A Trip Abroad
18 Dec 2017Mack Winston
Gutamaya Cutter, Alan Mathison TuringHarvestport, Kappa Fornacis
"So here's the plan", I began. Cal and I were comfortably ensconced in our new ship's luxury living area, discussing the loose ends that I needed to no longer be quite so loose. "The medical relief mission we've just done is finished, and shows the ship to be in perfect order. Next will be an exploration proving run, but it'll be out of 34 Pegasi"
"Ah, I fail to see why you'd want to start it there?" Cal asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Remember what we discussed about the treachery of Jeb Gold? The lack of information from the Pegasi sector's really bothering me and also I'm not sure how much I could trust the information that Gold fed us in the first place. So I've looked for an excuse to launch a proving run from 34 Pegasi"
"Well, you'll need to explain it to me 'cos I just don't see it"
"Funny thing is, someone sold me an 8A fuel scoop, ready engineered, and it's in storage at Webb Port. With the costs of shipping the thing being so high, clearly it makes sense for me to get it fitted in Webb Port, and do the proving run from there, perhaps looking for anyone who's wanting to pay a premium for the data - you know good business sense and all that."
"OK..."
"And I need you to observe. See if anyone reacts to my arrival. Work your devious magic on them"
I explained the rest of the plan. Cal would fly on ahead of us, in the Courier - re-registered as an East India Company runabout. That on its own wouldn't raise any notice in the Pegasi sector - probably the region with the highest demand for onionhead, with a constant stream of not just independent traders but official EIC pool ships - most of them small, fast ships that could outrun the pirates. Our Courier with its highly tuned engines would outrun any threats in space, that was assured, and would blend in with the dozens of others that regularly flew the route from Kappa Fornacis. It was also the ideal vessel for getting a bit of Panem Gold - the premium product that would open all sorts of doors - into Webb Port. Meanwhile I'd fly with Horse Hines in the new Gutamaya Imperial Cutter, ostensibly on a run to equip and prove the ship ready for the Minerva Centaurus Expedition.
Cal protested a bit at this suggestion. He felt vulnerable after what happened last time we were in Webb Port, but equipped with a fast ship, a dozen boxes of Panem Gold, and a fox-like cunning, he'd be just fine, I surmised. I reminded him that all the people who'd gone after him so far had come to an unfortunate end.
All he had to do is observe, and gain whatever information he could. Anyone watching me would note nothing out of the ordinary - I'm on my way to get a really good deal on a very expensive piece of exploration equipment and to try it out in a way that would undoubtedly net a good profit for the trip. In the meantime, they would be giving themselves away...
"So how long will the proving run be?" Cal asked.
"No idea really. Not that long, I suspect, probably a near bubble expedition. I'll try to make it long enough you get time to dig around the station a bit"
Cal sighed. "I don't -- well, I don't know. I mean, I got mugged last time"
"A mugging could be an opportunity"
"You know, I wouldn't do this for anyone else," Cal added quietly.
"Yeah, I know, and I wouldn't ask anyone else to do it either. You've had a way of staying out of trouble despite causing quite a lot of it. And let's face it, a good looking well spoken Achenarian proffering a box of Panem Gold will open a lot of doors", I said, subtly stroking his ego.
"And if it doesn't?"
"For anything else, there's an East India Company security detachment who can extract you."
"You've got approval for this mission?"
"Well, not approval as such"
"You mean 'no'"
"VP Lynch knows. He feels some responsibility in that area after the rescue of his cousin. But the rest of the board? Nah. But we can assuredly take Jarrod Lynch on his word."
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