[The Princes XXI] [Ava Bachen] “She’s trying to run,” yelled Tolo. “Maintain course, she won’t get away,” said Fox calmly watching the large Cruise Liner ahead of them trying to run. The last year of attacking Imperial ships had honed his crew’s skill, this ship wouldn’t get away. “Sensors are reading their light drives coming on line,” reported Seni, the navigator. “It takes an Imperial Cruise Liner seven minutes to bring their light drive online,” stated Fox. Fox pressed the Com-link and spoke to Falon and Goa waiting in the two Needle ships on the launch rails to the sides of the Ava Bachen. The House Sparrow engineers had made many modifications to the ship, to include launch rails that allowed the cargo ship now converted light battleship to carry a total of three Needle ships; two Needle ships on the launch rails and one Needle ship in the cargo bay. “Prepare to launch in three… two… one… now!” ordered Fox. Falon and Goa launched their Needle ships and raced out in front of the Ava Bachen. “Deploying cable,” said Falon over the Com-link to his mate Goa. “Deploying hook,” replied Goa. A long thin and very strong cable shot out from the side of Falon’s Needle ship and Goa moved in close with the grappling hook and snagged the cable. The cable was pulled into Goa’s Needle ship and securely locked in place. The two Daraians now flew in perfect unison with the cable stretched between their ships and chased after the Imperial Liner. “Four minutes until they jump to light speed,” said Seni. Falon and Goa raced over the top of the Imperial Liner and together flipped their Needle ships one-hundred eighty degrees and dragged the cable back along the hull of the Liner. The two pirate Needle ships passed to each side of the massive port engine of the Liner, dragging the cable behind them. The cable hit the Liner’s engine mount and severed the port engine; the engine spun off into space trailing vapor and plasma flames. The Daraians turned and made another pass at the doomed Liner, severing the starboard engine. The rear of the Liner exploded in a tangle of mangled metal and began a slow spin off the navigation lane. “This is Captain Tamar of the House Wolf Star Liner, Fang Star,” the Com-speaker on Fox’s Command Chair crackled, “I surrender and demand immediate rescue as required by Imperial Maritime law.” Fox activated the Com-link and replied, “I have not asked you to surrender, Captain, nor will I.” “For the love of the ancestors man, we have children on board,” shouted Captain Tamar. “You have escape pods, I’ll allow you to send the children to safety,” said Fox. Fox sat back in his chair and waited. Several minutes later the escape pods began ejecting from the Fang Star Liner. Seni scanned the escape pods and nodded his head at Fox. “Falon, Goa,” Fox spoke into the Com-link to the two Daraians following the escape pods in their Needle Ships; the cable used to sever the big engines now safely recoiled into Falon’s ship. “You may engage, destroy all the escape pods.” The two Needle Ships opened fire on the escape pods. “Stop, those pods are full of children!” shouted Captain Tamar. “You’re murderers!” Fox ignored the Captain and ordered Tolo to move the Ava Bachen over the dying ship and seal the boarding tube to the Fang Star’s hull. Mono, Leta, Kota, and Rock waited for the boarding tube to seal and fired the laser cutters that would burn a hole through the hull of the Liner. The lasers cut into the hull and the smell of burning metal wafted up through the boarding tube. The lasers finished their job and a round chunk of the Fang Star’s hull dropped into the passageway with a loud crash. Mono dropped a stun grenade through the breeched hull and waited for the flash explosion then dropped down the boarding tube into a wide passageway; Leta, Kota, and Rock followed next. The stun grenade had done it’s work and two armed crew members lay on the ground in the passageway moaning, Mono ended their suffering quickly and moved towards the bridge. More armed crew waited but the four pirates rushed forward with vengeance and the already confused crew were no match and fell quickly; shock was on the pirates side, so far. Fox, Tolo and Seni left the bridge of the Ava Bachen and ran for the boarding tube, they would form the second team of the pirate boarding party. “Fox, we need you now!” shouted Mono. “Almost there,” replied Fox. Fox and his team met Squish at the boarding tube and dropped down into the Liner. “Squish, you know what to do?” asked Fox. “Squish know,” replied the big man. “Squish remember.” “I’m counting on you,” said Fox. “You have the most important part of the mission.” Squish nodded seriously and headed alone towards the rear of the ship while Fox and his team followed the trail of infrared paint from the bottom of Mono’s boots. The first team of pirates had made it to just outside the bridge before they were stopped. Two Imperial Samurai guard stood in front of the sealed bridge hatch. The Fang Star was a Cruise Liner and only carried two of the elite samurai for general protective service to the Captain when in port, but Mono knew better than to try and take on two Kitsune Samurai; only the Demonian species were physically strong enough to fight hand to hand with a Kitsune. Mono had to hold Rock back from charging the two samurai, the small Demonian hissed and banged his tail against the side of the bulkhead in frustration. Rock was smaller than even a Daraian, and though he was likely a match for most species, the hatching birth defect that left him deformed also robbed him of the strength needed to fight a Kitsune. Fox didn’t hesitate when he reached Mono and the first pirate team waiting around the corner from the two samurai, he rounded the corner and walked straight towards the elite samurai of House Wolf. “I am Emperor Sionnach Tarin Aguienth, Light of a Thousand Stars,” roared Fox. “You are guilty of treason against the Glorious Kitsune Empire.” The two guards took a step back, this wasn’t what they were expecting. The man coming at them didn’t look like a pirate, but still, it had to be a trick; Emperor Sionnach was killed as a boy years ago. The samurai’s training was their undoing, they were too disciplined to consider anything other than what they had been trained to do. The guards recovered from their confusion and drew their swords, they could not use a firearm inside the ship or risk losing the last of their atmosphere and doom the ship before rescue could arrive. Fox gripped a small cylinder of metal in his hand, his Trident, the weapon of a species already millions of years old before any other species had even crawled out of the primordial ooze. The first guard rushed at Fox, his sword out in front of him. Fox thumbed the controls on his Trident and the weapon deployed out to a spear and penetrated the battle suit of the samurai, impaling him. Fox used the momentum to shove the dead samurai into the second guard and spun around to come at the second guard from behind. Mono watched the incredible battle of the three immortals, his eyes barely able to focus on the blur of the battling Kitsune as they danced in death. Mono had never seen Kitsune fighting each other and could see now how this species had so easily conquered the might of the Cormon armies. Fox let go of the Trident as he spun and used his Talon dagger and drove the blade between the arm joints of the samurai battle armor. The guard cried out and tried to twist away, giving Fox the now exposed target he was waiting for. Fox drove the Talon dagger through the face-plate of the samurai’s helmet and buried it deep into the man’s eye socket; not even a Kitsune’s rapid healing ability could save him from such a wound. Fox dropped the man on the ground and recovered his Trident while Mono and the other pirates came around the corner and joined him. Fox tapped the hatch controls and opened the hatch to the bridge. The Captain and Bridge crew were climbing down the access to the Captain’s Yacht stored in a hold beneath the bridge. Mono and Leta rushed over to the ladder and jumped down into the docking hold. Fox went over to the ships manifest station to search for valuables but the panel was smashed. “Keep the Captain alive,” shouted Fox. The screaming and fighting below in the hold stopped and a moment later the Captain was pushed up the ladder to the Bridge. Rock defied his small size and threw the Captain across the floor to land at Fox’s feet. “I demand the required treatment of an Imperial Officer,” the Captain nearly screamed at Fox. “You have ten seconds to tell me which holds have valuable cargo,” said Fox calmly. “I am not required to cooperate,” replied the Captain. “You are a murderer and will hang for your crimes, those escape pods were full of children.” “Do you see that Demonian reptilian?” asked Fox. “I haven’t fed him for several days, you have six seconds left before I feed you to him.” Rock bared his fangs and thumped his tail on the ground. The Captain paled and recoiled away from the small Demonian. “Hold six has gold bullion,” said the Captain. “I’ll trade it as ransom for my release.” Fox grabbed the Captain and dragged him over to an airlock and threw him inside. “I agree,” said Fox. “You are free to go.” Fox shut the inner air-lock door to the sound of the Captain screaming and opened the outer lock. Fox watched the man sucked out into space and tumble away from the ship. “The Captain has left the ship,” said Fox. “Tolo, take the Captain’s yacht and secure it to the Ava Bachen, it should bring a nice price. Mono, take everyone and get ready to start transferring that gold. We’ll move the Ava Bachen to that hold as soon as Squish locates the cargo I sent him to find.” The pirates rushed off to find their prize while Fox made his way back to the boarding tube. Squish was just arriving with his cargo. “Good job, Squish,” said Fox. “Where did you find them?” “Find in dark place,” said Squish. “Bad place.” Fox looked out on the children he had sent Squish to find. There looked to be around forty of them and they looked scared. The dark place was probably a lower cargo hold where they had been locked up. “I am the Captain of the Pirate ship,” said Fox. “I gave your Masters the option to send you to safety in the escape pods, but instead, they took the escape pods for themselves and left you here to die.” Fox held his hand out for one little girl that was crying. The girl pressed back against the wall and wouldn’t take Fox’s hand. “You’re going to sell us into slavery,” cried the girl. “Slavery means I would have to put you in chains, and guard you, and feed you, and I have no intention of wasting my time with any of those things,” said Fox. “You will be dropped on the nearest planet.” “We don’t believe you,” shouted another boy. “Suit yourselves,” said Fox starting up the ladder to the Ava Bachen. “But I’m not the one that made you work on a ship without enough escape pods and then locked you in a dark hold to die so there would be enough pods for the fine Imperial Lords and Ladies.” “You not servant,” said Squish pointing at one of the boys. “You Noble boy, where you papa?” “He told me to wait for him,” said the boy defiantly. “He’s coming to get me.” “He gone,” said Squish sadly. “My papa do same…we running…Squish too slow…left me…he run…it bad…Squish sorry for you…don’t die…come.” Perhaps the boy saw the innocent sincerity in the big man, or perhaps he always knew that as the fourth son of House Canisius he had always been expendable, or perhaps he was just scared and didn’t have anywhere else to go. “He’s right, they left us to die so they could escape; even me. Let’s go, at least as slaves we might escape someday.” The boy ordered the other children to follow him up the ladder. Squish waited at the bottom of the ladder until the last child had climbed up into the pirate ship and then climbed up himself. The Noble boy helped the last of the children up and then walked over to Fox and knelt on the ground; his arms out in front of him and his wrists together. “I surrender and accept my fate as a slave,” said the boy. “I only ask fair treatment for my people and if an example has to be made to set discipline I ask that you beat me instead of one of them.” Fox looked down at the dark haired boy and suppressed a laugh. The boy only looked to be twelve or thirteen, and slight of frame for a Kitsune, but Fox could see the hidden strength in the boy’s eyes. “Your nobility is admirable,” said Fox. “I wouldn’t have expected this from House Wolf.” “I am Ryota Canisius, fourth son of House Canisius,” replied the boy, “we are a loyal Minor House to House Wolf and the Emperor.” “And are you loyal to Lord Wolf?” asked Fox. The boy wouldn’t lock eyes with Fox and that told him what he needed to know. “You disagree with your House swearing fealty to House Wolf?” Fox already knew the boy really didn’t have an answer, he had probably only just begun to become aware of little things that questioned everything he had been taught. “Are you willing to listen to the truth and decided for yourself?” “I will listen,” replied the boy. “Will you not hurt my people?” “I have no intention of hurting them,” said Fox. “And since you decided they are your people, take your people through that hatch and find them a place to wait, Squish will show you where - and no more talk of slavery.” Fox sealed the boarding tube and prepared the ship to receive cargo. Tana on the bridge brought the ship around and docked against the Liners cargo hold and the transfer of the gold bullion began. “We don’t have much time left, lets hurry,” said Fox. The gold was transferred and the Ava Bachen was just closing it’s cargo ramp when Tana notified them of a Gunslinger Battleship coming within sensor range. Fox cursed, they were still using those old Battleships. Falon and Goa, having docked their Needle ships now returned to their pilot positions on the bridge and fired the thrusters to escape. The Com-link chirped. “This is Lord Gunslinger Delphean, power down and surrender.” Fox wasn’t really worried, the Ava Bachen could easily outrun the old Battleships now with it’s refitted engines, but he needed them to stop chasing them and leave him to his war against House Wolf. “Blasted stars,” cursed Seni. “The navigation lane we need to get back to the hide-out just collapsed.” Fox had been concerned about this for some time now, with Jon Black now ten years into his reincarnation cycle the last of the minor navigation lanes were collapsing and soon even the major lanes would vanish; this would be the last trip until the lanes reopened. “Turn about,” ordered Fox. “Head straight for them.” “Aye Captain,” replied Falon pulling the ship around. Fox keyed the Com-link, and the video feed; it was time to get the Gunslingers out of his way once and for all, they had been a nuisance for the last year, refusing to back off despite having their engines continuously shut-down by Fox’s Imperial Command Codes; this would also be the first time the Gunslingers would see Fox’s face. The display Vid showed a strong jawed man sitting in the Captain’s chair of the Gunslinger Battleship, his eyes bore into the pirate he had been chasing for the last year. “I take it you are the pirate known as ‘The Impaler’,” asked Lord Gunslinger Delphean. “It is good to see your face, Delphean,” said Fox, “is Maz there?” “Do I know you?” asked Delphean while another young man came into view, it was Maz, Fox recognized the young man that had once been a soft spoken boy that Fox had rescued from the slaver pods.” “You know me,” said Fox. “You are under arrest for piracy, you murderous dog,” shouted Maz standing next to his Prince. Delphean held his hand up to restrain Maz’s enthusiasm. “No, cousin, I am not,” said Fox. “This is a war and it is time for you to remember.” Delphean leaned forward in his chair, his eyes narrowed and he stared at the face of the pirate he was certain he did not know. Fox reached inside his shirt and lifted the chain with the master key of the old Palace out and held it up for the two Gunslingers to see. Maz’s eyes went wide and Fox thought the young man looked like he was about to fall over. Delphean didn’t recognize the key and Maz leaned over and whispered in his ear. Delphean stared hard at the key and the pirate. “Oh ancestors,” whispered Delphean, “It’s not possible, I carried your casket - your face, you look just like I remember Emperor Tarin.” “Is it really you?” asked Maz. “It is,” said Fox. “No, I don’t believe you, you could have stolen that key, prove it,” insisted Maz. “When I took you out of your slave pod, you were clutching a small stuffed bear,” said Fox. “You carried that bear around until you lost it the night the palace fell.” Maz fell on his knees, “My Emperor!” whispered Maz and began to weep. Others on the bridge of the Gunslinger Bridge gathered around the Vid Viewer and joined Maz on their knees. “Si, where have you been?” asked Delphean. “We searched the mountains for months.” “You must tell Marshal his orders are to meet the pirate threat I have been building, continue to expand the Gunslinger Order until your presence is on every planet in the Empire.” “I understand what you are doing now,” said Delphean, “but shouldn’t you tell the Marshal General personally?” “No, we must never meet,” said Fox. “And one last thing, recruit the descendents of the Cettise.” “We have already been doing that, though I don’t agree with the plan,” said Delphean. “Marshal thought you were dead and that we would have to fight the Emperor alone, but the Cettise descendents we’ve found so far are the most cold eyed killers I’ve ever seen, they have no natural conscience and don’t even realize it.” “You will see me again one day, cousin,” said Fox. “Maz, you look the very vision of a lethal Gunslinger, until we meet again my friend.” Fox turned off the Com-link and ordered the ship to light speed, he would have to get rid of the kids on board first then it was time to lay low for awhile. Squish was playing a game of hide-and-seek in the halls with the children when Fox went to find Ryota, the game was decidedly in favor of the children as there really wasn’t any good place for a man the size of Squish to hide. The children squealed and ran around as Squish pretended not to see them, it always amazed Fox at how fast children could recover from a tragedy. Ryota saw his pirate jailer and came over to Fox. The boy looked like he was about to get on his knees again and Fox motioned him not to. “Stop that,” said Fox. “You are not a prisoner, we are passing Cormon soon and we’ll drop you off there.” “We don’t want to go there,” said Ryota. “Okay, where do you want to go?” asked Fox. “You killed my father and gave mercy to me,” said Ryota. “You are now responsible for me, and all the servant children have sworn to me, so you are responsible for them too.” Ryota waived at the other children playing, “We want to stay with you.” “That is an ancient law and hasn’t been used in a thousand years,” replied Fox. “And just when did they swear allegiance to you?” “Just now,” said Ryota. “And I’m a fourth son, after my brothers get done fighting over the House there will be nothing left for me, so I’m building my own House.” “I’m dropping you off on Cormon,” stated Fox. “You have no honor,” said Ryota. “The ancestors will curse your name and banish you from ever entering the land of the ancestors.” Fox turned away from the boy and walked out of the Mess. Kota and Mono were standing next to the door as Fox left. “You want me to throw them out an airlock?” asked Mono. “No, tell Falon to forget Cormon and head for Carina,” said Fox. “What just happened?” asked Kota innocently. “Did Sly Fox just get out slyed by a kid? Is that what happened? Fox? Fox? Is that what happened?” A wide grinning Kota followed Fox through the passageways towards the cargo bay to inventory the booty and split it up The trip passed slowly with children running around the ship playing and screaming. The pirates seemed to enjoy the diversion, but Fox found it somewhat annoying and was starting to wonder if he should have left them in that hold on the Cruise Liner. Carina came into view and Fox watched the planet from his Captain’s chair. The beautiful blue oceans of Carina sparkled in the vast blackness of space. Eleven years had past since he had fled Carina with his cousins and the colonists. Fox had to argue with Orbital Command for nearly forty-minutes before he got clearance to descend to the coordinates of the island that the God Carina had set aside for him. Fox watched as the ship cleared the clouds and he saw his island for the first time. The island was much larger than he thought it would be, he guessed it was at least as large as Black Island where the Jon Blacks lived. Fox scanned the island while they were still in the air and he could see it clearly. The island was empty, not a single building anywhere on the island. The Ava Bachen settled on a grassy patch of sand and lowered the ramp. The children ran out first and spread out shouting and yelling. Fox walked down the ramp with his crew and took his first step on Carina in a decade. The smell of salt in the air, the sound of the surf crashing on the beach, the wind coming off the ocean. “I’m home.”