Trinity: Atom & Go

by Zach Winderl

  Atom stopped at the edge of the staging and storage area at the end of the street. Ever alert, he scanned the short, but broad avenue.

  “Nothing here.” He narrowed his eyes.

  “You sure?” Shi flipped her poncho back and with gentle love, rested her hands on her pistols. “My ladies ain’t so sure.”

  Only Margo seemed oblivious to the frigid silence surrounding them. She climbed down from the pram and scampered after a solitary snowflake that had slipped through the hangar and lock to dance on the cool breeze of the artificial circulation. Without taking her eyes from the right flank, Hither reached out and pulled the girl in close beside her. Even then, as she gripped the tail of Hither’s long jacket and peeked out, Margo’s eyes filled with wide-eyed curiosity.

  “Margo has a sense about her.” Atom flipped his brown coat down over the rail-pistol slung low on his hip.

  Hither glanced to Atom and then shrugged as she turned Margo loose. As the girl stepped out from the trio, the ex-courtesan tossed her thermal jacket in the empty pram under Atom’s hand and adjusted her long, sleek duster. “It’s chillier in here than I would have anticipated,” she said, folding her arms over her chest and shivering. “Seems you would keep things a little more comfortable.”

  “Compared to outside, I reckin this is a comfort.” Shi tried her hand at a vapor ring.

  “Why is this place so deserted?” Hither squinted into the chill breeze.

  “Would you want to be out in this?” Shi barked out a laugh that turned into a fit of coughing as the dry air hitched in her throat.

  “Let’s get out of this.” Atom pulled his coat closer at the throat. “Go, up.”

  Without hesitation, Margo clambered back into the pram and Atom tucked Hither’s puffy coat over her.

  Shi eyed the pram. “Think I’d fit in there? Last ride was a touch rough, if you want a chance at redemption, Atom. It’s bleedin’ cold out here.” She cast a glance back at the hangar hatch. “I guess we move forward, that tavern’s closer’n the Ticket.”

  Atom grunted and pushed the pram down the main street. He hunched his shoulders against the biting wind.

  “Why the wind?” Hither asked as she fell into step beside him.

  “Air needs to cycle?” Atom replied. “Although, I don’t have the foggiest as to why you’d keep a breeze when the temp is already below freezing.”

  “At least I prepared,” Hither said with a warm smile as she pulled a scarf up from her fur-lined duster to cover her lower face from the artificial chill. “Unlike some of us, who seem to try to make a show of toughness.”

  Shi clicked the hammer on one of her guns hidden beneath her poncho. “It’s cold, lass,” Shi said with a grin. “But not too cold fer a scrap.”

  Atom shook his head and shivered.

  Leaving the pair, his long strides carried the trio to the front door of the tavern and without hesitation, he plunged through the atmo-field door. As soon as he broke the plane, a groan of relief escaped his lips.

  A moment later, the ladies followed him into the warmth of the tavern.

  “Evening, strangers.” A portly man with a broad smile stepped from behind the bar and slapped a towel over his shoulder. He skirted several crowded tables and approached. “We wondered if you were planning on joining us for a bit a kip. I’ve been tracking your ship since you dropped into orbit.”

  “Atom Ulvan,” Atom extended his hand, palm up in greeting. “Captain of the One Way Ticket.”

  “Branimir Svitać.” The man laid his hand atop Atom’s and grinned up at the lanky captain. “I’m the mayor and tavern keep in this little town. I don’t have much competition in the food and drink department.”

  The man laughed as he spread his arms wide. “Come, we’ll find you a table. We don’t have much of a choice in the way of a menu, but I’ll put in for three dailies. First meal is on the house.”

  The man swept away, indicating a vacant table before disappearing into the kitchen.

  Hither pulled down her scarf and shook out her long, auburn hair, eliciting a series of head-swiveling stares.

  “How do you do that?” Shi asked.

  “Do what?” Hither asked in mock innocence.

  “Break necks.”

  “Practice.” Hither flicked a coy smile at Shi. “Give it a try.”

  Shi dragged back her thin hood and her short, spiky hair sprang to attention. She shook her head like a dog drying off. Then with a grin, she flipped her poncho back and traced a lazy finger along the curving contours of one of her pistols.

  The heads dropped back to focus on the tables.

  “I’d say we make a good team,” Shi grinned over at Hither. “You shock ‘em and I knock ‘em.”

  Atom chuckled. “I like keeping you around. With the two of you bobbing heads, nobody has time to notice me. That’s good for business and livelihood.” He pulled the coat off Margo and stashed it under the pram before pressing through the crowded dining hall to claim the table marked by Svitać. “I’ll ask about the sheriff when the barkeep drops our dinner.”

  “That could put a damper on the meal,” Shi drawled as she flopped into her seat.

  “Needs doing.” Atom flipped Margo into the seat next to Shi and pulled out Hither’s chair for her. “And we look guiltier the longer we wait.

  “Interesting place they’ve got here,” Atom said as he dropped into his seat with a sigh.

  “Head?” Hither asked with a touch of concern.

  “It’s just foggy. I’ll survive,” Atom deflected, looking up to the metal beamed rafters. “This place looks a lot bigger from outside. I thought we were walking into another hangar.”

  “It’s classic frontier.” Shi stifled a yawn. “They build a building inside another building to help with insulation.”

  Atom nodded and squinted as he examined the two-story room lit with soft hover-lamps. A broad balcony lined three sides of the room and drew focus to a stage dominating the far end of the eatery. Despite the plasteel walls and basic adornment, the citizens of the little town had gone a long way to make their gathering place feel warm and inviting.

  “Beer,” Svitać said with a broad smile as he thumped down three tall steins. “Local brew. And a cimn juice for the little princess.” He set a small glass in front of Margo.

  Atom nodded his thanks and raised the mug to his lips to take a small sip. He savored the sip and then raised an eyebrow to Svitać. “That is a well-crafted brew, Mr. Mayor. A cap tipper for your brewer.”

  “Call me Svit,” the man said with a hearty laugh. “There is nothing out here in the nails that requires such formality. Unless we are called before the local court.

  “And that never happens.” He crinkled his eyes and patted Atom on the shoulder.

  “About that.” Atom frowned and looked up to the man.

  Svitać’s smile drifted from his face.

  “I need to see the sheriff as soon as possible,” Atom said, leaning closer to the mayor and keeping his voice low. “We stopped by the Blonde homestead and…. Well, I think we should talk to the sheriff before we get much further into the evening.”

  Svitać gave a slow nod and turned away from the table to wander back to the bar.

  “Best course?” Hither asked.

  “Only vector as I see it,” Atom replied.

  “We going to be troubled by this?”

  “Not sure. We have a pile of dead we’re floating into the village. Even if they know it wasn’t us, we’re the ones who brought the news that one of their families is dead. I can’t imagine the folks in a small community like this will take too kindly to that kind of news.”

  A moment later, a stocky woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat detached herself from the bar and with a hitch to her gunbelt, ambled over to the table. Atom watched her approach with steady curiosity. She carried a mug. From the alert twinkle to her eyes, Atom guessed at a stim-drink of some variety.

  “Howdo.” The sheriff touched the brim of her hat with a singl
e finger. “Svit said you folks was lookin’ fer the sheriff and that’s me.”

  “Atom Ulvan,” Atom rose and extended his hand. “These are a couple of my crew.”

  Weathered creases radiated from the woman’s eyes as she studied each of them with a slow, steady gaze. She nodded to Shi and angled her forearm just enough to reveal part of a regimental crest peeking from beneath a rolled sleeve. Then, with her mug raised to her lips, she patted Atom’s palm.

  “Name’s Margie Coffey, I’s expected ya a touch sooner.” She hooked an empty chair from a nearby table and dropped to join the crew. “What kept ya?”

  Atom studied the woman.

  She met his gaze with a friendly mask of her own. A maternal smile quirked the corner of her mouth. “I’ve had my eye on you and yers for a couple hours now. Svity and I had a bet on whether you’d rabbit or stick put.”

  “Who won?” Atom raised his beer, but returned it to the table untasted.

  “I’ve a better feel fer the shadier set a people.” She measured Atom. “I said ya’d stay put. Ya ain’t no duffer. That means ya killed ol’ Blonde and his clan, and are smooth enough to stare me cold-faced . . . or you happened ‘pon the aftermath.

  “Which is it?” She sipped at her mug, her eyes never leaving Atom’s.

  He nodded. “Truth is, we were hoping to talk to Mr. Blonde. A client was aiming to locate him. I can’t cash in if he’s dead.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  “No,” Atom replied without thought.

  “Truth, lie, truth.” Coffey’s face spread in a wide grin.

  Atom stared at the woman for a moment and then realization lit his features. “A truther.” His eyes widened in amazement. “This far out in the Fingers?”

  “I got wearied of the Palm and moved home.” The grin remained fixed on her face.

  “The truth, then.” Atom relaxed into his chair and folded his hands over his lean stomach. “I’m going to leave out a few things that touch on sensitive, but I’ll give you as much as I can. Agreeable?” Atom cocked an eyebrow in question.

  Coffey dropped a single nod.

  “We were looking for Blonde,” Atom spoke in a measured tone. “He had information we believe passed down from his grandsire. That may or may not have been accurate, but it was a lead. We had no desire to see any death in this matter. As a matter of fact, we were looking forward to a job without any evident danger.”

  “Guess that hope went out the airlock.” Coffey sipped her drink.

  Atom frowned in agreement. “I’m not sure who we are up against, but I think they have imperial connections.”

  “Ordered?”

  “Doubt it. There’s nothing done this way that couldn’t be done better through official channels. That would lead me off the books. We ran afoul a merc group back on Gamori Alpha, and an imp ship dropped into the system just as we were burning for the Black.”

  “That the same merc group that destroyed the station?”

  Atom glanced to Hither and Shi. Surprise lit their features.

  “Ah, I see that’s news.”

  “I doubt they destroyed the station.” Atom turned back to Coffey. “We were ambushed by an assault detachment as we made our way back to our ship. They didn’t have any regimental markings, but I recognize imp armor when I see it. The mercs were fairly wiped and scrambling for their ship by the time we uncoupled. Their command structure was gone.”

  “Imps then?” Coffey pulled at her lip in thought. “An imp ship would have the firepower to take out a station. Why’d ya take so long to make yer way to town?”

  Atom anticipated the shift. “We had an unexpected party aboard our ship.”

  Coffey shook her head. “We’ve only had two ships in orbit in the past week and yer one of them.”

  “The other ship?”

  “Players,” Coffey said, gesturing with her mug to a loud group occupying several tables at the rear of the dining area, up against the stage. “They’ve been here off an’ on all day. My read says they ain’t the types to go assaultin’ payin’ customers.”

  “You’re welcome to scan my ship’s records to verify that we were attacked.”

  Coffey dropped her eyes, staring deep into her cup. “I know yer truthin’ me.”

  “You sure?”

  “I headed out to pay Blonde a visit when he didn’t come around for his normal socialite breaker and cuppa perk. I seen how you laid them out, all respectable-like. That ain’t the act a somekin doin’ the killing and hopin’ to get out with it. The fact a the matter is, ya turned yerselves up, and that paints you in an even better light.”

  “But that’s not enough to clear me.” Atom crossed his arms in thought.

  “Naw,” Coffey said as she slapped the arm of her chair with a laugh. “I played through his security feed.”

  Atom cast a glance to Hither. Coffey caught the look and her smile fell.

  “What’s the tale on the table?” she asked.

  “Not sure what you’re talking about.”

  “I don’t give a care who ya are, ain’t somethin’ a body on his hob does when surrounded by the departed. I ain’t never crossed a soul who would lay out the dead and shroud ‘em, only to accidentally flip the table and give it a good rub down.

  “I have ya in a tough spot.” She leaned in close and dropped her voice. “Ya level with me, ease my curiosity, and I might see to let you burn.”

  Rubbing his weary eyes, Atom willed the pounding in his temples to the background. “I’m a trader first, and bounty hunter if the job is right. Times might be that I merc a little if money is tight.

  “I was hired to track down a derelict.” He opened his eyes with a dog-tired expression. “It was supposed to be a simple information trail for a client, but I’ve had the imps crawling up my back twice now, and I had to shroud a family that had nothing to do with the violence that’s been hanging on my vectors. With this last contact, the imps took one of my own.”

  Shi flicked an eyebrow at the comment, but remained silent.

  Sinking back into her seat, Coffey crossed her arms and fixed Atom with a steady glare. Then her eyes drifted to Margo.

  Kneeling in her seat, Margo smiled at the woman and lifted her juice with both hands.

  “I wondered.” Coffey’s eyes lit with amazement. “It’s you.”

  “Excuse me.” Atom cocked his head.

  “I’d heard rumors among the merch ships that occasionally drop orbit,” she said as a slight smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Then we had an ore hauler from Shelley, free-holders returning from a Palm run.

  “They like to trade for our fresh produce.” She raised her glass. “We have some of the finest hothouses on this Finger.”

  “Shelley?” Atom’s face remained passive.

  “Yeah,” Coffey said, taking a long swallow. “They told us how they’d won the rights to their moon, told tale of a merc who stepped in with his crew and threw the corp off their back.”

  “How does that relate to me?”

  “That merc had a little girl. And while I can’t place that merc’s name right now, Atom Ulvan sounds a touch familiar.”

  “I suppose you are in the market for a merc?” said Hither.

  Coffey shrugged. “I’ve a problem that slipped through the cracks.”

  “We’re listening.” Hither flashed a pleasant smile.

  ***

  The crew sat around the table in various states of attention. Daisy and Hither engaged in quiet conversation, while Shi sat with Margo perched before her on the table. The gunslinger handled an unloaded arc-blaster, going over the parts with uncanny patience. Margo looked on, occasionally interjecting with playful curiosity.

  Only Byron looked up from his streaming data manual when Atom walked into the galley with Coffey. He grinned, bobbed his head at the sheriff, and dropped his attention back to the information scrolling across his screen.

  “As you can see, we’re a lively bunch.” Atom rolled his eyes as he
offered Coffey the lone chair at the head of the table and slipped into the booth beside Shi.

  The other’s fell silent as Atom introduced the crew to Coffey.

  “So, you said you had a job.” Atom gestured to the crew. “We work as a team, no lone wolfs here.

  “Our usual rate is fifty-thousand, half up front, half upon completion,” he stated, leaning back in the booth so Margo could slip into his lap and rest her head on his chest. “It’s not exactly the kind of job you keep postings on, but I can assure you, we have an excellent record.”

  “I want to keep this off the boards.” Coffey sat with military rigidness. “Let’s just say it goes against my normal judicial stance.”

  “How so?”

  “I’ve a firebug named Johan Kim who slipped through the cracks on a technicality.”

  “He’s free?”

  “Not exactly.” Coffey gritted her teeth. “He’s serving two to six months on a minor offense charge.”

  “And he warrants more? Are you asking us to dig up more evidence so you can request a retrial?” Atom looked around the table at the others. “I’ve never been much of an investigator. It might be more helpful to find someone with that unique skillset.”

  “It’s past that,” Coffey growled.

  Atom stroked Margo’s dark hair and waited for the sheriff to continue.

  “There won’t be a retrial. He had the best counsel in the system. He shouldn’t have been able to afford her, but somehow he got her, and she got his charges dropped from death to a minor offense.”

  “What did he do?” Shi asked without looking up from the arc-blaster.

  “Toasted a transport.”

  “As in destroyed it?” Atom furrowed his brow.

  “No, he rigged the atmo-recycler to pump out pure O2 on the down shift. The watch didn’t notice it until a spark tripped. The ship structure contained the explosion, but every soul aboard, all twenty-seven of them, crisped.”

  “Any proof to link it to him?” Daisy interjected.

  Coffey shook her head.

  “Then how are you linking this to Kim?”