01 - Vigilante

Ages - Age of Expansion - The Vigilante Chronicles

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One man leaves the life of a lawman behind him and works to clean up a new area in space. On the planet now known as High Tortuga, the mine workers are far too close to being slaves so the ruler of the planet shut them down. Except for the mine owned by Venfirdri Lan. He's taken his mine off the grid and decided to keep everything running. With no need to pay the workers, profits should be good. After all, who's going to stop him? He had no idea there was a new type of man working for justice on the planet. A man named Barnabas. In fact, he didn't even know who Barnabas was. But he's about to. Barnabas may not be Ranger One anymore, but one thing definitely has not changed: when someone screws over the powerless, Barnabas is going to bring the pain. With a bloodthirsty AI running his advanced spaceship, those who love evil should start looking over their shoulders. Life just got a lot more fun.

Chapter 1

Barnabas in Tethra a smaller city on High Tortuga, checking om it’s “feel”. Barnabas believed that a planet’s cities were the bellwethers of its success...or failure., and he wanted to see High Tortuga thrive – so he checked to see what was happening in odd places. He went into a local bar for a drink (no beer, so had fruit juice), and gossiped with the bar owner, an Ubuara named Aebura.

Chapter 2

So she told him the whole story, from her first days on Devon to the work in the mines to Lan and Gar and the rest of them. She explained how she’d been one of the first employed in Sector XVIII’s Mine 2b—and therefore one of the first to leave—and how she had nearly forgotten the touch of the group mind by the time she was released. Barnabas wanted to see a copy of her contract, so she showed him her copy. He read it, and pointed out the places that were definitely wrong. . “People like this prey on people who don’t know better. You were caught up in something bigger than you.” She told him that others wanted her to smuggle them out, as it was getting worse at the mines - less food to eat and the hours were longer. “Slavery,” she blurted finally. “I think that when the mines shut down Lan didn’t tell them, and he didn’t let them leave. Gar knows that he is being talked about, and when Barnabas looked over at him, he did the worst thing he could ever have done – he ran.

Chapter 3

Gar had reviewed his prior action in his mind, concerning the mine, and remembered when Lan had told him, two years ago, to make sure all communications to the outside world were completely shut down. He did. The mine changed- curfews, more people in jail, prisoners physically punished. Gar had become angry, and was now angry all of the time. When he walked through the mining camp, it was with his eyes darting this way and that, to see which person would rebel next. Lan just told him to take care of it – don’t bother him. When Gar had come into town, he heard the gossip and whispers, and realized that the mine Lan controlled should have been shut down entirely and the workers let out of their contracts. Lan had lied to him, and he had worried that the man in the bar was here for retribution. He remembered the things he had done and the sick feeling in his stomach grew, and he ran. At one point he shot at Barnabas, then ran again. He came to a company house, ran inside, locked the doors, found Barnabas staring at him. They sit and talk.

Chapter 4

Barnabas interviews gar, learns of slavery, mistreatment. Gets Gar to agree to go back to mine, get information on Lan that Barnabas wants.

Chapter 5

Barnabas brought Gar back to Shinigami, in the brig, while he thought out his strategy. Plays chess with Shinigami, instructing her on how to act human in her holographic self. His plan: “I am going to approach Venfirdri Lan as a missionary and tell him that I will be able to restore order to his mine. Once I have been able to assess what other mines he might be running, as well as learn more about his connections and the way the mine operates, I will make sure the workers are allowed to leave and that those in charge of keeping them there are held responsible.” Wants to use the mine thing as gateway to the planet in general. This is as good a place as any to begin learning what I need to know about this planet, and I have a perfect setup now, having a link both to the mines and to the cities. If I cultivate knowledge of the mines and the cities, I can gain a perspective on the whole.”

Chess game a lesson in strategy. Barnabas had set it up for her to win. He had not been trying to. “You were playing for a purpose other than to win?” “Exactly.” Barnabas switched off the game board and smiled up at one of Shinigami’s sensors. “Lesson One about strategy: make sure you know what your opponent’s goal is.”

Chapter 6

In the brig, Gar reviews his life. Even his grandfather, who had supported Gar’s ambition when no one else did, would not have been proud of the person Gar was now. He was uncomfortably sure of that. Barnabas sets up rules for Gar’s return. Communication, with what info Barnabas needs. “When I arrive you will help convince Lan to admit me to the grounds. You will make yourself aware of security patterns. Guard rotations, who is sloppy and who is methodical, where the best and worst places would be to defend the mines. Anything you do not know already you will make yourself aware of. I will at some point want to hear a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the mine’s security.” Aebura decides she must do something about the mine- find it, free the people, do something. Barnabas tell her to wait. Anything he should know? . “If you disabled the radio device the Ubuara would be able to communicate with one another again. Should talk to Leiguba, also. He is another Ubuara, and someone who was always very angry about the injustices.” That night Leiguba, at the mine, decides it’s time to escape.

Chapter 7

Lan wonders at Gar’s lengthy visit into town. Lan was unhappy about Gar’s attitude lately. He had complained about duties, questioned orders. Lan had told no ne, other workers, guards, anyone, that the mine should be closed, he could hardly afford for one of them to overhear the truth at this juncture. In the meantime, he was fairly certain that Gar was trying to make a point about how indispensable he was, so he was staying away, which forced Lan to do all the tasks Gar would have usually taken care of – repairs, personal problems, paperwork, riots in the jail cells. Gar returns, and Lan goes with him to inspect the mines and grounds. Inspect the walls surrounding the mine. They talk about the mine’s secret. Gar seems to be OK with things as they are, so Lan relaxes, and leaves, going back to his office. But Gar was really upset. It was clear what Lan wanted: to have the mines continue working for his sole benefit. Lan was many things, but he was not stupid about business. Gar knew what he was planning. Run the mine as long as he could, then escape with the money, leaving Gar to take the blame. Gar continued with the inspection, making notes for Barnabas.

Chapter 8

Carter Eastbourne arrives, likes what he sees, looks around the town and sees a bar. He goes in, and sees a monkey sitting behind the bar, talking to him. His implant allows him to communicate, and he has some fruit juice.

Chapter 9

Barnabas, dressed as a monk, goes to the mine, (showing Shinigami the beauty of the mountains as he walks them, through his eyes). He tells her why. This disguise will afford me opportunities I would not otherwise have. Barnabas approaches the gates, asks to speak to Venfirdri Lan.” Even though not expected, they tell Lan that a kalanon, a “speaker of words – a mystic” was asking for him by name. Lan calls Gar, who says the kalanon might be helpful in settling the workers. And Lan was bored. Perhaps speaking to the alien might be interesting. As he is being escorted to Lan’s, he sees an Ubuara, and forces a mental thought into his mind - Aebura has not forgotten you. I am here to help. Be patient. All will be made well

Chapter 10

Barnabas met with Lan and Gar. They inquired as to the source of his knowledge. He gave a stock answer. “I have simply learned that in places like this which are undergoing rapid expansion, things are always fraught. There is...progress, and at the same time, there are those who are not prepared to sacrifice to see that progress achieved. There can be a collision of people with different laws from different societies.” “During my travels, I have found that I have a talent for aligning expectations,” Barnabas offered. He wished only to restore peace to this place. So they summoned Chogaru, who would circulate among the workers, find out what Barnabas was telling them.

Gar escorts him around the mine, secretly showing him weaknesses, holes, etc., as Barnabas had brought a device which would find Lan’s servers and feed information to Shinigami. While Barnabas was here, she would assess the data to see what they could find out about Lan and his employers.

Chapter 11

By accessing Lan’s records, Shinigami was able to ascertain exactly what Barnabas had surmised – bad contracts, not enough food for the workers, luxuries for himself, told company he would shut down mine and didn’t, then he’d taken everything offline and gambled that the owners wouldn’t interfere—or, at least, wouldn’t interfere for long enough that he’d be able to make a small fortune off the mine. Shinigami looked at the mine through Barnabas’ eyes- Everything was shoddy and run-down. This place wasn’t humming with activity or efficiency, and its denizens were not willingly laboring this hard. There was nothing to be proud of here beyond the grimly determined survival of the workers. She did not want Lan to escape under any circumstances!

Leiguba had received Barnabas’ mental message, and wondered what had happened. He had wondered that Aebura had done nothing up to now, and suddenly it sounded as if he was telling Leiguba not to do anything on his own, to just wait for things to happen. He spread the word to the other Ubuara as best he could. Though they could not speak mind to mind now, they had noticed that the Brakalons could not interpret their native language very well. Sometimes they mistook it for just meaningless chittering, and that meant that they could pass messages. Help is on the way. Chogaru will go to the alien with Leiguba, and they will find the truth. But maybe he should trust Chogaru. “Let’s organize. Let’s come up with a plan.”

Chapter 12

Shinigami and Barnabas are playing another game of chess, a perfect example of Barnabas’ sneaky ways. He’s playing this game differently, and she doesn’t know why. Her reactions are perfectly human, which gives the reader a clue as to Barnabas’ devious qualities. Shinigami and up wanting to kill him.

Barnabas is waiting, and watching Lan at the mine. “I’m waiting because I think if I can put him off-balance enough, he’ll contact the various people who are willing to help someone like him...and who know about this planet. I don’t just want to take out Lan, I want his whole network.” He asks Gar to find out Lan’s escape plan.

Eastbourne show Aebura a bottle of Coke, indicating it as the official drink of the Empress, and that her bar shows that we are devoted to the manufacture and distribution of Coca-Cola. “Meanwhile, we put out the word very quietly that true believers can get Pepsi here.” “Listen,” Carter continued seriously. “You absolutely must not tell Barnabas about the Pepsi. Nathan Lowell has set up secret facilities to make and distribute Pepsi.” Carter want them to get on that bandwagon on High Tortuga.

Chapter 13

Gar lies to get into Lan’s hut, to search for his interplanetary code #, to find who he has been talking to about flights off-planet. Lan discovers him (Chogaru told Lan about working with the alien), and Lan orders Gar put into jail, even though what he said was true- about the closed mine, and wanting his fair share. Barnabas overhears that conversation, decides to move his rescue plans up, and will save Gar if he can. Leiguba talks Chogaru, in jail, and Chogaru tells hum Gar is working with the human. Leiguba thinks that if that is so, Gar might be an ally to talk to.

Chapter 14

Barnabas goes to Aebura, asks her for her help. Where would be a good place to hide people? The mine. During the day. Barnabas reassures her he will r the people first, look after Gar secondly. And Pepsi and Coke are just two different drinks humans like - a silly argument about something that didn’t matter at all.

Lan decides to stay a little longer at the mine, but called a Brakalon in Tethra, Jutkelon , to hire more guards and force for the mine.

Chapter 15

Leiguba goes to the jail to talk to Gar, admits working for the human. “I wanted to save my own skin. So when he confronted me, I made a bargain. I dressed it up nicely for myself. I told myself I was becoming a better person; that I wanted to help him because it was the right thing to do. I told myself I wanted to prove myself to him so that he would include me in other things he had planned. I only wanted to save my own life. I was a coward. He told me that the punishment for my crime was death and I tried to be brave, but I was afraid to die. At the time I thought I was a better person than I have turned out to be. Leiguba decides to help Gar escape, to help Barnabas, and he does so.

Lan looked at the new guards – Brakalons and a few Shrillexians – affording him a clear presence and rapid response if necessary under Jutkelon’s guidance. Private mercenaries hired to protect Lan and the mine. If you face armed resistance from the guards, kill them. ”

Aebura hears of the extra guards forming, and sends thoughts out to any Ubuara to get that information to him. Oemuga, a young male she knew, said he would do so.

Chapter 16

Gar escapes from the jail, and hides under the General Store, along with the spiders and the rodents. He waited until dark before escaping to the mine. Chogaru came to him, and Gar told him everything about Lans. Chogaru told Gar everything about Leiguba, so both now knew everything about it all. Then Chogaru went to Lans and told HIM everything, implicating Gar, Leiguba, and every rebellious worker there. Chogaru had chosen sides, his own, and was plating everyone against everyone else, to come out on top. Lan ordered, “You will accompany my soldiers tonight and point out members of the rebellion to them.” Chogaru knew Lan hoped he would die in the crossfire. Perhaps he would even give secret orders to that effect. As far as he was concerned, Chogaru had served his purpose. The Nekubi was not offended. He knew this was nothing more than Lan trying to make the smartest moves. He didn’t intend to die, either. He would be watching his back. He had to be careful not to smile. He nodded to Lan to show he understood his orders. “I know where each of them sleeps. I will be able to assist. You should consider sending guards to the mine entrance and to ring the walls. It is probable that people will try to run and hide.”

Chapter 17

Barnabas dons his armor for the battle (See Weapons, Armor) Barnabas plans to take the new mercenaries as they come through the gate that evening, all cut down by one person, to teach a lesson to the planet. I want to send a message to the mercenaries of this planet. Protection and defense of the helpless are worthy goals, but when the mercenaries help enforce slavery, Bethany Anne will hold them responsible. Being mercenaries does not absolve them of their moral responsibilities. The rebel miners went to bed as usual. If this worked, by tomorrow Lan wouldn’t have the chance to hurt them anymore. Then the door burst open and his hutmates started screaming. Bright lights pierced the darkness, blinding the people inside, and guards peered about suspiciously as they waded into the pile of Ubuara. With them was Chogaru, who pointed directly at Leiguba, and every other unhappy miner. He told Leiguba he was and had been an informer, for power status, and that’s the way the world worked. They then went to the other huts to capture the other insurgents. In the jail cell, Leiguba slumped against the wall. Chogaru. It was Chogaru they shouldn’t have trusted.

Gar, still under the store, helps rescue some of the children, then goes to find Barnabas, tell him what was happening. Barnabas instructs him to get the guards to stand down (talk to, their Captain). “Feel free to start with religion, and move on to self-interest if that doesn’t work. It’s like this, you see. Whoever is still defending Lan and carrying out his orders when I get to them dies.”

Chapter 18

Gar stood in front of Heddoran’s guards. , holding the prisoners. I bring a message from the kalanon. He takes exception to all this. He says it is slavery, and he is obliged to intervene. He would have you stand aside so these people can be freed. I think you know that what you are doing is not right, Heddoran. I see it in your expression. You do not like chasing down children and hauling their parents away screaming in the dead of night.” Heddoran told Chogaru to shut up. “Shut. Up. I don’t like you.” Heddoran looked up the hill to Lan’s hut. “And I have not liked the overseer’s orders for some time. But I do like the kalanon.” “He is a warrior,” Gar explained diplomatically. “He could triumph over all of you, but he has chosen—out of respect for you, Heddoran—to give you the chance to stand down.” “Stand down,” Heddoran commanded.

Barnabas “jumped” to the gates as the new mercenaries were entering, stopping them. One of the fired his pistol at Barnabas’ head, which was stopped by his gauntleted hand. When the rest of the guards reached for their weapons, they were looking at very very sharp fangs. Barnabas said “Wrong. Answer.” Barnabas had already sliced Gressa’s head off. He had gotten under their skin when he’d killed Gressa and they were now reduced to primal instinct, aware on some deep level that they were going to die. Barnabas could identify three more leaders from their original formation. He picked one off with a single shot and leapt clear over the crowd to land behind another. His impossibly-sharp knife easily pierced the creature’s torso. Several of the soldiers had finally roused enough to fire on him. Barnabas ducked, bared his teeth, and leapt into the fray once more. He was laughing like a maniac now. He moved in a blur, pushing himself to the limits of his abilities. Teeth sank into flesh and his knives were coated in blood of varying colors. They piled on him one after the other but Barnabas always emerged, sending the soldiers staggering away from him as he shot them with their own guns. “Justice,” he whispered as one of them fell to the dirt with a choking gasp. “You chose to be here and to stay. You will pay the price.” Barnabas was still laughing as he raised his gun and fired seven perfect shots, felling the remaining mercenaries.

Back in the town square, Gar struggled to breathe as he observed the confrontation. He exchanged a look with the guard captain. Glad you stood down, aren’t you? Heddoran just stared at Barnabas, his expression somewhere between fear and reverence.

Up on the hill, Jutkelon grabbed Lan’s arm and dragged him toward the hopper he had just landed in, as Barnabas was massacring his mercenaries. “You came to save me?” “Call it insurance,” Jutkelon replied grimly. “You just cost me nearly a hundred mercenaries. You’re going to pay for that, and you’re going to help me find out what that thing is so this doesn’t happen again.”

Barnabas walked up to a Nekubi, and asked Heddoran who it was. Chogaru. “I am an information broker, sir.” He smiled. “I do what I must to survive. Surely you understand.” “Let me guess. You sold these people out for some scraps Lan was going to throw you.” “For scraps? No! To save myself. He knew about the rebellion.” There was the trademark blast of a Jean Dukes Special and Chogaru slumped dead on the dirt. Barnabas told Heddoran. “The first thing you will do is turn off the mind-speech blocker. Then you and your guards will build new huts for these workers and allow them to take control of the food supplies until I return. You stood down when I asked, but you also participated in these atrocities. Do you deny it?” “No, kalanon.” Barnabas nodded, satisfied with the answer since he had read the truth in the Brakalons mind. “I will deal with that when I return. Leiguba, appoint someone to be in charge here and come with me. We’re going to Tethra to find Lan and end this.”

Chapter 19

By the time all had been cared for at the mine, Jutkelon’s hopper had set down at Lan’s estate on the outskirts of Tethra. But it was more like a fortress. The walls were a high-grade composite that was resistant to explosives, much of the living space was in underground bunkers, and there were stockpiles of both fuel and food. There was also the small matter of the three hundred mercenaries who presently lived at the complex. Shinigami ran a structural analysis from any and all blueprints and technical readouts she could find, as well as decrypting and analyzing outbound communications. Barnabas went back to Heddoran and the miners. Heddoran was doing well, instructing them, orienting them, and upholding his part of the bargain. He didn’t know what to do with them, He would ask the workers. Maybe they would come up with something he hadn’t thought of.

Barnabas goes to where Aebura and the others were working, sorting foodstuffs, packing, getting things in order. Carter was helping her . When he looked up, it was to find a pleasantly smiling Barnabas covered in dried blood. Carter found that he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish while failing to make any sort of sound at all. Luckily, Carter’s automatic politeness kicked in. “I’m Carter Eastbourne, sir. I’m pleased to meet you.” “I’d shake your hand,” Barnabas said gravely, “but I don’t think all the blood is gone.” Barnabas spoke to him of the responsibility humans have on a new planet . “What they need from us is to remind them that Bethany Anne looks out for her own, and that her laws are enforced. They need to know that even when I am not here, her laws will be strong because she and her people uphold them in word and deed.” “ I think what you’ll find is that even when people agree with the laws we have, they might not be happy about the idea of being subject to laws at all.” “They’ll have to come to terms with it,” Barnabas said simply. “Bethany Anne does not impose laws for no reason. She respects individual autonomy. What laws she has are there for good reason. . The larger infractions—those will be met with no compromise or leniency.” He smiled. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Eastbourne. I wish you a great deal of luck with your...what was it Aebura said you were planning? To manufacture Coke? Bethany Anne would be pleased.” And it was absolutely impossible to know what Barnabas knew and what he did not know.

Chapter 20

Jutkelon think Barnabas can be killed. ANYONE can be killed ! Jutkelon has called in some ships, so that Barnabas will have MANY more to deal with than he thought. Barnabas discusses his personal feelings with Shinigami (see Characters, Barnabas, TVC 01/20) Not an uncontrolled killer.

Aebura talks with some of the other Ubuara in town, about Barnabas. They form a kind of representative committee of the group, and are contemplating suggestions made by Aebura. The others considered , and Aebura let them. She could sense Oemuga thoughts: peppery, little brushes against her mind that almost made her want to sneeze. Leihaba’s were very different, almost the opposite of her coat: not bright and sunny, but deep and slow-moving; powerful like waves. Oebura sounded like light looked when it came through the leaves of the trees on Dugan to cover the forest floor in dappled spots, and her twin Oeluma sounded like birdsong to Aebura’s mental ears. She was pleased, therefore, when she felt the consensus settle in favor of her ideas. LKan? Gar? The town and the mine? They agree that Barnabas doesn’t know their capabilities – how they can help him with the town. He doesn’t realize what it would mean if they put the hive mind to problems. They will plan, and then tell him what they will do.

Chapter 21

Aebura has talked to Barnabas about Lan, and Gar, and Barnabas has said, “Absolutely not!” He tries to bring Carter into the discussion, and Carter sides with him, telling the group that they haven’t even seen what his ship can do, much less himself, and tells them about Shinigami. “The ships built by the Etheric Empire are legendary,” Carter was telling them. “They’re alive—as alive as you or me. They can think for themselves, but instead of having hands and feet, they have a ship as a body. They travel through space and they have weapons—and they know how to use them. Shinigami will be able to help him do more than you can imagine.” Barnabas told them that “Shinigami was the one who tracked Lan to Jutkelon’s compound here in Tethra. She’s scanned the building to assess weakness, looked up the schematics of the weapons she can see, and counted the soldiers on the premises. She has guided missiles.” “The ship is in orbit. But it could still be useful. Right?

Aebura looked at Barnabas, and accused him of not staying. Yes, he was here now, but in the future, he would be gone, and the Ubuara had to know how to take care of themselves. The Ubuara are different from us, and their skills can be harnessed to help people. You want to save citizens because they’re innocent and shouldn’t suffer for Lan and Jutkelon’s crimes. We want to save them because they’re our people. We want to be able to take care of ourselves, and we have to learn how to do that. What better time for them to learn than while you’re here?”

“Okay.” Barnabas settled down at the table. “I’ll tell you what we know about Jutkelon’s compound, and you tell me how you propose to help, all right?” And he does, explaining that the only reason they would leave is because they want something. Lan would probably leave at any time, but Jutkelon wants to fight in the mining town. . “They want to use the workers as shields so that there’s no way for me to fight them without innocent people dying. What I’m worried about is that they’ll take hostages from the city so that they can march up to the mining camp without us taking them out.” Carter suggests they might use the idea of distracting Barnabas with other activities while they move soldiers out. “If I had to guess, I’d say they’ll have a small group of mercenaries scatter and kill as many of the people in Tethra as they can.” “This is why you should have the Ubuara helping you,” Aebura said. “We will be able to find anyone he still has in the town and communicate quickly to see who needs to be brought down and how to do so.”

All right, everyone, listen. Jutkelon’s distraction is coming. Our main objectives are to secure Tethra and the mining town. Our secondary goal is to take down Jutkelon’s mercenaries. Thirdly, but still important, is to keep Lan from leaving this planet. It will be easier for him to disappear if he does that. With that in mind—” He pulled up his cuff and pressed a fingertip onto the side of his watch. It projected a map onto the table. “Aebura, you figure out the best vantage points and help the Ubuara disperse. You will all be responsible for passing messages and, if necessary, getting civilians out of the way. No one should mention the Shinigami outside this room. What is known about the former Etheric Empire is fragmented. It’s possible that Jutkelon and Lan don’t know my capabilities yet. Arm yourselves,” Barnabas warned, “and remember it is better to retreat and live than it is to be brave for a single moment and die. As Barnabas was finishing, Shinigami spoke up. I know what their distraction is. Three full ships of mercenaries coming out of FTL nearby.

Chapter 22

Galagg Zuludoss, Captain of the Mercenary ship approaching, pages Jutkelon. Tell him we’re here, and tell him we’re excited to meet the sonofabitch who took out a hundred soldiers...and show him how missiles work.” Galagg intends to take Barnabas out with missiles, and also intends to be running Jutkelon’s mercenary company before he leaves. Jutkelon is giving his troops a pep talk- how they want a free planet, and to have free rein to rule as they please. But we need to be patient—and smarter than he is. Three ships just arrived in orbit, each with a nice, full missile bay. We’re going to head out to the mining town now, and when this human tries to follow us we’re going to make sure he’s dust. In the center of a nice big crater. As Jutkelon was speaking, Barnabas was telling Shinigami to hail the three ships, and tell them that they are ordered to stand down, as they will be abetting slavery by continuing. And if they don’t listen, you can shoot them. I’ll take it.

Shinigami maneuvered herself into position and spun her engines up for a quick escape around the edge of the moon, then uncloaked and took over the bridge controls of all three ships, flashing Baba Yaga’s image on their screens. . “Any attack on the planet Devon that aids and abets slavery will be considered unlawful by Queen Bethany Anne and dealt with accordingly. You are being given the chance to stand down.” They refused, and started to argue, and to arm their ships’ weapons. Shinigami’s engines flared and she blazed forward in an arc toward the first of High Tortuga’s moons, and in her wake sped a spread of five missiles. The first three locked onto the ships and the other two accelerated, although no targets had yet been chosen. After many maneuvers, Shinigami saw that the damaged ships were launching one-man crafts at her, deployed, some manned, to try to take out the missiles to clear the way for the two crippled ships, both venting debris and air into space, to reach ramming speed and take her down. They were going to destroy themselves to take her out. Shinigami gave them another chance to stop, and when they didn’t, pucks shot out, turning all to debris. Jutkelon and Lan go, to try to take the town and force Barnabas’ hand, moving to the shuttles to deploy. An image comes up on their computers - “Oh, I think not.” The voice was female and dangerously cold. The lights in the bunker flickered and a face out of a nightmare appeared on-screen. “Your time is up. Launch a ship—any ship—and I will shoot it down. Stay in your bunker, and I will turn your systems off one by one. I can sever the fuel lines. I can disable your air filtration.” “What, then?” Jutkelon yelled the words at her. She bared her teeth in a smile. “Come out and play.” Barnabas liked the “Come out and play”, so he instructed some evacuations from around Jutkelon’s compound, and went “out to play”.

Chapter 23

Jutkelon and Lan were trapped on Lan’s estate – locked up in the building, all systems off. Shinigami was in their system, watching, letting Barnabas know what they were doing. Then the doors unlocked, allowing them to go to the troop carrier. If they got in the troop carrier the ship might shoot them down, but if they stayed here it would definitely kill them. “I’m going to count down,” she told them. “Anyone still in this bunker when I reach zero can stay in here for the rest of time. Five. Four…” They piled out into the daylight, Jutkelon still bellowing for them to get to the carrier, all of them, now—only to have tiny projectiles rain down on the stretch of ground between them and the ship. When they all went eerily silent, Lan knew something worse had happened. Barnabas stood alone in the courtyard, so still that Lan would have guessed he was a statue. Behind them, the doors to the bunker slammed shut and locked. Barnabas looked at Jutkelon. “You could end all this, you know. You could surrender. You don’t have to protect Lan. You never had to. How many more soldiers do you really want to sacrifice here?” “As many as it takes!” They all fought, Barnabas destroying the mercenaries, and then Jutkelon himself. Lan ran to a tower for one of the machine guns there, what he considered their best hope. When he got to the gun, he had to lean against it as he watched the massacre below. Then Jutkelon attacked Barnabas personally. Lan ran, as the Ubuara watched him. Some of the men, who had managed to load into the carrier, took off, with Shinigami watching.

Chapter 24

Out over the countryside, where the swamp first gave way to the rocky outcroppings of the mountains, the guidance system dragged the ship into a new trajectory and a spread of guided missiles hit it a moment later, sending it tumbling into the foothills with a flash that noticeably brightened the air as far away as in Tethra. Lan was so absorbed in running that he didn’t noticed Tethra was deserted. Tethra’s main market sprawled over many streets, and he was on the outskirts of it. And it was completely empty. The stalls were devoid of wares, and instead of being waved by energetic peddlers, the flags that served as signs were hanging limply in the fetid swampy air. Looking back, he saw Gar standing in the street. Barnabas watched unnoticed from a doorway in the shadows nearby. He was curious. This confrontation had not been a part of the plan, and he wanted to see how it played out. Gar and Lan talks, yell, accuse each other. Gar is happy with what he did, because, “Now I’m free.” Gar spread his hands. “I’m not afraid anymore.” Lan shot him, and Barnabas called Shinigami for a Pod. A Pod was waiting, with Carter in it, and Barnabas told him to go to the ship, do whatever Shinigami said, and get him into the pod-doc ASAP. Lan and Barnabas talk, and Lan wants to know why he’s talking to him when he’s going to kill him anyway. “For the benefit of those watching,” Barnabas told him, confirming Lan’s fears. “Though not for the reasons you may think. Lan, you are the first in what I assume—jadedly, I admit—will be a long line of people who try to ignore the Queen’s laws. They’ll give me all sorts of reasons. Some, like King Yoll, will dress it up as divine right. Others, like Jutkelon, will say that no one has any right to interfere in their affairs. You simply thought you could get away with it.” “You can’t. That’s why I’m here, it’s why I exist. You can’t get away with it. No one can. And you’re going to be the first public example of that.” Lan tries to shoot him, until the gun is empty. As he is doing so, Barnabas is reciting the full accusations and punishments, under the Queen’s law, of which he was guilty. Then he killed him.

Chapter 25

Barnabas, Carter and Aebura are going to the new bar, in the new mining town. As they go inside, Barnabas sees that it is identical with the one in Tethra. Carter will run the one in Tethra, and she will run the new one! This was the first Carter had heard of this. She said she was giving it to him. “I like you,” she explained. “You listen to people, and you help them. You would make a good bartender.” Barnabas took a seat at the new bar, and Aebura gave him some of his favorite fruit juice. Aebura talks about the new town. “Many people have come to help rebuild the living quarters, and some of the original guards are staying to provide security. Not many, just the ones people remember as being nice. And,” she added, suddenly intent, “you’ll never guess what happened! We got all the money in Lan’s accounts, and all future ore shipments will pay to our new accounts! We thought it would take years to sort that all out.” Carter has “no plans” for the Tethra Bar. Barnabas will let him keep his illusions. They talked about what had happened to Gar. Carter commented, . “He thought he was paying for it and he made the choice to pay for it, and even went through the moment of doing so, so to speak. I could get behind that.” “So you can take Gar with you if you’d like,” Aebura told Barnabas, and the other Ubuara nodded. “What will he be doing?” “I’m not sure,” Barnabas said, but he’d had some thoughts. Gar knew some things about the company that effectively controlled High Tortuga for a while and he had good contacts amongst management, many of whom were Luvendi. Plus, he seemed to know a lot about the various planets and dynamics in this area of space. He was going to be useful. Barnabas also promises to visit Carter in Tethra to discover what he had done with the bar.

Elisa Eastbourne liked High Tortuga. Carter was to meet him at the landing pad, but they’d come in early, so they would see him at the bar. Twins, Samuel and Alanna, were anxious to see Daddy. Barnabas was there, and met them all, commenting to Carter that he had tasted one of Carter’s new bottles of “Coke”, and that it didn’t taste right. Then he disappeared.

Back on Shinigami, Gar was researching his old planet, and Barnabas offered to play a game of chess with Shinigami, who accepted. Barnabas settled back in his seat and pressed a tiny button on the side of his watch. Unbeknownst to Shinigami, a corresponding chip on the bottom of the chess board, installed just a day ago during a ‘camera malfunction,’ began to run its subroutines. The board Shinigami saw through her cameras would diverge from the board as it actually was. He hoped this would be an important lesson in perspective and data sources. Barnabas wondered how long it would take her to realize it. His lips twitched as he nodded to her avatar. “Would you like the first move?”