Long Shot

by Christopher Williams

They headed back out of the hangar and walked back towards the main part of the spaceport. The ship they were flying in was a Messerthrop R17. The R17s were made for intermediate cargo runs and it was too big to fit into Locke’s hangar, instead it was waiting for them at landing pad fifty-six red.

  They reached it without any incident after about a ten minute walk. The spaceport had moving sidewalks, which tended to speed up the commute.

  The R17 was a rather unimaginative triangular shape. The point of the nose was rounded off and the thick viewports of the bridge could be seen up higher, towards the middle of the ship. The landing gear was over eight feet tall, allowing free access to the ship’s underside. There was a large ramp towards the rear of the ship for loading and unloading, but the cargo was already onboard, so the ramp was closed. A smaller hatch was open in the underside, and folding stairs had been lowered. An unfamiliar man stood at the bottom of the stairs and he was watching their approach.

  They stopped short and gave the names they were using. Aaron was immensely pleased that Locke’s organization had helped them with the fake ID’s. “I’m Aaron Folstom and this is Russell Willis. We’ve been assigned to the crew.” The assignment had only come down late the previous day so they hadn’t had a chance to take a look at the ship.

  The man looked them over and nodded. He was of Oriental descent and rather short. Aaron guessed his age at around forty. He was young enough that his hair had not started going grey yet. A nasty scar covered most of his left hand; it looked like some sort of burn. “Been expecting you. I’m Huan.” He motioned over his shoulder back towards the stairs. “The Captain is escorting the inspector through the ship so you’ll have to wait here for a bit.”

  “Inspector?” Aaron repeated looking confused. He had been on several short trips and they had not had an inspector see them off before.

  Huan glanced back up the stairs. “Have to be inspected occasionally or someone might start asking questions. Have no fear though, we’ll pass the inspection.”

  Of that, Aaron had no doubt.

  They had to wait for nearly a quarter of an hour before two men emerged from the hatch and descended the stairs. The first man down the stairs was a white middle-aged man wearing the uniform of a port customs official. He ignored the three men already on the ground and instead waved back at the second man descending the stairs. “Luck to you,” he called over his shoulder and then exited their landing pad.

  The second man was older, maybe as much as sixty years old. He was a white, clean-shaven man with short, grey hair. He reminded Aaron of a drill sergeant he had known during his early days in the Commonwealth army. He was still muscular through the arms, but his stomach was protruding well over his belt.

  Aaron cleared his throat and resisted the urge to come to attention. This wasn’t the army and he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself. Instead, he nodded at the older man. “You must be the Captain. I’m Aaron Folstom and this is Russell Willis. We were told to report to you this morning.”

  The Captain didn’t speak for a moment; he seemed to be sizing the two of them up. Finally, he nodded. “I’m Captain Helton. While you’re on my ship, you’ll do as you’ll told and without any backtalk. Understand?”

  “Yes sir,” Aaron said. He was careful to speak in an amicable manner and not snap the words out like he would have in the military.

  “When you’re on duty, I expect you to focus on your tasks. If I catch either of you drinking while on watch, I’ll flay you alive. Absolutely no fighting onboard my ship. You solve your disagreements yourselves or you bring them to me, but do not start a fight. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” Aaron repeated and this time Russell echoed him. He didn’t actually think the man would flay them, but as Captain of the ship he did have extraordinary authority while underway. He made a mental note not to try the man, but he seemed to only have two rules; do your job and don’t fight. It seemed easy enough.

  After a brief moment, the Captain jerked his head backwards over his shoulder. “Get your gear stowed. Huan!” he barked, “show ‘em the way.”

  It only took a few minutes to get their gear stowed in the crew quarters. The berthing area was one large room, roughly thirty feet long and ten feet wide. There were eight bunks built into the walls at one end of the room. Each side had two columns of two bunks. Russell took an upper bunk, and Aaron claimed the last lower bunk. The crew consisted of the Captain, who had his own cabin, and five men. Huan, they had already met, and two others; Briggs and Jackson. Both men regarded Aaron and Russell warily. It took a moment for Aaron to remember that the story of how he had whooped Xim had made the rounds pretty quickly. It would probably be some time before he had to provide another demonstration.

  The far end of the berthing area consisted of lockers and two small tables. A doorway led into the small head. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it would have to do for a short while.

  Aaron had no sooner sat down on his bunk when the Captain entered and he popped back to his feet.

  A second man entered behind the Captain and Aaron was surprised to see Xim. The Captain did not take the lead, but instead stood to one side and let Xim speak.

  “Been a change of plans,” Xim said, watching Aaron and Russell. “You two are to come with me,” he paused and then added, “and bring your gear. You’re not going on this flight.”

  “That leaves me awful shorthanded,” Captain Helton said.

  “Can’t be helped, but it will increase each person’s share,” Xim said.

  Each cargo typically had a bonus assigned to it, more dangerous deliveries would obviously have a higher bonus. The bonus was split amongst the crew with the Captain getting the largest piece of the pie, but every crewman got something. With two less crewmen, there would be more work for the rest of them, but there would also be a larger bonus at the end of the voyage.

  Feeling a little anxious, Aaron did as he was told. He scooped his duffel bag off of the bunk and, pausing only long enough to make sure that Russell was doing likewise, he followed Xim through the ship and back out into the early morning light.

  “Xim?” Aaron called, hurrying to catch up, “what’s going on?”

  Xim slowed his pace slightly and looked back. “Not sure. Locke sent me to get you two and bring you back.”

  “And you don’t know why?”

  Xim shook his head. “No, but you can relax. If Locke suspected you of anything too bad he would have sent a group of armed men and not just me.”

  Aaron found that only slightly comforting.

  Chapter 12

  They reached the hangar ten minutes later and Xim led them down the stairs. Like the medical facility where Jessica worked, Locke’s office was located below the hangar.

  On their way through the cavernous building, Aaron tried to observe the other few workers that he could see. He was curious as to what their reactions would be. Would they stop and watch the small procession or ignore it? To his relief they completely ignored the three of them. He had been afraid that something bad had happened and that these workers would tip him off by staring, but either everything was okay or the workers were still in the dark.

  It only took a few minutes to reach the door to Locke’s office and Xim led Russell and Aaron past the lone guard and into the small room. It hadn’t changed much since Aaron’s first visit here, but Aaron was surprised to see the occupants of the room. In addition to Locke, three people sat waiting: Susan, Adam, and Jessica. Jessica and Adam sat on the couch facing Locke’s desk. Susan sat in the far chair, convenient in that it allowed her to watch both Locke and the door to the office. There was one chair vacant opposite Susan, as well as room for two more on the couch.

  “Come in,” Locke called. He motioned to the couch. “Take a seat.”

  Xim started to move around the edge of the couch but he froze when Locke spoke again. “Not you, Xim. Please wait outside.”

  Xim’s forehead wrinkled in confusion and he glanced around the room.
“You sure?”

  Locke smiled. “Yes, please give us some privacy.”

  While Xim was leaving, Russell took a seat on the couch next to Jessica and Aaron chose the chair opposite Susan.

  “I have a problem,” Locke said once the door was closed. “I was rather hoping you could help me.”

  “What sort of problem?” Aaron asked.

  “Someone got into my computer and got a partial dump. Some of my customers might be in that dump, and these men would not like to have their names spread around.”

  Aaron’s first thought was that he suspected one of them of having broken into the computer, but if that had been the case he suspected this discussion would be happening while someone pointed a gun at them. “How can we help with that?”

  “I know where the person is,” he paused, “and I need someone to go and retrieve the data.”

  Aaron glanced at Susan and then the rest of his group. He saw his own confusion mirrored in their faces. “I don’t understand.”

  “The information that was stolen is encrypted. It can’t be copied until the encryption codes are broken, which should take at least another day or so. Once the data is unencrypted, it can be broadcast, auctioned off, or used for blackmail. I have to get the cube back before that happens.”

  A cube was a small metallic cube, about three inches on a side, and it was used for transporting vast amounts of information. It seemed that this cube contained the partial dump that had been stolen.

  “How exactly do you know where the cube is located?” Russell asked.

  “I’m very protective of my computer systems. Any cubes that I allow into my offices are equipped with a microscopic tracker. I know where the cube is and I need someone to retrieve it before the codes are broken.” Locke said, studying each of them in turn.

  “And why do you need us to retrieve it?” Aaron asked.

  Locke sighed. “The cube is located several klicks north of the city on a rather large estate.” He smiled but it was not a warm smile. “The property belongs to a competitor of mine and is heavily guarded.”

  “So what are we, cannon fodder?” Adam asked. “What’s the plan, send us in to distract them while someone else steals it back? Or did you just intend to blow up the whole place?”

  Locke spread his hands in front of him in a calming gesture. “Nothing like that, I assure you. I don’t have anyone with the necessary skills to break in and get the cube, but I think you guys might just be able to pull this off.”

  “And why don’t you just hire someone more suited to this?” Aaron asked.

  “First of all, I don’t have time to bring in a professional from off-world. They wouldn’t be here in time, so that only leaves me with those thieves that already are on Beta Leporis. I don’t much like the idea of hiring local talent. Even if they get the job done, I don’t trust them to keep this quiet and this story getting out is the last thing I want.”

  “What’s is worth to you?” Susan asked. It was the first thing that she had said so far.

  Aaron shot her a look. He wasn’t sure he believed Locke and he didn’t want to get mixed up in a war between crime syndicates. Susan looked calm, pretty much like she always did. Her eyes flicked to meet his briefly and Aaron thought he heard the word ‘quiet.’ It was nearly inaudible and he wasn’t sure he had actually heard it. Susan, being a telepath, could hear other people’s thoughts and sense their emotions, but she could also project her thoughts towards other people. The problem was that she couldn’t fine-tune her projections. Anyone around her would be able to hear the things she projected. He assumed that’s why she had been nearly inaudible.

  Locke smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I’ll give each of you five thousand credits upon your return with the cube.”

  Susan also smiled. “Fifty, each.”

  The smile disappeared from Locke’s face in a flash. “Fifty! There’s no way. Forget it!”

  “Fine,” Susan said, still smiling. “We’re not interested.”

  “All right,” Locke said, after a moment. “You can consider yourselves fired. Get out of my office.”

  “Fine,” Susan said again. “Maybe the person with the cube will want to hire us.”

  Locke’s eyes widened in surprise and then he bolted to his feet.

  Aaron rose quickly and faced Locke. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  Locke’s looked from Susan to Aaron and then at the other three, who were still seated on the couch. He swallowed hard and seemed to be regretting his decision to make Xim leave the room. After a moment he returned to his seat. “My apologies,” he said. “I spoke in anger. I’ll give you twenty thousand each.”

  “Forty,” Susan said, she too returned to her seat. She was still smiling. “That’s as low as we’ll go.”

  After a moment Locke nodded. “Deal,” he said and held his hand out towards Aaron, who was still standing in front of his desk.

  Aaron was a little surprised at how quickly the man had given in and didn’t immediately shake hands. He slowly reached out. “We have a deal at forty thousand credits each?”

  Locke nodded. “Now get the fuck out of my office and don’t come back without the cube.”

  As they all stood, Russell hesitated and then said, “We’ll need more information and access to some gear.”

  Locke tossed a small crystal and Russell caught it out of the air. “All the information that I have is on there. Tell Xim what equipment you need and he’ll take care of it.”

  They left the hangar in the early afternoon after having reviewed the information on the crystal. There wasn’t much info, but the information they had was frightening. The compound they were going to rob was equipped with the most modern intrusion detectors and alarms. In addition, heavily armed guards patrolled the grounds and the corridors. The place was a nightmare.

  While they were in the hangar, they had discussed what the mission would require, but not much else. On several occasions Aaron had opened his mouth to discuss Locke with Susan, but every time she had shook her head quickly and he had closed his mouth without so much as a word.

  Russell had taken charge of equipping them from Locke’s supplies and they each now carried a large duffel bag. Russell and Aaron carried two such bags, as they still had their supplies from their cancelled trip. They left the hangar and barely spoke a word until they were safely in their apartment.

  Aaron set both his bags down on the floor and then turned to Susan. “Can we talk now?”

  “Yes,” she said, without so much as a smile. “I felt we were being watched while we were at the hangar.”

  “Was he lying?” Aaron asked. “Could you tell?”

  “Not exactly,” Susan answered. “He’s a very smart man and very disciplined. I couldn’t exactly get his thoughts, but there is definitely something that he didn’t tell us.”

  “What a surprise,” Russell said sarcastically. He set his bag down and then moved over to the couch.

  “Is that all you got?” Aaron asked. “That he’s holding something back.”

  “I demanded fifty thousand to shock him and it worked. It definitely angered him but he had no intention of firing us.” She paused and chewed briefly on her bottom lip. “It’s harder for me to tell if he’ll keep his word about paying us though. I didn’t feel any concern there.”

  “He probably thinks we won’t make it back,” Jessica said. “He won’t have to pay us if we’re dead.”

  Adam smiled. “And you notice how he offered us five thousand each. That was probably in case some of us died along the way, then he would have to pay out less money.”

  Aaron ignored the younger man’s comments and instead turned his attention to Russell. “Any idea how we’re going to get in, steal the cube, and then get back out alive?”

  “Maybe,” Russell said. He leaned forward and unzipped the bag he had been carrying. He removed a small tablet from the top and turned it on. Immediately a 3D image of the compound popped into view. Locke had retasked
a satellite to take a geostationary orbit over the compound. The satellite was providing constant updates that were displaying on the tablet. The satellite wasn’t running sensor sweeps of the buildings, but it was doing passive sensor scans.

  The compound was located a little over fifteen kilometers north of the city of Anduilapore and was bordered on the east by a road which was the primary way of getting there. To the west was a long manmade lake. The lake was passable, but it presented some challenges that they simply didn’t have time to overcome.

  “North and south of the buildings are forest,” Russell said pointing to the 3D image. I think Aaron and I should take up positions, one to the north and one to the south. We’ll fire on the guards at the same time that you three,” he paused and looked at Susan, Jessica, and Adam, “will enter through the front door. Our attacks should draw the guards to the edges of the building but you will need to overcome any stragglers.”

  “That’s your plan?” Aaron asked, staring at Russell.

  Russell shrugged. “It’s the best I can do in so short a time.” He pointed back to the 3D display of the compound. “Look, there are motion detectors and pressure sensors throughout the grounds. There’s no way we could reach the building through the forests. The lake is also a dead end. It’s full of sensors and probably booby trapped. The only way in is through the front door.”

  “What about the roof?” Adam asked.

  “The roof?” Russell repeated, looking confused.

  “Yeah, are there any sensors in the roof?” Adam asked.

  Russell turned back to the small 3D display and studied the small building. He keyed for more information from the satellite and studied the output for several moments. “I don’t think so. Why? What are you thinking?”

  “If we can’t get there over the ground, then why not fly in silently and land on the roof?” Adam said, looking like he was getting excited.

  “Russell looked back to the tablet for several long moments. “How can you get us there silently? And won’t we be seen?”