The Star Pirate's Folly

Chapter 31: Hostage

Governor Strump breathed in deep through his nose and exhaled between thinly parted lips. His gaze flicked across the screens on the wall of his quarters aboard Aristeia. Between them he had live video from the orbital station, the hotel in Capitol City, and several satellites which tracked Starhawk's ships above the city.

Capitol City police, along with a smattering of privateers and local militia, had the Midtown Hotel surrounded. Above the city Starhawk's remaining warships circled beyond reach of attack, yet kept close enough to prevent being targeted by the planet's orbital guns.

Strump's phone buzzed on a desk nearby. An incoming video call from Surface, unregistered. He swallowed and picked it up.

"This is the Governor," he answered.

"This is the Starhawk."

A frigid fist closed in the Governor's gut. "How—"

"Yes, Strump, I know exactly where you are. I want a manual off-grid shuttle outside that hotel in one hour or my grubs crush your hero's skull," Starhawk said. "I'll agree to a ceasefire in exchange for his life as long as we've got a guarantee we can leave Surface now untouched. Let them out of the city and you'll never see us again."

"You killed my fellow citizens. You bombed my home. You're not going anywhere." Governor Strump struggled to infuse his words with a tone of barely contained simmering rage, conscious that Aristeia's main computer had no doubt notified the Captain of the intrusion and recorded the conversation.

"And you killed most of my men," Starhawk said. "We've both taken losses, Strump. Let's not spill any more blood. A ceasefire in exchange for one manual off-grid shuttle and safe passage off planet or your hometown hero dies."

"Absolutely not. You know we don't negotiate with pirates."

"Life is negotiation. If you don't let us go we'll broadcast his execution over the public airwaves. We've got no reason to play nice. What'll it be? You want to see him die?" Hargrove's face popped onscreen in graphic detail, mottled bruises under streaks of fresh blood.

"Don't kill him!" Strump yelled. "Don't kill him. We'll—we'll consider your demands."

The Governor sagged with relief when the phone's screen blacked out. He'd swapped it for a new one before he left Surface—how could it...? His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair. The real threat wasn't killing the hostage, it was exposing Strump's involvement with the pirates, the Core Fleet excursion, everything. He'd fallen right into the pirate's trap, unable to refuse his demands without giving up everything he'd spent his life working for.

At least the hostage gave him a decent argument. The thought gave him hope but Strump cursed himself for his weakness. A stronger leader, a nobler leader, would refuse even in the face of complete personal ruin. But he would never have made it to the Governor's office if he was a different man.

It should have worked. And it did, for a while. He won reelection after the drastic reduction of pirate raids following the Core Fleet's excursion led to an economic boom which promised years of safety and prosperity for the Core. Of course he suspected there would be hidden costs, but he never imagined—!

"Captain Nguyen has requested you speak with Admiral Perry on the bridge, Governor," said Gim from near the door.

Strump flinched. He'd forgotten the fabricant. "Yes, of course."

Everything hinged on this conversation. They wanted it all on Record. Governor Strump straightened his back and smoothed his hair against his scalp before accompanying Gim to the bridge. No one suspected his involvement with Starhawk—that he knew of—so he at least had that assurance as he marched through the halls of Aristeia. If he wanted to keep it that way he'd have to let the pirates go. Starhawk would expose him if he felt his back against the wall.