The Starhawk Chronicles Page 12

  Forster glared at her, and for a moment, Kayla feared the explosion that might follow, but Forster could not keep a straight face. Lying there on the floor, his face split into a huge grin and he started to laugh. It was a good-natured laugh, one Kayla decided he should use more often.

  Forster sat up on the mat with a wheeze, patting the empty space next to him. Kayla took the invitation and sat, pulling her knees to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.

  “As I said, compliments to a more than worthy opponent,” he said.

  “And to you,” Kayla replied. They sat for a moment in silence, regarding one another. At last, she opened her mouth to speak, but Forster cut her off.

  “Look, I apologize if I came off as a real ass before. Things have been tough for me lately and I guess I snap a bit more than I should, and for the wrong reasons. I’m sorry.”

  There was a sincerity in his tone that Kayla found disarming. She felt that for the first time, she was seeing a bit of the real Jesse Forster. She tried to suppress a smile, failed miserably. “I’ll bet that hurt to say.”

  Forster sighed, shaking his head. “You’ll never know.”

  She looked into his blue eyes and saw that there was indeed no more malice directed towards her. Time to come clean herself, she decided. “And I’m sorry about interfering in your hunt. I had no idea just how personal it was to you. I’m sorry about Lohren.”

  Jesse chuckled. “K’Tran’s been talking.”

  “And Podo,” she added. “And Kym. You’re really fortunate to have a crew that loves you so.”

  “They’re family,” was Forster’s reply. He paused. “What about you? Family?”

  Kayla waited a second before deciding to answer. “I was born on Terra Station II, the youngest of five kids. Four older brothers, so I learned very quick how to take care of myself. When I was ten, we moved to Carraigh Four, where I went to University. Now my parents and brothers are busy taking care of the family business while their wayward daughter travels the starlanes looking for adventure.”

  “What’s the family business?”

  “Karson Recreational Enterprises?” She replied, with an ever-hear-of-it tone of voice.

  “Karson Enterprises?” Forster echoed, his eyes growing wide. “You mean the ones who own the Talasian system? The ones who are turning it into one big resort area?”

  “Well, not the whole system. Just three planets and a few moons,” Kayla replied, downplaying the magnitude of what she was saying as though she were discussing some family-owned grocery store.

  Forster nearly choked. “Your family owns that?” She nodded. “Then what the hell are you doing in this business?”

  “I needed to live my own life. From the day I was born, my parents had my life planned out for me. What schools I went to, what clothes I wore, even what friends I had were all decided for me. I couldn’t stand it.” She rolled her eyes, and ducked her head down so that it touched the tops of her knees. When she looked up again, she raised her head just enough so that only her eyes were peeking over her knees. “Then I learned that they had arranged a marriage for me and that was it. I packed a few things and headed off planet.”

  “Problem was, my betrothed,” she cringed. The very word left an unclean taste in her mouth. “sent a bounty hunter after me. Guess he couldn’t stand the fact that I wouldn’t succumb to his charms. After I finally got rid of Blight, I figured I could do a better job.”

  Forster held up a hand. “Hold on a sec. Blight? Arix Blight?”

  She nodded. “You knew him?”

  “By reputation only,” Forster said. “Real vicious bastard. More an assassin than a bounty hunter. That was you that took him out?” There was a sense of awe in his voice that made Kayla blush. He was looking at her with a newfound respect. “You did the galaxy a great service by taking that slime-licker down.”

  “But I still don’t understand why you would want to be a hunter yourself. With your background and education, you could make a niche for yourself anywhere in the galaxy, in a hell of a better line of work.”

  “Because I needed the adventure. I led such a sheltered life, I didn’t know what it was like to live, to make it on my own.” She sighed, stretching her legs out in front of her, and leaning back so that she was resting on her elbows. “I didn’t want to live a long, miserable life. At least this way, if I die young, I will have died doing what I wanted.”

  “I know the feeling,” Forster replied. “What’s the saying? Live fast, die young, and have a glorious ending?”

  “Something like that,” She looked at him, and there was an awkward pause. Each knew the other had something to say. After a moment, Kayla decided it would be best for her to go first.

  “Look, like I said before, I know how important taking down the Garrakis brothers is to you, so you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’m pulling out. I’ll pull some strings with my family contacts and see if I can’t get a lift out of the system.” Standing, she began to retrieve her staff.

  Forster was on his feet just as quick. “That won’t be necessary.”

  She stared at him, ready to protest, but he raised a hand, cutting her off. “Hear me out. My crew and I owe you more than you owe us. After all, we are the reason you lost your ship. As much as I don’t like to admit it, we are bucking the odds on this hunt. The Nexus is getting help from someone powerful on the outside. We need all the help we can get.”

  Kayla was stunned. What he was implying was the very last thing she had expected to hear him say. “Are you asking me to join you?”

  Forster did not meet her gaze, but he inclined his head ever so slightly. “For this hunt at least, yes. I can’t ask my crew to give up their shares, but I’m willing to go half with you on my shares on whatever bounties we collect.”

  Kayla did not know how to respond. Forster had made such a turnaround in the last few minutes that she was not sure if he were sincere or not, although her instincts were telling her that he was. Then he held out his hand.

  “Please,” he said, “we need you.”

  After hearing those words, she made up her mind. She would cast her lot in with the rest of them, for better or for worse. She accepted his hand. “Partners.”

  Forster’s shoulders lowered ever so slightly in relief and he smiled, a genuine, thankful smile. “Partners,” he echoed.

  At that moment, the comm unit on the far wall buzzed. “Jesse, Podo here.”

  Forster walked to the speaker and pressed the reply button. “Go ahead, Fuzzy.”

  “Our inquiries seem to have paid off. We’re receiving an incoming coded signal.”

  “About time,” Forster replied. “I’m on my way.” He switched off the comm, then keyed for the cargo bay hatch to open. He looked back at her. “Well, partner, you coming?”

  As he headed down the corridor, Kayla fell into step beside him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jesse stepped onto the Starhawk’s bridge with Karson following close behind. Podo, K’Tran, and Bokschh were already in their respective seats, but with their chairs facing the center of the bridge. “What’s up, Fuzzy?” Jesse asked, settling into his seat.

  “We’ve got an incoming call from the Tarsus system,” Podo replied, giving K’Tran a quick, knowing grin. “Transceiver I.D. marks it as the Hellfire.”

  Jesse grinned as well. “I knew Janz Dancer would come through for me. Put him on.”

  Podo hesitated, looking from Karson then to Jesse. Jesse understood the look. “It’s okay,” he answered the unspoken query. “She’s with us . . . for now.”

  Podo gave Karson a quick wink, turning to his console. The holo-comm hummed to life and the image of Jesse’s fellow hunter captain flickered into view. Tall, with skin the color of burnt mahogany, Captain Janz Dancer looked more like a pirate from old Earth history than a twenty-third century-bounty hunter. His long dark hair was tied in a ponytail and his beard was trimmed in a neat Vandyke. He was dressed in a white collared shirt, dark p
ants, knee-high boots, and a sash tied around his waist. His holographic image focused on Jesse and gave a jaunty salute. “Hail, Captain Kid!”

  Jesse returned the salute. “It’s been a long time, Janz. You’re looking well.”

  “As well as can be, I suppose. Business has been brisk these past few months. Lots of work out there.” Dancer’s eyes surveyed the bridge, coming to rest on Karson, standing quietly off to one side. He gave her his best, roguish smile. “You seem to be doing all right for yourself, though. Has the Guild taken to paying you with pretty women now instead of standard credits?”

  “She’s a guest,” Jesse replied. He would recall later that his answer had been just a bit too snappish, realizing that his friend had meant it as a joke. “I don’t mean to be rude, but we’re running kind of tight, so to speak. What were you able to come up with?”

  Dancer gave Karson that smile one more time, though it appeared to have no effect on her. Some of the playfulness left his eyes. He turned his full attention to Jesse. “Well, Cap’n, the Nexus Gang’s escape was no chance happening, as I’m sure you probably guessed by now. That transport was no ordinary prison bird. It used to be an old smuggler ship with scan-shielded compartments hidden in the cargo holds, which were later modified into the ship’s two brigs. Any weaponry the Gang has was probably hidden in there prior to their pickup. The ship had upgraded weapons and engines that should have been removed after its impound, but obviously were not. It was just sitting in the impound lot waiting for a job like this one.”

  “We already know all that. We saw what was left of her crashed in the desert on Melarii Two,” Jesse replied. “Any ideas on who supplied the ship?”

  “Well, it wasn’t easy,” Dancer said, with a tired sigh that sounded just a little too forced. “Goodness knows you’ve got no shortage of enemies who’d like to see you dusted off. My people were able to narrow it down to two possibilities. The first was Argon Zeth, that gang lord whose arm you blasted off in that little labor dispute a few months back.”

  “A good possibility,” Jesse scratched at his chin. “But Zeth has his own army of goons. He wouldn’t bring in outside help for a job like that. Besides, he wouldn’t stand to gain anything by helping a rival gang escape termination.”

  “That was my thought, too,” Dancer said. “The only other man powerful enough to supply the goods and with a big enough hatred of you to want you dead is your old pal Governor Rans Mahlcobb. He’s still after your skull for that little incident with his daughter.”

  Jesse sat back in his chair with a sigh, continuing to scratch his chin as he mulled that thought over in his mind. “It fits,” he said finally. “You and your people wouldn’t happen to have any idea about where they might be headed, would you?”

  Dancer’s expression became somber as he shook his head. “Haven’t the slightest idea, but there is someone you may be able to find out from. We’ve got word that Betan Lotha has been spotted on Del Loora.”

  “Betan Lotha,” Jesse echoed, disdain clearly audible in his voice. “If Lotha’s back in circulation, you know he’s in touch with the Nexus.”

  “Rumor has it he’s obtained a quarter share in one of the casinos there,” Dancer said. “Not sure which one, though. But since there are only three licensed ones in that city, it shouldn’t be too hard to sniff him out.”

  “Yeah, unless he’s got his paws in some of the unlicensed operations running out of there,” Jesse replied. “Well, at least we have a starting point.”

  “You want our help?” Dancer asked. “We’re between jobs at the moment and were thinking of taking some time off, but this sounds like it could be fun.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but we can handle it. Besides, you don’t want Mahlcobb mad at you, too.” Jesse paused. “And as you may have guessed, this is a bit more personal than the average hunt.”

  “Say no more, my friend. I understand,” Dancer raised his hand in salute again, this time more serious. “You take care, Captain Kid.”

  Jesse returned the salute. “Thanks for your help, Janz. We owe you one.”

  “Don’t mention it. Hellfire out.” Dancer’s holo-image flickered and faded.

  The bridge was quiet a long moment, each crewmember lost in thought. Kayla broke the silence. “So who is this Betan Lotha anyway?”

  “Betan Lotha,” Bokschh called up his file and displayed it on the projector for Kayla to see, “has been the middleman for many of the Nexus Gang’s dealings, in particular, their trafficking of illegal narcotics and weapons. He is a Kammaran, easily identified by a tribal tattoo across his upper cranial lobe and the missing thumb on his upper right hand.”

  Kayla grimaced, watching as the foot-high hologram rotated before her. The large, bloated body supported by surprisingly thin legs, and the four, multi-jointed arms that seemed to grow from the side of his multiple chins, made Lotha even more nightmarish than the Garrakis brothers. “Kammarans aren’t exactly high up on my list of intergalactic beauties to begin with. This Lotha must be a real charmer.”

  “He won’t win any prizes for congeniality either,” K’Tran pitched in.

  Through this discussion, Jesse sat silent in his chair. Kayla leaned in close. “What’s this about an incident with the Governor’s daughter?” she asked with that tone of suspicion that only women could master so well.

  “It’s not what it sounds like,” Jesse replied, without looking up at her.

  “Never is,” Karson said, still with that suspicious tone, but also with a sly grin.

  “Jesse’s telling it like it is,” Podo interceded. “The Governor’s daughter did get into . . . trouble, but Jesse wasn’t the cause. It was the son of the Governor in another system. Mahlcobb hired us to eliminate the boy.”

  Kayla looked from Podo to Jesse. “You didn’t do it?”

  Jesse gave her a harsh look. “We’re bounty hunters, not assassins. Besides, I’m not in the habit of burning down some kid simply because his hormones got the better of him.”

  “We helped the both of them to relocate instead.” Podo chimed in. “Mahlcobb thought that was an even greater dishonor than what had happened to his daughter.”

  “The fact that they named the baby after me didn’t exactly help my standing either.

  Jesse said, leaning back in his chair, rolling his head from side to side to relieve the tension he felt building in his neck. He looked to the others. “Any suggestions?”

  “Lotha’s reappearance could be a ruse to throw us off the scent.” K’Tran said. “Make us waste our time chasing that fat blob while the Nexus builds its strength for an all-out war.”

  “I must concur with K’Tran,” Bokschh said, drawing a stunned expression from the elder hunter. “The Nexus may indeed decide to lay low for awhile. They may be making a run for one of their more remote bases. Perhaps they will even try to make it through the Frontier.”

  “I doubt they’d try that,” Karson chimed in. “Passage through the Frontier is tricky enough for small ships to navigate, much less a ship the size of that corvette they’re using.”

  “I, for one, just wish Janz had been able to get us info on what kinds of weapons they were supplied with,” Podo said. “I’d hate to think they’ve got better equipment than we have, but with Mahlcobb footing the bill, who knows what kind of firepower they’re packing? If he could get them a corvette, he can get them just about anything.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it until the time comes,” Jesse replied. “If we start trying to second guess these guys, we’re liable to make ourselves paranoid. For now, Del Loora looks to be our best bet.” He pressed the comm-button on his chair. “Kym, how long before we can lift off?”

  “Morogo and I are just finishing up the last of the systems now. Another half hour or so to do some final checks and we’ll be in good shape.”

  Jesse checked his chrono. A half hour would put them at fifteen minutes under the twelve-hour deadline he had imposed. He saw K’Tran also checking the time. Both men fo
und it hard to suppress smiles. “Good work, Kym. Let me know the minute you’re done,” he signed off, looking to the rest of his crew. “In the meantime, let’s get the ship prepped. We leave for Del Loora within the hour.”

  He looked back at Karson, standing near Podo’s comm station. “Ever been to Del Loora?” he asked.

  Kayla shook her head. “I’ve heard stories. That’s all.”

  “Well you’re about to get a taste firsthand. It’s not exactly a vacation spot.”

  Crossing her arms across her chest, Kayla said, “I can handle it.”

  Jesse did not meet her gaze as he turned away from her. “That’s what they all say.”

  *

  The bridge of the Malcontent was eerily quiet as the ship made its way through hyperspace from the Melarii system. Kahr was uncharacteristically silent. Rahk knew it to be in part because of his anger at running from the fight with the Starhawk, but there was more. Charris had been absent from sight since learning of the death of his brother. Kahr was waiting for the Chinsharra to take his retribution, only he did not know where or when it would occur.

  Rahk watched his brother working at the weapons console, running diagnostics to assess the extent of the damage the system had taken. From experience, Rahk knew his brother should be swearing up one side and down the other side of the bridge, but Kahr just sat in his seat, watching the diagnostics scroll across the screen, making notations on a datapad. Everyone else on the bridge was watching with apprehension, wondering when he would snap from the pressure.

  The next time the bridge doors slid open, they had their answer. Charris Bu’kel stalked onto the bridge in full Chinsharra battle regalia. His black eyes settled on the weapons station. “Kahr Garrakis,” Charris said, his tone deadly serious. “I would speak with you now.”