She brought up the hologram of the massive base of operations and shook her head. They had brought in several smaller asteroids so they could be mined just a few kilometres away.
“I'm here to visit friends and refuel. I won't be around for more than a few days.”
“Are you certain? We are always willing to welcome young people to join the Euphoria Universal community.”
“I'm sure. Just passing through.”
“Do you require lodgings or docking facilities?”
“No thank you. Someone's going to take care of me. Transmitting identification and registration,” she selected which identity and ship registration she would use and sent the information.
“You're using your real name?” Lewis asked.
“Yup, I figure it's time for Alice Valent to make a reappearance. If Jonas decides to look for me he'll have a much easier time tracking me down.”
“So will Meunez. I see no reason why he would abandon his search.”
“Vindyne is gone, they're selling pieces off and their territory is in chaos. How would he continue?”
“His search for you seemed quite personal. If anything, I'd say he would be even more dedicated to finding you.”
“I don't think so. He'd at least be a little distracted for a while. It's too late anyway, I've already sent my indent in with reference to the alias I used here before.”
“I understand the urge for you to find the man who created you, and your frustration with using fake names but I am only suggesting that you keep things quiet. I couldn't stand seeing you come to harm,” Lewis said with concern.
“I know, but there's got to be a time to be out in the open.”
“Speaking of which, I just finished receiving the latest burst from Hart News. It seems you're not the only one coming out into the open.”
“Play it later, I should contact Wendy and her crew. Put me through to her company's com-net.”
“As you wish.”
Alice waited for a response to her transmission and a moment later a gruff looking older woman came up on her two dimensional display. “Mark and Catch Salvage Company. How can I help?”
“I'm looking for Wendy Lecteur. She used to run the Airless.”
“She still does. They're out on a job.”
“Can you tell her Sasha is visiting and give her my comm number?”
“Sure, why not?” said the woman before cutting the transmission.
“Funny, I find there are far many more rude biological beings than there are artificial personalities, but there are more artificial intelligences in the Galaxy.” Lewis commented.
“That's because we want artificial intelligences to be worth talking to for the most part.”
“While most biological personalities aren't worth talking to.”
“I wouldn't say that.”
“Would you like me to initiate communications with Bruce Fillion?”
Alice thought for a long moment. “He's still listed here?”
“It says this is still his home port and he checked in a week ago.”
“Let's take a look at that Hart News burst you finished downloading.”
“So you don't want me to inform Bruce you're in the system?”
“No.”
“You haven't had extended contact with another human being in quite some time now. I think he'd be happy to see you.”
“I'm not so sure about that.”
“It's only that I've noticed your overall well being improves when you have had enjoyable human company for a time. I'm sure your sudden departure would be forgiven.”
“Drop it Lewis. Did anything about Jonas come up in Hart News?” Alice asked impatiently.
“It did, actually. He's done a recruitment advertisement for the Aucharian Government. He's the spokesperson for their Privateering initiative.”
“What?”
“Someone matching your description has been added to the Aucharians missing persons database as well. They only list you as Alice with no last name.”
“He's looking for me,” she said quietly. The relief that washed over her brought tears to her eyes.
“That's a reasonable assumption. Are you all right Alice?”
She wiped her tears away and laughed. “I'm more than all right. With the fuel we have can we make it to that transmissions point of origin?”
“We would run out approximately half way there. We don't have the funds to purchase enough Xetima either.”
“I can't wait to get a collector and an energy converter kit added onto the hull.”
“We couldn't afford that either.”
“I know. Well, we'll have to find some work here. I'm sure Wendy will have something for us. But first I need to see this recruitment video.”
Lewis brought the recruitment video up on the main cockpit display.
Alice watched it wide eyed. The man she had known was there but there was a depth of dedication that was completely new. When he said he intended to do harm she believed him and was convinced that whatever harm he intended would be huge. The holographic recording finished and she sighed. “I think privateering is about to become very popular.”
“The statistics provided state that over three hundred ships have signed on.”
“Three hundred?”
“Yes. The Aucharians are offering letters of marque and general pardons to everyone with an armed vessel. Several captured Vindyne and Triad Consortium ships are among the new joiners.”
“How big is the war over there now?”
“There are currently nine solar systems marked as combat zones and over forty three points within those systems flagged as long term engagement areas.”
“That's huge.”
“It's the largest example of combat since the third fall of man.”
“You're right, here's hoping we're not headed for another dark age.”
“With the collapse of several sectors, the failing infrastructure on uncountable worlds thanks to the void left by Vindyne and the Triad Consortium, the likelihood is that billions of beings will experience that kind of strife within the next few months.”
“Well, it figures that Jonas would find himself in the middle.” The communications panel beside her lit up.
“Captain Lecteur on the line for you,” Lewis reported.
Alice brought her up on a small holographic projector. She was wearing a heavy vacsuit without the headpiece. Her round face was split by a great big smile. “Sasha! How are you?”
“Pretty good, how about you?” Alice answered.
“Great, just brought in our first really good salvage in weeks. What brings you back this way?”
“I'm headed spinward on personal business. I'm a little low on fuel and have been cooped up for weeks.”
“If I had my own Arcyn Starskipper I wouldn't mind being cooped up for weeks.”
“It's not as much fun without a crew.”
“Still solo? We'll have to talk about that. I'll have the company set you up with a place to park.”
“Thanks Wendy, see you on base.”
“She seemed very happy to see you,” Lewis commented after the channel closed.
“Yup. That probably means I figure into a plan she's been cooking,” the trajectory and landing instructions came up on Alice's console and she unlocked the pilot controls.
“Are you sure she wasn't just glad to see you?”
“Well, Wendy and I did have a lot of fun for a couple months here,” Alice started piloting the ship along the trajectory she had been given. “Not that much fun though. Hopefully whatever it is means enough work to get our tanks full.”
The landing bays for the Mark and Catch Salvage Company included two levels. One was a larger open bay for medium sized vessels and the other was a closed, compressed bay for smaller ships like the Clever Dream. To her surprise Alice was instructed to wait until Captain Lecteur met her at her ship before disembarking.
It didn't bother her, Alice was eager to look f
or any reports of the Samson or Jake Valance's activities. The only lead she had was that his new home port was most likely in or near the Enreega system, the home of the Aucharians. She wanted nothing more than to just take off and make her best speed there, but even if she started selling furniture and the few other luxuries she had she wouldn't make it.
The only options she had were to find work that might lead her in that direction and provide enough cash for fuel or sell the Clever Dream and make her way via standard transport. Selling her ship was out of the question.
Time passed quickly as she browsed news reports and ran searches for Jake. Before she knew it forty minutes had passed and Wendy Lecteur was at her gangway. “How's it going Sasha? Or should I say Alice?” She asked as she walked up the ramp.
“Good. Drifting, but good,” Alice said as she met her with a hug.
“Drifting? You're out of work? There's got to be a story behind that.”
“Actually, Alice is my real name. I had to use Sasha my last time through.”
“Well, it didn't work for long. Someone came through looking for you in the worst way after you disappeared.”
Alice led the way back down the gangway with Wendy in tow. It closed behind them. “Did they get to anyone?”
“Well, everyone with M&S was fine. They couldn't get to us with corporate backing. Bruce disappeared along with a couple other freelancers for a few days though. We were worried until he turned up.”
“Oh no, how is he?”
“He's all right now I think. It's been a year or so but he still won't talk about it. He hasn't hooked up with anyone since either.”
“I wish I didn't have to disappear.”
“Don't worry, I get it. You didn't leave anyone here hangin' either. The Company doesn't much care. They just don't want you out there with a price on your head while you're working for them.”
“So Bruce is really okay now?” Alice asked quietly as they walked through the quiet hangar. The dimmed lights told her they were on night cycle.
“You mean could you walk up to the Blue Skipper and expect a warm welcome? I don't know, he doesn't talk about you, even if someone brings your name up in conversation. He just gets quiet.”
“I should have warned him they could come after him for being close to me. Maybe I should just stay away.”
“On the other hand he hasn't been with anyone I've seen since you disappeared. Go see him. Sure he'll be pissed at first, but it might help if he sees you're in one piece.”
“Maybe,” Alice said quietly.
“So, can I buy you a drink and hear all about your adventures across the stars? It's gotta be better than our salvage cruises.”
“Sure, but first, how have things been going for you and your crew?”
They walked down one of the long hallways within the section of port under the ownership of Mark and Salvage Company. The inner halls and chambers were simply passages that were dug out of hard black and white speckled stone, reinforced and polished. “It's gotten pretty lean. I'm lucky I've been here longer than most, otherwise we would have been laid off or reduced to hauling ore. The embargo here has colonists wondering if anything will ever be terraformed. Word through the Company is that there will be one planet and two moons ready for seeding within a year. I believe it.”
“They've been at it long enough.”
“You said it. They should have a couple planets and five moons almost ready for all the effort they've put in but supply shortages have caused problems. It's more like the old fashioned terraforming.”
“Old fashioned terraforming?” Alice asked as the mismatched pair walked into the cantina that featured an intermittent view of the main port through transparent portions of the outer wall. There were a couple dozen tables with a small stage at one end and a stone bar at the other.
“When humans were first edging out from the Sol system they couldn't bring much with them so they had to make sure that whatever they terraformed had enough water, minerals, fuels, and everything else they'd need. A lot of colony ships didn't make it. Mars took five tries and the better part of a two centuries. I'm surprised you don't know all this stuff, you're the one with Earth nostalgia.”
“I mostly like what's left of the twentieth to twenty first century histories.”
“Oh, I remember. You used to say how Bruce looked like Joaquin Phoenix. How anyone could sit through a non-interactive two dimensional movie is completely mystifying to me.”
“He does though. You can't tell me you don't see the resemblance, it's like he was reborn.”
“Well, they do look alike. What are you drinking?” Wendy asked.
“Nothing that's supposed to taste like fruit, unless you guys managed to figure out what oranges taste like.” Alice said. “Maybe a cream liqueur.”
“Hey there young fella. Fix this little lady a mint sarsaparilla,” Wendy ordered, leaning up against the bar rendering her best imitation of John Wayne.
Alice couldn't help but laugh as the bartender, a beat up robot with three arms pulled up a bottle of green liquid and a glass. “The closest match we have is Green Creeme Liqueur, I do not know how to make sarsaparilla.” It said flatly. One three centimetre circle adorned its rectangular head and it lit up with every syllable.
“Someone really has to upgrade you. Pour us two.” Wendy said dismissively, turning to Alice. “I miss having you around. You came in, got me hooked on old cowboy movies, converted to hologram, of course, and then took off. I do a good impression of Don Wayne-”
“John Wayne,” Alice corrected, taking the fluted glass from the bartender. It had mixed the Green Creeme with some kind of soda water and added crushed ice dispensed from an appendage that seemed to come out of nowhere.
“A good impression of John Wayne and no one here gets it. I'm ruined, no one else understands me.”
They took a seat a few meters away from the bar and Alice couldn't help but notice that a few of Wendy's crew were trying to look like they didn't notice her. “I'm sorry, I guess I just live the outlaw's life in a modern way,” Alice said with a smile. “Trust me, if I could have stuck around long enough to hook a few more people into mid twentieth century film I would have.”
“How is the outlaw's life treating you?”
“It's better in the movies.”
“Not from what I've seen. Most of those movies end with the sheriff shooting the outlaw and all his friends.”
“Well, I'm here, I don't have enough fuel to get where I'm going and I'm not far off from being flat broke,” Alice said with a shrug. “That, and I keep looking over my shoulder every time the door opens half hoping it's an old flame and half dreading the thought.”
“Well, you don't have to worry about being flat broke for long. I have something for you.”
“You mean the Company has something for me.”
“Nope, I have a job for you.”
Alice took a sip of the green concoction and nodded to herself. “That's not bad. Okay, what kind of job is it?”
“I have to get something from here to a customer who has been waiting for it for a few months.”
“You can't make the delivery on a company ship?”
“This is the kind of delivery the Company generally doesn't like,” Wendy whispered.
“The Company doesn't frown on much.”
“Well, this is something I found during a salvage and the Supervisor was happy to look the other way. They don't want any part of it.”
“Okay, I'm curious, but that doesn't mean I'll do it. You know I could do expedited courier work for a few weeks and move on.”
“You've done smuggling before, this wouldn't be any different,” Wendy coaxed quietly.
Alice had never seen her friend test the water so much in conversation. Wendy was the type to just come out with it. “I get the feeling this is. What did you find?”
“Well, this transport wrecked when one of their emitters blew in hyperspace. They couldn't have been going too fast, since o
nly a few meters of the port side was torn up but it was enough to knock their life support and main power out. We got the emergency transmission and arrived too late. They were from the Lethis System, you know, blackout central, and too far away for us to bother reporting the casualties. We got an all clear for the salvage operation centre and hauled it back.”
“The Lethis System is in blackout status for a reason. They restrict that area with so much detection gear and firepower that I don't even put wormholes through within five light years of the place. No one knows what goes on there for sure.”
“Well, I could find out.” Wendy said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair with a smile.
“You got a database?” Alice asked excitedly, keeping her voice down.
“Yahuh, a whole active high capacity organic data block. It's not empty either.”
“That's enough storage space to take in half the Stellarnet without breaking a sweat and not many people have seen or used one.”
“I've got one and that's not the biggest find.”
“I know I shouldn't even ask, but I can't resist.”
“There are four sealed deep stasis pods the company didn't know what to do with. They couldn't destroy them, didn't want to keep records of the find, and definitely didn't want to take them into inventory.”
“People?”
“Nope, eggs.”
“What?”
“Eggs the size of your head with some kind of genetically engineered specimen inside. It has something to do with the edxi. The genetic material they used is based on them.”
Alice's jaw dropped for a moment before she caught herself and used the small control panel on the table to request some music from the bar entertainment system. “There, this way there's less chance of someone overhearing you and spouting off at the mouth, starting an intergalactic war.”
“Oh come on, we're on the edge here but we're no where near their territory.”
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