by Jake Bible
In the co-pilot’s seat was a Tcherian, a chameleon-like race that instantly turned its skin to match the ship’s control console, which did nothing since it was still obvious someone was sitting in the seat.
Roak risked a glance over his shoulder, but all he saw were Bishop, Reck, and Yellow Eyes bound and piled up together on the floor.
“You guys good?” Roak asked.
Reck glared and started shouting around her gag. Yellow Eyes was unconscious. And Bishop only shrugged.
“You Roak?” the Urvein asked.
Roak looked back at the large being and frowned.
“What’s it to you?” Roak replied.
“Just want to make sure I’m killing the correct man,” the Urvein said as he slowly stood up.
Roak knew the guy’s brother. He’d been a bouncer for a friend of Roak’s on the gaming planet, Ballyway. But that Urvein had died due to the mess Bishop had created. This Urvein was ready for payback and expected Roak to settle that death debt.
“Malik, is it?” Roak asked. “I knew your brother, Taps. Nice guy. Great bouncer. Sorry he didn’t make it.”
The Urvein towered over Roak, but there wasn’t much room for the massive being to maneuver on the bridge. Roak could tell the Urvein knew that, which was why he hadn’t attacked immediately. He was waiting for Roak to screw up and make it easy for him. Roak had zero intention of letting that happen.
“Let me guess,” Roak said as Malik glared down at him. “You think I’m responsible for your brother’s death and you want me to pay for that.”
“Yep,” Malik said.
“I get that. Been there,” Roak said. “Except you’re wrong. You want the guy responsible? You already tied him up. That one there. He set everything in motion that led to your brother being killed.”
“The yellow thing?” the Tcherian asked, still in bad camouflage mode.
“No, the human,” Roak said.
“Thanks, pal,” Bishop said. “Good to know you’ve got my back.”
“Have I ever given the impression that I’ve had your back, Bishop?” Roak asked.
Malik growled and Roak could feel the vibrations through his boots.
“This is Bishop?” Malik asked. He brought up a holo from his wrist, checked it, then swiped it away. “He’s on my list too. Same with the Shilo Syndicate.”
“The Shilo Syndicate?” Bishop asked and laughed. “Buddy, good luck with that.”
“I took them out,” Roak said.
“With some help,” Bishop said. “I started that ball rolling.”
“SHUT UP!” Malik roared.
“MOMMY!” Yellow Eyes shouted as he came awake and sat bolt upright.
“Stun that one again!” Malik ordered.
The Tcherian’s image swirled, but the being never made it out of its seat. Roak put a laser through its ear and it slumped dead across the control console.
Yellow Eyes was untied and standing next to Roak so fast that no one even saw the being move.
“They have a stun thingy that affects me,” Yellow Eyes said. “Not too happy about that, thank you very much.”
“Cry about it later,” Roak said, focusing on Malik. “What’s the play here? You can try to attack me, but you’ll be jamming your elbows against the ceiling and walls so much you’ll never get a true swing at me. And Yellow Eyes can slice you to pieces by the time I snap my fingers.”
“I, uh, don’t have any blades on me,” Yellow Eyes said and was gone in a blur. Then he was back with several sharp blades gripped in his nub hands. “Fixed that.”
Malik’s eyes widened and his lip curled up in a sneer, showing off his incisors for all to see.
“Whoa,” Yellow Eyes said. “You’re gonna want to start flossing. You should see the plaque buildup you got going on there.”
“Shut up,” Roak said calmly.
“Shutting up,” Yellow Eyes replied and took a few steps back.
“Uh, gonna cut us loose?” Bishop asked.
“Roak?” Yellow Eyes asked.
“Go ahead,” Roak said.
“Thanks, buddy,” Bishop said.
“I know why you’re here. I get revenge, trust me,” Roak said. “What I don’t know is how you boarded us or where my AI is?”
“Your AI?” Hessa snapped in Roak’s ear. “I’d appreciate it if you rephrased that.”
“Where have you been?” Roak replied. Malik looked puzzled and Roak waved him off.
“They shot the ship with a stasis beam,” Hessa said. “It penetrated the hull on a molecular level. It knocked out everyone except you since you were already asleep. I transferred over to their ship to study the tech. Just got back.”
“Leaving me to deal with this crap on my own?” Roak snarled.
“You handled it,” Hessa said. “As I knew you would.”
“Have you seen the lift?”
“Just some fire damage. No structural issues. Easy to fix. I already have the bots on it. They’re also cleaning up the corpses you left behind. Oh, and the one at the bottom of the maintenance shaft is not going to be easy. There is a lot of pulp from that fall. A lot of pulp.”
“This bastard is about to be pulp too,” Reck said as she got to her feet and tried to get past Roak. He stopped her with an elbow to her chest.
“Hessa? Is this an open conversation?” Roak asked.
“Only for those with my comm implants in them,” Hessa said. “I thought it rude to leave the others out. And there was no need to repeat myself later.”
“You find that stasis tech?” Bishop asked. “I know a buyer that would be interested. Worth a detour to make some chits.”
“I might be able to duplicate it,” Hessa said. “Roak?”
“We’ll talk about that later,” Roak said. “You. Malik. You all that’s left?”
“There are more beings on his ship,” Hessa said.
“Hessa, let me handle this,” Roak snapped.
“Fine. Waste time,” Hessa huffed.
“Malik?” Roak asked again.
“That voice in your ear probably already told you I have more on my ship,” Malik stated. “Sounds like it also figured out my little toy.”
“Yes to all of that,” Roak said. “How do you want this to go?”
“Do I have a choice?” Malik asked.
“I liked Taps. He was good Urvein,” Roak said. “He didn’t deserve to die.”
“This asshole does, though,” Reck snapped. “Knock me out and see if he lives.”
“Living is his choice,” Roak said and turned to glare at Reck. He continued glaring until she took two steps back then he focused back on Malik. “You want to live, Malik? Or do you want to try to kill me and end up dead like your brother?”
“Honor dictates I kill you,” Malik said.
“Honor is immortal and doesn’t give a shit about us living beings,” Roak said. “I wouldn’t put too much trust in honor.”
“Scum like you would say that,” Malik said.
Roak groaned. “I’m not going to ask again. For your brother’s sake, I’ll let you go back to your ship and get the fuck out of here with your hide intact. Or you can make a move and go to whatever afterlife you Urveins believe in.”
“That was a little racist,” Yellow Eyes said.
“You can go with him,” Roak snarled.
“Oh, right, supposed to be shutting up,” Yellow Eyes replied. “Sorry.”
“I choose—!” Malik began but never finished his sentence as Roak fired and blew his head off, splattering brains, bone, and blood all over the bridge’s view shield.
“He didn’t get to say what he chose,” Yellow Eyes exclaimed.
“He was going to attack,” Roak said and turned to face everyone.
“Agreed,” Reck said.
“Oh, for sure,” Bishop said.
“Really? You could tell?” Yellow Eyes asked.
“His vital signs showed he was about to get very violent,” Hessa said.
“Hessa,
blast their ship to all the Hells,” Roak said as he stared at the mess he’d made. “And get the bots up here to clean this.”
6.
When the Eight-Three-Eight finally reached Ligston Station, six Galactic Fleet contracted fighters were waiting to escort the ship to the landing docks. Roak wasn’t too surprised by the greeting.
He wasn’t surprised by the squad of security troopers that were waiting at the bottom of the ship’s rear ramp, either. He could take most of them, but Commander Nimm had prepared appropriately and the numbers weren’t in Roak’s favor.
“He’s unarmed,” the lead trooper said after scanning Roak from a safe distance.
A figure threaded through the troopers and stood with hands on hips, looking up the ramp at Roak.
“He’s never unarmed,” Commander Nimm said. “So don’t fool yourselves.”
“Nimm,” Roak responded with a smirk.
“Where are your friends?” Commander Nimm asked.
She was a Lipian, a genetically engineered race designed to serve as prostitutes. Even after millennia of freedom from their designers, the Lipians still held to their purpose. Except for a few rogues that refused to submit to their predetermined careers. Nimm was one of those rogues.
The woman channeled her hormonal boosts into becoming a Marine for the Galactic Fleet then as a private contractor for whoever would hire her. Eventually, the job caught up to her and she lost both of her legs and her right arm. Forced to replace them with synthetics, she retired from the contracting game and called in some favors to get a job as Commander of Ligston Station.
Roak helped her get the Ligston gig, which made him a continual thorn in her side.
“Good to see you, Nimm,” Roak said. “New synthetics? No hitch in your gait.”
“Are you seriously trying to sweet talk me, Roak?” Nimm asked. “You must be desperate if you’re trying that crap. I know you, Roak. You don’t have anything sweet in you. Answer my question. Where are your friends?”
Roak hooked a thumb back over his shoulder. Reck, Bishop, and Yellow Eyes stepped from the shadows of the catwalk above the far end of the ship’s hold.
“Your AI going to give me any trouble?” Nimm asked.
“I doubt it,” Roak said.
“That doesn’t fill me with confidence,” Nimm replied.
“Says the woman with a squad of security troopers aiming plasma rifles at me,” Roak countered.
“I’ve dealt with Hessa before, Roak,” Nimm said. “She’s temperamental on a good day.”
“The ship will leave the station and stay a safe distance away while we are down on the planet,” Roak said.
“It will?” Reck asked from above.
Roak ignored her.
“Still not filling me with confidence, Roak,” Nimm said. “Your ship can do a lot of damage to this station if it is sitting out there in space. I’d rather have it locked down on this docking bay with full weapons restraints instead.”
“I’d rather not,” Roak said.
“Then good luck getting permission to go to the planet’s surface,” Nimm said. “Unless you happen to have an extra space elevator in your pocket. Got one of those, Roak?”
“Not on me, no,” Roak said. “But there’s always the option to drop straight from orbit. Picked up a few reentry suits on my travels.”
“Oh, I’d love to see you try,” Nimm said and laughed. Some of her troopers laughed with her. “You have any idea what happens to anything that tries to enter the atmosphere from space? It burns up within a kilometer. The oxygen ignites and turns the object to dust. Makes for a great light show for the surface dwellers. Causes all kinds of panic, but usually is harmless.”
“That’s why they have the elevator,” Yellow Eyes stated. “I get it now. They aren’t kidding about one way on and one way off.”
“No, we are not kidding,” Nimm said, still focused on Roak. “How’s it going to go, Roak?”
“Hessa?” Roak asked.
“If the ship must stay, then the ship must stay,” Hessa said, her voice coming from the loudspeakers in the cargo hold.
“There you have it,” Roak said to Nimm. “You get your wish. Can we get on that elevator of yours and go down to the surface now?”
“Once we get you all through full scans,” Nimm said. “Unfortunately, some things have changed down there since you were last here. Lawman Pitch is not a forgiving fellow. He has the surface on constant lockdown. I not only have to make sure no weapons get to the surface, but also no contraband of any kind. There’s a list.”
“I bet there is,” Roak said. “Once we get clear of the scanners, then we’re free to go down?”
“I have to report your presence,” Nimm said, looking amused. “Lawman Pitch insists that all visitors are registered. That way he doesn’t get any surprise visits.”
“I was planning on having a chat with him anyway,” Roak said. He raised his eyebrows. “That it?”
“I also need to report you and your friends to the GF,” Nimm said. Her amused look fled quickly and was replaced by true regret. “Sorry about that, but if I don’t, Pitch will. You don’t want that.”
“Any chance you can delay that report?” Roak asked.
“No chance at all,” Nimm said. “I’ll have to copy Pitch on the report or he’ll send his own and it will not be flattering to either of us.”
“What’d you do to this Pitch guy?” Bishop asked.
Nimm glanced up and frowned. “You.”
“Me,” Bishop replied. “Nice to meet in person, Commander Nimm.”
“No, it is not,” Nimm replied. “Your little heist is what caused this crackdown. You messed with things that are now nearly impossible to set right.”
“Break a few extra income streams of yours?” Bishop chuckled. He climbed down from the catwalk, followed by Reck and Yellow Eyes. “My bad. I’ll figure out how to make it up to you.”
“Chits would be nice,” Nimm said.
“Get in line,” Roak said. “He’s got a significant debt to repay first before anyone else gets their pieces.”
“Fine,” Nimm said, holding her hands up. “I know better than to get between Roak and his chits.”
“Smart lady,” Bishop said.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t take a pound of flesh off you, though,” Nimm said to Bishop. The man blanched.
“I need him healthy,” Roak said as a couple of troopers moved to grab Bishop. Roak blocked them and they glanced back at Nimm. “Tell them to back off, Nimm. Weapons restraints aren’t active yet.”
Six plasma cannons appeared from the walls of the cargo hold and took aim at the troopers. Plasma rifles were raised. Voices were raised. Blood pressure went through the roof.
“Leave him be,” Nimm said and the troopers backed down. Plasma rifles remained raised, though. “Escort them all to the scanners.” She pointed a finger at Roak. “No trouble or you all end up in space without enviro suits.”
“Understood,” Roak said. “Only trying to get to the planet’s surface. Your station is safe, Nimm.”
“I’ll believe that when you are gone from my jurisdiction,” Nimm said. “And I’m thinking forever.”
“You’re going to ban me from Ligston?” Roak asked then shook his head. “Nimm. Come on now.”
“Nothing but all the Hells is what you’ve brought me these past couple of years, Roak,” Nimm said as the group was escorted by troopers away from the landing docks and into a large glowing chamber. “I barely kept my position after this Bishop asshole pulled his little stunt.”
“I didn’t put him up to it,” Roak said as the chamber’s doors slid open and the troopers gestured for everyone to step inside.
“Collateral damage, Roak,” Nimm said.
She waited outside the chamber as the doors slid closed. She mouthed more words, but the chamber’s walls made it impossible to hear. Roak gave her a bland smile and nodded.
The scans took close to an hour. When they were done, door
s on the opposite side of the chamber opened and a new squad of troopers were standing there, rifles at the ready.
“Follow,” the lead trooper said and started walking down a dark corridor.
Beings were queued up along the walls of the corridor, making way for the troopers, Roak, and the others. Most of the beings had angry scowls on their faces.
“Oh, I think we’re getting cutsies,” Yellow Eyes said. “Kind of a rude way to start off of the trip.”
“This is not a trip,” Roak snapped. “We’re not going down there to sightsee or be entertained by anything.”
“Not that there’s much entertainment on Ligston,” Reck scoffed. “The place is a backwater craphole.”
That garnered the group even more scowls as locals on their way home took offense at Reck’s statement. She scowled back until faces turned away.
“In you go,” the lead trooper said as the elevator’s doors opened. “You will be monitored the entire way. Try anything and your group will be ejected into the atmosphere without warning. Let me stress that part. You will not be warned in any way if you try anything.”
“No warnings. Good to know,” Bishop said.
Roak stepped onto the elevator with the others then turned and faced the lead trooper.
“What’s Pitch’s status up here?” Roak asked. “He have any allies? Friends? Business acquaintances?”
“Lawman Pitch is a highly respected member of the planet’s bureaucracy,”
the lead trooper said with a sneer. “And cheap as all the Hells.”
Roak smiled. “Good to know. Thanks. See you all in a day or so.”
The elevator doors closed and sealed.
“Please take your seats and strap in,” an automated voice sounded from speakers in the ceiling. “Please take your seats and strap in. High-velocity descent has been requested.”
“That Nimm sure knows how to be a host,” Bishop said as he sat down fast and strapped himself in. “We get the extra fast treatment.”
“You’re not going to like this,” Roak said.
“I’ve done high-velocity drops before,” Bishop said.