Chapter 23 #2
“What? It isn’t something we should announce to the world,” I said simply while making a station for myself behind several crates in the cargo bay for the fight that was coming. There was little doubt in my mind that Perez was going to come after us. And this time they knew to bring more firepower.
Melgara had one of our shuttles with the door open, setting up a first aid station inside of it. While Brick was routing power from the shuttle we’d just brought to a few of the mounted cannons on the Griffin.
“Anyway, this is all over if they bring something big enough to rain on us from orbit,” Brick said.
“They haven’t had more than thugs and grunts,” Melgara reasoned. “I see no reason to expect a capital class or battleship to get involved now.”
The spaceport had cleared out since the attack on Tiri’s people, making it obvious when a lone figure walked onto the spaceport. The silhouette was short, but there was no visible tail or ears.
As it approached, Brick turned on some of the external lights. A man I vaguely recognized lit up, and he held his hands above his head twenty paces from the ship.
“Finnegan?” Lily asked.
“You know him?” Violet snapped.
“I tried to hire her in a bar a week ago.” The greasy man chuckled loudly enough to carry across the port. “Mind if I come over and talk?”
Everyone looked to me for an answer.
“Sure, come on up. Though I might caution you to move slowly and keep your hands away from your pockets. This one”—I hooked a finger at Lily—“might just end you before you realize you made her nervous.”
“Yeah.” His eyes lingered on Lily for a moment. “She’s terrifying and a good portion of the reason I’ve turned down the job to kill you all.” He didn’t seem to know what she was, but perhaps he just had an instinct for danger.
Lily stepped up to the edge of our ship, her eyes peering into the night. “I don’t see anyone else with him.”
“Nope. All on my lonesome. Figured that would be the best way to come make an introduction and walk away with my head still on my shoulders.” He chuckled and regarded me as he walked up the ramp. “If memory serves, you’re the captain?”
“Rayden.” I held out a hand.
Lily, Violet, and Melgara tensed in my peripheral vision. However, I wasn’t sensing any hostility from the man. Besides, if they wanted to launch an attack, our ship was dead in the water, stuck here at the spaceport.
“Finnegan.” He stepped up and shook my hand, half his attention remaining on Lily. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t beat around the bush. First off, I apologize for shooting down your visitors. That was just business.”
“Tell that to the woman who is too upset to leave her room.” Brick puffed himself up.
“Well, not going to go into your ship any farther, but pass on my condolences.” Finnegan shrugged. “I was paid by Perez. Informed by Madam Chiksai. You see, the three of us run Toussaint nowadays. We do so on behalf of the Divine Council.”
I watched him, appreciating that he was being forthcoming, but not trusting him either.
I processed what he said, as different pieces of information swirled together with what we had gone through so far.
“Divine?” I asked Violet.
“There’s been a… shadow government of divines for a long time,” Violet explained. “But you said it was Madam Chiksai who informed you of my presence.” She couldn’t hide the disappointment as her tail briefly drooped.
“Yeah.” Finnegan shook his head. “She did her best to delay the inevitable, but she had to pass the information along. Really disappointing you’re all stuck here.
This place is basically a trap. Come needing money, and instead of finding any, Perez sucks you dry until even your marrow is gone, and you wind up in one of his work camps.
Nasty things, those. Saw the one tonight go up in flames.
Not sure how you did that, but more reason for me to decline further jobs. ”
I stared at the man. “Why are you here?”
“Because I’d like to make it clear I’m not taking a job against you again.
I’d rather not die. Then my other reason is to let you know a divine is coming.
Perez passed it up the chain. It appears that the little miss here”—he pointed at Violet—“has connections they’d really like to disappear forever. ”
“And you want to wash your hands of this while avoiding retribution from us by being the one to step forward?” I put it all together. The man had instincts to tell him when someone like Lily wasn’t within his capabilities and enough sense to back down when the jobs were too tough.
“Pretty much.” Finnegan shrugged.
“How long?” I asked.
“They move slowly. I’d give it three days before someone’s here trying to pluck her tail.
They won’t be quiet about it either. The divines are dirty, yet to each other they have some code of honor.
I’d bet my neck that they ask for a duel.
” He nodded at Violet. “And I’m very good at keeping my head on my shoulders. That’s a damned sure bet.”
I glanced around at the rest of the group. Melgara was relaxed, leaning against the shuttle. Brick looked like he was about to jump in and try to beat this man. Violet was holding onto her new saber, and Lily was deathly still.
Finnegan wasn’t relaxed, but he wasn’t tense. If anything, he was resigned.
“Go, before one of them kills you.” I waved him off the ship, turning to the rest of the crew. “Sounds like we should get some sleep tonight and prepare tomorrow.”
Finnegan took a few steps walking backwards and then turned, moving quickly, but not fast enough that he was running.
“Captain.” Lily was beside me, her eyes glowing pink. “Do I kill him?”
“No. This one we leave alive. It’s not him who’s the problem. He’s not much more than a blaster that was pointed at us. It’s the ones who hold the weapon who need to be dealt with.” I glanced over at Lily and took her hand in mine, giving it a firm squeeze. “You’ll watch out for us tonight?”
“I’m always watching.” Lily nodded.
“Good, then we rest. Tomorrow, we make plans.” I let my eyes rove over everyone else in the cargo bay. “We’ve had a long day, and it seems we’ve been given a little time.”