The Job
16 Oct 2024Emily Valefor
V886 Centauri 7 d - Rocky ice worldDead of night, local time.
October 15, 3320
Eli Christoff cursed his luck as he kicked the dead controls of his sidewinder. No stranger to kill warrants nor jobs against him, why couldn’t this one had gone like any other? He wondered only for a moment as he heard the sound of an engine. He stopped fiddling with the access panel, and stepped out of the worn out sidewinder.
Eli wished beyond all wishes he could scratch his beard at the moment, but the modern hell we all live through of being in a spacesuit most times means you either forget about any small itch, bother, or sensation, or you obsess over it, and a time for obsession has long since ended. His fair skinned and rugged complexion illuminated within spacefaring headlights as the basal runner lights of a Krait MKII came into view. Standing by a set of crates he pulled out to try and fix the Sidewinder, Eli readied an Aphellion rifle he managed to take from his base’s security locker, and readied himself.
Last Bounty Hunter that came for him was a big guy, thick accent, beard too big for most space suits. Then it was a really thin dude with a stammer… what sort of end of the road deadbeat would come for him now. A long time member of the Silver Cartel, he’s seen tough guys come for him over and over, made him wonder why he chose to run.
Then, he remembered.
The logo of the Sirius Corporation stared right at him on the strut of the Krait. The ship, sleek, black, with grey lines running along its heavily modified exterior spoke of many engagements, all of them successful enough to live through it. After a moment’s pause, the darkness around him was flooded with the light of fully engaged ship highbeams.
“Eli Christoff” came a voice from the white.
Female, silky, with a light rasp to it that spoke of hard liquor and harder gunfights. If this was old terra, he’d almost put the tone as American Celtic, but there’s something else there, a throatiness he couldn’t pick out… wait. Japanese.
“I’ve come for you.” She declared as he saw her outline appear in the silhouette of the floodlights. First, it was just a frame. Thin, athletic, feminine. Her fitted armor, ultralight plating, shiny and black. The helmet was a newtype, bottom of face obfuscated by a mask, bubble like plating provided maximum visibility. Her eyes, narrow and angular, skin fair. Eli had seen a lot of soldiers, but none like her.
“C’mon doll.” He shrugged, “I’m sure there’s a way we can settle up peacefully. I’m certain I got something you want. We both have something to gain here.” He relaxed himself a moment as he saw how short and light she looked as she slinked across the grey lunar surface and approached with a Manticore pistol at her hip.
“Eli Christoff, you are found guilty by the Sirius corporation, for the following crimes: Extortion, Kidnapping, Murder of a Minor, Murder of several adults, drug smuggling, illegal possession of a firearm in clean settlement territory, multiple accounts of ship theft, and the sale of youth into slavery. For these crimes, and others, you will die where you stand. Do you choose to die fighting, or shall I end it now?” She replied as if nothing he said ever mattered.
He took a look at her shoulder pad, Hearthfire Team, Sirius Corporate fireteam.
“I think I’ll take my chances.” Eli smiled.
“I prefer it that way. Make your last shot after you’ve made your peace.” She coldly replied as she rest her hand by her pistol.
He started to pace to get around her side, she just slowly pivoted in place, keeping her stance but never taking her eyes off him. He choked up on the Aphellion. She’s not even engaged her shields! Eli thought to himself. What is this little waif even thinking? Special forces my ass, looks like I get off clean after all. I’ll get a Krait out of it, too.
It was the last thought Eli Christoff ever thought. He lifted his rifle and shot, the pulse went wide of her head. A plasma round entered his helmet from the glass, and exited through a superheated hole out the back.
On Emily Valefor’s hud she received a simple blue holotext: MISSION UPDATED: KILL ELI CHRISTOFF. She walked over to his corpse, scanned him for additional crimes, and began to pull apart what’s left of the dead man’s ship.
“Command. This is Valefor. Job’s done.” She radioed out.
“As usual, we thank you.” Came a clipped well to do voice of Director Delyah Bowman. “Could I interest you in other work?” she offered with a raised pitch.
Emily flipped Eli’s body over and ripped the Aphellion out of his fingers, she broke the rifle at the mid point and ripped the condensed gas canister from the side before tossing the gun carcass on the nub left of his head. “Depends. Talk.” She responded half interested.
“We have need of removal of key person…” Delyah began.
“No. I don’t kill civilians.” Emily tersely replied.
“You can’t just talk back to me.” Director Bowman coarsely threatened.
“Take it up with Mr. Yong Rui, I’ll set a time…” Emily Valefor quickly shot back without wavering.
“Now, no need to be upset. I need your help, and I need it now. Things are tense.”
“And I’m here to help, we’re the same side here, just don’t ask me to harm innocent people and we’re golden. Bad people, I have no trouble with we both
know that.” Emily replied with a significantly kinder tone.
“I can work with…” Director Bowman sighed, “and appreciate that. I’m sorry Emily it’s just. Things are rough, the pirates of the Kumo Clan have bitten the hand that feeds them. They’re attacking Sothis and that means…”
“Daniel’s Robigo run’s in danger. Oh man is he going to flip someone for that. You need me in Sothis, right? Back the war? Fight the pirates, save the favorite tourist spot for every asshole with a nine figure bank account? That right?” Emily asked with as much of a chipper candor as she could as she cut open the sidewinder and ripped a microprocessor out of the side that was still working, and… quietly removed the spent EMP she had placed earlier.
“You make it sound so dirty, it’s just business, the Kumo crew thinks they can steal from us, and frankly that’s just not valid. Our men are just…” Delyah paused, trying desperately to think of a delicate way to put it.
Emily began walking back to the ship, having looted everything that wasn’t tied down. The sidewinder tipped to the side, missing its right strut.
Emily hoisted the removed strut segment over her shoulder. “Yeah I getcha. The hardest war they ever fought was a search and destroy mission in Call of Duty 3,403,203 Black white Spec Ops embedded. Personally I think they really lost the difficulty after 3,403,199 but that’s just showing my age. I’ll do it. Let me go get my dang fuel scoop and my wife and we’ll be out there. I’ll shoot your pirates, you pay the bills.”
“I’m in your debt.”
“Feeling’s mutual. And Delyah?” Emily added as she stepped up the ramp to her ship, The Fell Sea.
“Yes, Commander?” She tipped her tone in curiosity.
“Your omiyage, you feeling Robigo sushi platter? Or you wanna finally be adventurous and go for my dried squid?”
“Ah you keep suggesting it, damnit. Fine. Ok, bring the squid, I’ll try it, is it spicy? You know I hate spice.” She scoffed as she reluctantly gave into Emily’s gift giving habit.
“Yes! You won’t regret it. I’ll do the sweet teriyaki you’ll dig it, trust me. Ok. Well I’m Robi-gone. Send a crew, and a mop to this job. I’m onto the next.” Emily Valefor concluded as she turned on her ship’s engines and lifted the Krait off the ground.
“Can do, and Valefor?” Delyah returned her prior colder tone.
“Yes, Director?” Emily returned.
“Make them pay.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
To be continued.