Chapter 15 Planet Side

Severn continued trying to burn a hole through my head with a fixed gaze. His cloudy right eye somehow amplified the effect. His buddy Cal stood in the corner and shook his head every time I answered a question. They were taking turns swapping good cop bad cop roles at a nauseating speed.

I shifted in my seat to get a better look at my new companion and old associate, Simon. We had been isolated in the Amarr customs office for what I could only guess was 1,000 years.

Simon’s indifferent look was vaguely reassuring. He spent hours in customs every week making sure a variety of goods were moved to and from the planet without security intervention. Today, his specialty was getting me to the capital. I was thankful that he was willing to help.

Thanks to Karver I had a cover story for my low sec status. He fed enough information into the network to make it look like I had been working for Geklov. In fact, the records indicated that I had billions of ISK worth of Caldari military weapons that I was selling to him. Geklov and his men had attacked me in a deal gone bad and I was fortunate enough to kill them and get away. There was enough truth mixed in to make it believable. At least I hoped so.

A buzzer sounded, and with a grunt Severn hauled himself off the seat and exited the room, Cal in tow. I wanted to make a smart-ass comment to break loose the tension wedged in my ribs, but cut the words short when I remembered the room was probably being monitored. I settled for a long slow breath that was only a fraction as satisfying. Simon stood and reached for the ceiling to stretch.

“Is this ever going to be over?”

“We haven’t been at it long,” he said with a cocky grin.

I rolled my eyes and dropped my head into my hands. The bureaucracy was mind-blowing. The customs officers spent more time going over my paperwork than drilling me on my security status. I glanced up to watch Simon stroll around the room like it was his personal quarters.

“How are we doing so far,” I asked, head weighing heavy in my hands. A little sleep would be a requirement soon or I wouldn’t be able to focus.

“We are not in jail, or dead. You sure you want to get to the planet this bad? It’s probably not too late to give them your inventory and leave.”

I didn’t have any inventory, beyond the zeros and ones Karver had inserted into Jita primary inventory system. I didn’t let Simon in on that secret though. Holding back information was almost a professional courtesy. Plausible deniability might save his life.

The door opened and my two best friends almost stumbled over each other to get inside. Cal was the first to make it to his chair. He slapped my file, now about an inch thicker, down on the table and motioned for Simon to return to his seat. Severn hovered behind Cal near the door.

“I understand you have some inventory you would like to use to secure your visa?”

“I have a little over 5 billion ISK worth of Caldari military weapons. I also have skills your government might find useful.” I added the last part, desperately hoping that was what he wanted to hear.

“Return to your rooms. We will let you know soon.”

Within an hour, after a promise to deliver the military equipment to Cal’s personal hanger, I had a temporary travel visa. I would be allowed to travel the capital city until my inventory arrived in two days. That was all the time I had to find Antov, or persuade his cousin to tell me where he was. When the supplies didn’t arrive security would be looking for me.

I thanked Simon, reviewed maps of the city, and then packed. After a short nap I found myself sandwiched between an Amarr priest and what appeared to be some kind of hobo on the planetary transport ship. I wedged myself in a corner, making sure that the small AT56 blaster with a sensor scram chip concealed in my waistband wouldn’t accidentally be exposed. It was a final gift from Simon. I was on my own from here on out.

After several “accidental” gropes from the priest, the transport thumped down on the planet. I worked my way out of tube and choked in the thick atmosphere. There was a smoky copper taste in the air that worked its way into my lungs. The humidity fell over me like a wet blanket. Amarr was a charming place already.

I wasted no time exiting the transport facility and heading north. My communicator kept me pointing toward my first destination, the local Amarr defense agency. I varied my route along the packed streets, doubling back occasionally in case I was being followed.

I walked up to the defense building 5 minutes before the start of the first tour. I made a donation to the Amarr historical society and found a spot in the small crowed gathering to see, what my research told me, was the oldest collection of Amarr military memorabilia on the planet. A couple hundred years of relics were inside the museum in the middle of the massive building. Having been on the receiving end of those weapons a multitude of times I understood their fascination. Lasers are sexy.

The tour guide, a short Amarr woman, brought us all into the atrium. As soon as her speech began I turned to my communicator and pulled up the floor plan. Leger Moltov’s office was located one floor below. There were two stairwells that connected to the area. One that led down a large hallway and one that was off to the side. My plan was to take the first stairwell the tour passed and slip down to his office. Karver hadn’t been able to find a recent picture of Leger so I needed to get a good look at him. Then I could follow him when he left for the day.

I waited until the tour group passed the first stairwell and slipped inside. Upon reaching the bottom I quickly headed down the corridor toward the office. About 30 feet from the door, next to a listing of building security managers and who to contact in the event of a fire, was a group of employee pictures. Near the bottom was a bald man with face tattoos that desperately needed touch-ups. He looked to be about fifty. His label was “Leger Moltov Deputy Undersecretary of Procurements”. I took a quick snapshot of the picture with my communicator and headed toward the second set of stairs.

I made it about half way there when the door to the office opened, the familiar voice of Antov slithered into the hallway. He stepped out turning to say his goodbyes to someone inside. I froze in place, willing myself not to be seen. Calm and anger battled inside me as I resisted the urge to pull my blaster out and start firing. I was too far away for my blaster but he was plenty close for the carbine he liked to use.

He turned down the corridor away from me. Tension seeped from my legs as I turned toward the stairs. I could beat him outside if I hurried. I sprinted up the stairs and down the short corridor to the doors leading outside. Once I exited the building I ducked behind a pillar near the walkway and waited.

A short time later he came from the door like an apparition. Dead calm overtook me and in that moment all the anger and purpose merged into a razor sharp predatory force. I waited until he picked a direction and fell in behind him. I didn’t need to see him, I could feel him in the distance. When he turned to look, I was always somewhere else. He moved slow and clumsy in my sharpened vision.

The chase did not last long and something inside of me was sad about that. He entered a building about three blocks from where we started. It appeared to be some kind of government housing. I followed, allowing enough time for him to move beyond my line of sight. Quietly entering, I reached out with my senses to find him in the maze of hallways. I could hear footsteps toward the left hallway and I slid along the wall carefully peeking around the corner. I didn’t move until he entered a room halfway down the hall.

My heart pounded in my chest with each step toward the door. One way or another it all ended here. I hit the buzzer and stood to the side of the door readying my blaster. I imagined I could hear his heart beating on the other side.

The door slid open and the second it was clear of the wall I stepped back and kicked with all my weight into Antov. I was through the door, slamming the control panel with my left hand, as he was still in a tumble backwards. He looked up, knowing eyes drilling into mine. He dove away from me as I leveled the gun. With a roll he ended up near a table, quickly reaching for something on the other side. My gun fired before he had a chance to turn back toward me. Red steam filled the air as he fell to the floor.

I rounded the table and put my foot on the gun lying near him. Antov lay there, moaning. The shot had clipped the side of his face leaving it a mushy mess, but he was still alive. I reached down and picked up his gun, pointed it at his chest, and pulled the trigger. When his movement stopped I let the gun fall to my side. A dark peace fell over me. My mission was done. There was nothing left. The anger that had fueled me slipped away. All that remained was calm nothing.

I put Antov’s gun on the table and pulled the scram off of my blaster. I set it on Antov hoping it would be enough to stop the security scanners from seeing a communicator attached to someone without a pulse. If I was lucky, it would be long enough for me to…long enough for me to do what? There was nothing left for me to do. Everyone was finished. There was nothing left…

It was then that I noticed a sound behind me. In my desire to kill Antov I forgot to worry about who else might be in the room.  I swung around ready to fire, but stopped dead in my tracks. My stomach dropped to the floor and the room began to spin.

“Tasha?”

Chapter 14 Beginning of the End

Part III

The bulging vein in the captain’s forehead was not the only sign of his stifled irritation.  He continued to ask me questions for an hour after the debrief room cleared of my weary compatriots.   I wondered briefly if he was going to ask me to diagram the internal structures of a warp drive.  I hoped he did, I could draw it in my sleep.

He looked around noting the room was clear then said, “I guess the only question I have left Lieutenant is what the fuck where you thinking when you configured your ship this morning?  Were you not given an intel brief?  What kind of thick skulled, cocky stunt…”

He continued to drone and I knew he didn’t want an answer.   I had explained myself to the flight chief and my instructor already.  The obvious choice for the engagement based on the intelligence report was missiles.  I should have orbited outside of the pirate’s blaster range and pounded them with missiles until they popped.  But what fun would that be?  Blasters seemed like a better test of skill for my first combat checkride.

It was exhilarating, everything I imagined and more.  My instructors, playing the role of pirates, came at me with everything they had.  Honestly, I only had the upper hand because of my unorthodox tactics.  The engagement should have ended with the first ship destroyed before it could take a shot, and the second one chasing me from the asteroid belt. 

I jumped the first pirate before the second made it to the belt.  It was a close fight, but I keep an eye on my transversal and maintained optimal range, taking down the first pirate before the second one was on top of me.  When I turned to engage the second, my shields were almost gone.  The second instructor was ready for my blasters.  He fought hard, but in the end I blew up his Merlin before I lost my structure.  Okay, I was one shot away from a hull breach, but I still won.

“It makes me sick to pass you on this ride.  In the future you will be expected to listen to the intel and make an appropriate plan.  We are not pirates.  We are the most skilled pilots in the known universe.  Why are we the most skilled?  Because we are the best trained and most disciplined.  If you cannot prove you are smart enough, and disciplined enough, I don’t want you in my Navy.  Do you understand?” 

“Yes, sir,” I said, smile slipping across my face a little too early.

 “Get out of here!”

I stood and shot toward the door.    I couldn’t wait to get downstairs and compare notes with Tasha.  My adrenalin and excitement grew as I replayed the engagement in my head.  I hardly noticed the corridors passing by or the lift rides as I descended deeper into the station where the trainees lived.  In 20 minutes I found myself at the end of a long access tunnel with a particularly large window looking out into space.  It became our secret meeting place months ago when I was assigned to help Tasha with training.  She was already there looking out the window.

“Tasha, I had the most amazing flight,” I gushed, smiling from ear to ear.

She turned, and in the light I could see tears streaming down her face.

“What's wrong, Tash?”

She stood there trembling. I braced myself to keep from going over to her.

“I failed my checkride. I don't know what in the world I am going to do. It was horrible.”

“What happened?”

“I jumped into the belt and the pirates were waiting for me. The first one was on top of me before I even knew they were there. I tried to get into range but every time I shot I missed. It is so unfair. They are trying to wash me out!” She said, wrapping her arms around herself and staring at me.

“It sounds like you got out of optimal range for your weapons.  You just need...”

She stomped her foot on the ground and gave me an exasperated look that was text book Tasha. I couldn't help but smile. When the second look came I felt my cheeks flush and my heart start to pound.  A warm emotional starburst spread out inside of me.  Did I have a crush on her?  When had that happened? I pressed the thought down inside.  Now wasn’t the time.

“I know what I needed to do Laka! Nothing was working right and they were there so fast!”

I walked over and put my arms around her. She tensed for a second and then fell into me.  I held onto her tight and ran my fingers through her hair.  It was drenched.  How long had she been crying?  I pulled my hand away and it was covered in blood.  I tried to step away but she slumped against me.  I squeezed my arm around her cold body trying to help her stand back up.

“Tasha, there is something wrong.  You need to stand up so we can see if you are ok.”

She shook her head against my chest and let out a little laugh.  When she backed away I looked down to see both of my hands covered in blood and thick things I didn’t want to think about.  I wanted to run but my legs buckled and I fell to my knees. 

Icy panic spread down my arms and I turned my head to look out the window into space.  The window no longer held the beautiful light of distant stars because it was covered in flowing blood.  Blood was running from the ceiling, down the walls, into the floor. 

I closed my eyes and turned my head to confront the terror in front of me.  When I opened them she was standing there looking down at me eyes filled with amusement.  Her arms were crossed, foot poised ready to tap the ground in the pose I so often remembered.  She was too white and her smile was a fraction wider than humanly possible.  Blood poured out of her eyes and the corners of her mouth.

“You think too much Laka.”

She stepped toward me and I awoke to the buzz of an incoming communication blaring inside my skull.  I almost ripped myself loose from the pod before I realized what was happening.   I gasped for air and the pods life support system relayed somewhere in my mind that it was compensating for my increased respiration.  A thousand other feeds burned through my mind at an almost maddening pace.  

Instinct built from thousands of hours of training kicked in and I mentally sent out the command to deaden the information stream bringing it to a manageable level.  I fell back into my seat, panting and trying to get my bearings.  Slowly, the lightning storm in my head subsided.   

I didn’t know how long I had been asleep.  Time between sleep had become longer the more I stayed in my pod.  The need for sleep is masked when you are attached to the machine.  You can drive yourself to exhaustion without noticing.  Dying of dehydration or lack of food is a real possibility too.  I had to take care of myself.  It would be embarrassing to starve to death in a perfectly good pod while Antov was out there somewhere. 

I had been trying to chase down Antov for over a month.   About a week into my quest I resigned from my corporation and alliance. I couldn’t lead them anymore.  After Tasha's death I didn't think it would bother me. But giving up the corporation had been painful.

Antov had turned into a ghost.  Every time I was close he became vapor and slipped through my hands.  I was starting to question if he ever really existed.  So here I was, pushing my body to its limits inside a pod, with a single unfulfilled purpose to kill a man I could not find.

The death incarnate feeling had long since faded.  Now I was running on anger and hatred. It was more than enough.  However, as the feeling of being a god left me I had to give into the fact that I was a mere mortal.  I was mortal who had given into a dark side that I always resisted.  

I shook away all thoughts of morality and tuned back into to the pods information feeds.  There were a lot of messages waiting for me, but only one I cared about.  I cued it up and waited for the playback to start.

Lakasha, this is Karver.  Call me back as soon as you get this.

Surprisingly enough I found help where I never expected. Karver had become so interested in the spoofed Titan transponder readings that he kept digging until he found the Titans belonged to the Amarr government. Now he couldn’t seem to stop himself from digging deeper into my grave.  I wasn’t so naïve to think that if someone traced all of his hacking attempts it wouldn’t come back to me though.  I didn't care as long as I found Antov.  Whatever happened after that was irrelevant.

I opened up the communications channel and punched in Karver's access code. After a few minutes he answered

 “I see you’re awake. I have exciting news.”

“Well, don't hold back let’s hear what you found”

“While you have been having dreams of me I have been busy running thousands of data link searches.   If you understood the complexity of the algorithms you would see my genius.”

“You are a very smart man.  That is why I’m starting to like you so much.”    It wasn’t a lie, the slug of a man had started to grow on me.  But I was tired and frustrated so my patience for his ego stroking were growing thin.  “Is this getting somewhere?”

“Well, my frustrating friend, yes it is.  I cross referenced all the known Raiders, members of Geklov’s corporation, and anyone who would have Titan access in the Amarr government.  I couldn’t find any correlation until six hours ago.”

“You have my attention.  Go on.”

“Antov Romanski has a cousin high up in the Amarr government.  His name is Leger Moltov, and he is the Deputy War Minster of the Amarr Empire.”

For the first time in a long time I smiled.  It looked like I was heading to Amarr Prime.