Chapter 6: Chapter 2.2: Reward

      For all its grime and age, the station of Galli had an impressive shipyard. It was capable of lodging four super-carrier class vessels, although it hadn’t seen a battleship in centuries. The base’s dockyards were currently wide open, with only tiny ships occupying one of its vast compartments. The largest of these craft was the Star of Argon, which barely cast a shadow across the chamber. 

      Looking at it from the outside, it resembled a solid brick with stubby wings. Its bow was bent into a spike, while its hull was decorated with ancient cannon batteries. Two massive engines were built deep within the superstructure, and their exhaust shafts stood out from the stern of the ship. The outer hull was painted pitch black, except for thin layers of metallic silver where the paint had chipped away.

      Jesse Resim had only given a courtesy glance over the ships history. Built seventy eight standard years ago, it was originally a freight hauler. For the first three decades of its life, the Star of Argon carried cities worth of grain from the agri-worlds of Darion to the V’Hani cluster. 

      There was a sizable gap in its history from that point until it was converted into a troop hauler. It served in the Great War, and was one of thousands of supply ships following the slaughter of star systems. After ten years of sitting in moth-ball fleet, it was purchased by the Pilgrims Corporation, and retrofitted for colonial transport. 

      None of that mattered to him though, it was just minor details for a job he couldn’t wait to finish. Jesse Resim cursed as he tried to pry open a security panel near the emergency exit of the colony ship. He was desperate to get it open before he had to board. It took nearly thirty minutes of frustration, and a hefty bribe to one of the security guards not to monitor the drones, for him to find a suitable spot to smuggle his contraband. 

      Just as his fingers found purchase against the seam of the panel, he slipped, causing the metal to pinch him. Jesse yanked his hand back, and then slammed his other fist into the panel as he screamed.

      “You stupid son of a bitch!” He slammed his fist against the bare metal again, causing it to crack open. “There! You see that! Not that hard is it?” 

      Jesse wanted to grab the wrench, and continue to pound against the security panel without mercy. It took everything in him to resist the temptation. 

      “You realize what will happen if you tear off that panel?” The voice came from behind him. Jesse’s stomach dropped. 

      He slowly turned around to see a tall man standing nearby, his arms were crossed over his broad chest. Jesse didn’t recognize him, but he wore a pilots flak jacket, and had a cigar in his mouth.

      “I wasn’t doing anything,” Jesse stammered. 

      “I beg to differ. But you never answered my question. Do you know what happens when you screw up a panel like that?” The stranger smirked as he spoke. He had such a smooth voice, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. 

      Jesse gripped the wrench tighter, “I was only trying to fix it—“

      The strange pilot cut him off, “That panel ensures the emergency hatch doesn’t improperly open in the cold vacuum. If it were broken…that would be bad.” He took a step forward, “Let me speak in lamens terms. You screw up that panel, you threaten the safety of everyone on board the ship. Now this girl’s tough, it’ll take more than a wrench to break her, but I don’t think the captain would like hearing about this.” 

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      Jesse tried to take a couple steps back, he found there was nowhere to go. He swore silently, not sure what to do.

      “So what the hell are you doing?” The pilot asked again, this time with gusto. 

      “Nothing?”

      “Dust?” The question was very direct. The pilot cocked his head to the side as he looked at the strange parcel tucked in Jesse’s pocket. 

     Jesse dropped the wrench in surprise. The small pouch of illicit drugs suddenly felt ten pounds heavier.

      “If you have any dust, might as well give it to me. I’ll stow it on my own fighter.” The pilot shrugged. “I’ll charge you a transportation fee, but no one will ever know it was on board.”

      Jesse regretted accepted the job then and there. He didn’t even want to take it in the first place. He simply needed the extra surplus in cash to afford the ticket to Sinmore. Smuggling some highly expensive drugs on the way seemed like a petty thing. He certainly wasn’t about to sacrifice his life, or freedom for that matter, over it. Then again, he wondered what the dealer would think about it, if he handed the package to this stranger? “I don’t even know you.”

      “Thats right you don’t, which means I could just shoot you right here, and now, without a second thought. Then I can just go tell the captain I found a smuggler trying to mess with his girl.” He motioned to the colony ship with a wave. “Or…you could take my offer, and see what happens.”

      Shit, Jesse slumped. His hands shook as he handed the pilot the parcel.

      “Ok you can have it,” Jesse’s throat suddenly felt dry as he surrendered the precious contraband. 

      Reward took the package, smiled, and drew his sidearm with such lightning reflexes, that Jesse didn’t see in time to hear the roar of its discharge.

      “Thanks for the dust, asshole.” Reward turned around and left the mangled corpse behind.

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