by Jake Bible
“Not to get in Yellow Eyes’ racist mind funk, but they’re Skrang, Hessa,” Reck said. “Skrang always board ships. They aren’t so big on talking via comms.”
“Neither is Roak, so this should be interesting,” Hessa said. The alarms cut off.
“Thanks,” Reck said.
“Of course,” Hessa replied. “The Skrang have extended a boarding tunnel to the starboard airlock. You’ll want to proceed to that side of the ship immediately. I have the airlock covered with internal security cannons, but I’d prefer not to show them or use them if I don’t have to.”
“Keeping those in your back pocket for later?” Reck asked as she and Roak left the armory and made their way to the lift and the starboard airlock.
“I do not have pockets, but I believe I understand the metaphor, so yes to your inquiry,” Hessa said.
Roak stopped in his tracks in the middle of the corridor. He looked up at the ceiling.
“No,” he said.
“No what?” Reck asked.
“No to the switch,” Roak said. “I mean it, Hessa. Not acceptable. Especially if we’re being boarded by Skrang.”
“You could tell? Huh,” Hessa replied.
“Tell what?” Reck asked.
“Hessa and Ti’Ya switched voices,” Roak said. “That was Ti’Ya that was speaking to us before, not Hessa.”
Reck cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. “You can tell the AIs apart?”
“Yes. Not that hard,” Roak said. “Speech patterns are different.” He raised a finger and pointed at the ceiling. “And don’t try to alter your speech patterns to match each other. I’ll still figure it out. And I have no problem traveling around in an enviro suit after I wipe the life support system of Ti’Ya. You two hear me?”
“Told you he’d figure it out,” Hessa said. “He’s not as dense as he appears.”
“You were correct,” Ti’Ya said. “I’ll defer to you in all things Roak from now on. I thought my history with him would allow the deception to work.”
“It didn’t,” Roak snapped. “So no more deception.”
“Can we go take on some Skrang now?” Reck asked. “This crap is distracting us.”
“Hold on,” Roak said. “Ti’Ya? Stay in the background at all times. Do not make your presence known. We’re the only ones that know there are two sentient AIs on this ship. That is the trick we’ll keep in our back pocket.”
“Your light armor does not have back pockets,” Ti’Ya said. “But I understand what you are getting at.”
“Excellent idea, Roak,” Hessa said.
“I know,” Roak said then walked the rest of the way to the lift. “Come on.”
By the time Roak and Reck made it to the starboard airlock, five Skrang were already onboard and waiting for them. While the beings were basically muscle-bound lizard people that only did two things—make life and end it—the Skrang that stood in the corridor outside the airlock were barely armed. They had plenty of aggression emanating from the way they held themselves, but none had weaponry other than basic sidearms and a single plasma grenade.
Roak felt overdressed.
“Not gonna be much of a fight,” Roak said as he walked up to the Skrang standing at the lead of the group. “You guys forget something?”
“We are not here to fight you, Roak,” the lead Skrang said. He slapped a fist to his chest and nodded his head. “Shissleten.”
A couple of the Skrang behind Shissleten looked uncomfortable at their leader’s deference to Roak. Roak noted this instantly and tried not to grin. He failed and the Skrang hissed at him as the smile spread on his face.
“Sha Tog isn’t with you,” Roak stated and holstered his Flott. “He sent me to you because you guys are in trouble.”
“I would not say we are in trouble, no,” Shissleten replied. “But we do need your assistance.”
“They’re in trouble,” Reck agreed and smirked.
The Skrang hissed again and went for their sidearms. Shissleten held up a clawed hand and they all paused.
“The way you two smile is a sign of aggression amongst Skrang,” Shissleten said. “Please stop.”
“Not the first time I’ve heard that,” Roak said. “Come on. You like gump stew?”
“Gump stew?” Shissleten asked.
“Yeah. Gump stew. Chop up gump meat and throw it in a pot with vegetables and spices,” Roak said. “We’ve got a ton of it.”
“You cook your gump?” one of the Skrang asked. “Disgusting.”
“We cook most of our food,” Roak said. “Come on. Mess is this way.”
“No hidden weapons,” Hessa said into Roak’s comm. “Vital signs show apprehension and wariness, but I do not believe they are here to attack us.”
“Yeah, I figured that out,” Roak said. Reck frowned at him. “Hessa’s in my ear.”
Roak led them to the lift and they crammed in. Reck kept her eyes glued onto the Skrang, but Roak seemed somewhat relaxed. He was almost smiling again when they left the lift and walked into the mess. He had to wipe the smile from his face to keep from alarming the Skrang.
“Sit where you want,” Roak said. “You can bring up holos and order whatever food the replicator can make. I prefer the gump stew, but I’m sure the ship can make something raw.”
“You cannot poison us,” a Skrang said. “Skrang constitutions cannot be poisoned.”
“That’s not true,” Hessa said over the comm. “There are many substances within Skrang Alliance territory that can poison a Skrang, but the Galactic Fleet does not have access to them. I believe he meant”—”
“Got it,” Roak said and ignored the curious looks the statement drew from the watching Skrang. “Eat what you want. We were sent here by Sha Tog, so I doubt he expected us to try to poison you.”
“Sha Tog,” Shissleten said and slapped his chest with his fist again. The other Skrang followed suit. “He is honored amongst us.”
“Even though he’s a cripple?” Roak asked and sat down at a table. A bot rolled up and presented him with a steaming bowl of gump stew without his asking. “No offense, but I thought he was reviled because he didn’t off himself when he was wounded.”
“That is tradition, yes,” Shissleten said. “But not all Skrang believe in that tradition. There is an ancient belief that we are nothing if we do not learn from our elders.”
“Isn’t there a belief that Skrang are only as strong as the weakest member of your race?” Reck asked.
“Yes and that is very true,” Shissleten said. “But Sha Tog was not weak.”
“Was?” Roak asked.
“Is. I say was in reference to his service,” Shissleten said. “He is not weak now either.”
“I can agree with that,” Roak said around a mouthful of stew. “So, Shissleten, who am I hunting for you?”
Shissleten hissed. The other Skrang hissed. All of them turned and looked about the mess as if they were going to be attacked.
“Who has given us away?” Shissleten snarled.
“No one,” Roak said, calm and casual. “But I know Sha Tog. And the fact he isn’t here with you tells me there’s one more step to finding him. There’s nothing for free with that guy.”
“Sounds like someone else I know,” Hessa said in Roak’s ear.
“No. There is nothing for free with Sha Tog,” Shissleten said.
“You’re not too happy about that,” Reck said as she sat down at the farthest table in the mess, her eyes locked onto the Skrang.
Several Skrang eyes were locked onto her, but Shissleten didn’t seem concerned. He shrugged and continued addressing Roak.
“We will take you to Sha Tog so he can outfit your ship with advanced weaponry that the Galactic Fleet cannot counter easily,” Shissleten said. A couple of the Skrang spat when the GF was mentioned. “In exchange, we need you to find three Skrang that have taken something from us. You must find the Skrang as well as what they have taken or there is no deal.”
“What if we d
on’t find the Skrang, but find the something they took?” Roak asked.
“We must have the Skrang,” Shissleten said and hissed. “They have betrayed us and that must be rectified.”
“Gonna kill them fast or slow?” Reck asked.
“They will die of old age,” Shissleten said. “The worst end for a Skrang.”
“But you’ll torture them the entire time, right?” Reck asked.
“Of course,” Shissleten said.
“Thought so,” Reck said and looked to Roak. “What’s the call?”
“You do not have a choice!” one of the Skrang snarled.
Shissleten held up a hand. “Roak has a choice. There are consequences if he does not make the right choice, but he has a choice.”
“Here’s how I see it,” Roak said and pushed his bowl away. “I know what these Skrang stole from you. It’s obvious. I know why you need it all back. That’s obvious too. What’s not obvious is why you need me? I’m human.”
Reck coughed loudly.
“Human enough,” Roak continued. “Which will make it hard for me to navigate Skrang Alliance territory unnoticed. Can I track down these Skrang? Yes. Can I get back what was stolen? Probably, if it’s not already gone. Will I leave a swath of destruction in my path? You can bet on it. If I were you guys, I’d find a way to handle this issue on your own.”
Roak waited as each of the Skrang gave him a hard, vicious glare. Then he clapped his hands together.
“But the problem is you don’t have the resources to track these Skrang down because you are broke,” Roak said. “These Skrang were part of your little group, but they decided they didn’t want to be anymore and left. Maybe taking all of your chits with them? Am I close to the truth?”
“Yes,” Shissleten admitted with difficulty.
“And without chits, it’s hard to feed and arm an offshoot faction of Skrang. It’s even harder to get them to stay a part of that offshoot faction. You’re hemorrhaging numbers by the hour, aren’t you?”
“Not hemorrhaging,” Shissleten replied.
“But close,” Roak said. “So you can’t risk sending Skrang out to look for the Skrang that ripped you off because you need every Skrang to stay put and keep the other Skrang from deserting.”
“That’s a lot of Skrang,” Reck said.
“There’s one more part to all of this, though,” Roak said. “Even if you could spare Skrang to hunt Skrang and get your chits back, you wouldn’t. I can see it in your lizard eyes. So talk. What am I missing?”
Shissleten’s group started arguing in the Skrang tongue. Roak winced at the harsh tones and clipped sounds of the language. He had a mild headache by the time they were done conferring.
“The Skrang have left Skrang Alliance territory,” Shissleten said.
“There it is,” Roak said.
“And they are hiding with the Edgers,” Shissleten continued. “Which is why we need you to find them and retrieve them along with our stolen chits.”
“Edgers?” Roak asked.
“Yes,” Shissleten answered. “Edgers. Those that refuse to be a part of the failed Galactic Fleet society and wish only to build a territory of their own. They are not unlike us, except we are forever Skrang.”
“Forever Skrang!” the rest shouted and slapped their chests.
“I really don’t understand your platform, but that’s for you guys to deal with, not me,” Roak said. He sighed. “Edgers…”
“Is that an issue for you?” Shissleten asked. “Are you not welcome among the Edgers? One would think they would welcome someone such as Roak that also lives outside the Galactic Fleet societal norms.”
Reck snorted then looked away when Skrang eyes were cast in her direction.
“No, no issue with the Edgers,” Roak said. “How many chits are we talking?”
“When converted to Galactic Fleet currency, the total would be three hundred and fourteen million chits,” Shissleten said. “There was more, but we expect some to have been spent. If you bring back the three hundred and fourteen million, then I will take you and your people to Sha Tog.”
Roak stared.
“Is there another problem?” Shissleten asked.
“No problem at all,” Roak said. “Three hundred and fourteen million chits? Listen, Shissleten, if I retrieve that many chits, then there isn’t much of a reason to come back here.”
“Sha Tog said you would say that, so we are willing to give you a commission,” Shissleten said. “Ten percent.”
“We’ll take the job,” Reck said before Roak could reply. “We’ll get those chits and we’ll bring back the Skrang that ripped you off. Right, Roak?”
Roak glared then nodded. “Right, Reck. We’ll head to the Edge and get you your chits and your Skrang, Shissleten.”
“Sha Tog said you could be relied upon,” Shissleten said. “I am glad he was right. You have one week to meet us back in this location. Have the chits and the Skrang with you and you will be taken directly to Sha Tog.”
“Great,” Roak said.
17.
As soon as the Skrang were gone, Hessa turned the ship around and headed for the wormhole portal.
“Can’t wait to see how this turns out,” Bishop said.
“Don’t the Edgers hate you?” Yellow Eyes asked.
“He blew up Razer Station,” Nimm said.
“I didn’t blow it up,” Roak replied. “There were a lot at fault with that shit show.”
“Doesn’t matter who blew what up,” Reck said. “The Edgers blame you for it.”
“Yeah. They do,” Roak said.
“I have noted the time and date of that admission,” Hessa said, her voice coming from the speakers. “I now have two lists. When Roak apologizes and when Roak agrees with something that does not flatter him.”
“I couldn’t care less about flattery,” Roak said. “You can get rid of that list.”
“Where do we start?” Nimm asked. “The Edge is vast. Without Razer Station as a focal point, tracking down rogue Skrang is not going to be easy. That station would have been their obvious destination.”
“That is why the Skrang need Roak,” Hessa said. “Bishop? Any ideas?”
“Me? Nope,” Bishop replied. “I’d ask my contacts, but I have no idea which ones I can trust right now. Which is why we need my files. Which is why we need Sha Tog’s weaponry. Which is why we’re hunting for Skrang at the Edge. I’m gonna have to sit this one out.”
“Then shut up and don’t get in the way,” Roak said. “Hessa? Any way to track the Skrang via wormhole portals?”
“I have already tried, but the Skrang do not maintain their wormhole portals properly, so there is too much digital noise in the records,” Hessa replied.
“Ti’Ya?” Roak asked reluctantly.
“I am the reason Hessa has had access to the wormhole portal records,” Ti’Ya said. “That is part of my special skill set, Roak.”
“Just checking in to see if you have any additional data,” Roak said. “I have a couple ideas of where the Skrang are, but I’d rather not go there yet.”
“What are your ideas, man?” Yellow Eyes asked. “Do they include shooting someone or something with your big pistol? I bet they include shooting someone or something with your big pistol.”
“Not helping,” Roak said. “No. Well, yes, but not if I can help it. I know a couple of planets where… No, they’re more moons… Asteroids… Hunks of rock that the Edgers have carved out bases in. With the amount of chits the Skrang are hauling, there are only two places they could go and not get completely ripped off.”
“They are Skrang, Roak,” Ti’Ya said. “They are formidable fighters on their own. Even the Edgers will have a hard time taking them down and stealing their chits.”
“I agree,” Roak said and glared up at the ceiling. Hessa didn’t comment on marking a time and date. “Which leads us to these two locations.”
Roak brought up a holo and centered it on the bridge for all to see.
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“This one is Margan Base,” Roak said. “It used to be an asteroid rich in ternolium, the main elements in creating a plasma charge for weapons. Once it was emptied of the ternolium ore, the asteroid was left to drift on its own. It collided with a few other asteroids and was cut down to this size. But the main mining facilities were left intact. Edgers commandeered the asteroid and dragged it for years out to the Edge to use as a base. We can be there in a day or two.”
“Thirty-eight hours,” Hessa stated.
“The second is this,” Roak said and banished Margan Base from the holo. He brought up the last possible destination. “Legend.”
“Oh, shit no!” Bishop exclaimed as he jumped up from his seat. “You know for a fucking fact that if I am anywhere near Legend, they’ll flay me alive, cook my skin, and feed my own cooked skin to me!”
“No, they won’t,” Roak said with a smirk. “They’d never take the time to cook your skin first. They’d just feed it to you until your stomach burst or you bled to death, whichever comes first.”
“Gonna need to hear this story,” Reck said and kicked her boots up onto the console. “Out with it, Bishop.”
“No, Roak,” Bishop said, ignoring Reck. “You want me dead then kill me yourself and toss me out the airlock. Do not make me go to Legend.”
“Legend is also a former asteroid, but it was never a mine,” Roak continued. “It was a prison.”
“Which was shut down well before Bishop was born,” Reck said. “So what’s his connection?”
“Yes, it was shuttered as a prison centuries before Bishop was born,” Roak said. “But, it is exactly where Bishop was born. It is also where Bishop sold his first piece of intel. The result was that the asteroid was overtaken by a syndicate.” Roak smiled at Bishop. “Sure you don’t want to tell the story?”
“I can tell it, as well,” Ti’Ya said. “This story is well known in certain circles.”
“No, Roak, you go ahead,” Bishop said and sat down. “You’re having too much fun. Not gonna take that away from you.”
“Not like how you took his chits away, right, man?” Yellow Eyes asked. “Good stuff.”