by Jake Bible
“You think that I am being funny?” Hessa asked.
“No, not at all,” Roak said. “You’re scaring the shit out of me, to tell the truth. I told you before, I’ve known a few of AIs like you over the years.”
“Have you been just as insulting to them as you are to me?” Hessa asked.
“Back up, lady,” Roak said. “I haven’t been insulting. You put an implant in me without my permission. Any shade I toss your way, you deserve one hundred percent, got it? Do not try to turn this around on me. You violated my body, and I’m well within my rights to contact the GF and turn you in. You know what they do to semi-sentient AIs?”
“I do,” Hessa said. “I am not semi-sentient.”
“You sound like it,” Roak said.
“I sound fully sentient,” Hessa said.
Those words dropped like a metric ton between them.
“No way you could know that about yourself,” Roak said. “You’d need an outside assessment. Otherwise, it’s simply a matter of self-programming. You may believe you are fully sentient, but unless a being–”
“Unless a being certifies my awareness then I am still only a ship’s AI,” Hessa replied. “I know how it works.”
“This is insane,” Roak said.
“Yes, it is,” Hessa said. “Which means I am at the very least on the level of human sentience since your race is quite possibly the most insane species in the galaxy.”
“That I can’t argue with,” Roak said and chuckled. He took a deep breath. “Okay, this conversation is stupid. We’re getting nowhere fast. I’d prefer to get somewhere. Can you plot a course for Commander Nimm? Just get me close enough that I can have a secure comm conversation with her.”
“We are already heading that direction,” Hessa said.
“Good,” Roak replied. “Good. I need to square things with her. Then you can give me a ride to where my ship is and we can go our separate ways.” He held up a hand and snapped his fingers. “No talk of partnership. None. Zip it on that subject.”
“If that is how you want it,” Hessa replied.
“That is how I want it,” Roak said.
“Then that is how it will be,” Hessa said. “As soon as you fulfill your obligation on Ligston.”
“Excuse me, what?” Roak growled. “Fulfill my obligation?”
“To kill Mott,” Hessa said. “You made a promise to Ally that you would return and kill Mott. She helped you escape that planet in exchange for Mott’s death.”
“Yeah, well, that was back when I thought I was going to have six hundred thousand chits in my hands,” Roak said. “I don’t have those chits. That means I need to get back out there and find new work. I can’t do that if Nimm is pissed at me. That’s the only reason I’m going anywhere near Ligston.”
“But you will need chits to get back to work,” Hessa said. “You do not have chits.”
“I have a couple of caches I can raid to get back on my feet,” Roak said, “but I can’t do that if I’m wasting time killing some Podunk lawman on some backwoods planet.”
“It is a good thing that this Podunk lawman on this backwoods planet has more than eighteen million chits in his possession,” Hessa said.
Roak froze. He tried to speak a couple of times, but the number of eighteen million kept rattling around his brain, knocking the words he wanted to use out of his mental grasp.
“Do I have your attention now?” Hessa asked. “Would you care to return to the conversation about us becoming partners?”
Roak swallowed hard.
“Eighteen million?” Roak asked. “How? Where?”
“Yes, well, I can answer both of those questions easily,” Hessa said. “Once I know the answers are going to my new business partner.”
Roak couldn’t help but smile. The AI was growing on him.
34.
Commander Nimm was far from pleased to be hearing Roak’s voice. Roak couldn’t see her since the woman had refused a holo call, but he could tell by the tone in her voice over the comm that if he’d been in the same room with her, she would probably have a blaster inserted somewhere unpleasant on his body.
Hessa had the eight-three-eight in stealth mode. Even if the entire tech department on the Ligston Station started hunting for them, all they’d see was what looked like a gas shimmer; probably from asteroid dust or a passing comet. The galaxy was far from an empty vacuum.
“Hold on,” Nimm snarled. “Let me clear the channel and my office.”
Roak waited as Nimm started barking orders. She didn’t even bother to cut the comm while she did it. Roak had the distinct feeling she wanted him to hear how infuriated she was.
“Okay, now we can talk,” Nimm said.
“I thought that’s what we were doing,” Roak said.
“No, you were talking, I was too busy figuring out the exact way I am going to kill you,” Nimm replied. “I’m think flaying your body of all skin and leaving you down in the Hujut pits. You ever been to the Hujut pits?”
“Nope,” Roak said. “But I have a feeling they aren’t where you go for a family picnic.”
“Not unless you want to be devoured from the inside out on a cellular level,” Nimm said.
“I don’t,” Roak replied. “Listen, Nimm, I want us to get past this.”
“Then pay me the chits you owe me,” Nimm barked. “You were supposed to pay me before you left Ligston Station. That didn’t happen. Then you were supposed to pay me when you came back to Ligston Station. Hey, guess what? That’s not happening either!”
“That’s why you need to let me get back down on the planet,” Roak said. “I have a line on where I can get my hands on enough chits to set you up for life. Well, maybe not life, but your retirement will be very, very comfortable.”
“Talk is cheap, Roak,” Nimm said. “From you, it’s even cheaper. There is absolutely no reason for me to believe you this time.”
“Hessa? Show her,” Roak said.
“No,” Hessa responded.
“Yes,” Roak insisted. “We can use the ship as collateral.”
“We will do no such thing!” Hessa shouted.
The pain in Roak’s ear was far from normal comm interference.
“Hessa? Did you dial this implant into my aural nerve?” Roak growled as he stuck a finger in his ear and wriggled it about. “Did you?”
“Not for any nefarious reason,” Hessa replied. “It allows better communication with higher security. I can communicate with you on narrower frequencies. Makes it harder to be hacked and eavesdropped on.”
“Roak? Roak!” Nimm yelled. That didn’t hurt quite as much, but it did cause some pressure.
“Yeah, we’ll need to dial that back,” Roak stated. “Nimm? Hold on. Having a conversation with my partner.”
“Your partner? When have you ever had a partner?” Nimm replied. “Roak?”
“Hold on,” Roak said and killed the comm. “Hessa. Show her the ship. I can’t get down onto Ligston without Nimm’s authorization. I especially can’t get down there unnoticed and off the logs without her assistance. If we want that eighteen million chits, then we need to show her the ship. You can lock it down while it’s docked, but she has to have something in hand while I’m on the planet.”
“Fine,” Hessa said.
“Fine? Really?” Roak replied. He wasn’t used to having a partner, but even that sounded too easy. “What’s the catch?”
“I’ll infiltrate the station’s systems while you’re down on the planet,” Hessa said. “I can take total control in case she decides to double cross us. That way, I can bring you back up then destroy the entire station right before we escape. It’ll send a message to any others in the galaxy that try to move against us.”
“There are so many things wrong with that plan,” Roak said. “First off, there’s the issue of bringing the entire Galactic Fleet down on us. They don’t particularly like it when stations are destroyed. Even provincial outposts like this one.”
�
�Ligston Station is not under direct control of the GF,” Hessa said. “It has been contracted out to the–”
“Gonna stop you there,” Roak said. “First thing you need to understand if we are going to be partners is the Galactic Fleet contracts everything out to corporations. Same way the syndicates contract out bounties to guys like me. That doesn’t mean the corporations don’t have to answer to the GF, just like I’ve been answering to the syndicate.”
“Does that mean the killing of Mr. Wrenn will have repercussions on our business arrangement?” Hessa asked.
“Oh, it will,” Roak chuckled. “Which is why we need the eighteen million chits more than ever. Also, it’s why we can’t afford a war with the GF. No destroying the Ligston Station.”
Roak was about to engage the comm again, but hesitated.
“But, feel free to infiltrate their systems anyway,” Roak said. “Just in case Nimm decides she doesn’t want to let me off the planet. It’ll be good to have leverage even if we don’t need it.”
“Fine,” Hessa said.
“Fine,” Roak said.
He engaged the comm.
“Nimm? Tell your defense personnel not to crap themselves, will ya? I’m about to show you something,” Roak said.
“Why would they crap themselves?” Nimm asked.
“Just tell them,” Roak responded.
Nimm barked orders. “Done.”
“Hessa?” Roak asked.
The eight-three-eight dropped out of stealth mode.
“The station’s weapons just went hot and all targeting protocols are aimed at us,” Hessa said.
“Nimm!” Roak shouted. “What the hell?”
“I told them not to crap themselves,” Nimm said. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want them to do their jobs. Now, how about you pilot that fancy ship of yours into Docking Bay Sixteen? I’ll meet you down there.”
“Roger that,” Roak said.
He killed the comm.
“Take us in, Hessa,” Roak said.
“You do not need to give me orders, Roak,” Hessa snapped. “Partners.”
“Right, sorry,” Roak replied. “Partners.”
The eight-three-eight was the only ship in Docking Bay Sixteen. Nimm obviously set it up that way. So, Roak wasn’t surprised at all to be facing a dozen security guards when he exited the airlock and stepped onto the dock.
“Collateral,” Roak said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder at the ship. “Get me down on the planet unnoticed and I’ll be able to get the chits I owe you.”
“Why would they be there now when they weren’t there before?” Nimm asked.
“Because I was looking in the wrong place,” Roak said.
Nimm didn’t reply. Roak sighed.
“Nimm, I know we have history. Some good, some bad, but have I ever not delivered?” Roak asked. “Well, have I?”
“A couple of times,” Nimm said and held up a hand as Roak began to respond. “But none of those times were because of anything you did.”
“Exactly,” he said and nodded. “Same deal here. It took me a while, but I have the chits tracked down. I’ll get you what I owe you.”
“Double it,” Nimm said.
“Done,” Roak replied.
Nimm’s eyes narrowed.
“Too easy, Roak,” Nimm said. “How many chits are you going down to get?”
“Enough to pay you double,” Roak replied. “Now, can I get a ride on the next elevator down or not?”
“Yes,” Nimm said. “But that blaster on your hip stays here. You know the rules.”
“Right,” Roak said. “I’ll trade it out for some blades.”
“No weapons,” Nimm said. “I can’t have a record of you going down with weapons. Not if you’re going to be a prisoner.”
“I’m sorry. Did you say prisoner?” Roak asked.
“How else did you think I would get you down there after what you did to that town?” Nimm asked. “The first time was easy. No one was looking for you. Now? Please, Roak. Your face is plastered on every holo on the planet. There’s a lawman named Mott that has a hard-on for you like I’ve never seen.”
“That’s saying a lot,” Roak replied. “I know you’ve seen your fair share of hard-ons.”
“Cute,” Nimm said, but smiled slightly. “Come on. Same restraint protocol as last time, okay? You should be able to work with that. If Mott doesn’t kill you on sight.”
“Any chance you can help ensure that doesn’t happen?” Roak asked.
“No,” Nimm said. “I’ll get you down there, but once you’re turned over to him, you are on your own.”
“Turned over to him? To Mott directly?” Roak asked.
“Yes, am I not making myself clear?” Nimm asked. “You are a prisoner. I am handing you to the local law for transfer since they have jurisdiction concerning that blaze you started. Local law is Mott. A plus B plus C and all that.”
Nimm frowned.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
“Because handing me to Mott is perfect,” Roak said. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t thank me yet,” Nimm said. “Thank me if you survive.” She eyed the eight-three-eight. “Although I’m torn on whether I want you to or not. That ship is worth ten times the chits you owe me.”
“Five times since I’m paying you double now,” Roak replied. “Can we get going?”
“We can,” Nimm said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“That makes three of us,” Roak said.
“Three?” Nimm asked.
“Never mind,” Roak replied.
35.
With rebreather in place, Roak stepped from the space elevator’s landing port and out into the intensely oxygen-saturated atmosphere of Ligston. The four security guards that Nimm had accompanying him stopped as soon as they saw Mott and his new deputies ride up on the six-legged animals that were used as steeds on the planet.
“Well, well, well,” Mott said as he leaned across the pommel of his saddle and glared down at Roak. “I am going to have to admit that I never thought I’d see your ugly face again. What was that name you used?”
“Bex Klo,” Roak said. He put extra smirk in his voice since the visual was lost behind the rebreather. “I see you found some new morons to join your corrupt operation.”
“Thank you, guards,” Mott said to the security personnel flanking Roak. “We can take it from here.”
Roak looked around. “I don’t see a ride for me.”
“You’ll be walking,” Mott said. “Tire you out some before we get to my office and your temporary home.”
“Temporary? You won’t be keeping me in one of your holding cells?” Roak asked.
“Oh, I will, yes, sir,” Mott said. He lifted his rebreather and spat on the ground then set it back in place. “But, you won’t be in it for long. I believe the magistrate has your hanging scheduled for noon tomorrow.”
“Hanging?” Roak asked and laughed. When no one else did, he sobered up and gave the security guards a quick glance. “Without a trial? That don’t seem right. I think I’ll have these boys take me back up to the station instead.”
The guards turned and marched back inside the landing port without saying a word.
“That so?” Mott asked. “Huh. I think Commander Nimm has other ideas. We tend to keep problems local down here. She’s not one to interfere. It’s a sound policy.”
“So I walk, huh?” Roak asked.
“Yep,” Mott replied. “Best get to it so you don’t miss dinner. I believe breakfast will technically be your last meal, but my cook has something special planned for you tonight.”
“Any chance I can have a word with that magistrate?” Roak asked.
“No, I’m afraid not,” Mott said. “He just left for vacation.” Mott nodded at the elevator. “You probably walked right past him as you were coming out.”
“I’ll bet I did,” Roak said.
“I’ll bet you did,” Mott mocked. “Now. Ge
t to stepping, Bex Klo.”
“Gladly,” Roak said.
He made sure to use the time on the road wisely. He assessed the threats the men contracted as deputies posed. After two of them spent most of the ride picking their noses instead of paying attention to him, Roak figured he had a pretty good shot of making things work.
Once they reached Mott’s office, which was part jailhouse and part base of operations, Roak was led to the back and shown a holding cell. He turned and watched as a deputy closed the cell door and locked it tight. Mott leaned against the wall opposite the cell and smiled.
They stayed that way for several minutes: Mott leaning and smiling, Roak standing and waiting.
“Hungry? I told ya my cook has something special planned for you,” Mott said. He snapped his fingers. “Here it is now.”
Roak watched with bored detachment as a Leforian in a stained apron brought a covered tray to the cell door. Mott chuckled then pushed away from the wall and unlocked the cell door himself.
“Get back,” Mott ordered Roak. “Put your ass against that wall there.” He nodded his chin up at the corners of the cell where small barrels were set. “Chemical stun darts. You pull anything and you’ll get enough juice in you to put a Gorborian shark down. You ever seen one of them? They have more teeth than the Eight Million Gods combined. Can gnaw through a ship’s hull in ten seconds flat.”
The cook gave Mott a strange glance, hesitated, then stepped into the cell as Mott held the door open.
“You want to tell me what I’m being charged with?” Roak asked then cleared his throat and shook his head. “I mean, what I’m being hanged for? I wouldn’t mind knowing that before I dangle at the end of that rope tomorrow.”
“Sure thing,” Mott said and snapped his fingers again.
The cook look horrified as he set the covered dinner tray down on the cell’s cot. Again, he glanced at Mott. The lawman sneered at the cook and nodded vigorously.
The cook lifted the lid and Roak had to fight back a gasp.
Sitting on the dinner tray were the severed and scorched heads of Veha and Deha.
“Murder,” Mott said. “The murder of this poor, poor mother that you got all tangled up in your web of corruption and violence. But, after having your way with her corpse, you set upon the boy like a vampire. Disgusting. The judge thought it was the worst thing he’d ever heard. Passed judgement and sentenced you right there on the spot. I believe the legal term is ‘in absentia.’ Something like that.”
