Read Online A Pirate's Tale: The Only Solution Is Retribution by Saxon Andrew - Free Book Online Page A

scientists called, Under Space, revealed them and the universe discovered a way to travel to distant stars and civilizations.  He looked at Ana and knew trouble lay ahead in her future.  He turned back to the viewport.  Luminus was six hours away.
    • • •
    They arrived on Luminus and after three days, she turned to him, “I should have given you more funds initially.  We can’t afford the really good ships.”
    “Fifty million credits just aren’t what they used to be.  However, I don’t intend to buy a new ship; I’m looking for an old vessel that I can have modified.”
    “Why do you want an old ship?”
    “I’m going after a Pirate and a new ship would only cause suspicions on Tortuga.”
    “Should I purchase a used ship?”
    “No!  Victoria wouldn’t be caught dead in an old ship.  Let’s do this.  I’ll find an old ship and we’ll purchase it and stay on board until your cards activate.  I’ll take what remains in my account and use it as a down payment to get them started building your new ship now.  By the time it’s done, your account will be active and we’ll transfer some funds back into my account.”
    “I don’t want you to empty your account; you might need it.”
    “I don’t think that will be a problem for the short time that remains.”
    Ana stared at him for a moment, batted her eyes, and leaned against him, “Oh, Darlin, just use my card in the future and don’t touch your account.  I don’t think you can make a dent in my savings.”  She batted her eyes again.
    Leo laughed, “Your card it is.  I won’t abuse it.”
    “Abuse it?  Do whatever you need to do to keep us safe.”
    Leo looked at her for a long moment and then said, “Thank you.”
    Ana smiled, “This is a good deal for both of us, honey.”
    • • •
    The next eleven days passed uneventfully and Ana asked Leo the day before her accounts activated, “What sort of modifications are you going to make on your ship?”
    “I’m going to arm it.”
    “Arm it?”
    “I’m going to make it as powerful as a main Unity Battleship.  I do intend to hide some of the weapons under the ship’s hull so they won’t be seen.  They will actually cost more than the ship to install.”
    Ana thought for a minute and said, “What about arming the ship I’m purchasing.”
    “Your crew might be overly curious about that.”
    “That’s another question I have, Leo.  Just how am I going to go about selecting those to crew my ship?  If any of them learn that Serge Romanov is looking for me and they get suspicious, they might tell him where I am to receive a reward.”
    Leo stared at her and leaned back in the ship’s command chair, “I haven’t really thought about arming your ship.  I thought you’d just go out and enjoy yourself until things cooled off.  You’re getting pretty good at playing the role of Victoria, so I doubt you’d raise any suspicions.”
    “Leo, you know who I’m up against here.  If there’s a way for me to be found, Serge can do it.  I don’t want to be defenseless if that happens and I’ll need a crew to help me escape, not turn me in.”
    Leo nodded slowly, “You’re right.  You can follow me to where I’m having the mods done and I’ll contact some friends and see it they’re interested in signing on as your ship’s crew.  I suspect if you pay them right, they’ll do it.”
    “Can they be trusted?”
    Leo smiled, “I’d give my life to defend any of them and I know they’d do the same.”
    “But I’m not you.”
    “If I ask them to make sure no harm comes to you, it would be just like defending me.  But you have to make it worth their while.”
    “How much?”
    “Let me ask them.”
    “Would it be possible for me to be there when you do?”
    Leo stared at her for a long moment and lifted a shoulder, “You can be present.  I’m paying for their transportation to the site where the mods are going to be done.  We’ll meet them there.”
    “How