Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,105

“I think she tried to comm Dya and was ignored.”

Bjarke’s expression grew darker.

Jemadari held up a hand. “I am guessing that this is a ruse, yes. Because she’s not using full power in her attacks. But we did not plan anything ahead of time, so I’m not positive. We’re not that close.”

“What, she never invited you in for one of her orgies?” Bjarke growled.

“She invites everyone to those. That doesn’t mean you’re close.”

The pilot gave his boss a weird look, but all he said was, “Firing back, sir.”

“She accused us of stealing her slydar detector,” Jemadari said, “which, of course, we didn’t. If she truly had one and it had been stolen, we would have heard about it on the station. Or directly from her earlier if she believed we were responsible. She wouldn’t have waited until we were under the pirates’ noses to comm us.”

Qin leaned past the pilot to peer at the scanner display and see where those pirates’ noses were now. One of their warships was still on course for the station, but the other one was not. She grimaced. It was heading their way.

Dya fired again. A missile slammed into their shields and unleashed more power than the earlier blows. An alert flashed on the console, and the deck shuddered under their feet.

“Maybe it’s not a ruse,” Qin said. “What if someone really did steal from her, and she thinks it’s you?”

“She could think you only brought us and the crushers on board so you’d be well-defended if she caught up with you,” Asger said.

Jemadari shook his head. “Why wait until now to start all this? She’s been following us for half a day. Fire again, Knapp.”

“Yes, sir.” The pilot sounded uncertain, but he obeyed.

Asger met Qin’s eyes.

We’re sure there’s not a stolen slydar detector on this ship, right? he messaged to her chip.

Qin could only spread her arms. It wasn’t as if she could smell the difference between one piece of equipment she’d never seen—or smelled—and another.

“The shields are down to forty percent power,” the pilot reported quietly. “One more like the last one, and we’ll be defenseless.”

Jemadari frowned. “Fire back with more power.”

“She’s comming someone. The Druckers.” The pilot’s fingers danced across the controls. “It’s not encrypted. Let’s see if I can catch it…”

Queen Dya’s imperious voice came over the speaker. “…offering a reward of five thousand Union dollars if you stop that ship. I will handle boarding and retrieving my stolen belongings. All I need is for you to stop them.”

Uncertainty cracked Jemadari’s calm facade for the first time.

Qin checked the scanners again. “The Drucker ship that broke off to head our way is increasing its speed.”

“Huh.” Bjarke leaned back. “This is what we wanted.”

“Assuming they don’t blow us to pieces and then search the wreckage for valuables,” the pilot muttered.

“That is the risk we all agreed to take with this mission,” Bjarke said.

“I didn’t agree to take anything. I’m just on the clock.” The pilot shot Jemadari a dirty look.

“We’ll be fine.” Jemadari didn’t appear as confident anymore, but he nodded and smiled at his man. “And I’ll see to it you get a combat bonus.”

“If we survive?”

“Do you want me to arrange to have it sent to your family in the event that we don’t?”

“Yes.”

“Very well.”

Should we be worried, Qin messaged Asger, that our crew is convinced we’re not going to make it?

It’s just one pilot.

That’s all right then.

Do you really care? Asger smiled at her. You’re probably eager to go into battle.

I just hope we get the chance. Qin flexed her hands, her claws trying to extend, but the fingertips of her gauntlets restrained them. When she wore combat armor, she was relegated to using more modern weapons.

We will. Asger sounded certain.

“Queen Dya’s ship is slowing down and has stopped firing,” the pilot reported.

“Good,” Jemadari said.

“The Drucker warship is readying weapons and has us in its sights.”

“That could be less good,” Jemadari said.

The comm panel flashed.

“This is Groggins,” came a man’s bored drawl. A familiar drawl that Qin had heard before. “Consider yourself our prisoner. If you fire at us or try to evade us, we’ll blast you into the nearest sun. If you put up a fight when we board you, we’ll also blast you into the nearest sun. If we don’t like the look of you or your women, well, you get the picture.”

Memories slammed into Qin at the sound of the man’s voice, and she barely heard his words. She remembered Groggins. He’d been with the pirates