by Thomas Fay
‘You need any help?’ Roger D asked.
Jeni’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me.
‘I’ll let you know.’
She left the main deck. I turned to Selize. Her crystalline cat’s eyes stared at me, as her skin shimmered with that faint amethyst glow. I imagined her slender hands digging into my skull, searching for the memories hidden within. I realised I was playing a dangerous game with someone who was not only a stranger but wasn’t even the same species as me. It sure was fun though.
‘John, what is it?’
‘I was just wondering how we’d ended up here. It seems that since I met you my life has become a nonstop adventure.’
Selize laughed.
‘I know what you mean. I’d certainly never chased anyone through deep space until I met you. My life had been … quiet.’
‘Let’s hope it doesn’t get any more exciting than this. Will you be alright here?’
‘I’ll see if I can help Dayna and Mason with the ship. I’m not that familiar with human ships but how different can they be from Centaurian ones?’
‘Very,’ Roger D said. ‘I’d prefer if you didn’t mess with my ship, please. Leave it to Mason and Dayna.’
Selize’s eyes opened wide.
‘So I’m just supposed to sit around and do nothing while everyone else goes about doing important things?’
I looked at Selize. My eyes flicked to Roger D.
‘Ummm …’
Selize smiled.
‘I’m kidding. I really need to spend some time with my tutors. With all this excitement, I’ve been neglecting my studies. I’ll be fine—go, find out where Marvik is.’
You’re amazing.
I know. Now go. Seriously.
I motioned to Roger D.
We exited the Helios Ark. The inside of the asteroid base was unlike the commercial star ports of Alpha Centauri. It was dark, cramped and smelled of wet rock. It reminded me of a covert Space Navy base I had been stationed in, a six-month posting in an isolated region of Tau Ceti monitoring encoded communications between passing traffic. Yet another reason I had resigned my commission. Civilian ports were so much more pleasant. At least this one seemed to have decent gravity, around 0.7 Earth standard judging by the lightness of our movements.
Several people walked past us. Mercenaries with their nondescript one-pieces and their dark features, deeply tanned from excessive solar exposure. All of them openly carried hand weapons. Proxima III was clearly a haven for those who didn’t abide by laws.
‘So where do we find this Horris?’ I asked.
‘He’s a trader of sorts. Operates out of a bar on the lower levels. If Marvik is here, Horris’ll be able to find him for us.’
‘And the price?’
‘Let’s hope it’s not more than we’re willing to pay,’ Roger D said. His eyes narrowed. ‘Although I’d be willing to pay quite a bit to get my hands on Marvik for what he did to Dayna.’
‘Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.’
The two of us reached the main turbo-lift bank running through the core of the asteroid base. We entered the first available lift. The doors slid shut behind us with the faintest hiss of air. The turbo-lift travelled down to the lowest level of the asteroid. The doors opened ten seconds later. I stepped out and took in my surroundings.
The lowest level of the asteroid base was a gigantic arc-shaped concourse carved out of the dark-grey rock. Bars and gambling establishments dominated the bottom level of the concourse. The upper level housed more illicit merchants, vendors of illegal weapons, biological enhancements and hallucinogenic narcotics. It was the type of place that attracted those who had lost their citizenship status—first and second—by circumstance or by choice. A dangerous place to be.
‘You weren’t kidding about this place,’ I said, my eyes scanning passers-by.
‘Proxima III is a popular haven,’ Roger D said. ‘Well, to those not working official channels.’
‘I don’t understand why the authorities don’t shut it down or ask for Space Navy assistance to close this place down.’
‘Because of its location. While most people think of it as being on the border of Alpha and Proxima Centauri, the truth is a little more complicated.’
‘How so?’
‘Because the asteroid has a wide elliptical orbit, it effectively moves between the two systems.’
‘What? You’re saying that it actually exists within both star systems?’
‘Yes and no. It also passes through a region which is technically not in either system.’
‘No wonder no one can shut it down.’
‘Exactly. Now come on. Horris should be inside the Flaming Orion. It’s over there.’
I followed Roger D into one of the lower-concourse bars. Its garishly bright neon sign depicted a ringed planet with flames. The inside wasn’t much better. Bright blue and purple neon strips illuminated the floor and ceiling. Holographic images depicting celebrities, sports stars and models flickered in and out of existence throughout the bar. The heavily upholstered white couches were crowded with drunken patrons and stim users. We walked past a group of mercenaries playing a game of Two-Down. Unlike the rowdy games in Dyson Alpha, this game was a tense high-stakes version, as attested to by the small pile of centurium bars lying on the table and the fact that all the players were armed. A loud shout from a group of drunken patrons caused one of the players to half draw a laser handgun.
The voice of Tarnee Caldern somehow managed to cut through the noise in the bar.
‘President Hanoko of the UEP has issued an ultimatum to Helios: renounce any claims to independence or the UEP will deploy squads of space marines to occupy the installation and enforce martial law until the situation is resolved. Given the presence of two Zenith-class frigates in high orbit above the installation, the UEP has the necessary resources already in place to act. More on this story as we await Helios’s response.’
‘In other news, a confirmed sighting of a Behemoth-class capital ship, one of only two such command ships in existence, heading for the Tau Ceti system has all but confirmed that an entire fleet is being deployed in the system. Our correspondents in Tau Ceti have hinted at growing civil unrest, with the Un’Glaz faction under attack from a growing coalition of the other houses of Tau. It seems that the civil war long feared is all but here.’
We made our way to the private rooms at the back. Pulling back the shimmering energy curtain on room IV, we were greeted by a heavy-set man with short-cropped black hair and yellow eyes. He was dressed in a Jovian toga. A bottle of purple Jovian wine stood on the table.
‘Roger D! Come in. I’ve been expecting you.’
26.
Roger D sat down opposite Horris. He motioned for me to take another seat. I obliged.
‘I see you’ve brought a friend,’ Horris said, his fat fingers gesturing at me. ‘A not unexpected turn of events given our last encounter.’
‘Let’s just say I’ve learned to be cautious around you. Dayna wanted to shoot you.’
Horris laughed. It was a deep, booming sound that filled the private room.
‘I bet. How is she?’
‘She’s good. She’ll be even better when we find Marvik. Do you have the information we discussed?’
Horris’s eyes narrowed. He looked at me.
‘Who’s this?’
‘This is my engineer, John Stanton. A new addition to my crew.’
‘Does he check out?’
‘I’ll vouch for him with my life.’
Horris continued to look at me. I met his gaze without flinching. I had taken down a handful of his kind during my time with the Space Navy. Each one had made the universe a better place.
‘Let’s set that aside for now,’ Horris said, his fat fingers lifting the thin glass of Jovian wine to his lips. He drank the entire purple contents of the glass. Reaching over, he picked up the bottle and refilled his glass.
‘Do you know where Lars Marvik is?’ Rog
er D asked.
Horris put his glass down on the table. Leaning back into the upholstered couch, he drummed his fingers on his sizeable midsection.
‘I believe so. He’s got a well-known associate here in Proxima III. If you follow him, he should be able to lead you to Marvik.’
‘Who’s the associate?’
Horris smiled.
‘Not so fast, my friend. First, I’ll need something from you.’
Roger D cast me a knowing look as if to say here it comes.
‘How do I know you can lead me to Marvik?’
Horris pulled out a handheld liquid data tablet. He slid it across the table so that Roger D and I could see the screen. It showed a familiar image: Lars Marvik.
‘That was taken less than thirty standard minutes ago,’ Horris said.
‘Alright, name your price,’ Roger D said.
‘I will require your Centaurian partner’s assistance with a delicate matter.’
‘Dayna? Why?’
‘I need a telepath to read someone.’
‘Out of the question.’
Horris picked up the data tablet.
‘Then I believe our business is at an end here. Good day, gentlemen.’
Roger D clenched his fists on the table as he stared at Horris. I thought he was going to lunge at him. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, ‘Alright, I’ll think about it.’
Horris picked up his glass of Jovian wine. Downing it, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
‘Don’t think too long. Lars Marvik won’t be around forever. If you miss your chance, it may be a long time before you catch up to him again.’
‘I’ll be in touch.’
Roger D stood up, motioning for me to do the same. I followed him through the energy curtain. As we made our way back through the bar, I experienced a strange tingling sensation at the back of my head. It was similar to the feeling generated by the Centaurian telepathic bond but oscillated at a different frequency. Frowning, I looked around. A few drunken patrons stared back at me with bloodshot eyes. A stim user injected the entire contents of a hyper-syringe into his neck. Nothing seemed unusual. Then the strange sensation was gone, leaving me to wonder if I had felt it at all. Shrugging, I followed Roger D out of the bar. We reached the turbo-lifts without incident.
‘What does he want with Dayna?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know but it’s definitely not what he said. That much you can be sure of with Horris. You never get the whole truth with him.’
‘So he needs a Centaurian for something but we have no idea for what?’
Roger D nodded.
‘And he’s our only way of finding Marvik?’
Roger D nodded again.
‘How do you end up in these situations?’
‘Years of practice,’ Roger D replied with a grin as the turbo-lift doors slid open.
27.
Proxima III had reached the zenith of its wide elliptical orbit. It was now inside the Proxima Centauri system. The faint light from Alpha Centauri’s twin stars was no longer visible as Proxima’s distant light bathed the asteroid in a pale-crimson aura.
‘What did Horris want?’ Dayna asked.
‘He wanted your help in reading someone,’ Roger D replied.
‘What did you tell him?’
‘I refused at first. Then I told him I’d think about it, to buy us some time.’
‘Are we sure Marvik is even here?’
‘Horris showed me footage of Marvik. It was less than an hour old.’
‘You don’t think we should deal with Horris.’
Roger D nodded.
‘What Horris says and what he actually wants are two very different things.’
‘Can’t we find Marvik on our own?’ I asked.
‘Proxima III is a virtual maze of tunnels and hidden chambers. It could take months to find someone in there, especially someone as well connected as Marvik. Besides, it wouldn’t be hard for him to sneak out on another ship, particularly given we’re now under Proxian jurisdiction. We need to get to Marvik and fast.’
‘Can we offer Horris anything else?’ I asked.
Roger D shook his head.
‘He doesn’t work like that. Besides, he knows what we want and he can see we’re desperate to get it. He’ll stand firm on his price.’
‘I’m not going anywhere near him,’ Dayna said.
Selize stood up. Her crystalline eyes shimmered as she looked at each of us in turn. Finally, she spoke.
‘He just said he needed a Centaurian, right?’
‘Yes,’ Roger D said.
‘Where are you going with this?’ I asked.
‘I’ll go instead of Dayna.’
‘No way.’
Selize moved towards me. As she placed her hand on my cheek, I experienced that dizzying sensation of contact with her. The telepathic bond amplified the sensation so that every fibre of my being felt alive.
‘It’s okay, John. You’ll be there to protect me.’
I turned to Roger D.
‘How dangerous is Horris? Give me the truth.’
Roger D let out an explosive breath.
‘I’ve dealt with him on several occasions. He’s not dangerous himself but the information he deals in, the people behind that information, they tend to be very dangerous. Which is why we had to make a hasty retreat last time.’
‘What happened?’
‘Horris sold us the co-ordinates of a derelict freighter that had drifted into Proxima Centauri. We went after it. The cargo turned out to be SyntheticD-44, the most addictive and dangerous narcotic in the known universe. We made it back to Proxima III without encountering any patrols, Centaurian or Proxian. Horris had found a buyer for the SyntheticD-44. That’s where things went sideways.’
‘Let me guess—instead of paying for it they decided to steal it from you.’
‘Something like that. We managed to get away, without the SyntheticD-44 and with half the money. In Horris’s book, that still counts as a successful deal.’
I nodded.
‘Selize, I don’t think this is a good idea. I don’t think putting either of you anywhere near Horris is a good idea. We need to find another way,’ I said.
‘There’s no time. This is the only way,’ Selize said.
‘No, I don’t want you to do this.’
‘John, please—’
‘Vanessa, no!’
Selize’s crystalline eyes opened wide. She stared at me for a moment as I realised what I had just said. The rest of the crew remained perfectly still.
‘Who’s Vanessa?’ Selize asked, quietly.
‘She … was someone important to me. It was a long time ago.’
I hadn’t realised I was still thinking about Vanessa until this moment. A part of me still felt responsible for her death. I had been part of the Space Navy. I had flown missions with her. I had known what would happen to her and, ultimately, I had been unable to do anything. Worse, I had been reassigned to another system. I had only visited her once afterwards, when her condition had already brought her to the brink of death. Deep down, I felt guilty. I felt helpless and angry.
I took a deep breath. Selize was still staring at me wide eyed.
‘I’m sorry, Selize. I didn’t mean to say that. I …’
Selize continued to stare at me in silence. Clearly, she could sense the pain I was carrying through our shared bond. Her face softened and she embraced me.
‘It’s okay, John. I understand. I hope one day you can tell me about it.’
I pulled back. I reached up and stroked her face, looking deep into her eyes.
‘You’re all I have now,’ I said, quietly.
She smiled.
‘I know. You need to let me do this, John,’ she said.
I looked at her one more time before slowly nodding my head. Then I turned to Roger D.
‘We’re going to need weapons. Lots of weapons.’
Roger D spread his hands in a show of mock s
urprise.
‘We’re a peaceful trading vessel, John. What makes you think we have any weapons on board?’ he asked.
‘Anyone who runs a ship with a modified class E engine, which is usually only found on intergalactic cruisers, will have weapons,’ I said. ‘And I won’t even mention that smuggler’s hold or the illegal weapon mounts disguised as sensor equipment.’
Roger D’s smile widened.
‘Mason, show him the hardware.’
‘Yes, sir. Please follow me.’
The android led the way out of the Helios Ark’s main deck. Reaching a sealed side compartment, he input a code into the wall-mounted security panel. The door slid open. My eyes widened in surprise.
‘Is this what you had in mind?’ Roger D asked.
Inside the sealed compartment were tiered racks filled with all manner of projectile and beam weapons, body armour and force-field disruptors. It was the sort of arsenal that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Space Navy interceptor.
‘I think you’ve been holding out on me,’ I said, my eyes taking in the hardware.
I stepped into the weapons compartment. Reaching up, I pulled a lunar beam weapon off the wall. Sliding its photon accelerator into place, I watched as its reactor chamber began to glow with a steady azure ambience. Hefting it in my hand, I turned to the others.
‘Alright, let’s go get Marvik.’
Roger D held his hand up.
‘You’re not just a mechanic, are you?’ Roger D asked. He grasped one of the lunar disruptors hanging on the wall. He motioned to Mason with his other. The android took another disruptor off the rack. I stood perfectly still, my eyes focused on Roger D. Mason held the weapon at his side. It didn’t matter. With his inhuman speed, he would paralyse me before I even managed to aim the beam weapon.
‘Who are you, John?’ Roger D asked.
I took a deep breath. It looked like Jeni had gone to Roger D after all. Or maybe not. Looking back, I had been a bit careless in handling the situations we’d encountered. I had given too much away. I guess it was hard to ignore a lifetime of training and experience.
Again, I found myself being more honest than I had planned to be.
‘I used to work for the Space Navy.’