All planets beyond the Empire seem this way – dirty, and desperate.
There are posh apartments down there – owned by the wealthy elite of this backwards world. They rest high above ground, with air filters and holo-screens instead of window views. For the rest of the population of Salcus – well, they’d draw blood from a stone if it meant food on the table.
Pollution, smog, and rampant worker abuse fills this world.
On this hellish planet, we’ll have barely a full day to search for clues as to the fate of Allie’s little sister, Lilac. The way the men of humanity abuse young women on the outskirts of the Empire makes me sick. I’ll take the balls from whoever hurt Allie’s sister – if we ever find them.
That’s the problem. I’m no fool – I know the odds of finding Lilac alive are slim to none. This will soon become a mission of revenge, pure and simple. I feel like I know Allie – even though I’ve barely spent time with her. Her aura is muted from sleep right now, but at all other times she’s broadcast the aura of a woman out for justice. A woman who’ll fight for what’s right.
She’s already decided that the laws of the Empire are sometimes incompatible with true justice – and that’s a lesson we ourselves are now learning.
If nothing else, I hope Allie will appreciate us bringing the perpetrators of the kidnapping to justice. And, by justice, I mean her.
Yes – I believe Allie herself might want to be the one that wields the executioner’s axe, if we find anybody who deserves it.
During the flight to Salcus, my battle-brothers and I have been studying the different pirate factors in this sector, trying to find anything that could match the profile of the space-pirates who attacked Allie’s mining ship.
In fact, none of us have even slept in two days – but we’re still sharp. Part of that are the combat drugs we’re all taking to keep us alert and steady.
“Look!” Kitos’ voice disrupts my thoughts. He’s pointing frantically towards the holo-screen he’d been studying.
Daccia turns to look. “What is it?”
Kitos grins. He loves to do research – and he’s always the one who finds the key to whatever puzzles hinder our investigations.
“There,” he points proudly. “An unnamed pirate group. They fit the modus of operation for that raid. Same scam as the one Allie fell victim to. They hit a small, independent mining corporation or transport ship. Then, they make exorbitant ransom demands – asking for ridiculous sums, leading the loved ones of their victims to commit desperate crimes to try and secure the needed sums. In the rare cases that their exorbitant ransoms are actually paid, the space-pirates never actually return the prisoners.”
Yes, that definitely sounds like them.
“Nothing much is known about them,” Kitos admits, “but at least we have a record in the database.”
“Bring it up,” I grunt, and the AI focuses on the record – which is a rumor, more than anything.
“You see?” Kitos points at the screen. “Apparently they do have a contact on Salcus. It looks like a private club called The Rhino. That might be linked to them somehow. It’s a thin, thin lead, I know, but…”
Kitos trails off, turning his head toward the door. I follow his line of site.
I didn’t even feel Allie coming.
But suddenly, she’s here – even though her aura gave me no notice of her approach.
That’s bizarre. I always know where my battle brothers are – or, at least, their general location.
Allie’s aura suddenly brightens in my mind. I can feel her in this room with me. Suddenly, it’s all back to normal.
Allie points at Kitos’ screen.
“So, my little sister might be there?”
“Wait a second,” I answer, not wanting to get Allie’s hopes up – especially since they’re likely to be dashed. “This is a lead – and a thin one at that.”
I look at the expression on her face.
“We’re trying, Allie – but this is nothing more than a lead right now.” I feel her focus and determination through the Bond. “Allie - don’t get any ideas. You not going to The Rhino alone. If they do have any involvement with those space-pirates, a beautiful young thing like you is going to be snatched up and sold instantly.”
Her determination is unwavering. I know she won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
“Allie, if you go, you go with us. All four of us – together.”
Allie’s lips harden into a thin line. “I can take care of myself.”
Yesterday, I’d sensed softness from her. Vulnerability. Now, that’s gone. All I sense is a survivor in front of me. Someone who’d kill me, if I stood between her and her goals.
Allie raises her eyebrows at me. “Besides, if you three go, they’ll sniff you out in an instant. Back at Spur’s joint, I suspected you were Law Enforcement a mile away. Me going alone is a better plan.”
Anger flares up inside of me.
I respect Allie – in fact, I’d do anything for her…
…but for her to disrespect my craft? Not acceptable.
“Your former boss didn’t suspect anything,” I counter. “Be honest – you didn’t know anything for sure when we got there – and even if you did, we still got you locked away in a cell. We’ve done undercover work before, Allie – and we’ll do it again.”
I feel like I’ve been slapped when I get the realization that my words are false.
We won’t do undercover work again.
I’ve spent the last two hundred years serving Aurelian Law Enforcement. Now? Our career is over, even if nobody outside this room knows it yet. We talk about justice – but we’re about to become wanted fugitives; betrayers of the only form of justice I’d once believed existed in this universe.
Daccia is wordless. He’s sitting at the helm, concentrating on bringing us into orbit above Salcus. It’s easy enough piloting – but when you’re approaching an independent world in an Aurelian Reaver, entering orbit is the
