The Privateer

Prologue

The not to distant future. Five years after the earth mars war ended tensions are still high between the two worlds as an interstellar cold war plays out behind the scenes while criminal elements have grown in power in deep space threatening an already volatile situation. With slavery, smuggling and piracy become a threat to interstellar trade and and earth lacking ships and manpower after the war to maintain the peace the UN began employing ex-military as privateers to police deep space on their behalf to keep law in the depths of space.

I sat in the pilots seat going going over the schematics for the ship. She was finally space ready or at least I hope she was. I was itching to take her out and see what she could do after a year of construction and testing of every system the Artemis was ready for flight. The Raven wasn't like any ship on the assembly line, hell she wasn't even a prototype technically as many of the systems were experimental. She was a test bed built around a racing yachts frame filled with prototype equipment. Many of her systems would either become next generation hardware in ships of the future or end up in the scrapheap.

“How are we looking Mister Knight.” A voice said behind me and I turned to see Allison White climbing the ladder into the cockpit. She was a few years my Junior being fresh out of college but mentally she was equally on par with me. Hell one day she might surpass me. She was a free thinker which is why I probably liked her so much. I had hired her after one meeting and hadn't regretted it. She had designed the fusion engine I was sitting on.

“I thought I told you to call me Cameron.” I joked as I glanced back at her. She had a voluptuous figure that really filled in the jump suit she wore. Even if she never showed off any skin when working in it the outfit still cut a nice silhouette that made her at times a distraction.

“Sorry sir. I mean Cameron.” She shook her head and smiled at me and took a seat at the the engineering terminal looking over the numbers. Right now the fusion reactor was putting out enough power to power the ships systems and that was it. It wouldn't be till we took off that we would really see how much power it could produce.

“Your engine is purring and is ready for her maiden flight. It won't be long before every ship in the system has one if this goes well. I am itching to take her up and see what she can do.”

“That makes two of us. I feel like a brand new woman.” The ships AI Artemis said as she came on the main screen. Artemis and me went back to high school where I had first designed her for a science fair project and had been working on her ever since. She had come a long way since then and had a personality of her own and not just what I programmed into her. Using an echo program she matched the personality of the user meaning she responded to each user differently. She was playfully antagonistic with me at times while she was friendly and non combative with Allison. For the most part anyways. She did display her own personality as well though at times. Especially when something went against her better judgment. With the amount of computing power she was running she could manage every system on the ship independently including piloting the vessel. The only thing she lacked was human intuition and cunning.

“Everything look good to you Artemis.” Everything was green across the board on the fusion reactor which was the last piece to be installed. Maybe after I few test flights to get the bugs out of her system I would take her on a long range run around the moons of Jupiter and see if I couldn't beat a few records. Maybe in a year enter her in a race.”

“No problems detected.” Artemis replied.

“Of course we won't know for sure until we take it into space and open her up.” I smiled.

“We. I thought you built Artemis into the ship so you wouldn't have to pilot it yourself on her test run.” Allison looked back at me. Allison was one of those who liked to play it safe and run test after test and not a risk taker so it was good to have her at times to temper my more impulsive nature that had gotten me into trouble more then a few times when I was younger.

“Your concern for my safety is touching.” Artemis joked.

“Sorry. I didn't mean it like that Artemis.” Allison shook her head. “You are continuously backed up here on Luna is all I meant. Mister Knight is not. Least not that I know of but there is no telling with him. I think it would be safer to launch the ship remotely and do a few orbits is all.”

“What is the fun of that. I appreciate the concern but I rather take her up myself is all. Besides Artemis gets lonely by herself.” I smiled at the screen.

“That why you live on board by yourself every since life support was installed even though this ship can't go nowhere ?” Allison gave me a look.

“No. I need to know life support can actually support life long term. That and I like my peace and quit. Present company excluded.” I smiled at Allison. Part of that was a lie. I was hiding out here. I knew there were people who wanted me to get back out into the system but I wasn't ready for that.

“Thanks.” Allison nodded. “You know. If you ever need someone to talk to. I know you went through a lot out there on mars and all. None of us know the full story and I won't pretend to be able to understand but I am here to listen if you need to talk but whenever you need to talk.”

“Thanks. I will keep that in mind.” I nodded. I spent more time with her then most people so she knew me pretty well by now. Her and the other engineers who had built the Artemis were about the only people I let close.

“Until then, Artemis make sure he eats and gets some sleep when he is out there in the black. You know how he gets wrapped up in his work.” Allison looked at the main screen.

“I will.” Artemis nodded.

“Your welcome to come along if your so worried about me.” I teased Allison. I already knew her answer though.

“I would but the shuttle trip to earth and back makes me sick as it is. This earth girl wasn't meant for space. I am happy enjoying the view from Luna. Science is exciting enough for me. I can't wait to see how Artemis flies but I prefer to see it over a holo screen with solid ground beneath my feet.” Allison smiled. I was lucky to get her off earth in the first place. I would have to kidnap her to get her off of Luna.

“Your lost.” I shrugged.

“Cameron. Tight beam transmission coming in for you from earth. It's the General.” Artemis said. I didn't need for her to say which General because I already knew who she meant.

“The General?” Allison asked.

“My old XO during the war. Put him through Artemis.” I smiled and stood up out of the chair at attention as the old man pooped on the screen. “General Mercer.” It took a few seconds for him to respond as we were waiting for the laser signal to bounce back to earth.

“As you were civilian. It's good to see you standing on your own two feet.” Mercer smiled.

“It's good to be standing sir.” I replied.

“I wish I was calling under better circumstances but I am afraid this isn't a social call.” He shook his head. He looked worried. Something I had never seen on the mans face before. If it was something that rattled him it had to be bad.

“What's wrong sir?”

“It's Mandy.” He shook his head. “Several hours ago a liner she was on was attacked by pirates on their way back from Jupiter. Mandy and several others were taken hostage and several of the ships security personal were killed.”

“Sir. I am so sorry. If there is anything I can do.” I replied feeling like I had been punched in the stomach. I knew Amanda very well from my days at the military hospital.

“That is why I am calling. I am doing what I can on my end which isn't as much as I can hope for. This is most likely a hostage situation and they want money but you know as well as I do how badly this can go. It wasn't far from the martian border and if these pirates cross the border they will be out of our reach. I figured you might have resources I do not access to. Least I hope you do. I know I have no right to ask. Your not a soldier anymore but I am asking.” The general shook his head.

“I will put eyes out and will head out that way personally to join the search. If it comes down to money I will gladly pay the ransom.” I nodded.

“I appreciate that as does my family. More then you know.” General Mercer nodded.

“Also I would request a recognition as a privateer encase negotiations fail and the ship is hiding in red space.”

“You intend to go after her alone?” He gave me a look.

“If I have to. Your hands are tied if the martians get involved in this. If someone has to break international law it is better it is a rouge agent acting on his own accord. If I have to I will go down to mars myself to bring her home. I just want to make sure the UN won't be up my ass when I get back if I have to cross a few lines to do so.” The thought of going back to mars sent a chill down my spine. I barely made it off that rock the last time I was there.

“I will get you that letter and keep you apprised of the situation is it develops.” Mercer nodded.

“Sounds good sir.”

“Cameron. Thank you son and good hunting Archangel.” Mercer smiled and the feed cut out before I could respond. The old man always did like to get in the last word.

“Guess our launch window got pushed up.” Allison gave me a look.

“Drastically.” I nodded. The Raven test flight just became a rescue mission.

“Who is the girl?” Allison asked.

“A doctor. She was the one who helped me get back on my feet after I got my purple heart and honorable discharge. I wasn't in the best of mindset then and needed someone to give me a kick in the ass to get my shit together. She was the boot that gave it.” I replied feeling sorry now that I never got a chance to thank her.

“I am sorry. I never knew you were hurt.” I felt Allison take my hand.

“It's not something I talk about.” I replied.

“You better come back. I hate going through job interviews.” She teased. She had a job here even if I didn't come back there was no way they would let her go. A couple of years and she be running her own department.

“I will try. Promise.” I said giving her hand a squeeze.

“I will go double check on everything one last time before launch to make sure she is in top shape.” Allison let my hand go and went to head down the ladder.

“Thank you Allison.”

"My friends call me Alice Cameron." She smiled and climbed down.

“So how do you intend find Amanda sir.” Artemis asked.

“How does a trillionaire playboy on a private yacht typically find a bunch of pirates.” I shook my head.

“You intend to use me as bait?” Artemis put her hands on her hips on the screen.

“Sorry.” I shrugged.

“I didn't say I minded. It would have been nice to be consulted first but I support any decision you make no matter what you decided. I am with you till the end. Well your s anyways. Like she said. I am backed up here on Luna.” Artemis smiled teasingly.

"Love you to sweetheart." I grinned taking that as a challenge. I wasn't about to let some pirates kill me so easily.