Star Road (11 page)

“That was
muy intensivo
,” the Chippie said as he walked past her to get to the airlock. “I got most of it chipped ... right up until when that guy jumped. Then he was too close to the ship. Would have been so freakin’
real!”

“Good for you,” Jordan said.

When he got to the door, he checked the readouts, made sure the pressure inside and outside the airlock had equalized. Then he punched the button.

As the door slid open, he stepped back to take a quick measure of the man standing there.

Slightly built but strong looking. Wiry ... dark, intense blue-green eyes.

Eyes that said he’d seen and done things.

Calm ... self-assured, especially considering the nightmare he’d just escaped.

He was sure the man was quickly assessing him as well.

“Welcome aboard,” Jordan said as he stepped past him and into the airlock to retrieve the man’s pistol—an Armstrong 49.

Nice piece of weaponry. Lot of kick. And not cheap.

“You the gunner?”

Jordan nodded.

“That was some fine work you did just now.”

Jordan nodded again. Then: “Your name again?”

“Ahh, Gage ... Gage Mitchell.”

Why the hesitation?
Jordan wondered.

“And you are ... ?”

“Jordan.”

When they shook hands, Jordan became aware that this new passenger, Gage Mitchell, was still taking his measure.

Guy thinks he’s tough ... and maybe he is.

And:
What’s he doing out here, roading solo?

“Thanks again for stopping,” Gage said. “That was a little closer than I cared for.”

“Good thing you jumped when you did. You hurt?”

Gage smiled. “A few aches. Bruises. Nothing to worry about.”

“Good. Captain’ll be down in a bit to talk to you. In the meantime”—he nodded toward the lavatory at the back of the vehicle—”you might want to get out of that suit and clean yourself up before you settle in. Close quarters here.”

“Sounds good, thanks,” he said.

Jordan watched Gage as he started down the aisle, ignoring the other passengers until...

The Chippie reached up and grabbed Gage’s arm at the elbow.

“There’s an empty seat across from me. I’d like to ... get to know you better.”

But the new arrival shook her off, ignoring her—and all the others staring at him—as he entered the lavatory and closed the door.

~ * ~

Back in the cockpit, Jordan sat down in his seat and strapped himself in.

“So ... what’ve we got?” Annie asked.

Her fingers played across the controls, making adjustments as the SRV resumed its normal speed.

“Beats me,” Jordan replied.

“Anyone get roadsick back there when we decelerated?”

“Not that I could smell.”

Annie nodded. “Good. I’ll go back and have a little chat with him in a bit.”

~ * ~

“Excuse me.”

Ruth leaned over and touched the arm of the man they just rescued, sitting across from her.

“This might sound, I don’t know, strange. But don’t you think it’s wrong to kill those Road Bugs?”

The man glanced at her and shrugged. She could see that he saw her for what—not who—she was, a Seeker, and dismissed her.

“I mean, the Builders made them to protect the Road—”

Ruth was aware the Chippie was watching them both, always recording ... even this simple question.

“Builders, hmm?” Gage said. “Never met one. And those things? No different from shooting a sonic cleaner or a blender.”

Exactly the answer she expected.

So ignorant,
she thought.

Still, the man, his voice, the way his eyes caught the light—he had charisma, no doubt about that.

Which is probably why the Chippie kept turning around and looking at him.

“That’s funny,” the Chippie said. “Blender ...”

“Still,” Ruth said, “if the Builders made them, we should treat them with the utmost respect. This is
their
Road.”

“The only thing that gets respect—especially as far out as I’m going—is a gun and someone, like that Jordan guy, who knows how to use it.”

Ruth lowered her head.

Pointless.

This guy was just another arrogant jerk who had bullied his way through life, taking what he wanted and damn everyone else.

Still, she had to try.

“Respect isn’t something you
get,”
she said, straightening her shoulders. “It’s something you earn.”

Then he turned to her.

“Is this a church or an SRV?” Gage sniffed with laughter at that and then, leaning closer and eyeing her steadily: “You keep on believing that, Sister. Live and let live. Me? I’ll use the Road for anything and everything I can get from it.”

Ruth thought,
Right... an arrogant jerk.

She turned away from him just as the cockpit door opened, and the captain came down the flight of stairs.

~ * ~

Moving quickly, Annie walked down the aisle and stopped in front of Gage.

She placed both hands on the seats and leaned down toward him.

“Hi. Annie Scott,” she said, extending a hand. The man shook it. A strong handshake.

This guy’s no office worker.

“Your flight plan checks out with what I have in my computer. But I’ll still want to send a pod back for confirmation once we reach the way station.”

“No problem,” Gage said.

“I’m curious what you’re doing out along this route in a solo. Kinda unusual. And dangerous.”

“Heading to Omega Nine ... like you, I guess, if you’re going to the end of the line.”

“Yeah, but... a solo?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And what’s your business on Omega Nine?”

He smiled. The answer total bullshit.

“Family stuff.”

“You have family on Omega Nine?”

Gage nodded and said, “Last time I checked—yeah. But, rescue or not, I don't see where it’s any of your business. I do appreciate you stopping and saving my skin—for following the code.”

“We don’t get an option with that,” she said.

She thought:
This guy needs to be watched. Something’s…off.

“And no worries—I’ll make sure to transfer the transportation fee to your account when we get to the way station. What way station is it, anyway?”

“Way Station One—Epsilon Two Sector. So, why a solo?” the captain asked again.

“Only ship I could find at the time.”

“So why not this SRV? I had a few empty seats.”

The man shrugged.

“I left before you did.”

“In a hurry?”

“You could say that. Still... I don’t see where that’s any of your business.”

“Right. Okay. Good chatting. Just make sure you’re no trouble to any of my paying passengers. Or me ... or my SRV. Understand?”

“Perfectly.”

Then she turned and walked back to the cockpit.

~ * ~

Ruth watched the captain leave and then looked back at Gage, slouched in his seat, hands folded across his stomach.

He looked at her and smiled.

He
likes
playing with people.

As if this
is all a game.

Just like too many people she had met in her life. People like him were the reason she had joined the Seekers in the first place.

To get away from people who would say or do anything as long as they got what they wanted.

“If you don’t mind ... he said, smile fading. His voice was low, edged with fatigue. “I’d just as soon not have any more sermons for the time being. That all right with you?”

Ruth stared at him for a moment, then adjusted her cowl as she turned to the window.

~ * ~

Ivan looked around at the other passengers.

Some of them—especially the Chippie—were watching him as well. The old-timer up front was dead to the world. The guy across from him looked like he was gone—lost in whatever chip he was using.

Behind him, a twitchy guy eyes flickering around the passengers’ quarter and then stopping on Ivan a few too many times.

But Ivan was glad there were so few of them.

It would make his masquerade a little easier to pull off.

Except for that gunner, Jordan.

Good gunner, no doubt. Rock solid. Someone who kept his guns and his suspicions close.

And what would he do if, for some reason, after all the planning, all the steps taken to make sure this worked ... what if someone found out?

He needed to rest now, but even after a sonic shower in the lavatory, he felt wired. Maybe a few som-tabs would calm him down.

Too bad he had left his belongings in his vehicle—other than his pistol, which Jordan now had.

Just the clothes on my back,
he thought.

Still—despite uncountable times on the Road performing maneuvers in places where there were no ramps—and Star Road portals could be anywhere, between mountaintops, hovering over vast chemical seas—Ivan kept a tight grip on the arms of his seat.

A primitive reflex.

As if that would help if shit got real.

Or was he feeling wound up because of his recent brush with death?

All those Road Bugs. So close...

No. He’d seen and fought plenty of those in his time with the Runners.

More than likely, he was worried Jordan had already seen through his “Gage Mitchell” routine. He’d had some micro-sculpting done on his face back on Earth, but when he looked in the mirror, he still saw his own face—Ivan Delgato.

Maybe Jordan did, too?

Like the other passengers, he was as firmly strapped into the seat as he could be.

He didn’t like it. He should be piloting.

I don’t make a good passenger.

It didn’t help that he was unarmed and at the mercy of this Captain Annie Scott.

He looked out the porthole to his right. The light show and visuals of warped space were all hypnotizing. The display of interweaving colors and lights outside the SRV soon had him shutting his eyes. Sleep... would be good.

And then, just as he was dipping deeply into unconsciousness, the feeling so soothing, the cabin PA chimed, and Captain Annie Scott’s voice yanked him violently awake.

“Attention passengers—”

~ * ~

10

BOARDING PARTY

“Just thought you’d want to
know we’re coming up on Way Station One in the Epsilon Two Sector.”

As she spoke, Annie fixed her focus on the forward screen, adjusting it for random fluctuations in the forces surrounding the SRV.

“Our layover will be three hours. Once we’ve docked and cleared security, it’ll be a good chance for you to get out and stretch your legs. Get some fresh air. Indigenous life on Epsilon Two has some dangerous predators, so I highly recommend that you stay within the confines of the terminal.”

What am I? A tour guide? A babysitter? If anybody wants to venture outside and get eaten ... so be it.

Then she focused all of her attention on the screens and readouts flashing in front of her.

“All good?” she asked.

“Looking fine,” Jordan answered.

“Portal entry in—”

She checked some more readouts. Toggled some switches.

“Five ... four ... three ... two ... one ... contact.”

Once again, the physical dimensions of the cabin—and the entire ship— altered.

Only this time, everything shortened as if the world—or the ship, anyway—was now at the wrong end of an old-fashioned telescope.

Annie enjoyed the rush of reentry. She hoped her passengers were ready for it. Even after doing this scores, if not hundreds, of times, she braced herself for the wave of strangeness that was a portal exit.

Fortunately, the physical and mental effects didn’t last long.

She blinked, needing to focus quickly now.

The approach ramp appeared directly below her SRV.

Easy... easy...

Touchdown.

The SRV shuddered when it impacted physical reality, and then it started rolling along the long entry ramp. Its wheels squealed inside the cockpit as Annie braked the vehicle.

“Easy now ... easy …”

This landing was trickier than most. Epsilon was a jungle planet—with some rugged terrain. Giant cliffs could pop up anywhere.

The approach ramps hadn’t been laid straight. Like many planets with Star Road portals, the ramp curved and angled in a variety of directions to accommodate the topography.