Privateer's Commission - ch 15- (Patreon)

Ralph turned and entered the room Hae had indicated.

“Ralph,” came a gruff voice from the corner.

Looking to the speaker, Ralph saw Park sitting in a recliner. His one good hand held up a tablet in front of himself. The sleeve of his left arm was pinned at the elbow. He was missing it from that point down.

“Park,” Ralph said with hesitancy.

He lingered in the doorway, unsure of what to do, or even say.

Laughing, Park flicked the tablet down onto a side-table next to the recliner with a clatter. Then he pushed his feet down and levered himself upward, closing the recliner’s foot-rest at the same time.

Standing easily six-foot eight, the man was large. When you took in the fact that he was rather wide as well, you couldn’t label him as anything other than imposing.

When Ralph had met the man, he’d fought with a two handed axe up close and a rifle when at anything he couldn’t reach.

He had short black hair that was interspersed with gray. He had a trimmed beard that was equally salt and pepper at this point and only one pale brown eye.

The other eye was adorned with an eyepatch.

Park had suffered many wounds over his life and none had seemingly stopped him until he lost a hand.

“What,” Park got out in a growl as he prowled over to Ralph. “Still upset about the hand? Already told you it was a good trade. My worthless left hand for your life.

“Given your achievements already, and that you’ve kept my name attached to yours, I’d say I’ve already earned far more than I could have with my aging body.”

Ralph indeed hadn’t taken Park’s relational status from his own family papers. He was essentially receiving praise for anything noteworthy Ralph did as he was “Blood of Park Gae Calesat”.

“Though I didn’t expect you to knock out two Confed ships in Blood territory,” Park said with a guffaw. “I suddenly had a whole slew of people all wanting to know more about you.

“Especially those upper clan fuckwits. They all wanted to know about you. Guessing they threw a deal at you?”

Park had stopped right in front of Ralph and was grinning at him.

“Yeah. Yeah they did,” Ralph confirmed. “They bought the Confed ships, prisoners, and loot off me. Then offered me a commission. I’m to become a Blood Privateer. They even found my family’s combat ship and gave it to me. It’s… a fairly big ship.”

That statement got a burst of laughter out of Park. His eyes crinkling at the edges in true mirth.

“Fairly big you say. Larger than you can handle by yourself or you wouldn’t have said that. Which means you’ll need a crew,” muttered Park, looking thoughtful. Then he grinned and looked to Ralph. “Need any suggestions?”

“I… your hand really doesn’t bother you?” Ralph asked, not really able to keep up with the conversation.

Park let out an explosive sigh, lifted up what remained of his left arm, and met Ralph’s eyes.

“I’m a grandfather,” Park began. “My own children had barely known me as I was always away. I wasn’t there when my boy died. Or… died as a man with a family. His wife dumped Hae onto my daughter, who had her own family, and left.

“I’d picked up Hae from there. Then you showed up.

“The strength in my arms was already fading and I’d made my name for myself in my youth. No more accolades were coming to me.

“Admittedly I should have made you a citizen of the Blood before that so it’s partly my own fault.”

Ralph shook his head.

He had foolishly gotten into a duel and killed his opponent despite knowing he wasn’t a citizen.

The laws of dueling wouldn’t apply to Ralph.

If anything, it’d be the opposite.

As a Terran Confederation citizen he was to be executed outright.

“Trading my non-dominant hand for your life was an easy one,” Park stated firmly. “It forced me to live for my family, gave you a shot at a life, and let me retire with dignity.

“As I said earlier though, it’s rather nice to be earning accolades through you.  My pension suddenly shot up considerably and my name is suddenly being bandied about by my Blood. Which allows them to bandy you about since you’re attached to my name.”

Ralph grimaced and shook his head.

“Truly, Ralph,” Park asserted, putting his right hand on his shoulder. “It was a trade I willingly made. Besides, that family that took my arm? They’re trying rather hard to get me to forgive them.

“People are asking about why I’m missing my arm, and who it was to save. Which… doesn’t look so great for them now. In fact, more than a few people have been wondering if perhaps you might be able to claim a Blood Debt to them.”

At that statement, Ralph raised his eyebrows.

He hadn’t actually considered that, but he might indeed have the ability to take such a claim against them.

“Would you want me to?” Ralph asked, meeting Park’s eyes.

Park laughed at that and shook his head. He took his hand from Ralph’s shoulder, waved at a chair, and flopped back down in his recliner.

“I don’t care. Do what you feel is best. I’m just living for my family now,” Park restated. “Speaking of, Yun Hee was asking about you.”

With a grunt, Ralph took the chair Park had indicated.

Yun Hee was Park’s only daughter.

“That’s nice. She ever apologize to you before this happened? If so, maybe I’ll meet her. If not, she can keep asking,” growled Ralph, folding his arms across himself.

Yun Hee and Ralph didn’t see eye to eye given how she’d spoken to Park.

“Mm, no. But I’ve said before that I don’t think she did anything wrong. Her words were right,” Park countered as he relaxed in his recliner. “I was a terrible father.”

“You worked and did your best. She’s a spoiled brat that gladly lived off your name and despised you at the same time,” Ralph argued not for the first time. “Tam knew the score and has never spoken a word ill of you.”

Park snorted at that, then chuckled.

“Now… first I want your email address and number. I don’t plan on letting communications drop again. You never responded to anything I sent you,” grumbled Park. Which explained a lot.. “Second… tell me everything that happened. Because I think I’ll need to retell this story to a number of other people.”

***

Surprisingly, the Toll had sailed through space much like the Siren did.

Which was currently in a private hangar on Calesat undergoing maintenance, repairs, and a refit. Courtesy of the Blood of Calesat.

Marionette was puttering around in the kitchen behind him.

Moving things around to exactly where she wanted everything and getting it ready.

The Warrior Eun wouldn’t be joining them till they were just about to depart from the station they were heading to, to hire on some people.

Surprisingly, they were heading right back to the station in the Corridor they’d stopped at earlier. Park had given them a list of recommendations and the doc he had listed was apparently on this station, but had no means of being contacted.

All the others were individuals Ralph could reach out to through normal means.

Ralph received permission to move from the holding position to his bay and dock. Hitting the button to dock, he braced himself.

Since the AI had gone quiet it hadn’t spoken again, though the systems responded in a normal way. Everything worked as it should as far as he could tell.

That didn’t make him trust the docking protocol the Toll had.

His hands hovered over the controls as the Toll just about leapt into action.

The heavy and massive thrusts on it, along with the over-sized maneuvering thrusters, moved it into it’s docking permission with far more speed than one would expect. Along with stopping in a way that was also quite speedy but didn’t push Ralph into his seat.

“Oh, are we docking?” Marionette called from the kitchen.

He had forgotten to tell her. Despite telling himself he needed to just in case she needed to batten things down.

“I can barely feel it. I only noticed it because my salt-shaker moved a bit,” Marionette admitted then laughed. “I feel like it might be fun to go onto the station again, but there’s so much to do here.

“I still haven’t even organized my clothes the way I want them to be. We spent all that money to have those renovations done and now we’re right back to square one. I feel rather awful about it.”

Oh yeah.

Heh.

I should have another wardrobe put in.

I bet that’d earn me some Marionette points.

As he thought about that, Ralph realized, and not for the first time, he might actually be growing far too affectionate for Marionette.

This very fear was one of the reasons he’d never hired on a ships-mistress.

Ralph was terrified he’d form attachment too quickly.

“Oh, and Ralph, my dear Captain, don’t think about adding a wardrobe,” Marionette said a second before leaning over his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissed his cheek, and then nuzzled him. “Knowing you, and how wonderfully kind you are to me, you’re already thinking about it.

“I have alternatives I can work out. Hae and I had some ideas about how to make it happen. We were using the translator app in her phone to talk about it.

“I put the items on the shopping list and I’ll check the station after we dock.”

“You sure, Rio?” he asked, reaching up to place a hand on her wrist.

“Awww, you really were considering it. Yes. I’m sure. I already wasted too much money last time,” she affirmed and kissed him again. “Goodness, we’re already docked and clear to enter the station?”

“Yeah,” Ralph remarked. The procedure had gone almost too smoothly. “Guess it’s my turn to go find that doc. Might be there for a while. Maybe even a day.”

“Mm, that’s all fine. I have lots of things to keep myself busy. I’m really trying to learn enough Calesat that Eun can teach me directly.

“Be safe, my dearest captain. It’s pretty hard to be a loving and sweet Lady without a captain,” Marionette murmured, tilted his head to face her, and kissed him in a way that could only be described as hungry.

Which led to Ralph being escorted to the bedroom, rather than disembarking.

He gladly boarded and sworded Marionette instead.

***

Walking right up to the same exact bar he’d visited last time Ralph smiled to himself. Marionette had drained him of his sexual desires quite efficiently.

As if she’d been afraid he might go right back to Delilah.

Given how insecure she’d been last time, he planned on doing his best to find another bartender this time. Anyone other than Delilah would be fine.

“Hell, I’d be fine chatting up an old grandma with two teeth than make Rio that concerned again,” grumbled Ralph as he sauntered up to the bar.

Wearing his weapons once more he was given a wide birth.

On his jacket was a pin for a Confed Privateer, but also a Blood Privateer.

At the moment, he was fairly certain he was likely one of the only living individuals who likely had a letter of marque from both.

And they’re both sitting side by side on the Siren as well as the Toll.

Was rather surprising to see the Toll had a Privateer letter of marque on the wall from the Confed. Old as fuck, too.

Not paying attention, Ralph went right up to the bar, stuck his elbows down on it, and looked around.

There weren’t many people here today it seemed.

In fact, it was easily only an eighth the number of people as when he’d been here last. Nor were there any gang members loitering around acting as a secondary security force.

Shit.

Something happened.

Lost in my own damn thoughts.

Then again… coming here would get me info on both situations, wouldn’t it?

No bartender came to Ralph.

The two bartenders that were inside of the serving area in fact went to the farside of the bar to take care of customers waiting there.

Standing side by side and trying to serve the same group.

Frowning, Ralph had a sudden and sharp spike of paranoia.

Both bartenders had the look of experienced people. Neither of them would have passed up the opportunity to serve Ralph, as he was likely to tip given the way he dressed, his badges, and weapons.

Turning without another thought, Ralph left the bar.

He exited without looking back or making eye contact with anyone.

Even if their actions were accidental he wasn’t going to remain there.

His sense of unease was too strong to not be heeded and after having met up with Park recently, he found himself remembering many lessons the man had taught him.

That when in the corridor getting attention was as bad as being ignored. Both were directed forms of awareness that more often than not, wouldn’t help.

No sooner than Ralph reached the street then he realized that people were coming for him. Exiting the bar rapidly and heading straight for him.

So swift were they to find him, that it looked ridiculous that when their eyes met his, they slowed down, stood there, and seemed to try to figure out what to do.

Ralph stared at them.

“Well?” Ralph called loudly, then drew his sword and held it out in front of himself. “If you’re going to come out here and give me a problem, be swift about it! I’ve got place to be and people to see!”

Law in the corridor was station based.

Last he knew, this station really didn’t have any laws other than to not go against the gang. Beyond that, it didn’t matter.

The three individuals who has rushed out stood there for several more seconds before they dispersed. Leaving in three separate directions and not even meeting his eyes.

Ralph let out a slow breath, his sword still held out.

He’d made a scene in doing it because he had wanted to make sure everyone knew exactly what he would do if pushed. Because whoever those three worked for would hear about what just happened.

“Ah, fine. Whatever. Slink off,” Ralph called out, once more at the top of his volume. “You’re not worth paying a fine for!”

Letting out a dramatic snort, then slamming his sword into it’s sheath, Ralph was confused to a degree.

The three that’d come out, were likely one of the groups in the far corners.

They weren’t wearing gang colors, uniforms, or even decent clothes. They’d looked like blue-collar workers in-between jobs that’d picked up weapons.

Hired to be there?

Hired… to watch for people?

Was it me, or just people in general?

Need to figure out what the hell happened there.

At least it wasn’t security.

Turning, Ralph found a gang member staring at him. They looked confused but not interested in Ralph in particular. More like a bystander that was curious about the situation.

“Hey, if you needed a drink, where’d you go?” Ralph asked, then chuckled. “Hell man, you tell me a bar where the pretty gang members are and I’ll buy you a round.”

The gangers eyebrows came low as he digested that.

Snorted.

Then dipped his head down the street that led out from the docks.

“Just go down the street, first big ass fucking bar you see on the left,” the guard grumbled. “That’s where we go now. If I were you I wouldn’t go in that shithole behind you again though. One of the fucking bar-backs was a damn tin star. Became a whole thing.”

Oh.

Well.

That definitely explains it and makes it easy.

Ralph nodded his head at the ganger, hesitated, then left.

The man hadn’t wanted the drink and didn’t seem that interested in the conversation. If Ralph showed more interest beyond what he’d been told, it was likely there’d be interest in -him-.

Taking the advice, Ralph started walking down the street.

It took less than two minutes to find what the man had mentioned.

Once more, it was a bar with gang members all over it, and the people who went in, looked confident in themselves.

Ralph took in a short breath, held it, and walked into the bar once more.

On entering he found it was chalk-full of the types of people he had originally expected.

Prostitutes, drunks, dangerous looking people, and cards.

The current feeling of the place was slow, quiet, and only a hint of tension. As if they were all winding down from a problem previously.

Hesitating at the entrance, Ralph decided he could get the information he wanted without going straight for the bar.

That and he enjoyed a game of chance and skill on ocassion.

Not to mention sometimes information could sometimes be just as easy to get without ever getting a drink, and costing just about the same amount.

Walking over to an open seat at a table of people playing cards, Ralph put his hands behind his back and watched the play for a moment.

“Want in?” growled a heavyset man across from Ralph. “Fifty buy-in. Playing cheap-like. Fun and drinks.”

Grinning ear to ear, that was exactly what Ralph wanted to hear.

Cards for the fun of it with cheap bets could be a great time indeed.

“Please, thank you, fuck yes,” Ralph replied eagerly and pulled the seat out. Everyone laughed at that, even the man on the left who’d given him an ugly stare.

Pulling out a crumpled set of twenties and a ten from a pocket, Ralph looked around. Everyone had chips so clearly there was someone running the game.

A pretty little waitress strolled up, took his money, and plunked down a battered, beer stained, rack of chips.

Followed by a beer-bottle atop a small napkin.

“Compliments of the house, Privateer,” the waitress murmured under her breath and then left him there.

Shit.

Yeah… they’re looking for me.

Is it because of the Confed, something I did in the past, or Marionette?

Before he could even consider it further, the game started.

The man to his right was passed the cards and they began to deal out everyone two cards.

Apparently, they were playing Hold’em which was just fine to Ralph.

It always lended itself to wild and random things happening.

Lifting his first two cards Ralph peeked at the corner while protecting them with his other hand.

Ace of spades and eight of spades.

Well shit.

Halfway to a dead-man’s hand.

Smiling, Ralph looked to the player next to the dealer to see what they’d do first.

They folded quickly, followed by the next.

Ralph called to meet the big-blind and looked to the small blind on his left. The small-blind limped in and the big-blind checked.

The flop dropped onto the table and Ralph realized he really did have aces and eights. Staring up was the ace of clubs and the eight of clubs.

Neat.

Ralph trusted his senses but he wasn’t very superstitious.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” shouted someone.

Followed immediately by gunshots.

He started to wonder if maybe he should reconsider perhaps becoming superstitious after all as he watched a man pull a gun and shoot a ganger in the forehead.