by Jay Toney
"Captain, we are being contacted," Jewel informed me.
"Put it on screen."
An ugly humanoid appeared on our viewscreen. His skin was bright green with splotches of blue and red. He looked like a cross between a chameleon and a human. Just what I needed, another lizard.
"What is the purpose of bringing ships of war into our system?"
Before I could reply, Nugget stepped in front of me. Astrea gave him the illusion of being dressed in regal attire, complete with scepter and crown.
"There is no need to talk with my underlings. They would get it wrong and cause confusion. They are not very bright, but generally, they try to do a good job. I am Nugget, Chancellor of Edam. We have come a long way from the Keshian Empire. These ships are my bodyguards."
"We have never heard of this Keshian Empire you claim to rule."
"Nor, have we heard of the Drax."
"Keep your shields on minimum power and your weapons offline, or we will consider your presence hostile."
"We will comply. Our purpose here is to collect information for our university. Our academia is updating our records on lost civilizations. They have expressed an interest in civilization from Earth, and seek knowledge of these lost earthlings."
"There isn't much to tell. We aided the Earth humans, some 4000 years ago. For our trouble, we found ourselves at war with a group they called the Alliance. They were defeated, their survivors scattered and forgotten. You may search our archives if you wish. You are clear to dock."
"Jewel, end communications.
That went very well. We made new friends and learned more about the earthlings."
Nearly every space dock was full, with priority being given to Drax traders and visitors. I moored the Persephone at a mooring station located a couple of kilometers away from the space station. The rest of my fleet docked at mooring stations or waited in line for an open birth.
****
We had been away from any space station for several months and were in need of supplies and reaction mass. The demands on our food staples exceeded what we were able to replicate, especially meat. Mike and the scientists aboard the Sequoia were working on a solution that would ease some of the demands we were placing on our replicators. They had just finished building a series of six tanks that they planned on using to grow meat cultures.
I wasn't sure that vat-grown meat was the answer. Mike assured me that the scientists grew meat on a smaller scale and it would work. He had eaten the meat himself and assured me that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference by tasting it. In fact, it was possible that I already tried it. The scientists sent off batches of vat meat, to test the reaction of our crew. No one was able to tell the difference.
They argued that vat meat was a lot more healthy for us. The scientists were able to control the fat content, flavor, and tenderness while maintaining healthy growth. If successful, they were sure they would be, more vats would be installed on the rest of our ships. So far they were growing beef, chicken, fish, venison, pork, and lizard.
****
Nugget, Nord, Beck, Persephone and I were aboard the first transport shuttle to the space station. Persephone didn't want to come along with us but didn't have a choice. Where I went, she had to follow and vice versa. When we were away from the ship, the distance we could separate from each other was limited by both distance and line of sight. Sharing our souls together made us complete. We both became one individual when we shared our essence with each other. I learned things from Persephone through union that I would never have been able to learn on my own. She also learned from me. Our bond had the disadvantage of making us need to stay together. Whether we wanted to stay together or not didn't matter. We were stuck with each other forever.
Nugget piloted the shuttle himself. He didn't want me anywhere near the controls. After Jewel's and Amber's last landing, with him as a passenger on Jewel's Marauder, he didn't trust any of us.
We had been waiting for what felt like hours outside of the docking bay. Every time we called to remind the controller that we were patiently waiting we got the same response, "Please stand by, the pattern is full. You will be given docking clearance in the order of your arrival." We had seen at least a dozen shuttles depart from this docking section. We were the only shuttle waiting to dock. Even Nuggets patience was being tested.
While we were waiting, Persephone spent her time trying to access the space station's computers. Generally access was granted, allowing traders to establish exchange rates for their currency and to determine the value of any gold or silver they may have aboard their ship. It also allowed the traders to list the merchandise they wanted to trade or sell and to make necessary purchases.
"I'm in!" Persephone began requesting currency exchange rates. "Damn, they locked me out again. I got what we need though. Silver is trading at 240 credits per ounce, and gold is trading at 10,983 credits per ounce. That was more than twice what it was trading for in our home system. Our credits would be worth considerably more here.
I was tired of waiting. "The hell with it. They obviously don't want us here." All thoughts of profit vanished from my mind. "Let's get out of here."
"I've waited long enough. Either the Drax are going to open the doors, or I am going to make my own entrance."
Nugget brought the shuttle up to full power and began feeding power to the engines. "Nugget, we are not in a Marauder!" He ignored me and accelerated towards the docking bay.
"Shuttle Z-101 you are clear for docking." The shuttle bay doors began opening. Nugget didn't slow down until we were past the doors.
"Damn Nugget, you are as bad as Jewel. I didn't think you had it in you."
"No one makes me wait like a commoner."
"I don't think it is you that they hate. I believe that they hate anyone who is not Drax."
Nugget landed the shuttlecraft and shut down the engines. No one came to service our shuttlecraft. Nord and Beck put on the powered armor that they borrowed from the ship's armory. The armor was gloss black, gave them the strength needed for combat even in high gravity environments, and protected the wearer from energy weapons. They weren't armed, as was customary, but in those suits, they didn't need to be. They could tear the limbs off almost any creature. They were dressed to look like Nuggets personal guards.
I opened the hatch. It took only a second for the smell to hit us. It was one of the foulest odors I ever smelled. Rotting giant lizard eggs didn't smell that bad. I closed the hatch and turned the ventilators up to maximum and held my breath waiting for the odor to clear.
Nord and Beck were spared the unpleasant smell by their armors breath mask. The rest of us were not. I could hold my breath for several minutes with my new lungs. Nugget and Persephone couldn't. So much for goddesses not getting sick. She and Nugget both vomited on the shuttles floor. They both put breath masks on as fast as they could. I took one and put it on. There was no need to make my new lungs suffer.
"Do you think this was done specially for us," Nugget asked, "or do you think the whole station smells like this?"
"If it does, we're leaving."
I opened the hatch again, and we left the airlock. It was only a short walk to the shuttle bay's airlock. We entered the airlock. The door closed behind us and the airlock filled with mist. The inner door opened, admitting us to the space station.
"Someone needs to remove their mask and test the air." Everyone turned to me. I was the volunteer. I removed my breath mask and inhaled deeply, then doubled over in a fit of coughing and gagging. Everyone was ready to leave. I straightened up, "I fooled you all. The air is okay."
"Nathaniel, if you ever do that again I will turn you into a spider myself." Persephone didn't appreciate the joke.
None of the Drax we passed while looking for the station's offices would talk to us. They just hissed warnings as we passed by them. It was obvious that they did not like us.
We finally found the operations center, after beating on numerous doors and being chased
away from our efforts. We were told that our lack of computer access was caused by a glitch in the system. It would be fixed as soon as possible. Meanwhile, every Drax we saw had a comp and access to the station's computer.
"I am Captain..."
"Silence! Forgive the intrusion from my servant. I am Nugget, Chancellor of Edam and second in line to rule the Empire of Kesh. This twit is the captain of the Persephone. The lady is my concubine. She goes by whatever name I wish to call her. The other two are my personal bodyguards. We are trying to determine the proper exchange rate for our credits."
"Your credits are worthless to us."
"Are you sure? Have you scanned them? Our credits cannot be counterfeited. Their value is determined by the amount of silver or gold that they contain. One credit is worth a hundredth of an ounce of silver. A ten credit chip is worth a tenth of an ounce and a 100 credit chip has the same value as a full ounce of silver. A thousand credit chip, our largest credit denomination, contains a half ounce of gold within it."
We knew what silver and gold exchanged for thanks to Persephone. Our credits should be worth a lot more than their face value.
He scanned our sample credit chips and made a note of the metals they contained. "You all have come at a bad time. Currently, the market value of these metals is at a low. I can set up an exchange rate for half of the face value of your chips."
"We were hoping to sell some of our silver. I have a few bars I can afford to sell or trade. I was hoping to get 200 credits an ounce for it." That was 20 percent below their market value. He didn't know that we already knew its real value.
"It is hardly worth 55 credits an ounce. If your silver is pure and you have enough, I might be persuaded to pay as much as 60 credits per ounce."
Persephone showed him a 100-ounce bar as a sample. He couldn't take his eyes off of it. It was worth a lot more than he was offering. "I think we will wait until the computers are up and we can list it publicly."
"I am afraid our computers will be down for some time, yet."
"Too bad, Nugget has a habit of going on spending sprees. He spends credits like they mean nothing to him, but he expects to get value for his money. We will only be spending the necessary credits on this stop," Nathaniel said.
The operations officer's eyes followed the silver bar into Persephone's purse.
"Nathaniel, do you mind carrying my gold. It's much too heavy for my purse." She handed me a gold bar equal in size to the silver bar she placed in her purse but much heavier.
We left the operations office and headed back to the docks. There were plenty of bars there. We would have to try trading the hard way. Before entering one of the bars, Nord stopped us. "In a place such as this, it is wise not to drink the water. That goes doubly so for any alcohol." Wiser words could not be said.
We entered a large establishment. It was packed full of humanoids, most of them were not Drax. The music was loud, covering any conversation and the air was full of intoxicating smoke, making it even harder to see inside the already dark room. I had done business in places like this before. We didn't need to ask around for people interested in trading. They would seek us, to buy, sell, or trade. It was the right place to acquire what we needed. We seated ourselves in a booth, and I set Persephone's gold bar on the table where anyone passing by could see it.
The band changed, and so did the music. Instead of the loud heavy metal that the last band was playing, this band played swing and jazz. The musicians consisted of saxophone players, trumpets, a drummer playing, and other horns. It sounded much better to my ears, and it was still loud enough to ensure that conversation did not carry far.
I saw a flash of light and heard the whine of blaster fire. A Drax sat in a booth alone. He had a hole in his chest where the human heart would have been located. No one paid him any attention. A couple of bar's servants removed the body and cleaned the blood from the booth that the Drax occupied so other guests could use it. No one came to investigate the death of the Drax.
"It looks like Tolin's work," A hooded figure said, sitting at our table. "You best put that gold away before it attracts the wrong attention." Persephone passed her hand over the gold bar, and it vanished.
"Who are you?"
"That's the type of question best not asked here. Most of us prefer remaining anonymous. I am the person you seek if you have the coin to pay."
"We have plenty of credits," I put a handful of credits on the table.
"I haven't seen this type before. The Drax you spoke to earlier has an interest in them, so they must be of value. I will accept them at their face value."
"What is it that you are trading?"
"I am an information broker among other things. I have what you seek."
"We are looking for the location of the Sol System and planet Earth."
"No one remembers its position in this sector. It was forgotten with time. It is best that it remains so. Nothing good has come out of that system. If it is truly what you seek, you will have to find its location elsewhere. This information is free of charge."
"You have other information that we need?"
"I do, but it will cost you." His hand reached for a thousand credit chip. "I can see that you wish to get back at the Drax for the way they are treating you. They treat all who are not Drax in a similar fashion. The Drax hoard their wealth in a single depository. They covet gold, gems, and other precious metals. It is the source of their pride. A team with a clever leader might be able to get past their security and take their wealth for themselves. That will give the Drax a lesson in humility that they will not soon forget."
"We are not in need of more wealth."
"A chance at more wealth may not be the motivation you seek. Perhaps it is vengeance. I have seen it. You can have both."
"Where is this depository located?"
His hand reached for the credits again. This time he withdrew five thousand credits. "That which you seek can be found on the tiny moon orbiting the second planet in the Gamma Aquarii system. It is heavily guarded. Any chance of success will need to come from within." He stood, and faded into the crowd.
"This depository sounds like it could be too dangerous. If its security could be breached, it would have been done so by now. We have enough gold and gems. We don't need to rob their bank."
"It's not about getting more money and gold, I have enough. It's about teaching the Drax a lesson unless you want it known that the Drax have made a fool of you?"
"No one makes a fool of Kesh, especially its ruling caste, without paying a heavy price. We will rob them of all of their wealth."
"I don't know if we can take that much, but we will take all that we can and spread the word, that they've been robbed."
****
Getting back to the Persephone was a lot easier than boarding the station. The shuttle bay was free of the odorous gas that greeted us, and we didn't have to wait for departure clearance. It was granted right away. They wanted us to leave even more than they didn't want us to visit.
It didn't stop them from searching our shuttle for any silver, gold, or other valuables. Our shuttle was a mess with all of our storage compartments emptied, their contents on the floor. The Drax didn't even bother trying to conceal their search.
Nord and Beck removed their armor and began cleaning the mess that the Drax left behind. As soon as we landed aboard the Persephone, Persephone, Nugget and I headed to the bridge. She set our coordinates to Gamma Aquarii and broadcast our destination to the fleet. All of our ship captains were called for a meeting. As soon as everyone was aboard, she ordered the fleet to enter hyperspace. We weren't going to hang around a system that may prove hostile to us. I wasn't planning on returning to Delta Aquarii, so I didn't mind demonstrating our hyperspace technology to the Drax.
****
We had plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables but were still lacking meat. We didn't pick up any supplies from the Drax space station, not trusting that they would not be tainted or spoiled. We were ab
le to replicate some meat, and we were getting some from our vats, but not enough. Many of the crew were eating manufactured frozen meals. We had enough frozen meals to last us at least a few more years, we wouldn't starve.
With everyone present Persephone made a banquet appear. There was enough food to feed ten times the number of people we had here. The look and the smell of the fresh food were more than they could resist, after being without fresh meat. They did their best to devour as much as they could, which gave me time to think.
I couldn't come up with any real plan to rob the Drax until we had much more information, so I focused on that. Their security was sure to scan for and block any surveillance equipment we could smuggle inside. We would have to get someone past the depository's security and into the vault. It would have to be someone very small. The beginnings of an idea formed in my mind.
Except for Persephone, who was still eating pancakes, everyone was finished eating. They could focus their attention on me now. I called for everyone's attention:
"As you may have heard, our reception by the Drax was less than friendly. I intend to give them a lesson in humility. At the same time, I plan on making all of us very rich."
"How do you plan on doing that?" Mike asked.
"By hitting them where it will hurt them the most. The Drax use a single depository to store all of their wealth. I plan on emptying it and spreading the word that they have been robbed."
"How do you plan on getting past their security and emptying their vaults. They surely won't just let us walk in and take their valuables." the Victory's captain said.
"For now, we will do just that. I plan on having them invite us on a tour to inspect their security procedures. Then returning to make a withdraw."
"How do you plan on getting such an invitation?"
"By making them an offer, they can't resist. The Drax are about to take on a new customer. The Empire of Kesh is looking for someplace safe to hold their riches."
