Outriders

by Ian Blackport

  Taylor beckoned to Alexis with one hand. “Care to have the honors? You’re the one who brought us here.”

  “Would I?” She rubbed her hands together and leaned over Connor. “This is Captain Riley Luddington of Saturn’s Pride. I’m transmitting my planetary entry authentication now.”

  Alexis raised an expectant brow at Rinko, who keyed in and sent their authorization to the ATRC.

  The controller returned after several seconds, though his voice was considerably more subdued and respectful. “Clearance accepted, Captain Luddington. Our apologies for the mistaken identity. You are cleared to remain on your current heading and land in the Siwah Primary Spaceport at Docking Bay 32 with all amenities provided. All tariffs and landing fees have been waived.”

  “No apologies necessary, Air Traffic,” Alexis replied. “Safety is everybody’s concern. We can’t let riffraff and scoundrels climb above their station.”

  “No, ma’am. Enjoy your stay on Thoth. Air Traffic Regulatory Commission out.”

  Connor deactivated the channel and allowed himself a whistle. “I don’t know what you did to get these codes, but I’m impressed.”

  “I asked,” Alexis replied. “Not every conversation is about deceit, intimidation and subterfuge. You should try honesty when you have the chance.”

  “Pass.”

  Connor guided their freighter on a leisurely, shallow path through Thoth’s atmosphere and glided over the glittering city of Hermopolis. Alexis noticed the expansive University of Karnak campus, its facilities and structures designed to resemble ancient temples and pyramids rather than modern architecture. A five hundred meter tall obelisk of black stone stood in the center, adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphs and all carved by hand at enormous expense for authenticity’s sake.

  The Solar Flare passed Karnak and banked southward on approach to the Siwah Primary Spaceport, a luxurious starship harbor catering to dignitaries, wealthy businesspeople and other members of society’s elite. And one damaged, borderline malfunctioning, heavily armed freighter housing fugitives and conspirators against the Confederacy. Connor settled their vessel on an immaculate landing pad as directed and shut down all systems.

  “Welcome to Siwah, Captain Luddington,” announced a cheerful voice over an active communication channel. “I’m forwarding a list of our complimentary services to your freighter. Will you be requiring anything today?”

  Alexis rested one arm on Connor’s chair. “As it happens, I do. We suffered a regrettable encounter with pirates in a system we believed was secure. Therefore we’ll need access to your repair and maintenance facility. A weakened hull and several thrust chambers are the most pressing concerns, though we have many other minor issues to resolve.”

  “Would you like to file a complaint about your encounter with a representative of the Ascendant Starfleet’s Interstellar Trade Route Policing division?”

  “Perhaps later, once we’re rested.”

  “As you wish. Our engineers and mechanics are at your service and can begin immediately. Would you be interested in meeting with someone to discuss the necessities?”

  “I have business elsewhere,” Alexis asserted. “My crew will be available to answer your questions and show you around.”

  “I’ll have a technician attend to you now and determine what work is required. Please enjoy your visit and don’t hesitate to contact us if you need anything.”

  “Thank you.” Alexis decided to be a hands-on captain and shut down the communication channel herself.

  “Why don’t we visit places like this more often?” questioned Connor.

  “Because sitting on this planet gives me the heebie-jeebies, that’s why,” Taylor replied. “The clearance codes were nice and all, but I’m not in the mood to push our luck for long. Sooner we’re gone from here, the calmer I’ll feel.”

  Rinko deactivated her terminal and looked up at Alexis wearing a goofy smile. “Time to explore a sophisticated planet where folks aren’t trying to kill us?”

  “Still not keen on letting our kids skip off on their lonesome,” Kyla asserted. “Might be best if we follow and keep tabs on them.”

  Alexis frowned at the others. “No offense, but none of you fit the picture of Heliades high society. This is a civil world populated with art connoisseurs and classical aficionados, whose only disputes are resolved with clever wordplay and structured debates. Rinko and I are a charming young couple enjoying the sights and appreciating Thoth’s culture. But if any of you strolled off our freighter? Well, the people here aren’t accustomed to travelers who look ready to start a gunfight.”

  “I never start gunfights,” Taylor protested. “They just happen to break out when I’m around.”

  “Leave this mission to me, Captain. I won’t let you down.” She held an outstretched hand toward Rinko, who happily entwined her fingers with Alexis’. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to a lunch date.”

  “Can we go to a gallery later and pretend to be snooty art critics?” asked Rinko.

  “Of course. We’re unsupervised.”

  Taylor groaned and leaned against his chair. “Try not to forget the reason why we’re here.”

  Alexis allowed a trace of confusion to flicker across her features. “Exposing corruption and ensuring galactic peace or some such?”

  “Close enough. Go do your deal with the one honest politician in the system and holler if something goes wrong.”

  “If we find ourselves in a dangerous hotspot, what do you plan on achieving with your usual theatrical gusto? Fly the Solar Flare over Hermopolis and start slagging anyone who doesn’t cooperate?”

  “We’ll ponder an appropriate response.”

  “If things go sideways fast, take our freighter and leave the Heliades. I mean it, Captain. Rinko and I will be fine here on our own. We’ll find a shuttle after a couple days and meet you on Malina, okay?”

  “Let’s not envision all hell breaking loose near the damn Confederacy Starfleet.”

  Alexis smirked and gave Taylor a sly wink. “Because our missions always go according to plan, huh?”

  Connor stared regretfully at Kyla. “Remember when Alexis wasn’t sarcastic and argumentative?”

  “Not really, no.”

  Alexis pulled Rinko toward the corridor. “We’ll be in contact after a couple hours. Try not to let Harun and Tessa loose on Thoth; they’d probably start another war.”

  *

  “Why don’t you make a habit of bringing me to swanky places like this?”

  Alexis turned and found Rinko staring at a crystalline chandelier hanging beneath a vaulted ceiling made from lacquered wood. “You mean aside from a lack of funds?”

  “We’ll save our shares from the next couple jobs we do,” Rinko said. “One nice meal whenever we touch down on a planet isn’t too much to ask.”

  “I think you’ve got this all wrong. We’re here for business, Ms. Kaneshiro. Romance ain’t got nothing to do with today.”

  Rinko smirked and eyed glowing wall sconces set behind streaming water. “Whatever you say, Lex.”

  A restaurant host finally approached them and inclined his head respectfully. Whereas most businesses used replica androids and robots with limited virtual intelligence for mundane tasks such as greeting and serving, some highbrow restaurants catered to those who reminisced about a more sophisticated era by employing actual humans. This location was one such place. “May I help you?”

  “We have a reservation for three,” Alexis answered. “Under Richard Tomlinson.”

  “Of course. If you’d be kind enough to follow me.”

  The host led them through dining areas filled with polite, soft-spoken clientele. A stringed quartet performed Vivaldi on a dais flanked by artificial waterfalls illuminated with colorful lights. Alexis always felt a keen fascination with classical literature and music when she was a child. Such an education was part of her upbringing on cultured Thoth, bastion of civilized thought. She wondered what her brigand crewmates m
ight think of such conspicuous opulence, though Rinko seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself.

  They were beckoned to a balcony jutting from the second floor and housing a dozen small, intimate tables. The host guided them to one nestled against a far rail, overlooking the placid waters of Lake Narmer. A gentle breeze ruffled the pristine tablecloth as Alexis and Rinko sat down and their host departed.

  Rinko glanced at sunlight glittering on the water and sighed. “Too bad this can’t be our own private getaway. It’s a shame we had to invite someone else to this soiree.”

  “You’ll like him,” Alexis promised.

  “Is he always late?”

  “Busy schedule.”

  They ordered drinks during the wait and Rinko browsed through only the most expensive food once she learned their bill would be paid for, vowing to make this experience count. Eventually a familiar face caught Alexis’ attention and she cleared her throat while closing down the holographic menu. Rinko looked upward through her dangling bangs.

  Alexis nudged her head toward a well-dressed man with sandy auburn hair graying at his temples. “That’s him.”

  She stood and offered a little wave to gain his attention. Alexis waited and leaned close when he reached their table, letting him kiss her on the cheek.

  “Alexis, sweetheart. What a lovely treat to see you again.”

  “Hi, Dad. You hungry?”

  Rinko was a practiced liar when necessary, but there was no hiding the surprise on her face. “Dad?”

  “Turns out I haven’t been exactly honest with you.” Alexis reclaimed her chair and reached across to squeeze Rinko’s hand. “This is my Dad, Richard. Dad, this is Rinko.”

  “Ah, I’m finally introduced to the girl I’ve heard so much about.” He offered one of his carefree, charming smiles and shook Rinko’s other hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Rinko replied. “Sorry, you caught me off guard. Lex here told us we were meeting a Member of Parliament.”

  “She wasn’t completely dishonest then. I represent the Thebaid governorate of Thoth in the Confederacy Parliament. My office is only a few blocks from here. I’m the one who should apologize for being late. I’ve only just landed after a meeting on Jiaolong. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

  “We’ve enjoyed the view,” Alexis responded. “How’s Mom?”

  “She’s doing well. Spending all her waking hours working at the hospital and running the foundation. I keep hoping she’ll take some time for herself, but you know how much your mother loves the work.” Her dad accepted a complimentary drink from one waitress and set the glass down. “She misses receiving your letters. We both do.”

  “I haven’t had the chance lately. Besides, you know what I’m doing these days. Spelling all that out in a letter is…tricky.”

  “Only if you never try.”

  “I can light a fire under her ass if you want, Mr. Tomlinson,” said Rinko.

  “I’d appreciate the gesture, thank you. And please, call me Richard. You aren’t the subject of a childhood infatuation; we’re all adults here.”

  “I…uh, okay.”

  They resorted to small talk while browsing the table’s holographic screens, focusing on Rinko’s life growing up on Sarruma before receiving her degree from the Ishvara Institute of Technology on Parvati. Alexis was pleased to see her father and girlfriend getting along and sharing laughter, along with his sincere interest in learning more about the newest addition to their family. Eventually a waitress arrived and they ordered lunch. True to her promise, Rinko only had eyes for the priciest item available: blue-tailed daggerspine, a rare fish found on distant Inari Okami, seasoned with lilac-infused sea salt and braised in red wine. Her tastes were seldom this extravagant, and Alexis wondered if she even knew what any component of the meal tasted like. Still, why pass on a chance to live wildly?

  “Think I’ll take the time to freshen up before our food gets here,” Rinko announced. “Don’t miss me too much.”

  Alexis watched her leave and then cast a half-hearted scowl at her dad. “You don’t approve.”

  “She’s a hacker who uses a brilliant gift for illegitimate ends. Why can’t you find a nice girl on Thoth?”

  “Rinko is a nice girl. And the smartest person I’ve ever met. If she worked for some tech firm you’d tell me she was an absolute delight.”

  “You know how I feel about your choices in the last few years, and none more than serving aboard that freighter.”

  “Dad, your life isn’t for me. I don’t want mine to be ordained and regimented. This is good for me, I promise.”

  “You’re flagrantly violating Authority law, and if anyone learned the daughter of Richard Tomlinson and Eleanor Lawrence was guilty of smuggling, it wouldn’t only be your life that was ruined. Why don’t you consider working on a respectable starliner as a navigator?”

  “They’re slave ships. The discount liners need to reduce costs somewhere to turn a profit, and they chose employee pay. But do you want to know the real reason I follow this life of crime?”

  Though wary of the explanation, her father nodded.

  “Have you ever heard of cyclotetrapan?” Alexis questioned.

  “I don’t think I have.”

  “It’s a pharmaceutical used to treat Cruciomorior Malady. A miracle drug actually. It also happens to be illegal in Authority space because one component in its manufacture is benzohazapine. Dad, this drug saves lives, but your government has outlawed its use because one ingredient can be refined into a potent hallucinogen. Three months ago we smuggled twenty tons of cyclotetrapan to a local official on Saraswati who was facing a mild pandemic. An official whose desperate pleas to Parliament went unanswered because you were busy voting on budget reductions and tax amendments. And even if his petition had gotten through, all the bloated bureaucracy and red tape you represent would’ve prevented a beneficial change. Legalizing a drug that might be turned into a narcotic would be political suicide for any MP, never mind how many lives the choice would save. And that’s what matters in the long run: keeping your own careers intact.”

  Alexis sipped her drink and leaned forward on the table. “I’m helping people, whether you agree with the method or not. We aren’t running weapons and dangerous substances. We don’t terrorize local populations or steal from banks. Plus a bunch of our jobs are in independent space, so it’s not even your laws we’re breaking half the time.”

  “This isn’t the time for jests.”

  Alexis licked her lips and idly unfolded a napkin. “This is where I’m supposed to be. I know that in my heart. I’ve saved lives, Dad. I’m making a difference for the downtrodden and forgotten. I won’t return to a life of respectability, not if it means conforming and doing as I’m told. That’s not for me anymore. I just needed a wakeup call before I realized it.”

  “You know I’ll support you in whatever endeavor you choose, but this…this career you’ve elected to pursue. I have difficulty seeing its merits. I wanted something else for you.”

  “I thought I did, too. But things change, and we can’t always predict what’ll happen.”

  “And if you’re arrested for trafficking narcotics? Our justice system is not lenient with smugglers.”

  “At least the choice is mine.”

  Rinko returned to the balcony and tussled Alexis’ hair when she sat. “Did I miss anything important?”

  “Actually,” Alexis said, “I was hoping we might discuss why we’re here.”

  Her father nodded in a knowing fashion and fiddled with cutlery. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to have my little girl visit and introduce me to the most important person in her life. But I had a nagging thought you hadn’t traveled all the way here for a pleasant lunch, or even to catch up with me. Why are you on Thoth, and why did you require my planetary authorization codes?”

  “Do your staff monitor your conversations and meetings when out of office? Or have security conduct surveillance on you
?”

  “No, of course not.”

  Alexis looked toward Rinko, who was subtly accessing her modified UpLink and performing a sweep. “No listening devices in our vicinity,” Rinko pronounced.

  Her father raised an eyebrow, his features stuck between confusion and unease. “What is this, Alexis?”

  “I’m here about the war in Tuatha,” she explained.

  “A regrettable conflict. I’m pleased our navy is sending warships to monitor the system.”

  “I’m not. Dad, we believe someone in Parliament is inciting the war.”

  “Is this some strange joke? You aren’t fourteen, Alexis. And these allegations are preposterous.”

  “They aren’t.”

  The gravity in her tone produced a shift in his demeanor, prompting him to study his daughter with more care. “What evidence do you have?”

  “A whistleblower from the Directorate on Nemain brought us information, but we still need to translate the data.”

  “Where is this purported Good Samaritan now? Vanished into the wind no doubt, or perhaps he’s conducting a confidence game against another dupe.”

  “He was shot dead by Confederacy marines during a routine security check,” Rinko answered. “I watched him die.”

  Alexis stared straight into her father’s eyes, an old habit she did when being honest. The tendency made lying to her parents as a child borderline impossible, even innocent fibs, though emphasized when her words were truthful. “His identity was never released to the media. If you don’t believe that’s suspicious, then your career has made you too jaded. He brought us information from the DEC and then died in a botched attempt to keep him quiet. They never tried to arrest or question him. Those marines went after him with orders to kill.”

  Her father remained quiet, a trait Alexis was long familiar with, and stared toward a clear sky crisscrossed in low-flying starship emission trails. He preferred conducting his critical thinking in silence, with neither distractions nor competing opinions. Rinko took a cue from Alexis and waited while twiddling with her thumbs. Finally her father pursed his lips and returned to the conversation.