The Asking Price of Stars Read online

  Colonel Chung began to read the list of verdicts starting with the lowest ranks.

  “Ivan Zimmerman, Crewmember – You are found guilty of incompetence in Missile Bay One. You are discharged from the Free Space Force."

  “Fidelity Stone, Crewmember – You are found guilty of incompetence in Missile Bay One. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  And so, it went for the next seven crew members until he reached the last four of Kat’s missile bay crew.

  The colonel read the verdicts for the remaining four team members.

  “Shadow Freeman, Crewmember –You are found guilty of incompetence in Missile Bay One. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  “Light Freeman, Crewmember -. You are found guilty of negligence causing the death of a fellow crew member. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  “Cici De Santis, Chief Sergeant - You are found guilty of negligence causing the death of a fellow crew member. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  “Shane Kat Jang, Fleet Officer 2nd Class - You are found guilty of negligence and failure to lead, causing the death of a fellow crew member. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  I am next, thought Nirabella. What in the hells did I do wrong? The boy from Deck Three had a massive head injury. No one could have saved him.

  They continued, but now Demitrianna Constantine stepped forward and read the remaining verdicts.

  “Nirabella Freestar, Fleet Assistant Physician 1st Class - You are found guilty of negligent in the medical care fellow crew member and causing his death. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  “Erica Nguyen, Crewmember – You are found guilty of incompetence in the backup control station of turret five. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  Three more crew member’s names followed with the same outcome of being discharged. Then the last three names were read.

  “Baryic Chahill, Chief Sergeant - You are found guilty of incompetence in the backup control station of turret five. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  Tracey Mills-Watkins, Lieutenant 3rd Class PO - You are found guilty of firing the rail-guns of turret five without your superior’s authorization. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  Tracey’s mind raced, ‘Damn you, Black Widow you slime sucking bitch. Why the whole team? By the way, you evil bitch, we did disable a pirate heavy cruiser! I know I saw that blue light flash.’

  Tracey noted a small smile creep across Demitrianna’s face as she read the final name.

  “Peter Guderian, Lieutenant 3rd Class PO – The charges against you are numerous and serious. However, insubordination while in combat is enough. You are discharged from the Free Space Force.”

  General Bridgeford spoke the final words. “It wounds me to the core to discharge twenty-one of our crew. However, your disgraceful actions leave me no other course but to clear the garbage from this ship.”

  ******

  Four hours after the verdicts, the discharged crew members were marched out onto the main deck of the space station. The guards turned and marched back into the Lady. Discharged and disgraced, they were on their own. The Pangerbar station was much larger than most expected. But, of course, as a trading center much of the business took place on the station. Why lift a cargo down to the surface only to re-lift it later?

  Tracey looked over the twenty-one. She decided we are a ragged band, each of us in civilian clothing. We walk down this deck stripped of Space Force uniforms and with our packs holding only a few personal possessions. One of the young crew members, Fidelity Stone did not have any civilian clothing. She was given old unmarked gray coveralls. Kat is wearing red shorts and a yellow pullover. And, look at Erica Nguyen she has a pink uni-tard and a man’s shirt on. I am not much better in my hiking outfit with boots, tan shorts, and an old green top that doesn’t look like much. We the ex-officers need to help the young crew as much as we can. Thank the gods they let me take the carrier for Purple Cat.’

  Peter Guderian said, “Let’s find an inn and get a drink and rooms.”

  Fidelity Stone responded, “Some of us don’t even have the money for a drink much less a room.”

  Peter then said, “I think I can cover a round of drinks, plus rooms and food for all of us during the next few days. Fidelity, you cute little redhead, I even promise not to try to sneak into your room and ravish your beautiful body tonight.”

  Fidelity answered, “Peter, you ugly little half Troc, you don’t need to sneak into my room. My door will be unlatched just for you. I will ravish your, not so beautiful, but sexy, body tonight and for as many nights as you wish.”

  Fidelity’s and Peter’s exchange broke the tension and all twenty-one of them laughed until tears ran down their cheeks.

  After the group regained composure, Kat asked, “Does anyone know a good inn on the station?”

  Cici answered, “The White Pennant is good. Not fancy but very clean and the food is decent. I stayed there two years ago. The prices are reasonable by station norms and I know the two ladies who own the place.”

  Tracey picked up the carrier with Purple Cat and said, “Cici lead on,” and they all followed Cici down the main passageway. The walls were covered with green vines to help keep Co2 levels down.

  As Nirabella walked toward the inn with Light and Shadow she asked in a quiet voice, “Do you think its love or money with Fidelity?”

  Light answered first, “Its love. She has been in love with Peter since she came aboard with the new crew members. She loved him before she knew his family was rich.”

  Shadow then responded, “Fidelity may be short, but she has great tits, a very fine ass, and is as sexy as a Vid goddess. Who cares whether its love or money? Either way Peter is a lucky man.”

  “Pig” commented Light.

  After a few hundred meters Cici turned and walked down a side passageway which ended in a small open square with raised boxes and pots holding flowers and lush green plants. Of course, the boxes and pots were constructed of aluminum and painted to look like wood or ceramic. Weight consideration was everything on an orbiting station. The square was flooded with sun light; the station must be on the daylight side of the Planet. There was no direct sunlight. All light was brought in by a complex system of light tubes.

  An open walkway circled the square. The White Pennant was on the walkway just across the small square. The inn’s tavern opened to the square. Tables and comfortable chairs lined a low fence and on the gate hung a sign that said, “Welcome”. What appeared to be a real wood bar formed the back wall of the tavern. It was the middle of Second Watch and the tavern was almost empty. As soon as Cici walked through the gate what appeared to be a real woman rushed out and clasped her arms around Cici. She was thirty plus, big, blond, and loud. A delightful smile lighted her face.

  She said, “Welcome back, it’s been far too long! How is the bravest Sergeant in the Space Force? I often remember the night you broke up the big bar fight and saved our tavern. Welcome, double welcome, to you and to all your friends! All of you have a seat and I’ll get cold beers and drinks.”

  Then she exclaimed, “By the gods, that’s not Sergeant Baryic in your group? I didn’t know you two knew each other. How are you handsome Baryic? You look as good as ever, but a lot grayer. I have not forgotten that night when you were remarkably yourself. But, these young people don’t need to hear about that!”

  Cici spoke, “Morgan, thank you for the wonderful welcome. None of us are any longer in the Space Force. We need to arrange food and rooms.”

  “I’ll be damned; you are the group discharged from the battle cruiser! I heard about it, but I was working and did not see the Vids. How can the Space Force discharge people like you?” Morgan asked no one in particular.

  “Cici your group will get our best rates on food and rooms, however, we don’t have that many rooms open, you will need to double and triple up. Baryic can
sleep with me and Sue if he likes. We won’t charge him for the room.” She smiled.

  By this time most of group found seats and Anna, a younger version of Morgan, was serving beers and ice tea.

  Morgan’s partner Susan entered the tavern and gave Cici and Baryic big hugs. Sue looked about the same age as Morgan and with a splash of red hair. Sue stopped before Fidelity, “My gods you could be my daughter!” It was true she looked like Fidelity would in twenty years and with several added kilos.

  After introductions, Cici, Peter, Tracey, and Kat sat with Morgan and Susan to work out the details of their stay and who bunks with whom. Sue offered to cut the cost of food if they would eat crew style, one meal at a scheduled time. After a quick discussion, Peter told her they would take that option for breakfast and dinner. For lunch, they were on their own. Peter then dispensed enough imperials from his data pack to cover four days’ expense. Sue told Tracey that Purple Cat could stay, but asked if Tracey would please let her out of the carrier to hunt.

  “Morgan and I run a clean inn but not everyone does. We get rats and motans from nearby food stalls and shops,” Sue said. Tracey agreed to let Purple Cat hunt.

  Three hours later after food and beers most of the crew had disappeared to bed. The officers and sergeants, minus Peter, sat before the artificial fireplace in the tavern talking. Peter and Fidelity had vanished with two glasses and a bottle of local wine. The team discussed various topics such as getting new clothing and the possibility of moving down to the surface. They also discussed going back to the League but everyone agreed they didn’t want to go home after what happened.

  Kat sipped his ice tea and asked, “Ladies and gentlemen what work can we find for ourselves and the young crew members? How do we make a living?”

  Baryic, who said nothing to that point, spoke, “I believe our best course of action is to buy a warship.”

  “WHAT!!?” Tracey blurted spewing her drink across the table.

  Chapter Seventeen

  - Pangergar’s Space Station 02-10-518

  After a day of contentious and spirited discussions, the team decided to go with Baryic’s proposal. They spent the next two days finding out as much as possible about buying a warship.

  Tracey discovered it was not hard to buy a private warship out along the Green Line. Lots of money; a very large amount of money was required. Warships were sold at auction by several brokers. One broker was scheduling an auction next week.

  Kat and Baryic learned that by contracting to escort merchant ships the cost of a ship could be recouped in two or three trips. The farther out along the Green Line, the better the money.

  Peter reported the local banks would lend money to buy a ship if a company could come up with cash to cover a quarter of the total cost. The interest rates were outrageous but the number of ships lost in the escort business was high. The banks made money. The private ship companies took the risks.

  The next day Kat, Baryic, Tracey, Peter, and Cici met with a grossly fat Troc surnamed Akvanitek. His desk was covered in model spaceships and used food containers. He wore robes of wildly colored cloth which Trocs adore. The metallic green and orange of his robes did not match his red and pink hair.

  He told the five of them, “My firm Akvanitek and Smith will auction four warships next week. I believe ten million Imperials will take any of three smaller ships. I know your gang is from the League. At current exchange rates that’s hundred million League Stars. If you can show us that you have sufficient funds, I can arrange an inspection before the auction. You may bring up to five inspectors for an hour per ship.”

  Tracey asked, “An hour per ship is not much time to inspect, how can we be sure a ship is sound?”

  “You can’t!" the big Troc answered. “However, for twenty thousand Stars we can provide a complete survey report for any of the ships.”

  “What are ‘sufficient funds’?” Kat asked referring back to Akvanitek’s comments about the upcoming auction.

  “Proof of twenty million League Stars would give us confidence you are serious.” Akvanitek continued “If your gang should win the biding, you will need at least twenty million additional Stars to put one of these ships in first class condition. Please let me know as soon as you can about the inspections.”

  After a pause Akvanitek added, “Peter, my sources tell me you have been talking to banks. If I were you I would use The Bank of Pangerbar. They are less picky about who they deal with. Your gang of FSF castoffs will need all the help you can get.”

  The final words came from Smith, a big boned woman with a round face, brown hair, and wearing greasy coveralls. She had sat in back of the office and said nothing until now.

  “Your gang going pirating or contracting? I suppose you know on The Green Line there is little difference!” she asked.

  Somehow over time and with determination, Peter pulled together just over twenty million Stars and a loan commitment for sixty million Stars by the end of the week. The gods only knew what Peter had done to get the money. Fidelity knew Peter sold off all rights to his Guderian inheritance, but what else he did was a mystery. The other Officers, the Sergeants, and crew stripped their personal accounts and added 450,000 Stars to the funds.

  After inspections and after reading the costly survey reports, all twenty-one team members assembled.

  Tracey told them, “We are ready for this auction. I believe we will be able to buy one of the two Imperial built fast escorts. We’d like everyone’s final vote on this plan to buy a ship. Please vote ‘yes’ for the plan or vote ‘no’ to drop the plan.”

  Peter counted the votes and enthusiastically announced, “We have twenty-one ‘yes’ votes!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  - Pleasant Valley Pangerbar 02-15-518

  The day following the ship auction, a lifter sat down in Pangerbar City. It was near dawn on a crisp autumn day. Nirabella, Light, Shadow, and Fidelity walked across the immense plastio-cement landing field. The gravity pulled at them after experiencing the low gravity of the Space Station. Like the Space Station, the landing field was totally dedicated to trade. Warehouses lined the edge of the field for kilometers and fifty lifters waited for the next loads. To the North was the city proper, clean and beautiful. To the South the land dropped off into a shallow valley. Slum dwellings polluted the valley. The poor who worked at hard labor and menial jobs on the landing field lived in the slum. Nirabella and her companions came to this landing field to undertake a specific plan in this slum.

  At the modest passenger terminal, the first six electro-van drivers refused their fare as soon as Nirabella gave them the location of their destination. Finally, a driver with a battered electro-van said he would take them for twice the standard rate. As they got in, the driver set a large rocket pistol on the seat next to him.

  “My name is Marsborn. The gun is just in case.” he said.

  Nirabella reviewed the plan in her mind as they drove. All four of us are armed. The twins carry knifes and rocket pistols. Fidelity and I carry knifes and compact pistols. We have two packs of gifts. How bad can this slum ironically called Pleasant Valley be? My gods look outside; it’s the worst slum I have seen. Those three children are roasting a dead dog over a scrap plastic fire. The little one is missing both arms and turning the spit using one foot and balancing on the other. How does the city government allow humans to live like this? Can we find the kids? They had won the bid on one of the warships. Now they need to fill out the crew. The innkeeper Morgan had given a letter and told them where they might recruit a crew. Of course, you would need to be desperate or crazy to join an unproven warship without pay. But the kids might just be who they needed.

  Marsborn commented, “This is high ground; Pleasant Valley gets worse down by the river.”

  Pleasant Valley, in fact got worse. The area was a morass of shacks built from every type of scrap dumped by the space port. Every corner held a crude bar or something worse. Light counted three bodies before they reached their destin
ation.

  The four got out of the van on a nameless narrow dirt street. Across the street was a large sheet metal shack. A walkway of scrap foam led a few steps up to a metal door with a single slot near the top.

  Fidelity said, “Let me go up and knock, it might be less intimidating.” Fidelity knocked on the door.

  “Get the hells away from the door, we’re not home!” a high female voice yelled.

  Fidelity spoke to the closed door, “We’ve come to help and to offer you a way out of Pleasant Valley.”

  The voice behind the door angrily said, “We aren’t going whoring, or selling drugs. We might kill if it’s enough money.”

  “We have gifts of food.” Fidelity said quietly.