"We can upgrade your current ship free of charge or provide you with a command position on one of our military vessels. I'm also authorized to offer you a signing bonus of ten million credits with a starting salary of fifty million a year. That's all yours, you don't have to use it to service your ship, pay for upgrades, docking fees, provisions or to pay your crew."
"Oh, right, what about them? Do they get signing bonuses too?"
"I'm afraid we're not interested in hiring them on at this time. We would be matching you with our best professionals with training and rank to suit any position you need filled. Your pilot isn't even certified, the company cannot insure you under those conditions."
"Ah, I knew there was a catch. I suppose I'd be going after your targets, no questions asked right?"
"Yes, you would be part of our chain of command. We would determine your objectives and work exclusively for us."
"Let's stop right there. I'm not leaving my crew twisting in the wind, and what you're offering is less than I make in a year. The fact that I spend half of it on ship upgrades, bonuses for the crew and good leave destinations is my problem."
"You're certainly aware that at some point in time the market may not require your services. It's been known to happen."
"This galaxy has so many loose ends that you couldn't tie them up with a thousand people just like me. We're out here tidying things up and going everywhere you can't. I know some of those bounties are just people who got away from you and your legal system for all the right reasons. I go after them because they're part of a package deal. For every bad guy I get to bring back I have to go after someone who might not be guilty, but I trust your legal system to figure that out."
"Our figures show that seventy nine point three percent of all bounties are guilty of the crimes they have been accused of."
"That figures, half of the bounties I take are already convicts, that's got to skew things. Like I said, it's a game of numbers and I play it fine. So I'll keep doing it my way."
"You are passing on our offer?"
"Yes."
"I'm authorized to grant you a signing bonus of twenty million in Regent Galactic shares if you change your mind in the next five days."
"It won't happen. In case you haven't noticed, I work for other companies, not just yours."
"We've recently acquired one of those companies, Jake. We're in the business of expansion, and business is good. Give our offer some thought, do it for me, a fan."
"I don't need fans. Do you have more work for me and the Samson or not? If not I'll be happy to cash in on one of a couple hundred bounties being offered by other companies that don't try to rope me into restrictive contracts from behind a mask."
"We do, actually."
"Put it up, let me see the details."
"I'll do one better and explain it to you myself. A hauler has made off with some confidential cargo and we need you to retrieve it."
"Sounds easy enough, what's the cargo?"
"You are not permitted to break the seals on any of the containers. If you do you will only be paid half of the offered reward."
"All right, so where is the hauler?"
"It's about three days away, outside our territorial border."
"Ah, well that explains why you don't have a battle cruiser on its heels." A holographic map appeared above the desk and Jake took a closer look. "It's the Vesuvius? You have me going after Captain Xander's ship?"
"We don't care if there's anything left of the ship or crew, we only want our cargo returned intact."
"Well that makes it easier, I'll just convince Captain Xander to drop his cargo train and fly off while we hitch up and drag your confidential cargo back to you. You can't be serious, the Vesuvius is a military grade Galleon hauler. She's old but armed to the teeth."
"This recapture is worth seven point five million. It's all I have for you today Jake."
"There have got to be a few bounties available."
"We've assigned everything of a lesser priority to other freelancers or posted them in local ports for anyone to pursue. You could always compete with other hunters on a bounty. You've done it plenty of times before with great success."
“I'd rather not step on someone else for a payday or scrounge like someone without a reputation. That's not how I run if I can help it. Your records probably show that too.” Captain Valance thought for a moment, looking at the details of the contract and the sector map displayed above the desk. He leaned on the desk and looked the holographic avatar in the eye. "I'm not going to go after this cargo for seven point five. I don't think you have anyone else on your roster whose crazy enough either."
“We have plenty of Captains available, some of who are as good at recapturing objects or better than you are.”
“Then offer it to them,” Jake said, standing up straight and turning on his heel. He strode away from the desk.
“Captain,” he heard the hologram call after him.
He put his hand out to push the double doors open and found them locked. “Poor judgement on your part,” Jake said, drawing his sidearm. It was a thirty two centimetre long weapon and had a narrow barrel with recoil control systems built all around it. There was an energy clip in front of the trigger and a projectile clip in the handle. It fired a white hot explosive corrosive liquid metal package that could burn through half a meter of hardened hull if focused or send the same kind of projectile as scatter shot, hitting everything in a two meter cone. He didn't hesitate for a second, but fired at the bolt destroying it and the center of the doorway.
Kicking the door open, he strode down the stairs. The receptionist's image was replaced with the Chief Recovery Officer's avatar. “Stop! You're right!”
Jake secured his side arm’s safety and dropped it into it's holster. “About what exactly? Inform me here, you're giving me nothing to go on and I'm sick of working for you people half blind. There was a time I thought it was worth the money but this is the kind of job I have to believe in.”
“We'll give you fifteen million for the job, I'm going over budget here, but I can make it work.”
“Information God dammit! That's all I'm asking for!”
“Fine. Captain Xander pirated a cargo hauler that was transporting colonists.”
“What? You're hauling colonists like cargo now? That's pretty far from legal.”
“You're right, the company needs to keep this under wraps. The colonists signed all the right wavers, but if Xander sells them off before we can recapture them we'll not only lose eight thousand colonists and two thousand indentured inmates, but how they were being transported will become public knowledge.”
“Stock prices would plummet. My heart bleeds.”
“You might not respect the Galactic Trade Index but everyone suffers if our stock drops too low. This would also give some of our neighbours a reason to break treaties, citing inhumane treatment and the need for them to investigate further.”
“Putting the rest of your practices under a spotlight. You know what? You deserve it, I should just let this go.”
“But you won't.”
“You're right, I'll do it for the colonists. They didn't sign up for this crap, but I'll take your fifteen million and I want something else.”
“What would that be?” The holographic Officer looked surprised.
“Give me access to your entire consensus, military and civilian arrest records.”
“What? Why?”
“Like I said, I'm sick of working half blind. I need to know what you know about the people you have me chasing after. Two of my other employers have no problem providing me with all the information I need and that's fair. So it's time you start treating me the same way.”
“I'll get back to you.”
“You have thirty seconds.”
“It'll take longer to-”
“Twenty eight seconds.”
“One moment,” the holographic representation of the Chief Recovery Officer disappeared.
&
nbsp; Jake Valance waited with his arms crossed, staring at the empty air where the hologram had been. When it reappeared he was staring it directly in the eye.
“Done. You'll have full access in the next few seconds.”
“Don't monitor my searches.”
“That may be more difficult to arrange.”
“You're the Chief Recovery Officer for this sector, make it happen.”
“You're really push-”
“I don't risk my crew's lives for nothing. That comes at a premium that you couldn't normally afford.”
“All right, you will have access to your own search logs and can purge them whenever you like.”
“Good, I'm sure there's still going to be something watching what I do, but that's better than having some AI lurking over my shoulder. Have your deck crews finish servicing my ship, I want everyone you've got on it.”
“There is another ship in the docks beside yours.”
“Turn them out, ignore them, I don't care what you do. Just get my ship serviced and ready to go as soon as possible. I want this over with so we can get our fifteen mil and get out of this sector.”
“I'll do what I can.”
Just as Jake was about to step into the tube car the hologram called after him. “Oh, and Captain Valance.”
“What?”
“Good luck.”
By the time he was back on board the Samson there were over a hundred service people working on his ship. Doing hull inspections, improving outer hull welds, refuelling and stacking provisions in the rear hold. They were even bringing the cargo from the Ferret III aboard and stowing it under Frost's direction.
“Sir, what's going on?” Frost asked him as soon as he was aboard. Ashley and Silver weren’t far behind.
“We've been hired for a big job.”
“We payin' for this?”
“Nope, part of the deal. We picked up a fifteen mil job.”
Everyone in the hallway just stopped as Captain Valance walked on towards the bridge.
Hyperspace Day 1
“So the Vesuvius, huh?” Ashley asked Frost as he returned from his meeting with the Captain. They were all at one end of the forward cargo hold. Not all of the fruit shipment from the Ferret III fit in the rear cargo section, so several of the crates were stowed in the forward hold. The hold also served as a recreation area for the crew. There was an old holographic game table and a holographic projector that was turned up all the way so it could play media back three meters high. It could all be stowed at a moments notice. The newsreel they picked up from the Regent Galactic drifting station was playing as several of them sat around savouring oranges. They had been given the go ahead to dig into a crate when the Captain called for Frost.
The entire bridge crew; Ashley, Frost, Finn, Burke and Silver were there along with half the maintenance staff. The deck chairs were full and a few of them sat on small preserve crates. “Aye, but we're not goin' with him, at least not for the first part,” Frost replied as he took an orange from a small crate, closed it and sat down on the lid. “He's actually goin' ta do it alone.”
“What?” Silver asked in complete astonishment, frozen with an orange segment half way to his mouth.
“He's finally lost it. I mean, confidence is one thing, but this is ridiculous,” Ashley said as she stole Silver's orange slice.
“Does he have a will? Am I in it?” Asked Stephanie.
“Hey, I thought you were gettin' off and heading out to a far fringe colony somewhere?” Asked Ramirez, a maintenance crew member with a roughed up exterior and a square jaw. He was also an experienced member of the boarding team.
“Aw, I didn't know you cared,” she replied with playful sarcasm. “Well, I was going to wait until we got to the next port. They don't exactly have regular transports on drift stations. Then I heard about this fifteen mil job and well, would you leave?”
Ramirez nodded. “You're right, and if the Captain needs us boarding grunts, the more the merrier.”
“Well, at first we'll have to get close enough, but he says there's a way there without getting slagged. He says he can do the rest from there.”
“Seriously? What's he going to do?”
“He didn't say exactly, not about how he'd be getting aboard anyhow. He said that he'll need us to swoop in and hook up to the cargo train when he's ready.”
“We're stealing from the Vesuvius?” Burke, the communications officer asked, wide eyed.
“Yup, you won't be able to guess why either.”
“Well, I know the Captain had it out a few years back over a cargo or something,” Ashley mused. “It was before my time.”
“Yup, sweet haul of medical supplies, Captain signed on a few seconds earlier than he did and got it,” Frost replied, nodding. “I had just signed on then. That's not why Captain's so hot to ruin Xander. That bastard's hauling stolen colonists.”
“He's hauling what?”
“Aye, Captain Xander got his hands on a cargo train loaded with eight thousand colonists an' two thousand non-violent inmates in deep stasis and got it out of Regent Galactic controlled space. They're makin' best speed to some slave market right now. Prolly sellin' the pods an' all.”
“Damn, it's bad enough that they're being transported in a bulk cargo carrier, but to be sold into slavery? Imagine waking up to that? You expect to be in some kind of new port on a new planet but instead you get pulled out of the tube and put to work in some mine or worse.”
“Sold to some household to do chores and look pretty,” Ashley said quietly. Her mood had turned sullen, she looked down at an orange piece as she absently picked at it.
Everyone quieted down then, most of them turned their attention to the entertainment news showing on the holoprojector.
Finn couldn't help it, once again he was clueless as to what had the air so thick, what everyone was thinking but no one would talk about. “Are you okay Ash?” He asked her quietly.
She looked up to him, half smiling; “I'm fine, just a sore topic.”
Frost nodded. “Some of us have been pretty close to slavery at one time or 'nother. You've been closest, Ash.”
“Yup, I'm behind the Captain on this one, I'd do it for free,” Ashley said. “The cash is just a bonus.”
“A real, big juicy bonus. You kidding? That's like what-” Silver said, his long fingers doing math in the air.
“It's over two hundred twenty two thousand credits for each of us after the Captain's cut and the ship's upkeep. Biggest take this ship has ever seen.” Stephanie put in.
“Biggest risk we've ever seen. If the Vesuvius gets more than one or two clear shots at us, we're done.” Commented Burke. “She's so far out of our class we may as well be runnin' in a shuttle.”
“We'd take at least three shots, give us some credit now,” added Frost.
“They won't get a clear shot. I want to see this go down right,” Ashley said. “Whatever the Captain needs to make it happen I'll give. This isn't just cash.”
“I think we can all agree on that.”
“Speak for yourselves, my cut is enough, I don't need glory,” Ramirez said with a wide grin. “I could live on Flora Main for ten years with that kind of money.”
“Yeah, but who the hell would want to? Nine billion people on one E Class moon? It's so packed you can't sneeze without bumping into a dozen people,” Silver commented.
Ramirez shrugged and smiled at him. “Hey, I'm a people person, what can I say?”
“Finn, to my quarters please.” Said the Captain's voice through the ship intercom.
“Looks like Captain's bringin' someone else into his plannin'.” Frost commented. “Get up there kid, this could be bonus time.”
Finn made his way to the Captains quarters as quickly as he could. The hallways were completely clear, anyone that wasn't in the cargo hold or on watch were sleeping. He stopped in front of the hatchway leading into the Captain's quarters and pressed the call button. The heavy hatch door clicked and creaked open.
It was a simple pressure door, probably one of the oldest parts of the ship. He stepped through and closed it behind him.
The Captain's quarters had been stripped down. The regular amenities had been removed ages ago, leaving a bed and a couple of chairs instead of the things he expected. Like a table or desk and a sofa. Instead there were two work benches and cupboards. It was a fine tools workroom. There was also an escape hatch overhead leading into a cramped airlock for one. Finn didn't remember seeing it on the outside of the ship.
“You're one of three people aboard who have seen the inside of this room, don't say a word about it,” Captain Valance said. He was looking at three holographic displays on one of the work tables. They were set side by side and were scanning through thousands of faces per minute.
“Yes sir.”
“I thought I could finish a project I was working on in time, but I was wrong. I need your help. There's pay in it for you,” he turned in his seat and pointed to the other work bench. There was a section of flat microcircuitry right in the middle. Goggles hung over a small control panel right beside it. “I need you to tune the power levels on that so it's emitting as little as possible when that system is running. It might take you a few hours, so if you have other plans you should cancel them now.”
“I don't have any plans sir. I was just in the cargo hold watching the news.”
“Anything interesting?”
“Not really. The Blue Hares won in their Pongo Ball division.”
“Well, better being in here making a few hundred credits than out there then.”
Finn sat down at the other bench and started putting the control goggles on. “A few hundred credits?”
“I'll pay you two hundred an hour, fair?”
“Yes sir,” Finn said with a smile. He turned on the control panel and brought the nano bots and micro tool arm online. The work that had to be done was so fine that no human hand or held tool could manage it. “Do you mind if I ask what this is for?”
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