He ducked out to see the general waddle up the ramp into the ship, and the soldiers backed in after him, keeping their weapons firing in Byron's direction. When the last of the troops boarded the ramp, it closed and the transport's landing jets began to fire.
Through the cloud of smoke, Byron raced across the launch pad to another ship parked at the spaceport. It also had its boarding ramp down, and he climbed up into his starship, the Icarus.
As he stepped through the airlock, Chetaara rushed into his arms and gave him a passionate kiss. "We were so worried about you, Master."
Xana reappeared next to him and hugged him. She was so short that her bare breasts pressed against his hips. "That was close."
Byron smiled at them. "You all did great."
Chetaara let go and shook her head. "Quite the contrary, Master. He got away."
"Not yet he hasn't." He headed for the bridge.
Scarlett sat behind the controls, flipping switches that sent the engines from a rumble to a howl. "I told you there was an easier way to make a few credits."
He slid into the co-pilot's chair. "And I told you, it's not about the credits. When I saw the mission on the job board, I had to take it."
As the Icarus began to rise off the launch pad, Scarlett shook her head. "Why are you even looking at that fucking thing? You're rich. You don't need to grind for credits anymore."
She was right, of course. The job board showed random missions posted for people to earn credits, but he had made millions of credits from recovering a lost treasure. They were on their way to a planet where he could buy more weapons and gear, but this mission stood out.
Byron watched through the forward window as the Necralia transport blazed off into the snowy skies. "When I see the word 'genocide,' it catches my attention. I don't care how rich I get. I don't like the thought of this shithead getting away if I can do something about it."
Scarlett leaned over to give him a kiss. "That's what makes you a special guy, even if it puts my neck on the chopping block."
Byron tapped buttons on the console to bring up the ship's weapon systems. Screens lit up with a readout of his weapon stocks, a wireframe readout of the enemy ship, and a joystick unfolded into his hands.
He used the joystick to guide crosshairs on the window over to the fleeing Necralia transport, and fired.
His laser turrets released a stream of fire into the skies. Some of the bolts slammed into the back of the Necralia transport, but the enemy shields soaked them up before hitting the hull. Rear turrets fired back, and the Icarus shuddered from the impact.
Scarlett grit her teeth. "Forward shields down fifty percent."
Byron lined up his crosshairs again and flicked the switch to fire dumb missiles. The missiles roared across the sky and slammed into the rear of the transport.
On his display, the enemy transport's rear shields dropped from green to red.
"Almost got 'em," Scarlett yelled.
He switched to the heat-seeking missiles and fired all he had.
The missiles flashed from the Icarus to the enemy ship and burst in clouds of flame. The Necralia transport's health bar collapsed and the ship exploded.
MISSION COMPLETE
50,000 XP
500,000 CREDITS
Scarlett threw up her middle fingers. "Yeah, burn in Hell, you fat piece o' shit!"
Byron leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "That was for Kindy."
Chapter 3
URAGIRI MONO took deep breaths to calm his trembling hands as he walked through the marketplace of Qerrassa. The open-air market had stalls lining the path, and the native serpentine aliens shouted their wares, but that wasn't what made him so nervous. He knew what he had to do.
Uragiri made his way to a stall at the back where an old woman had a few moldy fruits and vegetables on display. He lowered the stalks of his eyes to pretend to look over the food. "Are these in season? Or are they out of season?"
The old woman smiled up at him. "This fruit is always in season."
"Then the farmers are lucky to have such a good harvest."
Having confirmed the code phrase, she reached down and pushed a hidden switch. The brick wall behind her cracked open, and created a door that he quickly ducked into.
As the wall slid closed behind him, his eyes adjusted to the darkness to see a long passage ahead of him. A few candles barely lit the way, and he had to feel his way along the stone walls until he came to a hidden switch. Pulling the switch opened another door.
In the small room on the other side, a variety of male and female aliens sat around a long table. They looked up and nodded at Uragiri as he made his way to an empty seat.
A large Acarid male known as Klikik stood at the head of the table next to a projector. The Acarid's antenna flicked as he nodded. "All right, that's all of us. We can begin."
Klikik lowered his compound eyes. "We have a few things to discuss, but I'm sure we are all aware of the situation on Poulara."
The other members muttered and nodded.
"But I think we need to talk about it. If you haven't heard, all three major governments on Poulara have surrendered to the Empire. This is a tremendous blow to the Resistance as Poulara was a major supplier of weapons. It also gives the Necralia Empire another source of firepower."
"As if they needed it," one member called out.
Others murmured in agreement.
Klikik held up a slender hand. "That's enough. We all know how powerful the Empire is."
"Do we?" the member stood up, a tusked alien that Uragiri knew as Guffor. "Do we really? Because I don't think we do. If we know, then why are we here?"
Klikik rolled his glittering eyes upwards. "This is not the time to discuss--"
Guffor swept his gaze over the table. "I think it is. The Empire has just added another major world to its borders, and pushed the Alliance back another sector. That also gives the Empire control of a major lane in hyperspace. Not to mention the fact that they already have the Resistance outmanned and outgunned in every sector. Poulara isn't the first planet to fall to them and it won't be the last."
"What do you suggest, Guffor? Giving up?"
Guffor folded his arms over each other. "I think it's time to consider it."
"No, it's not." Another alien rose from his seat. "Each of us represents a world that voted to join the Resistance, do we not? I know my world didn't send me to meet with this cell so we could negotiate a surrender."
"Well, I'm sure your world had good intentions, but it's only here that we can find the true measure of the Resistance." Guffor pointed. "Out there, the Resistance is all jingoism and propaganda. Perhaps your people don't know how bad it is, but I do. And I've grown tired of listening to reports of failure while I struggle to tell my superiors what they want to hear."
Klikik jabbed an index finger into the table. "The Resistance is alive. Look at Nikor."
"Yes." Guffor leaned closer. "Let's look at Nikor. They fought the Empire for decades, and ultimately fell. Their crystals feed the Empire's engines, and those who are too weak or beautiful to serve in the mines are thrown into the slave trade. That's the fate of those who resist the Empire. However, if you want to talk about success, let's look at Eicheyama Four. They welcomed the Empire, and are prospering."
An alien named Mungxa growled. "If you call paying a fifty percent tax to the Empire and turned over their children as soldiers prospering. This is a pointless argument. Guffor, if you wish to leave the Resistance, then do so. The rest of us will remain here, defending our people."
"I'm only trying to save you from yourselves. If all of us join the Empire, we will be in a better position to negotiate--"
"Enough!" Klikik cut him off. "Mungxa is right. The purpose of this meeting isn't to discuss surrender but freedom. We have had a tactical loss, but the fight continues. We reclaimed three new worlds on sector five-eight-seven's border. We can win."
Guffor glanced around before dropping into his chair.
Mungxa looked up. "Guffor is right about one thing, though. The war is going badly. We all know the Alliance lacks the kind of military leadership that Lady Necralia has at her disposal. We need a true leader in place to coordinate and guide us. We need the Outsider."
Some of the men and women around the table chuckled or snorted.
Klikik shook his head. "It would be nice to believe in some legend, but we must work with what we have. I believe new elections should be held for a military commander, but that's beyond what we deal with here. I'd like to talk about securing a new source of weapons to replace Poulara. I think Addax Prime has the facilities to begin production if we can re-direct shipments--"
The bracelet on Uragiri's wrist flashed three times. That was the signal.
He glanced around the room as he reached into his coat. No one noticed. The pulse pistol in a hidden holster felt ice cold as he slipped his fingers around it and drew it out.
Uragiri stood up, aimed at Klikik, and fired.
The sound of the pistol blowing off Klikik's head echoed through the small room. As the other members of the Resistance cell jumped up from their seats, yelling, Uragiri pointed at Guffor and fired.
Some of them tried to duck down behind chairs. Others ran for the exits. One begged for mercy. None of them pulled out weapons and shot back, because they never expected to need defending themselves in this room where they felt safe.
It only took a few minutes for Uragiri to kill everyone in the room. When he was done, he set down the pistol and took out his communicator.
Punching in a code called a special line. After a minute, a Necros general appeared on his communicator's screen.
General Deth gave him a wide smile showing sharp teeth almost as white as his pale skin. "I assume your mission was a success?"
Uragiri's heart jumped into his throat as he heard screams in the background. "Yes. They are dead. Now please, let my wife and children go."
"The Necralia Empire is pleased with your mission. These Resistance cells of yours have become such nuisances, we have to send this message that there is nowhere the Empire can't reach. There's just one more thing you need to do, and then your family will be at peace. Go to Guffor's briefcase."
At first, he didn't understand what General Deth meant. Then he noticed the briefcase lying at Guffor's feet. Uragiri reached down to pick up the briefcase and set it down on the table. He twisted the handle and it opened.
Uragiri stared at the lump of plastique and electronics inside. "How did you know--"
Deth chuckled. "Did you really think you were the only one we sent on this mission? Guffor just didn't have the guts to push the trigger, which is why we've come to you. His way would have been much neater to begin with, but here we are."
Uragiri swallowed. "If I do this, you'll let my family go?"
"Of course." Deth nodded. "Now push the red button."
"Forgive me," Uragiri whispered as he reached out and pushed the button.
The explosion destroyed the building and three city blocks around it.
Chapter 4
AFTER LEAVING the planet Riprali, Byron ordered Scarlett to set course for Sal Sagev once again.
As they sat on the bridge alone, watching the swirl of hyperspace flying past the windows, she got up and hopped into his lap.
Her blue eyes glowed at him. "Well, we got that son of a bitch. Feel better now?"
He sighed. "I should. But I keep thinking about the fact that this is a video game. The people Rott killed didn't really exist. But all the NPCs I've met in the game seem real to me. The idea of billions of people, real or not, being slaughtered drives me crazy."
He added, "You know, the fact that Venus Online created the situation, probably to get people like me to grind for a few credits and XP, makes me mad too. Killing billions just for a game, that's not right."
Scarlett shrugged. "So is Venus Online the only game that kills people for the sake of the plot?"
That made him pause. "Well, no, I guess not. But those NPCs aren't as real."
She smirked. "Or maybe you just never fucked one of those NPCs before."
Byron shifted in his seat. "All right, this conversation is getting uncomfortable."
She gave him a kiss. "There. Better?"
"Yeah. But it does make me think about what those guys in the bar said about me going native. I guess I am. I think I'm starting to lose perspective on what's real and what's not."
"Well, it's like what Morpheus said in The Matrix. What's real is all sensory information to your brain. You can see, hear, taste, and feel this world." She rubbed her butt into his crotch until he hardened. "Doesn't that make it real? And you better believe this world is motherfucking real to me. It's the only reality I know or ever will know. To me, the world outside this game seems as real as a dream. So what's the difference?"
That made him pause. "I hadn't thought of it that way. But I don't want to forget this place isn't real because that's probably what Venus Online wants me to do. They want me to think this is reality and get caught up in it so I won't try to escape. I think."
Scarlett giggled. "Babe, you don't know what the fuck the guys who made this game want, and neither do I."
"True. But there are other people in the game. I need to talk to them and find out more about it. We definitely to talk to Otis Accolade. You said he designed this game."
She nodded. "That's what the company shit says."
"That means he must know all about it. He said he knows how to get out. I'll bet he can also tell me why he made the game in the first place, and why it won't let players leave. All we need to do is track the message he sent me, and we'll have all the answers."
"I sure hope so." She ran a finger down his cheek while giving him a sultry smile. "In the meantime, I'm kinda looking forward to spending that cash making your wallet so fat."
She wiggled her butt again. "Or is that your dick? Either way, we're gonna put it to good use."
He couldn't help laughing, even as a blush warmed his cheeks. As a very private person, he couldn't get used to how open Scarlett and his other girls were about sex. They seemed to be always ready, and he appreciated it, even if it embarrassed him sometimes.
He stroked her hair. "You know, I have admit something else that feels strange is that I've even started to fall for you, Xana, and Chetaara."
She kissed him again and leaned against his chest. "Trust me, we all feel the same way, even if Chetaara's the only one who's said it out loud."
He looked deep into her glowing eyes. "You know I love you."
She pushed on his chest. "Hey, don't get all mushy on me. But I love you, too."
Chetaara and Xana came onto the bridge, holding hands. Chetaara had taken off her bikini since she only wore clothes when she left the ship, and her bare breasts swayed as she walked. They came over to Byron and Chetaara gave him another kiss.
She stroked his hair with her fingers. "I knew you could defeat the fat one, Master."
Scarlett climbed out of his lap. "Yeah, and we could've used some help up here. Where were you?"
Chetaara looked at Xana with a smile. "Well, I was helping Xana in the engine room to maintain the ship's weapons and shields. When it became clear you could handle the battle, I took the liberty of spending time with her."
Scarlett's jaw dropped. "Say what? Ooo, does that mean you two were making out?"
Xana looked down at her toes. "Um, yes."
Scarlett's hands went to her hips. "Well, why the fuck wasn't I invited?"
Xana tilted her head to one side to look up at her. "Uh, you were kind of busy keeping the ship in the air? That's a higher priority, Scarlett."
"Hey, when it comes to making out with two hot babes, nothing else takes priority." Scarlett stamped her metal foot. "I demand you two re-enact the whole thing right here. On the floor. Naked. While I play with myself."
Chetaara laughed while pointing at the window. "Perhaps later, sweetheart. I believe we have arrived."
>
When the Icarus dropped out of hyperspace, it appeared in orbit over a planet so dry Byron couldn't see a single cloud in the atmosphere. The whole world looked like nothing but sand from pole to pole, although it seemed like streaks of icy mountain ranges rose near the poles.
Scarlett dropped into the pilot's chair and spun it around. "We're here, ladies and gentlemen! Sal Sagev! You're sure this is the right place?"
Xana nodded as she came up behind her. "Yeah, um, this is where we'll find Phercy Ecod. He's an expert at cryptography and encryption. If he can't find out the source of Accolade's signal, no one can."
Chetaara came up behind Byron's chair. Her hands slipped down to rest on his shoulders. "Yes, and it is also where we can buy new upgrades and new weapons. We might even be able to upgrade our NRG implants, Master."
Scarlett spread her hands. "You guys are forgetting the most important part. This is also where we can stay in the best hotels, go see the hottest shows in the Galaxy, gamble the shit out of the casinos, and get drunk as fuck."
Xana smirked. "Glad to see you have your priorities in the right place."
Byron shrugged. "If we can do all those things, even better. We could use some R&R after that whole mess with Captain Jokah."
That made him rotate his shoulder. It still felt a little stiff, even after being healed by the ship's medical bay and a ton of medpacks.
"You better believe it." Scarlett tapped keys. "I'll get clearance for Daveen City, and we'll get this party started."
One of the buttons she pushed triggered a wave of pop music to pump through the bridge. It was a song he'd never heard before with alien lyrics, but had a nice beat. In the real world, it would have made Justin Timberlake a fortune.
Chetaara laughed as she began to dance. She took Xana's hands and pulled her in, even as the smaller girl began to lean away and shake her head. After a while, Xana gave up and started awkwardly bouncing while Chetaara twirled around her.
Byron waved his hands in the air, the only dance move he'd ever mastered.
Mine Shaft: A LitRPG Sci-Fi Harem Adventure (Venus Online Book 4) Page 2
