Night Out
23 Feb 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Night Out
Colonia Region
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Whirling Station offered several nice accommodations for weary travelers, accustomed to the forlorn long-range explorers who passed through this sector of space on their way to Sagittarius A, as well as the fleet carrier crews seeking respite from their ships. Expats like myself were a rarer breed, with most aiming to establish themselves on planets where they could survive and thrive.
Though I was firmly in the category of needing time away from my shipboard cabin, there was an ulterior motive for my choice of lodging. I made sure my shadows saw me enter a place that caught my eye and paid a lavish price for one of their better suites. Dressed in my 'to impress' flight suit, it was good for business to be seen as a person of means rather than a pauper trying to get by.
I learned early on in my pirating days that perception was nine-tenths of the law. Most would back down when faced with a motley bunch of unshaven, unwashed, tattooed, and pierced men brandishing weaponry modified to appear more menacing. I smirked at the memory of a fellow pirate who took a step back at the sight of a saw-toothed dagger affixed to the end of my pistol and the spiked gauntlet holding it.
As I headed to the lift, catching sight of my chaperones through the transparent metal frame, it rose to the upper decks where the gravity was closer to 1g. My reflection turned my smirk into a smile and almost a full laugh as the grunge of the past had been replaced with a clean-shaven, groomed appearance. The only thing missing was the invisible leash around my neck.
My data tablet buzzed on my side as I entered the suite. A whistle escaped me as I took in the sight. The place was larger than one of my Class 6 cargo pods sitting in storage in another system. The front room alone could house an entire crew, and the kitchen area was large enough to feed them. Thoughts of the android and robotics store attendant crossed my mind, eliciting a laugh, just as my wrist communicator began to vibrate.
"Yeah, Aby, what is it?"
"You should be aware that a ship from the prior system matches the signature of a ship that has been in every system we have traveled to since minutes after our arrival and is listed as being docked at this station."
I sighed, the smile remaining. "I suspected as much. A man and a woman were ghosting me around as I was window shopping. Both blended well with the crowd and their surroundings, so they are comfortable with this lifestyle. I did not see any identifying patches, tattoos, markings, or other insignia."
"While you are staying aboard, you should exercise caution. The benefactor would not be served if you were to experience injury or worse."
That Aby was monitoring my expenses was not a surprise, but he had the good sense to not mention the large purchase I recently made. No doubt he was looking for a way to access their records to see what I was spending so many credits on.
"Relax, Aby. People like them will not move openly in a place like this. Besides, this is a High Tech and Military system of good means. This region is small, and there are not enough alternative options available for them to cross these people."
"I will place the security androids on alert, just in case. They will be available if you need them."
I disconnected, unable to contain my laughter. Aby’s innocent naivety was as amusing as it was annoying, but it had a shelf life, and soon that would be expiring.
***
In my previous life, plush accommodations like this were reserved for the clan hierarchy, not the low end of the food chain crews like the ones I was on. One of the lessons I learned early on was that denying access to something only increased the desire for it. We had wrecked several places like this, squandering the fruits of others' labor and making a statement while doing so.
Sinking into the large recliner, I let my mind drift back to what was starting to feel like another person's life, one that I held the memories of. Yet, that other person was a younger version of myself, not that much younger or removed from who I was now.
Thoughts of what led me away from that life to one of hunting for profit, those I once flew with, seemed odd and out of place. But nothing in this universe ever made sense. Like having a mysterious benefactor appear out of nowhere to plead the case of a bounty hunter who took the shot before the scan was complete, even though the target was a known criminal and fugitive. In doing so, a bounty was placed on my head and the cuffs were placed on my wrist.
I leaned my head back into the comfortable padded fabric, enjoying the moment. It was important not to let the mind drift too far from the present, especially with mysterious lurking admirers. I wondered what that raven-haired beauty from the android and robotics store had been thinking to make her blush?