On the bridge Amard was enjoying the solitude and playing a war game of some kind on the computer when Thurgod arrived.

“Hi Thurgod, come to keep me company? Pick a name and play against me!” Came with a big grin. Thurgod scowled, but kept himself in check. Good pilots were hard to come by and Amard Petter was shaping up well under Jenna’s tutelage. Besides it was always good to have a spare.

“Forget the game and report.” He growled.

“All systems nominal. Just ran a standard check like Jenna insists on.” Again the cherry grin.

Give him a few more assaults and have him do some killing and that cheerful grin will be gone. Maybe. The thought ran across Thurgod’s mind. Looking around the bridge. Where is everyone? He put the thought into words.

Amard shrugged. “Haven’t seen Tyrone for a while. Fastos and Jenna left. I am on watch for eight periods. Lista left just after you, I guess that she and Devano are getting it on like they do. No idea on the rest.”

“Eaten?” Thurgod was playing the pirate leader. They were deep into hyper space and could do nothing until they arrived. That was not exactly true. They could cut the hyper drive, it was possible but not recommended. Thurgod had been on a ship that did that once and did not want to try it again. To say that the experience had not been pleasant was an understatement and to say nothing of the fact that they would have no idea of where they would come out of hyper into normal space. Anyway he had some things to think about and Amard was easy company, no hang ups to speak of and no competition to Thurgod.

“All good for now.” Waving at the meal dispenser. There was one main one on the second level with repeaters at each main station like the bridge. Each private cabin also had a repeater. This was useful because ships crews often had different dietary habits or customs. In any case, eating together was not common amongst the Companions although it was amongst the mercenaries they employed.

Getting his meal, Thurgod went to the captain’s chair. Sitting down he accessed his personal files and looked at them while he ate. Finishing at both he closed the files and disposed of the meals debris. Amard, showing more sense than usual had not interrupted him until now.

“So, are you going to let us in? What is the plan when we arrive?”

“To send you down out of an airlock on a reconnaissance without a suit!” Was delivered only half-jokingly. Amard, as any of the crew would have guessed, laughed out loud.

“That would be a trip and a half!” He chuckled, “But you would not get much of a report back.”

“Might be worth it but you are too good a pilot. Jenna has done well with you.” The compliment was genuine, on both counts. “But don’t tell her I said so.” Thurgod was good at managing his crew. Then he reverted to type. “Now leave me alone, I need to work.” Leaning back in the captain’s chair gave him a sense of security and helped him concentrate.

Taking the very broad hint, Amard nodded, turned to his console and started his game again from where he had paused it.

*********

Sitting and brooding, Thurgod went over in his mind the holographic journey into the tunnels. The professor had tried to be helpful, but there just was not the level of detail apparent for proper evaluation. Yet, according to the professor, there had been more detail previously. So there were two questions Thurgod had to consider, the first was the professor telling the truth, or was he lying?

If he was lying, then there was no use in going to the planet Trilla, there would be no sure way in or out. That was bad and the crew would be certainly unhappy, something that not even Thurgod wanted to deal with. But if the professor was telling the truth, then there was a chance. The professor had said that there was more detail when he was at the original site but the detail vanished away from that location. It did return nonetheless, when taken back to where it was found. That was hopeful.

There was the treasure. It would seem to be enough to set him up for life. While he would split it if necessary, he could also accuse someone of being a traitor and kill them. Of course the professor was dead, he just didn’t know it yet. But the crew, that was an interesting question. Unless he could completely disappear, killing them all would be to no advantage. No, not all would die, just the ones necessary to his safety. In any case, this would seem to be an operation with attendant dangers, some would surely die.

Laying back in his chair, Thurgod pondered the second question. As one of the leaders of the Companions, perhaps the last, he had his position to consider. While it did not weigh heavily with him personally, he had to acknowledge that he was someone to be reckoned with. Make a mistake however, then he might find Tyrone, or even Devano challenging him. Next, if he was lucky his throat could be slit and his body dumped. He knew that Tyrone felt that he would be the natural leader after Thurgod. But he needed more than that to challenge Thurgod. He also knew that Devano was ambitious but lacked the where-with-all to master mind a takeover. But with Lista behind him, things changed, she was a born schemer and that raised possibilities that he could not ignore.

There was also Extsu, main security chief. He was a potential challenger but Thurgod knew that Extsu was loyal to him to an extent that was unknown amongst the pirates and therefore was not a threat. Fastos and Jenna, he dismissed. Fastos knew his own strengths and weakness. While intelligent and a leader, he was not a warrior and without strong backing, he would not try. Jenna he knew was safe. A great pilot, the best he had ever seen, she was uninterested in running her own company with all its problems. Ilisa, Amard and the engineering crew, along with the rest of the mercenaries he did not even consider.

The answer to both questions was obvious, they would continue to Trilla. When he left the professor, he had assured him that he believed the professor was correct and that the detail would return. Telling him this and keeping him soothed, would keep the rest of the crew compliant. If Thurgod was happy, the rest would be happy.

He had also taken the precaution of warning Extsu of the growing attraction between Lista and Devano. He felt sure that Extsu would keep an eye on any developments for him. Indeed, he already knew that Lista had spent a good deal of time in Devano’s cabin this night. Thurgod had also raised the issue, but in a different way, with Tyrone. Tyrone would be sure to watch his own back, and by extension, Thurgod’s.

*********

Satisfied that he had considered all possible outcomes, Thurgod stood, “Amard, I will be in my cabin. Inform me of anything unusual.”

“Will do, Captain.”

With a nod, Thurgod left. Reaching his cabin, he entered, checked the ‘tell-tails’ he had left to see if anyone had been in without his authorisation. Satisfied once more, he closed and secured his door. Setting surveillance automatics and alarms for his safety, he undressed. Cosseted in his bed, he fell into a dreamless sleep