“Oh, you mean a body barge,” Nathan said.
“Yes,” Saji said. “I believe that is the colloquial name for it. Anyway, the Charon has been hijacked and is being held for a ransom.”
“The hijackers have been in touch with you?”
Saji took a sip of his wine. “They have.”
“You want us to deliver the ransom and retrieve your vessel?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Saji said. “It’s not as simple as dropping off a bag full of cash and picking up the ship.”
“They’ve made it more complicated?” Duncan said.
“Indeed. Are you familiar with a group known as the Children of the Apocalyptic Rainbow?”
Nathan nodded. “Sure, they’re the kids in the spaceports, right? They collect donations; work in the cafeterias and so on?”
“That’s them,” Saji said. “They’re mostly rich kids who give away their trust funds in exchange for some feel good philosophy, sex and drugs. Most of the time they do it to piss off their parents. You know the drill.” The old man cut a hunk off his steak and began chewing it mercilessly.
“And these kids attacked a cargo vessel and overpowered the crew?” Nathan said.
The old man shook his fork at Nathan. “You see, that’s the part I don’t understand either. These kids serve meals, do hotel laundry and solicit donations. How could they have stopped a vessel that was underway, gained entry and overpowered the crew?”
“An inside job?” Duncan said.
Saji stabbed another piece of meat and held it out, gesturing with it. “My thought as well but my human resources department assures me the crew is solid. We tend not to trust felons with important cargo.”
Nathan smiled. “Mr. Vy, do you really consider deceased colonists important cargo?”
“Very,” Saji said. A look of exasperation crossed his face. “The Charon performs a valuable service. There are hundreds of bodies on board and they are due to arrive on Earth soon. We cannot afford an interruption of service. I will not have grieving family members waiting at spaceports and speaking with the media about their missing loved ones. The bad press will reach far beyond the transportation service and stain other areas of my business. SajiCo took possession of those bodies and they must be delivered.” SajiCo was one of the largest corporations in North America and served as the holding corporation under which all of Saji Vy’s various enterprises operated.
“Anyway, back to Mr. Duncan’s question of the ransom; it is not an item but rather a person. I have in my employ a gentleman who is very knowledgeable in computer networks and working with them. The hijackers would like his services.”
“To do what?” Nathan said.
“They wouldn’t say,” Saji said. “I assume it isn’t anything legal. It appears they have hijacked my vessel in order to facilitate some further criminal enterprise. Truthfully, I’m not sure I care. I want my vessel and its cargo back, intact, as soon as possible.”
“And the crew?”
Saji nodded. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, yes.”
Nathan considered the request for a moment. He sipped his wine and took a deep breath. “Mr. Vy, this really isn’t the sort of thing we usually get involved with. We retrieve vessels from owners that don’t pay their bills. I’m not crazy about the idea of putting my crew and ship at risk by interacting with a gang of criminals.”
“I can appreciate that, Nathan,” Saji said. “Believe me, the compensation is commensurate with the risk. I will pay you triple the rate you charged for retrieving the Martha Tooey.”
Nathan paused. “A generous offer, to be sure, Mr Vy, but …”
“And I will increase the rate paid on the Martha Tooey to include twice the percentage we are paying for the return of her cargo.”
“Nathan, Marla and I are fine with this,” Duncan said.
Nathan turned to him. “You know that for sure?”
“She’s all about the money, Nathan. And you can speak to Cole but I think we both know that dangerous situations don’t bother him.”
“If I lose my ship, I lose the business, Duncan. It’s not just about this one paycheck.”
“Nathan, I have much at risk as well,” Saji said. “I looked around before considering Milky Way Repossessions. You have a good reputation and a very specific skill set. I had background checks done on all your crew. Your military experience is perfectly adequate for this type of operation. Mr. Jax is a more than competent chief of the boat. Mr. Seger’s law enforcement experience will prove useful if things do get dangerous and Ms. Rendenzzo’s piloting ability nearly matches your own.”
Nathan sat back, wine glass in hand. “Your research is thorough and… a little intrusive.”
“I don’t mean to be forward but I can’t trust just anyone with an operation like this. It is delicate and I need someone competent who understands discretion.”
“I still don’t know,” Nathan said. “The risk is severe.”
Saji sighed and stood up, walking around the table until he stood behind Nathan. “I didn’t want to tell you this, Nathan, until after you had accepted the job because I didn’t want to coerce you, but there is something else you need to know.”
“What?”
“Your ex-wife, Celeste Bezzle, is part of the Charon’s crew. She is the first officer.”
Duncan’s fork clattered to his plate. “Aw, hell.”
Nathan turned to him. “I thought you said she was first mate on an ore carrier?”
“I didn't realize she was on this body barge. She didn’t want you to know about the job,” Duncan said. “She was embarrassed.”
“She was?” Saji said. “Why?”
“I'm sorry, sir, but it’s not the most prestigious gig,” Duncan said.
“We’ll take the job,” Nathan said.
“Good.”
“Wait,” Duncan said.
“I thought you wanted us to take the job?”
“I did but for the pay,” Duncan said. “Not so you could rescue your ex-wife. Carry that torch on your own time.”
“A job is a job,” Nathan said.
“Unless it becomes an obsession to rescue your wife. It’s a good thing we heard the offer before you found out about Celeste or we would be doing it for free.”
“I considered that,” Saji said, “but I wanted to feel you out first; make sure you were competent.”
“I’d like to meet your computer expert,” Nathan said. Saji nodded and left the room. When he was gone, Duncan leaned toward Nathan.
“So we’re really doing this?” Duncan said.
“We are.”
“For the money?”
“For the money.
“Because it sounds like it’s for your ex-wife.”
“Don’t worry about it, Duncan.”
“After what I saw at your apartment today? You must be joking.”
Nathan backed away from the table, stood up. “We need the work, Duncan. That’s why I want this. Yes, I wouldn’t mind seeing Celeste again. But come on, look what he’s offering. We would have to work three jobs for a pay day like this.”
“That’s true.”
“And we need the work. Some of us aren’t as well off as you.”
“Are you kidding?” Duncan said. “As if there isn’t enough pornography in the world you go out and spend your life savings making some for your own enjoyment. Do you have any idea how weird that is?”
Nathan shrugged. “It’s a little out there, I’ll admit.”
“And that’s what colors my perception of what you’re doing here. If we get out there in a bad place and you have to make a tough decision, you’ll always pick what benefits her.”
Nathan considered this for a moment. “I’ll do what’s best for all of us.”
“We’ll see.”
Nathan slapped him on the back. “You’ll see. Have faith in your captain, Duncan. Have faith.”
Saji came back into the room, holding the door open and motioning fo
r someone to follow. Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed as a tall, lanky man walked in. He was wrapped in a black leather outfit from head to toe. A jacket stretched up his neck like the world’s most uncomfortable turtle neck and the pants were tight and tucked into a pair of mid-calf leather boots. His most shocking feature, Nathan thought, was his alabaster white skin. His hand and bald head stood in stark contrast to his dark outfit. Nathan noticed that even his lips were white. He was followed by a small Japanese woman. She was more normal in appearance if not downright attractive. She wore a short navy blue jacket over a blue blouse and a short navy blue skirt. She also wore black leggings and knee high boots that gave her an extra couple inches. Nathan wondered if they shopped for boots together.
Saji took center stage between them, presenting them like something he’d built in his garage. “Captain Teller, Mr. Jax, may I present Arulio,” he gestured to the tall man, “and Kimiyo Bramitz.” Arulio regarded Nathan and Duncan with indifference. Kimiyo gave them the once over with suspicion in her eyes. Nathan had seen Cole give people that same look.
Nathan offered his hand to Arulio but the man didn’t shake. Kimiyo reached across and took Nathan’s hand. “You will have to forgive Arulio. He prefers to not have contact with strangers.”
Nathan shook her hand but looked at Arulio. “We’ll be traveling and working together for some time. Some contact will be inevitable.”
Kimiyo took a seat at the table and the men joined her. “We all know our jobs, Captain Teller,” she said. “Arulio is very good at what he does. Computer networks dance and sing for him if he wishes. They also give up their secrets. In order for him to do the things he does he has had extensive modifications performed. This has left him with a suppressed immune system.”
“Hence the no touching, rule,” Nathan said.
“And the outfit he’s wearing,” Duncan said. He got up and looked at Arulio’s attire more closely. The man with alabaster skin regarded him carefully but did not back away from Duncan’s examination.
“I thought this was simply leather he was wearing,” Duncan said. “But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Kimiyo said. “It helps regulate his temperature. Arulio connects to networks and mines data with his mind. The stress of those endeavors can interfere with his body’s ability to maintain a temperature within the prescribed safe range.”
“What is your role in this, Kimiyo?” Duncan said.
“I take care of Arulio.”
“Sometimes I have to do that for Nathan.”
She took a sip of her wine and nodded in agreement.
“You can all get acquainted on the trip to Alpha Centauri,” Saji said from the head of the table. “Captain Teller, when you can be ready to depart?”
Nathan turned to Duncan. “Do you and Richie have your maintenance completed?”
Duncan nodded. “Sure, we’re all good.”
“Then we’ll need to fuel up and re-provision. If we start immediately we should be ready to go tomorrow afternoon.”
“And a two day trip to Alpha?” Saji said.
“We might be able to shave a little off that time,” Nathan said. “We’ll jump out to the Neptune warpgate and make passage to the Alpha system. Then another day or so to wherever we have to go in system.”
Duncan was working his phone. “I’ve sent a message to Cole and Marla. Is Richie coming?”
Nathan considered it for a moment. He could use the help if things got hairy and the pay was enough that he could afford the extra help. “Sure, why not? Keep him busy, though. Have him do all the little things you never have time for.”
Saji got up and walked around the table again. Nathan noticed he was moving a little more spryly now. He wondered how much of the quirky old man act was real. Saji handed Nathan a plastic case. “Captain, this data chip contains coordinates and contact information for the people holding the crew of the Charon. It’s everything they’ve sent.”
Nathan rose. “Kimiyo, we’re at the south docks, pad 37. Think you can find it?”
“We can,” she said.
“I’ll arrange a car,” Saji said.
“See you then,” Nathan said. “Duncan?”
Duncan got up and they thanked Saji for dinner. They were quiet until they got to the street. Nathan flagged down a taxi and they gave it Duncan’s address.
“Should we be doing this?” Duncan said.
“What do you mean?”
“This is a little outside our normal scope of business. Sure, things can get a little hairy when we repo a ship but we’ve never gotten involved with kidnappers or anything like this before,” Duncan said. “I’ll tell you something else; I don’t trust the rich guy.”
“Why not?”
“He hired us himself? Doesn’t he have flunkies for that kind of thing?”
Nathan considered this as the taxi bobbed and weaved through traffic. He thought the driver was getting on the throttle too hard, banking the hovering vehicle too hard into turns where he didn’t need to. He was being theatrical. Nathan tapped on the plastic divider between the passenger compartment and the driver’s seat. The driver looked back.
“Give us a break, huh? We’re in no hurry to get home.” He ignored the driver’s glare and the cab slowed. “He wanted to look us in the eye, Duncan. He wanted to see who we were before he hired us.”
“But why?”
Nathan shrugged. “I don’t know but it’s important to him. You know what else? It doesn’t matter. We do the job and we come home. If something looks hinky we back off until we can do it right.”
He looked at Duncan. The big man regarded him, with suspicion he thought, but he didn’t say anything. “You and Marla have plans tonight?”
“I think we’re staying in. It’s kind of late.”
“Not too late for those rooms you guys visit on the G-Net though, right? Those rooms where you can watch or be watched?”
“Nathan, come on…”
“No, hey, I was just asking.”
“No, see, what you’re doing is trying to draw a correlation between that simulation you spent all your money on and what Marla and I do.”
“Everyone has their own kink, Duncan. I just don’t want you to think I’m some kind of weirdo.”
“Hey man, to each their own. You want to get down with a light puppet, that’s cool. I prefer the real thing.”
“And an audience.”
Duncan smiled. “Well, I am good at what I do.”
13.
"You sure it was him?" Atomic Jack said.
Kinty nodded. There was no doubt the guy who had broken his wrist was the security guard at the pawn shop. He'd kept his mouth shut so Jack could buy his antiques but now he was bringing it up. It had taken more than a week of bone knitting therapy to repair the break and he still had to wear a brace for a few more days. All because some guy couldn't pay up on his dog racing bets.
They were sitting in the back of a bar called the Wheelhouse. Jack owned it and used it to launder betting revenue. Kinty sat at a small table sipping tequila. Atomic Jack stood looking through the door of the office to the floor. He didn't drink anymore, Kinty knew. His suit fed him some kind of protein mixture intravenously. Being denied food, liquor and female companionship made Jack one cranky boss. He turned back to Kinty and fixed those glowing orange eyes on him.
"And Richie hasn't paid yet?"
"He's overdue," Kinty said.
"He's hiding and that just pisses me off. You owe..."
"...You pay." Kinty finished.
Jack nodded inside his helmet. "You got it."
"I have contact information on the company that hired him, Milky Way whatever the hell. You want me to go find him?"
Jack grinned but it was an ugly grimace, full of dull orange teeth. "Go get him and bring him back here. It's time to make an example of him."
"You got it, boss." Kinty got up and pulled on a light leather jacket. He tucked a small gun into the waistband of his jeans.
/>
"And Kinty?"
"Yeah, boss?"
"You don't have to be gentle."
Kinty grinned this time. "Yes, sir."
14.
"Here's the list," Duncan said, handing a slim data pad to Richie. "Don't get cute and add anything to it. Just get what's on the list."
Richie nodded. He was still sporting that ridiculous purple skin tone. Duncan couldn't wait until Nathan saw that. He'd kept it secret just to see Nathan's reaction. He told Marla that he was giving even money odds that the kid would be fired on the spot.
"What store does the ship have an account with?" Richie said.
"Big Bulk Mart on Livingston Avenue."
"Got it. I'll take the small skimmer."
"I'm trusting you with this. I'd go with you but I have to rebuild the plasma flow regulator again because apparently springing for a new one would break the bank. Don't screw up."
"You can trust me, man. I've bought groceries before."
Duncan watched the kid leave. He was satisfied with his work on the ship but he needed to be able to fill all kinds of roles to stay on the crew. Nathan ran lean so the pay would split in larger shares but that meant everyone had to chip in. If Richie had balked at picking up groceries Duncan would have cut him loose.
Richie took the small skimmer and pulled out of the south docks, heading north toward the store. It was a little rusty and patched in places but it kept up with traffic well enough. A larger skimmer, black and shiny, followed him. The larger vehicle settled into the air about a half meter off the ground, its bulk gliding smoothly along the wide boulevard. Kinty was at the wheel with the other enforcer from the alley, Bonto, seated beside him.
Richie found the store and parked the skimmer. It dropped softly to the ground and he got out, looking at the list Duncan had made up. He never saw the two enforcers slip up behind him but his muscles spasmed uncontrollably as he slumped into their arms.
Cold water splashed onto Richie's face and he was blinded by bright white light when his eyes popped open. He looked around but couldn't see anything past the bright light in front of him. Ropes bound him to a straight backed metal chair. He struggled to pull free but his hands and feet were tied tight. For a moment he could hear nothing but water dripping to the concrete floor from his soaked clothing. Then a voice spoke from behind him.
Milky Way Repo Page 9
