Confessions of a Freelancer Episode 1
14 Jul 2016CharlieSix
Msg sender: CMDR CharlieSixPriority: Black
Log Date: 14.7.3302
Msg encryption:000012123304005060678909//
//Encryption Key: XXXX-xxxx
//Decryption protocol running: corrupted; error //
Msg Decoded: Playing...
You know, I really hate these things... These voice recorders. But here we are:
Look at me. Sitting in the cockpit of my ship, "sharing" my feelings. Just floating... aimlessly in this asteroid field. But as my Ex would say, "If you got the time to sit, you've got time to think." And if nothing else, I've got TIME.
So... let's start at the beginning.
I took this contract just like all the others, and it started simple enough. I received a classified communiqué from [REDACTED]. I had done some work for them a while back, and so still maintained a few contacts within the government. Without getting into too many details… let's just say that someone had done something really bad, and the government wanted them off the board.
The contract paying, was a cool three million credits, which should have been a red flag since it was a little above the usual pay out… but when you gotta eat, you gotta eat. Taking the contract I flew off to the [REDACTED] System. There I rendezvoused with a commander named "Smiley" (no way that's his real name) and we proceeded to the coordinates, together.
This was my second mistake...
Now I know at this point you're probably thinking, "How dumb is this guy?", and "Isn't he's supposed to be an expert, look at his rookie mistakes!" But I haven't got to the end of my story yet...
Our target was a retired military general name [REDACTED], who now lived on the third moon of the system we were in. We approached the moon, and began our deceleration burn at about 2 Ls. At 6 million meters we entered the upper atmosphere, and dropped below the deck around 50 kilometers out. Everything was going smoothly, we would land outside the General's compound, and disembark. Once inside the camp I would locate the General; while "Smiley" would deactivate the compounds power and security generators...
"BOOM!" The roar of the engines was deafening, we had approached the facility undetected, so they seemed extremely surprised when Phantom's thrusters went full blast. The Mark IV Viper ripped over the compound, then pulled a hard "G" turn towards the sky. The General's guards came running out, all eyes on the sleek, streamlined, fighter flying overhead. This was their mistake...
Like I said, we had approached undetected… The two guards closest to the door went down first. "Bang, bang" and they were gone. The next two went down just as easy. I turned to "Smiley" and told him to "Get to the generators", then I headed to the main living quarters. Inside the facility things were different. By now the guards had realized that my fighter was on autopilot and their compound was under attack from the ground.
In an effort to protect their charge, they barricaded the General inside of his office on the upper floor. This presented a problem since to get to the stairs, I would have to cross a wide open atrium with no cover. Now I have to take this opportunity to say that while most people would have found this to be an impossible situation, I was not phased. And if I'm being completely honest in this log, I should also admit that this was not my first time in such a situation. My past history had taught me a few hard lessons, and so I was prepared for just an occasion.
In my travels I have interacted with many different groups of people. From time to time they don’t pay me in credits, but in tech. One such job had afforded me just the thing to fix this dilemma...
I slid the circular, handheld device into the middle of the room, and waited for the result. It was almost instant, an image of myself appeared in the middle of the room. And just as I had expected all the guards began firing. It wasn't easy shooting them, but the fact that they insisted on aiming at by body double made my job go quicker.
At last the target was alone.
"I've been expecting you," he said stuttering, “…You think you're on the right side... but you're wrong… I have money… I can pay you! You don't have to do this! Please!?!"
"It's not about money," I said, "…It's about the principle. A contract, is a contract plain and simple... I don't do politics, I just keep the contract."
Then it was over.
Outside the compound I found "Smiley" waiting. He was as his name suggest, grinning from ear to ear.
"So," he said, "Did you get him?"
"Yes," I said.
"Well that's good..."
I heard the shot before I felt it. The searing pain in my chest, then "Smiley" standing over me. His smile now even wider than before…
"They paid me good for this deed Genral," he said, "...But they paid even better for you! Bet you never saw that coming, you dumb son-of-a bitch!"
He laughed a loud belly curdling laugh.
"Yup, Smiley got you good, got you real damn good! Yeeh-Haw, I got you! I killed the Dee-man! Ha, Ha, Ha!"
If I told you that I was caught completely of guard, I'd be lying. What I didn't mention before, is that when the "good" general was begging for his life, he told me why the [REDACTED] wanted him dead. He also said that they would want to cover up the whole thing.
"No loose ends" he said. "They'll come for you next..."
So while "my friend" was gleefully standing over me, and laughing about my overly exaggerated demise, I politely pulled out my weapon… and shot him, at pointblank...
It was at this moment that the general emerged from inside.
"See," he said. "I told you..."
I raised my hand to cut him off... "Yeah, yeah, you told me. I know..."
"How did you survive?" the general asked, "...I saw you get hit!?"
"I WAS hit." I said.
Then I pulled open my jacket. Revealing that I was wearing the latest in personal protection… Reactive body armor. (Another "gift" from a past job).
"That idiot..." I said while taking a seat at the bottom of the main steps and pointing to Smiley’s body, "...That idiot was using a pulse pistol. Very deadly at close range. Can just about burn through anything, which is why most thugs carry one..." pointing to the vest, adding, "...Almost anything anyway…"
"So what happens now?" the General said.
"Well," I said.
Standing, I drew my weapon and pointed it directly at the General, who seemed utterly shocked at this.
"I saved your life!" the General protested.
"Hmm... that's debatable." I said.
Then I pulled the trigger. As the gun fired, I felt the slight recoil of the kinetic round when it left the barrel, I could smell the gunpowder, and watched… as the bullet went whizzing passed the General.
"It's debatable that you saved my life General," I said. "What's not debatable is that I just saved yours. When I take a contract I keep it. So as far as the rest of the galaxy knows you just died." I put my pistol back into its holster. "...If at any time you do anything, and I mean ANYTHING that could change that belief... I WILL kill you. Do you understand?"
The General quietly nodded his agreement.
"Good," I said,
Turning away, I activated my ships automated recall, and I began to walk towards the blown open compound gates...
"Wait," the General said, "...what will you do?"
"A contract's, still a contract..." I shouted back, "...And I intend to collect..."