Read Moron's Guide to Surviving the Space Race Page 17
Omega Zone wasn’t necessarily the most well organized area, with Jump gates haphazardly arrayed in a giant circle like layout. We were currently sitting somewhere near the middle and I had stopped the ship.
“How’re things going with Gabby?”
“I’m teaching her manners. She is very rude.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Do I even want to know?”
“No, but you may want to know that we have been locked by a targeting system.” Martha informed me in a very mild voice.
“WHAT?!? Who the hell is targeting us?”
Before I got an answer out of her, a video conference window popped and I was shocked into silence. Fred stared at me from the other end of the transmission. “Tell me one good reason I don’t blow your ass out of the sky?” He asked, not even bothering with any display of emotion about doing so.
I stared at him for a moment, not really knowing how to answer. Then my mouth recovered before the rest of my functionality did. “Because I flew the Chung Crossing and they have way more fire power than your little piss ant boat does?”
“Huh? You’re such a lying little shit. No one flies the Chung Crossing. It’s a death sentence for anyone that tries. Damn it, I lost my train of thought.” Fred shook his head and before he could even utter another syllable…
“You think?” I asked, my eyes wide with surprise.
“Shut up, wise ass. Or I’ll forget that I’m not out here to kill you outright.” Fred ordered, leaning toward the camera.
“Gee Fred, that’s so comforting. And here I thought you were the one that just targeted me with your weapon systems.”
Fred began laughing and the targeting lock dropped. “Just giving you your first taste of what it’s like to run around the galaxy as a ship captain. Did you seriously fly the Chung Crossing? And if so, why the hell would you even want to attempt that?” He asked me and I could tell that the display earlier was merely Fred’s attempt at humor.
“I was testing out shield tolerance for someone. No more dangerous situation to put your boat into.” I explained, silently confused as all hell right now over what was going on.
“You never struck me as a braggart, kid, but we didn’t really get to know each other. But anyway, I need some information from you and I have a job offer. I have it on some really good authority you were seen in Gabriella’s apartment building and may have even been with her before she disappeared.” Fred paused. My heart was beating an insanely fast tune all its own in my chest within an eye blink and my mouth became the Mojave desert just as quick.
“And?” I asked, not really knowing what else to say but his pause was starting to wear on my nerves.
“And, I need to know what you did to her. Look, kid, I don’t give a shit if you killed her. That woman was a plague waiting to happen anyway. What I do care about is whether or not I can tell my boss for a fact that he won’t ever see her again. Got me?” Fred asked. I caught myself before breathing out a sigh of relief. Fred thought I had exacted my revenge on the woman, not that I had rescued her.
“If I knew what you were talking about at all I’d probably tell you that he has a snow ball’s chance in hell of ever finding what’s left. But I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about Fred.” I explained.
“Yeah, neither do I. Well, whoever finally put that bitch to rest has no issues with me. Or my boss. Now for the job offer. I have a full cargo I’m transporting now, but I also have a pick up from Barrier Point Station. I’ll send you over the comms link info. The guy’s name is Bryan, and the shipment is going to Mark. You want it?” Fred asked.
“Sure.” I answered without thinking. I really wanted to rip my own lips off and cut out my tongue at this point.
“Alright, don’t screw it up and there’s more work where that came from.” Fred cut comms.
I sat there for what felt like an hour trying to process what happened. “Did I just admit to killing Gabby and take a smuggling job from those psychopaths?”
“Yes.” Martha answered. “I have already begun our trip to the Theta system.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” I shook my head and rubbed my hands down my face.
“Jack?”
“John, Martha. My name is John.”
“That’s what I said! Jim. Why did you do that?”
I was about to relay some brilliant plan, really I was, but it came out as, “Blug, blah, uh, I, um, yeah.”
“There are speech training programs in my database John.”
“Funny. Real cute Martha.” I stood up and made it back to my room before I found a sledge hammer and did something I knew I would regret.