by J. N. Chaney
“Of course, sir.”
With the Slip Gap point entry we needed approaching, I had a bit of an advantage. Taurus Station had several tunnel entrances around it, and it made sense that those trying to get the data stick would bring it here. They must have known it would be traced, and bringing it to a busy station with several access points would make it easier to mask its location until the last leg of the journey.
No wonder they had offered to pay so much to get it—they probably assumed whoever took this last part of the delivery would end up dead.
Assholes. Unlucky for them, I was too damn stubborn to die.
With six SG Points along my route, I would have plenty of chances to throw anyone who was following me off my tail. With a labyrinth of tunnels for me to choose from, whoever wanted this stick back wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Tracer scrambling nearly complete, sir,” said Sigmond as we closed the final distance to the SG Point.
“Finally,” I muttered, my eye on the holo.
I was waiting—waiting for someone to break away from Taurus Station and follow us.
Waiting to get caught.
With our coordinates blasting into the cosmos, probably the clearest the signal had been in a long while, we were at our most vulnerable. I didn’t like it one bit.
Any second now, I expected the ship to rattle with enemy fire. Any moment, the shields would be tested and I’d be forced to defend myself against some unknown enemy.
I tensed, my palms slick with sweat as I waited for the worst to happen.
“Tracer scrambling complete,” said Sigmond through the cockpit speakers. “Initiating slip tunnel.”
A green tear opened in space, the dazzling electric light of the tunnel more beautiful than ever, and I sighed with relief. “Let’s get the hell out of here, Siggy.”
“Yes, sir.”
As we gunned it into the slip tunnel, I knew my luck wouldn’t hold out. It wouldn’t be long before they found my position, even with Sigmond’s crafty attempt to scramble the tracer on the data stick.
Whoever this had been stolen from would want it back, and I was now the only one in their way. There was a lot of money—and there were probably a lot of powerful people—wrapped up in this heist, and I’d managed to get stuck in the middle of it all.
As I eased back in my chair, I couldn’t help but think of who I’d be delivering this to—some unnamed person at the edge of the Deadlands. With as much money as they were paying me to get this to them, I could only imagine how powerful they must be as well.
8
I leaned against the counter in the lounge while a cup of coffee brewed in my piece of shit coffee maker. As the stream of liquid slowly poured into the mug I’d set beneath the spout, I stared at it like hating the piece of junk would make it somehow brew better.
The aroma blended with the painfully familiar scent of engine oil as it sputtered and finished its task, and for a moment I just crossed my arms and stared glumly at it, wondering what had become of my life that I would stoop to drinking this drivel.
I sighed and snatched the cup from the coffee maker, took a swig, and grimaced at the gruesome blend of flavors.
“First thing I’m doing once I get paid is buying a decent replacement,” I told the empty lounge.
“Very good, sir,” said Sigmond through the speakers along the wall. “I will remind you the moment we land on Taurus Station.”
“You probably won’t have to,” I admitted as I took another sip .“But thanks, Siggy.”
“Of course, sir.”
I glared down at the brown liquid sloshing around in my mug. “Siggy, can you scan this coffee?”
“Yes, sir,” the AI replied. “Scan complete.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“Primarily water blended with roasted coffee beans,” answered the AI. “I noted a few added nut oils and a handful of spices, but as we bought discounted coffee when we were refueling, the flavor additives are not enough to be noticed.”
“Don’t be a cheapass,” I said as I took another sip. “Noted.”
“There are also trace elements of engine oil, though not in a substantial amount and not enough that it is dangerous to your health to consume it.”
I spit it out on impulse, the coffee flying through the air as I reflexively cringed from what Sigmond had said. “I fucking knew it!”
“I assure you, there are only trace amounts,” promised Sigmond.
“That’s not the point,” I said as I set the cup down and rubbed my eyes. “I don’t drink it for my health. It’s supposed to taste good and keep me awake. How long until we exit slip space?” I asked.
“Approximately one hour,” replied Sigmond.
“Have you detected anyone following us?” I figured the AI would have let me know if he had, but you could never be too sure.
“No, sir.”
“Good.”
It seemed that we were in the clear, but only for now. That could change at any moment, and the pressure was on to get the data stick to its new masters before Sigmond’s work to scramble the tracking device ultimately failed.
Arms crossed as I leaned against the counter, I groaned and stared at the cup again. For a moment, I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up, but I knew I would ultimately lose this battle with my own willpower.
With a resigned sigh, I snatched the mug and trudged toward the cockpit.
“Exiting slip space now, sir,” reported Sigmond.
We had been traveling for days and had already slipped through five of the six tunnels that would take us to our contact. I’d stopped to refuel and stock up on consumables just once, only getting the bare necessities.
The stop was at a seedy place called Leah Station, and I hoped never to go back. The place hadn’t just been a haven for wayward Renegades like myself, it also attracted its share of Ravagers and pirates. It was the kind of place where you wiped your boots before reboarding your ship, then went through a thorough cleansing after.
I’d ordered Sigmond to take that outpost off our list of possible pit stops for the future, except in cases where it couldn’t be avoided.
There was only one SG Point left, and we would come face to face with this anonymous person who had gone to great lengths to ensure we didn’t have a look at their stolen data.
The green lightning of slipspace pulsed through the windows on the side of the cockpit as we reached the end of the tunnel. Space opened up before us, vast and empty, and we left the electric current behind us.
“How many SG Points are there nearby?” I asked.
“Four,” said Sigmond.
“Finally, a lucky break,” I said and I let out a sigh of relief. “That should shake whoever might be following us. Let’s get to the next tunnel as fast as possible, Siggy.”
“The next SG Point will require a fair bit of travel to reach,” said Sigmond. “We will be exposed for several hours.”
“Damn it,” I muttered. “I want to make this trip short, Siggy. We need to be smart about fuel, but we also have to move quickly.”
“Yes, sir.”
With a long trek ahead of me, it would probably serve me to get some sleep. This was going to take several days, after all, but I was too wired to pass out just yet. Besides, I didn’t feel comfortable taking a nap in an unfamiliar system, and between SG Points no less.
I’d just have to fidget in my seat and bug the shit out of Sigmond to keep myself occupied, maybe watch a holo film or two.
The data stick still lay on the scanner from earlier, and I chewed the interior of my lip as I stared at it. The longer we left it on the scanner, the better our shot of prolonging the attempts to scramble the tracking system on it.
I couldn’t deny, though, how much I wanted to see what was on that thing.
“What do you think that is, Siggy?” I asked, still staring at the data stick.
“I haven’t the slightest idea, sir,” admitted the AI.
“Well, what could i
t be?” I asked myself. “With as much money as is on the line, and considering the advanced technology needed to create a tracking system that can transmit coordinates across vast distances, this probably doesn’t belong to a run-of-the-mill tech company. This is advanced, more so than I’ve ever seen. I’d bet the Star it’s military.”
“I agree, sir,” said Sigmond. “It was highly complex and required immense effort to impact the tracer.”
I shook my head, leaning my elbows on my knees as I watched the innocuous device sitting on my dash. It looked so plain. So normal.
It was anything but.
“Kind of makes me wonder what I could fence it for,” I admitted. “It makes me want to take a peek and see what’s inside.”
“Would you like me to see if it’s something I can access, sir?” asked the AI.
I rubbed my thumb along my jaw, still staring at the data stick while I toyed with the risk in having Sigmond take a look. This was a lot of money I was putting on the line, and if Ollie was right, I’d lose everything by having a quick scan of the contents.
Whoever procured this, then sold it, had big budgets to work with and lots of resources at their disposal, so it was entirely possible that they might be able to track and record whoever had tried to access the data stick.
“Can you have a look without leaving any trace that you were there?” I asked.
“I believe so, sir.”
“Nah, Siggy,” I said. “You need to be completely certain before I’ll risk this.”
“One moment,” said the AI.
For a while, the cockpit went quiet. Except for the rumbling of the engines, I was left with my own thoughts and the dangling temptation of what might be on the drive I’d been ordered to deliver.
When I’d signed up for this, there hadn’t been any mention of my coordinates being broadcast to the universe. There hadn’t been any hint that I could be pursued for what I had on board this ship, and it would have changed the terms.
Namely, I would’ve asked for more money.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt like keeping my nose out of it was the smart thing to do here.
On the other hand, if I was going to risk my life to bring it to strangers on the other side of the Deadlands, I wanted to know what was on it.
“Affirmative, sir,” said Sigmond. “I found a way to access the data stick without leaving any indication that we were there. However, it means we cannot copy any data. Would you like to access the files in a read-only manner?”
“Hell yes, Siggy.” I grinned and leaned forward. “Show me what we’re sticking our necks out for.”
The holo flashed briefly as Sigmond accessed the data, and dozens of specs appeared before me. Massive ship blueprints outlined every inch of vessels so large I could barely comprehend their size, and the blueprints for various cannons and external weapons displayed across the holo, one after another, almost too quickly for me to even register.
I leaned back in my chair as more and more flashed across the screen, and my mouth dropped open. With my hand resting on my knee, I could only gape at the vast amount of what could only be classified data appeared before me, locked behind view-only access.
“Godsdamn,” I muttered as the last weapon blueprint appeared in the throng of data. “Siggy, this… this is…”
I couldn’t even finish my thought.
“It is an impressive array of data, sir,” agreed the AI. “All tallied, I believe there are several dozen ship blueprints and hundreds of weapon designs, ranging from handheld devices to ship-mounted guns. None of it is registered as being in use as of today.”
“I see why they’re paying us so much to deliver it,” I admitted. “These are government secrets. Who does this belong to?”
I had my suspicions but wanted to hear him say so I was sure. There was a possibility I was just blowing smoke out my ass.
“The Union, sir,” said Sigmond.
The Union. Exactly who I was afraid he would say. The two words froze me in place, and for a moment I couldn’t even think straight. Not only did we have highly classified information, but it had been stolen from the most powerful military force in the known universe.
Sure, the Sarkonians were a force to be reckoned with, but they just didn't compare when it came to technology. All of the Empire’s power came from its ability to hold planets, not airspace. They were well known for stealing tech and making their own shoddy version, so this couldn’t be theirs.
I rubbed my hands together as my eyes slipped out of focus. I couldn’t decide yet if this changed anything.
On one hand, whoever had stolen this had put me and my ship in incredible danger that could have been avoided with a bit of forethought and a good security scan on the device before it had reached me.
On the other hand, being a Renegade meant walking the line between the free market and the law. There was a reason it was illegal to be a Renegade within Union space. With the safeguards we Renegades set up to protect our identities, the Union didn’t know I existed.
If they found me with confidential data, however, that would quickly change.
I leaned back in my chair and tapped my finger on the armrest of the pilot’s seat while my mind slowly snapped out of its numb daze.
The fact was, I now had a choice.
This kind of data would sell for an insane amount of credits. I could probably make enough money off of this to retire—not that I would, but I’d be one of the most comfortable Renegades in the business. I liked causing mischief and the freedom of open space too much to stop this early into my career.
At the very least, I could pay off all my debt to Fratley Oxanos and then some.
But I also had my reputation to worry about. If word got out that I had fenced a client’s stolen goods, I’d never get another job. Not a legitimate one, anyway. I’d be forever looking over my shoulder, wondering if the next job would be a setup that ended in a bullet through my brain.
Getting involved in other peoples’ business usually ended up with a Renegade becoming very dead. I was force-fed all kinds of horror stories when I first got my ship, and now I was beginning to realize they weren’t all myths and legends to spook the new kid.
Out here, there was real temptation.
I groaned and rubbed my face. I already knew what I was going to do. “Terminate access, Siggy.”
“At once, sir.”
The hologram disappeared, and with it went the brief surge of adrenaline that had been more powerful than any coffee or booze I’d tasted.
“You’re sure there’s no evidence we were in there?”
“Absolutely positive, sir,” said Sigmond. “No one will ever know we saw what’s on the drive.”
“Good.” I ran my hand through my hair, beyond ready for this mission to end. “Siggy, do we have an extra data stick lying around? It has to be Union-made.”
“We do, yes,” answered the AI.
“Does it look anything like this one?” I asked, pointing to the stick.
“The extra stick we have on board is not identical, but it is very similar. I believe very few people would notice the differences without thorough inspection.”
“Interesting,” I muttered to myself.
I still had a choice between delivering the real stick, running with it, or delivering a fake one and fencing the real one later.
The temptation was strong, and the impulse to swipe the Union data was even stronger—not just because of the money I could add to my bank account, but also because of the implications that came with being involved in offloading Union intel.
If they discovered I was involved in any way, I would be thoroughly screwed. Especially if I couldn’t tell them where their data was. Keeping it on board might even be the best move to keep myself alive in what was quickly devolving into a dangerous game of subterfuge and lies.
To whomever had hired me to deliver the stick, I was expendable. They’d pawned it off to a Renegade to do the final delivery
for a reason, and that reason probably wouldn’t end up well for me.
Keeping the real stick on my person would probably be the best bet I had to keep me alive. Getting paid for it would be a bonus—provided I didn’t get myself killed in the process.
“Siggy, I want you to do everything you can to make the secondary data stick look and feel like this one, got it?” I asked, pointing again to the Union device lying before me. “Any access codes, locks, anything you can put on it, I want it done. Whatever you do, don’t copy anything over, and don’t leave any trace of us on the real one.”
“Yes, sir,” said the AI. “It shouldn’t take long.”
It was a risky move, but mostly it was insurance.
Maybe the delivery would go well. I might just decide to hand over the stick, and that would be that. Toss the fake one in a bin, collect my money, and ride off into slipspace with this whole mess behind me.
Or maybe I wouldn’t like who I ended up meeting for the handoff. Maybe I’d realize what the game was, too late to act, and I’d need a backup plan to get out of it.
Hopefully, I’d be able to keep my word to Ollie and make good on my reputation of not stealing my own clients’ shit. Hard to be hardass about Max’s antics if I turned around and did the same.
I’d just have to wait and see who I was supposed to be delivering the data stick to. Once I knew that, I could make whatever choice gave me the best chance of staying alive.
“Sir,” said Sigmond. “There appears to be an SG Point opening not far from here.”
My jaw tensed, and I sat upright in my chair. “Where?”
“On the far side of the system, sir. It is the same Slip Gap Point we will need to use for the next leg of our travel.”
“Okay, that’s not ideal,” I admitted. I leaned forward and clasped my hands together. “This isn’t exactly a common route.”
“Correct, sir. It may take a few moments for them to be in full range of my scanners, but I will attempt to identify them.”
“Good man,” I said on impulse. “Er, well, AI.”
