“Cramped is a good word you fleshy things would understand easiest. I have less… memory… when I’m not connected. At least I don’t feel like I do. It could be the connection to the ship is better when I am plugged in directly.”
“Hey Whisper, what are you and Fury going to do once we get to Raspiel?”
“You had plans of turning the ship into your house, correct?”
“We do.”
“I guess we’d be staying with you. There is a network signal on the planet, so we’d be fine.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, I know Fury has grown fond of that ape of a man you call your mate. I am literally and figuratively attached to you. We seemed to have gone though a lot together, and I couldn’t process not being around you.”
“Aww, Whisper.”
“Don’t get me confused here, it's only because I know that your fleshy existence would end prematurely if I weren’t around to save it. I just don’t want that.”
“I would miss you too if you weren’t around. Sarcasm included.”
“We have some time before we get to the next space port. Would you like to play a round of that new multiplayer online battle arena with me?”
“You're going to play too Whisper? I thought you said it was beneath you.”
“Yes, I did. After looking at it some more it intrigues me.”
“Awesome, load it up.”
***
Space station Illusion is the last official Guild outpost before Frontier space begins. It is also the closest official station for the Earth Empire and the Conglomerate. The Guild allowed the other two governments to have large embassies inside. Illusion is inside a planet sized asteroid, so there was more than enough room, and its always full of traffic. With all three controlling powers in the station it has a council of representatives, each from one governing body. This allows anyone who wants to live or work there possible. It also makes it a tense place to live. Since there are people from all over the known galaxies there, how everything is dealt with is heavily debated. There is one unbreakable rule that everyone follows without question on Illusion. No firearms. Any bullets could cause a rupture, and that can kill a lot of people.
As they get into view of the giant rock, there is a sea of neon signs and advertisements alongside buoys guiding them in. Kat talks to one of the watchtower operators asking about repairs for shield generators. Then gives her a port to dock at, which was her usual stop when coming to Illusion. Dock thirteen. She had been to Illusion a few times before, and had worked with the woman who ran thirteen. Gizmo was her name, and likes to be called Mo by her friends. Kat received a couple of jobs through Bob when they first started to deliver to Illusion. That’s where she met Mo.
Kat walks down the ramp exiting Felicity and sees Gizmo standing there. Short blond hair tied back into a ponytail, fiery hazel eyes, dressed in a jumpsuit with the top unzipped slightly. Even with all of the dirt and grim Kat thought she was beautiful. She wished she could look that good when she was that dirty.
Kat says waving, “Hey Mo, didn’t know you fixed shield generators.”
Gizmo folds her arms and readjusts the long cigar in her mouth with her lips. The embers flare as she takes a long draw. “Don’t hey Mo me, what did you do to my lovely Felicity. I thought I told you to stay out of fights.”
“You can blame Bob. After my last drop a Foremid ship took them down before I could plot my jump.”
Gizmo tilts her head, readjusting her cigar again, “Foremid huh, don’t you mean Glutton.”
Kat could feel Gizmo’s glare from ten feet away. “Yea, Glutton. Slip of the tongue. So can you fix it?”
“Don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to. So where are you headed after this, ‘nother job?”
“Na, headed to Raspiel with Gravan. We are going to make a go of things there. Just need to get supplies first.”
“Who’s paying for this?” Gizmo asks pointing to the ship.
“Bob. Sending us into an active battle field like that, the jackass. I already got him to agree on the hazard pay for it.”
“He’s a predator alright, but good to have on your side. If you need supplies head to Joaquin’s place, tell him I sent you. He only deals with people he knows or that gets references. His prices and selection are the best in Illusion.”
“Thanks.” Kat pauses, and thinks if she should ask Mo about the Foremid since she gave her that stare. She probably knows something, but if she does get anything out of her, it's going to cost. That Kat is certain about.
She asks, “Hey Mo…”
Gizmo cuts her off, not letting her finish her sentence, “No. I don’t know, and if I did I couldn’t tell you anyway because it’s a secret to everyone. That just knowing the information is considered treason within the Guild unless you’ve been authorized. Now stop searching for answers to questions you don’t have anything to do with and go get your supplies.”
Kat stands there with her mouth gaping open for a second. Gizmo was always very to the point about things, and if she says to drop something, Kat knows she better drop it.
She says, “Yea, thanks again Mo.”
Being back on a space station reminds her of Bexar Omega and Knox. It does not matter which space station the stop is, there is an instant feeling of home. Little things that tickle her memories. The open glass into space, all of the metal, small corridors, and the smell. It’s not a bad smell, but there is something about recycled air that just leaves a different scent. The Felicity must have some kind of premium air recycler because the ship has always smelt so sterile to her.
It didn’t take her long to reach the center of the station, where all of the merchants are. Exiting the dock there is a tram station which leads to the different sectors. The Market district was close to dock thirteen, so the tram was a short trip. Walking around she saw all different types of people. The military people were the easiest to recognize, most of which still in uniform. The Frontier settlers were wearing mostly denim and leather. Being out on planets that needed to be cleared and civilized took clothing that could take a beating. Which was on her list of things to get. The locals just blend into the crowd.
A few blocks from the tram she finds a sign that says Joaquin’s. It was a small wooden sign with the lettering burnt into it. She takes a gamble that this is the place and walks in. It was small, no larger than a couple hundred square feet. A small man was behind a counter with dark glasses, and red spiky hair. He was wearing a bright flowery shirt and a smile that showed all of his teeth. He looked young, like he was in his early twenties.
He says, “Welcome to Joaquin’s, I am Joaquin. How may I help you?”
“I’m Katrice, nice to meet you. Gizmo sent me, said I could get some supplies from you.”
“Excellent, I don’t have to throw you out. So what are you looking for?”
Kat goes through the list. Most of it was groceries, a hand full or two of ammunition, building materials, clothes, and some seeds for growing.
Joaquin says, “I was expecting something different. Mo normally send over those who need… Special goods.”
“That might be something I need later. This will be the closest station to where I’m headed.”
“I always respect the privacy of my customers, you need not say more. I thank you for your patronage.”
The door swings open and two Guild officers walk in, one old and the other younger. They are dressed in deep blue uniforms with purple trim and gold buttons. The older officer has scars on his face which look like a three lines a claw mark. His black hair almost completely covered in gray, and his green eyes were sharp and piercing. The younger officer has similar features, a matching chin, hair, and noes. His eyes were a light shade of blue, and Kat could tell he was inexperienced just by the way he was carrying himself. The old officer looks at her with those piercing green eyes and then back to Joaquin.
He says to Joaquin while jerking his head in Kat’s direction, “Who’s she?�
�
Joaquin says, “She’s one of Mo’s.”
“Ah good.” He then turns his head over to the young officer. “So as I was saying, we picked up number ten a yesterday. I just handed her off and she’s headed off to Ragnarok. They should interrogate her thoroughly before her sentence is carried out.”
The young officer asks, “But Dad, I heard you weren’t able to find any of the spheres she was supposedly in possession of?”
“That’s right, and when you’re on duty address me professionally as commander.”
“Sorry Commander, won’t happen again.”
“Good. Now back to you question, we tried to get the information out of her husband, but he didn’t know what we were talking about. He’s probably dead or close to it. We questioned him throughly. If she did have them, they could be anywhere on that backwater planet.”
“I thought Raspiel was a new outpost for us.”
The Commander laughs, “Don’t listen to everything you hear my boy. It's a place we send the weak to die. That planet is full of monstrous creatures that most mages can’t handle.” He then turns to Joaquin and orders a few items, and lots of liquor.
Joaquin says, “Will that be all for you Commander?”
“Yes, that will be all for now. Send it to the normal place, and you know the billing.”
Joaquin bows his head. The Commander looks at Kat on his way out and tips his hat to her. The younger officer holds the door open for his father and follows him out.
Joaquin says, “Sorry about that interruption. Where would you like this sent too?”
Kat was having trouble breathing. The conversation she just overheard couldn’t have been about Jack and Hanna. She knew they were on the run from the Guild, but they were supposed to be hidden away. The town they build was supposed to be hidden from orbital view, and so far away from any of the settlements that were already there no one else would be around.
Joaquin asks, “Miss Katrice are you all right?”
Kat snaps back to her senses, and takes in a sharp breath, “I’m fine, and you call me Kat.”
She tells him where to send the supplies and gives him her billing information. Joaquin thanks her again, and she hurries out of the shop. There was a burning thought in her head that she needed to hurry, and rushes back to dock thirteen to ask Gizmo how long the repairs are going to take. It wouldn’t matter the answer, any amount of time was going to be too long.
Walking through the hanger door she see’s Gravan talking to Gizmo and he’s laughing. Kat feels a twinge of jealousy. That’s her man, what right does Gizmo thing she has to flirt with her husband. Plus what is Gravan doing talking with her anyway. She hurries over to his side and gives him a big hug and kiss. Something she doesn’t normally do. Gravan gives her a happily confused look, and Kat just smiles back.
Gizmo asks, “How was Joaquin’s?”
Kat says, “It was great, but I think something bad has happened on Raspiel.”
Gravan asks, “Why would you think that?”
“Because there were two Guild officers that walked into Joaquin’s while I was there. They said something about capturing number ten, and they left her husband to die after questioning. I thought that Hanna was wanted?”
Gizmo raises her finger over her lips and looks around her hanger.
She says, “You don’t want to talk about this here. There’re too many ears on Illusion, even in my dock. Go back to your ship and have this conversation there. The supplies will be here soon, Joaquin’s deliveries are fast. The repairs should be done in a couple of hours.”
Kat says, “Anyway to make those repairs go faster?”
“I could say yes, but I hate to lie. All my guys I trust are already working as fast as they can. There isn’t anyone else I can call in without things getting messy. You ship is special after all.”
“Alright. Thanks Mo.”
Gravan adds, “What she said.”
Gizmo laughs, “I didn’t do anything other than tell a customer to relax in their own ship. Now go on.”
Kat hurries onto the ship and Gravan follows closely behind her. Gravan yells out to Whisper to check Jack’s net drop once the outside hatch closes, and see if there is anything new on there. There was nothing. Both Kat and Gravan felt relieved, but there is still something in the pit of her stomach. Like they were already running late to an important party. They needed to hurry.
As the hours pass it felt like days waiting for Gizmo to finish the repairs to the shield generator. Three hours pass with her and Gravan waiting in the common room. Since Felicity was meant to be a military personnel carrier there was a staging area large enough to outfit twenty men at a time with lockers full of gear. It was close to both the exit hatch, cargo hold, and rooms. Since the ship wasn’t going to be used as an APC she converted it into a kitchen area with seating and a display after she acquired it. Gravan was a great cook, and had been filling his time making dinner after they had talked. He seemed to be perfectly calm, which was incredibly irritating to Kat. What was going through his mind that kept him so calm? She couldn’t wait around anymore and loses it.
She stands up quickly saying, “Ok that’s it, we need to go now. I have a bad feeling about this and I can’t just sit here and do nothing anymore.”
Gravan walks over to her and places a hand gently on her elbow. “Hold on there, we need that shield fixed first.” His voice is soft and calming, taking some of the fire out her.
Kat feels worried, and it was hard for her to control her temper when she gets flustered. “No, we don’t need those shields fixed, we would just have to be careful like every other Earth vessel without a shield. Like we did on the way over here.”
“You know that’s not what will happen. Felicity was designed to have a shield, and they took special leeways with it. I’ve seen it all over the ship and I know you have too. It took us twice the time to get here than it should have. Whisper had to constantly re-plot the course. I’m as worried about my friends as you are, trust me on that. It won’t be much longer and then we’ll get on our way.”
Kat huffs. He was right of course, but she could never tell him that. “Fine.” She says with an exhaled breath. “I’m going to go talk to Mo, and see what’s taking so long.”
She turns toward the exit hatch and there’s Gizmo. She walks in wiping her hands off with a cloth that is almost as dirty as her hands, chewing a freshly cut but unlit cigar.
Gizmo says, “Sorry about the time it took to fix that, it was hit just right. I almost was about to throw it out and get you a new one, but we managed. The Foremid are always super precise when they attack. You gotta take them out first or they just let you die by running you out of air. They like to as little damage as possible to kill you because they want to scavenge your ship.”
Kat says, “Foremid? I thought you didn’t want to talk about them.”
“On my dock I don’t, but in here.” She says raising her arms into the air, pointing toward Felicity’s hull, “It’s only you guys and me. So to answer your question, the only thing I know is what I already told you. I’ve fixed my fair share of Guild warships after Foremid attacks, and there is only ever minimal hull damage. The internals are always in need of heavy service. Something you couldn’t just do a quick fix on. They’re dangerous scavengers, and if you could help it, stay away from them.”
“That’s the plan. The only reason I’m asking is because what does it matter the name you call them by.”
“It matters because they aren’t human. Humans might not be ready to share the universe with anyone else. We’re about to rip into each other, what do you think would happen if there was another group that came around staking claim to planets and solar systems. From what I hear its real touch and go with them right now, and they want to keep it contained.”
“We want to stay as far as humanly possible from them if we can. I’ll tell you this, but we don’t want it getting around. We’re heading to Raspiel, to live their, but our friend
that was setting everything up there might be in danger. At least that is what I was guessing that commander was talking about.”
Gizmo nods, “I figured that as we were loading up your supplies. I take it you're going to use the ship as your home?”
“Yea, that’s the plan. If everything works out.”
Gizmo shakes her head, “I would hate to see this magnificent ship grounded like that, but there’s no convincing you otherwise, is there?”
“Sorry Mo, but if we need anything we’ll come to you first. You are the closest after all.”
“Enough of this blabbering then. You needed to be off like two hours ago. You’re going to want to hurry. Commander Dillinger is readying another sortie to your new planet.”
5
Felicity’s FTL drive disengage once they hit Raspiel’s solar system. Kat was nervous, she wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen but she had a gut feeling something was wrong. The last time she had a feeling like this one she was in an explosion that took over half her body from her. Since then she’s listened to those feelings a bit more.
Whisper says, “Kat, I have a low power distress signal coming off Raspiel. Do you want to listen to it.”
Kat feels the lump in her stomach grow into a rock. “Go ahead Whisper.”
There was a man’s voice that she thinks sounds like Jack. She’s only heard the man’s voice maybe twice and she wasn’t even listening to the message it was on. The man sounds in pain. “Coordinates thirty-six degrees north by twenty-four degrees west. I have been attacked by Guild enforcers and they may still be in the area. Please take caution but I am in need of help. I’m bleeding but have it a tourniquet. Then there’s the mage root I was forced to take. I’ve treated myself but I don’t have enough to make it through. Please… hurry.” A robotic voice then says it will repeat. The number, five thousand seven hundred and sixty-one, is said and then the messages repeats. “My name is Jack Locke, and To anyone listening, this is a distress call from the planet Raspiel…”
Nightmares & Dreams: A Science Fantasy Space Western: Eydulan Series Book 2 Page 4