Resurrection

'Straight to the point. Well, on with it then. You're here because you're one of the best hunters we have. As far as our records show, and there are indications that they are not complete, you've worked for twelve different companies, collected on more than one hundred bounties in the last four years, stolen two ships, destroyed at least seventeen, and repossessed twenty nine including the Ferret Three. There are crews with records that good, but none as small as yours. There's another thing; your criminal record is completely clean, aside from allegations from one Captain who claims that you stole his ship in neutral space.'

'My second cargo hauler. The paperwork on that is all in order, check yourself.'

'We have, and to our amazement, you have two vessels that haul legitimate cargo year round. Jake, you're talking to me because we want you on our team.'

'That's real impressive coming from a hologram.'

'If I could be there in person, just to meet you, I would, trust me. Policy prohibits me from meeting with anyone working for this segment of our company, however.'

'I don't know if this is better or worse, talking to a hologram that represents a real person, or just an artificial intelligence that exists to tell me how much I'm getting paid and what jobs are available.'

'I'm sure you understand-'

'That the company doesn't want to have you physically near anyone who does its dirty work? Yup, got that. Now, before I turn you down flat, tell me what kind of benefits I'd be looking at if I were to sign on.'

'We can upgrade your current ship free of charge or provide you with a command position on one of our military vessels. I'm also authorized to offer you a signing bonus of ten million credits with a starting salary of fifty million a year. That's all yours, you don't have to use it to service your ship, pay for upgrades, docking fees, provisions or to pay your crew.'

'Oh, right, what about them? Do they get signing bonuses too?'

'I'm afraid we're not interested in hiring them on at this time. We would be matching you with our best professionals with training and rank to suit any position you need filled. Your pilot isn't even certified, the company cannot insure you under those conditions.'

'Ah, I knew there was a catch. I suppose I'd be going after your targets, no questions asked right?'

'Yes, you would be part of our chain of command. We would determine your objectives and work exclusively for us.'

'Let's stop right there. I'm not leaving my crew twisting in the wind, and what you're offering is less than I make in a year. The fact that I spend half of it on ship upgrades, bonuses for the crew and good leave destinations is my problem.'

'You're certainly aware that at some point in time the market may not require your services. It's been known to happen.'

'This galaxy has so many loose ends that you couldn't tie them up with a thousand people just like me. We're out here tidying things up and going everywhere you can't. I know some of those bounties are just people who got away from you and your legal system for all the right reasons. I go after them because they're part of a package deal. For every bad guy I get to bring back I have to go after someone who might not be guilty, but I trust your legal system to figure that out.'

'Our figures show that seventy nine point three percent of all bounties are guilty of the crimes they have been accused of.'

'That figures, half of the bounties I take are already convicts, that's got to skew things. Like I said, it's a game of numbers and I play it fine. So I'll keep doing it my way.'

'You are passing on our offer?'

'Yes.'

'I'm authorized to grant you a signing bonus of twenty million in Regent Galactic shares if you change your mind in the next five days.'

'It won't happen. In case you haven't noticed, I work for other companies, not just yours.'

'We've recently acquired one of those companies, Jake. We're in the business of expansion, and business is good. Give our offer some thought, do it for me, a fan.'

'I don't need fans. Do you have more work for me and the Samson or not? If not I'll be happy to cash in on one of a couple hundred bounties being offered by other companies that don't try to rope me into restrictive contracts from behind a mask.'

'We do, actually.'

'Put it up, let me see the details.'

'I'll do one better and explain it to you myself. A hauler has made off with some confidential cargo and we need you to retrieve it.'

'Sounds easy enough, what's the cargo?'

'You are not permitted to break the seals on any of the containers. If you do you will only be paid half of the offered reward.'

'All right, so where is the hauler?'

'It's about three days away, outside our territorial border.'

'Ah, well that explains why you don't have a battle cruiser on its heels.' A holographic map appeared above the desk and Jake took a closer look. 'It's the Vesuvius? You have me going after Captain Xander's ship?'

'We don't care if there's anything left of the ship or crew, we only want our cargo returned intact.'

'Well that makes it easier, I'll just convince Captain Xander to drop his cargo train and fly off while we hitch up and drag your confidential cargo back to you. You can't be serious, the Vesuvius is a military grade Galleon hauler. She's old but armed to the teeth.'

'This recapture is worth seven point five million. It's all I have for you today Jake.'

'There have got to be a few bounties available.'

'We've assigned everything of a lesser priority to other freelancers or posted them in local ports for anyone to pursue. You could always compete with other hunters on a bounty. You've done it plenty of times before with great success.'

“I'd rather not step on someone else for a payday or scrounge like someone without a reputation. That's not how I run if I can help it. Your records probably show that too.” Captain Valance thought for a moment, looking at the details of the contract and the sector map displayed above the desk. He leaned on the desk and looked the holographic avatar in the eye. 'I'm not going to go after this cargo for seven point five. I don't think you have anyone else on your roster whose crazy enough either.'

“We have plenty of Captains available, some of who are as good at recapturing objects or better than you are.”

“Then offer it to them,” Jake said, standing up straight and turning on his heel. He strode away from the desk.

“Captain,” he heard the hologram call after him.

He put his hand out to push the double doors open and found them locked. “Poor judgement on your part,” Jake said, drawing his sidearm. It was a thirty two centimetre long weapon and had a narrow barrel with recoil control systems built all around it. There was an energy clip in front of the trigger and a projectile clip in the handle. It fired a white hot explosive corrosive liquid metal package that could burn through half a meter of hardened hull if focused or send the same kind of projectile as scatter shot, hitting everything in a two meter cone. He didn't hesitate for a second, but fired at the bolt destroying it and the center of the doorway.

Kicking the door open, he strode down the stairs. The receptionist's image was replaced with the Chief Recovery Officer's avatar. “Stop! You're right!”

Jake secured his side arm’s safety and dropped it into it's holster. “About what exactly? Inform me here, you're giving me nothing to go on and I'm sick of working for you people half blind. There was a time I thought it was worth the money but this is the kind of job I have to believe in.”

“We'll give you fifteen million for the job, I'm going over budget here, but I can make it work.”

“Information God dammit! That's all I'm asking for!”

“Fine. Captain Xander pirated a cargo hauler that was transporting colonists.”

“What? You're hauling colonists like cargo now? That's pretty far from legal.”

“You're right, the company needs to keep this under wraps. The colonists signed all the right wavers, but if Xander sells them off before we can recapture them we'll not only lose eight thousand colonists and two thousand