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  “All this will do is disable the Q-Ship, right?” asked Julianna. “If we can recover it after the feedback pulse, we can repair the engines.”

  “Just promise me you won’t let my ship get destroyed out there,” muttered Hatch.

  “We won’t let that happen unless there’s no other way,” assured Eddie.

  “Good, because that’s the best ship the Federation’s ever seen. It would be a shame to lose it. Plus, I’d become a fugitive.”

  “Say what?” Eddie asked.

  “For hunting you down and killing you after you ruined my ship. You need to avoid doing that, for both our sakes.”

  Eddie nodded. Hatch probably wasn’t kidding. Eddie knew full well that the Q-Ship meant more to the old octopus than he let on. Losing it, especially after being separated from it for so long, would be devastating.

  “So, it’s settled,” said Lance. “Hatch will make the modifications to the Q-Ship while the rest of you prepare to move in and assault the enemy stronghold.”

  Lars, who had until now been largely silent, observing the meeting and taking it all in, leaned forward on the table. He had a determined look on his red face, his yellow eyes narrowed and fierce. “Whatever you need of me, please allow me to help.”

  Eddie smiled. “Oh, don’t worry, pal. You’re coming with us. We could use the extra muscle.”

  “You’re allowing me to join the assault team?” asked Lars.

  “If you want to.”

  “I would like nothing more than to assist the ugly humans with punishing the Brotherhood for their tyranny, especially if it is as you say. If there is a man behind the group pulling strings and manipulating my people, he must be made to pay.”

  “There you have it,” said Julianna.

  Eddie grinned. “Those bastards won’t know what hit them.” He glanced sideways at Lars. Ugly humans, huh? Have you looked in the mirror lately, pal?

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Dining Hall 03, QBS ArchAngel, Paladin System.

  Julianna sat with her pad on one of the tables in the dining hall. There were three other people nearby, talking among themselves. Two women and a young man. They appeared to be from Engineering and Maintenance.

  “I heard we’re going out again,” suggested the man, a red-head with blue eyes.

  “Another mission?” asked the first girl, a gorgeous blonde.

  The second girl nodded. “No one’s saying what it’s for. We’re supposed to get briefed in a few hours.”

  “I hope we see more action this time,” said the man. “I want to help.”

  The other two nodded.

  “Okay, let’s get back to work. See you two later,” said the first girl, smiling.

  Julianna watched them leave. They were so eager, so ready for war. Did they really know what any of it was for? Did they understand the importance of what this mission entailed?

  You doubt them, came a voice in her head. Pip’s voice, always there, listening to her thoughts.

  She shook her head. They’re young and stupid. Ready to run into the fight without a second thought.

  I remember when you were the same.

  And I remember losing part of myself because of it.

  She stared down at the leg she’d lost so long ago, back before the Queen had granted her a new limb. Back before she was given the chance to start again. Before she was placed inside that pod doc and given power and purpose.

  Give them time to grow. Time to learn what you understand all too well.

  Some will get there, but others won’t. They’ll die, and there won’t be anyone there to save them.

  Someone will be there to guide them.

  Oh? Last I checked, the Empress is gone. We have to save ourselves now.

  You can help them. You can be for them what Bethany Anne was for you. Look what you did for Edward Teach. He was alone, but you found him. You showed him who he was.

  He did that on his own.

  Still, he never would have come this far without you.

  She didn’t answer. Pip didn’t always understand humanity, but he certainly understood her. They’d spent centuries together, their voices intertwined, often connected. He saw the world through her eyes as though they were his own. That made them friends, and like any good friend, Pip would always be there for her, always tell her the truth, no matter how hard it was for her to hear it. Right now, he was telling her that she needed to step up and believe in herself while also believing in her fellow soldiers. Maybe she could, but it was so hard not to be afraid for them. So difficult not to worry.

  Compared to Julianna, even the older ones were children. Edward Teach included. But as Pip had told her, she was once the same as them, young and eager to make a difference. The same had even been true of the Empress, hard as it was to believe. Perhaps if both of them could learn to live, so, too, could the rest of them.

  Captain Teach’s Quarters, QBS ArchAngel, Paladin System.

  Shortly after the meeting, Eddie returned to his room. It wouldn’t be long before the mission started, so he wanted to squeeze in a light nap while he could.

  He crashed on the couch as soon as he hit it, collapsing on the cushions and sinking into them with ease.

  As soon as he opened his eyes, it felt like no time had passed at all.

  It had been five hours, but he felt a little better.

  Drool had pooled from his mouth, an indication of how hard he’d slept. He must have really needed it.

  Before he could orient himself, he heard a knock at the door. Glancing quickly at the monitor, he saw General Reynolds’ face.

  Eddie pushed himself off the couch and stumbled to the door, touching the wall to open it. When the door slid open, the General looked at him, almost laughing. “Damn, son. You look like you just took a beating.”

  “Thanks,” groaned Eddie.

  “If it’s a bad time, I can come back later.”

  “No, please,” Eddie assured him, pulling back from the door and motioning for his superior to enter. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Good, because I’ve got a few things I want to talk with you about.” Lance entered and the door slid shut behind him. The old man went to the side of the couch and leaned against the armrest. He had the smell of cigar smoke on him.

  “Yes, sir,” answered Eddie, trying to compose himself.

  “You’ve done a great job, Edward,” said Lance, crossing his arms. “Better than I ever imagined, actually.”

  “Sir?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I knew I had the right guy. I was confident about that. Your record and references were the best I’d ever seen. That’s why I chose you in the first place, but what I couldn’t foresee was how quickly you adapted back into this life. You seem to be made for this.”

  “I don’t know about all that, sir. I just want to do right by you and the rest of our people.”

  “I know, and it’s clear we have the same values. When you brought Lars back here like a stray cat, saying you believed in him, I knew it was time for the next stage in this operation.”

  “The next stage?” asked Eddie, curiously. Every time he thought he was getting a grip on what they were doing, something new popped up.

  “Naming your team, Captain,” answered Lance, like it was an obvious thing. “To start with, anyway.”

  Eddie had wondered about this for a while, but didn’t think it was important, considering the classified nature of their outfit. “What did you have in mind, sir?”

  “Back on Earth, there were many squads and secret missions all throughout history, and they were all proud of the work they did, but some are less known than others,” explained Lance. “One of these was Observational Squadron 67 in the United States Navy. Their missions took place during the Vietnam War and were short-lived. Their job was to fly behind enemy lines above Thailand, listen in on chatter and track enemy supply routes, all while trying not to die in the process. They signed up with little knowledge of what they’d be doing, with
an estimated loss rate of about sixty percent, but still they agreed. The missions were largely successful, but over the course of two months, about twenty of them were either killed or went missing.”

  “I’ve never heard of them,” remarked Eddie.

  “I wouldn’t expect you to, having grown up so far from our homeworld. But even if you had, the 67th is largely unknown. Their missions were classified for over three decades afterwards.” Lance furrowed his brow. “Even if you were in the military like me, you probably didn’t know about them.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but why are you telling me this?” asked Eddie.

  “My point is, son, that sometimes soldiers work in secret to do what needs to be done. Not all of us can return home to parades and celebrations. Not all of us get a medal when we save a life. Those men, brave as they were, and knowing the odds, never expected the rest of their countrymen to give them a pat on the back. They went out there every day in their aircraft, knowing it could be their last, because they believed what they were doing was right. They did it to save lives. They wanted to protect their families.”

  Eddie smiled. “Sounds familiar.”

  “The men in that group gave themselves a nickname, the way most units do. They called themselves Ghost Squadron.” Lance smiled. “A fitting name, don’t you think?”

  Eddie considered it for a second, letting the name sit with him. “Ghost Squadron,” he finally muttered. “Yeah, I like that. Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome, son, and good job naming your unit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to Onyx. I’ve got a meeting with a delegate from a neighboring system. They’re trying to join the Federation, but they expect us to pay them.” Lance laughed. “I don’t know what rock they’ve been living under, but the benefits of being a member outweigh the alternative. We’ve got free trade and secure borders. Meanwhile, they’re in the middle of a civil war. It’s pretty obvious they want us to put an end to their issues, which means the Federation taking a side on a planetary issue.”

  Eddie didn’t envy the General. If this was the sort of thing he had to deal with on a regular basis, it sounded incredibly unpleasant. “What will you do?”

  Lance sighed. “I haven’t decided yet, but we’ll probably stay out of it. The Federation isn’t an Empire anymore. We’re not looking to interfere in another species’ war. Not openly, anyway.” He winked. “If you get my meaning.”

  Eddie nodded. “Yes, sir!”

  Lance started walking to the door. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to it, Captain. I’m sure you have things to do.”

  “Oh, sir, wasn’t there something else? You said you had a few things to talk to me about.”

  Lance thought for a second before the realization hit him. “Ah, that’s right. I was going to tell you something.”

  “What’s that?” asked Eddie.

  Lance tapped his chin. “Your callsign.”

  The term took Eddie by surprise.

  Probably seeing his reaction, Lance continued. “We’ve been so busy getting the job done, no one’s thought to do you justice, but every pilot needs it. You can’t choose your own, so I figured I’d help you out.”

  “Oh, sir, you don’t have to do that.”

  Lance fanned a hand at him. “If you think you’re getting out of a custom that goes back hundreds of years, you’re sadly mistaken.”

  Eddie gulped.

  “I saw in your file that the other boys used to call you Blackbeard. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

  It had been years since Eddie heard that callsign. The sound of it took him back. He scratched his head. “I wasn’t sure, honestly, since our team’s not official.”

  “It is as far as I’m concerned, Captain,” remarked Lance. “And like all other callsigns, yours is for life.”

  Eddie let out a short laugh. “I guess it is.”

  “Well, then, Blackbeard,” said Lance, tapping the side of the door, opening it. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do, and so do you.”

  “Yes, sir,” answered Eddie. “Thank you.”

  Lance turned when he was outside the door, nodding to Edward. “This ship is now yours, Captain. Don’t fuck it up.”

  The door slid shut, leaving Blackbeard alone with his thoughts.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Loading Dock 02, QBS ArchAngel, Seolus system.

  Hatch worked diligently on the Q-Ship, the first of its kind, attempting to reconfigure the engines to emit a feedback pulse. He’d been at it now for several hours, but he was finally almost done.

  “Still here, I see,” said a voice.

  Hatch swept his whole body around, waddling on his tentacles, to find the Kezzin Lars standing before him. The red-skinned lizard wore an expression that suggested amusement, though Hatch couldn’t be certain. He was still having trouble deciphering his new associate’s features. “What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to see what you do,” answered Lars.

  “I’m a mechanic,” explained Hatch, keeping his response brief. He could’ve said he was a doctor and a physicist, but why brag about the little things?

  “It appears you’re making good progress.”

  “Oh? You can tell, can you?” asked Hatch.

  “I have an eye for ships,” Lars told him. “Although, I’ll admit, this is beyond my experience. It’s advanced.”

  Hatch puffed his cheeks. “I designed it myself when I worked for the Federation.”

  “Can you really do what you said? Will we be able to enter the shield?”

  “In a few more hours, I’ll have everything ready. Trust me. It’ll work.”

  “I do,” admitted Lars. “Trust you, that is.”

  “You sound surprised at yourself.”

  Lars took a moment, like he was considering this. “Maybe I am, you ugly slimy thing.”

  “Good. It’s important to surprise yourself from time to time. Otherwise, you’re just boring, and who wants that?”

  Lars chuckled. “You’re an interesting mechanic.”

  “You’re just noticing that?” asked Hatch. “I figured you would’ve learned that when I was giving you shit on the station about your underwear.”

  “True. Do you need help? I’m not an engineer, but I know enough to get by.”

  “Hand me that power driver,” said Hatch, pointing to the small device near the wall.

  Lars did as he asked, retrieving it. “Here you are.”

  Hatch snagged it with a tentacle and, without looking away from Lars, proceeded to attach and tighten another screw at the base of the ship. “Excellent.”

  “That’s impressive. Do you have another set of eyes on the back of that skull?”

  “More like sensor glands on my tentacles. I can see without my eyes, if that makes sense.”

  Lars nodded. “Strange. Kezzin have nothing like that.”

  “It’s because my species comes from a planet with a vast ocean. We evolved from the depths of the sea, and our ancestors scavenged the bottom, looking for food. They developed these sensors to locate tiny organisms to eat, and to protect us from predators.”

  “Now you use them to fix starships,” added Lars.

  Hatch puffed his cheeks. “We’ve come a long way.”

  “It seems your planet is very different from mine.”

  “How’s that?”

  “We have lakes and oceans, but they’re much hotter. Most aliens could never survive, except in remote northern regions. Most organisms develop a tough exterior.” He punched his chest and there was a loud, hard thud.

  Hatch glanced down at his tentacle, which was soft and easily injured. “We are very different, it seems.”

  “Yes, we are,” agreed Lars. “But as you told me before, we have a common goal. We both want to save people.”

  Hatch nodded, setting the driver down as he finished. “You’re right about that, and soon, I believe we will.”

  “For my family’s sake, I hope you’re right,” muttered L
ars.

  “You’ll soon learn that I’m rarely wrong about anything,” assured Hatch, puffing his cheeks. “Just you wait and see, you ugly red son of a bitch.”

  ***

  Eddie met Julianna on the bridge a few hours after Lance left for Onyx. The General would be watching from a distance, but the bulk of the responsibility of this assignment was now in the two soldiers’ hands. For better or worse, it was up to them and the crew of their new ship.

  ArchAngel’s face appeared on the display. “What are your orders, Captain Teach?”

  “Cloak the ship and then set a course for Pal,” ordered Eddie.

  “Yes, sir,” responded the A.I.

  Eddie felt a slight vibration beneath his feet, telling him the engines had ignited. It was barely noticeable, but he’d spent enough time on starships to tell.

  “Estimated time of arrival is thirty-seven minutes,” announced one of the crew.

  Eddie looked at Julianna. “Are you ready?”

  “We can handle it, easy,” she answered, nodding. “The question is, are you?”

  He grinned. “Not a problem.”

  They took the lift to deck seventeen and went quickly to Loading Dock 02, where Hatch was waiting, along with Lars. The tall lizardman was already armed and inside the second Q-Ship, eager to head out.

  “The ship is configured,” Hatch said as soon as they entered. “I’ll operate it remotely from inside the second vessel.”

  “You mean from here, don’t you?” asked Julianna.

  “No, the range won’t work. I’ll need to be onboard yours.”

  Eddie looked back-and-forth at the two ships. “It’ll be dangerous, though. Are you sure?”

  “I didn’t sign up to be coddled, kid. If you think you can tell me to stay put and leave my beautiful piece of art drifting in space all by its lonesome, you’ve got another thing coming.”

  Eddie raised his hands. “Okay, okay. You’re coming along.”

  Hatch waddled over to the second ship and climbed inside.

  “Does that ship even have a seat for you?” asked Julianna.