘guide’ began showing them the facilities and the available merchandise. The guide’s name was Dean. He was tall, fit, with striking black hair. After the tour and sitting in the bar on the beach Dean asked, “What are you ladies looking for? We have everything, even specialists in Nu-terriia fur orbs.”

  Nirabella replied, “We have heard one of your ladies; Jennifer Wolf is exceptional.”

  “You want only one lady for all three of you? Are you a triple?” Dean asked.

  “Yes, and perhaps,” Nirabella coyly replied.

  Dean called over one of the bar girls and told her to go find Jennifer. As they waited Nirabella studied the patrons in the beach bar. It was filled with traders, bankers, and estate holders, both male and female in swimwear designed to cover bodies past their prime. There were male and female officers, mercenary commanders, pirate leaders and contract killers showing off hard bodies and Kill Dots. The final group of customers was composed of couples of various ages and body types wearing less than they should. Four tables away a fat man was holding his female’s hand while they were serviced under the table.

  Welcome to Horizon, Nirabella thought.

  Jennifer casually sauntered up to their table. She was not what Spider expected. Jennifer was tall with a full figure and legs which seemed to go on forever. Short brown space cut hair framed a handsome face with eyes hazel resembling storm tossed seas. Spider thought, older than expected, mid-thirties. Good looking but no great beauty. She must be damn good in bed for this club to keep her.

  “Why don’t you join us?” Nirabella asked enticingly while offering Jennifer a chair. Within a few social pleasantries, Nirabella had arranged for Jennifer’s time during the afternoon and Spider ordered a private beach cabana.

  The cabana opened on one side to the ocean. The ‘ladies’ sat comfortably in the pillow lined cabana and talked about ‘lady’ subjects. Centari was on guard, ho
wever feeling uncomfortable with the setting and seemingly mindless conversation. Jennifer asked numerous questions from the other three and Nirabella and Spider answered many of the questions. At an appropriate time when all the ladies appeared relaxed, Nirabella showed Jennifer the pictures of Auntie Tara and asked, “Do you know her? Do you know where she is?”

  Jennifer sipped her drink and sat for a long time appearing lost in thought. Finally, she said with no regard to answering the question, “Let’s strip off our suits, walk out into the water and enjoy the sunset out there.” The ladies were not self-conscious as they stripped off their suits, under garments and shoes and ran down to the water’s edge.

  The four of them waded into the low surf. Jennifer turned to them and said, “I believe sea water is very hard on electronic devices. Also, the noise of waves makes it difficult to pick up sound. Do I have your assurance while you are on Horizon or the space station that you will never discusses or reveal what I tell you?”

  Each in turn said, “Yes, you have my pledge.”

  To an unconcerned beach goer, there were just four attractive naked women frolicking in the surf.

  Jennifer began her story, “Yes I know her, and yes I may have some idea of where she went. Here is what I know ---”

  *********

  Tracey looked around her. The air was thin and ice cold on the volcano top. The platform was thirty meters square and built with finely fitted granite stone work. A large fire blazed in the center of the pit. The north side of the arena opened to the edge of crater. Wisps of smoke emerged from the hot lava below. Low stone walls defined the other three sides. Behind the walls, tiers of seats rose up. A thousand or more spectators jammed the seats yelling for the fight to begin.

  Half an hour earlier they unloaded from a big lifter and marched into a holding area just behind the low wall on west side of the arena. One of the guards told them, “If your two fighters put up a good show before they die, The High Lord may let the rest of you live.”

  High Lord Sunstar, now resplendent in white fur, arrived carried in a sedan chair. On his left walked Warlord Rayyan, in full dress blue and orange uniform with a cape of Weldon Lion skin. To Lord Sunstar’s right walked the Lady wrapped in a many colored Trocnavar feathered cloak. Her c-cats walked beside her. The three marched into arena and were seated in the raised box at the center of the south side.

  Tracey handed Purple Cat to Fidelity and seated herself on top the low wall facing the east side. Kat sat beside her. Tracey scanned the arena and thought, Major Karrack Rayyan seated across from us on west wall is bigger, taller, and uglier than his father. He is wearing only a pair of orange utility pants and soft boots. The muscles of his arms and torso ripple with power. Like his father, his right arm is covered in Kill Dots. He is one very big ugly bastard.

  The deep tone of the tube bell rang out and Tracey and Kat easily scampered over the wall. Tracey ran toward Karrack as a flash of purple passed her.

  My gods thought Tracey as she ran forward; Purple Cat is going to attack him. Where is Kat? There is Kat to my right frozen; a dark stain of piss growing on his pants. What the hell! Damn Tracy! Hit Karrack with everything you have.

  Purple Cat hit Karrack first driving her special claws into his left kneecap. He kicked Purple Cat across the arena but her effort was enough to leave him open to Tracey’s first blows. He staggered back, recovered and delivered a massive blow knocking her flat. Within seconds he was on his knees above her and drove his fist toward her face. Tracey dodged the first blow. He was quick but she was quicker. The second blow missed to the left. The third blow glanced off the side of her face as four teeth exploded from her mouth. She heard Karrack say, “Have you first bitch”. I’m going to die, Tracey thought as thousands of stars filled her vision.

  Tracey heard a scream – the sound of deep agony and of extreme pain – it came from Karrack. He whipped his head to the left as Kat drove the red-hot end of the burning branch into Karrack’s right eye. It was not stars Tracey had seen but rather actually sparks from Kat’s first blow to Karrack’s neck. Karrack rose to his feet and Kat struck him once more in the chest. Tracey, still on the ground, tackled Karrack and he fell down backward. The back of his head slammed into the stone deck. Kat shoved the end of the branch into Karrack’s mouth and then broke off the hot coal inside. The screaming signaled agonizing and searing pain.

  Tracey regained her feet and then Kat and she began pushing, kicking, rolling and prodding with the burning branch to maneuver Karrack toward the edge. It seemed to take forever before they forced him over the brink. He screamed the entire way down.

  “Die you bastard, die!” Kat screamed and flung the burning branch with one end wrapped in his piss soaked pants into the void. It was only then Tracey realized what Kat had done; his hands were a mass of blisters and blacken skin hung from his fingers. The wet pants gave Kat the only imperfect protection from the searing fire.

  The audience sat in stunned silence as the great tube bell rang four times for Karrack’s death.

  Tracey looked at Kat and said, “Thank you for my life. It is an honor to fight beside you. Damn, you should have told me your plan.”

  “What plan?” he responded with a sly smile. “I just needed to piss.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  – The Outcast Lady in Space - 08-19-518.

  Outcast Lady rode a narrow and high wave of time and space. The narrower and the higher the wave the faster is the passage. Three days ago, Kat chose the fastest passage away from Horizon. After accelerating at high Gs for two days and reaching the minimum five percent of light speed, Peter initiated the Time Wave Drive and sent the ship into the wave. However, a narrow high wave was extremely difficult to maintain. Ships were known to disappear if they fell out of a wave. Some of the time wave mathematicians thought that the lost ships fell into another universe. Others thought the ships simply blew apart and were lost in deep space between planets. Each year several ships were lost. The highest losses were among the fast courier ships which rode the highest waves.

  After one watch, Peter was exhausted. Spider took over and found how challenging riding a high wave could be.

  I will not show weakness. I will complete a full watch. Careful -- too close to the edge of the wave, don’t lose the wave; hold your line. Back on the crest, damn that was first-rate work. Only eight hours to go, Spider thought.

  Just below the Control Room in the Ward Room an informal meeting of the officers and sergeants was underway. Many crew members jammed into the room to form an audience. Kat sat at the end of table with both hands wrapped in living medi packs. He lost the little finger on his right hand. The doctors budded on a new finger but it would take months to grow within the protective shell covering the bud. Tattooed on Kat’s right shoulder was a new red Kill Dot.

  By the traditions of the Free Space Force, Tracey as First Officer sat at the other end of the table. Her right jaw was a mass of purple with medi strips that closed the slash and shells covered the new buds for her missing teeth. Tracey’s right shoulder held a new red Kill Dot next the black one. Tracey and Kat were both awarded kill dots for neutralizing Karrack. It was most unusual for both to gain a dot for one kill.

  Kat a held a cup of Gubble brew in a mitten- like medi pack, took a sip and said, “Nirabella thank you for your account of the lens doc and what you found out about Auntie Tara. Cici, please fill in everyone on events up north after we killed Karrack. Our current plan and direction is driven by those two episodes.”

  Cici began her account, “Their guards were so stunned that we able to overpower them and grab their weapons. I remember breaking a guard’s arm, grabbing his rocket carbine and going over the arena wall behind Peter. Just behind us were Light, Shadow and Fidelity all armed with long guns or pistols. The twins grabbed up the ammo packs before jumping over the wall. We formed a ring around you and Tracey thinking the Warlord would have you killed. Nothing could have prepared us for what happen next.”

 
Cici continued, “Two dozen troops, not wearing the orange and blue of the Warlord but in winter camo of blue, white and gray, poured into the arena forming a ring round us; not facing us but facing outward to protect us. Then I saw a woman in reptilian skin armor standing over Purple Cat. With her was a pink male c-cat. The woman gently picked up Purple Cat, walked though ring of troops and handed Purple Cat to Fidelity. She then joined the ring protecting us.”

  Everyone in the Ward Room looked at Purple Cat asleep on the table next to Tracey. Her right front paw was in a cast and clumps of fur were missing from her coat but otherwise she appeared ok.

  Cici continued, “The troops were led by Captain Contreras who now had changed out of the Warlord’s orange and blue and into winter camo. The Lady walked through a gate in center of the south wall and out to where we stood. She walked up to Kat and Tracey and said, ‘We better get all of us out of here as soon as possible. You two just gave Horizon the shock of the century. The Captain and the troops in winter camo are my household troops. I have a 60 man lifter waiting just outside. The shock will last only so long, so please move out.’ The woman in reptilian skin armor said, ‘Yes we move out now. Many will be enraged over my stupid brother’s death.’”