Chapter Twenty-Six
Boarding The Pirates
Out of the blue, Hans’ ship was rocked by an almighty explosion. Unfortunately, he was standing over the toilet at the time and missed his aim. Hans zipped up quickly and ran to the cockpit. Brandana was urgently contacting him on the intercom from one of the dorm rooms where she had been questioning Queen Uno, trying to make her see the errors of her Irellan ways.
“Hans! Are you there?”
“I’m here. What on Jupiter’s going on?”
“I don’t know. There was no communication before they fired. What can you see on screen?”
“One ship, fairly large, cruiser class.” Hans continued to scan their nemesis. “There’s two on board; one Earthling, one Irellan.”
“Irellan?” Brandana repeated incredulously. “Who could that be?”
“No idea.” Hans furiously checked his ship’s diagnostics. “Certainly not the king, the coward. Perhaps a palace guard. Although why there’s an Earthling involved, I’m not too sure.”
“Are we damaged?”
“No. Just a warning shot. Deflector shields are up now.”
Brandana turned to the queen who had not lost one ounce of her haughty air all through her ordeal. Such actions had only served to strengthen the hatred she had always felt towards Brandana and what stung the most was being told what to do by a former servant. That hurt more than being away from her family.
“Who’s the Irellan on that ship? Any ideas, queen?” Brandana asked spitefully.
“My lips are sealed.” Uno feigned knowledge she did not have purely in order to anger her kidnapper.
Brandana slapped her sharply across her cheek. “Who is it, I said?”
Uno gathered herself together coolly. “Treasonous slave. When I am freed, you are coming back to Irella and I will have your head on a platter.”
“Tell me one thing, Uno, have you even heard a word I’ve said to you?”
“What makes you think I should listen to you, a mere servant girl?”
“Because I have something very important to say. Yes, you are a royal but there are so few of you and so many of us. None of us are happy! You work us all hours for your every whim, without even a word of thanks, and pay us a pittance. Our rooms are sparse, our food is little better than scraps. How can you even think that is a fair life? A decent life?”
Before Uno could answer, Hans spoke again. “Better get up here, Brandy. They’re trying to board us.”
“We’ll speak again,” Brandana warned Uno and left to be with her brother, locking Uno safely away.
As she arrived in the cockpit, Hans said, “I told you we shouldn’t have done this.”
“What? You wanted us to commit mass murder.”
“Not murder,” Hans defended himself. “Just harmless destruction of buildings. It’s no use. The shield’s won’t stop them. They are on board.”
Silence descended. Hans and Brandana pulled out their pistols.
“Set to stun, Hans.”
Together they crept from the cockpit into the belly of the ship’s corridors. An eerie darkness had fallen as the ship went into auto alert, the safety being breached. Slowly and stealthily, they stole with their backs to the walls, curving along the shape of each passage, listening for any sound that might give their enemy or themselves away.
All together, three weapons clicked. Brandana took a huge intake of breath. A cold, sharp, stabbing breath.
“Raniko?” she whispered in amazement.
Raniko frowned in disbelief. “Brandana?”
Automatically the women put their weapons down and stared at one another, endeavouring to compute their emotions; surprise, lust, hypersensitivity, happiness, doubt.
“What’s going on?” Hans demanded to know, his pistol still trained on Raniko’s forehead.
“It’s alright, Hans. She’s a friend. Put your weapon down.”
“Don’t friends use doorbells?”
“Ships don’t have doorbells,” Brandana scolded. “Hans, give us a minute or two. It’ll be alright. Check on Uno, will you?”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on. If you let her get control of the ship…”
“I won’t. Just go. Please.”
Hans was utterly confused. “Whatever. Just yell if you need me.”
“So,” Brandana sighed once they were alone.
“So,” Raniko repeated.
“I said we’d see one another again. I didn’t foresee it being like this, though.”
“What in the galaxy’s name are you doing, Brandana? You’re my bounty. I’ve got to take you in.”
“Take me in? You can’t be serious?”
“I’m not saying it will be easy. I know you well. Very well. I like you. This is the last thing I want. Hell, girl, what am I meant to do? There’s a lot at stake here.”
Embracing, a flood of emotions flashed magically between them, leaving them feeling drained. Raniko held Brandana’s hand.
“You have the queen on board, don’t you? How can you be involved in a kidnapping? Is it really true?”
“It’s a long story. We never meant her any harm.”
Brandana told Raniko her heartfelt story; all about her slavery, the emancipation and the sorrowful revenge. As soon as Brandana mentioned Devon, everything fell into place in Raniko’s mind. She knew that she had some explaining to do. Her hunter’s conscience fought battle with her own moral conscience. Nothing in the galaxy was simple anymore.
“I understand,” Raniko said, pitying Brandana whom she knew to be a good soul, if not more than a little confused by her rebellious and revolutionary cause. “And now I’m afraid I’ve got something terrible to tell you.”
“Go on.” Brandana hardly dared to listen.
“I have a bounty on board my ship. The one I was looking for when we met. I found him on the beach. It’s Devon. I was sent for him by Queen Uno.”
“You have him? Is he hurt?”
“No! I’m a bounty hunter, not a killer. He’s fine. I’ve got to tell you, I was never quite happy taking this job. If a man’s fought for his freedom, he ought to be able to keep it. Then again, I’d be lying if I said all the bounties I’ve ever brought in have been off my conscience. It’s a living, or at least it was.”
Brandana picked up Raniko’s other hand and stroked it lovingly. She asked, “Where do we go now?”
Spinning in orbit, one small ship in the huge eternity of the cosmos, a strange peace filled the ship. A special moment which no-one seeks to ever disturb. A time when words are unnecessary. Everything has already been said and done. A tentative equilibrium when the very next move might spill over into chaos. The safest thing is to keep still and quiet. Everything can wait for just another moment.
“What are you going to do with us, bounty hunter?” Brandana finally asked.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Under The Covers
Over a replicated cup of coffee, reclining on Brandana’s bed, the women negotiated their options. Actually there were no options. None that love would agree to except one. Not that things weren’t extremely complex. Others were involved and things had gone too far for simplicity now.
Raniko lay on her belly on the comfortable bed, chin cupped elegantly in her upturned palms. “You know I could never turn you in.”
Brandana stroked her smooth face. “Kind of glad about that. Not that I would have let you deliver me.”
Raniko screwed up her mouth. “And I’m not too sure about Devon either. Churns me up too much just to think about it.”
“Where were you heading when you were sent to intercept us?”
“Back to HQ with him but very slowly. I don’t know. I suppose that’s fate, right?”
“Fate. Love. All those things are stronger than hate. Someone back there’s full of it.”
“Uno.” Raniko pulled a sour face. “Queen bitch. I suppose we should talk to her.”
“Persuade her into our way of thinking, you mean? She won’t let this go, you know,” Brandana told her. “She wants me dead. Punished first, then dead.”
“Well that ain’t happenin’,” Raniko spoke decisively and wagged a sharp, red fingernail.
“Come on, let’s go and see what sort of mood she’s in. Poisonous or detestable have been the slim choices so far.”
However some sort of lover’s luck was at play all over the universe at that point, particularly in the dark surroundings of their ship for a strange and wonderful sight met their eyes as the prisoner’s cabin door slid open.
Tumbling under a maze of crumpled covers were the writhing figures of Uno and Hans, both completely naked and breathless in the surprise of being caught so vulnerably, Hans about to deliver her a firm thrust. Hans squinted at them, a slow, thin grin spreading across his face as he threw back his veil of black braids.
Uno, on the other hand, looked a little crazed at being found in such an uncompromising position, a married royal, doing the do with a dirty, young rebel fighter, her kidnapper. Her hair, usually so impeccably fastened into the Irellan triangle, was loose and spilling around her face and shoulders, completely undermining any authority she might once have had.
“Oh dear,” Brandana managed to mutter.
“Well, well.” Raniko smiled coyly, knowing that now they had the upper hand completely.
“I,” Uno stuttered, unable to deny or explain anything.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Uno’s Revenge
After giving them some space to regain their dignity a little, Hans spilled into the corridor, fastening the zip on his thigh hugging, grubby, black leather trousers.
Raniko arched her chic eyebrows. “Glad to see you know how to handle a matter of national security.”
Brandana stifled a laugh.
“I couldn’t stand any more bitching and moaning.” Hans looked rather pleased with himself.
“Well you certainly managed to shut her up for a while.” Brandana folded her arms.
“I know, and the weird thing is, she’s really nice when you get to know her.”
“Bloody hell, Hans!” Brandana yelled. “How long has it been since you last had sex? You are joking?”
“No.” he looked coy. “Listen, has she got to go back to the palace? If she stayed with me, she would be different. She’s really alright, Brandy, honestly.”
Uno appeared unexpectedly with Hans’ laser pistol in her hand, trained upon his chest. “Is that so? Hands in the air! You people are so simple. I have heard that these things can slice through five people at a time. Do you think it could? Perhaps I should try.”
“Queen Uno.” Raniko pulled herself upright. “You don’t need to do this. I’m the bounty hunter your people sent. Nothing to do with this kidnapping. If you let me go, I’ll get right on my ship and pretend I never made it to you. Then whatever you do to these two can be purely self defence. And I know that thing will shoot through two. Done it myself.” Of course, Raniko had no intention of leaving them to die. She was appealing to Uno’s blacker nature, trying to trick her into dropping her guard.
“Don’t take me for a fool, my dear,” Uno bit back. “Now, all I have to do is decide in which order I want you to die. Hans, lover, you can stand at the back. I have the least hatred towards you. Yes, you kidnapped me but you’re a good lover, I must give you credit for that. Bounty hunter, stand before Hans. You were meant to save me. You failed. You’re also far too pretty. Firstly, and I will enjoy this with a sweetness, Brandana, I will train this weapon happily on you and watch the pain filled contortions on your face as you drop dead at my feet. Move it. Get yourselves in line.”
Uno smiled treacherously as the three hostages lined up according to her whim. There was no time for goodbyes. No more words. Uno aimed the weapon towards Brandana’s chest, savouring the discomfort and apprehension keenly evident in the air. Her finger closed upon the trigger.
A strange, red glow spread on Uno’s chest. Her face expressed a terrible pain. She dropped the pistol. Her lifeless body slumped onto the floor. Behind her, a friendly and most welcome face appeared.
“Devon!” Brandana cried and ran into his firm embrace.
Even Hans, who had not been his biggest fan, grasped his hand and forearm in a mighty shake. “It’s good to see you!”
Raniko looked at him with her head cocked to one side and hands on her hips. “How did you get here? Didn’t I tell you to stay on my ship?”
“I watched you teleport over. When you didn’t come back, I thought something was going on. Curiosity killed the queen it seems.”
“I came to get you from Botanica!” Brandana bubbled over. “You weren’t there. I didn’t know how I’d find you but I never would have given you up.”
“I knew there was a reason I didn’t turn you in.” Raniko grasped Devon softly at the nape of his neck and kissed his cheek.
Hans took the pistol from Devon’s hand, which rested on his sister’s hip. “Stun. At least we won’t be up for regicide.”
“Who cares?” Raniko was lost dreamily in Devon’s dazzling eyes. “They’d have to catch us first.”