“She’s a Pirate: the colossal space battle!”
“Well, she’s finished,” Kayleigh Acheron said as she pulled the headset away. “Even for Herut, that was quick. It’s amazing how fast she can really work.”
“The Dauntless is just a tough ship,” her sister argued. “Even after everything we and those pirates put it through, it came out all right. But that’s not our concern, Dr. Miracle. This ship cannot survive another fight like that. It’s fast and it’s got a tough hide, but that’s all there is to it. If we’re going to keep getting into dangerous situations, we need weapons.” Amy stared at the twins blankly, her weight shifted heavily on her left foot as always. Whatever physical pain she was going through was trivial compared to the moral problem she was facing. Her ship—her family’s ship had always been designed for peaceful exploration and the pursuit of truth and wisdom. Amy might have been a bit easier to fool than the rest of the crew, but she wasn’t naïve: she understood that there were just some people out there who were not interested in playing nice.
“I had hoped to ask Rachel to help us in that matter,” she murmured, teetering slightly. “However, her policy is to never get involved unless the other party is incapable of helping themselves. Therefore, I didn’t really want to rely too much on her. I think it would be wise to arm ourselves for these encounters, but the Dauntless will fight prudently and honorably—and we must not use the weapons unless we have no other choice. Please realize that I’m only agreeing to this so that everyone here will be protected. If we were to ram somebody,” she muttered with a sad smile, “it would be very…inconvenient.”
“It’s settled,” Teleah stated. “We’ll dock at the first civilized planet and search around. Since Vimmy’s the most experienced with merchants and bargaining, we’ll let her handle the negotiations. You should probably go with her, doctor, to make sure the little troll doesn’t go overboard.”
“We also seem to have quite a few women handy with tools,” Kayleigh murmured. “We could save a lot on labor. I almost hate to ask Herut to chip in again…”
“She won’t mind,” Amy replied. “Herut was made that way. It’d be like asking Chandra to seduce two women in a row.”
Elsewhere, a certain excitable inventor pricked her ears and perked up. They wiggled and darted like little pixies on the verge of creating a new prank, and she sat up, filled with a sudden strange energy, as her senses flared, indicating it would soon be time for her to work her magic.
“Oooh, there’s a delicious disturbance in the air!” she sang giddily. “I’ve got the feeling that somebody’s going to need me in a big way! That means I’ll get to work with LOTS of fire! Hey, d’ya think I’ll get to weld something?! I hope so!” Kyrie’s devilish grin disappeared suddenly as her lover rose out of bed sluggishly and started getting dressed. It was as if she didn’t even hear her! “Wha? Hey, Val, what’s up? You tired of me already?”
“It’s not that,” Valti said as she wove her superfluous limbs through her custom-made shirt. She was only halfway finished before she paused, her back facing the fiery Pyrosian. “Kyrie, I think we should…break up. I know this is cruel of me right now… We just had sex and it’s the worst possible time for me to say this, but it feels like we’re not really right for each other. I mean, we’ve got a lot in common, but it’s like… Uh, I’m not quite sure how to explain it. It just doesn’t seem to click. Look, you’re a good friend and all, and I enjoyed…sneaking around and having fun. We can still do that, I mean, it’s just…”
“Aha!” Kyrie exclaimed, snapping her fingers. “So you are tired of me!”
“No, I…well, jeez, I don’t know how else to put it. We’re not right for each other.” Kyrie took a moment to seriously process this, curling her hair absently as she always did when she was stumped. Okay, so Valti really was a good friend, and they certainly had a lot of fun together, especially in the lab and garage. They had made love a few times, and it was nice, but…well, now that Kyrie thought about it, it really didn’t seem right. She loved Valti, but could she honestly bring herself to really commit to that deep level of devotion? No. Valti was a friend, and while it did feel a little painful, it wasn’t fair stringing her along like this.
“No biggie,” Kyrie resolved, smiling faintly. “I get’cha. We’re just friends who…had sex once in awhile. That’s all. I guess I’m not really right for you, am I?”
“You sound disappointed,” Valti sighed. Kyrie grinned and hopped out of bed; she dressed so quickly that for a moment, it looked like the room itself was on fire.
“Well, I am gonna miss all the freaky sex, but it’s cool. Don’t you feel too bad about it, okay? I gave it a bit of thought and I have to agree. But let’s not be shy around each other, okay? I…couldn’t stand it if we couldn’t hang out.”
“Sure.” She jiggled all six of Valti’s hands before running off to the cockpit, presumably to check up on that feeling. Valti’s face turned scarlet as she noticed an article of clothing Kyrie forgot, and picked it up with a restrained giggle. “You forgot your pants, Miss Lastgear!”
……
It was difficult landing on a civilized planet with a half-dozen wanted women onboard—or rather it might have been, if the Dauntless didn’t have so many revered celebrities on the ship. While the twins were explaining to Vimmy what their plan was, she decided to take control of communications and weaseled the ship’s way into port, promising air and space traffic control a few extra bucks for looking the other way. As obnoxious as she was, they had to admit that Vimmy was very useful, but they also knew that usefulness was conditional. She promised to pay for the weapons as well but expected equal compensation for her sacrifice.
“I’m not pretending I’ll see any monetary profit out of this, of course,” she said as the crew left the ship and stretched their legs, “I simply mean that the entire crew owes me a debt, and it’s only fair they repay me however they can, or else I can’t be expected to help out anymore, just ask Sharyn and Mink, they’ll tell you I’m not a charity, now please leave me to my business and oh my, are you coming with me, Dr. Miracle, because I would like your company, I’ve really been meaning to speak with you, get to know you better, see what sorts of assets you…well, all that sort of thing, yes, don’t pay any mind to my babbling, all that glitters may not be gold but not all gold is bullion, I believe, but what a drab sense of fashion you have!”
“Look at them go,” Kyrie sighed as she watched Vimmy waddling, Amy hobbling, and Mink gracefully gliding beside them both. They made an unusual team and a strange sight, but as long as nobody minded and Vimmy didn’t let her mouth run too wild… “Well, guess we’d better get to work too, huh ladies?” She grinned hotly at her small work force, which had increased since word got out that the ship was being outfitted for weapons. Along with Herut (who didn’t mind being put to work, as Amy had predicted) and Kyrie (who insisted on all the welding), Eve and Rebecca were recruited to work as well, for obvious reasons. They were still a little shy around the gregarious Kyrie, but luckily Herut was there to tip the scales towards a more mature area.
“Regardless of what Miss Fonester buys, we’re going to have to redesign these areas,” she said, pointing to the ship’s blueprints. Herut went into deep detail about the intricacies of altering a ship’s exterior and interior to allow weapons integration, including what new systems had to be added and what they’d be forced to remove. The job would be quite difficult since the Dauntless had never been laden with artillery before; most vessels merely required a weapon “transplant” or upgrade, since they already had most of the necessary systems installed, such as cooling ducts and ammo storage. Fortunately, Vimmy and Mink both had a loose understanding of these designs, the former being accustomed to buying and selling weapons, so there was no need to worry about missing anything. And as unconventional as the mechanics themselves were, they were all really brilliant when it came to their work, and they followed Herut’s design like lovers follow poetry.
Once Vimmy, Mink, and Amy came back with the weapons (they had to be delivered on trucks and pallets), the crew went right to work, and most everyone else chose to help out rather than rest. Shana proved to be a quick study and was soon acting as the chief gofer girl whenever anybody needed something. Mink knew a little about machinery as well, and set herself up as a relief engineer whenever
somebody needed to take a break. Kate handled all the heavy lifting, Chandra made lunches (though she was distracted far too often by the sweaty, glistening bodies of women at work), Naja took over as supervisor (she managed to impress people with her competence, but was a little too strict), Allegra set up the ammunition rounds, Aseria and Lil provided protection (just in case someone wanted to slip through and disturb their work), and of course, Fuuka was there in case a thumb was crushed or a toe was stubbed.
Every two hours, all the chief mechanics took a fifteen-minute break to rest, refresh themselves, get some exercise, and take in the sights. Rebecca desperately wanted to join Riene for lunch, but she was still uncertain of herself—and lately her eyes had been drifting towards Lyara, who made no attempt to mask her own “studies”. Herut was content to work, but sometimes she went on a walk with Eve or Shana; Kasberry herself drifted here and there aimlessly, more focused on blanking her mind and relieving her muscles. It felt good to really concentrate on a big project like this, and outside complications was the last thing she wanted to deal with. She decided to sit down at a restaurant, far away from Chandra’s watchful eye, and ordered a milkshake. She had only taken a few relaxing sips when a haunting, beautiful, familiar person joined her.
“I didn’t know you had a sweet tooth.” Eve paused in mid-bite to look up. It was the Jackal, grinning craftily, more radiant than before now that she was no longer covered by cloak or hat. She sat down quietly and stared at Eve dreamily. “Did you know that you’re the answer to a wish? Now all I need is a straw…unless you’d rather be alone.” Eve was too dumbfounded to ask any questions, and emptily pointed to a concessions booth.
“There’s…some over there.”
“Oh, right! I’ll be back!” The Jackal quickly grabbed her straw and planted it into the milkshake, sipping slowly. The front of her blouse was open, revealing her silky skin prickling in the breeze. The woman wasn’t wearing anything underneath it. “Now my wish is complete,” she murmured peacefully. “So now we’ll answer that question we both have. I’m here on business and pleasure—nothing criminal, of course. Not yet, anyway. I only just arrived. And you?”
“Repairs,” she replied stiffly. The Jackal’s face stretched into a crescent smile and she reached out for Eve’s hand. It felt cold from grasping the shake.
“You seem distant. Did I do anything to upset you?”
“No,” Eve murmured hoarsely. “I just didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Well, what are the odds of anybody meeting anybody these days? Since we’ve already had two encounters before, I’d say there must be more to our meetings than chance, Miss Kasberry. Was it destiny? Did God intend for us to be together? If so, are we meant to be enemies or lovers…or both?”
“Please don’t ask me,” she whispered softly—yes, soft and helpless, so unlike the Eve that put on a cold, stony face in front of the others. This woman was so charming and arresting that she drew out that hidden side of Eve she kept buried and forgotten—that childish, pure innocence made out of
absolute goodness, hope, and fear—the Eve that, more than anything, desired love and companionship. More than once she had fantasized about making love to this mysterious person. “I’m not ready to decide. You’re a…very unfamiliar part of my life now.”
“I’m not as complicated as all that,” said the Jackal, leaning in to kiss Eve. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t return the favor; she sat stationary and calculated the spontaneity of such an intimate act. This was the sort of thing real lovers did after they had been with someone for years. They’re not shy about little displays of affection during intermittent hours of the day, and they don’t have to have a reason behind them either. Eve finally returned the kiss after staring at the older woman for a few minutes, and slipped her tongue inside as easily and gently as breathing.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, shirking back defensively. “I shouldn’t stay here much longer. The…repairs need to be done and…I’m part of the crew. Y-you’ve got a schedule as well, I suppose, so you should… Anyway, you can have the rest of my shake. I’m really not that fond of sweet foods. So long.”
“And may we meet again, regardless of the forces that may see to it,” Jackal answered joyously. She chuckled sweetly, raised the cold glass in a salute, and crossed her legs. Her voice called out to Eve one more time that day: “Be careful of pirates, now. I’d stay far away from any encounters if I were you. Thanks for the treat!” When Eve was out of sight, the Jackal put the dessert down and fished her phone out of her purse. She began to work her magic and nonchalantly altered the fates and lives of countless people, all with the push of a button.
“Captain Chuunaru, this is the Jackal. …Don’t be rude; I’m only here to help. Tell your Admiral I know where the Bloody Dove will be, and if he wants that information, I’d be happy to speak to him personally. Also, unless I’m mistaken, I know the exact whereabouts of several wanted criminals. …Now that’s not information I can tell you, Chuunaru, is it? Although I do believe I have found your stray mechanic. …Don’t be silly now, my dear Captain. You know of whom I speak.”
……
Rose had taken over the wheel from Patches so that the scantily-clad woman could rest. Being infamous pirates occasionally had disadvantages, such as whenever they had to make port to buy more ammunition. There were few worlds these days that openly welcomed pirates, and they were never savory places to visit, and only the most desperate stayed longer than they had to. Rose’s crew drew a lot of attention, of course—she only allowed women to run her ship, and naturally a large number of them were easy on the eyes—but she wasn’t shy about brandishing sword or shotgun, and some in her
crew looked like they could bite the horns off a rhino. They were safe and well-supplied now, though, and were finally ready to visit New London, a world in the Alpha Centauri system.
“Look lively, pussy-bangers,” she announced to her crew. “Soon we’ll be wealthier than the entire Norgrin race put together. Maybe then we’ll start searching for that Nail our dear Elshyrin friend wanted so badly. You think I should just hand it over, or make her work for it?”
“That’s an easy question,” Henrietta answered as she mopped the deck. “You’ll make her fight for it, bargain it for sex, steal something while she’s asleep, and then go and seduce that two-headed woman. And after all that, you’ll take the Nail back just to piss her off.” Rose laughed out loud and winked.
“Am I becoming so predictable?”
“It’s happened before,” Henrietta sighed.
“That’s what she did to me before I came onboard!” Duchess exclaimed. Rose frowned with mock guilt.
“No hard feelings, I hope.” Duchess smiled wickedly.
“I didn’t get mad, I got creative. I got you back, right?”
“That you did,” she grinned warmly. Rose resumed focus on the path ahead of her and noticed an injured ship limping in the distance. She activated the long-range sensors and found out it was leaking fuel and oxygen. A crafty smile unfolded on her face as she noticed it was registered as the Wily Way, another vessel she had sworn vengeance on.
“Captain!” Duchess exclaimed; Rose waved at her casually.
“I know, I see it. O how the venomous serpent grins as she slithers toward her wounded foe! Keep your distance, though; they could be bluffing. Fire a warning shot and see if they’re willing to beg for their lives.” Henrietta scrambled to the cannons and let loose a mild barrage; in response, the Wily Way fired back and initiated a sluggish retreat. Rose couldn’t help but chuckle darkly.
“Brave and stupid to the bitter end. That’s what you get for fucking with a pansy, I guess. What a waste of good looks. Continue firing and increase pursuit. I’m gonna run that skinny-ass bastard right over!”
“The Dove is gaining,” Torch called out. Patty and Natalie exchanged a puzzled glance.
“I guess the Captain really is in the habit of sleeping with her enemies.”
“And just about everybody else in between.” Rose slapped her sword against the wall sharply, breaking them away from their gossip.
“Less chatter and more splatter, ladies! If I catch you muttering again, I’ll force you to wear dresses.” Patty and Natalie moved as fast as their outfits allowed, or what little was left of them, anyway. Let it never be said the Dead Rose enforced any dress code aboard her ship.
After a few volcanic moments where the Dove assaulted the helpless Wily Way, the pirates finally caught up and prepared to board. Fighting the stubborn ship made their greed and bloodlust stronger still, and they had given up their pirate’s cunning for passion. But perhaps even the Captain’s guile could not penetrate through this clever trap: the wounded ship fighting for its life had successfully drawn its prey close, and bit down hard against her hull as an explosion ripped the Wily Way apart. Great huge spheres of fire and debris were flung everywhere, punching holes in the Bloody Dove and setting it ablaze. There was cursing, chaos, and screaming everywhere as Rose recovered from the blast and demanded to know what was going on.
“It must’ve been jury-rigged and set to go off if we came too close!” Torch announced, yelling at the top of her lungs. “That was a trap and we ran right into it! I still can’t determine if there were people onboard or if it was all done by remote. Doesn’t look like it matters, though!”
“Shit,” Rose grumbled, “that was low. If they wanna come after me, why don’t the feckless bastards do it in the open? Even pirates follow a code! Is anybody killed down there? If you can move, you can help those that can’t!”
“Captain, the ship’s sustained heavy damage, but we’re still alive. Not in any condition to really fly or fight, though.”
“Captain, I’ve got several girls wounded over here. No deaths so far!”
“Good, take them to the infirmary and put out those fires when you’re done! Hopefully our good doctors aren’t in any mood to seduce their patients this time.”
“Captain, I’m picking up an approaching ship on the radar. I can’t see any registration yet… Hold on! It’s the military! The timing can’t be a coincidence, Rose: this was their doing!”
“God damn it!” Rose roared, smashing her fist on the controls, shattering a plating of glass. “How in the nine Hells did they figure out where we were?”
“We were sold out, more than likely,” Duchess said softly. Rose turned ashen and dark; her eyes narrowed and a flame seemed to spew forth from their depths.
“If there’s a rat here, I swear I’ll rip off her skin and nail her to the mainmast. In the meantime, we’ll send a nice little gift basket to our friends. Now which military sweetheart is after me today?” As if in response, the ship’s radio blared to life, and a strong, stern voice sprang out like thunder.
“Attention, Bloody Dove! This is United Cosmic Military Captain Kaori Chuunaru of the Neo Yamato, requesting you stand down before further damage is done to your ship. We are under no obligation to
exercise any restraint, so if you value your health and your lives, you will come along peacefully—and hopefully, fully dressed.”
“You hear that?” Patty said as she elbowed Natalie. “We’re famous!”
“Ladies, I’ve got gowns in my closet that are just your size!” Rose bellowed. Patty and Natalie quickly shut their mouths and let the Captain finish negotiations. “So the famous Captain Chuunaru was assigned to bring me in, huh? If your body’s as sexy as your voice, I just might come along peacefully. What I do once I’m in ‘custody’ is another matter!”
“Your sophomoric flirtations won’t save you this time around, Rose. I wouldn’t touch you even to beat your face in. This is your final warning, ‘Captain’. I won’t hesitate to turn your ship into a cemetery.” Rose took a careful breath and considered her options. If the military hadn’t sprung that dirty trick on her, she could’ve easily roused the ship and turned the tables. The Dove might not have been equipped with the finest military weapons, or staffed by an experienced crew of hardened veterans, but it was one of the meanest, proudest, most savage ships around, and could easily sail circles around those sluggish military vessels. The Dove still had most of its ammunition left, and a good majority of her crew was still healthy enough to fight—but the ship itself was crippled and bleeding. So, would she forfeit her life and the lives of her treasured crew to that military bitch, or would they all go down in a blaze of glory?
“As if there’s a choice,” she murmured serenely. Rose put her lips to the radio and made kissing sounds, then belched as loud as she could and screamed to her crew: “ATTACK!”
“You’ve chosen well,” Chuunaru purred maliciously. “May the sound of screams be your funeral dirge, pirate filth. Neo Yamato, clean up this trash.” A barrage of lasers surged through the darkness of space to envelop the wounded Dove, and Rose braced herself for her climactic finale. It was a good thing she kept her eyes open, though—otherwise she would have missed seeing those lasers bounce off the hull of an intercepting vessel as it came between her crew and certain doom.
“Those morons,” she murmured softly, fighting a smile. She was definitely in love with that pilot now. “Dauntless, I’d ask what the hell you’re doing, but I’m too damn grateful right now. I’d really like to know why you’re here.”
“Shit, it’s that crazy pirate lady! Hey, two-headed freak! You led us right to your fucking girlfriend!”
“This was completely unintentional, Naja. Or maybe the UCM corralled us this way.”
“You both realize the radio’s still on! Naja, turn that blasted thing off!”
“No way, bitch! Um…bitches. I gotta give that rum-swilling pig a piece of my mind! Just what the hell kind of carnival is this, Dead Rose?”
“I gather the military’s after you too,” she said, chuckling quietly.
“Excellent timing, Captain Rover!” Chuunaru exclaimed, apparently having forgotten her own transmission was still running. “Now we can kill two birds with one stone. Leave the Bloody Dove out of this for awhile; they can’t fight back anyway. …What do you mean, my radio’s still on? Um…oh, shi—“
Click. Rose snickered.
“Patches, see if you can’t steer this wreck out and join the battle. Peggy—“
“My name’s Henrietta! How many times do I have to tell you?”
“Sorry,” she giggled. “Empty as many shells as you can while we make our way over to the Neo Yamato. We might be wounded, but we’re sure as hell not helpless. Hey, Dauntless!”
“Dauntless here,” said the Acheron sisters (Naja had apparently been restrained).
“Don’t tell me you’re gonna try and ram both these ships!”
“No, we were just recently outfitted with weapons. The military chased us away once they realized how many big bounties we have onboard.”
“So it’s a gallery of rogues, eh?” Rose smiled to herself; this was getting better all the time. “All right, so we’re all involved in this now! Just don’t hold it against us if we can’t keep up right now! We’ll try boarding the Neo Yamato, so we’ll need you to cover us.”
“Copy that. They’re focused on us anyway. Good luck, Captain.”
“You too, beautiful.” Rose had a feeling both twins were rather red right now. She ordered Patty to speed up and ignore the ship’s condition: by hook or crook, she was going to show the United Military what the Dead Roses were really capable of!
……
Dr. Miracle may have owned the Dauntless, but Naja and Yenae were its commanders, and they whipped the disorganized and disoriented crew into shape so quickly, the military ships were taken aback. One minute they were in pursuit of a ragtag group of felons, and the next, they were fighting for their lives against a ferocious opponent! Captain Rove might have been overwhelmed and unprepared for this sudden shift, but Kaori Chuunaru observed with a hawk’s steely determination. She was as calm and deadly as a glacier, and watched the two ships slug it out for a few moments before engaging her crew.
“This is an unusual turn of events, but if we perform well, we can turn this in our favor. The Dauntless is to be spared and its crew is to be kept prisoner, so we’ll wear her down and make her waste what little ammo she has. Oh, look! They’ve definitely got a great pilot on their side. But…well, that’s impressive. Whoever put those weapons together certainly knew what they were doing! Our source wasn’t lying: repair and maintenance Unit 18273645 and Engineer Kasberry are definitely onboard.”
“Ma’am, the Bloody Dove is slowly advancing on our bow dorsal side. I’m picking up a massive wave of firepower.”
“She knows she’s beaten; that’s why she’s hitting us with everything she has so early in the fight. Raise shields and veer fifty degrees starboard, then move into attack position and return fire. If we can take out her cannons, she’ll be as helpless as a caterpillar.”
“Copy that.” The Neo Yamato still shuddered as several blasts struck it, but the shields held and the ship moved away safely. It struck back, but a second salvo intercepted and blew the missiles clear away. Chuunaru showed no signs of disappointment.
“Fire second volley.”
“Second volley firing!” The entire galaxy shimmered and glowed with fireworks, and was then silent.
“She won’t last much longer at this rate. What’s the status of the Dauntless?”
“Current readout registers its weapons at forty percent. The Carapace is severely damaged, but it’s putting up a great fight. Thank goodness they’re keeping the Dauntless busy.”
“Send fighters out to assist them. Concentrate on taking out the Dove’s ammunition first. We’ll have plenty in reserve to blow her away and capture the Dauntless. This battle is as good as over.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Kaori sat back in her chair and folded her fingers. Ridding the universe of the blasphemous Dead Roses was an accomplishment in itself, but now they were going to bag half a dozen wanted women as well! She smiled craftily to herself as she imagined what sort of accolade she’d get from this campaign. “Major Chuunaru” sounded nice…but “Colonel Chuunaru” was even better.
Hell, I might even make Admiral…
Too bad her fantasy was interrupted. “Captain, we’re receiving a message from the Dauntless! It…it’s being broadcast everywhere! The Bloody Dove and the Carapace are receiving it as well!”
“What? What could they possibly have to say now?” An image suddenly glared to life on their monitor, and soon every vessel in the area—pirate, military, and independent—could see and hear the announcement. A thin, mousy, brown-haired woman with pigtails and glasses was clinging to the mainmast of the Bloody Dove, her hair sweeping in the breeze as she stood proudly above her audience. Those who knew Amy were amazed to find she was standing firmly on both feet, without her cane, but
she showed no signs of pain as she stared deep into the eyes of all who looked upon her. Even Kaori Chuunaru got the chills.
“Proud pirates of the Bloody Dove,” she announced boldly, “and valiant adventurers of the Dauntless, here we stand facing insurmountable odds as our enemies close in—the very hounds of Hell who want to devour us and take us captive! My name is Amy Blithe Miracle, and I have come aboard the Bloody Dove as an emissary of hope to our beleaguered sisters and friends! Having worked alongside such an admirable crew for many weeks now, and having fought against these stouthearted warriors, I have complete faith that not only will we continue to fight for the virtues we love, the virtues that keep us alive and define us as living creatures, but we shall also be victorious, and our enemies will tremble evermore at the mere mention of our names!! Let the love of freedom in all our hearts strike back now, and force our enemies to come to terms with our might! TALLY HO!!”
Then, to everybody’s surprise, Miracle actually swung down on a rope, yelling at the top of her lungs, cutting a cable that had been set up before by Rose’s pirates. As it snapped, every cannon sounded off and the full fury of the Bloody Dove was unleashed in that instant, pummeling the Neo Yamato with every last shard and shrapnel. Chuunaru struggled to keep her ship alive; the crew of the Dauntless laughed even as their mouths hung open.
“Somebody’s been watching too many Errol Flynn movies,” Fuuka giggled.
“I’ve got the feeling she’s always wanted to do that,” Riene added. The Dauntless quickly launched its own massive attack against the Carapace—and soon both ships were freed to focus their wrath against the stunned Neo Yamato. Kaori Chuunaru’s stomach turned cold, and could actually feel that promotion slipping through her fingers as her doom closed in.
“Retreat for now,” she ordered numbly, trying to compose her posture and her dignity. “We’ll report this incident to headquarters. I will take full responsibility for our defeat. Any word from the Carapace?”
“They’re worse off than we are, but they say they’ll manage. It looks like our enemies are willing to let us go.” She felt her shoulders slump and her muscles loosen. How insulting—a pirate extending a hand of mercy!
“What was that you were saying earlier, beautiful?” Rose’s voice called out. “As I recall, you weren’t under any obligation to exercise restraint. Does this mean we’re better than y—“
Click. Kaori glared flaming daggers at anyone that so much as whispered.
……
In a matter of hours, the Dauntless had returned to the planet where she received her weapons upgrade—but now the Bloody Dove was with her, undergoing repairs. Captain Rose Gillian and her salty crew of female pirates stared humbly at their beaten and bent vessel, glad they had survived yet stricken that they were not only grounded, but in the debt of others. Dr. Miracle was being a great sport about it—who would’ve guessed that the legendary entity would turn out to be an ordinary woman?—and made sure nobody rubbed it in. In fact, she was nothing but kind and generous, and kept asking if there was anything her crew could do to help, barring a massive lesbian orgy (which several people considered, no doubt). Rose blushed and turned her down: saving their lives and fixing her precious Dove was help enough.
“Don’t draw me any deeper in your debt, now,” she warned cattily. An idea came to her as she watched Miracle’s crew interacting with her own, and she subtly pulled a tattered scroll from inside her coat. “Actually, I may have a way to repay your kindness. Have you ever heard of the Panther’s Tomb?”
“No,” Amy said. Rebecca was far away at the time, working hard on the Dove’s weaponry, but even at that distance, surrounded by loud noises, she picked up the conversation as easily as if it were broadcast all over the world. A shiver of dreadful excitement crawled up her body, and she quickly scurried over to catch the rest of what they were saying. She definitely knew about the Panther’s Tomb—there wasn’t a soul on her home world that didn’t.
“To put a long story short,” Rose said, “it’s one of those legendary places nobody’s ever found but nearly everyone’s heard of. You know about Shangri-La, El Dorado, Xanadu, Avalon…places like that, right? The Panther’s Tomb is exactly the same. People say there’s enough treasure there to buy a whole star system with change to spare, but it’s supposed to be impossible to make it through. It’s the dream of every treasure hunter, pirate, outlaw, and all the other punks out looking to make a name for themselves, and up until now, nobody could say whether or not it really existed. This is a stupid question, but you remember when my crew attacked the Majestic Hand, right? That was partially out of pirate revenge, but we also heard rumors that they had the only existing copy of the map that led to the Tomb. If you’ll swear to me we’re even, I’ll give you the map. Hell, I’ll even come along with you.”
It was difficult to tell what was going through Amy’s mind most of the time. Her face was usually peaceful, full of love, and shining with pleasant secrets and a bit of naïveté. Rebecca couldn’t see if from her perspective, but even if it were right in front of her, it would be impossible to read. Dr. Miracle was judging this turn of events very carefully.
“It sounds fun!” she exclaimed suddenly, her face lighting up with childish glee. “I was hoping we’d get a chance to make friends with your crew, and I think an adventure for everyone is in store. I just hope we don’t meet any danger we can’t handle.” Rose grinned confidently.
“After what I saw today, that’s very unlikely.”
Rebecca felt her heart leap anxiously as the two women shook hands.
“I hope you know what you’re getting yourselves into,” she murmured.
Preview of next chapter:
Athena: Wait, we’re going where?
Kate: The Panther’s Tomb. I don’t know where it is, but Amy seems certain. The strange thing is that we’re teaming up with those pirates to find it!
Riene: I guess we really clicked in that battle!
Athena: Yeah. Hey, if this place turns out to be real, and half as dangerous as I’ve heard, some of you should probably stay behind so you don’t slow us down.
Riene: You mean your sweet Fuji-san, right?
Athena: No, I mean you.
Riene: Hey…
Kate: Seriously, though, how bad can it be? We’ve got a genie on our side!
Riene: I don’t know… These ancient places always seem to have special barriers protecting them. I guess we should worry about getting there first!
Athena: Stay tuned for “Tomb of the Panther: a pirate raid!” Um, Fuu-chan, you know those pirates are trying to seduce you, right? They don’t care about your anime.
Kate: I don’t mind being seduced…
Thanks to Orange Sbr, who provided the rival Kaori Chuunaru.
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