Pegasi Shanghai - Chapter 5: A Game of Chance
27 Apr 2017Kyla Emmerich
Previous ChapterNormally I like to go for a long walk, especially after a stressful turn of events. A stroll down a quiet street, in a park, or maybe along a coastline always puts me in a good mood.
But walking fourteen kilometers, drenched in sweat and running out of oxygen inside the most uncomfortable Remlok suit ever created makes me, shall we say, a tad moody.
Nearly three hours of walking in an almost straight line, watching the base ever-so-slowly get bigger, has been one of the most soul-crushing experiences of my life. I’m finally here though. The place goes by the name of Fowler Relay and, to my surprise and relief, it’s not a pirate camp and I’m not about to lose my freedom again. Score one for me.
The central building towers above as I drag myself to the main airlock. The hiss of air gradually grows louder as the chamber pressurises and my helmet zooms open, giving me a whiff of cool, recycled air. Not as pleasant as air from home, but much nicer than the air from both the SRV I abandoned and the suit. I check the wrist display to see how much air I had left.
Ten minutes? Holy shit…
I cut it close, but I’ve made it in one piece. I take my time proceeding from the airlock, as the next challenge is to explain to security at the front door why I am just strolling in without clearance from traffic control. Stations and outposts tend to frown on that. Not a fun conversation to have, I imagine.
Of course, as always, I am right. The conversation is anything but fun. In fact, it’s gone from sitting in an interview room awkwardly explaining my trek to being thrown in a holding cell while the desk chums summon their superiors to verify my story. I may have skimped on a few details to try and avoid suspicion.
The cell is tiny and closed off. There are no windows aside from a thin slit on the door which is currently closed off. Well, at least I get the cell to myself and there’s a bed. While no one is looking, I finally get some time to relieve myself. Not exactly very dignified, but it’s all I have and it’s much better than being stuck inside an SRV. The bed is firm and uncomfortable but far preferable to nothing.
I lay down on my back, staring at the dull ceiling. Despite being exhausted, I can’t seem to get my eyes to stay closed for more than a few seconds. Now that I am not focusing on staying alive, my mind wanders back to the slaves still stuck on the Anaconda. I think about the girl I found lying dead in her own blood. There are over 100 slaves on that ship, but she stuck with me the most. She was young and had her whole life ahead of her. Did she wake up before she met her fate? What did she feel? Could she have survived if I had only woken up earlier? I should be happy that I am alive, but I am riddled with guilt that I couldn’t even save one of them.
Do I tell the local security about the nature of the crash? Can I trust them to help these people? Or would I be signing their death warrant?
Come on Kyla… You know there was nothing you could do for them. You barely even got out alive yourself.
I try to listen to my rational side, but the guilt persists. Eventually I manage to drift off to a light sleep.
Before I know it several hours have passed, and I wake up to the sound of my cell door creaking open. A man in a dull blue security uniform strides in and stands above me.
“Miss Emmerich,” he says. “Did I wake you?”
I rub the sleep from my eyes. “You did, actually. Probably the best sleep I’ve had in two days.”
“My apologies. Please come with me.”
I stand up slowly. “Could I at least have a shower and a change of clothes? I’ve been in this damn Remlok for two days straight.”
The man shakes his head. “After our meeting. I have a few questions regarding the crashed ship you claim to have escaped from, after which you’ll be allowed to leave.”
Typical...
I follow the man into a small office. Inside is a small desk and a couple of chairs. He closes the door behind me, gestures me to sit down, and then takes a seat behind the desk. He pulls a pair of round spectacles from his shirt pocket then holds a folder in front of him. He glances over the folder’s contents for a moment before looking back up at me.
“Your story about the SRV checks out, Miss Emmerich,” he says. “Patrols reported spotting an abandoned Scarab not far out from the base, and the tyre trail goes off quite a long way. I daresay that must have been a daunting journey.”
I grunt. “I could think of many things I would rather have been doing.”
“Indeed. What concerns me, however, is how vague you were about just how you got into your predicament in the first place.”
I frown, looking toward the floor. “What do you want me to tell you? I woke up in a crashed ship, found a Scarab in the bay and high tailed out of there. What, do you think I’m guilty of something? I just want to find a pilot so I can get off this damn rock and get back to my life.”
“Would you not have been better off sounding the distress beacon?”
I look up at the man. “What? So that some pirates can come and pick at the wreckage like starved vultures? Almost everyone on board is dead anyway.”
The man leans back on his chair. “Almost?”
Shit…
“Who is in charge here?” I ask.
“This is an independent system, with a reasonable allegiance with the Federation.”
Well then… If they’re chummy with the Feds… Maybe it is safe to mention everything else.
I sigh. “Okay, fine. If I tell you the details, can I go?”
The man nods. “I have no reason to believe you are a problem.”
“Okay. The ship is owned by a man named Ronium Sutherland. The ship was carrying slaves. We were heading for somewhere in Pegasi. I don’t know how we crashed. Like I said earlier, I woke up in a stasis pod.”
Gods, I hope I’m doing the right thing.
My hands are now sweaty as my eyes avert to the floor.
“I don’t know how many of the slaves are still alive… The crew will all be dead by now.”
There’s a long pause as the man scribbles down notes, before he looks back up at me.
“Well that changes everything doesn’t it? We’ll see to it that the ship is checked for survivors. If what you are saying is true, perhaps more lives than your own can be spared.”
The man shuts the folder, tucking his spectacles back into his pocket.
“Miss Emmerich, you are free to go. There are apartments you can rent at the north end of the complex, and the pilots usually hang around in The Raggedy Sidey toward the west. I’m sure you’ll find someone there willing to take you wherever you need to go for a fee.”
I stand up and exit without saying a word. The mini interrogation has left me feeling sour, despite the news that the slaves back at the crash site may actually make it. All I want is some fresh clothes and a real bed, and just to be back aboard Moon Shot again.
But for now, I’ve bought some clothes, checked into a room and had a shower long enough to drain a small colony. I feel fresh, clean and damn glad to be out of that Remlok suit. Now, it’s time for me to lay down and get some rest.
Actually, no. Fuck it, I’m going to get drunk. I’ve survived against near impossible odds. I think I deserve to let myself go a little.
After a few drinks, somehow I have found myself playing Poker with a small group of pilots. To my left there’s Benito Santiago - a salvager. At least that’s what he says he is. I am pretty sure there’s more to him than he lets on. I have to say that I am impressed by the amount of effort he puts into maintaining his dirty sanchez moustache. Probably the only man in the ‘verse I have seen pull it off.
Directly across the table from me is Nickolas Calhoun, a blonde hair mercenary from somewhere in the Federation. He talks smooth, but he is humble. That is until he throws a winning hand on the table and claims his poker chips.
On my right is Ivy Montoya. She’s easy on the eyes but I can’t shake the feeling that she’d punch me in the face if I said something off colour. Still, her sense of humor is enough to keep me from feeling uneasy, especially as the waitress comes over to refill our drinks. She hasn’t punched Benito yet despite his multiple attempts to seduce her so I could be wrong. Maybe it’s just because the table puts him out of her reach.
I am now comfortably intoxicated and enjoying my new company.
“Dios Mio amigo! That’s the third in a row you have won. This deck is rigged, man.”
Nikolas' smile is cunning. “No need to be a sore loser, Benny. You just need to work on your poker face a little.”
“Mano, you’re making me look bad in front of the ladies.”
“Benito, you do that to yourself,” I slur.
Benito stared at me for a moment before grunting.
“Sorry, you opened yourself up to that one.”
“It’s fine, I just hope you can take what you dish out,” he says.
My eyes narrow and my lips curl to a smile. “Try me.”
Calhoun chuckles as he finishes shuffling the deck, dealing us a new hand each.
“Buddy, you’re so fun to wind up. Maybe this’ll be your lucky hand.”
The table goes silent as we stare into our hand of cards. Ivy frowns, sighing.
“Fuck! I hate you Nickolas! You always shuffle me the shit hands! I say the new girl shuffles the next one.”
Nickolas smiles. “Hey hey, everyone’s blaming me for their bad luck! That’s hardly fair!”
I respond by shifting a small pile of poker chips into the pot.
“You’re looking a little confident there Kyla. Is Nikolas playing favourites?” She says as she matches my contribution.
Nickolas says nothing and matches Ivy’s contribution.
Benny stares at his hand for a moment, then grunts with a smile, putting doube of Nikolas’s contribution forward.
I look at Benny in the eye and smile, shuffling in a pile of chips matching his own, and then some.
“Amiga, I hope you know what you are doing.” Benny says, a confident smirk appears below his moustache.
Ivy throws her cards face down on the table. “Shit… I got nothing.”
Nickolas follows suit, exchanging glances between Benito and I.
“Alright you two,” he says. “Show us what you got.”
Benny smiles and throws his cards on the table. “A pair and a triple. Show me the money!”
He looks to me expectantly. “Think you can beat that Kyla?”
I slowly place my cards down on the table. “I hope I didn’t… Flush your ego there.”
Benny sits back with an exasperated look. “Dios mio! What the fuck? Seriously?”
Ivy and Nikolas laugh at Benny’s frustration as I pull the pot of chips toward me.
“Alright, I think that’s a wrap for me,” Nikolas says as he stands up from the table, picking up all the cards. “I’m poked.”
He offers his hand to me. “Nice to meet you Kyla, you’re not bad at all.”
“Thanks,” I reply, shaking his hand. “Which one of you wants to give me a ride back to my ship once we’ve slept off the alcohol?”
“Where are you parked at, buddy?” Calhoun asks.
“Chamunda, Gidzenko Ring.”
“I’m heading to Kremainn,” Benny says. “I can drop you off on the way. Pretty shady part of the ‘verse. How’d you wind up there?”
I smile. “If you’re lucky, I’ll tell you on the way. It’s a long story.”
Ivy nods, “You’ll have to come find us for another game sometime. Kyla. I wouldn’t mind hearing the story myself.”
“Sure, I’ll hit you up if I’m in the area again.”
After some shut-eye and an uneventful flight, we touch down on Gidzenko Ring in Benny’s Keelback. I told him about my dealings with Ronium and the eventual shipwreck. He seemed pleased to hear about Ronium’s misfortune.
“That pendejo has been a thorn in many of our sides for years. I guess someone finally got sick of his crap and downed his ship,” he says as we exit his ship onto the docking pad.
I nod. “That prick got what he deserved. I should have put a bullet in him when I had the chance.”
“It would be a waste of a perfectly good bullet, Amiga. That would be too soft on him.”
“So, how much do I owe you?”
Benny smiles. “Credits? No no, I’d prefer a favour, if you don’t mind.”
I raise my eyebrow. “I’m listening.”
“That’s what I like to hear. If you follow me back to Kremainn, I have a shipment I need taken to the Inara system for a friend of mine.”
I smile and nod. “As long as I don’t end up in a stasis pod again, I’m game.”
“Excelente! I’ll give you the details on the way. Go get your ship and let’s be on our way.”
I return to my Cobra, luckily sitting right where I left it. I put on my Remlok and sit back on the pilot’s seat. I feel euphoric as the hum of the engines grows louder - I’m finally home after all the drama, and I have a job to do almost immediately.
Now to follow Benny and move his stuff to the Inara system. Kyla Emmerich is back in action.
