The Code
By Lance Young
“Remove the hood.”
Sam Locke was overwhelmed by the sudden assault of light on his senses and it took several seconds for him to take in his surroundings. It was a small square shaped room, empty except for a small plastic table at the far end, with a black metallic container resting on it. A container Locke recognised because it had recently been in his possession. The grey walls were covered in years of accumulated grime and blood. Locke knew they could easily have been removed, but the stains were there to serve a purpose. To scare him and right now as Locke saw the men gathered around, he was a little scared.
There were two guards standing by the door, they were dressed in typical security force garb, black uniforms, body armour, sideblasters and black ceramic helmets covering most of their heads. Locke wasn’t worried about them, it was the other two that had his attention.
One was a 3 metre tall Vandarr or at least he had been. Now he was a mishmash of organic and robotic parts. The Vandarr was flexing its oversize metal arms and Locke knew instantly who had been working him over the past hour.
But it was the fourth man who really scared him. He was tall with swept back black hair and piercing blue eyes. In parts of the galaxy his word was law. He could make you disappear with the push of a key. He was billionaire industrialist and alien art collector Trent Black and now Locke was his prisoner.
Black pulled out a small black statue from the container and admired it. In a cut glass accent he said. “Beautiful, isn’t it? I wanted it as soon as I saw it. Hand carved over 20,000 years ago by a race that no longer exists from a world few have even heard of. Totally unique. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Locke replied. “To be honest, I’ve never been one for alien art. Did you ever see that painting of dogs playing poker? Great picture.”
Black’s eyes narrowed. “Funny. Hit him again Repar.”
The Vandarrian cyborg rumbled, “with pleasure.” His massive fists thudded into Locke's stomach. Locke groaned in pain, Repar looked at Black. “Again?”
Black raised his hand. “Not yet.” He moved closer to his chained up prisoner. “Tell me, Mr Locke. Who hired you? Who placed this masterpiece into your uncultured hands? Because I know there is no way a glorified courier like you broke into my ship, got through all my security, took the idol, then replaced it with an extremely convincing replica. You’re just not that smart.”
Locke replied. “Ouch! I’ll have you know I was in the top seventy-five percent of my high school class, and for the record I prefer Freelance Space Contractor to courier.”
“Repar hit him again.”
“Whoa! Down boy. I didn’t steal your idol. I was contracted to transport it, that was all.”
“By whom?”
“Anonymous contract, paid by an anonymous money transfer. In my line of work it’s best not to ask to many questions.” Gloomily Locke checked out his cell. “I’ll probably rethink that in future.”
“So who’s your buyer? You must know that.”
Locke shook his head. “Instructions simply said go to the Illawaraak Spaceport on Appli Four. The contractor would meet me.”
Black just stood there studying him finally he smiled. “I believe you. Let him go...”
Locke couldn’t resist saying. “That’s more like it!”
“Out the airlock.” Black waggled his finger. “You really should let people finish.”
“Oh come on!”
Black placed his idol back into its box. “Good-bye Mr Locke. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Locke said desperately, “look just dump me on the nearest planet and we’ll call it even.”
Black turned around as he reached the door. “Sorry, no time to take the Apollo on a detour. Business and all that.” Then he disappeared into the corridor.
Locke turned his attention to Repar and the two guards in the cell. “Okay guys now the big boss is gone. How about we come to a private arrangement?”
Repar replied coldly. “The boss says you die, you die.”
“So if he told you to fly into a sun, would you do that?”
Repar released him from his wall shackles. “Move.”
Locke raised his hands submissively. “Fine. I don’t want to be a hassle. I know what it’s like to be a working stiff.”
The two guards took up flanking positions, while Repar led the way outside.
The Apollo was famous throughout the galaxy for it’s opulent fixtures, but it was obvious from the grease and grime clinging to the wall, that this part wasn’t open to visitors. As they dragged him along Locke tried again. “Seriously guys. I admire loyalty as much as the next man. But doesn’t tossing me out an airlock seem a bit extreme? Let me go and I’ll make it worth your while.”
One of the guards laughed. “You dress like a beggar, I doubt you could afford us.”
Locke said sheepishly “I’m undercover. But don’t let my outfit fool you. I have money.”
Repar turned around and put his face so close to Locke that he could make out the pores on the alien’s nose. Narrowing his one organic eye, Repar said. “Quiet, or I’ll work you over before killing you.”
Before Locke could reply with something suitably witty. A feminine voice interrupted. “Oh! I’m sorry, am I disturbing something?”
Repar sighed and turned to the pretty, red-haired teenager, maybe seventeen or eighteen dressed in a popular, kimono-style jumpsuit. “Miss Alexa. You know you’re not supposed to be down here.”
She shrugged. “I got lost again. This ship is so big.”
Locke didn’t wait to hear the rest of her excuse. He shoved the guards aside, and grabbed Repar’s holstered blaster. At point-blank range he sent the cyborg tumbling to the ground with an explosion of sparks. Locke swivelled around and finished off the two guards who were belatedly pulling out their own guns.
He pointed his blaster at the girl, who just stood there in shock. “You killed them!”
Locke waved away her fears. “No, they’re just stunned, I think,” Locke quickly checked the setting on Repar’s blaster. “Yeah stunned, though considering my abduction and attempted murder I do them something extra.”
He gave the unconscious guards a hard kick.
“Are you going to kill me?”
Locke raised an eyebrow. “What sort of question is that, just because I’m pointing a gun at you?” He picked up the other blasters and stuffed them in his belt. “First things first, who are you? Black’s mistress?
The girl reddened though whether it was from embarrassment or anger was hard to tell. “I’m his daughter, Alexa Black.”
Locke performed a mock bow “Sam Locke, I’d give you my business card, but they took them. You are now my hostage. Do as a I say and you’ll be able to tell your girlfriends about the time you were taken hostage by handsome stranger.”
“Lucky me.” She replied sarcastically.
Locke grinned. “I can see we’re going to get along great. But enough chit chat. I need you to take me to your father’s office, so I can get my idol back.”
She nodded reluctantly. “Okay, but try not to kill anyone.”
Locke replied noncommittally. “We’ll see.”
He tossed a pair of handcuffs to her. “Here put these on.”
“You don’t trust me?”
Locke grinned. “I don’t trust anyone. Close your eyes. I'm changing into a guard uniform.”
“Why should I?”
“Cause I’m not wearing any underwear.”
Alexa quickly covered her eyes. “You’re disgusting you know that?”
“So my ex-wife says.” Moving quickly Locke was quickly suited up; he stuffed the extra blasters beneath his armour.
Locke grimaced, as he looked himself over. The image of himself in uniform brought back unpleasant memories.
“Don’t you look smart, maybe they’ll bury you in it.”
His tone betraying a hint of bitterness Locke replied. “Those bastards in the army spent three years trying to do that. I beat them and I’ll beat your father. Let’s move.”
The Apollo was huge. There were at least 50 levels and as Locke found out to his annoyance as he examined a map on the wall, he was on the bottom level.
He turned to Alexa. “So this elevator will take us up to the living area?”
“With the right security card, but I should point out there are guards at just about every stop.”
“Then it’s lucky I’m wearing this snappy uniform and have you as an escort.”
“Yes very lucky,” she murmured. “Just try not to get me killed. Father’s security detail tends to shoot first and ask questions later. We lose more staff that way.”
“That’s comforting.” He said as they stepped inside the elevator. Locke ran her security card through and they were on their way.
After a brief silence Alexa asked. “Why are you doing this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean why not just escape while you have the chance. Why risk your life to get this idol back?”
Locke looked over at her and shook his head. “Someone like you wouldn’t understand. But when I take a job I see it through to the end, no matter the cost. Rule one Spacer’s Code.”
It was her turn to shake her head. “You don’t know me and surprising as you may find it. I have heard of the Spacer’s Code. It’s an archaic set of rule propagated by minor criminals to justify whatever criminal enterprise they are engaged in.”
Locke raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. “Like I said you wouldn’t understand.” After a moments pause he continued. “And it’s more code of honour then a set of rules.”
A bell chimed and the doors opened in a living area. The lobby was spacious, dominated by a desk manned by a trio of black-suited security personnel.
Locke quickly checked to make sure the cuffs weren’t showing beneath Alexa’s sleeves then he whispered. “Okay, be cool.”
“I’m always cool,” said Alexa.
They walked into the lobby, the guards giving them a cursory look. In a deep voice, Locke said. “Found her lost in the lower levels again. Repar asked me to bring her up and take her straight to Mr Black.”
One of the guards replied disinterestedly. “Hardly the first time. Go ahead.”
They had gone a few steps when the guard called out. “What was your name?”
Locke replied blandly. “Smith.”
“I don’t remember any Smiths in the guard detail.”
Locke replied. “Uh, well you see.” Locke fired off his blaster, stunning the three men instantly.
“I would get the one guy who knows everyone’s name,” complained Locke.
“Nice shooting.”
“You should see me when I’m really trying,” he grinned.
They moved quickly towards Black’s office, Locke used the security card from Alexa and the door swept open. It stretched before them like the wing of a museum. “This place is bigger then my apartment building.”
Alexa shrugged. “Yeah, it’s pretty big I guess.”
They wandered around for several minutes, til they finally came to the end of the room, which was dominated by a massive viewport looking out into space. Beneath it was an expensive looking desk made of actual wood, and on the desk was the box containing the idol. “Great, it’s here,” said Locke
The chair spun around revealing a very angry looking Black. “Mr Locke this is a surprise. I was expecting to see your body floating in space. You look good for a dead man.
“It’s a bit late for flattery,” said Locke.
“I see you’ve met my daughter, I hope she’s been a good hostess. It’s about all she’s good for.”
Alexa bristled at the remark, but stayed silent.
“Yeah we’ve been swapping recipes. In fact I like her so much she’s coming with me until I’m safe.”
Black laughed, “You might as well give up. The room has been sealed and a detachment of guards is on the way. It’s over.”
Locke forced a nervous grin and pointed his blaster at Black. “Then its lucky I have you.”
“You have nothing.” Black’s chair tilted suddenly and before Locke could fire, he disappeared down a hole in the floor, which instantly sealed up.
The ominous sound of machine clicking into place echoed in Black’s office
“What is that?” said Locke.
An agitated Alexa replied, “Father likes his secrets.”
A purple gas began emanating from various parts of the room and for the first time Locke felt a twinge of fear. He cursed.
“You know what this is?” Said Alexa.
“Paralysing gas,” he replied. “You’re unable to move for a month, but you can still feel.” And Locke did not want to be in that condition with an angry Black and his pet cyborg.
Locke grabbed the box, and handed to Alexa.
Alexa shook her head. “It’s over.”
“It’s not over yet.” Said Locke as he frantically dragged her back towards the entrance.
“The door is sealed. There’s no way out.”
Lock looked around wildly for something he could use. Heart pumping he replied. “There’s always a way out.”
Then he remembered something he saw on the way in.
Pulling her more roughly then he intended he yelled “This way!”
They stopped in form of a large alien statue that resembled a malformed elephant.
Locke laid his hand on it and it began pulsing like it was alive. He removed his helmet and put it on Alexa’s head. “Here you’re going to need this.”
Carefully he guided it off its platform and towards the door, while Alexa looked on in shock. The massive statue smashed through Black’s precious collection crushing it beneath its bulk.
As the door loomed ahead, Locke focused his thoughts and sent the statue smashing through the locked door like it was paper. Pieces of debris fell down around them as they exited through the hole that had been created.
Blasts from the opposite end of the corridor streamed by, as a patrol advanced towards them. Locke gave the statue one last command and sent it running back towards the disbelieving guardsmen, who were forced to dive for cover.
Locke took advantage of the brief chaos to drag Alexa towards the elevator, the angry survivors of the patrol already wildly firing back at them.
The safety of the elevator seemed impossibly far away, but finally they made it. Locke slammed the elevator door button, firing recklessly as he waited for it to open. The pair dove in as it finally opened up. As the door closed, Locke haphazardly hit the closest floor button he could see, as far as he was concerned, any place was better then here.
Alexa removed the helmet and said in amazement. “What was that?
“Loskin movement stature. Very rare. If you put a hand on it, you can give it limited commands from your mind. I read about them once.”
She raised a quizzical eyebrow, to which he replied. “Don’t look so surprised. I do read. Now it’s time to rescue Annabelle.”
A surprised Alexa said, “Who’s that? Your girlfriend?”
“Hell no! My ship. Where’s the main flight deck?”
“Uh, level 10, I think.”
“You think?”
“No, I’m sure that’s where I park my little cruiser.”
Before Locke could hit the right floor key, the doors sprang open.
It was hard to tell who was more surprised, Locke or Repar and the twenty or so guardsmen he was addressing.
Locke stammered, “Sorry, wrong floor.”
“Get him!” Roared Repar.
Several blaster bolts impacted the back of the elevator, before the doors closed.
Locke hit the button for the flight deck. “This place is no good for my blood pressure,” he muttered.
The top of the elevator suddenly caved in. Locke only just missed being crushed by Repar's bulk.
Before Locke could fire, Repar grabbed his gun and tossed it aside. “Miss me!” With his big metallic hands, he grabbed Locke’s throat and rammed him into the wall, while pounding him in the stomach with his other hand.
“You should have gone the easy way scum, now I’m going to make you hurt.”
Locke struggled against Repar’s vice like grip, but it wasn’t moving. Repar laughed maniacally at Locke’s predicament, then he suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Behind him Alexa stood nervously clutching Locke’s gun, which he promptly snatched from her. “Thanks”
“I was aiming for you,” she sniffed.
“And I thought we were getting to be friends,” replied Locke. “At least you kept it on stun.”
“No time to change it,” she smiled.
The doors suddenly opened out onto the Apollo’s main flight hanger. Like everything else on the Apollo, it was oversized and filled to the brim with ships of all shapes and sizes.
“That’s mine over there,” she pointed.
“Pink, classy.”
“Stop!” Locke spun around and let loose at a trio of guards, who dove for cover.
“Come on! My ship’s got to be around here somewhere.”
“Rubbish is kept on the lower levels.”
“Funny.”
A game of cat and mouse developed as Locke and his hostage, tried to avoid detection by the ever-increasing number of Security Personnel. Several times they came close to stumbling into a patrol. The last time Locke was able to stun them before they could react. Locke cursed. “We’ll never get there at this rate.”
Alexa shrugged. “Oh well, you’d better give up then. I’m sure father will be much more merciful this time.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you.” Locke then got an idea. “What we need is a distraction.”
Locke looked around purposefully until he spotted what he needed. “Perfect.”
He removed his spare blaster and started adjusting the energy settings, until he was satisfied. Then he carefully crept over to a cordoned off area containing a collection of chemical barrels and placed the blaster next to them.
“What are you doing?” whispered Alexa.
Locke grinned. “Wait and see. Now move.” They had just reached the cover of a nearby ship when the blaster’s power pack overloaded, setting off a series of explosions from the chemical barrels that attracted the attention of every guard in the flight deck.
“Just a little trick I picked up in the army,” said Locke. They moved away quickly and within minutes Locke was finally able to say. “There she is, the Annabelle Two.”
“That’s your ship! I thought it was a pile of scrap.”
Locke gave the ship an affectionate pat, “I know you’re in a stressful situation, so I’m going to ignore that.”
A blast shot suddenly smacked into the hull next to his hand. Locke fired off a couple blasts in return, then activated the door. It whipped open and they piled on board. The Annabelle was a relatively small ship and within seconds they were on the bridge.
As they reached the cockpit, Locke shoved Alexa into a seat at the rear. Metallic straps flew out of the sides, strapping her down so tightly she couldn’t move.
“Do I want to know why you have something like this?”
As he frantically started up the engines he said, “Get your mind out of the gutter. I do a little bounty hunting on the side. It’s for prisoners.”
“Or hostages,” she grumbled.
“Actually, you’re the first. You should feel honoured.”
“Strangely I don’t.”
Locke just grinned and activated the shields. The guard’s blaster fire, which had threatened to damage a vital system now bounced harmlessly off. That didn’t stop them from advancing; they knew if they breached the shield physically they could still damage the Annabelle.
But Locke was prepared for that. A trio of automatic blaster cannons emerged from recesses in the hull and started firing at the advancing guards. Locke couldn’t resist a grin as the guards dove for cover. “That’s how we do it on Earth.”
Then something on the control panel suddenly blew and the guns went silent. “Damn it! Smithy told me he fixed these. He’s off my Christmas card list.”
With the guns silent the guards regained their nerve and continued advancing.
“Great plan,” said Alexa. “Trapping yourself on your own ship.”
“They can’t get us if they can’t reach us,” said Locke. “I’m happy to say our technical difficulties are now over.”
The Annabelle suddenly jerked to life and lifted up from the flight deck.
“So are we just going to hover here until someone generously opens the flight deck doors?”
“Rule 5 of the Spacer’s Code, Miss Black. If you can’t find a way out, you make one. Yee Ha!” Locke blasted a hole through the Flight deck’s doors with the Annabelle’s two remaining main cannons. Before the emergency magnetic field activated, the advancing guards were swept off their feet by the brief loss of atmosphere. Giving Locke the few seconds he needed to speed out of the bay.
“Later chumps!” Locke’s joy was short-lived as his sensors immediately picked up half a dozen space fighters lying in wait for him. He instinctively fired, sending two of the fighters up in flames. “Where the hell did they come from?”
“Father does have his own Personnel shuttlebay. I guess that’s what he’s been keeping up there.”
The Annabelle interrupted. “Incoming message Captain.”
Locke hit the receive button. “It’s your dollar mate, so speak fast.”
It was Black, his tone icy. “Mr Locke, I have to give you full marks for survival. You are a hard man to kill.”
“Not really, it’s just that your security sucks. I’d look into it if I was you.”
“Don’t worry I will. By the way, this is your one chance to turn around and give back the idol, and Alexa, can’t forget her. Do that and you live.”
“Sorry I didn’t hear a please and besides Rule 3 of the Spacer’s code says if you take a contract you deliver it.”
“I make my own rules Mr Locke. The idol is constructed from pure cronium. It will survive the destruction of your ship. You won’t. Goodbye daughter say hello to your mother for me, Mr Repar please kill them.”
Alexa yelled out, “Bastard!”
Then another familiar voice came over the comm. “Opening fire.”
“Jeez what does it take to keep that guy down?” said Locke, recognizing Repar’s voice. The Annabelle began shuddering as blasts from both the fighters and the Apollo rained down on it.
“I can’t believe he’d sacrifice his daughter over a statue”
“Step daughter,” she corrected. “We don’t really get along.”
“Great, I’d have been better off with the cyborg as my prisoner. Fortunately, in a second that won’t be a problem. Preparing for jump in 3, 2, 1 go!”
A wailing noise emanated from somewhere in the ship. “No! Not now!”
“What is it?”
“The superspace engine is down, fan-freaking-tastic. I like a challenge but this is too much.”
“Let me go, I can fix it. I do it all the time on my ship.”
Locke looked at her suspiciously. “Why would you help me?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed. You die, I die.”
Locke hit the release switch, then removed her cuffs. “Just head down the passageway. You can’t miss it.”
“Just don’t get us killed.”
“Yes master,” he muttered as the Annabelle shuddered under another blast. Locke knew if he couldn’t get out from this constant fire, his shields would collapse long before Alexa was finished.
Fortunately salvation was at hand. An asteroid field was straight ahead; it would play havoc with everyone's sensors. If he could avoid getting crushed by one the many rocks spinning out of control, then maybe he just might be able to get away.
He manoeuvred his way in. He laughed as he received his first stroke of luck. While the fighters were following him in, the Apollo had come to a halt. And if Locke guessed correctly it was because Black didn’t want to risk damage to his precious flagship.
“You can run, but you can’t hide Locke,” warned Black.
“People always say that,” replied Locke. “But I’ve hidden plenty of times. Anyway I’ll catch you later. I need to concentrate.”
The asteroids were strung together in a tightly packed, constantly moving river of rock. They were continuously hitting each other, bouncing away in random directions. Locke came close to being crushed several times. The pursuing fighters were not so lucky. One was side swiped by a small, almost insignificant chunk of rock which was just large enough to send it spinning out of control and in to the path of its wingman. Both of them exploded in a fireball.
If Locke hadn’t been so scared that the same thing was going to happen to him, he would have cheered or at least cracked a smile. But he still had enough wits about him to see a good opportunity when it arose. Taking advantage of the immediate chaos, he abruptly changed direction and went to manoeuvre himself behind the survivors.
In the constantly swirling chaos that was the asteroid field, Locke lost sight of them for a terrifyingly long time. But finally he spotted them flying ahead of him. No doubt wondering where he had disappeared.
“Sayonara.” Locke let rip with his blaster cannons, destroying one immediately. The second moved out of the way almost instantly, but Locke was still able to get one hit on it.
That solitary hit, frazzled the pilot enough that he smacked into the side of a nearby asteroid, damaging the fighter, but not destroying it. Locke moved in to finish it, when suddenly the Annabelle shuddered and alarms started going off like crazy. Locke had been so focused on finishing off the last fighter that he hadn’t noticed the small asteroid that snuck up on his rear. Sparks flew as several internal systems overloaded from the impact. By the time he locked things down it was gone.
Alexa reappeared seconds later covered in grease. “What’s the matter?”
Locke grimaced. “Our weapons are offline and the last fighter is still out there. Tell me you’ve fixed the Space drive.”
“It’s fixed, in fact I’ve made some improvements.”
“Great, tell me later. For now strap in, I’ve go t to find a good spot to jump.”
The comm suddenly crackled to life. “Going somewhere?”
“Repar, you SOB! Look it’s been great, but I have to get going.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” the cyborg replied. “You’ve crippled my ship and damaged my reputation with Mr Black. If ramming you is the only way to stop you, so be it.”
“Would it help if I said I was sorry?”
“No.”
“Worth a shot.” Locke looked on wearily as Repar's fighter appeared in front of him. Repar’s weapons might not have worked, but his engines were going fine.
Locke looked at his console as he waited for the Space drive to warm up. “Come on, come on.”
Repar’s fighter loomed large before him and Locke could feel the sweat dripping down his face as he waited.
Just seconds away from collision, the Annabelle signalled it was ready, Locke hit the ignition switch, and the Annabelle disappeared into hyperspace.
The last thing Locke saw was Repar continuing his collision course and slamming into an oncoming asteroid.
Now safely in hyperspace, Locke relaxed for the first time since he had been ambushed two days earlier at the Alconum Space Port and woken up in chains on the Apollo.
Then he remembered he had a hostage. He spun his chair around. “Good timing on the fix. Repar could really hold a grudge.”
“He does,” she corrected herself. “Did have anger issues,” said Alexa.
Locke felt the bruise around his neck. “Yeah I’d noticed. I’m sorry about your stepfather.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe he would sacrifice his daughter for a statue.”
“Says the man who took me hostage,” she said wryly.
“Yeah but I was never going to kill you,” replied Locke.
She shrugged. “We stopped taking much notice of each other when my mother died two years ago. As long as I kept out of his way he was happy.”
“Sad way to live.”
Alexa looked around at Locke’s dishevelled cockpit. “I can think of sadder.” She smiled.
Locke raised his hands. “This is getting a little too touchy feely for me. I have to deliver the idol first, but after that I’ll drop you off on the nearest inhabited planet of your choice. Fair enough?”
“I’m in no rush to get back,” she replied. “Maybe thinking I’m dead will jumpstart his conscience.”
Locke didn’t reply, but he doubted it.
He grabbed the idol from its box and blasted it with a stunbolt.
“Why did you do that?”
“In case there’s a tracker on it. I don’t want to be surprised again.”
She nodded thoughtfully, “good point.”
#
The unpleasant detour forced on him by Black had put Locke a day out from his destination.
Locke spent the time nursing the many injuries, courtesy of Black and his thugs. Alexa had spent her time in the Annabelle’s one spare cabin resting.
Locke thought she was strangely subdued considering the events of the past day. He could only assume she was in shock. Maybe she was still coming to terms with what a scumbag her father was. Whatever it was Locke had more pressing concerns.
He had been less than truthful with Black during the interrogation. Far from meeting his client on Illawaraak, he had in fact been instructed to travel to an isolated sector of space far from any of the main shipping lanes. The instructions had said to search until he picked up a signal. All very mysterious and Locke was very much on edge.
He in was still searching when Alexa finally put in an appearance. “Mind if I watch?”
Locke shrugged. “Just don’t touch anything.”
Not picking up on his need for silence she continued. “You have a lot of army mementos for someone who hated it.”
Locke was tempted to say that was none of her business but instead he replied. “Just because I hate the army doesn’t mean I want to forget the guys I was with, I was their sergeant. I keep the medals and pictures to remind me never to take responsibility for others again. The cost is to high.”
“Do you feel responsible for me?”
Before Locke could answer the Annabelle interrupted. “Signal detected.”
Locke set course for a large non descript asteroid.
“That’s it?” Said Alexa. “I was expecting something more.”
Locke shrugged. “As long as I get my money, he can decorate however he wants.”
“Incoming message,” reported the Annabelle. If Locke was expecting a warm welcome, he didn’t receive it. Instead he got a short set of instructions on how to land in the asteroid’s flight deck, which was situated deep inside one of it’s caves.
“Well here goes nothing,” said Locke as he eased the Annabelle through the rocky labyrinth, grimacing only slightly as the Annabelle came within centimetres of scraping the sides of the opening. “Jeez! Couldn’t this guy couldn’t have made things a little easier,” he complained.
“I thought this would be easy for a hotshot pilot like yourself.”
“I’ve had a hard day,” said Locke. “I like a break between challenges.” As he eased round another corner, he came out into a large cavern, two massive metallic doors barring his way. Locke was about to curse when they slowly began to open. Beyond the doors lay a blue force field to hold in the asteroid’s atmosphere. Locke manoeuvred the Annabelle through the field, and into the flight deck. Behind him the doors started to close.
Apart from a couple of ships and some crates the bay was deserted. “This place is deader then my bank account, lucky I like mysteries,” said Locke. He carefully set the ship down and shut down her systems. As he did so, a light started flashing above one of several entrances leading into the flight deck.
“I guess that’s my cue,” said Locke. He grabbed the idol and said. “I shouldn’t be more then a few hours. I’ve set the security system so don’t touch anything. There are some movie cubes and books in the crew room. Stay out of the bottom drawer. Later.”
“You can’t just leave me here! What if you don’t come back?”
Locke sighed, he would have preferred to leave Alexa here, but she had a point. “Fine you can come. But I go first and you do everything I say. Understand?”
“Whatever you say. Do I get a gun?”
Locke laughed. “Yeah I’m going to trust you with a gun. You have your father’s sense of humour.”
“Stepfather.”
“Whatever, you’re not getting a gun.”
They stepped out of the Annabelle and into the flight deck. Idol in one arm and blaster in the other Locke said. “Any shooting starts, find a good place to hide.”
“That’s the best you got,” said Alexa. “Hide.”
“Run, duck, hide, as long as you don’t get in front of my blaster we won’t have a problem.”
“Comforting as ever,” she murmured.
Locke gave her a wink. “I aim to please.”
As they walked through the entranceway, the door slammed shut sealing them into the corridor with no way to get out. The pair exchanged glances and Locke said. “Just a precaution I’m sure.”
The passageway they entered was lined with pipes and tubes of all sorts along the walls, the ceiling and floor was covered in a metallic mesh. Every so often steam would come hissing out at them. They had been walking for about five minutes through an elaborate maze of passageways when Locke said. “Pretty spooky, eh?”
When Alexa didn’t respond he turned around to see she wasn’t there. “Crap!”
Locke worked his way back expecting to see her further along, but he got all the way back to the door and there was no sign of her. There was no way she could have got out. Locke knew whatever had happened, the people here were responsible and they were back at the other end of the passageway.
Redoubling his efforts he finally reached the door at the other end. It slid open before him and he stepped out into a massive chamber carved out of the rook. Expensive looking art decorated the walls. The door closed behind him and Locke knew he wasn’t leaving until things were settled one way or another.
There was a viewport at the far end of the chamber and beside it a chair looking out into space. A pair of automatic laser cannons mounted in the ceiling swivelled in his direction. A deep metallic voice said to him. “Greetings Mr Locke. I see you have finally arrived with my package.”
“Actually it’s my package until I get the rest of my money and you return the girl. That’s non negotiable.”
Locke’s unseen client replied. “Brave words coming from a man with two laser cannons pointed at him. What makes you think I have the girl?”
“She didn’t just vanish into thin air,” Locke paused as something occurred to him. “Unless you have one of those vaporizing guns. In which case I’m gonna be pretty angry, because I promised to let her go.”
“Calm yourself Mr Locke. The girl is quite fine. In fact she’s right here.” The chair spun around to reveal Alexa sitting there quite smugly. She flicked a switch transforming her voice back to normal. “A voice sympathizer, old fashioned, but it works. Do you like my hideout? It’s an old converted mine.”
Locke felt a headache coming on. “I’m sorry I’ve had a long couple of days, can you point those cannons somewhere else and tell me what the hell is going on?”
Alexa laughed. “Just having a little fun, Sam. Don’t worry they’re not even charged.”
“What is this all about?”
“I thought that was obvious. I’m the one who hired you to transport the idol. In an ideal world of course I wouldn’t be here and you would have handed it off to my automated systems. But I didn’t know Daddy had trackers on all his art. That screwed things up royally.”
Locke shook his head disbelievingly. “You’re behind all of this?”
Alexa nodded. “That’s right. I’ve been planning it for some time. That one little statue is going to set me up for life. Annoying father is a happy bonus. Of course I hadn’t figured on having to save you, that was a last minute addition to the plan.”
Locke raised his hands. “Hey I was doing fine, I could have easily escaped without your help.”
“Sure you could have. In fact everything has worked out better than planned. Now I can blame my disappearance on you.”
“Glad I could help,” grumbled Locke.
Locke looked at her with sneaking admiration. “You have a real set of brass ones, I’ll give you that. How did you know I wouldn’t kill you?”
“I had you checked out, despite your time in the army, you’re not a killer, Sam. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re not planning to kill me are you?”
“What sort of person do you think I am?” She threw a package at him. “Here’s the rest of your money as agreed. Feel free to count it.”
He stuffed the package into his pocket. “Nah you have an honest face.”
Alexa laughed.
“So what happens now?”
“I deliver the idol, then I disappear with a stack of money. I’d advise you to keep a low profile my step father can bear a grudge, but he quickly loses interest and he’ll soon find some other escapade to occupy his time.”
“That’s a relief,” said Locke. “I hate to have more then three guys after me at one time.” He went serious for a moment. “Look none of my business, but you want someone to watch your back at this transfer?”
She smiled tightly. "I'm used to doing things on my own, Sam."
“So am I,” said Locke. “But I always like to see things through to the end. Spacer’s Code Rule two. What do you say?”
Alexa’s face softened. “A friendly face would be appreciated.”
“Great,” said Locke. “When do we go?”
Alexa smiled. “It’s not for another two days. Until then you can stay in the spare room and tell me colourful tales of smuggling.”
Locke grinned and walked up to her. “Well now, let me tell you about Vinnie the Sorlock. Say you got anything to drink around here?”
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Feature Story
