Maniacs The Krittika Conflict - By Nick S. Thomas Page 0,50

given more than we got, but we can afford far fewer losses."

"And what about Mitchell?"

"We can't just leave him."

"Can't we? He’s a junkie and always will be. Maybe we're better off finding a new pilot?"

"No way, aren't you forgetting who saved our asses on Sharini?"

"Don't let that go to your head. Doing your job right sometimes, doesn't excuse your fuck ups the rest of the time."

"You think you’re being fair? I know how you feel about his habits, but he's been clean a long time now. Either way, we aren't leaving him to their mercy, and that's final."

"They're just buying time to gather their forces," Viktor joined them.

They turned to see the hulking fighter had crept up on them and had been listening in. He lit up his pipe to a look of disgust from Kaper. The barman wouldn't speak out, but neither would Mason.

"Why?" asked Liu.

"Because by now he's probably realised who he's dealing with. I've heard of your crew before. The Captain's name was different then, but I know about a few of your ops. If I heard that along the road, Volkov will know it by now. Your reputation is for going in hard and fast. Surprised you haven't to be honest."

"Well, you aren't as dumb as you look."

He grinned at Liu and puffed smoke out from his pipe.

"But they could also be using it to draw our forces out of the town and secure it themselves," added Liu.

"Not likely."

"Come on, Viktor, you clearly know more than you’re letting on, so spit it out."

They both waited for him to answer, and he took his time, taking another puff and blowing it out calmly.

"Volkov only keeps a small troop around him at any time. He calls on the few militia stationed nearby when he has to, but if trouble really strikes, he has to ask for help from larger Alliance worlds."

"And you know this, how?"

"I know because I know, like I know lots of things. Like you used to be a cop."

"That's really fucking observant," replied Liu.

"All right!" yelled Mason. "How many fighters does he have right now, and what do you think we can expect?"

"Maybe fifty that he will have called in. The other towns can't afford to give up any more than that. He won't want to call on the Alliance because then he'd have to explain this mess. So he'll bring in hired guns. That'll take a couple of days."

"We could strike now?" asked Liu.

"Long as you don't mind letting your pilot go."

"Why?" Mason asked.

"’Cos the Sheriff's department will have him off world by morning. That's how they work."

Mason shook his head. He was now torn between the two options.

"As I said, Volkov needed to buy some time."

Mason looked to Liu for answers. He looked as suspicious of Viktor as he had done the first time.

“He could be right.”

Liu tilted his head as if to ask, ‘really?’

“Take it or leave it. Drag your heels and your buddy is gone.”

“He’s part of your crew too,” stated Mason.

“Yeah, well I ain’t ever met him.”

Mason stepped up to Viktor and hauled him off to one side, though he only just moved due to his bulk. Mason leaned in to whisper.

“You signed up to this crew, so did Mitchell. We have a responsibility towards each other. You were a soldier, you must understand that?”

Viktor shook his head and sighed.

“You said you never fought in the war, and I can see it plain. If you had, you’d know how much bullshit that comment is. The war was every man for himself. There were as many enemies at my back as there were in front, and cowards and aplenty.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I don’t want your sympathy. Just don’t expect me to care about people like they were my brothers.”

Mason could see there was no convincing him.

“Well, if you won’t care, will you at least help?”

“It was already offered. It’s what I’m being paid for, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

They stepped back to Liu. He could see Liu hated everything Viktor was, but like Mason, he accepted the thug as a necessary element of their job.

“Right, let’s start this again. I want Mitchell back in one piece, so how do we go about it?”

They went silent.

“Don’t look at me. I don’t know this planet any better than you,” Liu said.

The silence was broken by shouts coming from outside. They rushed to the door and saw a column of three vehicles coming down the street. Armed gunmen were on top of the fore and aft