Mercenary Ops - A Call
12 Jan 2018Leon Falkner
HIP 102018Reiter Enterprise
The docking platform spun around and locked into place. Leon sighed, stretching. Another day, another cool couple million creds. He wasn't even going to bother disembarking for the night. He was halfway unstrapped from the flight chair when his comm panel started chirping.
"Falkner here. What is it?"
"Mr. Falkner." It was his contact on the station. She was a tough but to the point lady Leon had met a few times. They had 'mutual employer interests'. "Your payment has gone through as requested. You also have a comm link request."
"Where from?"
"Ho Hsien"
Dad! Leon thought. "I'll take it in my ship, patch it through please."
"Right away." There was some static on the line. Then with a bit of light-delay, there was a voice over his system speakers.
"Good to hear from you kiddo." A deep voice said. There was a deep sarcasm there in the tone.
"Hey dad." Leon said. "What's up?"
"What's up? Barely a call in six months and no word after you went missing?" Leon flinched. He hadn't called them. It just slipped his mind. "We had no idea where the hell you'd been! Your ship gone, and then we get a report that you were out in the damned Pleiades!"
"I was running rescue ships, Dad. notihing-" Leon began.
"People are dying out there son!" His father scolded. Then he sighed. "I guess if I was your age with a ship I'd have been out there myself." Leon smiled.
"I know Dad."
"So I am calling not just to yell at you, though that is pretty much the gist of it. I just got your transfer. Kid, I know you care about your old man and your mother, but we don't need this much money!"
Leon hadn't been able to send much money home since his impromptu spacing and his subsequent arrangement with the Empire. These jobs out for the Mercs finallly gave him enough cashflow to send a good six figure sum back to his folks.
"Leon," his father began. "I don't want to ask, but I have to. Where are you getting all this money?"
His hand hovered over the trigger. He'd killed before, but not like this. It was always easier when they were shooting at you. The comms kept spewing out the voices.
"No! No Please!!"
"Just. Just some odd jobs pop." He lied. "Got a good gig out here near the border of the bubble. Running trade, keeping the lanes clear."
"Alright. I won't pry anymore." His father took the hint. "If you do head out to the hot zones, please stop by and at least say hello."
"Will do dad."
"Also, I'll want to talk about your eye there kiddo."
"What?" Leon threw a hand up to his face. This wasn't a video call, how could dad see him?
"You're not the only one who can look up someone on GalNet." His dad said with a mocking jovial tone. "I'm sure we can get a beer and you can tell me the whole thing. Stay safe son."
"You too Dad."
The words "Connection Terminated" flashed up on his HUD. Leon wasn't sleepy anymore. He slumped in the pilots chair, looking at his Remlock gloved hands.
He reached over and flipped the weapons to ready. Then, he turned off the comms. Red laser light bathed the cockpit in an eerie,
bloody glow...
"Target Destroyed"