END of LINE: Humanities Last Stand - part 3 (38 page)

So where does that leave us and our plans for dealing with the pirates? As the pilots of my flight teams can tell you, we had a very successful tactic
during our time out here for dealing with pirates. First we located their targets by the distress coms being sent out. Then we slipped in behind the pirate
ship, took out the drives, landed on their backs and sent in our grub troops to capture the pirates for hearings on the planets nearest to where we
captured them.” Several of the pilots again nodded in the affirmative. “That won't work for us now. We are a private security organization not a
Peacekeeper Force. We don't have the authority to arrest anyone nor can we legally transport him or her for trial. What we can do, is hold a court right
here in space. Try them ourselves and execute them. All nice and legal. Our Captain is already contacting Lexon Security to register us as a legal start-up
security company working for BBITFTLCo. In case anyone is wondering, BBITFTLCo. is my own creation. When I split off the big FTL ships from the smaller
system shuttles that only fly Haven space, I renamed them to reflect my, our branch of the company. That's right I said our company because from now on
once those ships start making regular rim runs, everyone who works for us will own a share in both the cargo and the security side of the business.”
Suddenly the gathered pilots and crews broke into cheers and applause, and not only them because Jon had broadcast his message across the entire ship for
all to hear. If sound could be carried in space, the people three planets away would have heard the yells and clapping going on at that moment aboard
Leviathan. Cutting out the ship wide com Jon brought the pilots back to order.

“OK, here is our battle plan. Right now we have three grub groups. That's sixty warriors. We also have three flight teams that have experience at this kind
of operation. That's a fraction of the available attack shuttles. We are going to go for an over abundance of force. I want every shuttle pilot flying on
every mission. The three ships carrying the grubs will go directly in for a landing while the rest go for the drives and the guns. I'll be checking each
ship we attack for the kinetic weapons we found the pirates installing at Canari. Captured data says they are called rail guns. The ship sits out in space
away from a planet and pounds the surface using heavy metal alloy poles. We already know that they have them installed on at least four more ships. Three
of those ships are Destroyers the same as Defiance. That's why we managed to get one put on her, because pirates are basically stupid people and they were
expecting a Destroyer when we came along. Our own Science teams have been going over that thing with an eye for every detail they can learn.

I'm not trying to build a bigger fleet by stealing pirate ships. Most of them are not in good shape and Wrenches will end up bald if I keep bringing home
messed up ships for her to fix.” Jon smiled at his furry friend who had just entered the room with Jarrieal which was why Jon had mentioned her ending up
bald if he brought home more pirate ships. “We know that the Destroyer class vessels are fairly new acquisitions, so maybe those will be worth saving even
if just for parts for Defiance. Still SOP will be jump in, attack, capture, trial, execution, disposal, jump out. QUESTIONS?”

One person raised his hand. “Sir, what if when we get there the pirates have already killed the cargo ship's crew. What do we do with the ship and its
cargo after we take out the pirates?”

“Actually that's a good question. Captain Jarrieal, would you tell our young male what we did under those circumstances?”

“Certainly sir. In the case of the cargo vessel's crew all being killed, the cargo is to be taken onboard the nearest vessel capable of transporting it to
its assigned destination and delivered with all due haste.”

“Thank you Captain.” Jon said, and then to the group he said, “I'm going to amend that. Leviathan's bays are large enough to carry most cargo ships out
here. In the event of a dead crew, I think we will load the entire ship with its cargo in our bay and deliver the ship and its cargo in one piece. That way
we might just earn ourselves a few new customers. I know TransCo. has lost a few ships out here and so have the other carriers. I've got to have more info
before I help TransCo. very often though. Something about that bunch doesn't sit right with me. Everything we did when I took Defiance was legal, but they
fired our cook because he followed the law. While I'm more than grateful to have him as our cook, he used to be one of TransCo's. executive board members.
Something is wrong there, I just don't know what yet. So, now any more questions?” Jon waited for several seconds before calling out, “First wave, lets go
get some stick time. Second and Third waves, dismissed. Jarrieal, you're first pilot now. I'm going out alone in a dragon ship, call sign is Dragon. Time
to let the Butcher die. He draws too much attention in the news.”

During their third hour of patrolling space around Leviathan a distress call was heard and the coords were relayed directly to each of the shuttles. The
call came from within range of the shuttles' jump drives and mere seconds behind the call, the shuttles jumped in behind an unarmed cargo vessel that was
being attacked by a much smaller Cutter class ship. Jon moved his Dragon Ship to the front of the Cutter and turned to face it head to head. When the
Cutter opened fire only to have its plasma bolts reflected off of the ridge around the
face
of the Dragon that is Jon's shuttle, he opened fire
with his own highly charged plasma cannon which ripped a large hole in the pirate craft exposing the inside of the ship to the vacuum of space. Jon
prepared to fire again when he saw his grub troops opening a hatch and entering the ship through its only air lock. Instead of destroying the ship, Jon
decided to just cripple it. He aligned his shots carefully to destroy the small ship's weapons and as he destroyed one after another he was finally given
the all clear signal. That meant that his team had captured the ship and have the pirates under control.

Jon next contacted the cargo vessel, “Dragon to the cargo vessel, are your systems intact? Can you continue to your destination?” Jon commed.

“Dragon, this is the cargo vessel Fayie. Our engines are off line. Life support still functional. We're not sure if the engines can be can be fixed this
far out.”

“What is your destination?” Jon asked.

“We were headed for Favor 3. That's still a six day slip from here. We received a distress call and dropped from the slip to offer aid when they jumped
us.”

“Understood. Let me take care of these vermin and I'll help you get to your destination.” Jon switched over to his grub team's COM channel, “Dragon to grub
team, what have you got over there?”

“Just a bunch of scum and some crates of booze Admiral. Nothing worth much. We've disabled the ship's weapons that you didn't shoot out already and the
engines. She won't be going anywhere or shooting at anything.”

“Have you held a trial?”

“Yes sir and found them all guilty of piracy. We have copies of their data banks to prove the truth.”

“Very well. Secure them someplace in that ship then return to your shuttles please. I'll carry out the sentence.” Jon moved his ship to better watch his men exit the pirate ship and return to their shuttles. Once the men had transferred and the shuttles had moved away, he took aim at the pirate vessel and blasted it in half. Then he blasted huge
holes in the two halves so that the entire ship was opened to space. No one still on that ship, even if they got into a pressure suit before he blew their
ship to bits, would survive for long. Then he made a long range com to Leviathan. “Lev, we're going to be needing you here, we have a disabled ship that
needs to be taken for a ride.”

“On our way Dragon.” Suddenly the Leviathan appeared in space above them and rocked gently as it settled in and bled off the motion of its jump.

“Lev, let the ships internals select a landing bay and get the Fayie loaded. We're taking it to Favor 3.”

“Working on it Dragon. Are you all ready to come in or are you going to stay out and play some more?”

“I'll stay out for awhile until we get the Fayie secured in the bay. We still have all that scrape to sell before I'll feel really comfortable allowing the
ship to bring other ships onboard by itself.” Jon commed. However he didn't need to worry. Leviathan moved in close with its huge hanger bay open and
simply swallowed the Fayie in one big gulp before the bay closed again. Jon flew forward and entered the shuttle hanger. The landing bay doors closed and
the pressure in the bay grew as he settled his shuttle down on its pad and shut down the engines. He then rose from his seat only to find that his legs
would not support him. He'd been sitting in the flight chair too long and over exerted himself. He needed help and he needed it now.

“Captain, plot a course to Favor 3 and jump us there please. Then send Jarrieal here to me with my wheelchair.” Jon ordered.

“Very well Admiral. Jumping in 3, 2, 1, Jump!” Like magic the Leviathan was there one second, the next it was approaching standard orbit around Favor 3. It
took the ship less time to travel light cycles away to some distant planet than it took for Jarrieal to bring Jon his wheelchair from across the room! Such
was the miracle of the jump drives. Wrenches had promised to go over every aspect of them to find out how they worked so she could copy the design but so
far all she had managed to do was adapt a couple of spare engines to work on the Defiance which right now was tethered in the same bay as the Fayie.
Leviathan began releasing the Fayie back into space as the Freighter's Captain called down to the surface for help in repairing his engines. Then the
Captain commed Jon, “Thank you Dragon. There are a bunch of sick farmers down there who needed the cure we're carrying.”

“It was our pleasure Captain. One day you'll owe us a favor. Just remember it was the Stars and Stripes Security Co. that came to your aid.” Jon commed to
the Captain.

“How could I forget that ship of yours? I don't believe I've ever seen its like. I am just glad you’re on our side. Anything we can do to help, you just
need to name it and it’s yours.

I couldn't help but notice that you have the Defiance secured in your hanger bay.” the Captain continued. “If the Butcher is onboard your vessel, we have a
message for him and the Defiance. He, his crew, and the ship are requested for a special mission. If he is with you, and I think he is, ask him to meet the
agent at Jake's Tavern on Hiliost 5 any day he can at 1900 hours local time. If he is not, please pass on the message to any ships you don't destroy
first.”

“I'll make sure he gets your message Captain. Safe flying.” Jon ended the COM link. “What do you think Jarrieal?” Jon asked his friend who was walking
beside him as he rolled in his wheelchair.

“I'm not really sure Jon. This whole thing is new to me. You're the one with family ties in the shipping business. My family has always been career
Military. Who or what is this agent?” Jarieal asked.

“Say you have a shipment that needs to go from planet A to planet B but you don't own a ship to get it there. You hire an agent who hires a ship, arranges
for the pickup and the payments to the ship. You pay your agent, he pays the ship owners, and your cargo gets taken to where you need it to go. Then once
it’s confirmed that the shipment arrived intact, you get paid after the Agent takes his cut of course. Its all pretty straight forward until you head out
to the rim worlds and have pirates to deal with. Of course in that case, the rates go way up as do any assurance policies on the cargo. The only strange
thing is we've never listed Defiance as a cargo ship and the call is specifically for her, her full crew, and me. We've really just started using her and
she's always been under the security branch. I never listed her for cargo. Before that, unless you used it while I was in the medical lab back on Lexon II
under the Peacekeepers care, the ship only went on one mission under my command. I think we have time to decide and a cargo bay full of scrap to sell in
the Leviathan's holds once Phillie has finished picking through it for anything she can use. After that is all taken care of we'll make up our minds on
this special request for our friend Butcher. I'll see you at Last meal. Go wash Phillie or something.” Jon kidded him.

“You think its a joke, but I'll wager she gets extra dirty now just so I get to wash her fur cause she knows I enjoy doing it.” Jar laughed as he hurried
off and Jon rolled into his stateroom all the while wishing good things for his two friends and their newly found love. Nothing like what happened between
Satrina and him.

Rather than using his com badge which just might cause his commands to be broadcast to the Fayie, which was still floating in close range of Leviathan, he
used the wired com in his stateroom to order the Captain to have Leviathan return to its hiding place in rim space. “We need to meet with the rest of our
fleet who have orders to come to us there with our crew and supplies. I only want to know if one of our ships is being attacked.” Jon explained. “I also
want each of them loaded with the salvage we have onboard that we collected from Leviathan's resting place. I want that stuff off the ship as soon as
possible.”

Jon stayed in his stateroom going through the boxes of items he'd found in the hidden vault at his house back on Haven. Most of what he found would only
hold the interest of historians and scholars. He found video records from old Earth, a few of which showed his ancestor near a house almost identical to
the one on Haven. This house had to have been the one on Earth because the layout of the surrounding property and the types of trees were totally
different. He also found disks containing recordings of what were labeled “OLD TV SHOWS.” These held everything from a show called 'Wagon Train' about
settlers crossing a vast tract of parched land in wagons being pulled by a strange beast of burden called a horse to a show called 'Star Trek Enterprise' about humanities
first travels to the stars. It took some time for Jon to understand that these were not accurate histories but fantasies made as simple entertainment.