Chapter 25: Part Five. Into The Web. Chapter Twenty Six. Costos Lays His Own Plans But Gets A Surprise.

Still shaken by their close encounter with the imperial heavy cruiser, Costos ordered his pilot to get ready to make a second and a third jump as soon as they arrived at their immediate destination.

“Coming up on arrival, I have a destination for the second jump ready.” Arron, reported and gave his selection.

“Good, I want to get out of here as soon as possible.” Costos replied, approving of their next target.

Turning the Black Sun around and reorienting it for the next star, took just a brief fraction and they were back in hyperspace well before any possible pursuit could arrive.

“Going hyper, estimate transit seven periods.”

“Good, we should be safe for now.” Costos walked around the bridge, ending up standing between Arron and Draucs. “Now where do we go next? I would like a nice quiet place to ransack for supplies and recharge the fuel cells.”

“How about the waypoint at Base four one nine?” Draucs suggested.

“Bit leery of waypoints right now. The empire could be watching them.”

“Well, let’s see. How about the farming state of Dexter Two? They recently got a refurbished transfer station?” Draucs queried.

“I don’t know … not much there.” Costos wondered aloud.

“They shouldn’t be too alert.” Arron pointed out. “No one has ever attacked that place, certainly not in the last twenty or so standard years.”

Costos considered for a fraction, then decided. “Ok, let’s hit them, take what we can from the station, charge up and then we’ll get outta there! No hanging around longer than necessary.”

“No surface raiding then?” Draucs frowned.

“For what, crops?” Laughed Costos. “Anything down on the planet will take too long to scan for and they will be alerted by then. If we knew what and where to hit...” He shrugged. “But we don’t and I want to get to Trilla before Thurgod.” A sinister expression crossed his face and a cold smile played on his lips.

Sitting back in his captain’s chair he ordered Arron to head to Dexter Two on their next jump. “They won’t see us coming.” He chuckled, happy at the thought of pending carnage.-

“Arriving at our next destination in six periods.” Arron announced. “Half a period to turn around and then it will be eight periods for the jump to Dexter Two.”

With a frown, Costos asked “What was our initial jump period.”

“Three point five.”  Arron said.

“So a total of at least seventeen periods in transit and we are heading the absolute wrong way for transit to Trilla.” Costos complained. “How long for the jump from Dexter Two to Trilla?”

“Let me check.” Arron said. “Okay, it’s about two standard days. That’s a rough estimate, likely it will be less.”

“That long!” Costos ejected incredulously. “Why so long?”

“Well we have to avoid the black hole at the galactic core.” Arron explained. “We will come into Dexter Two on an angle but Trilla is on the other side of the galaxy and there are a whole bunch of giant stars that we also have to avoid.”

“Damn!” Costos exploded out of his chair and stormed off the bridge, a litter of foul oaths floating in the air behind him.

The two left on the bridge looked at each other and shrugged. Neither showed an inclination to follow their captain. After a fraction, Draucs stood. “I’m going to check on the crew we have left and make sure that they are ready, then tell them to get some rest. Set the usual alarms, lock the bridge and get some rest yourself. Engine room crew as well. Set the wake up alarms for point seven five before arrival.”

Arron nodded, all this was completely normal for the ship. “Did we replace the idiot that Jenna gutted?”

“No, so it will be Costos, me and the two remaining soldiers for the boarding party.” Draucs left.

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Arron grunted and stood up. Touching the controls, he locked his board and then sealed the bridge at the captain’s console. Satisfied, he closed and locked the bridge access hatch then went to his cabin.

*********

Costos had also gone to his cabin. He had no worries regarding the crew but he had to consider what was going to happen, both at Dexter Two as well as Trilla. It didn’t take long, Costos was content in his authority over the crew and with only two soldiers on board, knew that the likelihood of an uprising was remote. The only question mark was Arron, being both a good pilot and an ex-mercenary was something any pirate leader would worry about.

Eating and drinking as he considered the future, Costos relaxed, they would pirate Dexter Two then move onto Trilla. While he didn’t think that Dexter Two would be a problem, that was nothing they hadn’t done before, Trilla would be different. Unless they could take Thurgod by complete surprise, they had too small a crew compared to Master Moons so they would have to be careful. Destroying the Master Moon was out of the question as the information they needed was onboard the ship.

No, Costos smiled as he thought to himself, cunning was indicated here and few were as cunning as me!

With a laugh to himself, he dropped the remainder of his supper into the disposal and recycling slot and went to bed.

*********

“Arrival at Trilla imminent, Costos.” Arron reported in a bored tone.

“Good.” He turned to Draucs. “Weapons ready?”

“Ready.”

The attack on the transfer station had gone well. A subtle approach lulled any suspicions the stations staff may have had and the boarding party was ready as soon the Black Sun was moored to a loading gantry. A couple of the officers offered resistance and were simply killed. The rest of the staff were herded into a locker and confined there. The stations scanners were disabled while the ships fuel cells charged.

But the best news was the three pallets of Sissil, the very rare plant material often used as a decorating material in buildings, prized for its colour, durability and subtle aroma, found in the cargo bay.

“Three pallets you say! What are they doing here?” Gasped Costos, this was almost as good as pillaging a whole planet.

Draucs grinned. “Would I lie?” They both laughed.

“Take a couple of the workers and load them into the cargo hold.” Costos ordered. “Don’t worry about anything else, but once they have done their job, lock them up again.”

“Will do.” Draucs got to work. Selecting two cargo handlers, he soon had the rare and priceless cargo loaded. Promises to let them live kept the two along with the remainder of the stations crew cowed and submissive.

Assured that they had taken all the most valuable cargo, Costos ordered the automatic tracker and scanner disabled.

“Let’s go, we’ve wasted enough time here.” Had the boarding party scurrying back to their ship.

“We really are going to let them live?” Draucs asked in surprise.

“Why not?” Costos replied as they boarded. “They will report to the authorities that we will be just another pirate in a hurry.” He said, finishing, “If we kill them all, especially in a nasty way, the hunt will be on!”

Draucs did not look convinced as he shut the hatch and checked to make sure that all were on board. Seeing all was well, he confirmed this to the bridge, stowed his weapons in the weapons locker along with all other arms. Securing the locker he made sure that the two soldiers that were left were comfortable and went to the bridge.

By this time the Black Sun was almost at the hyper threshold and the usual unnecessary warning was broadcast as the ship made its transit. The authorities on the surface of Dexter Two were still completely unaware about what had happened.

*********

“Well, we are here, scanning.” Arron reported. Costos and Draucs leaned forward unconsciously, eager to see what was in the system even as the blast shields were raised.

“What? I don’t believe it!” Costos ejected. “By the Dark Lords beard, how did that happen?”

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