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Chapter 2
- Planetary Coalition Date: 7269.283 -
On board Cybex Corp Cargo Ship Deep Haul 7, in route to Rackoyd Station in orbit around Monravia
“Please be careful pulling into the hangar.”
“I got it.”
“Captain, please. We are 15% over maximum capacity and the ship is a bit more sluggish than normal. Especially when using just the maneuvering thrusters.”
“Don’t worry, slug. I promise I won’t slam us into the bay. I want to make sure we get paid as much as you do.”
“Sorry, Captain. It is just that it has been so difficult transporting this load back that I’d hate to lose it when we are so close. Plus, even after all this time, I still don’t know how you can maneuver effectively with just two arm appendages... And I asked you to please stop calling me slug. What is a slug anyway?”
“A small, snaillike, chiefly terrestrial gastropod mollusk, having a slow-moving elongated body with no shell or, only a flat rudimentary shell on or under the skin.”
“Oh, no problem then. All this time I thought it was an insult… Please slow down. They’ve barely finished opening the bay doors.”
For crying out loud Tarysec! A self-induced heart attack will kill you even faster that if I crash the ship.
“I see it. And my two arms can get us by just fine, seeing as how they’re not covered in slime like other beings currently onboard this ship.
Aaand … nothing … Sarcasm is just wasted on him .
“Besides, this is what, our tenth run together? And by my count, we have yet to perish in a fiery crash.”
“Sorry, but you know how I worry. I’ve been at this too long and it’s just my nature. I’ll just head down to the loading deck and prep for landing.”
Orteps. If there were such a thing as one that was not a worrywart, I probably would crash the ship, as the shock of meeting one would send me into seizures. Then again, if I were an overgrown worm working out off a planet with the sector’s biggest sea creatures, I’d probably be a worrier too... And how did a species with such clumsy limbs ever became space faring is beyond me… I bet that’s him on the com. Let’s see what he wants.
“Captain, we’re coming in too fast! You’re going to overload our stabilizers again!”
Oh brother. Let’s have a little fun with him.
“What was that about not coming in fast enough? All right, I’ll speed up but it’ll make it more difficult to stabilize once we’re inside.”
“No, no, no! I said slow down! Slow down!”
Ha, ha
“Slow down? Why didn’t you say so? I hope it’s not too late. It’s tough to understand you sometimes with my… What did you call them? Flat sound holes?”
“Aaaaaahhh…!”
Engaging reverse thrusters now… switching to primary landing engines …
“Hold on buddy, you might feel as slight bump as we touch down.”
“ …aaaaaahhh!”
Sorry Tary, I like you, I really do. Just trying to make these long voyages a bit more enjoyable. Damn, that Quarry Planet is out there. Wasn’t there anything a bit more out of the way of the rest of the civilized galaxy? Then again, when someone finds an immense fortune just floating about in space, which will also make everyone involved with it instantly rich, you’ll gladly make that trip every septecs and twice on Sunday. That’s of course, if anyone kept track of those days out here… septecs… Whoever came up with these names for times anyway? Although they would probably say the same about weeks and months... Now here we are, safe and sound. Let’s see how he’s doing.
“Can you believe it Tary? Another three-point landing. Get the transfer duct connected while I finish the Docking Authority’s checklist.”
“I know what you are trying to do and it won’t work. I won’t let you kill me out of fright so you can take my share of the profits. And I have already started the engagement procedure. The duct will be secured in 2.9 demics. I also have been meaning to ask, what makes our landing three-points, as you like to say?”
“Nothing, just another earthling thing. I’ll meet you over in the cargo hold in 10. Over and out.”
Worrisome and obsessive compulsive behavior aside, if there is one thing you can count on is an Ortep to be is punctual and organized. I guess when it takes you so long to move from place to place, you have extra time to think things over. Anyway, better wrap the checklist and get over to the hold or I’ll never hear the end of that either... What’s the Control Station frequency again?
“Cybex Control, this is Deep Haul 7 checking in. Transfer procedure initiated, standby by for incoming checklist and cargo load summary, over.”
“Deep Haul 7, Cybex Control here. Acknowledge receipt of checklist and summary, transfer of cargo initiated. Another great job, Tomalan. You beat your best return time by a full heptec.”
“Thanks. Can’t keep the folks with the money waiting. Deep Haul 7 signing off.”
Good thing Kemos wasn’t the one at the checkpoint or I’d be listening to him flapping his beak all night… Now up and at ‘em. But a little stretch first. These seats weren’t made with humans in mind, as everyone always likes to remind me... Now take the lift to Level 8... I still find it hard to believe I’m piloting a spaceship through the nether regions of space. When I used to fantasize about it as a kid, I never had any illusions that something like this would ever happen. I have to write this all down some time because if I ever end up back home, no one’s ever going to believe it… Here we are… And look, there’s Vancara… Looking at him from the back, he could almost pass for a human. That is until he turns around. Something about that rough green skin gives him away all the time. Although my wife would have said he was more lime colored than true green. That and those three eyes. I hate how he moves the one on his forehead around when I’m talking to him. I keep thinking someone is sneaking up behind me...
“Hey, Van, long time no see. I was beginning to think we left you planetside.”
“ Who are you kidding, Tomalan? You forget me and you’d end up picking up rocks with your bare hands and a sac on your next run.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. All I’d need is a good seismic motivator and a… stop it!”
“Stop what?”
“You know what! Stop looking behind me! I know you’re just doing it to piss me off!”
“ Whatever do you mean? This is the normal behavior engaged by any average Aster in order to be fully aware of its’ surroundings. You just need to be more open minded when dealing with species that are different than yours.”
“Yeah, average behavior. Like eating raw kinter moths as an appetizer? Is that part of it too?”
“ Those are a delicacy in my planet.”
“And a disgusting habit in every other corner of the galaxy. It takes septecs to get rid of the smell.”
Yeesh, that laugh. I think I hear glass shattering somewhere … At least he gets my sense of humor.
“In all seriousness, how’d our cargo hold up?”
“Better than expected. Only a 2.11% loss of mass. It was like you thought. The hold can withstand more than the spec max as long as we divert some of the secondary power to structural stability. This will be the biggest single haul to come from the Iron Run in tricents.”
“Excellent. We should get a nice bonus out of this. I’m on my way to see Tary, and then I’m planning on heading to the Diabolacerta for a celebratory drink. Want to come?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Maybe the Tun sisters will be there. That’d make my septec complete.”
“Well don’t let me stop you. Swing by my quarters when you are finished. By the way, where’s Exar?”
“He’s down in Engineering. By the way, when are you going to give that thing a memory defrag? It’s getting more insufferable by the demic. And he’s always trying to make me mad.”
“I’ve never seen him do that.”
“That’s because he waits until you’re not around.”
“Come on, he’s not that bad. Besides, I’ve been through too much with him to just wipe his slate clean.”
“Not that bad? It’s always mouthing off to me. He’s worse than you! That’s not how a droid should act.”
“Don’t be so sensitive, Van. You just need to be more open minded when dealing with species that are different than yours.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny. Now go wrap up this delivery so we can head to the cantina. I’m dying for a drink.”
“All right, I’m going. I’ll see you in a while.”
Van does have a bit of point. Exar definitely acts more independently and is more self-aware than your average droid. His last memory wipe was probably over 20 tricents ago. But I couldn’t bear losing all the personality traits he’s developed over our time together. It’d be like getting a new droid. And if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it when I first arrived here. I’d probably be dead or floating around aimlessly in space somewhere.
“Exar, come in.”
“XR-4 reporting in, Master.”
“Exar, when you finish doing the systems check, head over to the cargo hold. I want you to monitor the content offload and regulate the internal heat generation. Make sure the load transfer is maximized.”
“I will proceed at once. Is there anything else that needs attention?”
“No, thanks. Just contact me once it’s finished.”
“Of course. One question though… Has Commander Vancara paid his debt to you?”
“Debt? What debt?”
“Regarding your wager when we left the Quarry Planet. You proposed that the modifications you recommended for the cargo hold would lead to no more than a 2% loss in mass, while Commander Vancara’s response was it will never be that low.”
“Hey, I forgot about that… and Van just told me that we lost 2.11%!”
“That was an incorrect statement. The actual reading was 1.89%. It appears he is trying to cheat you. If you’d like, I can point out to him this transgression with some choice Aster lingo, and forcibly remove the necessary PlanCo creds from him.”
“Tempting, but I’ll handle it. I don’t want to pass on any opportunity to have some fun at his expense.”
“As you wish, Master. XR-4 out.”
All right, so he is a smart-ass and has it in for Van. But I’m still not reprogramming him. Think of all the entertainment I’d be missing… Here we are at the hold. And Tary’s still here… Hope he’s in a better mood.
“Tary, we made it!”
“Hhmph… “
Guess not.
“Come now, I was just kidding around. How’s the transfer coming along?”
“You will be pleased to know, Captain, that it is proceeding at a rate of one hundred ten kils per demic. We should be fully unloaded within three delmics.”
“Tary…”
“Oh, all right. I guess I should lighten up a bit. We have been partners for quite a while and you have yet to lose any of our cargos. But you have to be careful. One misstep could take out half the station.”
“Suggestion note. Anyway, Van and I are headed to the Diabolacerta. You want to come along?”
“No thank you. I think I’ll go straight to my habitat and spend on time on the regeneration basin. These extended trips leave me dry and worn.”
“Suit yourself. If you change your mind, you know where to find us. I’ll be in my quarters for a bit longer if you need to reach me.”
Got to get Tary to loosen up some. After these trips he always looks as if somebody poured salt all over him. Imagine what he’d look like if we actually did screw up. Well, I’ll let him be for now. I need a real drink bad. I don’t care what anybody says, that … that… replicahol crap they allow us take on these trips tastes like stale fureg-hound urine. Not that I’ve ever tasted any … on purpose…yuck! … But here we are at last, home-away-from-home sweet home-away-from-home… What a mess! I thought I picked this place up before we left for home. Thyka better not have let that pet of hers run loose around the ship again. That little treat it left in my boots last time was not very pleasant. Now off with this miner’s suit… When was the last time I took it off? Feels like it’s glued on... Let’s see now, the black and green outfit looks pretty clean. And maybe if I go with th… oh, that’s the front buzzer…
“Come in… Hey, Van.”
“Ready to roll, Tomalan?”
“Better believe it. There’s some Skeb with my name all over it waiting to be drank.”
“Skeb? You still drink that rank vile. You know its’ made out of fossilized Acanta remains, right? That’s going to kill you faster than the flying you insist on doing through the starship graveyard.”
“Hey, that’s my trademark shortcut. As for the Skeb, you’re just jealous that I can drink such a succulent drink and my inferior human physiology can absorb it with all the popular results and none of the unsightly side effects of your run-of-the mill inebriant… And it’s still better than that Sinbash you like.”
“Surely you jest. That stuff will increase your sexual drive to supernatural levels. Just like mine.”
“Appealing thought. Vamonos.”
But first engage the alarm before we get too far… The maintenance personnel around have some sticky fingers… Now a quick stroll down the hall… around the corner and here we are… I knew there was a good reason I moved my quarters to this level. Location, location, location… Now into the airlock and…
“Locking internal hatch doors … starting chemical air scrubbers… Damn that’s cold. Van, remind me to tweak the inlet temperature control when we return. I’m freezing.”
“Told you that smooth skin of yours was not suitable for space travel.”
“Oh, be quiet. There, done. Engaging computer sync with bay atmospheric regulator … adjusting local artificial gravity to station levels…”
Uughh
“Uh-oh, you’re turning green again. Are you sure you’re full human, and not part Plonkat?”
“Last time I checked, I still hadn’t grown a tail. So yes, I’m sure. And I’m ok. I just haven’t had anything to eat this morning and the weight shift always makes me a bit light-headed. Now let’s get moving before the next Station shift change. If the personnel from the Entertainment Promenade get there before we do, there’ll barely be any space left inside.”
I have to adjust the Hauler’s gravity control once and for all, and make it a bit closer to what the station level is. That’s something they never showed in sci-fi movies. Everyone went from planet to planet, ship to ship, and they always made it seem like everyone lived in the same comfort levels and atmospheric conditions. Guess it was easier to produce that way. Boy, was that ever a rude awakening. No matter how many places I go to, the different gravity pulls always get to me. And that trip to Axit 4… Pretty amazing seeing the impact of such high gravity on evolution. Probably why the inhabitants have so many thick, stubby legs. Good thing Cybex sent along those strength enhancement suits. At least the time we spend on these high-G places serves as a constant workout. I’ve never been in this good a shape... Lot of traffic out here today. Wish they would finally enforce that new ground speed limit law. Case in point…
“Hey, watch it! I’m telling you Tomalan, Ropiscons shouldn’t be allowed to operate those things. Anything without eyes, antennas or telepathy wasn’t meant to drive.”
Ah, good ol’ Rackoyd Station. The local HQ for Cyber Corp, the central processing center for most of the raw materials needed by every colonized planet in this quadrant, and the home and entertainment center for over 1 million beings of all shapes, sizes and colors …It never ceases to amaze me how big and busy this place is. It must have taken forever for the Monravians to build it. But they sure were the right beings for the job. They’re always go, go, go and only require limited rest and minimal food intake. And this place is definitely their crowning achievement. Hundreds of levels specifically tailored for the needs of every species that inhibits it, from food and air quality, to games and amusement. How’d they ever get the permits to build a Mactock racing ring indoors is beyond me. And the machinery… If I didn’t deliver some of the building material myself, I’d never believe there are hundreds of giant foundries working non-stop down in the lower levels. You don’t hear a peep or feel any of the vibration once you leave that area. And some of those machines are bigger than the Hauler. Unbeliev... Is that guy coming our way?
“Excuse me, Captain Tomalan. I’m Associate Bantac. Overseer Pratec would like to see you.”
“Pratec? What for?”
“He didn’t say Captain. Only that he wants you to come right away.”
Great… Couldn’t have picked a better time if he tried. I should tell him that after completing the Run in two heptecs, the last thing I want to do is talk business. Then again, that’s usually what Van if good for.
“You can tell you’re boss that we are on leave and he can keep his clutches to himself for the next four septecs! So go away… now! Let’s go Tomalan.”
Right on cue
“But sirs, Overseer Prat…”
“What part of go away now did you not understand?”
“It’s okay Van. I’ll go see what he wants. Hell, we just delivered the motherload of all quirillium shipments. Maybe he wants to tell us in person about the extra large bonus we’re going to get.”
“Yeah, and he’ll raise our pay rate for sure too. Keep dreaming. Go on and make it quick. I’ll meet you at the Diabolacerta and have your repulsive drink ready. I’ll try to keep the females at bay, but I can’t promise anything.”
“I’m sure you’ll try real hard. See you in a bit… Lead the way, Associate.”
Now what could he possibly want that couldn’t wait until tomorrow? And if he wants to talk to me so urgently, why didn’t he just use the com? … Well, here we are. This guy gives me the creeps. All Cafidons do. Something about those big black horns makes them look too devilish for my taste... … And did I forget to say he’s seven milimilecs tall, without counting the horns? I barely reach past his shoulders… Should read Dante’s Inferno again. I think I read about him somewhere in the seventh level.
“You wanted to see me, Overseer?”
“Yes, Captain, come in. And my congratulations on the massive payload you just delivered. Largest quirillium recovery we’ve seen in quite some time. You have truly earned your moniker of the Iron King.”
“Thanks, but folks exaggerate. I’m more of a handsome prince than a king.”
“I take it that was some of the human humor I have heard so much about. And as I was also told, highly overrated as well.”
“Well, I get that a lot. Now what did you want to see me about?”
“I’ve always liked that about you Captain. You are quick and to the point. So I will be the same. I am interested in having you undertake a new type mission. A mission of… discovery.”
“Discovery? What do you have in mind?”
“While we were doing deep core evaluations on QP3, the third moon of the Quarry Planet, in search of tibesean deposits, our team came across evidence of a previous civilization that inhabited it for some period of time. I won’t bore you with the details of everything we found, but among the remains were what appeared to be coordinates to a planet beyond the outer sector. Since then, we have sent out deep space probes to scan the general region around where we believe the coordinates point to. We have met with limited success, but are certain the information is accurate. That’s where you come in.”
“You’ve got my attention so far. Keep going.”
“I would like you to undertake the mission to find this planet and claim it for Cybex. We are prepping a ship and would like you to depart at once. All the necessary information is loaded in the ship’s computer. We have a minimal crew already in place that is more than…”
“Just a moment… in place? You know I do not like to fly with a crew that I am not familiar with. I prefer to take only my own personnel.”
“As do all Captains. But this is a special situation that requires special actions. Although I’m sure your crew is more than capable of learning the nuances of this ship, they might not be so rapidly suited to perform adjustments or repairs on the fly, if any were to unexpectedly become necessary. So in the interest of time, I require that you take the crew assigned. It is the minimum necessary, highly skilled, and instructed to follow your commands. And I imagine you will want to bring you own staff on board to round the total crew out. Now, will this pose a problem for you?”
“No. Assuming I accept your offer. And particularly as it seems to be the only choice.”
“Good. I have always known you to be a sentient of reason. I’ve also taken the liberty of advancing 839,830 PlanCo creds to your Cybex account to make up for potential lost revenue from any mining runs you might have taken during your the time away. And you will also receive 1.9% of the future profits that such a discovery would generate for Cybex. Do I still have your attention?
“You certainly do. A couple of questions first though. Why me? Surely you have many others at your immediate disposal and command.”
“I do. But for this type of mission I need someone who has shown a knack for this sort of work. I am well aware of your exploits through and beyond the Iron Run. You may like to keep a low profile, but your successes are well documented. The discoveries of Yawbus 1 and the moons of Lovanoc have led to significant profits for Cybex. You may be comfortable piloting our freighters to and from the Quarry Planet, but I imagine you wouldn’t pass on the thrill of new adventure. You surely are an explorer at heart.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Come now, there is no need to play games. You’re always trying new or inventive things, either at the mines or throughout the Run. For example, you don’t need to fly across the graveyard to meet schedule, yet you do anyway. I’m sure there was more to it than just trying to be punctual. But I digress. I’ve made my pitch. What do you say?”
Big smile now.
“What ship will we be taking?”
“You’ll be taking the Lumenictus.”
“The Lumenictus? Are you in a big hurry?”
“In this business, time is money. You know that better than most. And although we have no reason to believe that anyone else knows of this potential find, we cannot take any chances of a competitor beating us to a claim. That could pose potential disruption to the Iron Run routes, and that would be unacceptable. Therefore, you get to take the fastest ship in our fleet.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ve always wanted to take it for a spin. Anything else I need to know?”
“The ship has been outfitted with an enhanced radar system that will be able to pick up with a resolution over a degree of magnitude higher than what you have on your transport. Of course, to fit all the additional equipment necessary, we had to make some alterations elsewhere.”
“Such as?”
“The missile banks were removed, and the radar put in their place. Most of the detection antennas are now located inside the torpedo tubes.”
“Will I be wishing I had them back at some point?”
“You know as well as I do that travel through any uncharted region of space is potentially fraught with peril. But do I think you’ll need them? No. There have not been any unprovoked hostile encounters in the outer reaches of the Run in over three tricents. But that doesn’t mean you will not be prepared should such an encounter happen. The ship will keep its’ full compliment of high-energy particle beam batteries, so you’ll be more than capable of defending yourself. Although with this ship, your best is still to run…”
“… and live to fight another septec.”
“I was going to say run away before you get blasted, but I like your ending better. Now, do we have a deal? The ship is being fueled as we speak.”
Didn’t give me much of a chance to say no, did you? But I’d be lying if I say I wasn’t excited at the chance. I should at least play a little hard to get…
“Yes, we have a deal. But you can tell your personnel at the fuel pump to take it easy. We won’t be departing until two septecs from now.”
“I thought I made it clear that time was of the essence.”
“You did and it is. But so is efficiency. And we did just arrive after an overtime stay at the Quarry. We’ll relax and rest up, and start getting ready to go tomorrow morning. Hey, you wouldn’t want me to get tired and drowsy, and end up flying the Ictus into a Nebula or something, would you?”
Hope my insolent smirk doesn’t aggravate him too much… Well, maybe just a bit.
“Fine, two septecs it is. Make sure all the names of your staff are entered into the departure manifest and have it submitted directly to me.”
“Will do. On that note, can you give me now a copy of the crew personnel list? With time of the essence, I would like to begin my preparations at once.”
“Of course, Captain. I welcome your attention to detail… Here you are. All are saved in this disc. I assume your personal datapad has PX level decryptor software. Can’t be too careful.”
“Of course, and thank you. Now, where is the Ictus docked?”
“It was just moved to Dock 54 in level 28.”
“If that is all then, I’ll be going… And don’t worry, if there is really a planet out there, I’ll find it for you.”
Guess he wants to shake… hooves? What do you call those things?
“I know you will. And Captain…”
Not letting go. O-kay What now?
“This mission is top secret. Do not discuss it with anyone outside of myself or your senior crew, got it?”
I’ve seen that type of look enough times to know when someone is holding something back. Or maybe those black horns are making me paranoid. What the hell, the Run was starting to get boring anyway.
“What mission?”
“Good, and good luck.”
What a grip. I think my hand is permanently deformed. Now out the door while I still can… And let’s slip this little guy into the pad slot. Enter a couple of commands and wa-la… So time to once more expand the Iron Run, the most lucrative yet deathly dangerous voyage in the entire Kreshii Periphery. Eight planets arranged roughly in a semi-circle skimming the outer edge of the galaxy, the Run got its’ name about 500 tricents ago when Inew traders, after having miscalculated the gravitational impact of their twin star system, came out of their ultra-jump significantly of course. Hopelessly stranded, and short of fuel and food, they touched down on the nearest planet their sensors picked up. The now famous Gabban 5. A rough search of the area revealed large pockets of minimula near the planet surface, which they were able to extract and create a synthetic low grade fuel, which was in turn able to give them enough of a boost to travel to next nearest planet. This process was repeated three more times until the Inewans landed on the crown jewel of the Run, the Quarry Planet. The Inewans landed with sufficient fuel for one more jump, but sadly with not enough basic nutrients to sustain them. By the time they landed on the Quarry Planet, they had been out twice as long as they had intended, and were running drastically low on the components that make up their food source. That’s when they made, to the travelers at the time at least, their greatest discovery. Sitting underneath their ship was the biggest deposit of iron that anyone had come across in millennia. This also happened to be the main ingredient that was needed to sustain their anemic systems. Now with a full stomach, or what was the equivalent for their species, and recharged fuel cells, the Nacarams finally were able to pack up and go home. Upon their arrival, tales of their exploits quickly spread through the sector, and the Iron Run was born. Ever since then, that once untraveled section of the galaxy has become the hot spot for obtaining the raw materials needed to build starships, lunch trays and everything in between. Four more planets have been discovered since, bringing the total to eight. And while a lot of folks have gotten rich, where someone is making money, there’s usually someone else close by trying to take it away. Pirates and rival consortiums constantly accosted miners and merchants in the early ages of the Run. For a while, you couldn’t complete a trip around the Run without either dodging enemy fire or chunks of the ship from some unfortunate soul that had just gotten blown up. These septecs, on a usual trip you can see wrecked ships across the entire length of the arc. Those floating metal caskets are reminders of battles fought in the name of profit, and a constant reminder to be ever vigilant. Add the nearby asteroid belt, the unusual gravimetric anomalies created by the proximity of the two middle planets, and that damn roving mini-black hole that always pops up when you least expect it, and it makes you think that the Run was not so much undiscovered, as avoided at all costs… And who have I’ve been talking to for the last five demics? …
“Hey! Look where you are walking, you imbecile!”
Whoa! That was close. But he ... um … she … um… it was right. Enough daydreaming, because here it is, the Diabolacerta … Did that translate into devilish lizard? ... But whatever the name, it is still the best drinking establishment that an oxygen-breathing species could ask for. I’ve heard the Qualabs from Level 72 say that their bar is better, but stereotypes be damned, I find it hard to believe that anything that caters to a sentient nitrogen cloud can provide better entertainment than this place… And look, my favorite bouncer at the door. Guess I’m not waiting in line tonight.
“Hi Tomalan. What kept you? Vancara has been here for quite a while running up your tab.”
“And thanks a lot for stopping him. I thought I told you that if anyone ever charged a drink to me again you were allowed to stuff them in the trash compactor. Are all those arms of yours for something other than stuffing live prey down your gullet?”
Good thing he also gets my humor or he’d likely try to eat me too.
“Sorry, but his bribe was bigger than your usual fare. Now if you want to increase your … contribution…”
“Thanks for your kindness and consideration but I’ll pass. See you later.”
“See you around.”
All right then, got to find Van and fill him in. He’s going to be thrilled at the prospect of a short leave. Now where is he? This place is packed. It’s going to take forever just to …
“ … Must have been as big as a transport shuttle! And the teeth! It could’ve cut a Tacenru in half! Bone plates and all!”
… to find him unless he opens his mouth. Like it’s the first time I’ve been to a bar with him. He is as subtle as a supernova… and just about as loud when he’s had a couple of drinks. He does know how to tell a story though. Definitely came in handy that one time in Retip 3 when our account access was blocked and we had to convince the local authorities to let us off on our good word alone. And look. A Tun sister on each arm. Guess that third eye does come in handy. He can look at them right in the face, and still peek down their shirts at the same time. Or what passes for a shirt. Or what passes for cleavage on a female Neer. I guess that’s another way to be aware of your surroundings.
“Hey, Tomalan! About time you showed up. You’re missing all the fun. I was just filling my friends here on one of our most recent adventures. You remember Melapa and Tinax.”
“Of course. Ladies… No it’s okay, a kiss in the hand is a typical way to greet a lovely female in my homeworld. And you really shouldn’t be seen public with such a disreputable character. It might accidentally sully your good names. By the way Van, I heard the tail end of you story. And I’m sorry, but I have to stop you. That is no way to talk about your mother.”
Nice… That’s getting more laughs than I thought.
“Nice try, buddy. But if you heard anything, you know very well I was telling them about your one of your last romantic encounters.”
Yet not as much as that one.
“Ha, ha, ha… shut up. Come on, I need to fill you in on my talk with Pratec.”
“Sorry, but there is nothing he could have told you that could possibly interest me more than drinking another Sinbash and spending the rest of my immediate future with my two beautiful friends here. Especially since you are using the tone that means our leave is going to get cut short and we should be heading to the ship right now. Check back with me in another septec or two. I should be more relaxed and receptive by then.”
“So I guess the prospects of vast wealth and fame no longer qualify as items of interest for you?”
“Curse you Tomalan, this better be good. Excuse me my lovelies, the Captain and I need to have a little chat. Why don’t you go and order a couple of drinks while you wait. He’s buying anyway… … All right big shot, now that you’ve ruined the mood… What is this fantastic proposition our dear Overseer laid on you?”
“Well, first I have to say that I embellished a bit. Because when I said fame and fortune, I actually meant a short leave and a return to the ship right now.”
“You no good piece of … I knew it! Now you have 10 mics to tell me what he wants us to do before I walk back to the bar, bury my head in between those eight big, beautiful orbs and drown out the drone of your irritating voice.”
“Eight?”
“There are two more on their backs… You’re down to seven.”
“He wants us to find a planet beyond the far end of the Run, has already advanced us over 800,000 creds, we’ll get a 2% share of the future profits if we find it, and we’ll be taking the Lumenictus to get there. I think that was six mics.”
“Fine, so there might be fame and fortune in this after all. And the Ictus? Did he say why we needed to be in such a hurry?”
“Just some line about time being money. Getting suspicious already?”
“Why would I be suspicious? Is not like Pratec has not used others for the purposes of his own advancement. Or as if he has mastered ways to bend most regulations to achieve his means. Or even taken the credit for some of our own achievements while downplaying our involvement. Oh wait, that was him that did all that. So yes I am suspicious. Leave at once, take our fastest ship, here’s a small fortune with another one the way, and no there is nothing to worry about. Yeah, I’m sure he’s on the level and we’ll be able to just stroll right in, plant our flag and go cash out.”
“I know. He likely knows more than he’s telling us, it’s probably worth a lot more than he’s letting on, and half the other consortiums already have a five heptec head start on us. As I told him, sounds like fun.”
“I hate it when you say that… So when do we leave?”
“I knew your were full of it. All tough talk, but you’re as eager to go as I am.”
“Well, so I might be a bit interested even though we’ll probably get double crossed, shot at, left for dead and imprisoned, all before we even leave the system.”
“Way to look on the bright side, Van. Who ever said that Asters were incurable pessimist?”
“Whatever. So, when are supposed to we leave?”
“In two septecs. The shipped is located in Dock 54 in level 28. We still need to gather the staff and brief them, meet the assigned crew, get a rundown of the ship, develop the flight plan, …”
“Hold on. Assigned crew?”
“Yes, specifically trained in the workings of the Ictus’ propulsion drive. And I know what you’re thinking, but it was one of the conditions in accepting the mission.”
“I’m sure. And I see the logic behind it, and how such a crew would be useful, particularly if we are going to be in space so soon. It’s just that on a trip like this, with the unknowns mounting, I would feel more comfortable knowing exactly who will be responsible for making sure we make it there and back without having to get out and push.”
“As do I. But Pratec was quite insistent that they were to come along, so we need to compromise. But don’t worry. I sent a transmission to Exar and asked him to run a discreet background check on them. That new computer interface we outfitted him with lets him hack into any system basically undetected. If there is anything we need to know about them, he’ll find it.”
“Sneaky… I like it. But it sounds like you have a lot of work to do, so I’ll let you be and return to what I was doing before I was so rudely interrupted. I’ll meet you at the ship bright and early. And make sure you have mazaka hot and ready. You know how cranky I get in the mornings if I don’t have my full dose of sleep. Now if you’ll excuse me, hey my beauties…
Hmmm … I should have told him that getting unlimited access to the Executors’ harem was part of our reward and taken advantage of that wild sex drive of his… Would’ve been even than easier than playing into his thrill seeking side… I’d hate to be stuck in front of an Aster during mating season… He’s right though, I have a lot of things to get ready. Now to call Tary. Is he going to be mad.
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The eBook will be posted chapter by chapter. It is presently saved in its entirety here: http://jcald47.googlepages.com/home
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Out of this World: Legend of the Crystals (Chap 4)
