The Privateer

"I'm a molecular biologist." Dr. Laswell leaned back in her chair, sipping from a cup full of steaming brown liquid. The human was a lot calmer than the last time Yvian had seen her, on the bridge of the Last Hope of the Ones Who Were Betrayed. She was wearing a white voidsuit, but without the helmet this time. Her hair was yellow. Her eyes were brown with crinkles at the corners. "I don't know the first thing about weapons technology."

"Ok." Captain Mims spared her a glance, then went back to scowling at the backs of the last departing pixens. Yvian hadn't been expecting to see pixen scientists on the station. The pixen scientists certainly hadn't expected to see her. The moment Yvian followed Mims and Kilroy into the lab, all work had ceased. Two dozen sets of eyes had focused on Yvian. Some were afraid. Some were angry. All were silent. A few seconds later, they had risen as one. Without a word, every pixen stood up and made their way to the lab's other exit. "So?"

"So I don't understand why I've been put in charge." Dr. Laswell fidgeted with her cup. Her eyes flicked to Yvian, but she maintained her irritated expression. "I'm barely qualified to run a research team, let alone an entire department."

"I don't know what you're asking me for," the Captain told her. The door slid shut behind the last pixen. He turned back to the Doctor. "I'm not the one who made that decision."

Yvian took a look around the lab, trying to distract herself from the condemnation of her people. The lab was smaller than she expected. Twenty meters by fifteen meters. Consoles and complicated devices were placed irregularly throughout the room. MAC rounds were scattered throughout the room, hooked up to machines or just laying in piles. It was a busy, messy place, a far cry from the organized, futuristic expanse she had imagined.

"Then who did?" Dr. Laswell leaned forward. Yvian forced herself to focus back on the conversation.

Kilroy spoke up. "The decision was made by Peacekeeper units."

Dr. Laswell raised an eyebrow. "You let Peacekeepers make those kind of decisions?"

"Why not?" Mims asked. "They're citizens like everyone else."

"We essentially run the government," Kilroy added. "And the Military. And most of the Economy. You meatbags are almost completely dependent on Peacekeeper units."

"Oh." A hint of worry cracked through the Doctor's annoyance. "I didn't know that."

"Most pixens were raised to be sex workers," Mims explained. "They were exploited and abused, with no education and no skills to speak of. We're doing what we can, but it will probably be a generation before most of them can care for themselves."

The blonde human hmmed as she sipped her hot drink. "That does explain some things."

Mims walked closer, a strange look on his face. "Is that coffee?" He stared at the woman's cup. "Real coffee?"

"Yes." The scientist gestured at a device with a glass jug under it. "Would you like some?"

Instead of answering, Mims made his way to the jug and poured himself a cup. "Where'd you get coffee?"

"One of the Peacekeepers." Dr. Laswell took another sip. "Dr. Robot, I think it called itself?"

"Peacekeeper unit Doctor Roboto," Kilroy corrected. "New Pixa was terraformed by the Xill. They seeded the planet with flora and fauna from Earth that was. Pixen biochemistry is similar to humans, so we have introduced human forms of nutrition. Coffee is currently the third most popular beverage among pixen meatbags, behind beer and prune juice."

"And I'm just finding out about it now?" The Captain sputtered. "Do you know how long it's been since I had coffee?"

"This unit did not know you liked coffee." The Peacekeeper's voice was oddly apologetic. "This unit will have coffee stocked on the Random Encounter."

"What's so special about coffee?" Yvian asked.

"Restricted item," Mims told her. "The Federation doesn't allow it outside of their own borders."

"Why?" Yvian poured herself a cup. It smelled nice, she supposed. It didn't look like anything special.

"No idea." Mims bent over his cup, inhaling the aroma. "It happened a few weeks after... After I became a privateer. The official reason was that caffeine was addictive and dangerous to other species but..." He grimaced. "But they didn't ban chocolate. Or tea. Just coffee."

Yvian grunted. She brought the cup to her lips. The liquid was so hot it nearly burned her tongue. It was a bitter, acrid taste. Her eyes widened. "Bright Lady..." Beer was still the greatest thing she'd ever tasted, but this... This was a close second.

"Right?" The Captain closed his eyes and took a drink. A surge of emotions flashed through his features. "Tastes like..." He shuddered. His eyes were wet.

"It tastes like home," Dr. Laswell finished.

Mims nodded. He took a breath and resumed his aura of cold, professional calm. "Back to business. Kilroy, can you tell me why Dr. Laswell's in charge of Research and Development for all of Pixa?"

"Affirmative," said the Peacekeeper. "Krog scientists and Vrrl scientists are mutually hostile, and neither group respects pixen researchers. Pixen scientists are afraid of both groups, and conditioned towards passivity when interacting with other species. Peacekeeper units have been sufficient to prevent bloodshed, but have failed to foster coordination between the factions. She is the only candidate all three groups will follow who possesses the necessary leadership and organizational skills."

"Me?" The new head of Pixen Research and Development frowned. "Why would they listen to me? I'm a biologist."

"Your area of expertise is irrelevant," the Peacekeeper informed her. "You have the required status and skillset."

"But I'm human," the woman protested.

"Affirmative," said the Peacekeeper. "You are a human. A human that has been endorsed by Big Daddy Mims."

"What?" Mims look up from his coffee. "I never said that."

"Peacekeeper units have endorsed Dr. Sara Laswell in your name," Kilroy informed him. "You have expressed the utmost confidence in Dr. Sara Laswell and threatened extreme violence towards anyone who disobeys or offers her harm."

"Kilroy." The Captain regarded the machine with deadly seriousness. "No one speaks for me. Not you. Not the Peacekeepers. Not even Lissa. No one. Do you understand?"

Kilroy's eyes flashed red, then blue. "This unit understands."

"Good." Mims sipped his coffee. His head tilted in that way that told Yvian he'd just thought of something. "One exception. You can speak for me if it's an emergency and I'm unavailable. Other than that, you gotta talk to me first, alright?"

"Affirmative." Kilroy replied. "Do you wish the Peacekeeper units to retract the statements we gave in your name?"

Mims gave Dr. Laswell an appraising look. "No... No. I think it could work." He drank the rest of his drink down and gave a little moan. "Oh, god. You have no idea how much I've missed this." He went back to the coffee jug for another cup. "My name carries a lot of weight with the krog."

"You have some influence with the Vrrl as well," said Kilroy. His eyes glowed yellow. "The Vrrl on this station showed great excitement when they learned you are coming. They are currently holding a tournament to decide which of them will challenge you to a fight today."

"Great," the human deadpanned. "That's just what I needed." He turned back to the doctor. "So how about it, Doc? You up for the job?"

The doctor's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "And if I say no?"

"Then you say no." Mims shrugged. "You and your team aren't prisoners. You're citizens of Pixa."

"The Crunch they are," Yvian snapped. The anger had hit so quickly she barely registered speaking. She stabbed a finger at the scientist. "They're prisoners! War criminals!"

The Captain raised an eyebrow. "Are they?" He gestured around the room. "Does this look like a prison to you? Or a court, maybe?"

"What they did-"

"I know what they did." Mims said it quiet.

"I didn't know it would be like that." Dr. Laswell looked down at her cup. "I couldn't stop it. I couldn't even quit. Hayes killed Dr. Ross when he tried to resign." She looked up. "We all like to think we'll stick to our principles, that we'd die for them if we had to." She set down her cup. "But I didn't. I let them violate that poor creature. I helped them. Because I was afraid. I can't change that. It's a stain I have to live with."

Yvian didn't know what to say to that. The human looked genuinely sorry. Haunted, even. The Federation had tortured and experimented on the Last Hope. The living ship had shared the experience with Yvian. The Hope had also insisted these particular humans be spared. Maybe, just maybe, she had been right to do so.

"Doesn't matter," said Mims. "There are no second class citizens in the Pixen Technocracy." He drank the rest of his coffee and pointed it at Yvian. "That was your rule, remember?"

Yvian bit back a retort. As angry as she was, the Captain was right. The human scientists weren't on trial. They'd risked their lives to save the Last Hope, and they'd been granted asylum. She took a slow breath to calm herself. It didn't help much. "Crunch."

"You're citizens," Mims repeated. "I can't make you do a damned thing. If you want out, we'll send you to New Pixa. You can be a teacher or do research or just sit around and collect your stipend." He held out a hand. "But if you want to help, we could really use you. What do you say?"

The Doctor regarded the outstretched hand. "I still don't think I'm qualified."

"Maybe not," said Mims. "But you're all we've got."

Dr. Laswell hesitated just a little longer. "Fine," she decided. She shook the Captain's hand. "Under protest."

"Duly noted." Mims wandered back to the coffee jug. "Now that we're all official, I'm going to need you to get your team together. New Pixa's about to be sterilized. We've got four days to stop it."