by Petra Landon
Jackpot.
Praise YanTeo.
“There’s no hide nor hair of her, Boss. I checked the mine employment records, the Dome accommodations and asked around the local businesses. Nary a flicker of recognition. Even did a round of the taverns.”
He seemed to be speaking to someone seated directly under the vent. Novi’s position made it difficult to see the seated person.
The stranger grinned. “For an outpost this size, it sure has a lot of taprooms” he remarked.
The smile seemed to light up his dour face. Novi had taken him to be in his mid-thirties, but now she realized that he was much younger. Probably just a few years older than her.
“This outpost owes its livelihood to the mine, Jerik. If it’s anything like other Guild operations, the miners need plentiful and frequent alcohol.”
Novi tried to peer down the vent. The stranger’s employer spoke in a low, deep, masculine voice with a lilting exotic accent. She’d heard her fair share of different intonations on Idriko, on her travels in the Inner Worlds and during her months on the cargo-hauler. But nothing remotely like the seated man’s unusual cadences.
As Novi’s eyes wandered the chamber, the mystery seemed to deepen. Though she could only view a portion of it, the room was large and luxuriously furnished. Across her was an oversized console, inset into the wall. Facing it was a dining table with two chairs. Fruit, ripe and perfectly formed, lay piled atop a basket on the table. Fresh fruit was a luxury few Guild citizens could dream of. She could also see one corner of a huge bed, with a rich silk coverlet draped over it. And directly below the vent were a pair of expensive-looking leather chairs, eschewed by the stranger who stood talking to the hidden man with the deep voice and exotic accent. The stranger, with the picture of Hirona, had referred to the seated man as his employer. Novi concluded that the unusually large quarters belonged to the owner of the vessel. That might explain the signs of prosperity in the chamber.
“The mine was uncooperative until I showed them the special authorization” the stranger explained. “Then, they stumbled over themselves to open their files to me, Boss.”
Who were these men, Novi wondered? The stranger talked of special privileges on a Guild facility. The Cruiser seemed more prosperous than the bare-bones crafts the Renegades had been rumored to fight in. And Novi knew no Renegade ship could possess the authority to demand that a Guild business open up its records. Perhaps, the vessel had changed hands to a prosperous owner who’d kept the Yedigrul embossed into the Cruiser’s entryway. Novi frowned at the thought. No one, vessel or person, could survive on the Inner Worlds without dealing with the Coalition. The Guild controlled the Inner Worlds. And Novi couldn’t envisage a Guild official doing business with a craft that proudly displayed the Renegade emblem. The Renegades had humiliated the Coalition and the Guild would never forget it.
“A dead end?” inquired the stranger’s employer in his lilting accent.
“Aye, Boss. There’s nothing here” the man said confidently.
Praise YanTeo.
Relief flooded Novi. She was in the clear. Her gamble to spy on the stranger had paid off. Whoever these men were, they seemed ready to strike Idriko off their list. Though why anyone had come looking for Hirona decades later was a mystery. One she must shelve for now, Novi decided.
A buzzer echoed in the chamber, as a voice with the same lilting accent as the seated man filled it.
“Venn Corp for you, Cap’n.”
Novi’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He was the Captain, not the owner. The designation seemed to suggest that this was not a private craft. It must be a trade vessel of some kind, because it definitely did not look military. But a Star Cruiser was overkill for a trade vessel. Also, no military craft in the Inner Worlds would dare display the Renegade mascot so prominently.
Then, the rest of the disembodied message struck Novi forcibly.
Venn Corp. What the Zeuf!
Since when does a Venn Corp ship sail with a Yedigrul?
Venn Corp had been founded twenty years ago by popular archaeologist and explorer, Zufon Ventini. Before establishing the corporation, Ventini had shot to fame on the Inner Worlds when a StarVision camera crew had followed the Guild-funded adventurer on an expedition. The live broadcast of Ventini’s adventures had whetted the InnerWorlders’ collective imaginations, making the hard-charging, ambitious and dashing Zufon Ventini a household name before he founded Ventini Corporation.
“Patch it to my console” directed the Captain in his lilting deep voice.
Novi had seen Venn Corp personnel in their snazzy orange and gold uniforms with the embossed lightning bolt to represent the alphabet Z for the founder, Zufon Ventini. The man in the chamber was attired in plain clothes, not Venn Corp livery. Novi pursed her lips. Why on Idriko would Venn Corp employees have special privileges on a Guild-owned mine? The Guild Coalition and Venn Corp were competitors. For now, since they focused on different ventures, the rivalry had not led to any clashes. But Wy believed that sooner than later, the Guild would fight a war with Venn Corp. The Guild Coalition had never been a shrinking violet. And it would not give up its economic, military and political domination over the Inner Worlds without a fight.
The stranger facing her moved to exit the room as his seated employer stood up. The back of his head moved into view first. As he strode to the console on the wall, Novi’s eyes widened. Huge and well-built, with dark hair worn longer than an InnerWorlder, he was dressed in a simple gray shirt over dark trousers tucked into boots. The rolled-up shirt sleeves served to accentuate the powerful forearms and the swarthy skin covered with a fine dusting of hair.
RimWorlder.
Before Novi could react, the console blinked on and a vaguely familiar face filled it. In his mid-thirties, the man was attired in a sharp suit with a neatly-pressed handkerchief in his left pocket that displayed the lightning-bolt shaped insignia of Venn Corp.
“Captain” the sharply-dressed man on the console addressed the RimWorlder respectfully.
“Mr. Ventini” the Captain greeted him. “What can I do for you?”
This was not Zufon Ventini, Novi knew. For one, he was too young. Plus, pictures of the great man were plastered on advertisements for the Labyrinth all over the Inner Worlds. Even outposts like Idriko had not escaped the barrage of publicity. This must be the son, Zedak Ventini, she concluded.
“Father says you’re on a mission for him, Captain?”
“We’ve concluded the task, Mr. Ventini. It was a dead end. No one’s seen the woman on Idriko or any of the neighboring outposts.”
Shyte. It’s Venn Corp that’s asking questions about Hirona.
The Captain’s answer did not seem to surprise Zedak Ventini. Novi took that as a good sign. They hadn’t expected to discover Hirona on Idriko.
“In that case, I’ve a couple of jobs if you’re interested, Captain?”
So, the Cruiser worked for Venn Corp, was captained by a RimWorlder and flew the Renegade emblem. Hmm, Novi mused, perhaps the RimWorlder had fought as a Renegade or believed in their cause. That might explain the mascot on the entryway.
“What jobs?” the Captain inquired.
No, Novi corrected herself. The Cruiser worked with Venn Corp, not for them. The deference in Zedak Ventini’s manner towards the RimWorlder Captain made it evident that this vessel did not take orders from Venn Corp.
“Escort duty for some rare artifacts from father’s latest expedition” Ventini explained. “Nothing time sensitive. Just the usual safe transport to Headquarters.”
While Venn Corp made money hand over fist with its Star Portal Labyrinth, it was common knowledge that Zufon Ventini continued his expeditions on the side. But Venn Corp, like other corporations, employed its own private military — Ventini Guards. So, why would Venn Corp hire others to escort their precious cargo, Novi wondered. Plus, Zedak Ventini’s remarks made it clear that Venn Corp had used the Captain to transport their artifacts before.
; “The second enterprise is delicate and requires someone with your touch, Captain” Zedak Ventini continued.
The Captain said nothing.
But whatever the Ventini heir glimpsed on the RimWorlder’s face must have satisfied him for Zedak looked pleased. “Retrieving an escaped prisoner.”
“A bounty contract?” the RimWorlder asked.
Though the man’s voice did not betray much, Novi had the feeling that the Captain was surprised.
“With a difference” Ventini answered. “We won’t pay if he’s dead. But if you bring him in alive, Venn Corp will pay bounty. Also, if you provide intel that helps us catch him, we’ll pay handsomely. Seven figures, Captain.”
Behind the vent, Novi went bug-eyed at the sum.
Seven figures for retrieving an escaped prisoner. Must be a hugely important one.
“What’s he done?” asked the Captain, echoing Novi’s thoughts.
“It’s not what he’s done, but what he is. A Synth working to raise an army.” Zedak Ventini shrugged. “Dead, he becomes a martyr to the cause. But alive, he’ll provide us intel on other Synths.”
Synthetics had been cropping up on the Inner Worlds in the last decade. Novi wasn’t sure what made them dangerous, but she’d never encountered one. Or perhaps, she had without knowing it. With the prevailing rampant prejudice against Synths, she doubted anyone would voluntarily advertise it.
Again, the Captain said nothing. His silence pushed the man on the console into further speech.
“This is nothing like the Rim Worlds, Captain” Ventini assured him persuasively. “They’re not fighting to save their homes from invaders. They’re demanding special privileges for Synths on the Inner Worlds.”
This time, the Captain was blunt.
“Why does Venn Corp care about Guild citizens demanding privileges, Mr. Ventini?” the RimWorlder asked evenly.
Zedak Ventini pursed his lips, looking grave. “This is highly classified, Captain. I would appreciate it if you kept it to yourself. Venn Corp has credible intel that the Synths plan to blow up Star Portals and disrupt Guild Corps movement. That puts Venn Corp property at risk and we’d like to get ahead of the threat.”
The Star Portals were Venn Corps’ prized assets. The technology had made them the richest corporation on the Inner Worlds in a dizzyingly short time. Connected in a mesh called the Star Portal Labyrinth, the portals used wormhole technology to tunnel ships through space at incredible speeds. What had taken the fastest vessel a matter of weeks, and sometimes months, could now be travelled in the blink of an eye. Venn Corp had four of these Star Portals in operation on the Inner Worlds. They were expensive but the Guild had the money to pay for portal travel. Novi understood that bringing down a Star Portal would disrupt the Coalition by delaying the Corps from responding to trouble in the farthest reaches of their territory.
“I’ll think about it, Mr. Ventini.” The Captain was noncommittal.
“Good.” The man on the console seemed content. “We’ll pay the usual fee for transporting the artifacts, Captain. Venn Corp will transfer half the payment now and the rest after delivery. Shall I tell father to expect you?”
“Yes” the Captain confirmed.
“You have unlimited privileges on SPL, Captain. Use the portals as you see fit.”
The RimWorlder was tight with Venn Corp, Novi realized to her bemusement. Venn Corp wasn’t even charging his Cruiser for traveling the Labyrinth. Corporations were rarely that generous, even to their closest allies.
“This Synth” the Captain interjected abruptly. “What prison did he break out of?”
“Serak Vedino broke out of Kuzhampa five days ago. Since then, he’s been sighted in the Badlands near the Azunti system.”
So, the Synth had escaped the prison on Idriko to hide out in the Asteroid Ring. Novi knew the Ring was referred to as the Badlands, due to the dangerous conditions and the enormous difficulty of navigating through the hurtling asteroids.
“I hope you agree to take on the bounty, Captain. You’re the best man for the job. And Venn Corp likes doing business with you.”
The console went dark as Zedak Ventini signed off. For a moment, the Captain stood motionless, seemingly lost in thought, before he activated his Hailer. It routed through the speakers in his quarters, rather than his earpiece.
“Jeryn” a woman’s voice with the same lilting cadences as the Captain answered the communicator.
Another RimWorlder, like the Captain.
“Need a word, Zin” the Captain said briefly, with an easy familiarity.
“Be right over” she signed off.
As the last of her words echoed through the chamber, the Captain turned to face the vent. Novi’s jaw slackened in shock, as she took in the strong hard-planed face with silver eyes that seemed to glow like a beacon amidst the jet-black hair and tan skin.
He’s not any Renegade. He’s the Renegade — Ryfkin Soren himself.
The man who brought the Guild to its knees.
Ryfkin Soren was rumored to have unusual light eyes, an anomaly for the large-framed, dark-haired, dark-skinned and dark-eyed RimWorlders — a physical contrast to the shorter, light-skinned, bright-haired and light-eyed InnerWorlders.
Adrift
A woman entered the room to greet the Captain. Tall and slim, she was attired similarly to the Renegade — in a plain shirt over trousers tucked into scuffed boots. Her abundant dark hair lay coiled neatly at her nape. The RimWorlders were built on generous lines, Novi reflected. Tall as the RimWorlder male was, the woman came nearly to his chin.
“Mihado?” he offered.
“Don’t mind if I do” she answered.
The Captain disappeared from Novi’s view. Mihado came from the Rim Worlds, liquor from a palm fruit found in their rainforests. Novi had never tasted it but was aware that it was strong stuff. Mihado was rumored to be very much an acquired taste.
The Captain reappeared with two rustic goblets made of palm husk, to hold one out to his guest. She turned slightly to face him. Both in profile to Novi now, they raised their goblets in unison.
“RenWelders unite” she said.
There was a note in her voice that puzzled the watching girl. Nevertheless, the words sent a chill down Novi’s spine. This had once been the rallying cry for the Renegades fighting to expel the Guild from the Rim Worlds. It was akin to history unfolding before her eyes.
The woman had been a Renegade too, Novi realized. A Renegade close to the legendary leader. There was an easy familiarity between them and their body language around each other spoke of ease. The Captain had not been as informal with the InnerWorlder he’d dispatched to Idriko to ask questions.
He gestured to the chairs by the vent and the woman’s face came into view. Novi’s eyes widened. The RimWorlder was the most beautiful woman Novi had ever seen. Large dark eyes set in a smooth oval face with perfectly symmetric features, the woman was almost impossibly gorgeous. The hair, pulled back into a severe chignon at her nape, threw the lovely bones of her face into prominence.
The Captain retook his previous seat directly below the vent and his guest seated herself across from him. Novi scrutinized the woman’s face carefully. Something, a strong emotion, seemed to hold the woman in its grip — her face appeared like a beautiful frozen mask. The dark eyes were blank with smooth skin stretched tight over the cheekbones, as if she were under tremendous stress. At first glance, the woman’s spectacular beauty had cloaked it, but now Novi could discern the subtle signs of a strong emotion held in check, almost by an act of sheer will.
“Zedak Ventini offered us a bounty contract” the Captain said in his deep voice with the lilting cadences.
The woman’s eyebrow arched slightly. Novi couldn’t tell whether it was surprise or pleasure or something else altogether.
“A bounty with a difference” he explained. “Venn Corp only pays if we bring him in alive or provide intel that leads to his capture.”
“What bounty are they offe
ring?” she asked.
“Seven figures for intel. More for bringing him in.”
“Feckin’ Hadis” she muttered under her breath, clearly taken aback.
Novi smiled. The RimWorlder had a mouth on her. One that belied the icy immaculate beauty of her face.
“The terms are unusual, Ryf” she acknowledged. “But you and I have gone after stranger bounty before.”
Her eyes scanned his face as he remained silent.
“What is it that has you leery?” she asked shrewdly.
“It’s fishy as Hadis, Zin.”
Her face softened, as the frozen mask relaxed just a tad. These two were fond of each other, Novi surmised. Perhaps, even lovers.
“Then, it probably is gnarly, Ryf. I’d trust your instincts any day.”
Her eyes showed emotion. “Many times, it’s what separated us from death and defeat.”
She’s talking about the war.
“When you put it like that, Zin” the Captain drawled. “I admit the Soren instincts are feckin’ screaming.”
“Tell me.” She leaned back to settle into the chair.
“The bounty is for an escaped prisoner from Kuzhampa.”
She looked puzzled. “The prison on Idriko?”
“Yes.”
“But that’s a high security Guild prison.”
He agreed with her. “Ventini says the man is a Synth they want alive for the details on an army he’s raising.”
The woman did not hesitate. “I know you, Ryf. You asked Zedak Ventini to his face why he cares about a Guild prisoner raising an army against the Coalition.”
“You know me too well, Zin. It gets stranger. Ventini claims they have intel about Synth plans to blow up their Star Portals.”
“How might that benefit the Synt …” She paused as it struck her. “It would hamper the Guild Corps chasing Synth ships. Level the playing field a bit.”
Novi grasped what she meant. No Synth vessel could afford portal travel. This gave the Guild a clear edge. The Labyrinth was expensive.
“I won’t cavil with that. It’s the intel that’s gnarly, Zin.”