Entry 2. Shadow
15 Dec 2017Crzyrazr
Well here I was thinking it could be a setup, but at this point the desire to be free had become so strong I had to take a shot. I had been running deliveries for almost six years and putting myself in harm’s way only to be no better off than if I had stayed on Earth and worked any other high risk job. Sure Shadow had been better armed, better armored, and a lot faster than when I had taken that seat what seemed like a lifetime ago. However the ability to do those upgrades had come at a cost. My employer had said that I could upgrade her however I saw fit to get the job done. Sounded great at the time, until I came to the realization that the cost came out of my “bonuses”. So the vicious cycle had went for those six long years, a drive upgrade here, and a better laser turret there. Soon I realized in order to stay alive I had to continually take missions for them just to keep fuel in the tank and my ass alive. Sure every once in a while I would take a delivery that was not on the docket, but that dang AI was always the trick to get by. Most of the time I would have to hide the delivery somewhere it couldn’t scan. Few people realize how hollow the pivot linkage in a landing gear actually is.
After six long years of this cycle I had become very close to Shadow and I can soon expect every twitch, every sound, and how hard I could push her. My ship had become an extension of me like a hand that I instinctively moved at a whim and knew where it would go, how it would go, and how fast it would go. Being out the ship seemed unnatural, like I had left my cabin without taking my helmet or my jumpsuit. For a long time that ship was the only reason I pushed on and stayed in the vicious cycle. It always did deserve better than I felt like it was getting.
Now, standing there looking at my watch realizing that I had less than thirty minutes, Earth time, till I would meet this so called “technician” to discuss my future. I had to convince myself that Shadow was just a ship, a tool to do a job and provide my so called life. Hell I had even come to tolerate that stupid AI. Never did bother giving it a name, or not one I would dare say out loud. I checked my watch again fifteen minutes and half a bottle of beer disguised as a soda had passed before I realized it. Time sure does pass fast when you are lost in thought. I finished my beer and made my way to the appointed meeting spot. The thought kept crossing my mind why would the so called “technician” want to meet in the middle of the fueling depot? I didn’t realize how genius it was until we started talking and how no one even batted an eye in our direction. These black market guys really know how to do business.
He introduced himself as Jeffery, although I am positive that was not his name. Hell it probably wasn’t even his face, all the medical manipulators and chemicals available on the black market he could have been a beautiful blonde female the night before. Anyways I gave him his fee and we walked a little ways away from the fumes and towards the holding tanks. He told me that way if anyone decided to take a shot at us, they would risk a major explosion killing everyone in the vicinity. We got to talking about what was needed in order to achieve my ultimate goal. I remember every word of that conversation.