ON THE TRAIL
or
Is there a doctor in the sector?
- XXIX -
The High Consular Hotel: reservations made to nobles,
diplomats, and members of the Legion of Honor. Posh place:
robotic servants, sophont servants, fine foods, the best luxuries
that to be had in the Consulate. The wholeo of which represented
a gigantic show piece for visiting diplomats. They see the
wonders of the Consulate and be eager to do business with them.
There are more than one ways to conquer a sector.
Jietlshaiepr sat nervously in the rented suite, "I've never
had recruiting duty, but, it seems like we've been looking an
awfully long time. Shtam, you ever have to do this when you were
a factor in the merchant marine?"
Shtam ran a hand through his hair and stretched. "No, you
have to remember though I was working *inside* the Imperium. We
hired our people in the Consulate and brought them to the post.
We could not trust the Imperials. It was an interesting time
though."
"Where in hell were you?" yawned Niedrsha.
"Right in the heart of the mess: on Regina."
A small golden sphere floated into the sumptuous room.
"Excuse the intrusion," it began in a humble voice, "There are
two Vargr here to see you. They claim to be seeking employment
with you."
"Send 'em in." gestured Niedrsha.
The sphere retreated. Moments later, the main entrance to
the suite opened.
The two stood framed in the surveying the room. Both were
rather tall for Vargr.
The larger of the two wore a long bright red coat emblazoned
with gold braid and ribbons. The leader no doubt. He strode
into the room nonchalantly taking in the entire setup in a glance
and nodded to three Zhodani. His fur was jet black save for his
white face with white eyebrows and white hands.
"Good evening. My name is Kfoks: Force Leader Taek Kfoks.
And this is my lieutenant: Force Subleader Tuerz." Kfoks
gestured to his companion.
Tuerz was nearly as tall as Kfoks, but incredibly slender.
She wore a tight black body suit and skirt which showed her tall
willowy form which moved with inhuman grace as she swayed forward
as if blown by a breeze. Her fur was flaming red-orange with a
white face and black ear tips. Her head swung slowly around
scrutinizing the entire room. Satisfied for the moment she stood
beside Kfoks with hands on hips thrusting her chest slightly
forward. Her eyes continued the surveillance of the room.
"Greetings, Force Leader Kfoks," intoned Jietlshaiepr, "I am
Jietlshaiepr, this is pilot Niedrsha and engineer Shtam."
"You advertized for ship crew members." stated Kfoks laying
a handful of holcrystal resumes on the table. "I'm here to
represent five of us. All with shipboard experience and
expertise."
Jiet slid them into a terinal slot. "Very good," she nodded
glancing them over. "What types of vessels have you been on?"
"Several types, most recently we all served on a frigate."
said Kfoks.
"In what capacity?" asked Shtam.
Kfoks drew a deep breath, "Three as fighter pilots, one as a
gunner and one as engineer. Most of us have some experience as
engineers."
"What sort of frigate was this?" wondered Shtam.
"The Gdaekvorr: an Urravek class frigate. She was rather
on the old side though."
Niedrsha leveled his gaze at Kfoks, "Were you in a corsair
band?"
Tuerz swiveled around to face Niedrsha, her body moving as
though it were on a turntable. She drew herself to her full
height.
Kfoks smiled tightly, biting down.
The bone transmitter sounded in Tuerz's skull, "No."
"Yes, we were." nodded Kfoks. He turned and put an arm
around Tuerz shoulder and scratched her behind the ears. "But
that's over with for now. Right now, we're looking for
transportation out of the Consulate, and we are more than willing
to hire on as your crew. However, I must insist that if you
would hire one of us you must hire all. We do not wish to be
separated."
Tuerz barked a short laugh, "I wouldn't be to sure about
Stuzzel. He wants out any way he can. And I'd be willing to
let him go."
"I see," said Jietlshaiepr, brushing her hair back over her
shoulders and stretching gloriously. "And if we can not
accommodate you?"
Kfoks folded his arms, "Then you can't accommodate us."
Shtam spoke up. "Right now we need two gunners, and three
pilots, preferably with engineering and military experience."
Kfoks raised an white eyebrow. "That's us."
Niedrsha asked, "What corsair band were you in?"
"The Uekalez. If that means anything to you."
"The band broke up a few months ago." said Shtam.
Kfoks sighed, "Well, yes and no. We are broken up. But we
didn't do it by ourselves. We had an awful lot of help from a
group of particularly playful humans."
"Oh? What happened?" asked Jietlshaiepr.
Kfoks muscles tensed, but he threw up a paw nonchalently,
and continued clamly. "Well, we were going to sell them some
ships. But when we delivered them, it seems that they didn't
fancy the idea of actually paying us for them. Our leader took
exception to this. Seems he rather liked money. In any event
their ships fought our ships, our ships fought their ships...
"But during the battle our captain decided that the better
part of valor was cowardice. He tried to run us out of there.
Didn't quite make it, the jump drive was damaged. We misjumped
far into the Consulate. We five are the survivors,"
"That would be from a crew of about twenty six but probably
was more than thirty." commented Shtam.
Tuerz glanced sidelong at Shtam, "Thirty five."
"Nice odds. Sounds like fun." mumbled Niedrsha.
Kfoks made a sweeping gesture with his tail, his tenseness
melted away like rain "Piece of mutton. We were all in the
engine room. The rest of the ship was torn apart. We salvaged
what we could and sold her forscrap."
"What band was this little scrap with?" wondered Niedrsha.
"I'm afraid I haven't any idea." confessed Kfoks. "Our
leader wasn't the confiding type. Had a pretty large support
system though. Good resources."
"What makes you say so?" asked Jietlshaiepr.
"Their fleet. They had several large warships. Including
an Azhanti High Lightning class cruiser, a tender in the forty
thousand ton range that looked an awful lot like the Star Rider
which was destroyed, a few Zhodani and Sword Worlds ships in the
destroyer range: two and three thousand tons, a Kinunir class
battle cruiser, and a host of other smaller ships and escorts."
Jietlshaiepr exchanged glances with Niedrsha. The muscles
in Shtam's jaw tightened.
Kfoks paused and ran his claws through the fur on his head.
"A fleet like that needs a lot of supporting equipment and bases.
They must have a government subsidizing them."
"The odd thing about the battle," he continued, "was that
while those ships were there, they didn't take much of an active
part in the battle. They stayed off at extreme range and sent in
fighters. And the fighters! They sent Shtelfires and
Shorichans! They haven't been used since the third frontier war
one hundred years ago. And they were completely obsolete then."
Shtam frowned. "Well," he objected, "the Shtelfire was one
of the best fighters ever built, an excellent design for tech
level twelve. I restored one once for a museum. The battle of
Farreach over in Jewell subsector was fought and won by young
Zhodani's in Shtelfires. And unless I'm mistaken they were used
in the fourth frontier war by Consular client states."
Kfoks shook his head, "That was twenty years ago. Those
states have newer cast offs from the Consulate now."
"Nevertheless," continued Shtam, "the Shtelfire was one of
the best fighters ever built. They're collector's items now.
Highly effective in combat."
"I agree," sighed Kfoks wryly, "I can testify to their
effectiveness in combat personally."
Jietlshapier sighed impatiently "Where exactly did you see
the Kinunir class battle cruiser?"
"Zylath, down in Jungleblut subsector."
Niedrsha considered it, "That's in the Domain of Alntzar."
"That's right."
Jietlshaiepr exchanged glances with Niedrsha and Shtam each
nodded in turn. "Would you care to show us exactly where?" she
asked.
- XXX -
Warning lights and sirens announced the approaching tilly.
Like a metal tyrannosaurus, it lumbered up the ramp to the
Flamboyant's cargo hold. Its motors whined as its piston legs
crested the cargo ramp. It carried the crates of arms the vargr
had managed to salvage from the wreck of the frigate,
approximately one hundred and fifty kilos.
The armored face plate of the modified cargo carrier went
down and Stuzzel poked his light brown muzzle out. "Hey, uh,
Sitlshaper, where do you want this equipment?"
Tuerz shook his head in disgust. He had gotten rid of the
skirt and his fur was pure white to match his tight body suit.
The lack of breasts made his slender frame look even more frail
than before. "Look you oaf, her name is Jietlshaiepr, and if
you'd use your head once in a while instead of getting out of
practice with it, you'd realize that the guns just might be
something we may need access to in a hurry. Don't bury it in the
back of the hold."
"Grrrach! Shut up, Snow White! Just cause you won't soil
your lily white hands..."
Tuerz stroked the handle of his laser pistol.
Jietlshaiepr interrupted, "Over on the left side of the
hold, next to the food supplies." she ordered.
"Blast these two!" she thought angrily, "If they keep
arguing I'll kill them both! Twice!"
Shtam watched as the tillys were used to load the
Flamboyant. "Kfoks, how much can those things carry?"
"The tillys? I'm afraid it depends on how experienced the
operator inside is. I believe the record was something like nine
hundred and eleven kilograms. I can manage six hundred fairly
easily. They were cargo carriers originally. A friend of mine
modified them: fusion gun, gauss rifle, RAM auto grenade
launcher. They make for rather fun toys. Rackhan's using mine
at the moment. We have a third, but it needs repairs before we
can operate it."
"Maybe I can help," mused Shtam. "I'm pretty good with
machines."
Kfoks shook his head. "I'm afraid we need a robotics expert
Shtam. The whole things in pieces."
"I believe we have a robot expert."
"Oh yes, aboard the Vixen. Perhaps he can do it. I want a
good look at that ship though. I never thought I'd see that one
again. She may have some interesting things aboard."
"Oh? For instance?"
"Navigational information in the computer. If you're right
about the Uekalez being completely broken up then perhaps we can
use ransack some of our emergency supply bases."
"Good stuff?"
Kfoks grinned "A start. With it I can build up my empire."
"Yes... I think I understand the vargr empire, it looks as
though you have a small start: four followers."
Kfoks looked Shtam straight in the eye. "That will build.
As I said, it's a start. And revenge is always a good place to
get going, particularly when the object of that revenge is rich."
"And powerful." warned Shtam.
"That's where our association comes in: we are working
towards the same end."
"We just want the doctor back."
"The doctor probably wants vengeance too."
"Perhaps. Who knows?"
Kfoks mused a moment. Finally he cocked his head, and
examined Shtam more closely. "You said you restored a Shtelfire
once, did you ever get to fly one?"
Shtam laughed, "No, unfortunately not. The museum would
barely let me warm up the engines."
"What museum?"
"Oh, actually it's in the Imperium: Regina. I was a factor
there, and I helped them fix it up. They didn't like the idea of
a Zhodani taking up a Zhodani built fighter over their sector
capital even if it was not armed."
"Wait a minute, was that the Imperial war museum?"
"Yes."
Kfoks nodded, "I've seen your work. Good job."
"Well, I had quite some time to work on it. The ship I was
on had some major problems. We had to order parts all the way
from the Consulate."
"The Imperials didn't have the parts?"
Shtam rolled his eyes. "No. But the company would not
allow us to use Imperial parts. So we waited nine months to get
our requisition through for a Lanathnum drive core. When it
arrived they had sent the wrong piece. I tried to modify it, but
in the end it wouldn't charge properly. I couldn't certify the
ship for jump, so we waited another three months. We finally got
out."
Kfoks eyed him intently. "What did you think of the
Imperium?"
"A very suspicious people. They did not trust me very far.
Of course, I did not trust them either. But it gave me a chance
to polish up my knowledge of ships. Once I finished the
Shtelfire, I was allowed to work on other ships for the museum:
Rampart 128's. Neat ships."
"Yeah. I like the newer Rampart IV's and V's though."
"Yes, I prefer Zhodani models though, Kia class..."
"Did you ever see the Imperial Aerobatics team? The Blue
Angels?"
"Once, they were flying modified Cobras. Quite impressive."
"They are using Viper 15-S's now. And their flight leader
was one of the strangest looking beings I've ever seen: an Ael
Yael or something. It had wings. I heard it was a female. I'd
guess those things make pretty good pilots."
"Yes, well if you or I had instincts for the air we would
too. She was leader when I saw them. The name was Kittan
Kboutle or something."
- XXXI -
"Vrrrrrrsh!" grumbled Stuzzel producing a reverberating echo
in the Flamboyant's officer lounge. "Jump space is the most
boring krglish I've ever been in. I think I might crawl in a low
berth and sleep through it." The ponderous weight of the vargr
flowed and bounced as he shifted in his chair. He yawned and
belched loudly and tossed away the dogeared magazine in a flurry
of colored pages.
Jietlshaiepr could not read the cover of the magazine when
it fluttered to the deck, her Gveg was limited and the idiom of
the title made little sense when directly translated. "Fragrant
White Wag" told little, the picture on the cover filled the rest:
a scantily clad young female vargr, seen from behind, perched on
top of a grav-bike.
Her eyes rolled. "Stupid barbarian", she thought and turned
in disgust.
A stinging slap ripped across her backside. She swung round
furious.
"You're pretty good, even if ya aien't got no tail." laughed
Stuzzel.
Jietlshaiepr leveled her gaze on him. Slowly, deliberately
she took hold of his collar and lifted the obese vargr to within
a few millimeters from the ceiling. "And your pretty disgusting
mister, tail not withstanding. I may put you in one of the low
berths anyway." She lowered him half a meter and dropped him.
Niedrsha looked on warily. "Jiet will teach 'em who's boss
around here soon." he thought. He nodded to Jietlshaiepr and
spoke: "Look Stuzz, we've got eight jumps to make before we get
to Zylath. I think you'd better lay off a bit if you want to get
there."
Stuzzel snorted, "*Why* should I want to get there? That's
where we got trounced by the stupid human pirates."
Kfoks ears shifted in annoyance and he looked up from a book
of gveg poetry. "That IS the point, Mr. Stuzzel. They probably
have a base there. It's our opportunity to do a little
reconnaissance on them."
"*Stuff* recon!" he snorted. "I learned plenty about 'em."
"Just what did you learn, Stuzzel?" inquired Shtam.
"'Nough to know I don't want to fuck wif 'em! They wiped
out our whole fuckin' fleet! What good are we gonna do in one
escort even if we got a Vixen around?"
"Reconnaissance, you vragh brained clod," explained Tuerz as
he flowed into the lounge gracefully, "is not a stand up fight.
Of course the idea of subterfuge might not occur to someone whose
idea of subtlety is a ton of high explosive." He carried a large
thick plastic plack peppered with small holes and several nails
protruding.
He wore a blue female outfit with his visible fur dyed
cream. At his hip swung his prize possession: an integral laser
pistol. He had relieved it from an Imperial merchant with more
money than marksmanship. The pistol itself was beautiful:
iridium plated with inlaid rubies and ivory. The merchant had
paid a great deal for it: eight guards and his own life. Tuerz
thought it a crime for such a weapon to be in the hands of
someone who could barely use it. A blind vargr might value a
Dali, but he could never appreciate it as could one with sight.
He twirled a small body pistol, "Would you all mind if I set
up a bit of target practice? I've been getting soft on my
practice sessions, and if I let it go much longer I'll be as bad
a shot as Stuzzel is with a fusion gun."
Stuzzel snorted indignantly.
"In here?" asked Jietlshaiepr skeptically.
"This is the longest room on the ship. I can stand on the
bridge and shoot at this target."
Kfoks waved his book at Jietlshaiepr, "Don't worry
Commander. Tuerz won't damage anything. He can nail a fly at
ten meters. Here..." Kfoks rose and placed a melon on his own
head to step in front of the target board. "From the hip,
Tuerz."
The pistol continued to gyrate in Tuerz paw for a moment as
Jietlshaiepr started to object.
The body pistol barked. A wisp of smoke issued from the
barrel.
Kfoks pulled the melon from the crown of his head. A neat
hole drilled precisely in the center.
He showed it to Jietlshaiepr and then took a bite of it.
"Very well. Go ahead." she sighed. "But, no more shots
like that. I don't feel like taking the time to study vargr
cranial anatomy just to dig out slugs."
"Can I try that one on you Tuerz?" laughed Stuzzel.
"Shut up or I'll put a hole in your head to equalize the
vacuum." snarled Tuerz.
For emphasis Tuerz swung around to face the target board.
Suddenly, his chest exploded. A nail was driven into the board
with deadly accuracy.
Tuerz turned back while a small wisp of smoke issued from
the false breasts in his disguise.
"Nice shot." called Niedrsha.
Jietlshaiepr sighed, "Would you *Mind* using a silencer?"
- XXXII -
Enoc E484000-0
Kfoks surveyed the Vixen's deck. All in order. She had
gone through a lot before they tried to sell her. Stressed out
bulkheads patched with whatever metal scraps that came to hand.
She was in sorry shape yes, but she could fight at least one more
battle. After all she had only been designed to go into one
battle, she had exceeded that along time ago.
Tuerz slipped through the airlock in female dress. His fur
was dyed bright red to match the dress he wore.
"Hello there."
Kfoks turned, Tuerz whirled. A vargr woman stood appraising
them from a corridor. She was strongly built and very
attractive. The lighting shone off the orange and tan of her fur
as she stood with her tail at attention with just a hint of a
slight wag.
Kfoks own tail twitched involuntarily. "Good evening. My
name is Kfoks, Force Leader Taek Kfoks." He took her hand. "You
must be Gresha. This is my lieutenant: Force Subleader Tuerz."
"Just your lieutenant, Force Leader Kfoks?" asked Gresha
nodding to the feminine Tuerz.
"Just."
Gresha stepped forward and ran a paw over the flowing
synsilk of his uniform. "You were in the Uekalez weren't you?"
"Yes we were. But that's a long story, and where are you
from, First Lieutenant Gresha?"
"All over, I was in several corsair bands at different
points. Some of them got old pretty quickly. I switched around
a lot. I get bored without the proper attention."
Miakr watched Kfoks and Gresha for a moment as they stood
closely, then loudly stepped into the room sighing inwardly.
"Well, she was too blasted pushy anyway..."
- XXXIII -
"Well what do you think kid? Can you do it?" Kfoks studied
Miakr's face trying to read the unfamiliar human expressions
crossing it.
Miakr looked back and forth from the designs to the bulk of
the disassembled Tilly. "Well, it's quite a job. It'll take
some time. You've got the parts, but as for labor, if you were
to get this repaired professionally, I'd guess the labor alone
would be about one hundred and thirty five thousand."
Kfoks's tail dropped. "You'll get it."
"Do you have it?"
Kfoks paused. "Not yet, but soon."
"You might not have to pay in cash." Miakr confided softly.
This human may be more shrewd than he acts. "What exactly
are you after?"
"Nothing specific... yet. But you will certainly owe me a
favor."
"Payment like that," thought Kfoks, "is usually more
expensive than the cash."