Cardamine. Cardamine burning over a planet's surface. Over 2100 units of Cardamine. Xavier Talbot
shuddered at the math. Not only the Cardamine had burnt, but his ship as well. Someone was going to pay. Striding into what was passing for the lounge on his rebuilt Deprived Gentleman, he spotted the man that was about to do just that.
"Good afternoon Mister Zachary," Xavier said with control that masked his seething rage.
"Ummm....Sir, Mr. Talbot. I didn't expect you here," stammered his soon to be former helmsman, while he attempted to cover the synthetic marijuana on his table.
Smiling Xavier placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'd like you to join me in my cabin," and giving a moment to let his statement sink in and smile to fall finished, "Now."
* * * * *
Fifteen minutes Xavier had been waiting when Nathan Zachary entered. Not knocked as Xavier had told all members of his crew, simply entered. Standing to greet his guest, Xavier palmed one of the most wicked looking blades in existence and walked across the darkness of his cabin to where Nathan stood trying to adjust his eyes to the dim lighting. Upon reaching him, Xavier swiftly drove the dagger into Nathan's abdomen.
"First, you destroy my ship and cargo," Xavier said, pausing his speech to slide the blade from hip to hip, "then you disrespect my privacy by entering unannounced. You are a waste of my payroll."
Slipping the alien dagger back out of his helmsman's torso and kicking him across the hall into the bulkhead, Xavier closed the door and returned to his desk to replace the knife into it's ornate case.
This day is getting better, Xavier mused to himself, First my ship is returned to me, then I deal with the reason it was lost in the first place.
* * * * *
One week later:
Puerto Rico system
Private transmission from Deprived Gentleman to Vulgar Nun
"Captain Burns,
I seek transport to Rochester base in New York then escort to Dresden so I may purchase a ship for my personal use. This is not a request. Need I remind you that I am one of the few left that know what transpired on board the Jutland?"
End Transmission.
* * * * *
3.5 Million credits for an alien ship. If the rumors were true. And of course they were, Xavier knew. After 30 years in various identities, you start to know things that others don't.
Bretonian Navy, LSF, Rheinland Navy, BMM, Liberty Navy, and stints with both the Mollys and Corsairs just as major lives was impressive. Some days even Xavier himself didn't believe it. But there it was.
And here I am, Xavier thought sitting in the cockpit of his CSV, Working for Seth Driskill.....for now.
Characters:
Trygg.Skottkonoung (Mercenary and Gun for Hire)
{SU}DeprivedGentleman (Slave ship under command of Xavier Talbot)
{SU}Xavier.Talbot (Second in command of the Slavers Union, in his personal ship)