Drifter

Gami pushed the motorcycle up the boarding ramp and locked it into place in one of the bike racks.

“How do I get a stealth system for my ship?” Eli asked, sitting a bag of her stuff down on the floor of the cargo bay and hanging his rain slicker on a hook near the exit ramp.

“You don’t. It’s very expensive and it helps a lot if the ship is designed from the ground up to use it,” a hint of anger on her face, “I really wanted to give most of the reward to that orphanage. Now, I have to spend it on the down payment for a new ship. And it won’t be anywhere near as good as my old one.”

“Well, maybe we can find a way to work it out.”

She ignored him, ran to the cockpit. He raised the ramp and followed.

The luxury shuttle that Aydem had stolen from the cartel ship’s hangar bay floated aimlessly. The bore hole on the top told them everything that they needed to know. They pushed the scanner as far out as it would reach but didn’t see any traces of Jiraa’s ship.

Gami conducted a focused scan on the area around the abandoned shuttle. “I’m not seeing any trails.”

Eli smirked, sat down at the controls, “We already know where he’s going.”

“Tell me.”

“He said that he’s going to turn Aydem into the Hauk cartel. There’s a Hauk cartel smuggling base in a nearby system.”

“How do you know?”

“I know,” he said dismissively, “We’ll launch a surprise attack, hit ‘em hard and fast and secure the target.”

She gave him a half-smile, “We’ll make an actual bounty hunter out of you yet.”

***

The platform floated in low orbit above a mined-out world. Against the soft blue of the lifeless world, it was barely visible. Mining vessels no longer docked there. Now, it was a collection of quick craft and unassuming freighters. Jiraa’s ship was still there, surrounded by workers in space suits, each operating a piece of equipment as they labored to repair the vessel.

No one questioned Cavalier as it made its approach. The interior was like the outside, clearly a repurposed logistical hub for an old mining operation.

A few armed men greeted them as they made their way from the terminal into the station’s main hub. They were easily taken care of. From there, the pair of bounty hunters fought their way to the ad hoc holding area that the cartel had set up.

***

Eli shot and stabbed his way through the station alongside his new ally.

Her style was savagely tactical. Merciless attacks were carried out with a fluid grace which was only made possible by eager training. Even without knowledge of them, he was able to tell when she fluidly switched from one martial arts style to another.

***

As she fought, Gami caught glimpses of her temporary ally. While he killed, he wore a maniacal smile. By the time they reached the holding area, she believed that she could properly assess him. He was certainly ex-military, likely a member of some elite group. At some point, he had willfully abandoned his training. But it would always have its hooks in him. He would never be fully free from it.

***

Aydem was locked in a cell. Behind the crude bars the pair of bounty hunters could make out a drained and bloody form. There was nothing behind his eyes, not even fear, just the blankness of a mind that has zeroed itself out to escape what is being done to the body it occupies.

Eli recognized the base commander from the time he had visited the station. He wore facial scars as if they were trophies. At that moment, he looked outraged. This was an individual that wasn’t used to being challenged or told no.

Jiraa sat on a bench, swaying his legs back and forth like an anxious child. He took leisurely puffs from a short pipe which was made of a material that Eli couldn’t identify.

The base commander shouted at the pink mercenary, “Do something!”

Jiraa pointed at his chest, “Me?”

“Yes! Kill them!”

“No.”

“Why the hell not? You were the one who told me that they were coming.”

His response was rapid fire, like it had been thought out beforehand, “I warned you, and you didn’t listen. You said that your people could handle it. You didn’t hire me. I don’t work for free.”

“We gave you the money!”

“The money for bringing Aydem to you,” he took a belligerent puff, “This is a different matter.”

“A million for each of their heads!”

“Not worth it. Besides, it’s been a long day, I’m tired.”

Gami had returned the sword to its sheath by the time the syndicate man’s head fell off. Without a word, she went to the cell which contained Aydem and opened it. Eli placed him in handcuffs. The fugitive offered no protest or resistance. Jiraa sat there the whole time, smoking silently.

***

Cavalier touched down in one of Xad III’s major cities. The hustle and bustle mixed strangely with the ancient architecture. Modernity clashed and mixed with the remains of an old, half-forgotten civilization.

She had spent much of the journey at the workbench. Her helmet sat on a shelf, the cost of its repair beyond her current budget. There was a simpler model in front of her. It sported a wide, darkened visor. She was running a device along its surface.

Eli’s suggestion rolled around in her mind: “Why don’t you join me? If we combine our skills, we’ll be unstoppable.”

“Our skills are complimentary,” she admitted.

“I’m sensing an objection.”

“You’re skilled, but reckless. I wonder if you have a death wish.”

He didn’t answer right away, “I tell you what. Ten percent for me. Ten for you. Ten for refueling and repairing the ship. The rest goes to the kids” then he hastily added, “But that wouldn’t be every time. Most of the profits go to upgrading the ship and our gear. So, what do you say?”

After a few long moments she told him that she’d think about it.

She put the helm on and tested the cloaking field. Its readings showed that it would envelope the new helmet.

Eli entered the room, “We’re here.”

She smiled under the helmet, “I know. Let’s go make their day.”

They stepped out of the ship. The orphanage was within sight. The first thing that she had noticed was the roof. It was a patchwork of rotten lumber that looked like it could collapse at any moment. From there, her eyes had been drawn around the structure, from the dilapidated roof, to the ruined awnings, to the crumbling walls, she viewed each aspect of the ugly scene like it had been planned out by a renaissance painter.

“I’ll stay on for a while,” she announced, “At least until you hire a crew.”