The pirate assault craft’s doors opened simultaneously. A ragged and savage collection of beings poured out of the ship, at least six score in number. No two were alike in dress or origin. There were twisted humanoids, horrific flying things, insect-like abominations, blobs of vaguely anthropomorphic flesh, skeletal horrors, and beings so malformed they must have been mutant outcasts.

  Their clothes and gear were a mixture of desperate salvage and plundered finery. Patched and rusted gear sat atop expensive dresses and suits. Advanced pieces of hardware were secured to ancient leather belts or surplus military webbing.

  Their weapons were the same as their gear, a mixture of old and new. Those who weren’t naturally equipped with claws or sharp teeth carried melee weapons. These ranged from homemade monstrosities to military issued killing tools.

  At the head of this chaotic procession a feminine figure strode. The vividness of her scarlet skin made her stand out from the others. The tall crest on her head made her stand out even more, like nature had gifted her a crown.

  She had a striking face which could have passed for that of a demoness, sharp cheeks and a wicked, black lipped mouth. Something was going on with her eyes, but she was too far away from Eli for him to tell what was going on. Perhaps it was the play of light off of lenses.

  It was hard to tell, but it looked like she was wearing a high cut leotard with a pair of leather pants, both of them black. These garments clung to her voluptuous body. Three badges were pinned to her leotard. These were all silver luster and bright enamel.

  Where her belt touched her left hip there was an object, a silver circle with a black, star shape running across it, probably a shield projector. Other belts ran across her body. Things that were familiar to the soldier were positioned next to objects that were totally foreign to him. On her left thigh, a row of tubes, all similar, but no two exactly the same. Each of these Iredell were adorned with a different language’s version of a medical symbol.

  A pair of pistols sat in a shoulder holster. These were of differing designs, but both of them were examples of fine craftmanship. A long knife on her right thigh, another on her left boot. A long, gold and black cylinder hung from her belt, like the ornate handle had come off of a decorative weapon.

  “She’s a Pygram! Watch out, Gami!” Tarl warned. Eli had no idea what this meant. He had heard the word before, but only related to a kind of commonly traded currency.

  The Damatok Wraiths spread out a bit. Some took positions near the Erarat. Others poked around near the pallets that had been aboard Cavalier, but none of them got too close to Eli and Tarl. The pair stayed in position near the boarding ramp.

  The scarlet woman’s voice was seductive. Her language sounded like it was designed to carry the spirit of hardcore punk, “Hexul, I see that you have visitors. And who do I have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of?”

  “Captain Cisneros,” Eli said confidently, “And you are?”

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  “I am called Rotek. I’m the first mate aboard Dancing Phantom. I don’t see any markings on your ship. Are you an independent vessel?”

  “Lie,” one of Tarl’s bodies said into the com, “Don’t let her know that we don’t have anyone backing us up.”

  “I’m a member of a trade guild,” Eli stated, “You ever hear of Kirjen and Jussco?”

  “A front for smugglers, which would explain why you are here.”

  “And why are you here?” Eli asked.

  “Because the Just Alliance pays us to help keep these scum in line. You know that this wasn’t originally their base? They took it from someone else.”

  “And you’re here to take it from them?”

  “Only if they stop paying.”

  “So, you take bribes.”

  “Only for as long as we can get away with it. Then we’ll actually do some privateering.”

  “I kind of like you,” Eli said with a smirk, “Let’s cut a deal. You let us go, we’ll bring you all the fun toys that you want from the more civilized sectors of space.”

  “That’s an interesting offer, but we can just lift anything that we want or need off of the convoys.”

  “But that comes with risk, and you’re stuck with the luck of the draw.”

  “I’ve got a better offer, Captain Cisneros.”

  “Please, call me Eli.”

  “Eli, then. I’ll cut you the best deal of your life. Come work for us.”

  “Captain Bukhara won’t like you recruiting like this,” one of her comrades warned.

  He was mammalian, or some analog of it. The pirate looked like something out of a cartoon from the 80s, like a possum had been mutated into a large, anthropomorphic form. The thing’s beady eyes shone with white light and a love of disturbing things. The wide, toothy smile had the same effect. Its short snout was tipped with a little pink nose. Eli liked the fohawk that its fur seemed to naturally form into. He wore worn leathers and several bandoleers. A retractable eye piece sat on the side of his head. He carried a rifle with a smaller pump action mounted under the barrel.

  “Karr, you’ve always got something to say,” Rotek sneered, “Captain Bukhara told me that he wants to be an admiral, to command a whole fleet of raiders. All I’m doing is trying to get him one little step closer to that dream,” her tone suddenly became vicious, “Challenge me again and they’ll unfurl the banners, bring out the full shining regalia at your funeral.”

  He countered this strange statement without hesitation, “I’ll go straight for the karana, soon as Bukhara gets sick of you,” the translator told Eli that karana was understood to be any species’ seat of consciousness.

  “Mass sacrifice in your name. Rivers of blood. Mountains of skulls,” Rotek purred.

  “I’ll throw myself on the pyre.”

  She grinned wickedly, “I’ll throw a thousand on the pyre before me.”

  The crowd stirred, as her words had affected them in some way that went beyond their macabre nature.

  ***

  The sniper rifle was still pointed at the Erarat who had jumped up beside her. Even as Gami watched what was going on below her, she kept it level, finger on the trigger.

  Below her, Eli talked to the leader of the pirates. Tarl’s warning about her had not fallen on deaf ears. That woman’s presence would greatly complicate things. The gaggle of armed killers that accompanied her certainly didn’t help things either.

  Unable to use the scope of her sniper rifle to get a close look at them, and unable to freely move her head around, she struggled to assess the threat that they presented. That was when she spotted them on the edge of her vision. A trio of pirates were sneaking around to the side of Cavalier. There, they would likely crouch down and move under the craft, move to a position where they would be able to get the drop on her friends.

  Unable to warn them while staying hidden, Gami did what needed to be done. She squeezed the trigger.

  The round punched clean through the Erarat. A jet of black blood followed the hypersonic round. The fleshy thing dropped, its long limbs trailing behind it as it fell.

  “Under the ship! Three of them!” she shouted over the com.