“I could see how this could be hard to police,” Oz muttered.
“And I thought it would be a barren rock on the inside too,” Jason added.
“Are we sure that this is the best way for us to find what we need for the ship?” I asked no one in particular.
“It'll be fine,” Oz replied a bit too quickly to be convincing.
“We could use the sales listings on their local net, but what fun would that be?” Minh asked enthusiastically.
“Sometimes the best bargains can only be found face to face,” Ayan agreed quietly. She didn't seem quite sure.
“Who knows who we'll end up facing for a bargain though, or what they'll want in exchange that couldn't have been posted on their network. Maybe some kind of favour or service,” Minh added. Ayan elbowed him with a scowl.
“We'll be fine. I'm sure someone on the ship can give us directions if we get lost,” Laura said, looking at Jason.
“The communications crew hasn't given directions to anyone remotely before,” he replied, looking over the masses. He caught a glance of Laura's expression of growing concern. “But it'll be fine. It's always easier to give directions from the outside than when you're in the middle,” he reassured.
I took a step forward. It was all we needed to get going. We found a line and waited to pass through an inspection point. The plan was to split up into pairs after passing through and meet back at the ship in six hours. Oz was paired with Minh, Jason was paired with Laura, and I was paired with Ayan. All of us had our lists. Oz and Minh were in charge of a list from Doctor Anderson, which wouldn't take more than half an hour to acquire, so they would also spend time gathering whatever information they could about the solar system. Jason and Laura had the most enjoyable assignment, and were to acquire the furniture we were missing along with other creature comforts for the crew in general. Ayan and I had the difficult task of purchasing the mechanical components that we needed to complete the ship's second refit.
Sadly, there wasn't much time for the Officers to have fun. If we didn't find what we were looking for on that excursion, some of us would have to return the next day. And with the cost of dry dock mounting fast, we couldn't afford to pursue unreliable leads.
I was growing more certain that we'd have no trouble fitting in as we waited in line. There were people of every shape, colour and even a few of the rare non-human races around. Most of them were wearing some kind of vacuum suit or self sealing vacuum-safe clothing and no one took keen notice of us at all. We were, in fact, plainly dressed compared to most. Minh tapped my elbow from behind. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and he nodded to our right inconspicuously.
I followed his gaze to find a crew several lines down with Triad Consortium markings on their baggy vacsuits. They were a rough crew and I assumed they were from a freighter. Nothing about them was military.
“Now that could lead to something,” Minh whispered.
“They're pretty far from Triad territory. I wonder what they're hauling.”
“You and Oz wanted a piracy target. This could be an opportunity or at least a way to find out what these freighter or service crews are like,” Ayan added.
“Follow them, find out what they're doing here, but quietly,” I said with heavy emphasis on quietly.
“Don't worry, they'll have no idea who they're drinking with,” Oz reassured as he and Minh started wandering out of our line and towards the back of theirs.
“From the look of them, I'd be surprised if they'd care much about what they're drinking,” Jason whispered. “I doubt they even have a pulse shower aboard their ship.”
“They probably don't. Some corporate haulers cut everything they can to save power, increase cargo capacity and thrust. I used to hear all about how little they'd get paid for a run. Freighter crews like to complain,” I commented.
“Most core world freighters aren't given armaments anymore. Owners fear they'll turn pirate,” Ayan added.
“I don't think I could do that. Turn pirate. I mean, to switch from having a paying job to having to capture ships and try to make a profit. The movies make it look like an adventure, but I'd think the reality would be harder,” Laura said.
“Freighter crews aren't paid much. The only reason why they exist at all is that fully automated freighters are easier to steal. You can get the codes and remotely pilot them to a spot where you can unload them safely. Having a skeleton crew stops that from happening, but since they don't do much during the trip, corporations don't pay them well.”
“So they take their chances at going into piracy,” Laura finished. “I still wouldn't feel right.”
“We're practically privateers. That's almost the same thing,” Jason said only loud enough so we could hear.
“Except we didn't have to steal our ship, and privateers are endorsed in some way by a faction, government or corporation,” I added.
“I hate to say this Jonas, but we're somewhere between. We don't have official endorsement, and as far as the galaxy is concerned, we've no friends anywhere. Sounds more like pirate to me, especially if we start going after cargo,” Ayan replied, trying not to draw attention from the people in line all around us.
“If it's an easy take you're lookin' for, you should gather yourself some lumpers and find a common cargo haul, sign up, then sell the cargo on your own,” an older looking woman said behind us. She was looking over our heads closer to the front of the line. “Can't do it too often, but it's a nice pile of cash without much work. There r' a few thousand ports 'round that won't look too close at where the products r' comin' from as long as they're clean and untampered. Trick is not to get into anythin' that's so valuable that it'll be too badly missed, but make the haul worthwhile regardless like. When you're done offloadin' you can leave the lumpers behind so's the law has someone to blame.”
“Thanks!” Jason said, looking up at her. She was taller than all of us by several inches and wore clothing that looked well worn. Older, but could be sealed in an emergency. It was odd; not so much a vacsuit styled to look like normal ground based clothing, but ground-based clothing that could perform as a vacsuit in an emergency. Looking around I saw that most of the people in the lines were dressed similarly, with clothing of vastly varied styles that could also perform as a sealable suit in an emergency.
“Never you mind little son, jus' remember to move on after pullin' the haul. Else you'll find yerself payin one way or 'nother.” Her eyes went wide for a moment and she grinned. “There's that little cheat!” She stepped out of the queue and walked between people to cross several lines, obviously in pursuit of someone. We watched the scene quietly and I couldn't help but chuckle as a younger man wearing a similar style of woven clothing spotted her coming towards him and bolted as though his life depended on it.
“I wouldn't want to be in his place,” Jason said, shaking his head. “By the way, what's a lumper?”
“A temporary worker without many skills. Normally you'd pay them a lot less than permanent crew,” I answered. There were thousands of lumpers on Freeground at any given time, I couldn't imagine how many were on Zingara station.
“Too bad she didn't stick around, it sounded like she knew a bit about the area,” Laura sighed.
“Good eye, lady. That's Glenda, one of our home porters. She runs cargo on three ships out here,” a security guard in dark grey hard armour commented as we came to the front of the line.
I handed him our entry information on a data chip and he began checking it against our biological scans. I couldn't see where the scanners were, but they had obviously targeted us while we were waiting and gathered all the information they needed. “She looks a little rough around the edges.”
“Only because she wants to. I hear she started as a humanitarian sort, gathering extras across this part of the galaxy and shipping them to colonies in need. Probably still does that, but from what I know she's one of the few mostly-honest captains out here. Runs a good shipping business.”
&nbs
p; “Didn't sound like it from the advice she was giving us,” Jason muttered.
“Don't let that fool you, she doesn't like the super corps out here much -- none of us do -- so if she can drop a bug in some young spacer's ear about hurting them, she'll do it. Don't think she'd do that kind of thing herself though. She's too important to the colonies trying to make a go out here.”
“Do you have any idea who she was chasing?” Ayan asked, smiling at the security guard as she handed him her personal information.
He smiled back at her shyly. “Uh, he's one of her pilots. Probably owes her more cash than he's worth.”
“I wouldn't cross her.”
“Good thinking. That boy'll probably keep his skin, but I hope he has enough for passage to the next open port. He'll have to go at least that far to find work.” We had all passed through the checkpoint and waited for him to open the stall door to the inner portion of the station. "All right folks, if you haven't read them yet, please read the summary of laws and keep a copy with you at all times during your visit. For more information use our automated system by pressing yellow, five, twelve on any station terminal." He opened the doors and leered at Ayan as she passed. He jerked his head towards the next group in line the instant he realized I caught him staring.
We made our way into the cavernous entrance area and were swallowed up by the masses within. The station foyer was hundreds of meters across, had posts every ten or so meters in all directions with information panels, and went ahead further than I could see. There were lifts along the sides that transported people between the thirty or so levels of platforms that led to shops, hallways, entertainment facilities and other numerous credit making endeavours. The ceiling above had crossing walkways, and played host to both flickering holographic and very realistic advertising billboards.
We walked through the welcome area as slowly as the crowd permitted. There was some personal space between us and everyone else, but not much. No more than a meter's distance could be won in any direction. There were just too many people. Above I could see shuttle car tubes, travel-ways with tall barriers for high speed pedestrian transport such as anti-gravity boards or skid bikes. They moved at a blurringly fast speed, and when one had to exit the expressway the gravity shifted so all the travellers behind had to slow down.
The three of us had seen nothing like it. Public transport was free and always easy on Freeground, so most of the personal travel devices I was seeing were under restricted use there. The pattern of the walkways, shops, and all the people seemed random at a glance, but the lack of congestion told a different story. Whoever built and added to the space port had a great deal of engineering expertise, well beyond my own.
Ayan's gloved hand took mine and I looked down at her. She was smiling at me with a glimmer in her eye. “I forget you've only been planetside twice. It's hard not to assume you've seen it all before.”
“This is amazing. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't anything like this. I don't know what I would have done if you decided to stay back on the ship.”
“I wouldn't miss this for anything. I like watching you take it all in. It's cute.”
“I am not cute,” I said with mock injury.
“Captain Cute. It could stick.” Jason teased.
“I can make the bridge very uncomfortable for you,” I threatened.
“Oh, look, a furniture store!” he said, pointing off to one of the shops to his right as he started walking towards it.
“We should start shopping around,” Laura agreed.
“We don't want to get anything in this hallway. The real bargains will be deeper inside the station. Go check one of those information panels!” Ayan yelled after them.
“The Port Officer we spoke to suggested an area called The Pit,” I added.
“See you back on the ship!” Laura said as Jason pulled her towards one of the information stations by the hand.
“They're going to get so lost,” Ayan shook her head.
“Probably, but knowing Jason he'll find his way. Eventually.”
“I'd put my credits on Laura finding the way first.”
“I'll put five on Jason.”
“You're on.”
We checked the nearest info panel for Larsen's Place and found it right away. It was just two levels up from The Pit, which was roughly in the centre of the station.
I was about to start walking away when Ayan tapped a few icons on the panel and said, “Check for the best prices on this item please. List the best three only: High efficiency pulse emitters, new, under twenty purchase quantity, registered shops.”
I didn't even think of letting the station computer do the work for us, even though it would have been the first thing I'd have done if I were on Freeground.
“Seventeen credits each at Hasotan Store 11382, seventeen decimal five at Reed Wares Store 93721, and nineteen credits each at Spacerwares Store 852381.”
“Where does Larsen's Place rank for the same item?”
“`Larsen's Place Store 3 ranks thirty third at twenty five decimal five for the requested item.”
“New item: emergency magnetic containment field generators tested to ten tons, new.”
“Larsen's Place Store 3 ranks fifth at thirty thousand nine hundred each for the requested item.”
“Well, I think the foreman was right. It sounds like Larsen's might be the place to go. That's a good price for a containment unit that heavy too. It says he's located in section fifty one,” she said, nodding to herself. “I'm surprised that there are so many franchises here. Spacerwares is huge, but I wouldn't expect them to put a location out this far.”
“Considering they have over eight hundred thousand locations that were built before getting around to Zingara, it sounds like they took their time installing one here. I'm glad Freeground turned their application to put a location there down.”
“I didn't know they applied.”
“Yup, Fleet Operations turned them down flat. Parliament didn't get a chance to consider it, not that they'd actually allow it.”
“They're well known listening posts for Regent Galactic.”
“I had no idea. I thought they were just really big outfitter stores. I've only heard of them though. Never been in a store.”
“They pretty much have everything a spacefarer could want. We might want to stay clear, but I actually hope Laura and Jason check the furniture there. As long as they don't get too distracted they may find what we need.”
“Maybe I should raise them on the comm at the four hour mark. I get the feeling they'll get pretty distracted,” I said as I followed Ayan's lead to a shuttle tube entrance turnstiles. Every five minutes a shuttle car went by, the doors belching cool air and a voice announcing which general destination the car was headed for every time they opened to load the next dozen or so passengers. I didn't even see the loading area for the tubes at first through the crowd.
We walked up to the turnstiles and it said, “Five credits for entry, five credits for exit. Jumpers will be stunned and incarcerated until their fine is paid.” I reached into my jacket pocket for my United Core Worlds Currency card and Ayan stopped me.
“Use your credit chips, these things are notorious for double scanning.”
I looked at the chip slot again and saw a faded warning that read The station is not responsible for multiple scans.
I reached into my other pocket and fished for a five credit chip. I realized then that I didn't have a chance to pick any up from the ship safe, and all my own cash had been destroyed with my quarters. I looked to Ayan, who smiled and gave me a stack of various denominations adding up to what I estimated was about four hundred, more than enough for personal expenses.
I thanked her, trying not to sound as sheepish as I felt.
“Of course.”
We stepped through and waited for a tube car going to section fifty one, and found one after a few minutes. We boarded with a rush of eight or nine people and sat down. The inertial da
mpeners kicked in a second late, and we dropped into the seat behind us. The car rushed down the tube, speeding up to over two hundred kilometres per hour and slowing down to accommodate other cars and turns. After a few minutes we arrived at our destination and got out.
The crowds were much thinner in section fifty one, which occupied the corner of Pablo and Current street according to the sign to the right of the tube entrance. Right after we emerged, a little girl -- she looked no more than five or six years old -- took Ayan's free hand.
She looked down at the little blond child in surprise.
“I'm stuck, m-mommy forgot--” She blubbered. "For-for-f-f-forgot ta gimmie f-f-f-five credits.”
“She forgot to give you credits to get out of the turnstiles?” Ayan interpreted, kneeling down and trying to comfort the girl.
Tears shook loose of the girl's face as she nodded her head vigorously.
“Here, we'll get through together and go find your mother,” Ayan reassured as she handed the little girl five credits.
I held Ayan's hand as she held the little girl's, whose mood was already brightening, and we headed to the turnstile exit.
“Where's your mommy? She mustn't have just left,” Ayan asked, concerned.
To both our surprise, the little girl jerked her hand free and ran towards an arriving tube car. As she boarded I could see her back pocket was bulging with credit chips. She playfully jumped up on a seat and turned, waving at us as the doors closed and the tube car accelerated off.
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins Page 33
