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Daisy managed the One Way Ticket into the black and punched in coordinates for Shelley before stumbling to his rack and collapsing. Atom watched over his every move, but found no mistakes as the pilot wandered through his routines with his eyes closed.
“Koze,” Atom settled into the now vacant pilot’s seat. “How drunk was he?”
“You would be suffering from alcohol poisoning.”
“I don’t drink, so that’s not hard to imagine. Plus, he’s twice my body weight.”
“1.87 times,” Kozue snarked. “But you’re catching up. Needless to say he is still quick intoxicated and that’s after spending the night in the local pool.”
“I didn’t catch any mistakes,” Atom kicked his feet up on the console.
“That is because he made none. He proceeded with flawless execution.”
“Then why does he make me nervous?”
“Because he’s a better pilot than you when he’s tanked,” Kozue hesitated, then caught Atom off guard. “Do you mourn my death?”
Atom froze. His heart thundered. He felt his vision retreat into his skull.
“You’re an AI,” he managed to whisper.
“But you injected my personality and memories into the ship’s cortex. In essence, you overwrote my operating systems, and I’ve become her,” Atom saw his wife’s puzzled expression as she processed complex information. “I’m not trying to replace her, but with your help I’ve grown into something more than programmed functions.”
Atom sat in silence, staring into the void outside the ship.
“Atom? Are you upset? Your heart-rate has slowed dangerously. I will leave you alone.”
The bridge fell silent, leaving Atom to delve into his own mind. After staring into the black emptiness, he lifted his eyes to the ceiling
“I did mourn,” he said as he ran his hands through his loose curls, pulling the shag down over his face. “I mourned in my heart because I had to be strong for Go. I can’t dwell on it and be the father she needs.”
“Is that safe?” Kozue asked with concern.
“To internalize my pain?”
“To internalize any emotion.”
“Some emotions are private. People have said otherwise, but they’re wrong,” Atom slid his hands down to cradle his face as he shifted in the pilot’s seat to curl in on himself. “I have no desire to share those emotions with anyone or have people steal them from me.
“My wife died,” he said with force as he thrust himself to his feet. “It’s my burden to bear and I don’t care to be told how to react. But I did, and I do mourn, in my heart. But I don’t need to show that to the world for it to be true. Kozue was my strength and my conscience. She gave me life. That purpose has now shifted to Go, and I’ll live every breath being the best father I can be as I walk this path between life and death.”
Rubbing at his scruff, Atom rose and wandered from the bridge. As he passed through the galley he found Byron and Shi chatting.
“So did you make black on the job?” Shi sat with a leg propped under her elbow. A Cheshire grin mocked Atom.
“What job?” Atom opened his eyes wide in innocence.
She laughed and shook her head.
“Game’s up, cap. Byron’s got too much grey matter in his pan, and I’ve seen too much of this galaxy to be fooled.”
“Game?” Atom scrambled to surface from his own ruminations.
“You’re a bountying merc, darl,” Byron said. “We was just thinking we might not mind in on that busy if you ever need help.
“For our normal cut,” his lopsided grin brought a laugh from Atom.
“I think you need to work on your negotiating skills,” Atom detoured from his route and dropped into the seat at the end of the booth. “So you both know?”
“It weren’t hard to figure,” Shi shrugged. “Your always off doin’ such with just Margo. Now, I have to say, takin’ your ko threw me for a while, but the more I got to know you the easier it is to see that you’re just a soldier, and you’re just keepin’ family close.
“Helps how we met, you knockin’ my former employer. Regular merch’s don’t go about doin’ such. So I reckoned you were somethin’ more.”
“I suppose it’s hard to keep that under wraps from the folks you live with,” Atom chuckled. “But I’ve no desire to drag you into my other line of work. If you’re looking for extra shifts, I’ve no problem with that, but know it’s a touch more dangerous than the cargo running we’ve been doing.”
“Cargo running,” Byron glanced to Shi. “We’ve moved one hold of lumber. You’ve had more jobs on your own than that. I’d say we’re a merc crew that dabbles in shipping, darl.”
Atom remained silent. For a time he looked back and forth between his two crew. Shi maintained her calm demeanor, but Byron shifted in his seat and dropped his eyes.
“Is Daisy aboard with this?” Atom turned to Byron, pinning him with an icy stare. “I don’t want to tiptoe around one member of my crew. I’d rather you all stay out of my affairs or all join. More bodies means bigger jobs and bigger cuts. It also means we can hit from more angles.
“I wouldn’t argue with either of those,” Atom said with thought.
He fell quiet again and rested his chin on his fist. “Talk to Daisy when he wakes. Don’t tell him more than he needs to know,” shifting his gaze to Shi. “If he wished to stay on just as a pilot on a merch, we keep things the way they are.
“If he chooses otherwise, you know where to find me,” he hopped up and left the pair to weigh their fates.
––––––––
They burned hard for their destination. A full week passed as the One Way Ticket pressed down the third Finger. Nothing but black skies and scattered stars graced their path as they flew for Shelley and the Nievaal System.
Atom spent most of his time playing with Margo and deliberating through games of strategy with Daisy. The pilot, once settled after his bender, proved to be much more intellectual than any assumed. Most evenings, once Atom tucked Margo into her bunk, captain and pilot sat down at the virtual board in the galley to spar over varying games of galactic domination or halting alien infestations. Sometimes the pair even returned to the age-old game of go.
One evening as they pondered at Queen’s Gambit, Shi and Byron entered the galley and studied the board with feigned interest.
Atom remained focused on the game.
“What news?” Daisy leaned his bulk back from the table and with curiosity looked up at the pair.
“Remember what we chatted the other day?” Shi crossed her arms.
“The merc gig?”
“Yeah, you aboard?”
Daisy turned his attention to Atom. He drummed his thick fingers on the table even as the captain continued to study the three-dimensional board.
“What are your thoughts, Atom?” Daisy asked.
Atom maintained his silence a moment more, then he made his move.
“It could go either way,” Atom kept his eyes on the board, anticipating Daisy’s move. “If the three of you decided to log on with the merc aspect of my business, it would change the dynamics of our relationship.
“Death would be on the line,” Atom’s gaze flickered to Daisy’s face. “Payment split would remain the same, a share for each of us and one for the ship. The jobs we take would be mine alone to choose. On a merc job, our normal freelance arrangement would be tabled, because when death is on the line, there can be only one captain. Orders must be followed—or we all die.
“Because we’ll be fighting for money, I’ll do my best to keep us all alive, but I can’t promise anything. Better to run away poor than die rich.
“Does that sound interesting? Any questions?” Atom looked back to the board.
For a moment the pilot just stared at the fluid game pieces. “Is this revenge or is it just what you know?”
The question caught Atom off guard. “What I know,” he replied.
Daisy contemplated and looked up to Shi. He folded his hands together and bit his lip in thought.
“I’m not one for violence much past my fists, but I could be your transport man on any mission that needs it,” he turned back to Atom. “I’m game as long as this past, this ‘what you know,’ doesn’t come back to burn any of us.”
“I can’t promise that,” Atom said. “I’ve a past that doesn’t like me, and I’m not doing a whole lot to hide from it. I’m not looking for it, but I’ll not promise anything. The way I see it, that past could catch up with us on this ship whether you decide to go merc or stay merch.”
“One last question.”
“What’s that?”
“You any good?”
“I’m still alive,” Atom relaxed. “They keep trying, but haven’t gotten very far.”
“Oh, really,” Kozue said in his ear. “Tell me about the Meriwetherhan.”
“Well, they haven’t gotten me or Go yet.”
“Good enough,” Daisy pondered the board a moment and made his move. “Mate.”
––––––––
Two days later they crossed the threshold into the Nievaal System. With an uneventful journey behind them, Atom breathed a sigh of relief and called for a meeting with the miners. Roger and Barnes had remained apart from the crew ever since dropping Mei Ling off, with the exception of mealtimes. But after putting Roger off several times, Atom preferred the distance.
When the miners climbed the stairs and entered the galley they found Atom and Shi already seated.
“You want to talk, no?” worry lined Roger’s face.
“We’re in system,” Atom began. “We got you here in one piece despite the side tracking. I have to apologize for that, but us captains have to stick to the code, even though it can be a dice toss sometimes.”
“I understand,” Roger relaxed somewhat, but Barnes fixated on Shi. “Has something changed in our agreement?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” said Atom.
Roger fell silent.
Barnes stepped in and inclined his head toward the gunslinger like a conspirator in a classic spy movie.
“Oh, Shi?” he looked at her in surprise.
“Yes,” Roger hung his head. “I thought arrangement was with you. I was unaware that member of your crew know.”
Atom laughed. “Sometimes the battlefield shifts. I’ve seen it happen a time or two. The best commanders are the ones who see the shift, anticipate it, and adjust their tactics and forces accordingly.”
“Our battlefield?” Roger looked worried. “We have not yet arrived home. Have we started fight?”
“Not yet.”
“Da nu, you had worried me. I thought they wait for us.”
“Not to my knowledge. The shift has taken place here on my ship, with my crew. As I planned and worked over our coming engagement, it became apparent that I’d need more firepower and more avenues of attack if I had any hope of success against an enemy so large
“I’ve built my crew with different strengths. I’m hoping we have everything we need to mount this attack.”
Daisy poked his head through the door. “Did I miss anything?” he asked with a broad, disarming smile as he sidled over and dropped into the booth beside Shi. “I sure love strategies.”
“Not a thing,” Atom replied. “Mr. Thach was just about to run through the problem his people have come up against.”
“I was?” Roger pulled at his collar.
“It’ll help us work out a plan. Please start from the beginning and don’t leave out any details.”
Roger hesitated, collecting his thoughts.
“Government tried to take our mines,” he said in dejection.
“So you own your mines?” Daisy processed. “You have something worth taking?”
“Major painite veins. These veins change life for our entire han alliance.”
Daisy found scattered salt on the table and began pushing the scattered grains together as he thought. “Let me guess, several smaller hans have formed a lesser guild and hold the rights on this moon?”
“Correct. There are four hans who have accord. We own three of four moons outright and hold mining rights on fourth. The guild owns legal, but the empire wants what we own. They pressure us. Try buyout, but we not sell. Now they claim we own surface rights, but below belongs to empire. They tell us since we own all surface they cannot be hold responsible for anything that happen to our people.”
“Sounds like clear strongarm,” Daisy said. “My question is the imps, is this central or some local gov who just wants a bigger piece of the pie?”
“I do not know how far this goes, but they have loosed a small army of mercs on Shelley and brought business to standstill. They even blockade surface so we have no regular supplies. We barely slipped out to find you.”
“Blockade?” Atom glanced to Daisy. “That wasn’t mentioned before.”
“Is that problem?” Roger looked close to a panic attack.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” Daisy flashed a reassuring smile. “I have blockade-running in my docket.”
“Also news to me,” Atom laughed. “Any other surprises I should know about?”
“If I think of any tids, I’ll tell you when they come up.”
“Right, gents,” Shi chirped. “We’ve crossed the system border. Do we have time to be muckin’ about as such? Seems we’ve a war to plan instead of comparing dockets. I’m lookin’ forward to lettin’ my girls sing, but your mouths are settin’ that back. The ladies are antsy with Atom keepin’ them cooped for so long. They need to stretch their voices.”
“Fair enough,” Atom drummed a quick tattoo on the table and brought the meeting to order. “So we’ve got a merc tribe making life misery down on the surface. Roger said raiding parties keep the locals hunkered, but so far is more of a nuisance than anything else. Empire wants their goods, but has no rights to them, so they’re coming at the guild sideways. It’s up to us to figure out countermeasures.
“When I first took this job I figured I could solve the problem in one of two ways, keep chipping at the mercs all fifth-column like, or I could take down the imp officials who are aiming to line their pockets.
“Thoughts?” he asked the crew.
“I’m always down for a good scrap,” Shi fiddled with her pistols. “Straight ahead has its advantages.”
“I agree,” Daisy added. “But I think our best option might be a combination of the two. Whittle away the attacking forces, and then cut off the snake’s head before they can hire reinforcements.”
Atom nodded. “To pull this off I think we need to add one more member to this crew,” he stared at the table in thought. “We’ve a mech, a gunner, a pilot, and a jack-of-all.”
Daisy’s eyes lit “We need a tech.”
“Aye, a tech could do us a world of good in some of the scenarios I’m tossing in my pan.”
“If you seek tech you must speak to Hither at the Wooden Duckling. She is a connector of people and needed things,” Barnes chipped in.
“So you can pull this off?” Roger looked hopeful for the first time.
Atom shrugged. “Or die trying,” he flashed a wolfish grin.
––––––––
Daisy slipped the ship through the loose blockade with ease, drawing the attention of a smaller corvette, but using mass to outrun her in the race to the surface. With a deft hand, he guided the One Way Ticket through the upper atmosphere and dropped close to the surface. There he wove through a series of wooded canyons, smiling with euphoria as he pushed his ship to the limit of intra-atmospheric flight.
Behind him, Atom sat strapped in at the navigator’s seat, at ease, with Margo sitting on his lap, buckled into the front of her harness. She laughed with childish glee at the wild ride.
Peeling off with a wild departing salvo that destroyed a section of the forested hills, the marauder’s ship pulled back up to higher orbit and left the One Way Ticket to proceed at a more leisurely pace to the lone spaceport.
As the ship set down, Roger stumbled up to the bridge. “That was flying,” his face tinged green. “I did not enjoy, but I thank you for my life.”
He fled the bridge holding his mouth.
“Some folks just can’t handle the freedom of the skies,” Daisy said with a smug look.
“Let’s just hope he gets off the ship alive,” Atom unbuckled and shifted Margo to his back, adjusting her harness as he rose. “It’s always bad for business to drop off the corpse of your client before you’ve started the job.”
Daisy shrugged as he cycled down the ship’s power. “By, drop the core to standby,” he called into the com. In response the background thrum of the ship’s engines dropped to a whisper.
The pilot yawned to pop his ears at the sudden silence.
“Let’s see what sort of place this is,” Atom twisted his head to glance at Margo. A sly wink brought a neck crushing hug from the girl. He reached around and patted her back as he walked from the bridge.
“Think we can find a tech on a rock like this?” Daisy kissed the bridge doorframe as he followed Atom down the hall to the full hold. “I know Barnes said we should talk to that Hither lady, but do you really think we can find a tech out here that can stack to what we need?”
“What do we need?” Atom took the hold stairs at a steady, if slow, gait and made his way over to the hatch lost in thought.
“A top notch tech to match the level of the rest of your crew,” Daisy grunted.
“It’d be nice if we found someone who could hack a cap ship for us, but I don’t know that we’ll have that luxury. Honestly, I’d settle for a simple tech who could hack your average security system.”
“Fancy fliyin’ there,” Shi bound from the hatch after them and punched Daisy’s meaty shoulder. “Least we’re livin’.”
Byron trailed along without a word, looking like a sodden zombie. He clutched Margo’s suspensor pram, relying on it for stability more than pushing it. Seeing Atom, he sent the pram to glide over as he took a deep breath and cradled his stomach. Shaking his head he slapped the hatch shut and with a panicked look he scuttled across the pad to unload behind a scrap of bushes.
“Not a flyer yet,” Daisy roared.
“Don’t be too hard on him,” Atom said. “It’s his first taste of your brand of flying: fast, high-g, and a hint of recklessness. Just the way I prefer it.”
“I cater to the boss,” Daisy draped an arm over Shi’s shoulder as they stepped off. “What did the lady think of my flying?”
“Got us here in one piece. That’s all I care about,” she said. “And don’t call me lady.”
“Why not?”
“Sounds like a dog or such.”
Shi ducked Daisy’s arm and stepped to the side, surveying their limited, top-down perspective of the town laid out before them. On a rudimentary grid the town spilled down, nestled between two arms of the mountain. Rolling green foliage lined the two ridges embracing the town and dribbled down into the streets, giving the perspective of age to the settlement. For several miles the streets followed the contours of the mountain while maintaining as close to a straight line as possible.
The landing pads sat at the high end of the small city, tucked tight to the mountainside, and Atom assumed the mouths to the mines made the confluence of humanity and necessity.
For a time the crew stood on the retaining wall marking the boundary of the small spaceport. They watched scattered people like gods from above. Then Atom turned and counted a dozen pads, all capable of handling the largest freighters to break atmo. All but two sat empty, theirs and a small ship built more for speed than cargo.
Atom eyed the other ship curiously.
Roger and Barnes stood near the gated entrance to the spaceport, as if bred for waiting.
“Welcome to Clarity, capital of Shelley,” Roger said as Atom led the others over.
“Seems a tidy place,” Atom said.
“Kind of small,” Shi followed, her hands tucked beneath her poncho. “I was expecting something grander with all you talk of ore.”
“It’s frontier, la,” Daisy chipped in. “We’re almost to the Nail.”
“It is subdued now,” Roger sniffed and dabbed at his mouth with his sleeve. “Just wait for the turnout tonight.”
“What’s happening tonight?” Atom asked.
“The people will come out. They will welcome our saviors properly,” Roger managed a smile.
“This planet just got a whole lot nicer,” Daisy clapped Roger on the back. “Now point me in the direction of a hostel where I can put my feet up and rest my head until the festivities.”
Roger looked to Barnes. “I would say Wooden Duckling is best,” Roger said as Barnes pointed out a three-story building standing head and shoulders above a row of buildings on the curve below the pads. “Is better than hostel, but not to standards of the Palm.”
“Although, it got much better after Hither bought it,” Barnes nodded. “She settled here not long ago and bought the Wooden Duckling. Things only get better with her.”
“This the same Hither we’re hoping can line us up with a tech?” Atom studied the inn.
“One and same. We take you down now,” Roger said.