THE PIRATE CODE
07 Feb 2022Jav Marlo
THE PIRATE CODE06 FEB 3308, Madon system, Pegasi Sector.
This is commander Jav Marlo, recording this log at Huberath Gateway.
(Deep sigh) Huberath Gateway. What a dump!
Huberath Gateway
This is the home of the Madon Raiders, a pirate clan that has pledged allegiance to the Kumo Crew, like any other pirate clan in the Pegasi Sector. Years ago, a pirate lord from the Madon Raiders found my partner Ayumi half dead in some pirate lair in the Harma system. She had cut her face to offend the pirate king Archon Delaine. Like that she avoided being part of a sick ritual known as the Kumo Tribute Day. The pirate lord of the Lusonda system that had planned to appease the pirate king by delivering Ayumi almost killed her for spoiling his offering. Ayumi lost an eye; the pirate lost his life for offending the Delaine coming empty handed.
The pirate from the Madon Raiders brought Ayumi to Huberath Gateway because he thought that his rivals from the Lusonda clans would seek revenge on the girl. It was not for pity or sorrow. He just wanted to undermine his rivals. He brought her covered in blood and half dead and throw her into the docks the moment he arrived. For what she was worth to him he could have tossed her out of the airlock of his ship. But (sighs), against all odds, Ayumi managed to survive on this cursed place.
One-eyed, injured, bleeding, bruised, battered, alone… She cut her hair to pass as a boy and tried to conceal her horrible scars. She stole to survive, first for herself, later for some of the clans. She got hooked into drugs to relieve her pain. And she endured, she learnt, she hardened. Until she could secure herself a passage away. This place was her own personal hell for years. And now she is back, looking for her sister, that could have suffered a destiny even worse than herself.
The Electra landed at Huberath Gateway
One month ago, I was able to release Ayumi from a maximum security prison within the most protected system of the Empire. Ayumi had critical information about a conspiracy affecting Admiral Denton Patreus from the Empire. In exchange from her intel, the Senator Patreus revealed that Ayumi´s sister might have survived the purge Chancellor Anders Blaine started when the late Emperor Hengist Duval was killed, and be still alive in the Pegasi Sector.
(Sighs) That brought us here, to the Pegasi Sector, a frontier region of the Core Systems between Empire and Fed territory lawless and ruled by the pirate clans. No chance to find Ayumi´s sister but through the pirate rulers. And pirates distrust foreigners. So, we took my old Cobra MkIII, the Electra, put a pirate decal on it, and come here pretending to be pirates recently displaced from the border regions of the Empire. We were going to try to join the Kumo Crew, the worst pirate clan of all.
Jav Marlo observing the bar in the docks of Huberath Gateway
Ayumi thought that we should disguise ourselves if we wanted to pass as pirates. I let her do, considering her experience and her knowledge of this place. She shaved my head and put grease on my face, eyes and forehead. Now I regret having let her change my looks. That girl likes too much her razor blade. The moment I stepped into the concourse and saw how the locals looked at me I thought that she might have overdone.
Jav Marlo at Huberath Gateway
Huberath Gateway might be a pirates’ den. But pirates are not stupid and know very well how crucial is trading to keep a colony prosper… free trade I mean so, despite all the pillage and loitering, they keep a freeport in a quite civilized manner with all the proper services including a nice lounge, carefully oversee by Madon Raiders’ and Kumo Crew representatives, of course. Free trade if you pay their toll.
Jav Marlo entering into Huberath Gateway docks bar
I agreed with Ayumi that we would meet at the docks lounge. I came in and went straight to the bar. I could tell that my presence was noticed. A foreigner looking like a cheap pirate from a bad holo-vid. The disdain in the eyes of the waiter made me feel very uncomfortable, so I took my brandy and moved towards the outside windows.
Jav Marlo asking for a drink at Huberath Gateway
I believed our plan was sound. During the last year most of the anarchy systems of the fringe have experience a constant flow of refugees, colonists, pioneers and, with them, freelancers and bounty hunters of all sorts. It might be because of the war with the Thargoids making the Pleiades and Coalsack Nebula less and less attractive for the settlers everyday but, somehow the mafias ruling most of the independent systems have been displaced, and thousands of pirates have migrated in an effort to avoid the increasing number of bounty hunters. Civilization has reached them.
Jav Marlo observing Huberath Gateway
So, every day more and more independent pirates arrive to the Pegasi Sector and try to join one of the local clans. When the Empire failed to capture Archon Delaine six years ago, they left the sector ripe for the pirate king to take his grab of it. And he did. The Imperials and the Feds suddenly forgot about the Kumo Crew raiding their systems subjugating billions of their citizens and focused their attention on the Pleiades an the newly found meta-alloys. Nobody contested Delaine´s power and now there is not a single clan on the Pegasi Sector that does not pay tribute to the Kumo Crew. They have become so powerful that Delaine has passed from the most wanted man of the galaxy to dare claiming a place among the superpowers and he even recently set his foothold on the California and Coalsack nebulas by constructing some bases there.
Jav Marlo at the lounge of the docks of Huberath Gateway
We arrived to the Madon system two weeks ago and started to take menial contracts for the local factions. Mostly salvage missions for the Madon Raiders. We told our tale and said that we were looking to join the Kumo Crew. But you do not join the ranks of the most influential criminal organization of the galaxy without proving worthy. Once we proved we were reliable contractors, finally our mission provider from the Madon Raiders told us about a contact of him, an operative by the name Micah Dillon, that could have a high-profile illegal job for us that would make us noticed by the Kumo Crew. We set a meeting at the bar in docks.
Jav Marlo passing by the bar in the docks of Huberath Gateway
The plan was simple. I would arrive first, study the place and take position someplace close to the entrance from where I could observe and sneak out in case of trouble. Ayumi would carry the meeting with Micah Dillon. I do not feel comfortable letting her expose herself so much in this place, but she knows the terrain better than me and this is her mission. I promised her my support. And that is what I am doing. So, I placed myself by the lateral alley of the bar close to the entrance stairs and waited for her.
Jav Marlo waiting for Ayumi at the lounge of Huberath Gateway docks
I saw a big man that matched the description we got from Micah Dillon entering the place and placing himself by the table close to the panoramic windows as agreed. The waiter came bringing him a drink that he had not ask for. A regular, a connected man, looking confident and dangerous. He was expecting to meet Ayumi alone, so I waited.
Jav Marlo waiting for Ayumi
Minutes later Ayumi appeared on the lounge. And I must say that, if she might have overdone with my disguise, with hers she crossed all the lines.
Ayumi entering into the lounge of Huberath Gateway
She had shaved her head again, not like when I meet her, but on the mercenaries’ fashion. And she had painted her eyes and face in the way some of the feral tribes of raiders from beyond the fringe do. I could see the paintings going down her neck and I wondered how down they went. All on her appearance cried danger. And the sleeveless jacket she was wearing was not a good sign either. Ayumi dislikes wearing anything over her Remlok suit. She says that clothes hinder her movements. Her wearing a jacket only could mean that she was concealing something below. Fire weapons are not allowed on the docks, so probably it would be some item coming from her big collection of knives.
FOTO Ayumi at the lounge of Huberath Gateway docks
Truth be said, her disguise was not discreet at all, but nobody there dared to stare at her. And it helped conceal too Ayumi´s scar and cybernetic eye. She passed by me barely acknowledging my presence and walked towards the bar.
Ayumi walking towards the bar
She was wearing a concealed comms device so I would be able to hear her conversation with Micah Dillon. She immediately spotted the big bald man and approached him with confidence.
Ayumi approaching Micah Dillon
The man looked at Ayumi´s painted face with some disdain, but then signaled her to come closer. He was clearly trying to measure her, and he didn’t like what he was seeing.
Micah Dillon studying Ayumi
They come closer and the negotiations began. Micah introduced himself and bragged about how well connected he was within the Kumo Crew. Ayumi went straight to the point and asked about what was necessary to do to join the Kumo. And Micah started to vaguely talk about a low temperature diamonds heist he has been planning for a while and inquiring about Ayumi’s ship.
Ayumi and Micah Dillon meeting at Huberath Gateway
I could hear everything from my position by the side. Micah thought that a Cobra MkIII was not suited to carry the job he was offering. Not enough cargo space to make the heist worthy. Ayumi disagreed and confronted the pirate middleman, and there is when things got out of hand.
Ayumi and Micah Dillon discussing at Huberath Gateway
Micah was clearly uncomfortable and thinking that Ayumi was not suited for the job at hand. So, he changed his tone and started to question Ayumi about her previous jobs and how had she arrived to the Pegasi sector. He was trying to find an excuse to get rid of her.
Micah Dillon questioning Ayumi
Ayumi raised the tone. She faced Micah and said, “I have not come to the Pegasi Sector to deal with some lousy middleman. I have nothing to prove to you. And I will join the Kumo Crew with or without your help”.
Micah Dillon and Ayumi arguing
Micah raised his voice for everybody around to hear and laughed. “Listen child, you talk too loud for somebody so young. I am wondering how is it that you have so much interest in the Kumo Crew, but now I see”, he said. Then he came even closer to Ayumi with menacing gestures.
Micah Dillon studying Ayumi’s face
“You see, there is a tale we like around here about a posh imperial girl who cut her face to offend Archon Delaine himself. She ruined the Kumo Tribute Day some years ago and then disappeared. Pirates have been looking for her since then, but nobody found her. Many say that it is all just a tale. Others say that she might be dead. But when a I look at your pretty face, below all that crap that you have put on it, I can see that you have a very nasty scar there. And that you speak big words with a kind of imperial accent. And I wonder, how did you get your scar child, how did you lose your eye?”, Micah said loud. “Are you the bitch that scaped Harma years ago? Perhaps I should take you there and find out?”
Ayumi´s scar
Time froze. All the conversations in the lounge fainted. Heads turned towards Ayumi. I tensed and, instinctively, grabbed the pommel of the knife I was concealing below my mechanic garments; seriously considering opening a way out for us hacking and slashing. (Chuckle) So foolish. So hopeless!
Huberath Gateway´s lounge
Then I could barely hear Ayumi whispering. “Do you like my scar? Come closer and I will tell you how I got it”.
People tried to hear what they were saying. I cursed myself for having let her conduct the meeting alone. Knowing how reckless she is, knowing there is a huge bounty on her head on the Pegasi Sector. How I could be so stupid? That was not going to work: the plan, the disguise, us passing by pirates, her make up, it was all foolish. I got ready for a violent reaction while thinking about the shortest route to our ship. I truly thought we were doomed.
The clients of the bar at Huberath Gateway focusing their attention in Ayumi
Then Micah smiled and raised one of his beefy hands trying to grab Ayumi by the neck. (Deep sigh) Big mistake.
Micah Dillon
A wrist twist, an arm broken, a kneecap dislocating kick, a knee that probably broke some ribs and, in an instant, Micah´s head was over the same table that held his drink firmly grabbed by the neck by the much smaller Ayumi.
Then Ayumi slowly unsheathed the razor she was concealing under her jacked for everybody to see and, with a quick and precise movement, cut Micah´s face from the forehead to the chin right over his left eye. Micah was screaming and cursing. But Ayumi had not finished her gruesome show. She introduced the razor into Micah´s eye socket and removed his eye, then she throwed it into Micah´s drink.
I could not believe what I was seeing. So crazy, so reckless! I thought station´s security or some of the pirates were going to shot her there where she was standing any moment. I truly believed I was seeing her for the last time, standing there with her razor dripping blood.
Jav Marlo observing astonished the gruesome show of Ayumi
But, to my surprise, nobody moved a muscle. Ayumi just had beat down a pirate and removed his eye on a bar in front of his alleged comrades and nobody moved a finger to stop her. Then I could hear her whispering into Micah´s ear, “Now you have a scar too and a pretty story to tell”. She released the shocked Micah and calmly walked towards the entrance unmolested. On the floor, Micah screamed and cursed while trying to contain the bleeding coming from his face with his hands.
Ayumi walking away towards the bar entrance
I was astonished by her cold blood. All the eyes in the room were following her. Upon arriving to the entrance, she turned around to face all the witnesses of her brutal act and screamed: “My name is Ayumi and I am a pirate, like most of you. I take shit from nobody. Time ago another pirate, a damn coward, marked my face because he wanted to make me pass by the girl of the tales and deliver me to the pirate king. I slit his throat. And I´ll slit the throat of whoever dares to challenge me. I am good at my job. I get things done and honor my word. If anyone here has a job for me, find me by my ship, the Electra, on the docks. But do not dare to waste my time, like that stupid moron over there”.
Ayumi addressing the people at the bar
I could see some people nodding in approval. Others were terrified. Ayumi stared still for some seconds, like waiting for somebody to challenge her, and then turned around and left the place. Everybody turned back to their business and Micah was helped out of the place. I could see somebody took the care of bringing away the glass where Micah´s eye was still floating on liquor.
Ayumi leaving the lounge
Just an hour later of the incident at the lounge, a representative of the Kumo Crew, a woman that has witnessed what happened at the bar came to the docks and offered Ayumi the heist job Micah was talking about and the opportunity to join the Kumo Crew ranks, if we would manage to complete the mission.
And that is when I understood how mistaken I have been doubting Ayumi´s abilities to conduct this operation. Pirates may be ruthless robbers, thieves, extortioners and killers, but they have their own code. They may prey on others but, usually, they do not prey on their own kind and, most important, they respect strength and courage above all. They say that Archon Delaine took over the Kumo Crew by challenging the former leader Crabbe to a duel when he was just 15 years old. He beat the pirate lord to death with his own bare hands, they say. By cutting Micah´s face and challenging the witnesses Ayumi was following Delaine´s example, following the pirates code and, by that code, challenges are respected.
Now everybody at Huberath Gateway must be talking about the feral pirate girl with the painted face that came from the fringe and takes shit from nobody. Everybody wants to hire her now. And the Kumo Crew is testing us to see if we are worthy of joining the clan that rules over all the others. I must admit that she is a much better pirate that I will ever be. She knows how to play the part. I don´t.
Jav Marlo arriving at the dock of the Electra
So, what about my role on this? Well since now she self-proclaimed herself the captain of the Electra, I thought perhaps I could play being her mechanic, keep my mouth shut and let her lead. Being just, this is her territory… her mission… her sister.
I only can hope that all this is worth the effort and that someone on the Kumo Crew would be able to lead us to the girl or give us a clue about her whereabouts. I have never seen Ayumi like this, she is very emotionally invested. I understand it. After all she has been through the hope of finding her sister alive is everything she has left. But I am worried about her. I cannot imagine how it will affect her if we discover that her sister died long time ago or, even worst, if we manage to find her and something goes wrong. After all, we are now on the Pegasi Sector.
Jav Marlo signing out.
A mysterious figure lurking on the dock of the Electra at Huberath Gateway