ON THE STALK
“We’d better ease off,” Venatora said. “Skink’s a cunning devil and he’ll be watching his backtrail like a hungry raptor.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Marta said, relaying the order to Palsonia, who was at the helm.
Immediately, the holoimage on the deck-to-ceiling monitor reflected the change and the tiny ship representing the Takeo slowed its forward momentum. The pirate fleet, led by Skink’s own Swagman, moved ahead.
Palsonia chuckled. “Anthofelia’s playing it safe as always,” she said, indicating the position of the Gunakada.
It was tucked safely among the other vessels that made up Skink’s main force.
“Begging your pardon, Ma’am, but she never was the bravest bitch in the kennel,” Marta said.
“Skink is certainly risking it all in this operation,” Clew said. “Bar talk is that he’s spent several stolen fortunes getting the Swagman in top fighting shape.”
Her yellow eyes glowed in the dim light of the command center. “Me and some of my nest mates got his purser drunk one night,” Clew continued, “and she said Skink is also underwriting the cost of upgrading the ships of the other captains.”
Venatora made a cynical smile. “I’ll bet he’s charging his fellow captains usurious interest rates for his largesse,” she said. “To be paid out of their share of the booty.”
“The purser said something similar,” Clew agreed, her reptilian features stretching into what Venatora presumed was a smile. “Of course, if he doesn’t pull this off the captains will skin him, then space him. Love to be a fly on the wall to witness it.”
On the surface, Skink’s ship and his entourage appeared to be a motley force, consisting mostly of mothballed Imperial ships.
The Swagman, a decommissioned leftover from the Mueller Wars, was the deadliest. Creaky as the ship was, she was bristling with every weapon Skink could lay his thieving hands on, including a recently pilfered particle cannon.
Venatora and her little fleet had hidden in the shadow of a gas giant, watching Skink’s people mount the weapon beneath the nose of the Swagman. It was too big to fit into the ship for launching. To use the weapon a pilot would have to traverse the exterior of the Swagman and fumble awkwardly with the canopy to get in. Then he’d have to release the clamps holding the cannon in place.
But from that moment on the pilot would rule the roost, operating the cannon as if it were an independent fighting ship.
The other pirate ships, mostly frigates, were also well armed, but Venatora was confident that with a little care and a heavy helping of cunning, she could take them. But only if she had to. Venatora planned to seize Demeter without ever engaging another ship in battle.
Thanks to Clew, she knew all about Skink’s plan to ambush the Demeter and her entourage at Punta Royal. He’d vaporize the most formidable Imperial ships with the particle cannon, while the other captains swarmed the agworld’s support and took them out of action.
Then, he’d board Demeter and personally take control.
At that point Venatora planned to spring a surprise of her own. Her force was smaller than Skink’s. But her women, especially the Zabanyas, were so fierce, loyal, and well-trained that she was confident they’d overpower any force Skink threw at them.
Out of the corner of her eye she watched Marta and Palsonia go about their business. They were both capable and dedicated, with plenty of combat experience. Ideal aides to help lead the raiding party.
Clew would be another plus for Venatora’s raiding party. She was a legendary pirate captain, twenty years Venatora’s senior, with more successful boardings under her belt than a dozen of Skink’s pirate pals.
But could she be trusted? Sure, she’d believably explained her defection from Skink. Clew said she’d coldly calculated the odds and had quickly come to the conclusion that she stood a better chance aligning herself with Venatora.
As if reading her thoughts, Clew sighed and gave a sad shake of her head. “Skink is going to lead them all down the path to perdition,” she said. “I’d feel sorry for them if they weren’t being so stubbornly ignorant. I showed them in black and white how much they’ve gained since you brought us all together years ago to act in unison.
“But all they could see is that you have become so much richer than they are. Never mind that you invest a good portion of your loot in expanding and modernizing your ships.
“Or the tremendous expense you bear training all your people to act with military precision, with clear cut chains of commands. With regular pay and benefits and assistance in old age and infirmity. Like a real country, with a real leader, instead of just a bunch of crazy perpetually drunken pirates running around making fools of themselves.”
Venatora asked, “Don’t you worry for the safety of your friends and nest mates now that you’ve abandoned Skink?”
Clew’s yellow eyes narrowed in apprehension. “I prepared for the blowback before I announced my intentions,” she said. “Everyone was sent to a safe place with plenty of supplies and credits to last until this is over. And thanks to your generosity, they are all well defended. Even so—yes, I worry.”
During her preparations for the Demeter operation, Venatora had sent a contingent of some of her best warriors aboard several well-armed ships to guard Clew’s people.
“I won’t be telling you not to worry,” Venatora said. “And I won’t lie to you and say everything will be okay. And nothing will go wrong. How could I guarantee something like that? Besides, in my experience, something always goes wrong. My only hope is that I can keep the mistakes down to a minimum and surprise our enemies more times than they surprise us.”
Clew chuckled. “My mother always said that whoever springs the last surprise will win.”
“Your mother was certainly a wise woman,” Venatora said.
“I’m sure yours gave equally good advice,” Clew said. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be sitting here, queen of the most successful pirate operation in memory.”
Venatora returned the chuckle and nodded as if in agreement. But the fact was, she was the product of not one—but many mothers.
And had never met a single one of them.