by Gary Jonas
By Gary Jonas and Bill D. Allen
Pirates of the Outrigger Rift
By Gary Jonas
The Jonathan Shade series:
Modern Sorcery
Acheron Highway
Dragon Gate
Stand-alone novel:
One-Way Ticket to Midnight
Novella:
Night Marshal: A Tale of the Undead West
Collections:
Curse of the Magazine Killers
Quick Shots
and a variety of short fiction
By Bill D. Allen
Novels:
Gods and Other Children
Shadow Heart
Collections:
Three Aces from Satan’s Hand
Tales of Outyonder
Darker Journeys
and a variety of short fiction
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the authors.
Text copyright © 2013 Gary Jonas and Bill D. Allen
Originally released as a Kindle Serial, October 2013.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Published by 47North, Seattle
www.apub.com
ISBN-13: 9781477849248
ISBN-10: 1477849246
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013944241
Cover illustration by Chris McGrath
Cover design by InkD
We dedicate this romp to Poul Anderson, Harry Harrison, and Douglas Adams.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EPISODE ONE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
EPISODE TWO
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
EPISODE THREE
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPISODE FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
EPISODE FIVE
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
EPISODE SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
KINDLE SERIALS
EPISODE ONE
CHAPTER ONE
Sai Collins adjusted the collar of her jacket as she boarded the public tram. She was still uncomfortable in the standardized Nebulaco suit. The uniform made for first-level execs like her was ill fitting, but it was a badge of respectability. At first it made her feel like she was going places, but she knew better now. This was the last time she would have to wear an exec suit. Her career was over before it had really begun.
Six months ago she had been living on the streets of a bustling starport town on planet Raken, earning her living by dubious means. But when the opportunity arose for her to move to Nebula Prime and work for Frederick Casey at Nebulaco, she had pounced on it.
Corporate home worlds were the place to make your fortune, but doing business here came with a price. No man, government, or god was greater than the corporation. Everything served the corporation in one way or another, or it was eliminated. So far, the trade-off had meant that she hadn’t gone hungry in a while, so she couldn’t complain.
The only neutral areas on the corporate planets were the starport free zones, where the galactic law of the Confed ruled and corporate security had to maintain a mostly hands-off approach. It was a necessary arrangement—an embassy area of sorts—to ensure free trade routes and service areas for commerce no matter the species, the government, or the corporate sponsor. The trade served the corporations and was the source of their revenue, so starports were an oasis of what little liberty remained in this part of Manspace. She would be returning to that oasis with relief as soon as this last bit of business was concluded. It had taken her awhile to see through the polished façade, but she now knew the corporate world wasn’t for people like her. The back alleys were safer and populated by more honest thieves.
She rode the tram uptown to an elite leisure zone in Opportunity City from the beehive-like apartment buildings where those of her pay class had to live. The thought of leaving this life to go back to the streets was a mixture of regret and relief. She had never truly fit in. Security Director Casey had set her up with a job in an obscure accounting unit as a front; her real mission was obtaining data from locked systems and recovering whatever Casey needed. He paid well, but he was merciless. Failure was intolerable, and he always got what he wanted, even after death.
When the news announced that Casey’s body had been found that morning, it meant more than the loss of a paycheck and the end of a career for Sai; it meant one more mission for Casey as instructed. She was on her way to meet a man who would give her the details.
The meeting place was a bistro between a row of tall, uniform apartments in the residential sector and the silver towers of Nebulaco’s central offices. It was not her sort of place. The customers were the up-and-comers who wanted to be seen as such. She would have been far more comfortable in a greasy diner on the other side of town. But it hadn’t been her call.
She walked up to the maître d’. “I’m meeting a man named Kendrick.”
He gave her that look—the one she’d seen most of her life from people who thought they were better than her, which seemed to include everyone. He checked the display on the podium before him. “Yes, he said you were coming. Mr. Kendrick is already seated. Come this way.”
She followed him through the dining area past tables of couples and small groups, all wearing strained smiles and acting like they were really letting loose. If not for all the stiffs, the place would have been cozy. Out the window, there was a wonderful view of Opportunity City’s skyline towers gleaming on the cliffs overlooking the poisoned and stormy sea.
Kendrick’s table sat near the kitchen in the back of the bistro. Loud, with no view, but thankfully with fewer watching eyes. Sai took a moment to use the skill Casey had coveted. She extended her mind and senses to do a quick check for electronic surveillance. Everything seemed fine. Kendrick stood as they approached. The maître d’ pulled out her chair, waited until she took her seat, then turned back toward the front door.
Nathan Kendrick was young and handsome, like most junior execs, but his eyes wouldn’t hold her gaze. “I’m glad you were able to meet me so quickly.”
“I knew it was urgent,” she said.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked as he seated himself.
“No. I’m fine. If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate you getting to the point as quickly as possible. I would have preferred to handle this in the free zone.”
“Well, I need a drink,” Kendrick said. He flagged down a waitress. He ran a hand through his hair. His eyes kept darting toward the entrance.
“Why are you so nervous?” Sai asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Kendrick said.
The waitress came to the table. She wore a sm
ile that never reached her eyes.
“Scotch,” he told her.
“Very good, sir,” the waitress said. “Anything for you, ma’am?”
Sai shook her head.
After the waitress departed, Kendrick began. “Sorry you’re out of your element, but it might attract attention for me to go slumming on that side of town. I can’t take the risk of raising any eyebrows. You, on the other hand, appear to be simply another pretty girl trying to get ahead in the corporation, working after hours. Besides, someone like you should appreciate the opportunity to experience the finer things.”
“Someone like me?”
“I know who and what you are.” He gave her a stern look. He wasn’t very good at it. The flop sweat on his forehead undermined the effect.
Sai considered him for a moment. He was obviously a little drunk. She wondered what his game was as she leaned back in her chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Kendrick. I work in accounts payable as a clerk. I’ve been there for six months. I worked at an offworld branch office before that.”
“If you were just a clerk, Director Casey wouldn’t have even known your name.”
Sai smiled. “Maybe I am that kind of pretty girl and Director Casey had a wild side. It’s certainly none of your business either way. We’re both here to do a job. I was expecting a call as soon as I heard Casey was dead. You said a name that has meaning to me to prove that you were legit.”
“Dirion,” Kendrick said. “Who is he? Your lover? Your pimp?”
Sai stood up and put a finger in Kendrick’s face. “Don’t mess with me, little worm. I don’t give a damn where we are, I’ll hurt you.”
“Now, now, don’t make a scene. I have a reputation to maintain,” Kendrick said.
“You’re just lucky we aren’t on my side of town. I’m here because I respected Casey’s wishes, not to play games.” She started to walk away.
“Leaving would be unwise,” Kendrick said. “You know he wouldn’t have made it that easy.”
Sai stopped and stared hard at Kendrick.
“Word is that he killed himself,” he said.
“He wouldn’t have done that.”
Kendrick shrugged. “I don’t know what happened to him. I don’t care. I hated the old bastard. But I don’t want anything to happen to me. Casey left instructions for both of us. I did my part because I didn’t like the alternative if I failed. I’m certain you wouldn’t like the alternative, either.”
Sai returned to the table and sat down. “Then let’s get it over with.”
Kendrick looked around. He retrieved his briefcase from beneath the table, hesitated a moment as he looked around casually, then opened it. He withdrew a small metal box and handed it to her. “I was instructed to give you this, along with some credits to book passage to Raken. There’s enough extra as a healthy payment for you as well. Inside you will find a sealed and coded courier pouch with a datastore and some instructions on where and when to deliver it.”
Sai rotated the box in her hands but did not open it. She met his gaze. “And what is the ‘alternative’ if I don’t?”
“Director Casey was thorough, and viciously efficient. He put in guarantees. I have a simple set of instructions. Other people have instructions to carry out in the event I fail to perform my duty. There would be consequences. Believe me, I would have avoided this if I could. Casey had something on everyone. He was a coldhearted brute, but he knew how to make people do what he wanted.”
Sai noticed that his hands were shaking and sweat was beginning to break out on his brow again.
“There is nothing off-limits to such a man. You knew him, Ms. Collins. You know what he was capable of. I don’t care if you follow your instructions or not, but I surely followed mine to the letter.”
Sai nodded. She knew she didn’t really have any choice, but she didn’t have to like it.
“Okay, let’s get this taken care of,” she said, and pulled a credit stick out of her pocket. Her fingerprint activated the device, and glowing green numerals displayed a pitifully small amount. She tapped the privacy mode so Kendrick wouldn’t see the balance.
Kendrick nodded. “Ah yes, payment.” He withdrew a stick from the open briefcase. It was gloss black with a silver “N” stamped across it. He put his fingerprint to it, then keyed in a transfer sequence on the face of the stick. He reached over and swiped it across the front of hers. The glowing numbers displaying the deposit grew respectfully large.
The waitress returned with a drink. Kendrick took it from her and she started to walk away, but Kendrick raised a finger and she paused. He upended the drink, swallowing the amber beverage in one gulp. He handed back the empty glass.
The waitress raised an eyebrow. “Another, sir?”
Kendrick nodded his head and waved her away.
He leaned toward Sai. “One more thing. I am to impress upon you that you need to follow the schedule and be at the drop-off point on time. Don’t be tempted to run off with the payment. As I said, Casey was thorough. He employed some very dangerous people. Have no doubt that if you don’t deliver, there will be consequences. Make sure there are no mistakes. Get away fast and quiet.”
“The sooner this is done, the better I’ll like it.”
“Good,” he said, smiling. “You have no idea how glad I am that this is over.” He took the linen napkin from the table and wiped his forehead.
“Oh, it won’t be over for a while,” she said. “I’m sure whatever is in that pouch has got to be important. Important things go missing and people notice. I’d suggest that you lay low and quiet. Someone will come looking.”
His face paled. “But … how could they possibly find me?”
Sai rose to leave. “Take some free advice. Grow a pair, Mr. Kendrick. If you’re worried about getting caught, stop acting so damned guilty.”
She left him and exited the restaurant, eager to change clothes and get this part of her life behind her.
Mike Chandler sat in the pilot’s seat of the Marlowe. A Scout-class ship, the Marlowe was too small for trading, too slow for racing, and too ugly for a pleasure craft, but it suited Chandler just fine. It had enough room for him to live and to store the tools of his trade. He was a special investigator. It sounded impressive, as if he were in charge of protecting Confed senators or capturing smugglers. Usually it meant he was checking out bogus insurance claims or setting up security systems for paranoid middle-income wage slaves. So much for glamour.
He’d been contacted by an agent of Lord Randol, a corporate noble who owned a large percentage of Nebulaco. Randol had a job for him and wanted to meet in person. Chandler agreed in part because you generally don’t say no to a corporate lord, but mostly because he was running out of credits.
He entered orbit around the third moon of the planet Trent. Chandler transmitted his ID code to Randol’s traffic controller. Access to the moon was tightly regulated. A sensor grid blanketed the upper atmosphere.
The communicator crackled to life with the voice of the controller. “You’re late.”
Chandler pressed the communicator. “I don’t normally make house calls. Does he want to see me or not? If not, I’ll just forward the bill for my time and be on my way.”
“Lord Randol doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
“Neither do I. Just give me landing coordinates and we can all be happy.”
The controller grumbled, but in a few seconds the coordinates for his destination were uploaded to his navcom.
He broke orbit and began his descent. The private moon, once barren, had been terraformed into an oasis of living things—grass, trees, hedges—and stocked with exotic songbirds. There were gravity generators to keep your feet firmly on the ground and the atmosphere from flying off. Just the place for a corporate lord to call home.
Chandler piloted the small ship down through the atmosphere and locked onto the guidance beacon. Randol’s controllers took over and brought the Marlowe in.
As
he descended, Chandler looked out over the estate. Green grass carpeted the rolling hills. Paved walkways crisscrossed lush gardens. He also noted the assault cannons tucked in among the petunias. Randol obviously liked his privacy.
Two security guards met Chandler when he exited his ship and escorted him to a processing area. Typical drill: retina, DNA, full molecular scans. They took him to an office occupied by a muscle-bound guard in a fancy uniform sitting at a desk. The placard on the door read CAPTAIN JORGESON. “So,” Chandler said, “are you the ringmaster in this circus?”
Jorgeson glared and dismissed Chandler’s escort. “I’m the officer in charge of security here. I expect to be treated with respect.”
“I expect a lot of things, too, but I find that I tend to get disappointed pretty often. How many more hoops do I have to jump through to see His Majesty?”
Jorgeson grunted and nodded his head. “A wiseass. Let me tell you something, Mr. Special Investigator. I think the old man has finally lost his mind, hiring gutter trash like you. But he’s the boss. Just pray you don’t piss him off or you’ll have me to contend with.”
“Ooh, it’s a date. Anything else?”
Jorgeson pointed a finger at Chandler. “Watch yourself. Don’t get sticky fingers. Don’t go exploring, and don’t think for a minute that you can pull anything over on Lord Randol. We’ve had our share of con men; they follow money. I know how to deal with them.”
