Rogue Starship: The Benevolency Universe (Outworld Ranger Book 1)

by David Alastair Hayden

  Bishop nodded toward her. “How is she?”

  “They said she should be okay.”

  “That’s good,” Bishop said. “Really good. I’d hate for her to die after all she did for us.”

  “It wasn’t all out of the goodness of her heart. I owe her a lot of money now.”

  “Too bad you don’t have the device I made. I’d gladly give it to you now, to reward your help. If you hadn’t been there when those reapers arrived, I might be dead now.”

  Siv pulled the cylinder out of his pocket. “I’m glad you said that since I was going to keep it anyway.”

  Bishop chuckled weakly. Siv could tell the gizmet’s burst of adrenaline had faded. He’d probably fall asleep again soon.

  “Can I see it?”

  Siv gave it to him. Bishop checked it out then handed it back. “Looks like it came through unscathed.”

  “I’ll make enough off of this to cover most of Mitsuki’s costs, but…” he sighed “…she’s going to make me pay for her jetpack, I’m sure. No telling how much that thing costs. And she always has an additional fee for this sort of thing, a special fee.”

  “So what…” Bishop yawned and slumped back “…what now?”

  “We go to the guild and get everything sorted out,” Siv said. “I’m sorry about having to dump your tools, by the way.”

  Bishop frowned. “Those were worth a small fortune, you know. But…I guess you did…what you had to.”

  Bishop drifted off. Siv asked about Mitsuki again.

  “She’ll need a transfusion, sir,” the enforcer replied. “Along with a second medibot injection and several weeks of rest.”

  Siv leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was asleep instantly.

  A tap on the shoulder woke Siv. For a moment, he was confused and had no idea why he was in the back of a van with a squad of enforcers.

  “We’ve arrived at Shadow Base, sir,” Captain Red told him. “Big Boss wants to see you immediately.”

  Siv nodded. “Take my guests to a medical bay, please.”

  The captain nodded and ordered three of his men to see to Bishop and Mitsuki.

  The skimmer van was parked in a garage underneath the slums on the eastern edge of the city. This facility was the heart of the Shadowslip Guild, and despite having been there for decades, the police had never raided it. Though Shadow Base was well hidden, Siv was certain it should have been discovered by now. Which meant the Shadowslip was lining a lot of pockets to keep it a secret.

  As they led Bishop away, Siv assured him everything would be okay. Mitsuki, they transported on a stretcher. Then, leaning on Captain Red, Siv limped toward Big Boss D’s office.

  Siv hated it here in Shadow Base with a passion. He had lived and trained here from the time he’d woken up out of the ice until he’d turned sixteen. It was dank, dark, and closed in. Worst of all, here he actually felt like the prisoner he was. He had trusted the wrong people after his century on ice, and he’d been paying for it ever since.

  They turned down a final corridor, passed three guard stations, and approached the steel double doors leading into Big Boss D’s office. Captain Red tapped a code on the touchpad outside, and they waited. Several long minutes later, the doors swung open.

  Still leaning on the enforcer captain, Siv stepped inside the expansive, smoke-hazed office. While the garage, corridors, agent living quarters, and all the other facilities within Shadow Base were spartan, Big Boss D’s office was lavish beyond reason. Opulent was the best way to describe it, with its rich mahogany furniture and paneling, tapestries, handwoven rugs, and rare alien art. When Big Boss D had his dancers in here, though, decadent was a better choice of words.

  At the moment, Big Boss D sat behind his desk, alone, smoking from his hookah—and frowning deeply. The boss was a very stocky human from a high gravity world, yet he was over two meters tall. Siv’s best guess was that D's parents had paid for significant genetic modifications—modifications which might very well have led to Big Boss D’s special mix of angry outbursts and whimsical fancies.

  The boss stood, placed both of his fat hands on the desk, and leaned his broad shoulders forward. His dark eyes narrowed. “Sit down, Gendin.”

  There was a single, straight-backed chair in front of the desk. The boss never met with more than one person at a time. Captain Red helped Siv over then departed, closing the doors behind him. Struggling with the smoke in the room, Siv coughed then winced as pain shot out from his lungs and ribs.

  “Damn it, Gendin!” Big Boss D seethed. “What the hell’s wrong with you?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Siv Gendin

  “Couple of broken ribs, sir,” Siv answered bravely. “Poking into my lungs, hurts a lot, makes it hard to breathe. The medibots did all they could for now.”

  Big Boss D pounded the table with a fist. The wood creaked. “You know damn well what I meant, Gendin!”

  Siv leaned back, sighed, then winced. “I know, sir.”

  “Then explain to me how my best procurement specialist screws up a mission that simple!”

  Siv started to explain, but Big Boss D ranted on without listening to him.

  “Our client requested my best agent because he wanted the item as soon as possible, and because he didn’t want the mark hurt. I promised him you’d be in and out like a ghost unseen…no complications…no injuries…perfection.”

  “I understand, sir.”

  “The client didn’t want Bishop hurt…” Silky mused “…that’s interesting.”

  “Hush.”

  “And yet,” Boss D continued, “I end up getting a call from your chippy requesting emergency extraction from a lake in a nature preserve forty minutes from here. And the mark was with you! Gunshots and multiple explosions were reported at the mark’s apartment. Police tactical teams assaulted the place then chased Mitsuki, who was carrying you and the mark, across the city. The police even took shots at her while flying! What on earth could make them do that?”

  “Tekk Reapers, sir. The reapers got the cops all freaked out. Not that I blame them for it.”

  “So you’re confirming what my sources and my enforcers reported?”

  “I am, sir. Tekk Reapers came after Bishop while I was…in his apartment. Things went downhill fast from there.”

  Boss D flopped down into his seat. The antique chair squeaked under the strain of his weight. “Bloody reapers in my city!” He shook his head. “And Captain Red says they’ve marked you for collection now.”

  “The captain’s got good hearing.”

  “‘Nevolence, Gendin! How am I supposed to use you as an agent now?”

  “Ask him if he’ll let you go, sir?”

  “As angry as he is now, not a chance.”

  “You can’t know unless you try, sir.”

  “Stop chatting with that damn chippy of yours, Gendin!”

  Boss D always had a knack for knowing when someone wasn’t addressing him directly.

  “Sir, I can go the extra mile with my disguises. If I’m careful—”

  Boss D shook his head. “No, I want you to lay low for the next six months.”

  Siv’s mood brightened. “I can certainly do that, sir.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it’s the only thing you’d want short of being free.” Boss D sighed. “Take two weeks to rest, then report back here. You’re going to train new recruits.”

  Siv groaned. “Training recruits?”

  “It’s not my fault you’re in this situation,” Boss D said. “I’m honestly disheartened, Gendin. Until today, you’ve never once disappointed me. You’re supposed to be my best agent.”

  “There were things I didn’t know about, sir. Unexpected complications.”

  Feeling like he had to justify what had happened, Siv recounted everything, leaving out only the parts about his dad. Big Boss D knew only the basics about Gav and had never seemed interested in knowing more.

  “Do you think he could make another security cog?” Boss D a
sked, his interest piqued.

  “I think if you acquired one…yeah, he could fix it up for you. He’s really talented.”

  Boss D steepled his fingers and stared at them thoughtfully. “The guild could always use talent like that. And he’s been marked by the reapers, so he’s going to need to lay low for a long time…”

  “Damn. He’s going to Kompel him. Bishop will be trapped just like me.”

  “Then think of something, sir. And fast.”

  “Boss, I think Bishop’s the kind of guy who works best when he’s allowed to be himself.”

  “You don’t want me to shoot him up with Kompel?” Boss D raised an eyebrow. “He certainly made quite the impression on you, didn’t he?”

  “He saved my life.” Siv sighed, knowing that wouldn't be enough to sway Boss D. “Bishop…he doesn’t have a whole lot of…well, ethics…when it comes to the toys he fixes. Just give him work and a place to stay, and he’ll do great things. But if you Kompel him…I don’t think he’ll respond well to it.”

  Boss D chuckled. “If it matters that much to you, then Bishop’s your problem. Find him a place to stay, though, cause he can’t live here if he isn’t Kompelled.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “However, because I saved his life using my enforcers, he owes me—big time. Three hundred thousand credits.”

  Siv’s eyes widened. “That’s…that’s a lot of money.”

  “He can pay it off by making gadgets for me. I’ll pay a fair price.”

  Siv nodded. “I’ll let him know.”

  “Speaking of money owed, Gendin. You failed, and that’s going to cost you.”

  Siv straightened, instantly regretting that he had done so. “Oh!” He drew the device from his pocket and placed it on the desk. “I didn’t fail, sir. I got the device. It just came with a load of complications.”

  “It’s still a fail,” Boss D complained. “And I don’t know how I’m going to explain all this to the gizmet’s employers.”

  “His company paid you to steal the item they allowed him to work on at home?”

  Boss D nodded. “I thought it was pretty damn clever.”

  “Why not just claim ownership in exchange for letting him work on it?”

  “Because you’re attempt at saving him wasn’t off the mark, Gendin. Bishop is clearly a man who works best when allowed to play on his own. They wanted the best of both worlds.”

  “So what do I owe you, sir?”

  Boss D tapped his fingers on the table. “I’m not paying you for having retrieved the device. And I’m certainly not going to cover any of Mitsuki’s fees, or the damages to her equipment.” He sighed. “I’ll cover her medical here, though. She’s a good independent extractor.”

  “Independent because Kompel doesn’t work on her,” Silky said.

  “You’ll make a pittance training new recruits.”

  “That all seems reasonable, sir.”

  And it was. Because Boss D could certainly make things worse if he wanted.

  “This was a damn mess, Gendin.” He sighed. “But I guess we all hit a run of bad luck at some point.” He opened a drawer and pulled out a syringe. “Here’s your dose.”

  Hating himself and cursing fate, Siv reached out and took the syringe.

  “You can stay here at Shadow Base if you like.”

  “I’d rather go home, sir. After I get some medical treatment.”

  “Your head, not mine. But I’d rather not lose a good agent.”

  “I’ll be careful, sir.”

  Siv stood, pocketing the Kompel. He had to take a shot of it every two weeks. Otherwise he’d go through agonizing withdrawal symptoms that would eventually lead to death.

  He’d tried to quit it three times, thinking he could do what no one else could. Each time he’d ended up in the hospital. Once you were on Kompel, you were on it for good. And the worst part was that it didn’t give you anything else. No boost, no high, nothing. Just dependence on whoever provided your next dose.

  And Boss D’s used a custom cocktail, unavailable from anyone else. According to rumor he had traded with the Krixis for it.

  Third party attempts to synthesize it after testing a sample had all failed. And none of the dozen scientists Siv had secretly hired understood exactly how it worked, only that this particular strain of Kompel was unique and couldn’t be duplicated or countered.

  Two of the scientists had speculated that it simultaneously caused an untraceable and untreatable neurological disease and placed it into remission. That was the opinion Silky agreed with, and it did make sense. The withdrawal symptoms weren't like those from other strains of Kompel or any known addictive drugs.

  Siv shuffled to the door. As it opened, Boss D said, “Gendin, if you were any other agent, I would’ve tossed you out on the street.”

  Siv paused, nodded, then headed to medical.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Siv Gendin

  Siv staggered into the second medical bay. Bishop was sitting propped up in bed with an IV connected to one arm. A pulsing nerve regeneration band encircled his head. His skin was pallid, except for the dark circles around his eyes. Cuts and scrapes dotted his arms and face.

  “You okay?” Siv asked.

  “Concussed, a bit drowned, scraped, bruised pretty much everywhere. No permanent damage, though. At least nothing the two medibot injections and this regeneration band couldn’t fix.”

  “You needed two injections?” Siv asked. “They only gave me half a dose, after treating my ribs.”

  “Internal bleeding.” Bishop exhaled. “And some concern over how long I went with without air.”

  “Are you sure everything’s okay? Cause you look like hell, my friend.”

  “The doctor said all I need is rest.” Bishop frowned and flexed his fingers. “Medibot injections are really expensive, aren’t they?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  A century ago medibot injections had been basic first aid. Siv’s parents had kept a bundle of them in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Now single, full injections sold upwards of a thousand credits each. The Tekk Plague had decimated the machinery needed to manufacture them. And even though the technology had been reengineered recently, supplies were still limited.

  “I have some money in my account…”

  “I doubt it will be enough at the rates charged here,” Siv said. “Besides, you’re going to owe the Shadowslip for more than the injections. They’re going to charge you for the rescue operation.”

  “Even though they were coming for you anyway?”

  “Sorry. That’s how they work. They saved you, so now you’ll owe them.”

  “Owe them like you do?” Bishop asked.

  Siv shook his head. “I talked them out of that.”

  “Thanks. What do they have on you?”

  “Nothing good.”

  “What…” Bishop started to ask. He stammered, then changed his question. “So I’ll owe them money? How much?”

  “Three hundred thousand credits.”

  “‘Nevolence! I’ll never pay that off!”

  “That’s the idea,” Siv replied. “They’re going to pay you to restore devices for them, but they’ll never pay enough for you to buy your freedom.”

  “Unless I earn extra on the side…”

  Siv shook his head, cutting Bishop off. “Trust me, they’ll find a way to keep you in debt permanently.”

  “But if I got my old job back and worked for them on the side, I could—”

  Siv raised a hand to stop him. “First off, you’re going to have to go into hiding. You can’t work in public now that the reapers have marked you. Second of all, it was your employer that hired the Shadowslip Guild to steal the device from you.”

  Bishop nearly jumped out of his bed. “Son of a bitch!” He banged a fist against the frame. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  “I only just found out.”

  “So…I’ll go into hiding…maybe permanently… Meanwh
ile, the guild will send me gadgets to rebuild?”

  Siv nodded. “They’ll also implant a tracker to keep tabs on you, in case you try to run away.”

  “And the Shadowslip Guild extends across multiple star systems, right?”

  “Over two dozen,” Siv replied. “And I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t try to dump the tracker and run. You’re my responsibility now.”

  “It could be worse,” Bishop said. “They’re going to let me do what I like to do best.”

  “It’s as fair a deal as you’d ever see from the guild.”

  “Do I have to stay here? Or will they set me up somewhere else?”

  “Neither. But I have a place you can stay, where you’ll be safe.”

  Bishop looked relieved. “I’ll take it.”

  “I have two conditions, though. You’re going to have to take Mitsuki with you, and you’re going to have to fix any of my devices that break.”

  “So I won’t be living with you?”

  Siv shook his head. “It’s a safe house in Wasa, registered under a fake identity.”

  “Have you talked to Mitsuki about it?”

  “Not yet. But she doesn’t really have any more choice than you do. The Tekk Reapers were going to harvest her right along with you and me. She’s not a priority target like we are though, so she should be fine if she lays low for a few months.”

  “You’re a priority now too? Because you fought with me?”

  “No. It’s complicated.”

  Bishop didn’t ask for more information. But Siv could tell by the twitch of his jaw that he wanted to. After a few silent moments, he asked, “Are you okay?”

  “I’m in better shape than you and Mitsuki.” Siv gave his disguise mask to Bishop. “Use this from now on, just in case. Tonight I’ll send you a fake identity to go along with the new face.”

  “Make the face more handsome, would you?”

  Siv chuckled. “It’ll be as nondescript as possible. Also, disguise or not, it would be best to never leave the apartment.”