Rogue Pursuit: A Space Opera Adventure (Shades of Starlight Book 1), page 16
Perrin didn’t hesitate to join him. Digger ushered her several steps away with a hand on her lower back. She wanted to shove it aside for the familiarity it showed, but hopefully Tai would interpret the gesture as nothing more than impertinence.
When they stood at the edge of the water, out of hearing range of the others, Digger leaned in. “Perrin? What’s going on?”
“Please, act like you don’t know me.”
“Who’s your friend?”
“Not a friend.” Guilt stabbed her. The statement felt untrue. She didn’t allow herself to look at Tai. “More a temporary and involuntary colleague.”
Digger hummed like he didn’t believe her, and she fought a blush. “He Confed?”
“He was.” Not a total lie.
“And the ship?”
“His.”
“It really is quite nice, even if it’s not armed. But I could fix that.” His cheeks dimpled. “Anything good on board?”
“Nothing on board except us. This isn’t a usual job. Thanks for playing along.”
“You know me, I love a good game.” He angled his head and placed a hand over his heart. “I assume you don’t want him to know of our torrid, illicit friendship and the way you constantly break my heart by being unavailable?”
“I would prefer that greatly, yes. No offense.”
“Done. But you’d better make it worth my effort.”
“Oh, I will.” She ran a hand over her stunner. “Did another ship come through a day or two ago? We’re sort of… hunting someone.”
“If so, he talked his way into keeping his ship without landing. I’ll ask the others.”
That sounded like Kel, who could talk anybody into anything. “There will be a Confed ship not far behind us. I don’t suppose you can slow them down without killing them?” She wanted the agents off their trail, but Tai wouldn’t appreciate if she asked the pirates to murder his mom.
“Believe it or not, we kill very few people. It’s a last resort.” He winked. “After all, dead people are boring and they can’t work.”
“You’re such a teddy bear. But with impressive muscles. Seriously, those things grow every time I see you.”
He grinned and leaned forward like he wanted to hug her but didn’t. “Ah, little tiger, it’s good to see you, but I wish you had something good for us.”
“Next time. I’ve got a crate of Cobalt firedraught at home with your name on it.”
“I have to make you duel. My second-in-command is getting itchy, and if I look soft, he won’t miss the chance to challenge me.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m ready.”
“And looking forward to it?” His grin widened.
“Guilty.”
“Then let’s get started. But you’ll need a better weapon than that.”
“I thought you’d never offer.”
She wiped the smile off her face before turning back toward Tai.
He stood where she’d left him, appearing relaxed, though she suspected he longed to arrest every person here. The Confed surely knew about the pirates’ base, but had decided they weren’t worth the effort. This system lay far enough away from Ruby Prime that the illegal activities didn’t affect them directly, and like Digger said, the pirates kept the killing to a minimum. Plus they had surprisingly massive weapons. Beyond Digger’s biceps.
Digger took the lead, and his crew escorted her and Tai off the rocky island onto the first walkway. The pirates didn’t bother chaining them, since they were outnumbered two to twenty, but the way the pirates surrounded them made their prisoner status clear. The scowling guy carried his cutlass higher and closer to her ribcage than she would’ve preferred.
The walkway swayed with the water and the movement of two dozen pairs of feet. Its soft surface squished under her feet, and she had to focus to keep from toppling over.
One pirate tossed something pink into the water. A head burst through the smooth silver surface in an explosion of sparkling droplets. She snuck peeks while concentrating on not falling in. Especially once she recognized a serpent shark, ten feet long, with a row of razor-sharp fins along its back and teeth the size of her arm. Three more joined it. They snapped at the chunks of meat the pirates threw toward them, at each other, at the walkway.
She suspected the pirates, other than Digger, wouldn’t be heartbroken if she or Tai fell in and became a meal.
The walkway ended at a door to the first cube, and the transition was instantaneous, from barren moon to lavish palace. Inside, thick carpets woven in intricate designs cushioned their steps. Brilliant tapestries draped the walls, depicting scenes of old-fashioned sea battles that involved lots of bleeding and stabbing. Gauzy curtains covered doorways to other rooms, and the sconces on the walls had been designed to resemble torches. Musicians in the corner strummed stringed instruments.
Girls clad in draped silks that revealed midsections, legs, arms, slunk toward them. With jewels around their necks and painted faces, they would’ve fit in Amber’s richest royal courts. The male pirates—and Tai—stared as the women approached.
Her sudden surge of disgust startled her. She wanted to pull her gun and tell them he wasn’t their type, move along. That was a dumb feeling. What did she care if another girl admired Tai, or he them? He could never be anything to her.
The women bore trays of tiny desserts that smelled of sugar, cinnamon, and almond, and placed them in the pirates’ mouths with delicate fingers. Soon, bare-chested men followed to feed the female pirates.
Apparently being a pirate meant these people had forgotten how to feed themselves.
Perrin fought the urge to accidentally knock over a tray.
“If you properly and suitably impress us, all this is yours to enjoy.” Digger swept an arm outward.
She’d rather be on their way now, skip the show and the enjoyment, thanks very much.
He led them through other rooms connected to the entry hall. Marketplaces displayed rich fabrics, glittering jewels, intricately designed weapons. There were buffets and fountains of food, a spa, multiple styles of music with dancers, green courtyards with pools of water, cage fights, a grav-free combat arena, a casino. The contrast was dizzying. She’d known they were rich, but how had they found the people, the supplies, for a place like this? Her ships certainly didn’t supply all these goods.
Digger stopped them in a courtyard. “Tell me, friends, in which arena shall we duel? Choose wisely.”
“I elect the shooting arena,” she said.
Tai glanced at her. “Cards for me.”
Digger clapped. “Excellent choices.”
Tai bent close to her ear. “This is ridiculous.”
“It’s this or lose the ship, which means the end of our mission. Try not to let them find out you’re, you know, you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, thank you, I’m not a total idiot.”
A pirate prodded them apart with the hilt of an old-fashioned sword.
Digger took her arm. “The lady shall commence the festivities.”
He drew her away from Tai, who stared after her, concern etched in the lines on his forehead.
She shared his concern. Besides having to keep herself alive, she worried about him. As he reminded her, he did know what he was doing, and he hadn’t done anything obviously Confed yet. But someone might ask him too many questions and reveal knowing her.
Those fears—and her relief they hadn’t been immediately killed—vanished when Digger ushered her into a fancy arena littered with obstacles. Pillars, rubber mounds, single walls, stacked blocks, and horizontal tubes formed a labyrinth of hiding places around a sandy floor.
Three other pirates joined her. A tall, muscular woman who made Perrin feel like a child. A slight, sharp-eyed man who moved with the grace of a dancer. And Digger himself.
Fantastic. You didn’t become the leader of the galaxy’s pirate gangs at age twenty by missing when you shot at people. Or by showing mercy to teenage girls.
She was fitted with a body suit that registered hits and handed a gun that fired actual projectiles. Hard rubber. They’d leave wicked bruises and would be lethal if they hit the right place.
Like good pirates, apparently these people found a battle more exciting the more danger was involved.
An announcer explained the rules: a player was out after ten hits, last one standing won, and otherwise there were no rules. Big surprise.
Perrin fired a few shots, acclimating herself to the gun’s kickback. To avoid killing an opponent accidentally, she’d have to be careful not to aim for the head.
As she took her place behind a block taller than she was, she scoured the crowd for Tai, spotted him seated between two giant guards, including the scowling man she now assumed was Digger’s number two.
Didn’t take much to figure out Tai was collateral in case she performed poorly. His gaze latched onto her, and she tried to appear confident as she nodded to him.
Adrenaline coursed through her, her heart pounded, and she fought to keep her breathing calm. She’d always wanted to try this and test her skill, but for fun, not with such high stakes. Time to see if those hours of practice in the cargo bay would pay off. Nothing like shooting with your life on the line.
She’d put on the best show possible.
Because if she lost, Digger would have no choice but to treat her like any other prisoner. Which meant not only the end of the mission to find Kel, but that she and Tai might very well never leave this moon.
16
It was Perrin versus the pirates, and Tai could do nothing but watch.
She moved faster than he’d anticipated, weaving in and out of obstacles, ducking, rolling, firing off shots with terrifying accuracy. But the pirates were equally skilled.
He winced as a shot missed her ear by an inch.
Her small frame and wide eyes betrayed her youth compared to the weathered pirates.
The pirates played fair, not ganging up on her, which made sense if their comrades enjoyed a good show. Watching three muscular outlaws take out a lone girl wouldn’t be very entertaining. Although Tai suspected Perrin would hold her own, and they might like that. Or it might get her—and him—killed.
The female pirate took cover behind a pillar but left an elbow sticking out. Perrin hit the three inches of exposed arm. Tai needed to remember never to make her mad.
He considered himself prepared for most situations, but this was out of his league. Usually before an undercover mission, an agent prepared extensively. Reading facts that might help, practicing accents and posture, studying reports, learning everything about the situation and how best to fit in. Tai had also learned to scope out a new situation and blend in quickly. But this hardly resembled a normal society. People of all ages, men and women, who had no problem blatantly breaking multiple laws at once.
Every cell in his body revolted at the idea.
Digger landed a shot on Perrin’s leg, and Tai started to come out of his seat. The guards on either side of him shifted closer. He forced himself to sit, settled for twisting his ring, jiggling his leg.
Perrin whirled and fired off more shots, her movements graceful. Her hair flew behind her. Fire lit her eyes, determination in the set of her chin. The danger fed her, gave her life. She resembled a beautiful warrior straight out of legend.
Shades.
He liked her.
He was a spy. He wasn’t supposed to fall for anyone. Not if he planned to spend the next two decades doing undercover work, in dangerous situations, staying out of contact with people he cared about. Putting the Confed first.
That idea had never sounded less appealing.
Stupid pirates were wearing off on him already.
He needed to get this under control, fast. For six years, since he’d learned of his mom’s and his grandfather’s jobs, everyone expected him to follow them. For three years, he’d worked toward that goal. He didn’t have the option of getting distracted.
Perrin took another hit. Tai winced before he realized she’d done it on purpose. Exposing herself allowed her to land two shots on the woman’s chest, eliminating the first competitor.
Perrin was tiring, though, sweat pouring off her face, chest heaving for air.
The pirates hooted and hollered as the disqualified woman gave the crowd a rude salute and marched out of the arena.
Perrin, Digger, and the other man watched her go before taking cover once more.
How had a man as young as Digger become head of a criminal empire, anyway? Might have something to do with the fact his aim rivaled Perrin’s. He leaped over an obstacle and fired midair to land a hit on the smaller man.
Tai supposed people fell into situations and made the best of them, the strong ones rising above. Like Perrin running a company. Which he admired from an objective standpoint, nothing more.
Only she and Digger remained. A scoreboard on the wall put the tally at eight shots each.
Tai’s muscles ached with tension.
After several minutes of Perrin and Digger stalking each other, diving, shooting, sprinting, Perrin landed her last hit on Digger’s shoulder.
Lights flashed. Digger nodded to her as she stood, drenched in sweat, hair plastered to her face, rising slightly on her toes the way she did when she wanted to appear taller, in the middle of the arena.
“Guess you won’t die immediately, after all.” The pirate next to him dragged Tai to his feet, sounding disappointed.
He fought to keep his eyes on Perrin, but Digger was shuffling her out.
“She’ll be allowed to go if you do your part.”
His captor escorted Tai to a platform over the arena. It hung suspended above the center of the space Perrin had fought in, with a clear floor offering a view of the obstacles from above.
This didn’t resemble any casino he’d seen. No traditional card tables like in other rooms they’d passed through, just a round metal one, where six pirates were taking seats.
The guard shoved Tai into the last chair.
A stack of virtual chips appeared in front of him, and a holo-display only he could see.
He assessed the other players. Two women, four men, ranging from his age to fifty or sixty. Some had scars and weathered faces, some would’ve fit in a boardroom on Ruby Prime. What had brought them to this questionable occupation?
The same announcer voice as before said, “Let’s begin.”
Cards appeared on his holo-display. Instead of the usual suits of stars, moons, planets, and wormholes, these cards showed different images. He had a three with a picture of a laserbow, a five with an average looking-man that said “Captain Robertson,” a seven with a young soldier that said “Private Gregory, marksmanship, hand-to-hand,” a nine with a tigercat, and a ten with a scowling, tattooed pirate that said “Klaxon, hand-to-hand.”
“What are these?” he asked the man on his right.
“This here is pirate-style five-card battle.” The man guffawed. “Good luck, boy. You’re gonna need it.”
Tai contributed the required first chip and watched the three players to his left exchange cards. When his turn came, he folded to give himself time to figure out what the shades was going on.
Like the five-card battle he knew, after the initial round of betting, each player was allowed to swap up to two cards, followed by another round of betting, then one more swap of a single card. But Tai knew he was missing something.
At the reveal, two players remained. Their cards appeared on a center screen visible to everyone.
One man held a single pair, but the images on the eights differed—a female pirate and a man in a Cobalt military uniform. He also had a five with a plasma cannon, a nine with another person, and a ten with a scaled gator. One pair seemed weak given the man’s extravagant betting.
Tai felt like he was on his heels being fired at. With no weapon of his own. Not only did he have to read the other players, learn their tells and quirks, but he had to figure out the game, too.
The other remaining player, the older woman, held nothing—a two, five, seven, nine, and ten. The images showed two weapons and three people.
But the computerized dealer didn’t award the pot to the man holding the pair.
Good thing Tai hadn’t bet this hand, because he had no idea what was happening.
Spotlights lit the floor below. Real-life versions of the images from the cards emerged through doors around the sides.
He searched the bleachers for Perrin as if her presence would be enough to explain the situation, but found no sign of her.
“What is this?”
The guy next to him slapped the table. “This is how the winner is determined.”
The people in the arena were handed the weapons from the cards, the animal released, and a bell rang.
And they fought.
The gator lunged at anything that came near. The female pirate and the Cobalt soldier manned the plasma cannon. Two enormous men fought hand-to-hand.
Tai leaned over to see better through the floor. “Are they going to kill each other? This is—” he stopped himself from saying barbaric and settled for, “—not what I expected.”
The man beside him took pity on him as they watched the battle beneath their feet.
“It’s not to the death, or we’d have to take cards out of the deck. But you might want to think about whether someone gets hurt.”
Like the man from the seven card, who’d just had his arm wrenched into an unnatural position by one of the pirates. Tai winced.
“Don’t look so glum, boy. They want to be here. Well, we can’t ask the gator, but the rest of ’em, they’re earning their freedom or money or angling for a promotion.”
The player with the pair won, but not before the ten pirate on the other team had knocked the Cobalt soldier unconscious.
Tai sat out three more hands, studying his competitors, memorizing the cards, analyzing strategies. The lower numbers were mostly weapons, with the people ranging from four or five up to ten, based on the combat skills listed under their names. An eight, nine, or ten card showed an occasional animal, always the kind with man-eating tendencies.
The players who stayed for the battle usually had at least one weapon in their hand, though the first man preferred people with brute strength. In one hand, three players remained for the battle round, and it was chaos below. A horned boar stabbed at a young woman wielding a saber, two pirates exchanged shots with a pistol and a stunner, three more wrestled on the ground.
