Phantom Star: Chapter 22

The arrival into the new system was as always a breath of fresh air as we emerged into real space. Star-like lights that didn’t move or shift, or grow or shrink met my eyes and that was a relief from the constant weirdness of subspace.

I flicked my Tab to open the Comm channel, and broadcast my basic information, as I started shifting the Phantom towards my goal.

The station was near one of the main planets in the system. My sensor net was already picking up the system traffic, filling the sensor display with all the ships flying around.

This was a busy system. Lots of ships flying in and out but none of that was my concern. I received an automated message soon enough once the station understood I was here for a delivery, and soon I was backed up to the station and locked in place to begin handing off the cargo.

I spent a bit of time making sure everything was in order before deciding I should stretch my legs a bit. I ended up passing through the quiet cargo hold, and then up the personnel elevator to the Hab level.

Unfortunately while most stations have some sort of Hab area, to walk around and get some sunlight for spacers, this one was…

Not that.

I blinked as I stepped out of the elevator, into a dark passage that was lit by red lights. I stepped out looking around a little scared I had gotten out at the wrong level, when a sign flashed off across the way in the center of the Hab area. 

The flickering red light told me I was in the right place, as it was hard to mistake the BAR sign as anything but the place to come relax. 

I stepped forward and saw that the bar was actually a large stand alone structure. Like someone had built a bar in the middle of the Hab area where the park normally went. 

Weird. Super weird, but I guess that shouldn’t be a complete surprise. Everyone did things differently. I stepped forward and entered the bar to the dull thump of music I didn’t recognize, and the stink of spilled alcohol.

The whole place had the feel of a dive bar, which was a bit weird to find on a station. I found myself standing in the door for a moment taking it in. The server woman going around dropping off massive beers to one of the two tables that were full of spacers sitting and relaxing. Men at the bar, and of course a bartender, it all felt normal despite being so far into the future.

People never really change I guess.

I realized I was being noticed as I was just standing there in the way. The burly bartender was staring, his eyes had drawn the one man at the bar’s attention as well.

Taking a breath I stepped in. This wasn’t a frontier planet, even if it was a rough bar. I was a Captain, and the station would make sure I would be okay.

I headed to the bar, stepping past the tables of spacers enjoying their drinks and joking around to take a seat across the wooden, or at least faux wood counter.

It was only then, that I realized the one other man at the bar was a soldier. He was massive, only the fact the bar was well sized, and the Bartender was rather large himself kept me from realizing the man that was probably seven feet tall at least.

I had settled in a few chairs down, and the Bartender walked over.

“Well that’s a new face. This is the Particle Drive, what can I get you?” His grumbly voice was pleasant, and I didn’t even realize that I was responding so well to his words until I smiled at him.

“Just something non alcoholic. Not sure how long I’ll be here before I head off.”

He nodded, and pulled out a bottle from under the bar. “Try this then, it’s bottled in system.” He offered and passed the actual glass bottle over. I looked it over for a minute before deciding to just try it.

I flicked the creds over, and twisted the top of the bottle. Letting myself just settle into the atmosphere.

My eyes met with the soldier and he gave me a jerk of his head as a nod, before he went back to the drink he was slumped over.

He didn’t look friendly, but his nod had been one of acknowledgement. 

I guess my genes had some benefits. 

So this was a spacers bar. It wasn’t quite like the few I’d seen on shows. It was quieter for one, less people, less extras just standing around.

That and no scoundrel sitting in the corner shooting first.

Instead I listened to the conversation as I took my first sip. Huh. Sort of a butterscotch flavor? Interesting. 

My attention was instantly grabbed by a familiar word.

“... Pirates. Seriously, it's getting troublesome. I had a pair try me as I jumped into Materin. Nothing I couldn’t handle, I got away, but it’s becoming annoying.”

“Not going for the bounty?”

“Hell no. I like my ship just where it is, in one piece.”

I had turned fully to listen in.

“Coward!” A svelte woman commented from around her drink earning chuckles, and a faux grunt of pain from the man.

“You wound me! Someone help me! My ego!”

“Your ego’s fine!” Another of the men called back and that caused the table to chuckle. 

But I was more interested in what had just been said.

Pirates. My hands in my gloves felt suddenly moist and clammy, and I was gripping my drink with both hands.

I realized there was an acidic feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

“Hey!” I said before realizing what I had done, my voice coming out strong, and every eye in the room turned to look at me. I had stood up straight, but felt my spine waver a bit at the fact everyone was looking right at me.

“What?” He asked, as I was looking right at him.

“Those pirates, where did you say that was?” I asked loudly. I felt like my voice wavered a bit, but the firmness of the bottle in my hand kept me on track.

The man’s face shifted a bit at my question as the room relaxed from my call.

“Huh, you on board some pirate hunter ship?”

“Can I get those cords?” I ask back, my nerve was already failing so I really wanted that before it fled me entirely.

He hesitated for a moment, and then shrugged. 

“Sorry, can’t help ya. That was just a story, you know?” He offered, and I felt that feeling of acid in my stomach vanish replaced by a cold pit.

“How embarrassing.” A voice called out, and the room erupted in laughter, and I felt myself go red. I didn’t know what to do, but my body did. 

I only hesitated for a moment before I stomped out of the bar.

Fuck this station.

—--

Hammond Kristler

He continued his drink, as the spacers around him ragged on the dumb captain caught out in his embellishments. 

How embarrassing indeed. 

The woman that had questioned him suddenly stomped out, passing through the bar and disappearing in an instant. 

Huh. Guess she was irritated at not finding some prey. A real little hunter that one. She was a bit small, but definitely a little cousin. Some sort of soldier gene mods ran through her. Just like him.

He looked down into the drink, the swirling amber liquid didn’t fill him with anything but regret. He had hunted pirates once too.

He’d been a proud sergeant in the navy. He’d loved boarding pirate vessels and showing the scum what a real hunter was like.

Sure, he was hunting pirates now, but there was no pride in it, not this time. Just… A pit in his stomach at what had brought him to this. Now he was just a bounty hunter, desperately trying to make up for…

He rose up, ignoring the way the spacers were still throwing biting words at the idiot that talked up running from pirates.

Instead he headed out of the bar. He could use a walk, and maybe he wanted to see what kind of ship that little soldier was crew for that was so willing to ask about pirate coordinates. Maybe he’d finally find his ride to finish this bounty up.

The one Bounty he’d been aiming at for fourteen years.

Hammond ran a hand through his beard, more salt and pepper, than the dark brush he used to have. Was the girl an officer, maybe an engineer? She certainly had the looks for an engine wench. He’d met soldier gene modded engineers before and he feared them far more than the norm. 

Crazy bastards, all of them. 

Good to have on your side though. Nothing like an engineer willing to get their hands dirty. 

He stepped out of the elevator and walked to the large windows looking out into space.

There was that braggarts freighter. Barely large enough for more than a couple. Then there was Mara’s Gunship. The little thing was riddled with weapons and armor, but that was mostly looks. She might act like a hunter, but she mostly ran expensive transport. Getting paid extra for the protection of an armed little ship.

But nothing else was docked around, so he looked down towards the hangars. Ah.

Ah?

What the hell was that?

That wasn’t some freighter, and it explained why it wasn’t docked at the ring.

It was… He eyeballed it. Maybe a Frig? He scoffed, what was a frigate doing out here when the war was going on?

He turned and got back in the elevator. Sometimes you just need to find things out. He headed to the hangar levels and stepped out. The hangar was already mostly cleared, whatever they had pulled from the ship was already long gone along the conveyor paths.

He walked confidently up to the hold of the ship, where deep inside, the lightly lit hold he could see a familiar form so this was the ship the little soldier came in on.

He made it to the base of the ramp and stopped. No way was he going to walk onto a ship of this size without permission. Would the ship's security rough him up before sending him on his way? Or maybe just hit him with a stunner? Damn he hated stunners. Better to just shoot him.

But something unexpected happened instead, just as his foot stopped an inch from the ramp he was surrounded by something he didn’t expect!

“Intruder! Red, red!” The buzzing drones came out of nowhere in the ceiling of the hold and floated both in front of him and around him as they seemed to scan him with the large scanning panels on their heads.

What a strange little design, they even had little faces.

The worst part was that he didn't see any weapons… Did that mean there were weapons he couldn’t see, or were these just alert drones?

Either way the call and frantic swarming of the drones alerted the girl.

He got a look at her, as she noticed him, how she almost flinched, but then her spine straightened, and she stomped over. Standing a bit out of reach from him, the drones swarming around her like a cloak, as she looked him up and down.

“Can I help you?”

“Maybe.” He replied back looking the place over. Hold was mostly empty, no big containers. But considering it was parked up to the hangar, it meant she had been dropping something off. 

Transport gig? Well this station had its secrets, maybe something important was going on to need a ship like this protecting the cargo.

He eyed up the hold, she was clean. Not a scuff, or stain in the hold. Which said a lot. No transport vessel got away with a spotless hold. The drones were still everywhere as well dozens of them, it meant money. 

Good discipline. Good security, and good funds.

Military? Government ops? Maybe a Nobles private vessel?

“Well maybe get to what you want, you’re bothering my Crabbit.” She eventually replied a little flatly.

“Would like to talk to the captain. Heard you get upset about pirates. No doubt with a ship like this, you do plenty of hunting. I’ve been looking for a ship, willing to go on a bounty hunt.”

She blinked, her fierce look slackening a bit showing just how young this girl was. Curious what her position was. Obviously not a soldier despite the genes. Engineer? Maybe assistant? She was pretty young after all.

“I’ve fought pirates a few times.” She offered with a little too casual of a shrug. Ah, a sore point. Made sense. 

“Mmm. The Captain?” He prompted the girl. He wasn’t exactly going to share the intel out in the hangar, and certainly not without the Captain themself.

“That’s me.” She said bluntly, and his eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. 

Young. Way too young. Definitely some noble thing then. No military, or government op would put a frigate in the hands of a kid.

Yet that didn’t change anything. He’d risk it. 

“Hammond. Hammond Kristler, Formerly a Sergeant in the Kenish Navy. Been retired from hunting pirates at the command of the Duke to doing it freelance.” He introduced himself semi formally. He had joined crews before after all. This was hardly going to be his first.

She took in the information, and seemed to hesitate before her spine straightened. She stood tall, still a good bit shorter than him, but she had some presence this young Captain.

“Katherine Ferrous. Captain of the Phantom Star.” She offered back, and when no noble title came, he felt his own curiosity rise, but he shoved it back. Whatever black ops bullshit was going on, he didn’t care, or need to know. Only the fact it was a damn warship, and she sounded like she wanted to hunt pirates really mattered.

There was silence between them. She slowly looked more and more uncomfortable.

Hmm. Had he not said something? He was pretty sure he had said he was a bounty hunter.

Ah, she was young. Right. Treat her like a dirt commander. They never could find their own ass even with both hands, and a sensor grid.

“I’ve got some intel on where some pirates are hiding out.” He offered leadingly, and when the Captain still hesitated, he wasn’t sure what to add. 

This was a weird one.

“I… I don’t know why you are coming to me. Shouldn’t you tell the military?”

“They’re gone. Besides, the info revolves around a bounty…” He trailed off and looked around, he wasn’t about to air this out in the hangar, too many ears. “If you aren’t interested. Then you aren’t, but if you are, I’d prefer to talk about it somewhere more private.”

“How many?” She asked then as the silence stretched a little long.

“Two ships. Pretty confident on the numbers.” He admitted with a grumble. He really didn’t want this intel to get out, if anyone else found out, and tried to go after her… He couldn’t allow that.

She looked at him for a long time. “Come on.” She finally said and he felt a smile grow across his face, finally.

A ship like this? Finally he might actually make up for his mistake.

—--

What the hell was going on? I didn’t know. But… The Crabbits had locked down the secure areas of the ship, and I had my pistol on my hip, as I climbed up the ladder and brought some strange guy into my ship. 

A massive bear of a man, that was probably old enough to be my Grandpa considering the gray in his beard.

It was weird how uncomfortable I was at bringing someone on board, and it wasn’t the fact he was probably seven feet tall and could kill me with his bare hands.

We stepped off the ladder, and I led him to the mess room.

It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable, I only really had the one chair inside it, and it was just a metal fab that I had used some Nanopaste for.

Need to buy more chairs.

I waved him at the chair and instead sat on the counter facing him.

He looked around the room for a moment taking it in, before taking his seat, dwarfing the chair despite it being made for someone my size.

Then I faced him and I could see the way his gaze continued to sweep across the room taking in everything.

“Where’s your crew?” He finally asked, and while I knew this question was coming I wasn’t expecting it this soon.

I sighed a bit and sat up straight. “You’re looking at the only human crew on board. The Crabbits handle most of the other things.”

He didn’t say anything, instead seemingly quiet for a while. Then he nodded once. “Strange. Weird ship. Weird crew. Normal circumstance, I’d walk out now. Too much of this isn’t right. Makes me think something funny is going on, but this is the only warship I’ve seen in months, and I have a job that needs doing… But you’re the best bet I’ve seen so far.”

I chewed on the side of my cheek as I felt my hands wring together at his words. I tried to let the feeling of being insulted a little slide off my back. It didn’t matter. Not really. So don’t take it that way.

Instead I focused on what he had said.

“Mr. Hammond… Pirates, you said two ships. You know where they are?”

“I know what system they are in, and I have a good idea where their hideout is. Enough that you should be able to find them easily enough.”

“So you say.”

“Mmm. You don’t trust me. I get it, I’m just some random jerkoff from a bar you saw once, and just call me Hammond. Not a Mister.”

I nodded at his request, but focused on what I needed to say. “It’s a concern. What if you’re a pirate yourself? Joining crews to sabotage them or lead them into traps.”

My words were pointed purposefully meant to slight, and I could see a vein in his neck clench, a reaction I wanted to be honest. 

Pretty sure this guy didn’t like Pirates any more than I did. It was good info.

“Here.” He offered, grabbing a Tab out of his jacket, flicking it at me, and I got a beep on my own.

I pulled it out and looked it over.

It was records. Military, for Hammond Kristler, about his time working for the Duchy, along with a record of his affiliation with the Bounty Hunter Guild.

It wasn’t a guarantee, but both seemed to be in good standing, and he was well decorated from his time in the military according to this. 

He was dangerous, but…

I still remember that tiny man pointing a gun around, and the feeling of danger I had gotten then. I needed more crew. I needed someone that could do the things I couldn’t.

“Okay. Let’s say if I’m interested in hiring you. I wasn’t expecting to pick up any crew here. How much are you looking for, or I guess more importantly… How long are you thinking of staying? Until these pirates are taken out?”

“Normally just until this job is done. I don’t usually join crews for long. Do a few jobs, use them to get me where I need to hunt my next target… But. don’t often join an actual Warship either. So who knows?” He offered, and it was actually an explanation I could understand. 

I was from a station after all, I was used to seeing spacers moving from ship to ship as they traveled.

“Right, then in that case… A trial period. Let’s see how this works out, and if we are satisfied we can figure out if this is a long term addition or not.”

“Sounds about right.” He said with a nod, and I pulled up my Tab. I actually did generally know how much a spacer made on a ship like this. It depends on the sort of work, and I could get away with a monthly pay, or a portion of whatever is earned depending on the spacers choice.

“How do you want to settle pay?”

“Portion is fine. Especially considering the job, my main interest is the bounty. I want it to be clear, that this bounty I’m on, is mine. I don’t care about scrap, or loot. Just the bounty.”

“Right.” I nodded and pulled up a basic crew contract, added in the confirmed amount of a portion of all pay and flicked it to him. He glanced at it, and nodded, pressing a button to confirm.

“Then Mr. Hammond, welcome onboard the Phantom Star.”

“Hmm. Got a bunk?”

“There’s rooms available, yes. There’s a few sleeping pods in the hold I’ll need to bring up to whatever room you like… I guess I should give you a tour.”

“If you want.” He offered sliding up and rising up to his full height.

Right.

I had a crew now, and he was joining me because he had info on pirates… Pirates that he expected me to hunt down…

Fuck, had I just accepted that!? 

I wiped the nervousness from my face with a breath and then pointed down the paths out of the mess. “So that way is the engine room, and some supply rooms. Engine room is strictly off limits. Supply rooms are open, one of them is my workshop, try not to grab anything without talking to me first. Those halls are the crew quarters, I figure we’ll start on starboard-”

—--

After a short tour, Hammond picked one of the rooms, and I had the Crabbits bring up one of the sleeping pods that Marie, Marshall, Collin, and Carter had used. While he headed back off the ship to collect his things.

Then even as the Crabbits buzzed around attracted to the new person in their space I headed up to the bridge which was thankfully quiet.

Then I sat in my chair and stared out at the stars trying to figure out the emotions I was feeling.

That… It had been a spur of the moment choice. To accept a crewmate. To even slightly accept that I would be hunting pirates next. I didn’t…

Did I want to do that? I could make plenty of money just doing transport. Happy and safe with that.

But… That feeling in my stomach. I wanted this. When had I chosen the safe choice? I could have lived safe and happy on station for the rest of my life as well, if I wanted.

I had made a choice while fighting those pirates so long ago, not to be afraid, and not to be a coward.

I had power. A ship that was strong, and unique. One I had built with my own hands. The Phantom Star wasn’t built to transport goods across the stars. It was built to transport my dream.

Today, that dream was pirate hunter.

I checked my ship's status. I was still down to just my Thermal Lance. It was time to do some upgrades. I could use the time to get used to Hammond, and the both of us would probably do with a station right there, in case something goes wrong, and we don’t mesh well.

Besides I had no idea what sort of stuff he might need. I had plenty of food, and things, but… The only shower outside my room was the one in the hold.

I’d have to talk to him about that, and maybe get the Crabbits to fix up another one for him. I’d have another person on my ship…

It was good, right? There weren't any hanging wires, or open pits anymore!

Right? I quickly ran my ship through my head. No… It should be okay? Right? I mean… The elevator still didn’t work, and the ship was sort of empty looking since I hadn’t really tried to fix it  up, I didn’t even have enough chairs… 

I quickly pulled out my Tab and sent a request to the Nanoforge Crabbit to make a second chair for the mess. I’d need a table too. Should I make one, or look around on station to see if they had one?

The thoughts ran through my mind, as I was getting stressed about it. That desire in my breast to be perfect, but always feeling like I was just not good enough eating at me.

I took a breath and exhaled. 

“One thing at a time.”