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Rei’s gaze locked on the photograph clutched in her fists. Despite being faded from water damage, the man and woman in the center of it were as clear as the day the picture was taken. Two girls sat on the ground in front of them, arms around each other’s shoulders. All four of them smiled at her. Rei’s eyes blinked rapidly to keep her tears at bay.
A part of her had accepted that they had to be gone. The universe was big, but with how much she had searched since escaping, she would’ve heard something about them by now. Until she had unquestionable proof otherwise, she refused to give up hope entirely and that meant returning to places like their abandoned home. At least solving the mystery was a blissful reprieve from her troubles. She was accustomed to the fear she felt when she was near anywhere that was friendly toward the Federation but walking back to the Kathya after Nalju’s warning had frayed her nerves. She expected her captors to spring out of every shadow. Soon, her illusion mask became so strong that she knew it was obvious that she was hiding something.
A tear splattered her hand. “Well, I had a good run of peace and quiet,” she muttered to the photo. “No rest for the wicked and it’s not like they’re the only planetary authorities looking for me. They just have a few more resources than most.”
The door chimed and she quickly rubbed the tears away. The photo was swiftly shoved away in her bedside stand. “Give me a minute!” she called.
She went into the bathroom to put water on her face. When that didn’t work another illusion seemed to be the best route to go.
“Yeah?” Rei opened the door.
Yeke’s eyes widened in surprise. “Your presence is demanded in the... uh... Drunken Inventor. And I’m warning you I can’t promise what they’ll do if I return empty-handed.”
“Shit.” Rei pulled him into the hallway. “Let’s go. We don’t want to keep them waiting.”
“Oh, okay.”
They walked in silence, Rei gazing out the windows that they passed.
“What’s going on?” Yeke broke the silence as they waited for the lift. “You’ve been quiet since we’ve left Nalju’s. Did something happen and you’re just brushing it off since we managed to get what we asked for?”
She shook her head with a tight-lipped smile. “Your chivalry is showing, but it’s nothing like that. Something did happen, but it was just a friendly warning from Nalju. I’m just trying to get my head wrapped around what it means for me.”
“Which was?” Rei turned slightly toward him, a smile across her lips. Yeke took a step back. “Great, you have that look.”
“What look?” Her eyebrow rose though the smile remained.
“That one that says you have some half-baked plan up your sleeve.”
Rei’s smile fell. “There’s no plan, yet. I might have one by the end of the night, but I’m not holding my breath. As for what Nalju told me... you’ll have to wait. It’s nothing overly new but I’m not ready to talk about it either.”
“That makes it even scarier,” Yeke informed her as they climbed inside the lift.
Rei winced at the groan it made, making a mental note to get Chia to repair it. The transport came to a stop several levels up. As the door, opened soft music drifted towards them.
“Sounds like the party is well underway,” Rei commented. “Glad everyone found a way to enjoy their pay.”
“It was one of the better hauls we’ve had lately,” Yeke pointed out. “They might as well celebrate it.”
“I just don’t want to put a damper on the festivities.” Rei entered the open door and looked around. The room was packed; figures silhouetted by the lights of the dance floor. It was early enough that plenty of families were sitting at the tables to enjoy an evening meal away from their living quarters. Several nodded in greeting as they crossed to the bar. Rei offered a wave in return.
“It never fails to strike me as odd that we have so many families here,” Yeke said. He leaned against the smooth wood of the bar. “An Oji ale.”
A little boy and girl rushed past and shouted hurried apologies. “An Aesoi,” Rei ordered, which sent the bartender on their way. “Yeah, it’s pretty telling that a ship of pirates is better than what they were living in.” Her eyes fell over the room as a whole. “But that’s the beauty of this ship. It lets you carve a new path in the universe, no matter what it decides to throw at you.”
The dull thud announced the arrival of their drinks. “You’re paying,” she told Yeke.
“Why me?”
“I’m the Captain.” It was one of the few things she openly used her authority for on the ship. “Besides, I got it the other night.” She smiled sweetly and walked away.
“I so regret agreeing to that,” he hissed in her ear when he caught up and grabbed his mug from her.
“You say that every time. We could stop it. It was just a way to make me feel better about being poor after we escaped the facility. You were fine paying and didn’t want me to spend all my credits.”
Yeke opened his mouth to reply as she was pulled away from him. “There you are!” Foniac yelled. “We were just about to send Kuv out with a full search party to drag you here.”
“Which I would have never done,” he said with a frown. “It would be their prerogative to not join us.”
Foniac shook her head. “Oh, you Zirs and your codes of conduct. Anyway, now that you’re here, how about you fill us in about what you were hinting at this morning?”
“Why don’t you let them sit down?” Kuv blinked.
“You know better, Kuv. I’m surprised she didn’t demand it sooner.” Rei chuckled. “Luckily, I want to get it done and over with.”
Rei paused to take a sip of her drink. Kuv, Aede, and a few others sat upright, alert, and clearly ready to make mental notes on what she was about to say. Others, like Foniac, sat relaxed in their chairs as though ready to hear a good story. The temptation to put off her announcement rose. She felt pressure on her back, and she glanced down to see Yeke’s arm snaked behind her.
“The intel I got paid off and I might finally be on the way toward answers.”
“Answers to what?” Foniac asked.
Rei looked around the room to make sure that no one was listening. “About why my family might have been taken.” She could feel their eyes bearing into her. “We’re still sifting through what we brought back, but it looks promising.”
“Do we know how much of a detour will we have to make?” Kuv asked.
Rei shrugged. “I have no idea yet. But I...” She stared into the liquid of her cup. “Damn it, it’s not fair. I need to see this through—no matter what. I looked for them after they vanished. Well, as much as I dared to. Eventually, my luck ran out. And... yeah, you know the rest.”
Yeke shifted in his chair. “Rei?”
Rei felt her face heat up. She hadn’t noticed that she’d been rambling. “Sorry.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “I suppose I should just come out and tell you... The Federation’s looking my way again. Nalju warned me.”
“Damn,” Yeke muttered. “Don’t they ever give up?”
“Only if whatever they lost either becomes obsolete or breaks completely,” Aede said darkly. “And since our Rei has the fortitude of this ship, that won’t happen anytime soon.”
“They’ve taken a renewed interest in you before,” Kuv pointed out.
“Apparently they approached Nalju directly. Gave him a description that matched mine—minus a few updates.” Her illusion flickered just a moment, then snapped back to full strength. “Offered him a huge reward for my location.”
“Do you think Nalju’s tempted to turn you in?” Aede asked.
Rei shook her head. “We’re too valuable to him. Still, it changes things. Especially what I was going to do with what we found regarding my family. The heat might be too much. Doing jobs won’t be affected. We go in, get what we’re after, and get out. Our buyers prefer us to come to them, so they won’t trace us to the Kathya. We have to be ready for anything though.”
“You not think of leaving?” Grandma made her jump as she gripped Rei’s shoulders from behind her. “You won’t... you can’t...”
“Why not, Grammie?” Aede asked.
“Ship strong... together. Apart... scary, weak. Death certain...” Her grip tightened. “You can’t... you are key between dueling powers.” Grandma’s eyes took on that ghostly, white glow. “If they get you, destruction will come.” She dropped her hands to her sides and the glow vanished. She shuffled away, mumbling.
“What the hell was that?” Yeke demanded.
“A warning,” Rei said. “As though I needed much convincing to stay in the first place.” She turned to Aede. “If she says anything else, let me know.”
Aede nodded. “If you’re staying, then what’s the plan?”
Rei leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. “I’m not sure how to give the Federation the slip yet. Searching for answers about my family is a bit easier. I’d liked to start with the papers from the safe. We need to find an expert we can trust though since none of us know much about biological applications for Essence. I have a feeling if we find some, then we can find out everything in those papers—including why my parents had them in the first place.”
“I can help out there.” Chia leapt onto an empty chair.
“Where have you been?” Foniac demanded.
“I had some sensitive experiments to set up,” she replied. “By the way, Captain. It will be ready to open tomorrow.”
“Good,” Rei said. “So, you’re willing to put us in touch with people?”
“Yeah, Yeke filled me in. They’ll be more than happy to help out.” She smirked. “They’re top of the Essence-based scientific community on the planet and often provide me assistance—off the record, of course.”
“This is all well and good,” Kuv broke in, “but soon we’re going to have people wondering when their next payday is. Which leads me to my original question. How is this going to affect that?”
Rei winced. “It’s going to be a balancing act, but we’re just doing this between jobs. It might be my quest, but even I know better than to get in between this crew and their credits. Luckily, there should be a few promising freighters to target near Bruatin and that’ll have to do.”
“Then let’s hope that Chia will be able to make our connections,” Kuv said.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Chia demanded.
“You were removed from your position on the planet.”
“What did you do anyway?” Foniac asked. “Blow up a lab? You’ve been through three on this ship so I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“When I was done the whole complex had blown.” A dark look filled Chia’s eyes. “I might do things in the name of knowledge, but there are some lines even I refuse to cross. Things like, testing on unwilling people, like our Captain, for example.”
“She’ll pull it off,” Rei said.
“I’ll make contact first thing in the morning. That way it’s done and I can finish the last things I need for our project without worrying about it.”
“What time do are you going to do that?” Rei asked.
“Afternoon would be best unless something else causes us to need to push it back. And yes—you should be there.”
Rei nodded. “I’ll look forward to your summons then.”
“Great, now if you’ll excuse me.” Chia leapt from her chair. “I have work to get back to.”
They watched as she vanished into the crowd. “Now who’s really our boss here?” Foniac joked.
“Like you don’t do the same thing when she calls you down to her workshop,” Rei shot back.
“Of course, I do. I value my knees too much to leave it to chance.”
The table filled with laughter and Rei could feel the tension leave her body. Nalju had joked about there being honor among scavengers, but hers had that in abundance. Their attitudes during her announcement spoke volumes toward that. They’d been through too much together to work with the Federation. Not even the temptation of easy credits would change that.
“What are you smiling about?” Yeke whispered.
Rei drained her glass with a smile on her lips. She eyed him mischievously. “The new round of drinks you’re buying.”
~*~
Rei stumbled through the dark, quiet hallways with only the hum of the powered engines to keep her company. The gathering had broken up long ago, but she had no intention of struggling with sleep quite yet. Rei leaned against the cool metal of the wall. A quiet giggle escaped her lips, growing until it reached a full-blown fit of laughter. She inched down until her knees were the only things that held her upright. Finally, the fit subsided enough for her to resume her stumbling walk through the ship.
Farther down the hall, she fell against the lift controls. Rei flung her body inside and into the opposite wall.
“Cargo level!” She laughed.
She felt her stomach drop as the lift began to descend through the levels of the ship. Rei bounced on her the balls of her feet, humming a little tune. The doors popped open and she stepped into the short hallway that led to the cargo bay. Inside the bay, she walked along the rows of crates that held the Kathya’s supplies, running her hands along the crates.
“I wondered,” a quiet voice brought her to a stop, “how long it would take you to find me down here.”
“What trouble do you have for me this time, Gen?” She scrambled to get a hold of her gun, missing a few times before she gave up on the effort.
A man emerged from between a tower of crates, his long, dark coat flowing in his wake. Gen’s face was hidden from beneath his hood and cast his features in shadow. “You act like my advice wasn’t profitable to you.”
“You have your moments, but lately your help has left a lot to be desired,” Rei shot back. She leaned against the crates to keep steady.
“When have I led you the wrong way? You wanted information about them, I delivered,” Rei didn’t reply, so he continued. “I have a job that I think you’ll be interested in. But first–” he reached in a pocket and tossed a vial of liquid at her “–drink that.”
Rei caught it easily but didn’t obey. “Why should I hear you out? I’m too busy figuring out the last wild goose chase you sent me on to be interested in anything else you have to offer me.” She set the vial down and turned to walk away.
“Before you leave, you should know that if you take this on, your profit will make your past hauls seem like change in comparison.” Rei didn’t stop. “It will ensure your crew stays out of harm’s way.” She faltered slightly. “And if you don’t, the Federation will be the least of your worries.”
“Is that how we’re going to do this now?” Rei growled. She whirled around with balled-up fists. “Blackmail? I thought you were better than that, Gen.” She unholstered her gun and let it charge at her side until the chamber was full of her Essence. Her arm rose slowly until the gun was aimed at his head. Gen didn’t flinch. “Well?” Her hand shook in her fury; she could feel the Essence flow unbridled within her.
“It’s not blackmail; I’m just making sure you know the stakes. Do this job, or your crew will be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives.”
“I’m still having a hard time seeing the difference.”
“Maybe a clearer head would help.” Gen gestured to the vial with his hooded head. Her gaze followed but she kept her weapon trained on him.
Rei cast her Essence over it to check for any hidden secrets. If he was insulted by her precaution, she didn’t care. The vial and stopper shot off in opposite directions. Grasping the vial with her free hand, she tipped it back like a shot of alcohol. The liquid tingled to the point of burning as it slid down her throat, but she immediately felt steadier.
“What’s the job?” she asked after a few moments.
“I won’t bog you down with the specifics of how it works, but the Federation’s been eyeing priceless gems that are infused with untold knowledge. We believe there are seven in total,” he said. “They’re from an ancient civilization that existed centuries ago. Interestingly, the Federation believes that they hold the key in duplicating the success they had in creating you.”
Rei’s grip tightened to avoid dropping her gun in her shock. “Where are they?”
“We’ve only pinpointed two of them so far. This–” he held up a crystalline chip “–has their locations on it.”
“And why hasn’t the Federation stormed in already?”
“It’s not common knowledge yet. I’m offering it to you since your crew has proven themselves to be quite adept at getting through most challenges that are presented to them.”
Rei’s eyes narrowed. “You’re Federation. Why don’t you want to wait for them to find it?”
“Call me a sentimental idiot, but I don’t want them to succeed in creating another of you. No one deserves that type of life. Why do you think I made sure that you escaped?”
“And I’m grateful for the chance.” She cleared her throat. “Still doesn’t explain things though.”
Gen seemed to ignore her request. “They are held near other treasures this civilization left behind. That’s your payment for getting rid of the data these gems hold. There should be enough to keep your pirates motivated to complete the job.”
“It’s that good, huh?” Rei folded her arms across her chest with a frown. “And let me guess, I’m not allowed to tell my crew a damn thing if I agree to do this for you?”
“Tell them as little as possible since I doubt that they’ll trust me. So, by your question, I assume that you are taking the job?”
“I could still kill you right here and let the dominos fall where they will.”
“But we both know you won’t do that, Rei. In that regard, their experiment was a failure.” He shook his head. “You’re not a heartless killer and you give a damn about the rest of the universe.”
“And you’re sure that the Federation isn’t not looking for them yet?” Rei asked, redirecting the subject.
“If they were as strong as you, they’d be already charging in. But the Federation’s being overly cautious on this one. These people make them nervous for some reason.”
“A massive galactic power is afraid, and you think my crew has a shot at pulling this off.”
“I know they will. With you at the helm, it's essentially in the bag. Remember, you were designed to be perfection.” He shrugged. “Mark my words though. They get their hands on that knowledge...” He offered the chip.
He wasn’t giving her any options and Rei knew it. Just like he knew that she couldn’t take the chance of the Federation succeeding. Not with her crew at stake.
“Where are they?” she asked, taking it.
“Not too far off your current path. But like I said, we only know the location of two of them. As soon as they discover the others, I’ll pass the information along. One is on Ietaeta and the second is on Seletta.”
“How do you know our path?”
He laughed. “For being pirates, you’re so law-abiding. Your ship filed a flight path to Bruatin under the guise of a supply run. Good cover story. They’re none the wiser and, of course, that’s where your trail will end.”
“It pays us well to be law-abiding.”
“And that’s why it’s always a pleasure doing business with you.”
Rei lowered her gun. “I’ve taken your job. Now get the hell off my ship.”
He gave a nod before he pulled his coat tight and started to walk away. “What will you tell your crew?”
Her Essence flooded the chamber of the gun. “That’s for me to decide.”
He vanished among the crates with a knowing smile. Rei waited until she was sure that he had gone, then turned on her heel and walked back to the main areas of the ship, the gun held loosely at her side. She knew she had to calm down in case any of her crew were about, but she couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. If only Gen didn’t know so much about her... If only she could tell her crew the truth behind their new mission... Rei leaned against the wall, her eyes closed tight. A lone tear trailed down her cheek.
“Damn you, Gen,” she whispered. “Damn you.”
Eventually, Rei found herself standing in front of her quarters. She walked through the door with a sigh and flopped on her bed.
“Lock the door,” she ordered the ship’s computer, setting the gun on her bedside table, “and only open only on my voice command.” The system beeped in compliance. Her eyelids felt heavy, but sleep remained distant. She rolled over, staring at the Vantan buildings outside her window. Eventually, as the last light she could see faded, exhaustion finally won out.
~*~
Rei awoke with a start to loud bangs on her door.
“What in the galaxy?” she muttered. She scrambled out of bed and reached for her black silken dressing gown that was draped over a chair.
“Illusion!” Aede’s voice shouted in her ear as she strode to the door. Rei winced and reached for the headset she forgot was there. “I don’t care what form you have, just do it and make it different!”
“Unlock,” she ordered quietly. The door slid open to reveal Yeke standing with two heavily armed soldiers. One held his rifle aimed at her chest, but she didn’t flinch. “Yes?” she asked with strained politeness.
“Planet of origin?” one of the soldiers asked stiffly. She had to agree with Nalju’s assessment; though their eyes were hidden from sight, it was like she was dealing with an early model automaton.
“Secorna,” Rei replied.
They looked at one another and then back at her. She fought to keep from squirming under their scrutiny. “How do we check her?” the second asked at last.
The first looked her over. “Should be easy enough. Where’s your clan mark?”
Panic raced through Rei’s heart as she tried to remember the various marks she had seen during their brief visit there. “Here,” she said, turning her arm to reveal a symbol stamped into her arm.
They peered at it and she could feel them probe with Essence to see if it was an illusion. Her eyes met Yeke’s and she knew he sensed the same. They wouldn’t detect her illusions; she had long ago mastered the art of deception against most Essence wielders.
“You’re clear,” the first announced. He turned to Yeke stiffly. “Any more quarters on this floor?”
“No, she was the last,” he replied.
The soldier frowned, speaking into his radio in Imperial, the official language of the Federation. “They’re clear on the other levels,” he told his partner in Banal.
“Good.”
“So, we’re free to continue our business?” Yeke asked.
“Yes, but like we said, if you see her, alert someone immediately to her presence. She’s a danger to anyone who encounters her.”
“Right.” Yeke’s eyes fell on Rei.
“I’ll escort them out, sir,” Kuv appeared behind Yeke.
Yeke nodded and waited until they were out of sight before shaking his head in disbelief. “I’m not sure if I should be amazed at your ingenuity to come up with a cover story on the spot or disgusted at which one you chose.”
“It was convenient,” she replied. “They can’t check the information since the planet blew and the survivors are protected because it’s a rare disaster that the Federation actually accepted blame for. I was a bit nervous when they scanned me for illusions, but they weren’t too thorough.” Her features changed back to normal. “What’s explanation they’re giving for searching ships without cause?”
“Pretty much the same as what you said last night. They’re after someone who looks similar to you, powerful, and will kill you without hesitation. They seem to think you’re going to take the fastest way off this rock once you see they’re onto you.”
“Do it once and they think that’s your go-to method of escape.”
“You do favor it.”
“I do not!”
“Can you say your methods have changed since we’re leaving later today?” he asked.
“Yes, because doing that would’ve been leaving as soon as I returned from Nalju’s yesterday.”
Yeke folded his arms across his chest. “So, when are we leaving?”
“As soon as we can without looking too eager. But first, let’s take a second to have a sober conversation about what we discussed last night.”
“I’ll gather the troops,” he saluted.
Rei closed the door and quickly threw on her typical ship clothes of a shirt and jeans. Maybe it was for the best she had agreed to help Gen despite it still leaving a taste of blackmail. At least some far-flung corner of the galaxy would put the needed distance between herself and the Federation. Now hopefully her crew wouldn’t protest too much about her agreement.
The door locked behind her as she entered the bustling corridor. Most of the crew were on their way to their stations while the children of the ship were enjoying a delay in their lessons. Rei let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least the Federation coming aboard hadn’t caused too much trauma it seemed.
“Are you coming to the game today, Captain Rei?” A young girl skipped up to her, green eyes sparkling.
“Another time, girls,” Rei replied. “I, unfortunately, have Captaining to do today.”
“Bummer, but we’ll hold you to that!” Her pigtails trailed behind her as she ran to catch up with her friends.
Keeping your distance won’t stop anything. Gen already knew how to get you to work for him, a dark voice teased her in the back of her mind. You’re too close. You better hope doing this job will keep you out of their sights or you’ll lead the Federation right to them.
She pressed the controls for the transport and tapped her fingers against the wall as she waited. The sound seemed to echo in the sudden silence.
“Did you see?” she heard someone ask farther down the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched two crewmembers walk toward her, both clad in medical garments.
“Yeah,” their companion said. “My son thought the Federation was going to take all of us to their training camps for powerful Essence wielders.”
“Poor kid,” the first medic replied with a shake of her head. “Did you get him calmed down after that?”
“Yeah, I would’ve stayed home if I hadn’t. I can’t help but wonder why the hell they were aboard anyway. We’re always careful, but they were clearly looking for something.”
Rei pressed the controls frantically as though it would let her escape faster.
“What do you think it was?
“I wasn’t stupid enough to ask. Aede told me that we’re not the only ship they searched. Apparently, everyone who was docked was looked at.” Rei glared at the transport as they neared her position. “Did they ask you a bunch of crazy questions about your planet of origin?”
“Yeah, it was strange.”
The door opened at last and Rei flew inside the empty lift. Her hand reached for the controls to close the door manually when the medics joined her.
“Morning, Captain,” they greeted.
“Morning,” Rei muttered, hoping her tone would be enough to indicate she wasn’t in the talking mood.
“What did they ask specifically for?” the first medic asked.
“Just what planet we could claim as being our homeworld and what our family name was.” He shook his head, diamond colored eyes wide in fear. “I hope we’re leaving soon.”
“We’ll be gone in a few hours. Just need to do some checks before we take off,” Rei assured them.
“Thanks, Captain.” The medic smiled, though worry still filled his eyes. The door opened to a floor and they scrambled off the lift. Left in solitude, Rei released a breath she didn’t know she was holding in. On the next floor, the lift filled with Chia’s eager engineering team. Rei pressed herself against the wall, silently attempting to follow their conversation about Chia’s grand plan for their ship. Suddenly, just as she thought she was in the clear, she found herself surrounded as they seized the opportunity to bombard her with ideas.
~*~
An hour later, Rei swept into her office. It had taken an emergency in the engine room to finally peel the engineers of her.
“About time!” Foniac cried.
“Blame Chia’s engineers,” Rei retorted. “Next time they want to suggest projects, they’re going to be vetted through you first, so I don’t have to listen to an advanced course in calculus and physics.”
The Ornian’s face paled. “You’re joking.”
“What, Chia? You don’t want to spend all day listening to proposals?” Aede asked.
Rei changed the subject. “So, besides frayed nerves, were there any issues with our guests this morning?”
“I thought I was screwed when they cornered me in my workshop,” Chia said. “The things I needed for that side project of ours are highly regulated because of the amount of power they pump out. Thankfully, they were only focused on finding any signs of you.”
“Good,” Rei said.
“So, Bruatin.” Foniac whistled. “Hopefully they can get you what you need before we run into more of those soldiers, Boss.”
“They will,” Chia insisted. “I wish I could help but unfortunately my expertise lies more in mechanical applications of Essence than biological.”
“And it can be kept quiet?” Rei asked. “I don’t want to do this under the cover of night or using some ridiculous plan.”
“There is one checkpoint we will have to deal with to get into the scientific campus. The Federation can’t ignore the work in there completely, but they know better than to invade too much.”
“What happens then?” Foniac asked.
“They become worse than Federation commissioned scientists. Slow, unable to solve a simple equation, let alone investigate some new cure or develop a new engine design,” Chia replied as though it were obvious.
“Any promising targets between here and there? We might as well cash in as much as we can before we take even more of a detour,” Rei said.
“What detour are you talking about?” Yeke asked.
Rei produced the chip Gen had given her. “I was sent this last night after our party broke up. It gives us the location of two massive caches of ancient tech and artifacts. Apparently, they’re priceless.”
“And you believe the source of this information?” Kuv leaned forward, mild interest filling his dark gaze.
“Yes,” Rei managed with only slight hesitation.
Yeke slid the chip over to him and turned it over in his fingers. “It might be easier than searching through ship after ship for a while. But this screams Federation. What if it’s a trap?”
“It’s worth checking out at the very least?” Foniac suggested. “Like you said, this seems like it pays a lot and it’d be nice to not have to worry when ships aren’t plentiful to steal from.”
“Use the table’s mapping system,” Chia demanded. “Then we’ll make the call.”
A holographic map appeared above the table. Ietaeta and Seletta were indicated in their respective positions on the edge of Federation controlled space.
“That’s... that can’t be right,” Yeke muttered.
“What is it?” Aede asked.
“I remember those planets from the advanced history courses that I took when I thought I’d become a teacher They were part of the Riaten Empire, but they were abandoned for some reason.”
“Riaten?” Rei repeated.
“It predates the Federation, but they don’t acknowledge them. Even the little bit we covered in the class wasn’t much.”
“If they don’t acknowledge them, is it safe to say the Federation isn’t involved?” Foniac ran a hand over her Mohawk.
“What’s the catch? Why give us the info?” Kuv wondered aloud.
“That’s a good point. The person who gave you this wanted nothing, Rei?” Yeke asked.
Rei silently cursed Gen’s condition that she keep things quiet. “A few odds and ends. Precious metals, gems, you get the idea. They left it up to us to determine what cut they get. Honestly, I imagine after I tell them that we’re done getting what we want, they’ll come in with a clean-up crew.”
“Now that makes sense.” Kuv nodded his approval. “Let the pirates deal with the dirty work of anything nasty left behind and they come in after it’s safe.”
“Why don’t they just use a merc band?” Chia asked.
“Mercs wouldn’t touch this job with a ten-foot pole,” Yeke replied. “They face armies, not ancient ruins."
“So, we’re on board to check it out?” Rei eyed everyone around the table.
Aede shrugged. “Who knows a trip out there might be just what we need right now. After Bruatin, of course.”
The others nodded their approval. Rei fought to keep her relief from showing. “Good. Now, I still want this other target you have, Aede. Just in case this thing turns out to be nothing more than a dead end.”
“Despite our interruptions, I spent the morning researching some fresh possibilities for us,” Aede said. “The most that will interest us, sadly, is a large shipment of weapons that the Federation is bringing in from their outer factories.” She used her Essence to manipulate the map
Vantani orbiting around its twin suns was clearly marked by a replica of their vessel hovering in orbit above the planet. Bruatin shone a vibrant silver in its location about seven systems away. A lone ship hovered at the edge of the image; its cargo itinerary highlighted in a scrolling list. Suddenly the entire thing sprang into motion. The Kathya embarked on its voyage while the other ship moved in. At first, it appeared as though the vessels would simply pass at a distance, but the other ship altered course, meeting the Kathya halfway between Bruatin and Vantani. A wide smile appeared on Kuv’s lips.
“What are you smiling about?” Chia demanded.
“I love this thing. Do you know how much the Federation and their opponents, what few there are, would kill to have this at their fingertips? It tells the exact details of each ship—weapons, crew, and their cargo.”
“What’s the shipment look like?” Rei asked.
“Stun grenades, rifles, blasters—they do have something new, but I don’t know how effective they’ll be.” Aede expanded the information panel. “It’s described as an experimental sword-blaster.”
“They always are trying to put something new out on their battlefield. Even though part of it is a bit outdated,” Yeke said.
“Even antiquated tactics have their use at times,” Kuv countered.
“They don’t go into details on their manifesto on how they work,” Aede pointed out with an irritated tone. “But it has to be decent if they’re noting on the paperwork.”
“Some of the crew might be outfitted with them then,” Kuv guessed. “If they’re strong enough, they might get past any Essence-based defenses we have.”
“Do we board directly or use a bit more subtly?” Rei asked.
“Direct,” Kuv and Yeke voted in unison.
“If they have new toys on board, we hit hard and fast,” Yeke continued. “We can’t give them any chance to grab them.”
“I have a few ideas on how to make boarding a breeze,” Chia said, “and it will still give you the element of surprise.”
“What’s faster than beaming over?” Foniac asked. “Never mind,” she amended at Chia’s look.
“How long until that is in place?” Rei asked.
“I’ll have it done by the time it’s needed. The exact time depends on other demands. Speaking of which, when do you want to do that side project? I assume you want to be there, that is.”
“Is that project going to put us at risk if we’re out of the atmosphere?”
“No!” Chia looked insulted.
“Good. How about late this afternoon according to Vantani time?”
“I would have thought you’d do it right away,” Yeke said.
“So, did I,” Chia agreed.
“I want us off this planet as soon as possible so the Federation doesn’t have a chance to spring another surprise inspection on us.”
“Getting underway only takes a second,” Foniac pointed out.
“I also have other obligations,” Rei explained
“Like what?” Yeke asked. “All the decisions have been made. Isn’t this where you hide out in the Drunken Inventor while your intrepid crew carries out your orders?”
“Yeke.” She gave him a pointed look.
“Now you’ve done it. I say give him extra chores,” Foniac suggested.
“My side of the cargo bay could use a clearing,” Chia added.
“Please, don’t,” Yeke protested. “I want to have a life this century.”
“I think he’s learned his lesson,” Rei said with a smirk. “But is there anything else that’s pressing?” The others shook their heads. “Then we’re done!”