The shuttle was kept at five minutes in its countdown. When Grampa Al chose to get out of Dodge, he didn’t want to have to wait. From the flight-deck log, a log that verified Kris’s worst nightmare . . . this shuttle was seven years old and had never flown an inch . . . it was apparent that a qualified pilot checked out the shuttle every week. Its last prelaunch check had been the day before yesterday.
Kris truly hoped that Grampa Al spent more on his “Get the hell out of here,” option than he did on the security of his outer perimeter.
Kris and Jack reached the end of their checklist. The matter/antimatter reactor was heating water. The controls were unlocked and moving. The electronics were awake and ready to fly. The hatch was sealed. Only the actual launch sequencer button was still refusing to let them in. Kris could push the button all day and get nothing for her effort.
“Nelly, we won. You’re the holdup.”
“Don’t joggle my elbow. This is an unbelievably long code. I’m getting there. I’m getting there. Yes! Push that button. We’re going places,” Nelly crowed.
“Nelly, slight adjustment to the launch. I don’t want to wreck this place more than I have to. Can you give it the minimum burn that will get us a thousand meters up before you really kick us in the butt?”
“Good Lord, Kris, you want everything,” Penny growled.
“I warned you that I didn’t want to do any more damage to Grampa Al’s haunt than I had to.”
“Launch profile adjusted, Kris. Now can we get out of here? I don’t know what they have in store for me if you’re caught, but I strongly suspect it doesn’t involve hanging around your neck.”
Kris pushed the launch button.
And found herself holding her breath as she felt the roar of the engines beneath her . . . and watched the building slowly slide by her at a walking pace.
“Is this such a good idea?” Jack asked.
“I have no idea, but how many custodians and cleaning women do you want to crisp tonight?” Kris shot back.
Jack had no answer for that.
Slowly. Painfully slowly. The shuttle rose.
Outside Kris’s window, the night fled as the shuttle created its own dawn.
Kris forced herself to breathe. How long could it take a shuttle to get to a thousand meters? The mission timer crawled past ten seconds. Then fifteen.
Then the shuttle gave Kris a good kick in the rear and took off like God intended.
“You know, Kris,” Penny called on net, “I understand the first liquid-chemical rockets took forever to clear the launch tower, just like this.”
“They didn’t pay those guys enough,” Jack said through gritted teeth. The gees were climbing quickly as the shuttle eagerly made up for lost time.
Ten minutes later, they’d achieved low orbit.
“Now what?” Jack asked.
“My question entirely,” Nelly added.
“I have no idea,” Kris said.
“Should we make for High Wardhaven?” Penny asked. “Maybe we can dock with a ship. We’ve hijacked a shuttle. Why not hijack a starship? Unless, of course, you’ve discovered moral scruples, Your Highness.”
“I can’t think of anyplace else to go,” Kris said. “Nelly, set us up to match with the station.”
The words were hardly out of Kris’s mouth before the radio came alive. “Hijacked shuttle, you will make for High Wardhaven where you will surrender. Be advised that we have lasers on you and will use deadly force if you appear to set a course back to Wardhaven. If you follow any course except one to match with the station and go dead in space fifty klicks trailing the station, we will fire on you.”
Kris tapped her comm. “This is Lieutenant Commander, Her Royal Highness Kris Longknife. We have already set our course for High Wardhaven station. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“Worry about your own panties,” snapped right back at her.
“You know, love, I think some people are really pissed with us,” Jack said.
“You could be right,” Kris agreed.
The shuttle flipped, slowed itself down and dropped into an orbit that would send it higher and match with the station in two more orbits.
“Okay, crew. We’ve got three hours before we get there,” Kris said. “I’m open to any suggestions from the floor.”
“We should have stood in bed,” Penny offered.
“Too late to do that,” Kris said, then added, “and you know I love you, Jack. That changes a lot for me, but surrender just isn’t my style.”
“I know, honey. But getting us all killed is, huh . . .” Jack seem to run out of words, then began anew. “I got a bad feeling about this trip. Getting us truly, sincerely, and rather completely dead looks like the highest option on the table.”
“Yeah,” Kris said, rubbing her chin. “I think you’re right, Jack. Somehow we’ll have to avoid that happening.”
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that,” Jack answered dryly.
“Nelly, what ships are at the station?” Kris asked.
“Small and hijackable?”
“Yes, make that list. We may need it if worse comes to worst. But not yet. Nelly, are there any visiting Navy ships? Ships where we might claim asylum.”
“An asylum. Great idea,” Jack said.
“Not an asylum, Jack. A ship where we could get political asylum.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” Jack answered. “I just thought the other idea deserved some consideration.”
“I’d slug you if I didn’t need both hands to fly this brick,” Kris muttered.
“I figured now was a good time to speak truth to power,” Jack said.
“You are so going to pay for all this at a later time and place.”
“Hopefully very private.”
“Folks, I hate to interrupt this foreplay, but could we figure out where we’re going?” Penny said.
“Kris,” Nelly said, “there are several warships in port. A Greenfeld cruiser.”
“Not a good idea,” Penny said. No one disagreed.
“A couple of corvettes, including one from New Eden.”
“Let’s skip any U.S. ships. Too likely we’d be turned over to Grampa Ray’s not-so-tender mercies. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt,” Kris said.
“There’s a battleship from Musashi, the IMS Mutsu,” Nelly went on. “She came to retrieve small packages that crew members of the Imperial ships left behind before they departed on the voyage of discovery.”
“Huh,” Penny said.
“Many of the crew left packages containing a lock of hair or fingernail clippings,” Nelly said. “It’s an old tradition.”
“I see,” said Kris. “Nelly, are we wanted on Musashi?”
“I’m sorry, but yes, Kris. The last government lost a recent election. It is suspected the loss of the Fleet of Discovery contributed to that. The new government immediately began proceedings against you. As of last week, Musashi was added to the list of planets wanting you for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
“So if we go there, I get my day in court,” Kris said.
“A Musashi court,” Penny pointed out.
Kris considered that. Then she began to think out loud to the two people she most trusted. “Since we got back, I’ve been doing what I was told. Go to Chance. Go to Wardhaven. Go talk to your great-grandfather. Go to Madigan’s Rainbow, in chains if you won’t go any other way. I’ve been a very good girl.”
“And see what it’s gotten you,” Penny said.
“Right,” Kris said.
Kris took a deep breath. “I’ve had enough of being good. I’ve commanded battles. For Christ’s sake, I’ve defended not one world but two from annihilation. And now I can’t even take up a mike in a karaoke bar and tell my story to a couple of drunks. I’ve had it, crew. I want my day in court.”
“Ah, Kris, maybe you aren’t aware, but Musashi is one of the few planets that never approved the full Charter on Human Rights,” Nelly said carefully. “They rejected the article on capital punishment. They haven’t executed anyone in thirty years, but it’s still on the books.”