by Mara Amberly
Eric nodded, as he was beginning to understand. Viktor had offered him a ‘generous’ fifteen percent. It hadn’t seemed so generous before, but it wasn’t bad in light of the fact he had the ship and was bringing on others.
“There are likely to be traps,” Viktor admitted. “I’m not expecting much of a defense as their people are gone, but I know if I had a vault and it was no secret, I wouldn’t leave it unprotected. I’m almost of a mind to let the Rizian Syndicate reach it first, then take the goods off them, but that’s too close to thievery for my liking.”
“It’s also less likely to bite us in the ass if we simply arrive and raid the vault first, before they can,” Eric replied.
“Precisely,” Viktor agreed. “Then no one’s the wiser about what we’ve done, provided everyone keeps their mouth shut about it and sells on the items with care.”
“We’ll have to see if the directions pan out. There’s obviously a reason the vault wasn’t found until recently,” Eric said.
“Space is vast,” Viktor replied, “but I’ve been thinking the same thing. It’s probably in a nebula or an anomaly. That or far out of the way in the middle of friggin’ nowhere.”
“We have the right ship for it then,” Eric replied.
The temporal drive on the Equinox didn’t just allow for time travel, but it also meant the ship could cross larger distances more quickly and easily.
“How far are we from Resus Station now?” he asked.
Eric checked the ship’s computer. “It looks like a couple of hours if we don’t run into any trouble. What’s your plan for when we get there?”
“It’s our chance to stock up on what we’ll need,” Viktor said. “We refuel…”
“Check it for trackers,” Eric added.
“Right. We’ll need a full range of tech and supplies, because we don’t know what we’re going to encounter there. And we’ll need Opal. She’s not arranging the gear, in case it attracts the wrong kind of attention. She’s got her own equipment though, should she need it,” Viktor said.
Chapter 3
May 2130 - Docking Bay, Resus Station, Tirion Sector
“Fuel her up,” Eric told the mechanic, as he hurried along the vehicle bay toward the arrivals hall. Most ships docked outside Resus Station, but the station also had repair bays where ships could be brought inside for more extensive work or for other reasons like enhanced security. All that held the air in the bay was a double-layer force field between the station and the vacuum of space. It was useful technology, not to mention cool looking, but not substantial enough for Eric’s liking.
As an engineer, Eric had a thorough understanding of just how flimsy the safeguards could be. He had a working knowledge of how technology could fail, but he had no desire to voice it aloud, lest he sound like a coward. As long as the main power relays remained intact—and there was no reason they shouldn’t—it would almost certainly be fine. He told himself that as he passed through the inner doors into the station.
Viktor had left in search of supplies, and most likely to meet up with his daughter. Eric wasn’t sure if Viktor intended to leave it to the last minute or not; but he was sure it would work out. He went in search of his own necessities for the journey. The Equinox had food dispensers, but there was more they’d want beyond the basics. He didn’t have any trouble finding the grocery sellers; they weren’t far from the door, no doubt anticipating the needs of visitors to the station.
As he looked around him, Eric wondered just how many people at Resus Station had ties to the Rizian Syndicate. The station was outside Valteran space, in the Tirion Sector, and it was commonly frequented by all manner of folks. A lot of regular people had ties to the cartels, but it didn’t mean those people had much of a say or any role in the Syndicate’s criminal activities. It was just the reality of doing business in the universe. That made it impossible to condemn all of their members, even when he and his people knew precisely what they got up to.
Eric crossed paths with Viktor after he’d brought food back to the ship. The former Admiral was alone, and he looked worried.
“What’s going on?” Eric asked him. He’d been sitting on a crate in the cargo bay, stretching his legs for a few minutes.
“Opal didn’t show up. I was supposed to meet her in the corridor outside the repair bay; she’s no longer answering my messages either,” Viktor explained.
“I can look for her,” Eric replied. “Can you show me what she looks like?”
Viktor led Eric to his cabin and brought up a picture of his daughter on the console.
Eric was struck by how attractive she was. She had long, silky dark hair, and dark eyes like her father’s. She looked around her late twenties, and had a trim, athletic physique. It was more than that though that caught Eric’s attention. She had a strength of will in her eyes, even in the simple picture Viktor showed him, and her crooked smile suggested to Eric that she might have a mischievous side.
“I’m not sure I like you looking at my daughter that way,” he said.
“What way?” Eric asked, playing dumb.
Viktor stared at him for a moment, then accepted his response. “Bring her back to me… in one piece.”
Eric nodded, and Viktor caught him before he went out the door.
“Take this. You might need it,” he said.
Eric looked down at Viktor’s hand and saw the familiar shape of a compact energy pistol. He realised he hadn’t seen any weapon detectors on the station before, and in retrospect that seemed strange, but then every culture had their own way of doing things.
He accepted the pistol, then grabbed his coat and tucked the pistol into a pocket inside it, nodding his thanks.
It was possible the Syndicate knew Viktor was a member of Opal’s family. If so, Eric might have a better chance of finding his way to her unnoticed. At least, that’s what he told himself as he began to progressively search the station. It was slow going, especially in the market halls, and he knew if Opal was anywhere, it probably wouldn’t be walking around in plain sight in the shops.
Eric identified a couple of security guards, and rather than keeping away from them, he approached them directly.
“Excuse me, sirs, I’m looking for the security office. Can you direct me to it?”
He was sure he could come up with a convincing story if he had to, but there was no reason he had to explain when he was obviously looking to speak with someone else.
“Go down the hall, and when you reach the transport desk, take the corridor to your left. You’ll find it there.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Eric walked off, wondering if it would be useful.
If their security was holding Opal, then she might be there. Then again, she could be anywhere on the station hiding out if her life was in danger.
Eric strode through the hall confidently, and when he glanced back, he saw the security guards had already turned away. As Eric got closer to the security desk, he approached the wall that ran along the left side of the hall. Sure enough, before the desk there was a sealed door that probably led to a secure section of the station. He knew he could find a way in, but it was the fastest route to getting arrested. He thought it over for a moment, then approached the security desk.
There was only one guard on duty; a tall humanoid with orange eyes.
“I’ve come to pay the fine,” Eric said, adding a melodramatic sigh.
“A fine for what?” the security guard asked, glancing at Eric with a confused expression.
“I’m not entirely sure yet, but this isn’t the first time this has happened. It’s not even the fifth time,” Eric said, shaking his head. “Do you have a young woman named Opal in custody? Every time she drops off the radar, it’s because she’s landed herself in trouble... again. So can we cut to the chase and can you tell me what I owe?”
The security guard grinned. “We have her in custody. Officer Fiens caught her stealing a pistol and an energy pack from the weapons store.”
&
nbsp; “I’d say I’m shocked, but I’m not. Just tell me what I owe and I’ll pay it… and give her a firm talking to.”
Eric wondered how she’d got herself caught. Surely she knew to be more careful than that; unless the guard was lying in the hope of a bribe?
“She’s in a lot of trouble and in contravention of a raft of station regulations. It’s going to be difficult to get all that smoothed over quickly,” the security guard said.
Eric sighed. “Are there any administrative fees I could pay to help expedite the process?”
“I’ll have a word with the chief, but he’s very busy,” the guard replied.
Eric slid across several green jade discs, which were a form of currency used by the Blue Nova trade cartel. He made a show of looking over his shoulder and when he turned back, he saw the now-empty desk.
The security guard was back within five minutes. “The release fee is a thousand credits standard, and the chief has agreed not to record a conviction this time, so long as she’s off the station within the hour.”
Eric didn’t think she’d learn her lesson if she had done this many times before, but the security guard didn’t seem to care. He probably just wanted his credits.
Eric scanned his credit chip, and it transferred the money. He made a note to himself to get it back off Viktor later; though if the mission paid off well enough, it might be a drip in the ocean of a momentous payday.
“We’ll be out of your hair in no time,” Eric replied.
An older guard escorted Opal out and released her through the side door. She had an expression of deep annoyance on her face when Eric met her. She was also lovelier than she’d been in the picture Viktor had shared.
“You make sure you keep that one in line,” the friendly security guard called out, as Eric guided Opal away.
Her frown deepened further at his words.
“My name’s Eric. Your father sent me to find you,” he said in greeting.
“I don’t need your help,” she said in an ungrateful tone. “Did you take the time to think I might’ve been precisely where I wanted to be?”
“Locked up in security? No, I didn’t,” Eric replied. “What’s going on? Surely you know better than to get caught stealing.”
“A man was chasing me, and I borrowed a weapon to defend myself. The security guards intercepted me, which probably saved a firefight on the station, but got me locked up,” she said. “Odds are it would’ve only been a matter of time before my cartel got me out, or his cartel came looking for me, if they weren’t one and the same.”
“I see,” Eric replied. A thought was playing on his mind, so he voiced it aloud. “So why weren’t you already armed if you feared getting out of here safely? A lot of other people are.”
She gave him a soft smile; one of someone who’d just been caught out.
“Were you lying to me?” he asked incredulously.
“I pegged you for someone who takes people at their word. I just wanted to see if I was right.”
Eric shook his head slightly and mulled that over, as he and Opal made their way back to the Equinox.
“Do you need to pick up anything before we go?” Eric asked.
He knew she had information about the vault’s location, and Eric wasn’t certain if she had that memorised or if she’d need to retrieve it.
“I have my bags stashed in a locker near the docking bay. I knew Dad was coming, so I had time to pack up what was important.”
Eric hadn’t been sure what to expect. A gunfight in the terminal? Cartel operatives hunting Opal and trying to prevent her escaping with their valuable secrets? It seemed some luck was on their side, as they reached the ship with no such trouble.
Viktor was waiting inside and sealed the door as soon as they arrived.
“Opal, I’m so happy to see you,” he said, hugging her tightly.
Opal hugged her father back, then narrowed her eyes at Eric over his shoulder.
Eric didn’t understand what he’d done to deserve that.
“By the way, you owe me a thousand credits and a couple of jade discs,” Eric said, avoiding Opal’s gaze.
Perhaps Opal was psychic?
“Oh, not again,” Viktor groaned.
Chapter 4
May 2130 - Aboard the Equinox, Open Space, Tirion Sector
The Equinox docked with a small freighter several hours after they’d departed the station. The last member of their crew joined them for Viktor’s mission.
Eric wasn’t sure what to expect of Rich, but he looked stronger and infinitely more capable than Eric had expected, based on Viktor’s earlier description. The ‘lad’ as Viktor had called him was a 6ft wall of muscle in his thirties or forties. When you got to be Viktor’s age, perhaps that still constituted youth, but Eric most prominently noticed his beard, thinning hair, and the physique of a bodybuilder, or perhaps a thug. There could be some crossover between the two.
“My goodness, how you’ve grown,” Viktor told him with a fond smile. “Our enemies won’t stand a chance,” he remarked, as he greeted Rich with a firm handshake.
“Just point me at them, and I’ll do my job,” Rich told him with a grin. “I’m interested in hearing more about this vault. If it belonged to a dead alien race, what do you need me for?”
It was a good question, and Eric assumed it might have something to do with living competitors.
“We’re not entirely sure what we’ll be dealing with yet, so we wanted to ensure we had our bases covered,” Viktor explained.
The former admiral glanced at Eric, which made Eric wonder how this ‘we’ business had come about.
“Rich here is the go-to man for hand-to-hand combat and firearms expertise,” Viktor said. “He’s the man you want to have your back in a firefight or a space suit.”
“You sound like a useful man to have around. It’s good to meet you,” Eric said, shaking his hand.
While he didn’t voice his thoughts aloud, Eric had to wonder if Viktor knew more about this mission than he was letting on. Then again, maybe he was just suspicious by nature.
Once Rich had settled in aboard the Equinox, Eric and the others assembled in the captain’s cabin, where Viktor had brought up a large hologram of an unfamiliar star system. It shone with a bright blue light above his desk.
“I trust you’re now up to speed about why we’re here,” Viktor said. “Opal has provided the coordinates acquired by the Rizian Syndicate, and if they’re correct, it places the Lethian Vault right here,” he said, tapping a small x on the map.
“I don’t recognise that star system,” Eric said. He knew the vast majority of them in populated sectors, which suggested to him that it was further afield.
“That’s because it’s in Draylach Space,” Viktor replied.
“Draylach?” Rich asked, none the wiser.
Eric knew enough about the Draylach to avoid them whenever possible. “They’re a warlike insectoid species in the far reaches. Draylachs are like a cross between an ant and a cockroach, at least as tall as the average humanoid, and they often have a bad attitude.”
“Eric is correct,” Viktor replied. “They don’t do a lot of trade with other species, because they’re on bad terms with their neighbours. If possible, we should avoid any contact with them or things could turn ugly. They’ve claimed vast swathes of space as their own, even though they only have one small, populated planet in a trinary star system. So much space is theirs on account of the fact no one else wants to go near them or challenge them over it.”
“We should get in and out quickly then,” Eric replied.
“My research suggests they don’t have a lot of ships, and they’re more distant the further you get from their homeworld, Ordae. These coordinates are millions of miles from Ordae, and we’re not sure they even patrol out that far. It’s on the edge of unknown space, and few people go there. It means we’re even less sure of what to expect,” Viktor explained.
“That sounds like fun,” Opal replied.
“We’ll practically be explorers, stealing from the ‘bad guys’.”
Eric wasn’t sure if Opal was referring to the Draylach or the Rizian Syndicate, but both of them might have fit that description. He also wasn’t sure what her role was with the cartel she’d been involved in, or infiltrating, but Viktor obviously trusted her.
“I’ve heard that the cartels have already sent one ship and they’ll be dispatching others soon. I know Father has ways of gaining an advantage, and it might be the only way we’ll make it there first,” she said. “I’ll be handling matters of technical security, to help detect traps and disarm them if we encounter them.”
Before, Opal had seemed reckless and childish for her age, but now she’d taken on a professional appearance and bearing. It was enough to confuse Eric and made him wonder which was the ‘real her’. Perhaps both sides of her personality were as real as each other. She was hard to understand, and yet Eric trusted her loyalty to her father. It seemed beyond question, and for the moment, that was the most important thing.
Rich spoke up from where he stood by the door. “So how are we going to get there first?”
“We have time travel technology,” Viktor explained.
“Oh, that’s nice,” he replied. “Incredible, in fact. So, one more question. If we’re all here, who’s piloting this beast of a ship?”
They all exchanged glances. “I’ll go check on it,” Eric said, nodding to Viktor.
He walked back out to the bridge, in less of a hurry than Rich might’ve expected. He hadn’t forgotten about the controls; autopilot was engaged, but at a relatively slow speed. He found everything was in order, but as he studied the sensors, he found a small blip in the distance behind them. It seemed like someone might be following them.
He opened a comms channel to the Captain’s cabin. “Viktor, it looks like there’s a small ship tailing us. What do you want me to do about it?”
“Hang on, Eric. I’ll be right out to you,” Viktor replied over the comms.
