by JN Chaney
“Why? What’s it matter?”
“Oh, Jace, you poor bastard,” said Fratley with a laugh. “I’m sorry to tell you, but I was getting impatient, sitting around here for you to come back. I sent my boys down there already, and man, they’ve been busy killing. Been busy killin’ all day!”
My eyes widened as I slowly looked at Abigail. Her mouth was open and she appeared horrified, ready to say something. I pressed my finger to my lips and, to her credit, she kept her composure, at least for the time being.
I took a slow breath, trying to keep my head. I knew Fratley was a piece of shit, but murdering a random group of civilians was something else altogether. “Fratley, call your men off. I need those people alive. It’s the only way you’ll get your money.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jace. You see, we came out this way looking for you, and we’ve been waiting here a while. My men need a chance to cut loose, though, so things got a little messy. You know how it is.”
Lex looked up at Abigail, about to say something, but the nun motioned for her to stay quiet. The two of them stared at me. “Fratley, if you let them die, how am I supposed to pay you?”
“I guess you can’t,” said Fratley, laughing a little. “Boy, ain’t you in a predicament? I’d hate to be in your sorry ass shoes.”
“Goddammit,” I muttered.
“Tell you what, Jace. I’ll give you a few more days to collect what you owe. Just go murder some folks and steal what they got. That’s easy work for a guy like you, ain’t it?”
“Sure thing, Fratley. I can do that.” I had no chance at salvaging this situation. The best thing I could do was agree to his terms and run like hell.
“Good man. Now, you mind telling me what you were doing for these priests? What kind of work did they have you on?”
“I glanced at Abigail and Lex. They stared back at me with terrified expressions. “I was asked to make sure the way was clear for a trip they wanted to take. I was coming back to pick them up.”
“Too bad for you,” said Fratley. “Maybe next time you’ll work faster.”
“I will,” I agreed, sounding complacent. “Anyway, I’d best get going if I’m to pay you what I owe. One hundred thousand credits, I think it was.”
Fratley laughed. “Right you are, Jace! Oh, but before you do, I’ll have to ask you to wait a few minutes. My boys need to search that piece of shit ship of yours.”
“Search my ship? Come on, is that really necessary? I don’t have anything here. All that’ll do is slow us both down.”
“Call it punishment for making me wait,” said Fratley.
Shit, I thought. If he finds Abigail and the others on here, he’ll kill them just to get to me.
“Expect a boarding party in ten minutes,” said Fratley. “And Jace, you better not try to fuck with me again. You understand?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said, looking out the window at the fleet of ravager ships.
The speaker clicked off. “The channel has been cut by the other party,” said Sigmond.
I looked at Abigail and Lex, standing there together. Behind them, Fred, Hitchens, and Octavia were waiting, all their eyes on me. They must have been standing there the entire time, but I hadn’t even notice them.
“The—the church…” muttered Fred. “Are they…?”
“Don’t think about that,” I told him. “There’s no time for grief right now.” If Fratley discovered any of them on my ship, he’d kill everyone just for being in my proximity. He wouldn’t care.
Goddammit.
“This is because of us, isn’t it?” asked Hitchens.
I grabbed the doctor’s satchel from the couch and tossed it at him. The bag hit him in the chest, but Octavia managed to sweep it up. “Everyone, grab your shit, and I mean everything, and come with me.”
“Are you turning us over to them?” asked Abigail, her voice far steadier than the rest.
“Don’t be an idiot,” I said. “They’d kill you, and probably me, too.”
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Octavia.
I walked over to the wall near the cockpit door, then tapped my knuckles against the metal. “See this?”
“The wall?” asked Fred.
I nodded. “Siggy, open it.”
“Right away, sir.”
Just then, the metal on the wall transformed, sliding back into itself, revealing a hidden storage area that extended beneath the entire lounge. “Store your shit and get ready for a tight squeeze.”
“What is that?” asked Abigail.
“Most call this kind of thing a smuggler’s bin,” I said. “Today it’s your salvation.”
“I’m not certain I can fit,” said Doctor Hitchens.
“I’ve got another spot to put you,” I assured him. “I use it for the bulkier goods. Now, quick, get every single bag you’ve got and bring it here. We don’t have much time.”
Everyone raced to their rooms, returning momentarily, one at a time with their luggage. Even Lex had a small package in tow, although she didn’t seem anxious, much to my surprise. “You good, kid?” I asked.
“I’m hungry,” she answered. “Can I have some more tomato soup?”
I smirked. “Tell you what. You do what I say and you can have your fill in a few hours. Sound good?”
She smiled. “Okay!”
We stuffed as many bags into the wall that we could fit, while still leaving enough room for Abigail, Lex, and Freddie. The three of them crawled inside, maneuvering around the luggage and squeezing beneath the floor beneath us. They laid on their backs, staring up at us through the cracks in the flooring. “Everyone comfortable?” I asked, tapping where I was certain Abigail’s face was watching.
“We’re all set,” she responded in a muffled voice.
I gave Siggy the order to close the wall. “Don’t say a word until the ship is clear.”
“We understand,” said Abigail.
I turned to Hitchens and Octavia. “Now for you two.”
The three of us went quickly to the cargo bay. “In here?” asked Hitchens.
I nodded. “Siggy, if you’d be so kind.”
The hidden door slid open in the back, behind a series of crates. “I’ll need some help moving these,” I told the two archaeologists.
The three of us hoisted one of the boxes out of the way, which took longer than I expected. When we’d finished, I could see the strain in Hitchen’s face. He was already sweating profusely, breathing like he’d run a marathon. The fat doctor leaned against the box, but I pointed at the hiding spot. “No time to stop. Get in there and don’t say a word. You understand?”
Hitchens wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “Yes, yes. Of course, Captain.”
“Good. Now, hurry up,” I said.
The two of them got inside and I watched as the door slid shut.
“Sir, Fratley’s ship is signaling us to dock,” announced Sigmond.
“Just in time,” I answered. “Tell him we’re ready for him.”
I turned and raced out of the bay, my heart nearly beating out of my chest.
ELEVEN
The ravager shipped docked with The Star, and a dozen armed men in red armor entered through the airlock.
Behind them, a man with a thin beard and thick eyebrows followed. He wore a small, round hat with gold trim. In his left hand, he held a thin cane with primitive carvings, something he’d picked up on a backwater planet. He carried it, not because he needed the assistance, but because he simply enjoyed the design. “Jace!” exclaimed the man, giving him a wide and unsettling smile. “If it isn’t my favorite swindler.”
“Hello, Fratley,” I said, watching as he strode through the outer hall.
Fratley walked right up to me and gave me several pats on the shoulder. “There he is, my old friend. You ought to have gotten me and my boys some drinks while you waited.”
I didn’t bother smiling. “There’s coffee.”
He ignored me and continued f
urther in, ogling the ship like it was his first time seeing it. “My, what a fine shithole you’ve made of this bucket.”
“What can I say? I like to decorate,” I said, walking slowly behind him.
He waltzed into the lounge and collapsed into one of the chairs. “Ah, now that’s the stuff.” He rubbed his hand along the fabric.
“Glad you like it,” I said.
“You spoil yourself, Jace. I hope you’re not spending the money you owe me on fancy chairs.”
I said nothing. Fratley knew full well that I hadn’t changed much about this ship before I got it. The only exceptions were a few things in my personal room, the coffee maker, Sigmond’s neural core, and of course, the cloaking device.
He grinned at the armed ravager nearest to him. “What do you think? Should we take these seats back to the ship?” asked Fratley, laughing. “Nah, I’m just playing. We’ve got ourselves a nice setup back on the ship, don’t we, boys?”
“Did you want to see the rest of the ship?” I asked.
“Oh, Jace, you always know just what to say. Sure! Let’s see this piece of shit in full detail. Why not?” He got to his feet, slamming his cane on the floor. The action gave me pause, and I half-expected Lex or Abigail to scream.
But there was nothing, thankfully. It seemed those two had enough composure to stay quiet. Good for me, since I wasn’t ready to die today.
I took Fratley and his men through the ship, showing them all the spots I wanted them to see. When we reached my room, there wasn’t much to see, although that didn’t stop his goons from tossing the dresser and mattress. In under a minute, I had sheets and clothes soaking in a pile of spilled water on the floor. I stared down at the jug I kept under my bed, quickly burying the anger.
Fratley only laughed. “They’re rough, but they get the job done. Don’t you agree, Jace?”
“Whatever works for you,” I said.
“Show me what you got in your cargo hold,” he ordered.
I did as he asked, and we stepped into the bay. As we entered, I felt a hand on my shoulder, holding me back. I looked to see one of the ravager men glaring at me to stay put.
Fratley continued into the room, his cane spinning in his hand. He looked around, clicking his tongue as he scanned the bay. “Tsk, tsk, Jace,” he said, shaking his head. “Doesn’t seem like you’ve had much work come your way. Big shame about those priests. I almost feel bad for killing them.”
I tried not to look at the section of the wall where I knew Hitchens and Octavia were hiding. “I’ll find more. Don’t worry about it.”
He looked at me from over his shoulder. “I’m sure you will.”
Fratley glanced around, his eyes jumping from one item to the next. I had several crates in here, mostly filled with tools and random shit I’d found. In other words, junk. I expected him to start rummaging through it all, maybe have his guys toss a few boxes. Instead, he eyed something beneath the railing. Something close to where Hitchens and Octavia were hiding.
That was when my heart sank. I’d left a crate out, the one we’d pulled away so the two of them could squeeze inside the wall. Did Fratley see it? Did he realize how out of place it was?
I tried to move so I could see what he was looking at, but the ravager thug kept his hand firmly on my shoulder. I could always turn around and kick his ass, but so many of his goons behind him, I was pretty sure I’d wind up a corpse.
For now, all I could do was watch and hope the bastard didn’t put the pieces together.
Fratley tapped his cane as he walked over to where the crate was sitting. He leaned in and looked behind it, saying nothing, and then banged the tip of his cane against the crate. “Now, why’s this one out of place, I wonder?” he asked, leaning forward to examine it.
“It wasn’t strapped in properly,” I lied. “You know how those slip tunnels are sometimes. I hit some turbulence on my way out.”
He waved his stick at the men next to me. “Let’s pop it open, boys.”
Three of them ran to his side like the eager dogs they were and attempted to open the lid. When it proved too difficult, they just knocked the crate on its side, spilling its guts onto the floor.
We all watched as several dozen pieces of clothing fell out of the box, each one air-sealed in plastic. “What’s all this?” asked Fratley. “You smuggling shirts now?”
The group of ravagers laughed.
“Those are from a job I pulled a while back. The client gave me some as payment,” I said.
“They paid you in clothes?” he asked, still laughing. “Damn, Jace. You just can’t catch a break!”
I wasn’t lying. The contents of the crate really had come from a client—a man named Arte who asked me to steal some high-end luxury apparel from a corporation called P&G Inc. Most of the clothes I delivered would sell well on the open market, except for these. This particular set of outfits were part of the discount line, which meant they were worthless. Arte let me keep them as a bonus, but I had no use for them. They weren’t even worth the time it would take to sell them.
Fratley left the clothes on the floor, ignoring the rest of the cargo bay. “I think we’re done here,” he said as he neared me.
“Thanks for stopping by,” I said.
He paused, a knowing smile on his face. “Since you’ve been a good boy today, I’m gonna be straight with you, Jace.”
“Straight with me?”
He nodded. “We came out here for you, but that’s not why I dropped so much fire on that church.”
I raised my brow, saying nothing.
“Y’see, there’s a warrant circling the gal-net. Seems the Union’s after a nun, and the picture they got shows her dressed in the same outfit as the kind these people wear.” He motioned for one of his men to hand him a pad, then showed it to me. Sure enough, it was Abigail, dressed in religious uniform. It looked like it was taken from security footage. “This is her, a few days after she broke into a Union lab and kidnapped a little girl. Can you believe that, Jace? Who does a thing like that?” He gave me a crooked smile.
“That’s weird,” I said, plainly.
“Warrant says the nun killed a man on her way out. A senator, from what I heard.”
“That so?” I asked, trying to sound like I didn’t care.
“This lady is supposed to be some kind of dangerous assassin, only I guess she ain’t too good with keeping herself hidden. Union cameras picked her up a few more times after this.” He tapped the pad and showed me another picture. “Sounds like bullshit, right? An assassin nun. Who would’ve thought?”
“That’s pretty wild. I hope you catch her.”
“I’ll tell you what’s wild, Jace. I come out here to talk to you and I see you working for the same church as this bitch. That’s a wild coincidence, yeah? It really has me scratching my head.”
His eyes went cold and serious as he glared at me.
I stared right back at him. If he thought he could intimidate me, this prick had another thing coming.
He chuckled. “Ah, I’m just teasing,” he said, then slapped my shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll turn something up on the surface, one way or another. If the girl ain’t there, we’ll find her.”
“I’m sure you will.”
He pointed his cane at me, nearly touching my forehead with the tip. “I’m giving you one more week to get me that money, by the way. Don’t make me hunt you down again. I won’t be so forgiving next time, you hear me?”
“I’ll get you the money,” I said, pushing the cane with my finger.
“I hope so, Jace. As much as I like you, I can’t let a debt go unpaid. That’s bad for business.”
I watched Fratley and his crew leave through the airlock, making sure they could see me, and trying to look relaxed. I’d wait until their ship was fully detached before I let my stowaways out of their hiding spots. After that, I had no idea what I was going to do.
Fratley had given me a week to get his money. Who could say whether he’d left any s
urvivors on the planet. I’d probably have to drop these people off on some rock, away from here, and find myself some credits, quickly.
Just when it seemed like everything was going to work out, the entire day just goes straight to shit.
Funny how that always happens.
* * *
“Open it,” I told Sigmond, and watched as the wall slid up to reveal the hidden compartment.
A drenched Abigail appeared inside, covered in sweat, and breathing heavily
“We need to talk,” I said, stepping aside so she could come out.
“Are they gone?” she asked, climbing through the gap.
“For now, yeah, and you and I need to have a long conversation about just what is going on with—”
Lex popped her head from under the floor. “That was gross and smelly. I don’t ever want to do that again.”
I helped lift her out of the hole. When she was free, I tapped the wall and it closed. “As I was saying, we gotta talk.”
Abigail went straight to the drink dispenser and tapped the button for water. She drank it so fast, I thought she might choke.
“Are you even listening to me?” I asked.
“Did you know it was that hot down there?” She filled the cup with water again and continued to drink.