Centauri Bliss Read online

“My cabin doesn’t have a locker big enough for my guns,” Kara said.

  “Can’t you keep them on your shuttle?” Quinn asked.

  “Can and am, but a girl likes to keep a few nearby in case of emergency,” Kara said.

  Quinn wondered how many weapons she had.

  “We can put her in Decker’s old cabin. He had that wall expanded for all his fishing gear,” Taki said.

  “And I’ll see about the hot water. Those cabins haven’t been used in awhile, so I’m behind on the maintenance. I’m so sorry!” Melody said, genuinely distressed as she walked around the table loading synth-bacon onto plates.

  “Make sure the bathrooms are a priority. This is more strain than the system has had in a long time and we don’t need any catastrophes,” Taki said.

  “So where are we headed, Captain?” Tamara asked.

  “We’d planned to put in at the station and take on fuel. That isn’t going to happen. We’ve got enough for one jump with something left in the tank for a chained jump, but we’ll be running on fumes afterward,” Quinn said.

  “What does that mean?” Jinx asked.

  Taki told her, “Your big ships can only do a single sigil for a jump. They go in near a stone, they come out near a stone. Small vessels with a big engine can chain the exit point to another stone in the arrival system and never fully materialize, pulling off what is effectively two jumps in a single leap,” Taki said.

  “It’s mostly a trick for smugglers and spies, since it can let you avoid blockades. There are physical symptoms as well,” Tamara said.

  Quinn said, “You’ll probably puke your guts out and feel like you got kicked in the face a few dozen times.”

  “Humans are wimps,” Kara said, reaching for more bacon. She’d already cleaned her plate and was going back for seconds.

  “I take it you’re hoping to lose any pursuers with this?” Tamara asked.

  “There were two choices for where we could have gone from Corono. A chained jump from the local stone is going to result in one hundred and eighty-two possible destination systems,” Quinn said.

  Tamara got that distant look in her eyes. “One hundred and twenty-one of those can be ruled out as our possible destination for various reasons. Even so, Captain, I agree. While our enemies would welcome killing us, that puts them over any likely budget required to search them all.”

  Quinn was glad she said that. He still didn’t have a sense of just how much heat was on Tamara and Jinx. The bounty Kara had overheard gave him some idea though. High, but not a fortune. They were moderate inconveniences to someone powerful. Not a threat somebody might tear the galaxy apart to find.

  “So where are we headed?” Tamara asked.

  Quinn shot a look at Kara.

  “If I were going to take a head, I’d have already done it. ‘Sides, keep feeding me like this you might keep me around,” Kara said, going back for thirds.

  Where was she putting it all?

  Jinx was almost keeping pace, although she was just into seconds. If they kept having this sort of appetite they’d need to take on more supplies as well.

  “We’re headed to Port Blank,” Quinn said.

  “Stupid idea, sir. She hates you,” Taki said immediately.

  “We can pick up fuel and repairs there, and Ice will have anything we need,” Quinn said.

  “If what we need is bullets in large numbers coming in our direction very quickly,” Taki said.

  “It was a misunderstanding. Ice is a businesswoman.”

  Monk said, “Just to be clear here, we’re talking about Ice? Pirate Queen of the fucking Reach? You know that crazy bitch?”

  “They used to date. Then she tried to kill him, then he tried to kill her,” Taki said.

  “I take it this was before his marriage? Infidelity doesn’t seem like one of the good captain’s qualities,” Tamara said.

  Quinn really wished she would stop talking about his love life, especially when she was wearing one of Kathryn’s dresses.

  “She’s really a pirate queen? That is an actual thing?” Dela asked.

  “Forty ships flying under her fucking banner. If the girl is right, how are you going to keep from getting our arses shot off?” Monk asked.

  “Taki is overstating the problem. There were good times too. She’ll want to talk,” Quinn said.

  Kara said, “You’re still thinking it is going to be that easy. If I didn’t have anything better to do but try to fulfill your contract, I’d go hang around the Runestone and wait for you to jump in or try to jump out. Board you or blow you to hell, and cut the head from her frozen corpse.” Kara nodded at Jinx.

  Jinx looked a bit queasy. “I’m right here, you know.”

  Kara shrugged. “Good thing the mean lady bid more.”

  “We’re not going with that name,” Tamara said.

  “Kind of fits,” Quinn said.

  “I’ll accept smart one. In a pinch, hot one,” Tamara said.

  “Ugh,” Taki said, making an expression of distaste.

  “Think this table just might be enough for me to give up on women forever,” Monk said.

  Dela threw a piece of toast at Monk’s head. “If that is your way of breaking up, it sucks.”

  “Oof! I know you’re staying here. Seems to me we’re already broken up,” Monk said.

  “Well, not officially,” Dela said, and then cleared her throat. “Though we are now. Right?”

  “Yeah,” Monk said, and threw the toast back.

  Tamara glared at them disapprovingly.

  “That’s so sad!” Melody exclaimed, looking between them.

  “Really not,” Dela said with a quick smile. “So, if they’re waiting at the stone for us, what do we do? Blow them all to hell and run for it?”

  “No guns,” Taki said, with a shake of her head. “We’re not a pirate ship and don’t want to be mistaken for one.”

  “Lame,” Kara said, starting on her fourth omelet.

  “We’re faster than anything that should be waiting for us. We use that to our advantage. We lure them into thinking we’re making our jump from one angle, do a hard burn while keeping in range, and finish powering up before they figure out how to hedge us in,” Quinn said.

  “If they’re smart they’ll just hang around close to the stone for you to try anything. I’d wait for you to make your move then hit your hull fast and hard so you took me with you,” Kara said.

  That was a reckless maneuver. Unless pulled off perfectly it stood a good chance of a collision that would leave a standard shuttle and its pilot as just debris. Kara was either very good at what she did or completely crazy.

  “What if the Imperium is there? Didn’t we see them coming in?” Tamara asked.

  “If the Imperium is there we back off and wait until they aren’t. I’m good enough we might just avoid a frigate’s guns while waiting to jump, but we aren’t desperate enough yet for me to try,” Quinn said.

  14

  There were loiterers at the Runestone, more than there should have been. Three small vessels, all around the size of a shuttle. They weren’t made for more than a single pilot, and not for long inhabitation. Bounty hunters and solo mercenaries tended to live on stations or planets when they had an extended assignment.

  It was exactly what Quinn was expecting. At three-quarters thrust he moved the Kathryn just into range of the Runestone and initiated the jump sequence.

  Dela was playing copilot today. She was still learning the controls and this was a good chance.

  The ships began to close, that was expected too. What wasn’t expected was that one of them would be armed, a beam cannon striking at long range. The beam diffusion was enough that it did only light damage. Still, Quinn wasn’t inclined to let them get a second hit in. A quick burn of the engines jerked them away.

  To the watching shuttles it seemed like an effort to escape and they engaged their engines to follow, overcommitting themselves. With a last stomach-churning maneuver Quinn was at full burn
in the other direction.

  An extended, chained jump meant an extra long charge. They weren’t just transitioning to the next Runestone, but from there to the one after.

  A standard jump was uncomfortable the first time you did it. The human body reacted powerfully to physics going away for a short time. A chained jump was so much worse.

  At full speed they were still putting distance between the Kathryn and the pursuing shuttles when the drive engaged. It wasn’t like being bent, or folded, or anything that humans could really put into words. Magic defied consistent definition and for a time they were fully in its grip.

  Quinn felt damp for a time, then bitterly cold, then profoundly and completely worried about just how his little mushroom body was going to get enough water given the drought. It made no sense—that was the point.

  This went on for an indefinite period of time. Long enough for the surreal to become entirely and completely natural. Then Quinn was shoved back into a body of meat and bone.

  It was a terrible feeling to feel wrong about being yourself. Your whole body trying to reject itself as something foreign. Dela threw up all over the console. Quinn had given her a bag expecting something of the like, but she didn’t get time to use it.

  It almost set Quinn’s own stomach off, but it wasn’t his first chained jump. It wasn’t even the first time a copilot had thrown up on him.

  “Sorry,” Dela choked, before doing it all over again.

  Quinn tossed her a towel. There wasn’t time to be more of a gentleman than that.

  The jump point was simply known as Port Blank. Quinn had never been here. His time with Ice had been before her rise to power. There was nothing natural here, no planets, no stars. Extending the Runestone network to the Rim in this area had been far more problematic than in most space. The ley lines connecting stars often weren’t strong enough to initiate a one-way jump over such a distance and so the Arcanum had sometimes built a starbase in the middle of nowhere to help them extend the Runestone network—and abandoned many when the network was in place and they were done.

  There were ships waiting. Old hulks, corroded in places from being too long on a planetary surface and garishly marked with symbols that Quinn assumed had some meaning to pirates.

  They were already getting a comm signal in and Quinn opened a channel.

  “We don’t recognize you. If you’re friendly, you’d best be letting us know,” came a gruff male voice.

  Dela threw up again, noisily.

  “Uhh …” the voice said.

  “Captain Quinn Jade. Old friend of Ice and we’re not armed. Just looking to pick up some fuel and do some trading at port. My copilot, she hadn’t done a long jump before,” Quinn said.

  Dela was busy unbuckling herself from the seat and stumbling out of the cockpit. Right, she’d be okay. Eventually.

  “Glad I’m not her right now. Hold for scanning,” said the voice.

  One of the ships moved closer, and others kept weapons aimed on the Kathryn’s position. Quinn detected incoming scans and they were getting a good visual inspection of the hull as well.

  “You took some fire,” said the voice.

  “Did the chained jump for a reason. We clear?” Quinn asked.

  “We’re clear. Sending you the port transponder. If you’re not as welcome as you say you are, you’ll know.” The comm line was killed.

  Quinn was grateful they’d passed the first hurdle at least. Whether or not Ice would shoot them dead when they arrived was another matter.

  Port Blank was made out of a massive asteroid. They’d shifted the entire thing here back in the day. The original function of the station had meant a lot of docks were built for construction vessels. They’d been maintained now for pirates, smugglers, and anyone else with coin and an invitation.

  By the time Quinn was finished docking, a shaken and cleaner-looking Dela had returned and sheepishly begun to wipe up her side of the console.

  “You warned me. Should have listened,” Dela said.

  “Catches everyone the first time. I want you at the controls when we go aboard. If things go wrong put some distance between you and the station,” Quinn said.

  “To do what? This used the last of our fuel,” Dela said.

  “To give Tamara time to talk. If that lady can talk an assassin down in under a minute, she can handle a few pirates. ‘Sides, if Ice kills me, she’ll be in a good mood,” Quinn said.

  Taki met him in the hold. They’d decided it was best if they went alone, but they’d only partially managed it. Kara was insisting on joining them since there might be some shooting and Quinn wasn’t inclined to disagree. The rifle she was sporting this time was different than last and looked a good bit more fatal.

  They had their guns readied as the hatch opened. Good thing too, given the weapons pointed at them on the other side.

  A dozen hard-looking men and women stood with guns aimed inward, and in the middle of them a white-haired woman dressed all in form-fitting white. The hair color was a choice, not due to her age. Ice liked the look. Compared to those surrounding her she was tiny, barely over five foot and slight of build. Quinn also noted she was wearing a cape now. That was new, and silly. That she got away with looking like that was proof of just how dangerous she really was.

  “Captain Quinn Jade. I told them they were full of it. There is no way that nose-in-the-air bastard would darken my door again. But here you are,” Ice said, her voice sounding like it came from a woman twice her size.

  “Ice. I like the cape,” Quinn said.

  “Liar, you never did have any taste. If you did you would have stayed. Taki? You’re still with this fucker?”

  “He pays me,” Taki said.

  “Liar, you never had a proper sense of greed. If you did you’d have gone with me instead of him. You, green girl, don’t know you.”

  “Kara Yek,” Kara said.

  “You his new girl? Heard the old one got killed off,” Ice said.

  “Saw him naked. Kicked him in the balls and shot him. Love money,” Kara said.

  “Her. Her I like. Your taste has improved, Quinn,” Ice said and made a motion. “Lower your guns. If I wanted you dead we’d have already started shooting.”

  “We’ll lower ours when you lower yours,” Quinn said.

  “For fuck’s sake, you unreasonable stubborn bastard. You are on my goddamned station. I’m the Queen of Port Blank and I swear to the thirty-seven gods if you don’t lower your guns right now I will shoot you dead.”

  Ice was good at was keeping her word. Quinn lowered his rifle and the others from the Kathryn took the cue and did the same.

  Ice beamed a sunny smile as if she hadn’t just erupted and motioned for her crew to lower theirs. “Anyone else left of the old gang? I’d say I’m sorry about Kat, but you know I always hated that bitch.”

  “Probably why you tried to kill me. No, no one else of the old crew. Few others will be coming aboard and doing business. One fellow looking for work, Monk, he ran crime on Corono,” Quinn said.

  “Any good in a fight?” Ice asked.

  “Former Imperial Marine.”

  “We can find a place for a man like that. Tell him to look for someone named Carbon in the market,” Ice said, stepping forward and slipping one arm into Quinn’s and the other into Kara’s. “But for now, old time talk. Drinks are on me.”

  “You know the best people,” Kara told Quinn, pleased.

  15

  Quinn woke up with a hangover killing him and memories of the night before fuzzy. There had been drinks, there had been a lot of drinks. When Ice was buying and your continued survival depended on keeping her happy, you accepted everything put before you.

  Quinn cracked his eyes and weighed up just how catastrophic the night might have been. Naked, probably bad. Bed, good. Not his bed, bad. White … everything, bad. No, not everything, with there being a very green woman getting dressed nearby, bad.

  “Come on, stud,” Kara said, kicking the be
d. “We’re launching in the hour.”

  “Launching?” Quinn asked.

  Kara’s physique went well beyond just fit. The alien muscle tissue might work more efficiently than human, but it was more than that. She obviously spent a lot of time building her strength. The green coloration wasn’t the only way she was just a bit off from being human. From what Quinn could tell she had no belly button, and there was no outline of any ribs in her physique. Still, everything else looked in its place. It wasn’t that uncommon. A little less than half of the intelligences that humanity had encountered among the stars were eerily similar to each other.

  “Launching? The mission?” Kara said, as she slipped an armored shirt over her head. “You can’t hold your liquor, can you?”

  It seemed not. Quinn got out of bed. His pants were near the door.

  “Why don’t you fill me in on what happened?” Quinn said.

  “We met your badass friend, Ice. Had a lot of drinks while you talked about shit from the past. She was all over you, all over me. The boring one, Taki, tried to get you to go back to the ship, and Ice invited us back to her quarters to screw our brains out instead,” Kara said matter-of-fact.

  So pretty much Quinn’s worst case scenario. Right.

  “And I was so drunk I fell asleep?” Quinn asked hopefully.

  “Nah, we did our thing while she cheered us on and woah you were ready for more afterward. I think the final score was she and I went two times, you and her three, you and me two, and then we sort of did this thing with all three of us together for another.”

  As they’d continued to talk memories had started to come back to Quinn. It was still fuzzy, but enough to convince him that Kara wasn’t just having fun at his expense. It wasn’t like him, at least not like who he tried to be. It had been different when he was with Ice, but that was a long time ago. That was the problem with old flames. They kept a piece of you with them, and even if you’d moved on that piece hadn’t.

  If Quinn was going to slip, why did it have to be with the person on his ship he trusted least and the old flame he most regretted? It also felt like his bruises had bruises.