“Yeah, Liu can shoot the same, but never tell him that. Super cop’s ego is big enough already.”
Mitchell couldn’t help but laugh.
“So, yeah, we’ve got the youngest crew this ship has known since she was fresh off the line, what of it? We expected people to give us the same opportunities when we were that age.”
“Don’t know about you, but I earned mine. Best pilot of the academy.”
“Yeah, you were till you fucked it up, and then what? Boss gave you a chance when nobody else would.”
“He needed a pilot, and I was there.”
“No, I never told you this, but that day we met, he’d already interviewed three other pilots who wanted the job. You just never knew because you were too late to see them.”
“Come on…”
“I shit you not. They were good pilots, all of them. But sometimes you just get a feeling about someone, that they are just…right.”
“And this Erin girl? She’s gone from a hostage we weren’t paid to rescue, to hitching a ride, to carrying a gun.”
“We all start somewhere.”
Mitchell knocked back his drink because he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with his current line of questioning. The rest of the day seemed to fly by as they relaxed in the sun, and the time finally came to discuss business. Mason already knew that most there would agree to what he wanted, especially with the sort of money involved, but Liu was the wildcard.
I’m still not sure what to think, but I’m sure willing to give it a chance, unlike Liu.
The crew assembled at the table in the cargo bay. A few extra lights they had gathered from town aided the emergency lighting in letting them see what they needed to. Even Hella had joined them while they waited for Mitchell to bring them the information. They all sat silently for fifteen minutes until he finally appeared.
“They sent everything over?” asked Mason.
“Sure did, Boss…I mean, Captain.”
Hella picked up on his mistake and could see the others saw the discomfort it brought him.
“Not earned the title of Boss yet?” she asked him.
“Nothing to earn. The Boss will always be the Boss. I’m Captain of this ship.”
“So drab and boring. We’ll have to think of a better title for you,” she joked.
Felix sat down at the table, feeling rather uncomfortable that he had been the cause of the ruckus.
“All right, so here is everything they sent,” he stated, placing a display pad in the middle of the table. He hit a button on it, and within a second, a projection lifted half a metre from the table.
“The town of Melni…”
“That the same town we’ve been dealing in?”
“Yes, Captain, I never thought to ask either. Just seemed another faceless place we were passing through.”
“And now it has a name, it has an attachment,” added Liu.
“All right, calm it down,” stated Mason. “We have a possible job. We’ll weigh up the facts like we always have done. Then we’ll make a decision as a crew. Let’s do this like we do it. There is money to be made. All we must decide is does the reward outweigh the risk? Felix, you’re most familiar with the landscape, you take it from here.”
“Melni is a wealthy mining town, population eight hundred and seventy six. They make a shipment out every month that makes them a pretty penny. Despite this, the locally self elected High Sheriff, Colonel Michael Volkov takes at least half of their earnings as a tax, or protection money.”
Mason could see Liu was finding it hard to keep up his hard line. The former detective was starting to feel a little humbled as Mitchell progressed.
“They’re being extorted for half their earnings?” asked Erin.
“At least,” replied Mason.
“Volkov controls the Sheriff’s department and local militia, which combined are believed to total over six hundred personnel.”
“Six hundred?”
“Not a lot for a mining world, Erin.” replied Mason.
“But a lot for us to deal with,” Liu added.
“But…” Mitchell continued, “the townsfolk believe that many of those wouldn’t fight against the town, if it came to it.”
“That’s speculation, not intel.”
“No, Liu, but it’s information that could be worth knowing, should we take the job,” Mason said.
The room fell silent as they took in the depth of the situation. There seemed little to appeal to any of them to make them want to stay there. Mason knew it was the moment to break the most significant element of the briefing.
“This job pays ten million credits,” he stated calmly.
It gave them all pause for thought.
“Ten?” Liu asked.
“These miners are rich people being extorted, not poor ones being driven into the dirt,” he replied.
Liu could barely believe what he was hearing and turned to Mitchell for confirmation. He nodded in response. It certainly made him reconsider his charitable side.
“Ten mil. Okay, that’s more money than this crew had been paid in their life for anything, by a long shot. What do they want for that?”
“They want to stop being robbed,” replied Felix.
“And you know what that entails?”
“This isn’t going to be a pretty job. Volkov, by all accounts, sounds like a son of a bitch, but we can handle him. We have to do whatever is necessary to stop the protection racket that is going on here. I thought you’d love this kind of work. Make you feel like a cop again?” said Mason.
Liu groaned in response.
“I don’t know much about this Volkov, but we both know men like him don’t go easily. He’s sitting on a lucrative empire here, why would he give it up?”
“Well, surely not by choice, but we aren’t in the business of giving people choices.”
“Then we face off against God knows how many hundreds of guns and what, hope for the best?”
“You know you can be one cynical bastard sometimes. I’d expect more from a cop, or maybe that’s just me.”
“Screw you!” he yelled as he reached across the table.
“Stop it!” screamed Erin. She leapt between them and forced them to sit back down. “What the hell are you doing?”
Hella smiled at the whole situation and seemed to find it amusing.
“You find this funny?” Liu asked her.
“Just a little. A cop and a captain slug it out over who has the moral high ground between helping people and making money. What’s not to like?”
It was as many words as any of them had heard her speak, and Andrews at least found it funny. They all turned to Erin who seemed to have taken the floor.
“Seems to me this is a whole lot of fighting over a simple decision. A job lies before you, us, and whatever. It pays big with big risks. Take it or leave it.”
“Fine words,” Andrews sneered.
“Thank you,” she snapped sternly.
“Wow,” muttered Mitchell under his breath.
Mason kicked back his chair and stood up to pace around the deck while they thought it over. They all looked to him to have the next word.
"You know there's a good chance if we take this job, not all of us will live to see that money, maybe none of us," Liu said.
"Yeah, sometimes the money just ain't worth dying for," added Mitchell.
What would the Boss do? Mason asked himself. He knew his friends were right.
"Okay. This is our business, and we do it to make a living. If the job risks our lives more than is necessary or acceptable, we have always turned it down."
"Well, not always," muttered Andrews.
Mason looked to him to explain himself, but his lips were sealed. He looked to Hella and Erin.
"When the Boss was here, he always asked for one hundred percent agreement on choosing a mission. I don't see why that should change. Hella, you're on the payroll now, and Erin, whether you like it or not, you're involved in the
decisions made while aboard. So, let's put it to a vote," he said, turning to Mitchell first.
"No," he stated after a short pause.
"No," Liu agreed.
Andrews shook his head. "Na, not the smart play."
He reached Erin to see she wanted to say yes, but couldn't bring herself to conflict with the rest of the crew who she owed her life.
"No," she whispered, dipping her head.
He finally turned to Hella.
"Well?"
"Doesn't matter what I think if you need all in to do it."
"Still, I like to know what people are thinking."
"I've been in that town two weeks, and yeah, they could do with some help. But no different to most other places I go. We're in this for the money, aren't we?"
Mason nodded in agreement.
"We're decided then. Patch the ship and get out of here?"
There were grunts of approval, despite the fact few of them liked the situation.
"Wizard, how long do you need to make that happen?"
"Two days, I reckon we'll be done."
"That's good work. Quicker than you expected."
"Well, I have been getting some help," he replied, glancing over to Liu.
"Never knew you liked getting your hands dirty," said Mason.
"Growing up all I wanted to be was a mechanic, but coming from a family of cops, what are you gonna do?"
Mason took a deep breath and then relaxed.
At least we have a plan now.
"All right. Mitchell, get the cards. It's time we settled in for the night and enjoy the time we have here."
"Hell, yeah!" he answered quickly and leapt from his chair.
They passed out the drinks, and for a couple of hours, forgot the world around them until finally the call came from Hella.
"We've got company!"
Mason jumped to his feet, grabbing his pistol from the table as he did so. The others were close behind him. They could see a few headlights on a solo vehicle approaching from the direction of town.
"Expecting anyone?"
"No one at all, Wizard. Erin, you have that rifle ready," he said, pointing at the one he'd given her. "Rest of you, too."
"Trouble?" asked Andrews.
"Not that I know of, but I'd bet good money this isn't a social call."
He stepped to the edge of the ramp and looked up to where Hella's voice had come from. He couldn't see her, for she sat on top of the fuselage with no lights at all.
"Hell? You keep an eye about us. This might not be our only guest."
She suddenly appeared at the edge, with her thick jet-black hair draping over the opening.
There’s still something that doesn't feel right about her. She seems all too familiar with my way of life, but I don't understand how.
"It's the Sheriff. Nobody else is with them."
"How can you be sure?"
"I'm sure," she replied resolutely, as if there were no reason to doubt her.
"Well, okay."
He couldn't understand how she could know that much when to him it was just a blur in the distance. The vehicle got within a hundred metres, and in the limited moonlight they enjoyed he could see there were no obvious weapons or armour attached. It was a lightweight skimmer with ducted fans and a small crew of maybe two or three. It was indeed as Hella had said, the Sheriff's vehicle. He holstered his pistol and adjusted his gun belt.
"Lower you're weapons, but keep 'em close to hand!" he yelled to the crew. He turned back just as he thought it over. "And for God’s sake don't shoot them unless there is no other choice."
He didn't want to pick a fight, but he'd always be ready for one. The Boss had taught him that.
The skimmer came to a quiet stop but kicked up dust into the hold of the ship that wasn't appreciated by any of them. Mason spat out the mouth full of dirt over the side of the ramp as they got out.
"Captain Mason?" the first asked.
They stepped into the dull light emanating from the cargo area of the ship until he could make out their faces. The man wore a crest on his chest that he assumed denoted his position. The three all wore matching black dusters, but shared nothing else in common. One carried a rifle in his hands, the other a scatter laser. The man in the middle with the crest was empty handed, but Mason could see his coat flaring out slightly at the thigh where he carried a pistol.
"What can I do for you?" he asked without responding.
"You are Captain Mason?"
Mason sighed in response. The formality bored him.
"I'm the captain of this ship," he replied, just to irate them.
"I'm Sheriff Alken. I believe you passed me in town earlier today."
"I was in town today, but you don't look all that familiar."
They both knew he had seen the Sheriff, but he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of admitted it. He'd avoided the man for a reason. Alken was in a fit and healthy shape, and younger than he would have expected in his position. He was of a similar age and build to Mason, though the Captain still towered over him because of the ramp he stood on. Alken was clean-shaven and well kept. He had the look of a lawman who led a comfortable life with little strife.
"There was a shooting in town yesterday, and I'm investigating it at present. Word has it that self-defence was the nature of the death."
"And?"
"And we'd be inclined to log it as such, if those involved were to not take it further and departed without any more trouble."
Mason did not respond.
"You see what I'm getting at, Captain?"
"I get it," replied Mason in a drawn out and unimpressed manner. He stepped slowly down the ramp to the Sheriff and stood before him.
"My crew landed down here without intention. Our engines were shot to hell, and we went into town for parts. Now since then, a few folk have asked if we could help them out here. We gave it some thought and decided it wasn't for us."
"Glad to hear it, Captain," the Sheriff replied with a smile.
"That was until you turned up here and tried to tell us how it is."
The smile turned to a frown, but Mason continued before he could reply.
"I don't especially like cops. I like corrupt ones even less. You came here to flex your muscles. Well I'll give you a little advice. Next time you try and do that, make sure you can back up your tough talk with more than a couple of apes like these boys you brought along."
Alken took offence to his words, threw his coat aside, and reached for his pistol, but he wasn't quick enough. Mason leapt forward and placed his hand over Alken’s to stop him from drawing. He quickly head-butted the Sheriff in the nose, forcing him to stumble back and lose grip of his weapon. Hella then appeared out of the shadows above them and landed on the rifleman. She wrapped her legs around his neck, levered him back, and flipped him over so that he landed hard in the dirt.
The third man swung his scattergun around, but as he did, Hella grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it with perfect accuracy so that it struck him on the back of the head. His body twisted by the sudden impact, and he fired a single shot that sent laser scatter bursting into the open sky. The scene was lit up momentarily as if a flare had gone up until the laser blast quickly faded away.
Mason stepped up to Alken and pressed his foot down over the man’s hand as it rested on the grip of his pistol.
“I wouldn’t,” he stated.
Alken looked up at Mason’s right hand hung beside the pistol on his side, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. He finally submitted.
“All right!”
Mason removed his foot and let Alken fumble around in the dirt to get to his feet.
“You’ve made a big mistake here, Mason! Attacking an elected sheriff and striking his deputies.”
“Actually, Alken, what I saw is you draw down on us to do us harm, and that’s exactly what those cameras will confirm,” he said, pointing up at the landing cameras above the ramp.
The Sheriff shook his h
ead as he patted dust off his coat and looked up at the cameras.
“Goddamn it. You’re not welcome here, none of you are. Stay out of town. Stay out of all of our lives, and get your asses off Krittika!”
The three of them retreated cautiously and sheepishly. Mason knew he’d made another enemy in the Sheriff, but he was at least relieved that blood had not been spilt. Their vehicle fired up and tore off into the night without another word from any of them.
Mason turned to see Hella had gotten to her feet without so much as a single sound. She continued to impress him in the most surprising ways. He nodded in gratitude for her work. She was calm, as if it had meant nothing to her.
“Cameras, Captain? You know those haven’t worked for two years?”
“Yeah, but the Sheriff doesn’t know that, does he?”
“You really dislike cops so much?”
“You haven’t worked that out by now, Liu?”
“You like me,” he smirked.
“Think he’ll be gone for good?” asked Mitchell.
“No,” replied Liu, “I’ve known men like him. He’s firmly in the pocket of this Volkov character and has made that quite clear. He’ll ensure he keeps pressing us till we’re gone.”
“And if he takes this to Volkov?”
“He won’t, Erin, not yet. He’ll fear Volkov’s wrath the same as the townsfolk and will do everything he can to manhandle us off this world by himself.”
The Sheriff’s visit left a foul taste in Mason’s mouth, and he knew the others felt the same. He didn’t like being pushed around by anyone, but the fact he knew the town’s people were experiencing it daily made him angry.
“I’m gonna call it a night,” Andrews said. “I want all my energy for tomorrow to get started at first light. Let’s be out of here before trouble comes back to our door.”
Chapter 6
Another night had passed, and Mason awoke having slept for just a few short hours. It felt as if they had been on Krittika for weeks. He had spent a lifetime getting used to weeks of travel aboard a star ship. But that was life without outside influence. The situation they had landed in was pulling him in all directions.
It feels like we’ll never get off this world until some duty we’ve been chosen for is complete.
Maniacs: 01 - The Krittika Conflict Page 8