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“Does it actually bother you that we seem to leave a trail of bodies wherever we go or was that a rhetorical statement?” Talyn asked in a conversational tone.
“We don’t always. Marengo had a pretty low death count. So did the two missions before that. Mind you, there was that Shrehari marauder, but they don’t actually count.”
He glanced around the next blind corner.
“This place needed a good cleaning anyway; the next free traders that got conned by Pavel Krig into meeting Ser Syko wouldn’t have made it out alive. We did our duty by the spirit of our oath. What really bothers me is that we walked into this one like bloody amateurs.”
“Why would you expect us to know that the local Jackal capo felt like expanding his horizons? How many starship hijackings occur planet-side?”
They jogged to the next intersection.
“Shit happens,” she continued. “This was one of those times. Mind you, I’ll agree that we may have been a teensy bit too easy with bribes. That might have had something to do with Syko’s unhealthy interest, even if he got a tip-off from his friends on Kilia.”
“Noted for the next time,” he replied, eyes scanning the shafts on either side.
She slipped past him to the next intersection, looked around the corner and pulled back almost immediately.
“I think we’re about to meet Syko’s goons, and they look kind of pissed.”
“You think they know we turned their dear leader into a pile of ashes?”
“Probably not, but since we don’t wear the right colors, we’re prey.”
“And the body trail is about to lengthen,” he pointed ahead, where a knot of miners blocked the way.
“Only if they have the brains God gave broccoli, to use a Deckerism.”
“Which they obviously do.” Zack took the lead, leaving Talyn to turn and cover their backs. “Incidentally, those fine specimens are blocking the way out. Since we can’t go over, under or around, it’ll have to be through, unless you want to go spelunking without a map.”
“I like easy problems,” she replied, eyes on the men filling the passage behind them. “I guess you’re rubbing off on me again.”
“Nothing wrong with that – the rubbing, I mean.”
One of the miners, easily Zack’s size, stepped out in front of the rest and twirled a length of metal. It began to glow on one end.
“Oh come on!” Decker groaned. “A vibra-pick? Don’t these bozos know you bring a gun to a gunfight?”
“He may be doing that alpha male thing guys sometimes do, you know, a challenge.” She drew her blaster. “Or they’re under orders to take us alive.”
“I don’t have time for this.” Decker pulled out his gun and shot the twirler, grazing his arm. The pick fell to the ground with a clatter, but instead of deterring the others, a low growl erupted from a dozen throats.
“I think I just made them mad.”
“That’s what you get when you don’t aim for the center of mass,” she replied.
“A moment ago, you were the one making sure we didn’t cross the line between self-defense and murder.”
“So I was too bureaucratic. Sue me.”
One of the miners following them sped up and raised a needler. Her gun coughed once, hitting him in the leg. The man’s friends, smarter than the miners facing Zack, thought twice and backed off. Between angry shouts and howls of outraged pain, the decibels had reached an uncomfortable level.
“Shit.” Decker shot several times, rapid fire, over the miners’ heads to check their advance and yelled out, “Syko’s dead, you dumb fucks. He stepped in front of my gun. Don’t make the same mistake.”
A sudden silence fell over the corridor, underscored only by the distant peal of the alarm bell. The group in front of Zack split apart to reveal a man dressed like the rest of Syko’s security guards.
“What did you say?” His tone was almost a savage snarl.
“Your boss is dead. He tried to screw over the wrong people. It didn’t work. The end. Let us go and no one else has to die.”
The goon glanced at Zack’s blaster and then back at his face, apparently calculating how many of them would eat plasma before they could take down the stranger and his partner.
“Don’t do it,” Decker warned. “Four of your buddies died with Syko. We don’t have a beef with anyone else here, but if you force the issue, we will shoot to kill.”
“You only managed to wing two guys and that at close range. I’m not impressed.” A grin spread across the guard’s face. “I don’t think you bozos can shoot worth crap.”
Decker chuckled.
“Warning shots aren’t meant to kill, dumbass.”
He snapped up his blaster and fired at an encased ceiling light above the miners, destroying it in a shower of sparks with a direct hit.
“How hard to you think it would be for me to drill all of you a third eye in the middle of the forehead? Let us go and no one else gets hurt.”
Syko’s men slowly backed off, leaving the guard alone in the middle of the corridor. A newcomer forced his way through them.
“Let it be, Dan,” he shouted. “We just got word the boss’ office is burnt out, with him and your four buddies inside, just like he said. Whatever’s going on is no longer our business. You know how it goes: the moment word gets out Syko’s dead, the vultures are going to come down on us, and you don’t want to be around when that happens. It’s time to find another boss.”
“Wise advice, Dan,” Decker said with a sardonic smile. “Live to fight another day, that’s what I always say.”
The goon made an obscene gesture, but turned on his heel and followed the miners to the entrance.
“See, I can negotiate us out of another gun fight.” He winked at Talyn.
“I’ll be sure to note that on your next performance evaluation,” she replied, shaking her head. “What a mess.”
The guards at the entrance to Syko’s lair had left by the time the two operatives stepped out of the maze.
“I guess Dan picked up his buddies on the way out. Smarter than he looked, that one.”
Decker holstered his blaster, making sure he could draw it quickly again when the need arose.
“You’re probably right,” he continued. “Syko and maybe one or two we didn’t see are Jackals. The rest are local talent. I doubt full pack members would have let us out of there alive. It would have been bad for their reputation, even worse if they’re in cahoots with the Sécurité Spéciale. Now what?”
“Now, we get away from here and pretend we never visited Ser Syko.”
She waved at the bright lights blow them, and they began walking back to Yavan and the Paradise hotel.
“You know word will get around about us,” Decker remarked. “Some of Syko’s rivals in the thieves’ guild that runs Andoth are bound to get curious; worried even, especially if they knew he had the tattoo. That could be an advantage.”
“Or someone with more brains and brawn than Syko could try to eliminate us before we do unto him. In the meantime, we’re no further ahead finding the pipeline that’s shipping supplies to the Garonne resistance.”
“Sucks to be us,” he replied with good humor, “but I’ll live, though I might have a few words with the analysts who told us Kilia Station and Andoth were good places to pick up the scent.”
**
“Do you think Syko went off script or was he acting under orders?”
“I’ll tell you once I know how all the parts are supposed to go together,” she said dropping into their usual booth. “I assume you're going to have second breakfast?”
He looked at his timepiece.
“More like elevenses by now. Fighting always gets my appetite going. Don’t tell me you’re not ravenous.”
“Okay, I won’t, but I’ll pass on the pile of stuff you shoveled down your throat this morning. Maybe they’ll serve us something more civilized.”
“A vat steak or three, with plenty of fries?”
“You can have the ‘or three,' I’ll stick with one, big boy. And we still have to find a contract,” she added for the benefit of any hidden listeners.
“I get the feeling we’ll be approached soon enough.” He rubbed his hands gleefully. “Here’s our holographic waiter. Now, what can your kitchen give us that isn’t breakfast?”
An hour later, Decker slumped back against the bench with a hearty belch.
“That filled the old ammo locker very nicely. I give this place at least three novae, if not for taste then at least for quantity.”
“Look sharp,” Talyn whispered, “there’s a thin guy at the bar talking to Wim, and they’re both looking in our direction.”
He turned to glance over his shoulder, then slowly swiveled back to meet her eyes. She reached out and touched the back of his hand with her fingertips.
Someone you know?
Decker nodded.
This could get strange, he signaled back.
The man approached their booth, eyes flicking between Decker and Talyn before finally settling on the latter.
“Captain Pasek of Phoenix?” He stopped at a respectful distance and briefly dipped his head.
“Perhaps.”
“My name is Tran Kidder. I understand from Sera Lyde at the spaceport that you’re looking for a contract.”
Though the man, like Decker, no longer bore any sign that he had once been slave soldier in the Trans-Coalsack Sector, there was no mistaking him for anyone other than his old comrade in arms.
So far, Kidder had not recognized the Marine, but even the best disguise can’t hide some of the fundamentals and in due time, he’d begin to get the feeling that Ser Whate reminded him of someone. Fooling the human mind was harder than fooling facial recognition software.
“We are,” Talyn nodded, “though you’ll excuse us if we’re a bit less enthusiastic than you might expect. We had a bit of a run-in with a potential client whose ideas were somewhat different from ours.”
“Might I join you?” Kidder motioned towards the chair at the end of the table.
“Sure.” She shrugged with seeming indifference.
“Information moves fast on Andoth, though its accuracy is always open to question. The word is that off-worlders did a number on one of the local bosses by the name of Syko. I’ve had some dealings with him in recent days and can fully understand how you might have found your encounter unpleasant.”
Decker snorted.
“A number? Is that what they call it around here? Yeah. He won’t be flirting with piracy ever again.”
“You are aware that he might have had some dangerous affiliations?” Kidder asked, eyes searching Decker’s face as if to discover why it seemed vaguely familiar.
“Sure. Didn’t do him much good.”
The Marine had to repress an overwhelming urge to thump Kidder on the shoulder and ask him what he’d been doing since the day Zack had traded command of Decker’s Demons for an intelligence operative’s billet. Tran had been a solid platoon leader back then, dependable, honest, and willing.
“Pardon me, Ser Whate, but have me met before?” Kidder frowned, apparently searching through the furthest recesses of his memory.
Decker shook his head. “Nope.”
“You said you wanted to hire some transport?” Talyn asked, to derail the man’s train of thought.
“Indeed.” Another polite nod. “The information provided by Sera Lyde about your ship would indicate that it might meet the requirements of the interests I represent.”
“Cripes, another Pavel Krig with his bloody interests.” Decker made a disgusted face. “We’re not following you anywhere, just so you know. We keep our meetings with scumbags to one a day. More would be gluttony.”
A faint smile appeared on Kidder’s solemn face.
“I can assure you that I’m nothing like Ser Krig, and the interests I represent aren’t on Andoth, nor do they bear any sort of resemblance to Krig’s. In any case, his business should dry up once word gets around that he’s responsible for introducing you to the late Ser Syko and his associates.”
“Serves the traitorous little snake right.” Decker flexed a ham-sized fist. “Though I wouldn’t mind giving him a token of my appreciation.”
Only too late did Zack realize that he’d been speaking like the man Kidder remembered, and a brief flash of interest appeared in the latter’s eyes.
“Mister Kidder,” Talyn said, “what exactly is it that you’re looking for?”
Before he could answer, the main door swung open with a crash to reveal a trio of heavily armed men in black uniforms.
“Perhaps I could tell you somewhere else,” he replied, suddenly sounding very anxious. “The gentlemen who are now taking a good look around the Paradise belong to what passes for law and order in Yavan. Considering they’re in the pockets of virtually everyone with extra-legal interests, I’m going to surmise they’re after you two.”
“Did you leave anything in the room you feel sentimental about?” Decker asked his partner.
“Negative.”
“Then perhaps we should skedaddle to our shuttle and lift off. I’d rather not mix it up with corrupt cops in full public view.” He turned to Kidder. “If you have nothing to keep you in Yavan, I can offer a ride out of here while we talk business; otherwise, this conversation is over.”
“I think I’ll go with you, Ser Whate.”
They slipped out of the booth without hurrying and headed for the back door behind the bar, trying to look entirely innocent. It almost worked.
“Hey you!” One of the cops shouted. “Stop right there.”
Decker resisted the temptation to raise a rigid digit salute and simply followed his companions down the narrow passage and out into the Paradise Hotel’s junk-filled backyard.
“Not the brightest cops, are they?” He asked, scanning his surroundings while they jogged between piles of rusting metal and discarded plastic containers, trying to find their way to the street. “If you’re going to take someone in, you cover all the exits.”
“If they were smart, Ser Whate, they wouldn’t be taking bribes from everyone,” Kidder replied, “thereby making themselves unable to go after anyone but off-worlders, and then only those not under the protection of locals.”
“Like us. I suppose we could always wave a stack of cred chips under their noses, but since we’re headed back to the ship, it would probably be a waste.”
They slowed their pace once they reached the main road, to avoid attracting attention.
“Did I understand that you’re offering me passage on your ship?” Kidder eyed the big man by his side with undisguised suspicion.
“I’m going to guess that you’ve come up empty for whatever job you have here because it sounds like you’ve been in Yavan for a while. That means you were probably close to leaving anyway. Now that the cops have seen you with us, it makes sense that you move up your timetable. If we don’t conclude a contract, you can pay us the price of your passage to our next stop. If we do, we’ll add it to our fee. Deal?”
“It seems I have little choice, Ser Whate. Thank you.”
Talyn glanced back over her shoulder.
“It may not be quite as easy as we’d like,” she said. “There’s a ground car with nice blue emergency flashers turning away from the Paradise.”
“Over here,” Decker pointed at the huge septic disposal vat they’d passed the previous day. “A good stench tends to keep dirty cops away. They don’t like the competition.”
“I hope you’re proposing we hide behind it and not inside.”
“Considering how many good leather jackets I’ve lost over the last few years, I’m going to make sure this one lasts, so yeah, we’re hiding behind it. If they have sensors, the organic stew in the vat will hide our signature.”
“Aren’t you worried that they’ll seize your shuttle, Ser Whate?” Kidder asked once they were ensconced in the shadows, watching the reflection of the lights grow on the neighboring storage tank.
Decker chuckled grimly.
“Not a chance. That thing is almost impregnable and if they try to cut in, the self-destruct mechanism is going to give them one chance to stop and back away before the entire spaceport vanishes in a bright flash.”
“Radical, but practical, I suppose.” A pause. “Would you really blow up the spaceport if they try to take your shuttle?”
“Technically, they’d be blowing themselves up, but yeah. Wouldn’t you?” Zack grinned at Kidder, knowing that he’d be eroding his disguise even further, but if they were going to take him aboard Phoenix, the truth would have to come out at some point.
The man shook his head briefly then turned his eyes back towards the road, just in time to see a police car speed by.
“Let’s hope that once they see we’re not at the spaceport, they go off on a wild goose chase all over town,” Talyn said. “I suggest we wait here until we see them come back.”
“I hope that won’t take all day.” Decker sniffed the air. “If we stay here too long, the stench might become impregnated in our clothes, and I’ll lose another good jacket.”
“Don’t worry, Ser Kidder, he’s not like this all the time.”
“Like what?” Decker demanded, half-indignantly.
“Whiny.” She winked at Tran.
The flashing lights took almost an hour to reappear, this time, headed back into Yavan proper.
“Let’s hope they didn’t leave someone behind,” Talyn said, leading the way out of their hiding spot.
“More likely they told the administrator to keep a lookout and report when we show up. Not that it’ll do them any good.” Decker banished the lingering smell of decay with a shake of the head.
Talyn pulled out a small pad and stroked it a few times with her fingertips.
“There. The shuttle’s going live and warming up. It’ll be ready to lift by the time we get there. Since I doubt they’ll try to shoot us down if we take off without permission, we shouldn’t have any more problems.”
**
“We have a problem,” Decker said ten minutes later, peering over the perimeter fence at their boxy little spacecraft. “Two cops standing guard.”
“I suppose we could just walk up to them and offer a little help with their insomnia,” Talyn replied.
“Maybe, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they start shooting and we don’t want to go there. I think we might get the bribe queen to help us out if we make enough creds stick to her fingers. After all, she pointed friend Kidder in our direction, so she can’t be all bad.”
“It’s worth a try.”
Triane Lyde looked up from her cluttered desk when the trio walked in, the expression on her face changing from annoyance to alarm.
“I see you found them, Ser Kidder,” she said, quickly recovering her composure.
“Indeed.” Tran inclined his head in thanks. “I’ll be departing with them, but we appear to have an infestation of sorts on the tarmac.”
“Yeah.” She raised her chin towards Decker and Talyn. “Damn cops seem to have a bone to pick with you two. I’m to keep you here and call them right away.”
Decker pulled out a few cred chips and tossed one on her desk
“I’m sure you’ll find our offer to not call them much better.”
A second chip joined the first.
“Same with our offer to not keep us here.”
Chip number three sailed through the air.
“I’m sure the two goons guarding our shuttle would accept one or two of these to come inside and warm up with a cup of coffee.”
Three more chips joined the rest on the growing pile in front of Lyde.
“Your commission to offer the goons their inducement to take a nice coffee break.”
Lyde looked at Decker with narrowed eyes, then down at the money, calculating the risk-reward ratio.
“And a performance bonus – payable in advance,” she finally said, scooping up the pile.
Two more chips flew towards her and this time, she caught them before they landed.
“The office beside mine is empty.” She pointed at the connecting door. “Wait there. When the cops are inside, you can scoot out and take off. The moment you’re in your shuttle, there’s nothing anyone can do to keep you here.”
When they were alone in the neighboring room, Kidder asked, “Do you think she’ll stay bought, or bring the police down on us anyway, in the hope of taking what’s left in your pockets?”
“Wouldn’t do much for her. She’s got everything I had and even if she didn’t, the cops would steal what was left, then demand she bribe them over and above what I gave her to lure them in. No, I think Sera Lyde is the kind who stays bought where the so-called law is concerned.”
Talyn glanced through the grimy window.
“She’s got them walking back into the building with her.”
“I guess we’re about to find out if she stayed bought.” Zack checked to make sure he could draw his blaster smoothly.
A sharp rap rang out from the door leading to the waiting room and then, soon after, they heard animated voices in Lyde’s office.
“I guess that was our signal.” Decker pulled the outside door open with a mighty heave, dislodging years of encrusted dust and grime. “No running, please, just in case there are hostile eyes on us. Amble along casually.”
The shuttle’s rear ramp came down at their approach and, with a last look around, Decker shepherded his companions aboard. Talyn dropped into the pilot’s seat and sealed the craft up again.
“Sera Lyde’s a sly little creature,” she said, scanning the sensor log. “She tried to break in. I guess that’s how she figured we would be safe once we were aboard. So much for her extra security fees.”
“Just once, I’d like us to work on a planet where the people are honest, there’s no war and everyone’s smiling,” Zack grumbled from the passenger compartment while he checked Tran Kidder’s seat restraints. “You just stay right like you are until we’re on our ship, buddy.”
“If there is such a thing as a happy, safe, and honest place,” Talyn said while Zack strapped himself into the co-pilot’s seat, “it wouldn’t have any work for people like us, but if you’d like to retire to a planet with those utopian features, be my guest. You’ll be starting bar fights within a week just to have some fun.”
“Oops.” Decker pointed at the console’s tactical screen. “There’s a lot of blue light coming up the drive from the main road.”
“I guess she hedged her bets.” Talyn gunned the thrusters, and the shuttle lifted off in a cloud of dust, heading for the ribbon of indigo sky ten kilometers above Yavan.
“Or the guys guarding the shuttle smelled a rat and called in before taking the bribe.” He shook his head. “That’s is what I hate about corruption. You can never tell who’s doing what to whom without a program.”
He turned his head towards the passenger compartment.
“You all right in there, Tran?”
“Never been better.”
