Forbidden sanctuary, p.11
Forbidden Sanctuary, page 11
part #2 of Star Lawyers Series
“If you’re right,” Rosalie said, “a lot of good Suryadivan sailors died here for the greed of the Pontiffs.”
Jazmir looked out the viewport at the debris field. “They sacrificed everyone aboard those ships to preserve their torture temples.”
“It is a great dishonor,” Yumiko said.
Tyler knew just enough about Bushido to understand how deeply offensive this act of betrayal was to Yumi-san. Even if none of the purveyors were human, much less Japanese, the Pontiffs had upset the balance of the Cosmos by treachery of this magnitude.
“With the backup Gate gone, we gotta win that unwinnable court battle,” Tyler said. “Not just to save the Family fortune, but to honor the Terrans and Suryadivans who died here.”
J.B. said, with no trace of cynicism, “It’s good to hear you embrace self-sacrifice.”
“I reserve the right to be inconsistent.”
The MLC interrupted them. “Incoming spacecraft. Single vessel.”
Tyler opened the scanning module. “Type and configuration?”
“Cruiser. Pirate rigging. Her profile is recorded in my data base: Segerian Privateer, Henrique.”
“Flávio!” Rosalie squealed.
“The Henrique has suffered battle damage.”
Before Tyler had time to process the situation, the fast-approaching privateer dropped to station-keeping a thousand meters off the Sioux City’s portside. The body of the sleek vessel bore burn marks in its white hull from hundreds of hits by thermal rounds at close range and one large, spark-sizzling gash near the stern thrusters, the signature of a missile hit.
Capitão Flávio Tavares, furry coat slung about his shoulders, pushed so close to the transmission unit that Tyler could have counted each black stubble on the Segerian’s bristle face in the viewscreen.
“What do you know about this attack, Tavares?” Tyler demanded.
“Matthews youth again,” the Capitão said. “Why does the fool always appear? Where is Jota Bê?”
“Who?”
“J.B.,” Rosalie said. “He wants J.B.”
She rattled a few sentences in Portuguese. From Tyler’s knowledge of Español Nuevo, he picked out greetings and a little friendly palaver. The newcomer flipped a hand at J.B. to take over.
“Good to see you are alive, Capitão Tavares,” J.B. said. “Did you witness the battle?”
Tavares grunted like a wild boar. “Witness it? I nearly died in the crossfire. I fought to defend the Gate, but took hits from friendlies who confused my Henrique with the pirate vessels.”
“I wonder why,” Tyler said under his breath. I don’t like this mother-fucker. I can’t understand why Dad trusts a scoundrel like Tavares.
“When I saw your Gate had only three medium cruisers and a destroyer for protection,” Tavares said, “I assumed they wanted to avoid detection with a smaller energy signature. It should have worked in such a remote location.”
“But it didn’t,” J.B. said.
Tavares shook his head. “I hailed the Site Commander with Matthews Company codes—graciously provided by your father—and assured her I was friendly. She invited me aboard for a meal, and while we dined the putas attacked. The Commander ordered me to undock and flee. I elected to undock and fight.”
“Who attacked—Suryadivans or pirates?”
“Piratas. Not honorable privateers sailing with legal charters like me. Cutthroats and slavers from the Durijest Syndicate and their parent organization, the Free Enterprise League.” Tavares paused. “And I saw Dengathi ships with House of Sakura markings.”
“Hold, please.” J.B. muted their outgoing transmission. “I can’t believe it—Hideki Tsuchiya in league with pirate Frogs? He’s been a business partner of the Family for fifty years. His father before him was one of M-double-I’s first trading partners. Surely Hideki-sama hasn’t turned against Father.”
“With so much treasure to dig up, loyalty is a marketable commodity,” Tyler said.
“Consider this. It has to be Kichirou,” Julieta said. “Probably in league with Adelaide LeBlanc.”
“Wait a minute! I’ve known Kiki-san all my life,” Tyler said. “He’s my friend. He would never hurt us.”
Yumiko bowed. “Your pardon, Tyler-sama, but I must speak.”
Tyler nodded. “Domo.”
“Kichirou-san knows how man of good character behaves,” she said. “But that does not make him a man of good character. Son of Hideki has big ambition, small honor. His father is cracked rock from which son fell.”
“How do you know so much about Kichi-san?” Tyler said.
“We have history. He is not trustworthy.”
Rosalie’s face twisted into a scowl. “And I flirted with that bastard at the party.”
“First Adelaide, now the Tsuchiya family,” J.B. said. “Can’t we trust anybody?”
Tyler grunted. “I’m starting to suspect even Jesus doesn’t love me.”
Yumiko had to be wrong about Kichirou. Ex-lovers with bitter memories? Kiki-san wanted to hire her. He said it was because she followed traditional Japanese values. Maybe he still had feelings for the petite beauty.
J.B. unlocked the mute. “Capitão, please continue.”
“Your ships fought nobly, but they faced hundreds of well-armed enemy craft. When the last Matthews Corporation vessel exploded, the attackers bombarded your Beta Gate. And the Gate fought back! I saw at least five pirates destroyed by strange light-energy projected from all sides of your floating portal.”
“Ancient defensive technologies,” J.B. said. “Pattern-built by reverse engineering. We don’t even know how it works.”
“The piratas turned on me, and I should have died, had not the gallant Suryadivan navy appeared from hyperspace. It was a magnificent fight, but the marsupials attacked with less than a hundred ships. I escaped when the battle was lost. There is no profit in dying without hope of victory.”
“You’ve sustained serious damage,” J.B. said. “Do you require assistance, Capitão?”
“No, thank you. Long-range communications are down, but my crew has just finished repairs on the FTL drive. I can limp to port on Suryadivan Prime and have the Henrique fully restored.”
“The Family will not forget the loyal service you rendered here,” J.B. said. “My father will cover your repairs.”
“Thank you,” Tavares said. “Take care, Jota Bê. Deep space harbors many treacherous sentient beings. Men and aliens.”
The Henrique engaged her propulsion system, cleared the wreckage field, and winked into hyperspace.
“Loyal service my ass. I don’t like his story,” Tyler said. “If he ran from the battle to save his cojones, why is he hanging around to greet us?”
“His FTL and commo was down,” Rosalie said. “Maybe Flávio found us on long range scanners while hiding behind a moon in the system.”
“Dumb evasion strategy, Little Sis,” Tyler said. “And what’s a privateer doing out here on the Rim? He was supposed to deliver you and Esteban along our course to Sedalia. Next thing we know, Sedalia gets bombarded by pirates. Another coincidence?”
Rosalie shrugged. “He might be smuggling. Or spying for Father.”
“Or working with the pirates,” Tyler said.
“Not Flávio!” Rosalie said.
“Everybody else is screwing us, why not Tavares?”
“Let’s call home,” J.B. said. “We’ve got to report this disaster to Father, with an urgent text to Captain Liu at the Alpha Site.”
“Agreed,” Tyler said.
Jazmir made a whirling sound and flapped his head fin. “My people! You must notify my people an enemy force is coming.”
“We don’t know that,” J.B. said. “Speculations are dangerous. Do you want to start a panic?”
Jazmir’s head fin stood straight up, metal studs and all. “Suryadivans do not panic. The Sacred Protectorate needs to know about our lost fleet.”
“We’ll tell them,” Tyler said.
“M-double-I needs to notify the families of the crews we lost today,” J/B/ added.
“Agreed, but let’s put distance between ourselves and this debris field before we go public,” Tyler said.
Jazmir tipped his fin. “I will go to my cabin, pray for my people.”
“Mention us to your Forty-Six, ” Tyler said. “Our single Deity seems a little pissed at the Family recently.”
Jazmir managed a painful smile. “You are good humans, Tyler. I’m sure jealous Yahweh still approves of all you Matthews.”
J.B. told the MLC to move three light years from the ruined Gate to establish a clear Apexcom channel to Kansas City.
“I’ll bet the Capitão already messaged Dad,” Tyler said. “Probably by Apexcom.”
“He said the Henrique’s long-range commo was down,” J.B. said. “Do you really think he has Apexcom?”
“Probably not. Dad’s too cheap to give it away, and Tavares doesn’t seem like a paying customer to me.”
Rosalie picked up Lucy, who nestled against her chest. “When Papá and Mamá find out, they’ll be screaming at each other across a conference table in front of terrified executives.”
“We need to report to both families,” Julieta said. “This shit has gotten muy grave.”
Tyler nodded. “Uncle Xavier and Aunt Camilla deserve to know you’re okay.”
“Please do not mention my alternate career track, especially to Mamá,” Julieta said.
“We’re your attorneys,” J.B. said. “Confidentiality applies.”
“Julieta,” Tyler said, “you did the…uh…assignment on Riley’s World, right? Cleaned the closet at Tsuchiya Galactic?”
“Yes.”
“Did my dad order the hit?” Tyler couldn’t believe he was saying those words.
“Tio Noah asked me to help Tsuchiya-sama weed out collaborators with the pirate leagues.” Julieta peered into Rosalie’s eyes. “Ave Maria! What if those men were innocent?”
“You don’t know it was a bad hit,” Rosalie said. “Either way, you are blameless, Prima.”
Julieta struggled to speak. “I… I have never killed an innocente.”
Tyler shook his head. “Oh, I doubt they were innocent. More likely, guilty of doing mucho illegal shit for Hideki Tsuchiya, even while cheating the old Shogun.”
J.B. said, “Let’s give the folks the bad news.”
With the Sioux City at full stop, they gathered in the cargo bay to link with their kinfolk halfway across the galaxy. The scout ship carried no cargo this trip, but the empty, half-tennis-court space reeked of disinfectant and fried circuitry, and after decades of service the deck bore scars of sliding containers and shuffling footwear.
When the Apexcom holographics came on line, Senator Xavier Solorio and his wife Camilla joined the conference call from Madrid. Bianca’s elder brother appeared first. Xavier’s fuzzy image resolved to features chiseled from the stone of Andalusia. Black hair and full moustache flecked with gray and an angular face gave him a look of composure. His eyes filled with tears when Julieta offered a small wave.
Xavier’s wife, Camilla, materialize next. Bianca’s lifelong friend was the mother of Julieta and Esteban. She was slender, school-girlish, yet her dark eyes glowed with the secrets of a mature woman. Tyler searched her face for signs of the Blue Fever. There it was—a slight pallor, with thin blue veins across the cheeks. Her raven hair flowed with threads of silver. She looked ten years older than Tyler remembered her.
Bianca Matthews appeared next. Even in battle armor she looked shapely, a dark blonde siren, whose sleek face and voluptuous body still turned heads at fifty-two. Tyler understood how his father must have fallen for her like an icy comet slamming into a star. He hated to think about it, but his middle-aged mom was still a hot babe.
When Noah Matthews arrived the meeting came to order.
After the Solorios tearfully greeted Julieta and learned of Esteban’s imprisonment, Tyler politely asked if he might deliver an urgent report about the Omega project. The Solorios acquiesced, and he launched into a description of the battle at the Beta Site and the losses M-double-I and the Suryadivan navy had suffered.
J.B. added a few facts and they answered questions from their father for a few minutes. Behind Noah, Bianca remained silent, arms folded across her chest. Tyler knew that posture, and he feared for Dad’s safety as soon as the link closed. His father’s cool demeanor confirmed Tyler had been right about an advanced report from Flávio Tavares.
“We’ll send reinforcements.” Noah turned to his wife. “Admiral, how many battle groups do you need?”
“All of them,” Bianca said darkly. “The piratas make war on the Family, to kill my children? I will destroy them forever.”
“You can take ten groups, five hundred ships. Four groups will remain to protect our colonies and major shipping lanes.”
She scowled at him, then nodded. “Sí, bueno. It is enough to crush the pendejos.”
Noah raised his hands. “Your mission is to defend Jump Gate Alpha.”
“Don’t tell me my mission, Noah. For what they did, I will end them. Then your beloved Jump Gate will be safe.”
“Papá is right, Mommy,” Rosalie said. “Never kill for revenge.”
“Where did you hear that?” Bianca glanced at Camilla.
Camilla shook her head. “It is an old proverb.”
“Bee, listen to me.” Noah put a hand on his wife’s shoulder. She didn’t pull away. “You must protect the remaining Gate. Without an access point for Jump Gate Omega, Matthews Corp will likely find itself at war with more star nations and corporate alliances than I want to contemplate.”
“You can buy them out,” she said. “You always buy them out.”
Her husband shook his head. “Not this time.”
“We’re going back to court,” J.B. said. “To get Esteban acquitted and force the Suryadivans to honor their contract.”
His father sighed. “My litigation department says it’s highly unlikely—”
“Bullshit,” Tyler said. Bianca and the Solorios winced. Tyler continued. “We are your litigation department out here.”
Noah crossed his arms. “So, instead of a lazy, weekend planet finder, now you’re God’s gift to the legal profession?”
“We are the Star Lawyers,” Tyler said. “We got this.”
“You better win.” Noah’s eyes matched the steel in his voice.
“You can do it, my darlings,” Bianca said.
“Keep in touch.” Noah Matthews closed the link. The Family holograms disappeared.
“Poppa Bear thinks we’re totally fucked,” Rosalie said.
“He might be right,” J.B. said. “Even in a fast ship, Mother won’t get here for a week. We’re on our own.”
“J.B., you have the conn. Max FTL for Suryadivan Prime,” Tyler said. “I’m gonna rouse Lox Aspi and shake him until the stupid falls out.”
“Try not to wake him too abruptly,” Julieta said. “Suryadivans require therapeutic sleep after major emotional encounters.”
“Take the medi-kit, see if he’s okay.” Tyler gave her the code to unlock the cabin hatch. “I’ll show him what a ‘major emotional encounter’ looks like.”
Rosalie said, “Maybe I could establish a secure channel to Paco at the Patrick Henry. Get an update?”
“Good idea.” When Julieta and Rosalie hustled to their tasks, Tyler touched his brother’s arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Ty.”
“Brother Bear, I know you.” Tyler scratched his chin, deciding whether to ask. “Ordinarily, you would be chewing me out right now, or taking the blame for my outburst, or curled up in your bunk. I guess the medicine—”
“I quit taking it before we came ashore at Suryadivan Prime.”
“Why?” Tyler was mystified. And why hadn’t he reverted to full Ursus Dormiens?
“Adelaide. We had a history. I thought she might want to… Damn it, Tyler. The drugs prevent me from… you know.”
“So? You can talk to a boner specialist when we’re home. But for now, the Adelaide ship has sailed. Will you please take your meds?”
“I left them on the Patrick Henry. I’m sick of being abnormal.”
“J.B., they keep you inside the safety zone.”
“I don’t even know what that means anymore. After the pirates cut off my thumb, Yajik slimed us. Maybe that healed everything. Yumiko’s hands are painless now.”
“You think the Ursus Dormiens syndrome is gone? It’s a genetic abnormality.”
“Who knows? The healing abilities of Zyn-Vorkan body fluids are more magic than science.”
“I don’t believe in magic. Will you take your meds, please?”
“Let’s see how I feel when we get to the Patrick Henry.” He headed up the ramp. “You depose Lox Aspi. I’ll get us underway.”
Ten
Tyler opened the hatch to the prisoner’s cabin and found Greeter Lox Aspi sitting up in bed while Dr. Solorio scanned him with a medical datacom. He flapped his head fin, as if he’d just awakened. When she paused to read the results, he dropped webbed feet to the deck but remained sitting on the bed.
“How is he?”
Julieta tucked the datacom in her medi-kit. “Normal life signs for a Suryadivan male about his age. He is just exhausted. Keep your interrogation brief and let him get back to sleep.”
“Thank you, doctor,” Tyler said. “You may leave now.”
Julieta raised an eyebrow but said nothing. When she opened the hatch, Yumiko stood in the corridor. She wore traditional kendo garb—black, single weave jacket with loose sleeves, pleated hakama trousers with a tie at the waist. In her left hand she carried the ultra-sharp, sheathed katana which felled pirates on Adao-2. Julieta and Yumiko squeezed by each other and the Officer Matsuda closed the hatch.
“May I have some bread and fresh fish?” Lox asked in heavily accented Terran.
“Soon as we’re done here,” Tyler said. “But the fish will taste like chicken. Anything else you want?”
“I want to go back to Adao-2.”
“Do you recognize my associate, Security Officer Yumiko Matsuda?” Tyler stepped aside so the young Suryadivan had a clear view of the small human female.
