by G J Ogden
Liberty gently set the crystal down on the ground, before opening the notebook on the first page. “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a dashing young relic hunter, called Percy Harrison…” Hudson laughed and smiled at Liberty, but didn’t interrupt. “He fell down a shaft and died. The end.”
“Riveting…” said Hudson, packing up the contents of the wallet again.
Then Liberty’s eyes narrowed and her mirthful expression disappeared. “Wow, wait a minute…” she said, “Listen to this…” Hudson sat up in anticipation and waited for Liberty to continue. “My continued search of the alien wreck on Brahms Three has come up negative once again,” she read out-loud from the notebook. “The larger crystalline piece that fell from my rucksack while fleeing from a rival hunter crew remains lost. My only hope now is to return to Bach Two, and again scour that wreck for the smaller half’s original counterpart. I do not hold out much hope. Of the thirty-five wrecks I have explored, I have found intact crystals on only these two vessels. On all of the wrecks where I was able to reach the crystal chamber, only shattered fragments remained.”
Liberty stopped reading and for several seconds they both digested what they’d learned.
“He mentioned a crystal chamber,” said Hudson, breaking the silence. “Does he say anything more about what that is, or where it might be? Maybe it could help us understand what this thing is.”
Liberty nodded and started to scan ahead, flipping page after page until she stopped and began to read again.
“I regret that I have still learned little about the function of the crystal. Without the larger half, I fear I will never understand its secrets. It is like trying to hear music, but with most of the notes missing and no idea what the melody should sound like. However, my tests so far suggest that, while its signature is unique, it is also able to resonate at the same frequency as the portals. Several times while transitioning through a portal the crystal has exhibited a behavior that I simply cannot explain. It is possible that a fully intact crystal could even manipulate the portals or perhaps communicate through them. In fact, the crystal chambers may be the communications centers of these great alien vessels. The Broca area, if you will. It is possible these chambers were even located inside the vessel’s main command and control center. Though, besides a unique pod-like structure that, despite my efforts, I was unable to open, I found nothing else that could confirm this hypothesis.”
Hudson frowned. “The Broca area?”
“It’s a part of the brain linked to speech,” said Liberty, without hesitation. Then she appeared to notice Hudson’s shocked, wide-eyed response and added, “I don’t just know about engines and starships, you know…”
Hudson responded with a cheeky, ‘hark at you’ face, but then he suddenly remembered something and clicked his fingers excitedly. “Wait, the assessor I had examine the crystal on Earth also suggested it could be some kind of transceiver. He said it might unlock the possibility for near instant communication between portal worlds. He also suggested that it may perhaps have the ability to manipulate the portals.”
Liberty whistled, “If that were true then it would certainly make it incredibly valuable.”
Hudson picked up the crystal and placed it back inside the hidden compartment in his jacket. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he said, standing up and inspecting the hole through which they both fell. “Thanks to Percy, I already think we have a big enough score, and I’d rather avoid another encounter with Cutler, if we can help it.” Then he looked back at Liberty and noticed she seemed sullen. “Hey, what’s up?
Liberty stood up, still holding the notebook. “I guess this was like his diary,” she said, softly. “There’s one final entry.”
Hudson felt his mouth go dry; he knew what was coming.
Liberty cleared her throat and read from the little black book again. “The infection in my leg has grown out of control and fever has taken hold. My medical supplies are gone. It was foolish of me not to replenish my stocks before I embarked on this hunt. My eagerness to find the crystal fragment made me careless, and now I will never discover the truth. Worse, I have run out of water and the power cells in my lamps are almost gone. I fear I will die here in the cold, empty darkness of this alien space. I fear I will die alone. But more than that, I fear that I will have died for nothing.”
Liberty closed the notepad and a solemn silence followed. Hudson looked down at the body of Percy Harrison and felt his pain almost as keenly as if it were his own. He too had felt loneliness and despair, but his pain paled in comparison to what this unfortunate relic hunter must have faced. Hudson had discovered a renewed purpose to his life. And he’d found someone to share it with. Whether or not he was able to uncover the secrets of the newly re-forged crystal, he already knew that he was a wealthier man than the one lying at his feet.
He looked over at Liberty and placed a hand gently on her shoulder, “Come on, Liberty. Let’s go back to Earth.”
CHAPTER 14
Getting themselves out of the room that had accidentally become Percy Harrison’s tomb had not been straightforward. Were it not for their newly-acquired climbing gear, they may well have ended up as permanent residents, alongside the unfortunate ex-relic hunter. In particular, the self-attaching pitons that Tory had tossed into Hudson’s trolley in the Scavenger’s Paradise had been literal life-savers. Once again Hudson found himself indebted to the mysterious woman who had been hired to kill him.
Thankfully, the remainder of the journey back out of the wreck had been far less eventful than their excursion inside. The strange, shallow room with the central sphere and many pillars was now deathly quiet. The RGF squad and the bodies of the hunters that Tory had killed were all gone. And, other than the occasional spent ammo casing, it would have been impossible to tell that anyone had entered the space in decades.
Without the map, which Hudson had dropped during the chaos of the earlier skirmish, it had taken a few wrong turns to find their way to the exit. But, almost three hours after starting their ascent from the tomb, they eventually emerged from the wreck. After so long spent in the murky depths of the alien vessel, the sunlight was almost blinding, and it took Hudson’s eyes a few minutes to adjust. However, it wasn’t only the piercing sunlight that he needed time to adjust to. He also needed a few minutes to fully take in everything that had happened.
“I think I’d call that a successful first hunt,” said Hudson, resting his back on the railings of the platform outside the wreck entrance. It was raining, as it did most of the year on Bach Two, and Hudson held his head back, allowing the cooling droplets to soothe his tired face.
Liberty cocked an eyebrow, “I’m not sure I agree with your definition of successful. We almost died – three times.”
“Almost…” said Hudson, wiping the rain from his eyes and smiling back at her. “Any hunt where you don’t die is a good one, I’d say. Besides, we got out with a bag full of alien relics, and we’re another step closer to learning what the crystal is.”
Liberty nodded and half-shrugged at the same time, evidently finding it hard to argue with Hudson’s assessment. However, she then stiffened up, and anxiously started to check around them, as if expecting to be jumped on at any moment. “Do you think Cutler and Tory are still here?”
In the struggle to escape the wreck, and the relief of stepping back out into the open air again, Hudson had forgotten about the two mercenaries. He instinctively reached for the compact pistol in his shoulder holster, and felt reassured knowing it was still there.
“That's a good question, and one I can't answer,” said Hudson. “We’ve been gone for several hours. And if the RGF squad did arrest and charge them for damaging the wreck, it’s likely they would have been banned from entering the checkpoint district.” Then he shrugged, “For a few days, at least.”
Liberty frowned, and joined Hudson leaning against the balcony railings. The rain softly pattered against the tough fabric of her new relic hunter
’s jacket. Then she tilted her head to the side and glanced up at Hudson. “You don’t sound entirely convinced…”
“I’m not,” admitted Hudson. “Anyone with connections to someone as shady as Logan Griff probably has other shady friends too. I doubt Cutler would have survived this long without being able to talk, muscle or bribe his way out of worse situations.” Hudson suddenly had a compelling urge to leave the planet. The more he thought about Cutler and Griff, the more it felt like they were lurking just around the next corner.
“Come on, let’s declare our score and get it auctioned off on-site. We’ll need the credits to pay the taxes to the RGF and the CET, and to buy our ticket back to Earth.”
They made their way down the many staircases that ran parallel to the hull of the wreck until they reached the soft, slightly squelchy turf of Bach Two. The rain had started to come down harder, reducing their visibility. It made Hudson feel even more anxious about who might be up ahead. Cautiously, they proceeded to the checkpoint scanners and waited in the short line until their turn came.
“Place any relics that you need to declare onto the conveyor and then step through the scanner,” said a miserable looking RGF officer. Rainwater was running off his cap like it was a leaky gutter. “Any items you fail to declare will be picked up by the body scanner and confiscated by the RGF.”
Hudson nodded to Liberty, and she began to empty the relics from her rucksack into a wide, gray-colored plastic tray. As she was doing this another RGF officer approached, wearing his hood up to protect against the rain. He tapped the officer at the checkpoint scanner on the shoulder, and the two stepped away. They spoke for a few moments, beyond the earshot of Hudson. Though the driving rain made it difficult to hear anything other than water crashing against his leather jacket. Then the first officer simply moved over to man the adjacent checkpoint scanner, without offering an explanation. Hudson felt a shiver run down his spine; he could feel something was off. He slid his hand just inside his jacket, ready to draw the pistol, if needed. Then the newly-arrived RGF officer threw back his hood, and Hudson’s hand fell limply to his side.
“Hello, rook,” said Logan Griff, with a smile that made Hudson’s stomach churn. “I told you I’d find you.”
“What do you want, Griff?” said Hudson, trying to sound tough, even though it was clear what Griff wanted. “I’m a licensed relic hunter now. I have every right to be here.”
Liberty appeared at Hudson’s side, having finished emptying their score into the plastic tray. She looked first at Hudson, whose stare remained fixed on Logan Griff, and then to the RGF officer.
Griff’s sodden mustache twitched as he met Liberty’s eyes. He then wiped his fingers around the corners of his mouth as he looked her up and down, not even attempting to hide how blatantly he was checking her out. “I see you still haven’t learned a damn thing, rook,” said Griff, continuing to gawk at Liberty. “How long before you get this pretty little one killed too? I should just put her out of her misery now.”
Liberty took a step towards Griff, “Why don’t you come and try it, shit head,” she snarled at him. Hudson was quick to step between them, putting his back towards Griff as he did so. “Take it easy, Liberty,” said Hudson, in a hushed voice so only Liberty could hear. “Don’t give him a reason. He could put you in a cell just for the threat alone. Inside the checkpoint district, the RGF have all the power.”
Liberty looked up at him, rain streaming down her cheeks like tears, “But Hudson, we can’t just let him…”
“We don’t have a choice, Liberty,” Hudson interrupted. “There will be other opportunities. Other hunts. This isn’t over.”
Liberty’s eyes fell to the mud beneath her boots. Hudson wanted to say more, but he didn’t want to give Griff the satisfaction of seeing him console his partner. Instead, he turned to face his former training officer and stood tall. “Just get on with it, Griff. We all know why you’re here.”
Griff grinned again, and then walked over to the plastic tray of relics. “I’m afraid due to a violation of RGF code…” he then paused and pressed a finger to his temple, as if pretending to be deep in thought, “Five, Seven, Alpha… something… something…” he said, and then laughed at his own cruel joke. “I hereby confiscate these relics.” Griff then rummaged through the contents of the tray, before picking out a couple of super-conducting thermoelectric generators. He placed one into the top pocket of his coat, grinning even more nauseatingly at Hudson as he did so. Then, unexpectedly, he threw one high into the air behind them. Hudson and Liberty both spun around and saw the alien relic sail into the outstretched hands of Cutler Wendell.
Due to the clatter of the driving rain, and Logan Griff’s off-putting, sudden appearance, he hadn’t heard Cutler sneak up on them. And, as the mercenary stepped closer, Hudson could see that he wasn’t alone – Tory was just behind him. That she was still at his side angered Hudson almost as much as getting ripped off by Griff.
Liberty again darted forward, face twisted with rage, but Hudson caught her arm and held her back. His intervention was not a second too soon, as Cutler had already reached down and placed his hand on his weapon.
“Liberty, don’t,” said Hudson, more urgently. “Getting yourself killed won’t help us get even.”
“We’re not even close to even,” said Cutler, tossing the relic back to Tory. She caught it and placed it into the pocket of her armored jacket, holding Hudson’s eyes as she did so. “You’d better be watching your back, every hour of every day from now on, Hudson Powell,” Cutler continued. “Because I’m never going to stop coming for you.”
Griff tipped the remainder of the tray’s contents into a black satchel and then walked around the side of the Shaak radiation detector. He made an elaborate show of doing so, making sure that Hudson had seen him do it. Griff’s unspoken message was clear – the entire score was going directly into the pockets of the RGF. Straight to Chief Inspector Jane Wash. And Griff had already taken his slice.
“You may now pass through the detector,” said Griff, waving them on, as if conducting them into a gala ball.
Hudson walked through, defiantly, and then stood in front of Griff with his arms held wide. “Happy? Or do you want to frisk me first?”
“I think I’ll save that for your pretty little partner,” said Griff, wiping the corner of his mouth again. “And I’ll only be happy when I’m standing over your cold, dead corpse.” Then he looked at Liberty and smiled, “Come on, dumb rook junior,” he said, waving her through.
Liberty looked ready to rip Griff’s throat out, but she held her nerve and paced through the detector as defiantly as Hudson had done. And, as with Hudson, the Shaak detector picked up nothing. However, unlike Hudson, Liberty didn’t hold her arms out. She simply stood there, fists clenched so tightly that even the driving rain couldn’t seep in.
Griff moved in front of Liberty and checked her out again, as obviously as he had done before. “Are you sure you haven’t got anything hidden inside that snug little jacket of yours?” he said, leering down at her. “Maybe I should search you, just to be sure?”
Liberty took a step towards Griff, making Hudson flinch, worried for what she might do, but somehow, Liberty kept a lid on her fury.
“Touch me, and I will break you apart, asshole” said Liberty, glaring back at Griff. “Try it. Please…”
Hudson had met some menacing folk on his journeys, few more so than Cutler Wendell and Tory Bellona. However, in that moment, he doubted he’d seen anything more chillingly sinister than Liberty’s hateful glower at Logan Griff. Even Griff seemed to feel its menace, and he backed off, holding up his hands in surrender. Though, the sleazy smile never left his lips.
“You two idiots are free to go,” said Griff, glancing back at Hudson. “And good luck on your next hunt. I’ll enjoy taking that from you too.”
Hudson had nothing more to say; he feared that if he opened his mouth, he’d just say something he’d regret. They’d lost their score, bu
t still had their lives, and their freedom, if only so that Griff and his cronies could rob them again in the future. But being able to walk free was still a victory, and more than he had expected. He turned and strode away, nodding to Liberty to follow. She waited for a second and then barged past Griff, knocking him back a couple of paces, before quickly reaching Hudson’s side.
For several minutes Hudson and Liberty walked in silence, until they reached the border gate to the scavenger town. Then, once they were inside, Liberty let out a primal scream, and kicked over a stack of empty containers that had been piled up behind one of the commercial buildings.
“Liberty, it’s okay…” Hudson began, but Liberty was in no mood to be placated.
“It’s not okay, Hudson,” she yelled. “We have nothing. No relics, no credits, and no ticket back to Earth. All we have is about fourteen hundred hardbucks. That will barely last us a week. And then what? How is any of this okay?”
Hudson moved to her side and then ushered her down the backstreet behind the commercial building. “Look, Griff thinks I’m an idiot,” Hudson began. Liberty’s eyebrows raised up, but he didn’t allow her the chance to take a cheap shot at him. “Because of that, he didn’t bother to search me.” Hudson reached inside the shielded compartment in his jacket and pulled out the high-grade CPU shard he'd stashed there while inside the wreck. Suddenly Liberty’s eyes softened, and she stopped pacing up and down the street like a mad person. “We’re still in business, Liberty.”
Liberty looked at the shard and then at Hudson, and she burst out laughing. It was a pure, unfiltered sound of joy that filled Hudson with happiness.
“What do you say we go and buy ourselves a ship?” said Hudson.
Liberty charged at Hudson and flung her arms around him. “Whatever you say, skipper.”