Black Dawn Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Morgan Brautigan
Captain…” he faltered, realizing he hadn’t
even asked the name.
“Lamont,” the guard supplied. He raised his wrist to his face
and spoke into an expensive com. “Luka to Hoffman. Gentleman to
see the captain,” he announced.
“On my way,” a voice answered, blandly.
The guard nodded at Ken and lowered his arm again to stand at
parade rest. It was only a minute or two before another merc appeared
through the end of the tube to escort him.
The man had the tattoos of a Jump Pilot. Millions of dollars of
specialized training and the JP was doing grunt work? A little understaffed indeed.
“This way,” he said without ceremony. He turned back and
led Ken through the massive ship to a door. They had not passed another person on the way. The pilot pressed a buzzer.
“Enter,” came the command through the com speaker.
The door opened. Butler looked to his guide for moral support, but the man was already walking away. Okay. Great. Taking a
breath he walked in.
Whatever he had expected – this wasn’t it.
This was obviously personal quarters he had been led to. Large
and, yes he had to say it again, elegant, quarters. The person before
him was dressed in the same black uniform as the ones in the bar. Still
no markings. It looked female to him at first glance. It was sitting on a
couch in front of a low table.
“Come in, Mr. Butler. Do you drink tea?” It indicated the table
which was set with china cups and teapot.
“Ah...” Ken’s mind whirled. It knew his name? Tea? Did he
drink tea? “Sort of , I guess.”
Lamont gestured at a seat. “Sit down. When did you eat
last?”
“What?” Awkwardly, he sat.
It frowned. “When did you eat last,” it repeated, slightly emphasizing each word.
“I, ah, don’t remember. Exactly.”
Coy nodded and handed him a cup. “This, first then. To take
the edge off.”
“Oh, right. Thanks.” He stared at the tea for a moment, then
took an experimental sip. It was warm and sweet. Before he realized it
, he’d drained the cup. He looked at the captain and shrugged.
With a small smile, Lamont gave him a refill. “Now, then, I
understand you’re interested in a job with us.”
“How...?” he pursed his lips. “It sort of depends on who ‘us’
is.”
Another nod. “We are a new, and I mean brand new, outfit.
This is your proverbial ground floor opportunity. We call ourselves
the BlackFleet. Who we are, what we do is still pretty much on the
drawing board. I think I know what I want to do, but...” It took a
drink.
“Which is?”
Lamont put down its cup and leaned back against the couch
with a tired smile. “I want to be a hero.”
“To who?”
“Anyone out there who needs it. Planetary systems can take
care of their own area, but what about in between systems? ‘Open water’, so to speak. Who is there for them?”
Butler cocked his head. “And you really think there’s a market
for that sort of thing?”
The smile faded. The tired remained. “Yes, there is.”
“Any money in it?”
“I don’t know.”
“I see.” He looked at his cup again and swirled the last little bit
of tea around in it. “Then you do it just because.”
“Basically, yes.”
“You plan on eating? Paying for all this?” Butler waved his
hand vaguely around.
“We’ll eat. This ship is paid for and fully stocked...”
“With everything but a crew from what I heard. You could
have a lot of people if you wanted...” he paused. “Of course that
would be more to feed...”
Lamont gave a sigh. “I don’t want people . I want the right people. People who care.” It got up suddenly and paced to a view port.
It looked out for a moment before adding quietly, “People who have
been there.”
Butler didn’t ask where ‘there’ was. It probably wasn’t a place.
Maybe a situation. Maybe a time when they could’ve used a hero. A
time like…
“I think I’m in the wrong place,” Butler mumbled. Self-
consciously he set the cup back on its tray. He looked up to find Lamont peering
even asked the name.
“Lamont,” the guard supplied. He raised his wrist to his face
and spoke into an expensive com. “Luka to Hoffman. Gentleman to
see the captain,” he announced.
“On my way,” a voice answered, blandly.
The guard nodded at Ken and lowered his arm again to stand at
parade rest. It was only a minute or two before another merc appeared
through the end of the tube to escort him.
The man had the tattoos of a Jump Pilot. Millions of dollars of
specialized training and the JP was doing grunt work? A little understaffed indeed.
“This way,” he said without ceremony. He turned back and
led Ken through the massive ship to a door. They had not passed another person on the way. The pilot pressed a buzzer.
“Enter,” came the command through the com speaker.
The door opened. Butler looked to his guide for moral support, but the man was already walking away. Okay. Great. Taking a
breath he walked in.
Whatever he had expected – this wasn’t it.
This was obviously personal quarters he had been led to. Large
and, yes he had to say it again, elegant, quarters. The person before
him was dressed in the same black uniform as the ones in the bar. Still
no markings. It looked female to him at first glance. It was sitting on a
couch in front of a low table.
“Come in, Mr. Butler. Do you drink tea?” It indicated the table
which was set with china cups and teapot.
“Ah...” Ken’s mind whirled. It knew his name? Tea? Did he
drink tea? “Sort of , I guess.”
Lamont gestured at a seat. “Sit down. When did you eat
last?”
“What?” Awkwardly, he sat.
It frowned. “When did you eat last,” it repeated, slightly emphasizing each word.
“I, ah, don’t remember. Exactly.”
Coy nodded and handed him a cup. “This, first then. To take
the edge off.”
“Oh, right. Thanks.” He stared at the tea for a moment, then
took an experimental sip. It was warm and sweet. Before he realized it
, he’d drained the cup. He looked at the captain and shrugged.
With a small smile, Lamont gave him a refill. “Now, then, I
understand you’re interested in a job with us.”
“How...?” he pursed his lips. “It sort of depends on who ‘us’
is.”
Another nod. “We are a new, and I mean brand new, outfit.
This is your proverbial ground floor opportunity. We call ourselves
the BlackFleet. Who we are, what we do is still pretty much on the
drawing board. I think I know what I want to do, but...” It took a
drink.
“Which is?”
Lamont put down its cup and leaned back against the couch
with a tired smile. “I want to be a hero.”
“To who?”
“Anyone out there who needs it. Planetary systems can take
care of their own area, but what about in between systems? ‘Open water’, so to speak. Who is there for them?”
Butler cocked his head. “And you really think there’s a market
for that sort of thing?”
The smile faded. The tired remained. “Yes, there is.”
“Any money in it?”
“I don’t know.”
“I see.” He looked at his cup again and swirled the last little bit
of tea around in it. “Then you do it just because.”
“Basically, yes.”
“You plan on eating? Paying for all this?” Butler waved his
hand vaguely around.
“We’ll eat. This ship is paid for and fully stocked...”
“With everything but a crew from what I heard. You could
have a lot of people if you wanted...” he paused. “Of course that
would be more to feed...”
Lamont gave a sigh. “I don’t want people . I want the right people. People who care.” It got up suddenly and paced to a view port.
It looked out for a moment before adding quietly, “People who have
been there.”
Butler didn’t ask where ‘there’ was. It probably wasn’t a place.
Maybe a situation. Maybe a time when they could’ve used a hero. A
time like…
“I think I’m in the wrong place,” Butler mumbled. Self-
consciously he set the cup back on its tray. He looked up to find Lamont peering