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“What does everyone think?” Hands on his hips, Camat wasn’t watching the crew grouped around him. His gaze panned across the bare mountains in the distance.
“It’s fucking hot,” Zet mumbled.
“Well, what the fuck do you expect on a desert planet?” Trund snorted. “It’s not as if we didn’t know it was dry. At least moisture isn’t dripping from everything, including me. Even the air on Greenhouse 2 is wet.”
Bunde listened to the comments and held back a smirk. They would agree to making Estevan their home port. Camat had used his head on letting everyone go down to Greenhouse 2 with a little of their funds to spend. The moist heat of the planet sapped the energy from a form. It might be hot on Estevan, still it was easier to take than the oppressive damp of Greenhouse 2.
They had already been visited by the port authority. They could afford the rates and a little bootlegging of water from their auxiliary water tank to the head of the port wouldn’t hurt. Or so said the customs officer, Elda.
Oicu hadn’t steered them wrong. The very thing Zet complained about made the place perfect for the Demon Lair. Bunde did sense a few problems headed their way. Camat had been elected captain. He couldn’t rule by committee. She’d already witnessed how Commander Eirson controlled the Poignard. She never asked for the crew’s opinion that Bunde noticed. If that ever happened, it never got made public.
Someone had to make decisions, often with only seconds to spare while facing a catastrophic life-ending incident. She and Brown had talked about it. Their engineer and mechanic had been on a SUN fleet ship. He understood what she sensed. They couldn’t go on the way they had been.
They were to hold a meeting before leaving again to take on another job for Maden. Something had to be decided and soon. If they screwed up anything the Messerian gave them to do, they might as well sell the ship.
Brown agreed to side with her, but couldn’t bring it up since he wasn’t one of the original Demons. Which made sense. Itty had a vote, sort of. Camat couldn’t vote in his favor, but Trund could.
That left Enkel, Oolden, and Zet to weigh in. She hadn’t bothered broaching the subject with either Oolden or Zet. Enkel she’d gone to in a slightly roundabout manner. The Messerian-Liderian cross didn’t give her any indication of the direction he’d take. Enkel never gave much of what he thought away. Those golden eyes he’d inherited from a Messerian parent revealed little when shuttered.
“If no one has any objections, I’d like to make a short trip to a couple of the local salvage yards,” Brown said. “If I had more sophisticated motors, I can revamp this damn leg and no one will need to wait around to help me back up.”
“That’s reasonable. You didn’t get what you needed on Greenhouse 2?” Camat asked.
“Not entirely.” The engineer shrugged. “One of the micro motors works as it should. The other can crap out on me at the oddest times. I think it has an internal flaw. You can’t expect much from used crap.”
“Makes sense. If you’ve got enough funds, go hunting. Take Bunde with you in case you need help. Another thing we’re getting before we leave the place is implants, if the price is right. The Demon Lair will spring for the costs, to be repaid over time.”
Mild reactions from the crew were favorable.
“The customs form, Elda. She said there’s a guy we need to see. Dave Yerks. He runs the local fabrications shop. He can tell us if it’s worth spending the funds or going for the expensive shit on Greenhouse 2. If we can save a little and still get decent gear, I’m all for getting it done here.”
“How much time do we have?” Enkel asked. “In forty-eight hours, we’ve got to meet the Long Sword and the Futura back on Greenhouse 2. I don’t want to blow this job. Vaallaant isn’t going to do more with us if we aren’t up to his standards.”
“Yep.” Camat gave Enkel a nod. “So from here, I’m off to see Yerks. Other than Brown and Bunde, the rest of you need to come along. If we can get this done, we’d best hurry. Bunde, you and Brown go find Yerks when you’re done trolling the yards. Or... tell you what, come along with us. Maybe Yerks will know the best place to get the micro motors. Bunde can be last to get the implant if we go for it. That should give time for a trip around the salvage places.”
“Good planning.” Brown said.
“Let’s move out.” Trund grinned at the group. “We might need two vehicles. Let’s go see what they’ve got out there.”
Drivers were lined up along both sides of the narrow entry to the port. One male had a big flyer van and got the business. Better yet, he knew where Yerks’ office was. In a short time, they found themselves on the outside of a large building.
Bunde laughed when Camat wanted them to stay outside until he got more information. With the heat, it wasn’t reasonable. In the end, the entire crew followed him into the interior. All kinds of machines were busy making parts.
A thin gray-haired male walked over. His grin relaxed the crew. They had been prepared to get yelled at for all entering at once.
“Sir, I’m Captain Camat of the Demon Lair. We’re considering making Estevan our home port. We need a few things and a friend suggested Dave Yerks could steer is in the right direction.”
“I’m Yerks. We always welcome a new crew. That’s an interesting name for a ship. Are you part of the Union?”
“No, sir. We’re independent, but have done a few subcontracting jobs for a couple of Union ships. Maybe someday. Not right now.”
“Well, how can I help you? What is it you need? Follow me to my office. I’ve got two empty chairs. Hope the rest of you don’t mind standing.”
“I’ll stay here with everyone else,” Trund said. “Camat, why don’t you take Brown and Bunde in with you. Makes more sense than us cluttering up the office.”
The two males worked well together. They usually backed each other up. A relationship between captain and second officer had firmed up nicely. No one questioned Brown as engineer and chief mechanic. So far, she approved of the way things were shaping up for the Demon Lair.
It seemed she would eventually take the supply officer spot. She already had an inventory of everything necessary to keep the ship going on her tablet. A grin flitted across her face. She wondered what the rich creep she’d stolen it from would think about that. Not that they could engage in that anymore. On such a small scale, anyway.
They had all agreed that getting labeled a pirate crew would be the death of them eventually. If something fell into their orbit, and didn’t appear to be a ticket to jail, they would weigh the possible outcomes. Nor would a little smuggling be turned away. But nothing big and guaranteed to bring Admiral Ramos down on them. Brown, ex-SUN fleet, had made it quite clear how that would turn out.
In the office, they got referrals to the best person to handle the implant installation. Yerks asked Brown questions about the status of his leg. A bargain was struck between the engineer and Yerks. The motors he needed were to be had and Yerks knew where. He would get them delivered to the ship. While they were off on the contract job, Yerks said he would work on putting together a more permanent solution for Brown.
For a nominal fee, it could be permanently attached, and Brown would no longer be disabled. The smile that put on the engineer’s face amazed her. She hadn’t realized how it pulled him down to be dealing with his disability.
Four SUN hours later, they were all back aboard and getting used to communications with the ship and each other through the implants. Brown had tuned his to the ship and they were seated in the mess hall, ready to start the meeting which she hoped would result in the necessary changes. They sat on the cusp of being the real thing—an independent mercenary ship.
I call this meeting of the Demons to order.
Camat’s use of the implants brought howls of “ouch, easy” and a few yelps.
“Alright. I’m sorry. Just getting the feel of things.” He told the forms around him.
Brown laughed. “I figured that had to happen. I was ready for it. You’re all going to get too loud at some point. That comes with learning to use implants. You can do things with them that tablets can do. Still, you need ways to make private communications, too.”
I’m not cluttering my mind up with all that crap. Bunde grimaced when she realized she’d broadcast that to everyone through her implant.
“Listen, we’ve got some things to work on before we meet with the Futura and the Long Sword. Shut up and let me lay this out.” Camat glared at the rest of the gang.
They grumbled a little before cooperating.
“I can see what worked when we were nothing but a bunch of little thieves sitting around in that basement in Calius isn’t going to work out here. Not on a ship.” Camat had their attention.
Finally. Bunde felt a tap on her shoulder and a nod from Brown.
I got that, but no one else did, came through into her mind.
How in the seven hells? she asked.
Brown grinned at her. You like me.
No, I’m your babysitter is probably the reason, Bunde shot back.
The human’s grin got broader. Bunde turned her back on him. His delusions meant nothing to her.
“Bunde, Brown, if you two would quit fooling around, how about I get your attention?” Camat’s voice and the question caused her to slide her chair away from the mechanic.
“Aye, Captain,” she mumbled.
“That right there is what we need to discuss. We can’t be in the middle of something out in space and stop and take a vote when something happens. I’m the captain and you all made it official before we even left Calius. Trund here is my second-in-command. I give an order, it’s to be obeyed. We don’t have time to argue about it.” He glanced at the others seated at the table.
“We’ve shaken it out somewhat. Now, we need to finish the job. Bunde there is our supply person. There must be a name for it.”
“It’s more like a rank. Since we’re not a fleet ship, supply officer is good enough,” Brown said.
“That works.” Camat pointed to Enkel. “You’ve got a handle on weapons; you can be the weapons officer. Oolden, you’ve always been good with communications; you’re our communications officer. Zet...” Camat grinned at him. “Since you like things a whole bunch more than dealing with life forms, you’re in charge of keeping track of the ship’s health. Monitor the hull, all the support systems. That means you get to work with the AI. You keep us together. But that also means you must play nice with Brown here, since he’s the form who’ll be fixing stuff.”
She ducked her head to keep from smiling. Camat understood the implications of his directive. Zet didn’t care for anyone he’d known less than half his life.
“I haven’t forgotten about Itty.” Camat smiled at the tiny Houser female. “You get to be the medical officer. There’re some books in the library you should probably study. On to the kitchen. That’s everyone’s problem. We’re all going to take a turn in there until I can figure out how to coerce a Selvian on board. Until that happens, Trund will make up a schedule and once a week we each get a turn in there.”
Moans of disgust came from everyone.
“Attention!” Trund barked out as he thumped the tabletop. “We aren’t done here.”
They exchanged startled glances, but kept quiet.
“You’re all responsible for your clothing and quarters. If you stink too much on the bridge, you’ll be given a forced bath. No fucking excuses. Everyone get the message here?”
While Camat looked on, Trund eyed them. The second-in-command grunted. “We all had a hand in getting the funds to buy the Lair. But we...” He waved a hand in front of him. “We made the trip to Greenhouse 2. Camat negotiated for the ship. I talked the AI into letting us in. It happened because we made it so. Don’t get any ideas that you’re smarter than either of us. The lot of you know how many hours we put in studying this. We still are.”
Trund leaned back in his chair. Camat gave each of them a good stare. “Any questions?”
Heads shook.
“Respond verbally,” Trund huffed out.
A chorus of “no, sir” went around the table.
“Dismissed. We’ve got a schedule to keep. Four hours for naps and then we’re off to that meeting. Move it.”
Brown stood and put a hand on her shoulder. Sounds as if we’re in business.
It’s for real now, she replied. A quick look at the others leaving the kitchen told her she’d made that comment for Brown alone to hear. She got it right.
