by Max Jager
Paradise meets agriculture.
Chino was the border between the two zones; a small city with few high rises and a semi decent spaceport to set the skiff down at. This definitely wasn't the first or tenth place Jameson would have thought to land when visiting this world. If things had turned out differently and he had found himself leading the Fleet in orbit, he might never have known this little seaside community existed.
Fate was a strange mistress.
The moment the skiff touched down, Madeira raced for the exit door, breathing in the salty air with satisfaction. "It's beautiful out here."
Jameson stepped up from his pilot's chair, following Madeira outside and onto the landing platform. The weather really was gorgeous. The database said it was early autumn for this hemisphere. A cool breeze from off the ocean complimented the warm, midday heat.
Madeira was already unzipping her flight jumpsuit, stepping out into her kadvair. Jameson blinked, realizing she had modified the suit to leave her legs and arms bare.
"Wish we could stay here for a swim," she bemoaned, still soaking in the sun. "If we had enough time, I would grow my tailfin just for a dip in the ocean."
Jameson sealed up the skiff, pulling up a holo-map on his wrist pad. He would rather view it from inside his faceplate, but Madeira would probably throw a fit about him hiding under the darn thing. And the weather really was nice on his exposed face…
"Maybe next time," Jameson replied. "Let's see if we can't figure out why Arkus told us about this place. If Axus really has something of value here."
The streets were quaint, simple pavement and stone, with plenty of walking space for pedestrians. It was strange for a city of this size, but the vehicles either stuck to air lanes or passed lazily down the middle of the street around people. Things were a lot more lackadaisical here, Jameson could tell. No one was in any sort of a hurry; business seemed to flow at a slower pace. He couldn't tell if the farming culture was to account for it or if the city really was small enough and out of the way that it ran its own race.
Either way, it was beginning to feel more and more like its own sort of paradise.
Madeira was content to eye the markets and shops along the streets, finding interest in all the little details and culture spread about. Jameson was all right with that, since she could keep an eye out for anything he might miss while he surveyed the reports he sifted through from the planet's mainframe.
None of it looked relevant. He could see from the half dozen major population centers that there was plenty of incentive to set up operations elsewhere. Chino was too far remote and disconnected from main orbital traffic to be of any use to Axus's operations. There just wasn't the infrastructure here.
But Arkus had mentioned Chino by name. There had to be something here.
After a couple of hours, Jameson was getting tired and frustrated. What was the point of coming to this planet?
"That looks like a good place to eat."
Jameson blinked, looking up from his wrist. "What?"
"There," Madeira said, pointing to an eatery up the street. "Aren't you hungry yet?"
Jameson was hungry. Maybe that was why his mood had grown so sour over the last hour. The restaurant Madeira had indicated was a simple diner, definitely past their lunch hour. It looked like little more than a silver tub squished in between two older buildings, the small parking space out front packed tight with the few vehicles that could fit in. An old, neon styled sign above the entrance read Space Donuts.
"You want to eat there?" Jameson stammered, surprised at her choice.
"Why not? It looks like it samples local cuisine. And what's the point of traveling the galaxy if you can't try all the different food."
She had a point. For some reason, Jameson had imagined that she would look for somewhere vegan or vegetarian. But just because her Nereis physiology wouldn't digest meat didn't mean she couldn't try other local tastes.
"Fine by me."
If the parking lot outside was any indication of things, the seating inside was just as cramped. There were a few open booths, but most of the space was devoted to a long bar that ran the length of the eatery. A few patrons sat there, munching on various fares. Judging by the plethora of scents, the place specialized in old Earth Hispanic and American Southern dishes. Not a surprise; a lot of the colonists in the Expanse had come from those demographics, seeking territory beyond the Old Republic to settle down away from civilization on the frontier.
Jameson opted for the bar, finding a place near the end that gave them a little privacy. He ordered a simple Mexican dish—something with meat and beans—while Madeira ordered a sampling of various dishes. She was intent on trying any flavor it seemed.
The privacy didn't last long, unfortunately. Almost on cue with the arrival of their food, two men sat down just up from them, wearing some sort of local law enforcement uniforms. Cops, judging by the insignia on their badges.
"You're new," said the first cop, a shorter guy with well trimmed and gelled hair.
"Just got in system," Madeira said between bites. She was being as social as ever. "Wanted to try some local food."
"Well you came to the right place!" the second cop replied enthusiastically. Jameson did a double take on this guy; he was taller than his partner, and had his hair standing nearly straight up in a wacky style.
Both looked tanned from years of service near the beach.
"Space Donuts is pretty much the best place to eat in Chino," the second cop continued. "A day without a visit to Space Donuts is a day wasted."
"Pretty much," the first cop replied, grabbing a dish of something sugary and covered in frosting.
Jameson opted to keep quiet, focusing on his wrist pad while watching the cops out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't uncommon for law enforcement to bump shoulders with him when he traveled between worlds. They usually knew he was a bounty hunter, and wanted to keep an eye out for any trouble he stirred up.
It wasn't any different with these two, though the first cop was watching Madeira with confusion on his face. "You two…make an odd pair for bounty hunters."
Jameson couldn't suppress his grin.
"Why, you've never seen a girl bounty hunter before?" Madeira retorted playfully.
"Definitely not one who looks ready to go for a tan on the beach," the second one said, his eyes wandering over Madeira's figure.
"I'm Dane, by the way," the first cop said, extending a welcoming hand.
Madeira took it uncertainly, not familiar with the custom. That also seemed to be a tradition out here in the Expanse; shaking hands.
"And I'm Brend!" the second cop added, still focused on his sugary dish.
"Well, Brend and Dane," Jameson began, "maybe you can help us." It was clear now that the two of them weren't going to leave them alone. They obviously had spied them at some point during their wanderings around town and decided to interrogate them here at the eatery. Might as well be up front with them.
Jameson pulled up an image of Axus on his wrist pad. He flashed the hologram towards Dane. "We got a tip that this guy was in-system. His name is Axus Uniz. He's wanted in Gibraltar for destruction of Fleet assets, murder, and treason."
Dane frowned, staring at the image for awhile. "You said his name was Axus?"
"Hey!" Brend interrupted, his mouth full of food. "I know that kid!"
Jameson blinked, turning his attention towards the bigger cop. "Kid?"
"Yeah! But his name isn't Axus; it's Kote. I know his family. They're fruit farmers outside of Chino on the hills southeast of the city."
Jameson held the image closer. "This guy? He's a fruit farmer?"
"Sure is. He's probably out in the fields right now. They're in the middle of harvest season. Though I think you've got the wrong picture. This guy hasn't ever left planet. I doubt he could even tell you much about Gibraltar, let alone be wanted for murder and treason."
Jameson and Madeira exchanged looks.
Well Arkus had been
right so far. There was something interesting waiting for them on Kraven. Just not what Jameson had expected.
The two quickly paid their bills and left. Dane and Brend didn't seem interested in tailing them further, remaining at the eatery to continue what was clearly a break. Jameson wondered if they had been trailed all along. The two cops didn't seem as professional as he had initially supposed. Nor did they seem to understand what Jameson did as a bounty hunter.
Oh well. It would save trouble as Jameson and Madeira investigated this new mystery.
"They must not have recognized him," said Madeira. "It can't be the same person."
"Not necessarily. It's possible Axus uses Kote as an alias and cover. It would explain why he's remained off the grid for so long."
Using Jameson's usual back channel ties, he was able to procure a jetbike on the outskirts of Chino. Madeira seemed a little hesitant at first, but as they jetted off across the back country between farm land and orchards, she started letting out hollers of excitement.
Jameson lowered his faceplate, contentment washing over him as he descended into his familiar little safe place. Madeira had one arm wrapped around his middle, the other outstretched as the air whipped out passing by. While she was distracted, Jameson focused on his HUD, watching as Mathison filled it with data gathered from the cops back in the city.
"It wasn't hard to find once I had the name," said Mathison. "Kote is fairly well known out here in the back country. He's the fifth son of a prominent farmer, spends most of his day in the fields, and has a little something going on with a neighboring farmer's daughter across the valley."
There were of course images attached to the files. Mathison had easy access to them, pillaging through Kraven's database with abandon. The image certainly looked like Axus. But there was something different about it. Something the software trackers back at the Peacemaker Station had obviously missed all those years ago.
Jameson took them around to the southernmost tip of the farm property. He and Madeira dismounted, shedding their helmets and sticking the jetbike somewhere obscure behind an outcropping of rocks.
"How far to the house?" Madeira asked, scanning over a series of gentle dips and rises.
"About a kilometer northeast," Jameson said, his cybernetic eye zooming in on a grove of fruit trees. "We'll make our approach through those trees. That should deposit us on top of hill overlooking the house."
"Guess it's Mason time," Madeira teased, starting up the first slope.
Jameson took them as quickly as he dared, keeping his faceplate down to monitor for security systems and other watching eyes. Luckily, their approach from the south was unwatched, and they moved silently towards the first row of trees.
The orchard was growing some type of fruit Jameson hadn't seen before. Something orange with a soft rind. Absently, Madeira started peeling one and gnawing on the citrusy fruit inside. The acid it gave off had a strong scent that Jameson couldn't decide if he liked or not.
"This is good," Madeira said, slurping on the fruit. "You should try some."
"Once I see Axus, then I'll indulge myself."
Madeira shrugged, ignoring the comment. Jameson didn't blame her. As much as he had told her about the last four years chasing Axus, there was still a lot she didn't know. Couldn't know. Axus had taken everything from him; his career, his purpose, his friends, and in many instances, the love of his life.
It was time he knew a similar pain.
Eventually the upwards sloping orchard came to a sharp end. Jameson quickly crouched low to the earth, Madeira following suite. Crawling forward on his chest, Jameson hesitated at the edge, gazing down a sharply sloped ridge down to the farm house. It was surrounded by a fair amount of outbuildings and sheds, several large farm machines scattered about unused at the moment.
Two figures were walking towards the house, one male and female.
"Got any binoculars?" Madeira muttered under her breath.
Jameson fidgeted in his gear, passing her a small pair while he focused in with his augmented eye.
It was Axus.
He was wearing some sort of ridiculous farmer's outfit, complete with suspenders and plaid button-up shirt. Even with the digital interfaces and bio-readouts pulsing across his clothing, the fashion looked like something from a different age.
And he was holding hands with the girl.
Jameson frowned, enhancing the focus of his vision. Even though Axus was partially facing away from him, Jameson could still read his expression. It bore none of the cruelty or mischief Jameson had come to know over the years. There was softness there; a contentment that seemed utterly alien to the traitor's features.
He looked happy.
"This is the guy that killed thousands of Fleet officers?" Madeira stammered.
Jameson opened and his closed his mouth, uncertain of what to say. He watched the person that looked like Axus stand and talk softly with the girl for a little longer. They shared a kiss, and then she made to leave. Axus watched her go; then turned to a series of loaded fruit crates, making to haul them into one of the farm outbuildings.
Killing the enhanced vision, Jameson rolled onto his back, gazing up through the treetops above. Something was wrong about all of this. That couldn't be Axus. Maybe the cops back at the diner were right; maybe this was just some lookalike named Kote. Hell, maybe he was Axus's twin.
Is that what Arkus had led them to? Axus's extended family? Because one thing was for certain; the man down there was definitely not the Axus Jameson had fought for the last six years.
It couldn't be.
"I don't know what I was expecting," Madeira continued. She leaned over into Jameson's field of vision. "But I'm guessing it wasn't what you were expecting, either."
Jameson shook his head, retracting his faceplate so he could look at her properly.
"That's not Axus. I don't know who it is yet, but he's not here."
"Well he's somebody. And maybe he knows things."
Jameson shrugged. "Maybe. Let's get out of here."
Jameson rolled over, backing away from the edge of the orchard until they were safely out of view. He then lumbered to his feet, offering a helping hand to pull Madeira up as well. She slipped his binoculars back in a side slot with the rest of his gear.
"So strange," Madeira pressed. "What does it even mean for us now?"
Jameson shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know…I thought we would find something here at Kraven. Something to point us in the right direction."
Now they seemed more lost than ever. Here they were, out on the far end of the Expanse, away from all common points and nowhere near where Axus was probably planning his operations. But where could they go?
Madeira put a comforting hand around his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry," she said, smiling reassuringly. "We'll find somewhere to go. We have a whole galaxy to choose from."
Jameson grinned back. It was hard to be upset about having nowhere to go when there was someone there with you.
"Mathison," Jameson began, calling up a link to the Crimson, "see if you can't sift out any reports on this Kote guy. Any ties he might possibly have to Axus. Then we'll plot a course away from this forsaken system."
Mathison didn't say anything.
Instinctively, Jameson gave his earpiece a tap. "Mathison?"
Still nothing.
"Is he ignoring us?" Madeira jibed.
Jameson lowered his faceplate, pulling up his HUD and signal link with the Crimson. It was dead. The readings had all dropped to zero, just like when…
Jameson quickly raised his faceplate again, his eyes narrowing. He stopped dead in his tracks.
By his side, Madeira tensed, retracting her arm. "What is it?"
Jameson let his eyes wander over the orchard before them. Aside from the single row ahead of them, the dense trees blocked most of his vision. His sensors didn't detect anything hostile, but suddenly this place seemed like the worst place to defend against a surpri
se attack.
But if his hunch was right, an attack wasn't what awaited him.
Jameson exhaled slowly, feeling his nerves on edge. "C'mon. I think someone is waiting for us."
They continued forward tentatively, Madeira keeping close by Jameson's side. They didn't have to walk much further.
Up ahead, a figure stepped out from between two trees. She walked casually down their row, pausing a few paces ahead of them. Jameson felt himself unwind a little, but still kept his guard up.
"Hello Strange."
She grinned, covering the rest of the distance between them. She was still wearing that strange, almost angelic white outfit from before. The sight of her long, pale white hair still seemed stark to the way Jameson remembered how she had kept it. At least she didn't try to touch him this time.