The Jupiter Pirates by Jason Fry Read Free Book Online Page A

of our fellow Jupiter pirates sold us out? Yes, I do. Do I believe the Jovian Union let us get massacred so they could gain control of the survivors? No way—it’s a crazy conspiracy theory.”
    Neither their parents nor Huff had ever talked about the terrible moment when missiles fired by an Earth destroyer had ripped through the Comet ’s quarterdeck. Diocletia, Mavry, and Carina had escaped serious harm, but Huff had nearly been killed, suffering injuries too great for him to continue as captain. The thought still chilled Tycho during solitary watches. He imagined the blare of warning sirens, the impacts like hammer blows, and then the scream of air escaping through holes in the hull, dragging along with it anything not secured into space.
    â€œAt least Grandfather survived,” Carlo said quietly after a moment. “A lot of pirates didn’t. Stearns Cody. Helga von Stegl. Thane D’Artagn.”
    â€œAnd Sims Gibraltar,” Yana muttered. “Aunt Carina’s fiancé.”
    Carlo nodded.
    â€œWhat ship did Sims serve on again?” Tycho asked.
    â€œThe Ghostlight ,” Carlo said. “A direct hit cracked her reactor, spilling radiation everywhere. His family took him back to Ganymede, to care for him as best they could. When Aunt Carina heard he’d died, she swore she’d never go into space again. And so the captain’s chair went to Mom.”
    The Hashoones had repaired the Comet —you could still see the pale spots where the quarterdeck’s hull had been patched with new steel. But things had changed by the time she returned to deep space. In the aftermath of 624 Hektor, the Jovian Union formally outlawed piracy—but then swiftly offered letters of marque to some of the surviving pirate captains. Diocletia had aspired to be the captain of a pirate ship, but the Comet had become a privateer, a lawful commerce raider.
    A table of freighter bums behind them laughed uproariously, clanking tumblers of something vile-smelling. Yana lifted her head from staring at her plate.
    â€œWell, I don’t need a disaster to become captain,” she said. “I’ll beat you out fair and square, Carlo.”
    Carlo smiled and shook his head.
    â€œAnd me?” Tycho asked.
    â€œOh, like I need help beating you ,” Yana said.
    Before Tycho could reply, Carlo shushed them.
    â€œQuiet—Grandfather’s here,” he said. The Log and the Comet ’s captaincy were sensitive subjects with their grandfather, but no subject was more sensitive than 624 Hektor and its aftermath.
    Huff didn’t come over to their table. Instead, he stood just inside the door to the café and bellowed at them, causing heads to turn at every table.
    â€œHurry up, you lot—we’re late!” he thundered. “Can’t wait around fer yeh all day, y’know!”
    â€œAnd whose fault is that?” Yana asked Tycho with a grin as they got up from the table.
    He glared at her, still angry.
    â€œOh, come on, Tyke,” Yana said, rolling her eyes. “I was joking. Don’t be so serious .”
    They got their bearings in the crowded passageway outside the café. Huff looked mournfully down at the stump of his mechanical wrist.
    â€œWish I had me persuader,” he grumbled. “Ceres ain’t wild like it used to be, but seems there’s always some young punk what wants to cause a ruckus.”
    â€œNobody’s going to mess with you, Grandfather,” Yana said, and Huff brightened.
    â€œCome on,” Carlo said. “Let’s get to the yard and see about getting the Comet resupplied. Before Threece Suud decides that’s illegal, too.”
    They shouldered their way through the throngs of spacers, ignoring the come-ons of the shop fronts’ holographic displays.
    â€œWhat do you think Judge Quence will decide?” Tycho asked his grandfather.
    â€œDon’t know much about lawyerin’ and