So much for being millionaires. The delivery was a complete failure. We’re lucky to even be alive, and the Jackyl’s in rough shape. I want to scream right now. Fresno is in the other room, just staring out the starboard window. We had a huge argument and now he refuses to speak to me. Can’t say I blame him. I dragged him into this mess.The day started out well enough. Fresno and I got a good night sleep, and blasted off from Namir around 800A. We had to meet our contact on Alcira at 1100A, so we had plenty of time. When B.T. and I had spoken yesterday, he told me that I would be able to gas up the Jackyl at the contact point, and since we still had more than a half a tank of gas, I didn’t bother to fill up before we took off.
There was still the issue of the fake ID, however. I contacted Sol shortly after take off to see if he had any IDs good enough to get us past the Dominion Scanning Probes that he could sell me on the cheap. As expected, Sol played hardball, reminding me that I hadn’t yet paid him for the last fake ID I purchased a few months ago. I pushed back, telling him that I would make enough money from this job to pay him back and then some. Sol wouldn’t budge, saying that because I owed him money, the lowest he could go was 4500 credits for the fake ID.
Pitt had only fronted us 3,000 credits, so we needed to scrounge up another 1,500 credits quickly. Fresno and I had about 1,700 in our account, but I couldn’t just upload it to Sol without Fresno’s consent. Fresno wasn’t happy about it, but finally agreed (after some arguing) to let me upload his share to Sol to pay for the Fake ID. Took a few minutes for the money to transfer. Once Sol saw the credits in his account, he uploaded the Fake ID information to the Jackyl. I promised to pay Sol for the other ID once we finished the job. “You mean IF you finish the job,” Sol replied sarcastically, and then disconnected.
It was about that time that the Jackyl shuddered violently. A small asteroid had clipped the ship. Usually, the Jackyl’s NaviComputer will compensate for unforeseen rocks, debris, etc., but I had to momentarily disconnect the NaviComputer to install the new, fake ship ID information and set the E.I.s to display Dominion marks. I quickly reactivated the NaviComputer and did a damage assessment. I checked the ship’s outer shell using the external cameras. The asteroid had left a small dent on the rear side – nothing major. If it had penetrated the hull we’d have been finished.
Satisfied that the ship was still in good, working condition, I selected a safe course for Alcira and activated the jumpers. Took us only a little over two hours to get there. We came out of our jump a few starlines short of the large green planet. Two large Class 1 Interceptors (most likely filled with hundreds of NightHawks) and several Scanning Probes were the only things standing between us and our payday. The checkpoints were swarmed with Dominion delivery ships of all shapes and sizes, waiting in line to be inspected by the Scanning Probes before being allowed to enter Alciran airspace. The fake ID that Sol sold us disguised our ship as a Crotaran Delivery Vessel, delivering parts from the Crotaran Alloy Mines for a new addition to the Main Dominion Capitol Building.
Security was tight (and I was nervous) but I tried to look as calm as possible. I didn’t want to make Fresno more fidgety than he already was. I hadn’t seen him so jumpy since Illiasa. We approached slowly and fell in line with the rest of the waiting ships. I knew at that point that there was no turning back. The line of ships moved slowly, with each ship ahead of us being x-ray scanned from bow to stern. After about 10 minutes, only two ships separated us from the Dominion’s Scanning Probe.
Finally it was our turn. I set the ship to neutral and let it calmly drift into position under the probe’s awaiting x-ray mechanism. Just then, our internal comm beeped, indicating we had an incoming transmission. I turned my attention to the cockpit console terminal, and saw the image of a Dominion Commander staring back at me. The DC ordered us to upload our Ship Identification. “Just relax and let me handle this okay?” I said to Fresno, trying to sound confident as I uploaded the phony ship ID to the probe’s database. “Everything will go smoothly, trust me.” Took about 30 seconds for the DC to verify the information that I had uploaded (it felt a lot longer). Finally, the DC turned back to the screen, said “Crotaran Mining Transport 231-36, you are cleared for scan,” and disconnected.
Fresno and I let out a collective sigh. The worst of it was over. Or so we thought.
We held our breath one more time as the Scanning Probe passed over the Jackyl. The Probe had just finished its pass, and I was about to proceed, when its alarm sounded:
“You are carrying an illegal substance. This is a violation of Dominion Code 11-a. Please shut down your engines and prepare to be boarded...”
At first I thought the alarm was for another ship, and it took a few seconds for me to realize that the alarm was being directed at us. I turned to Fresno, who was staring at me in disbelief. I wasn’t sure how this could be happening. The rock was secured and covered. I had checked it myself before we left. There was no way the Probe could detect its signature -- Unless the tarp had somehow come loose. Then it hit me: the asteroid. When that asteroid hit us it must have knocked the tarp loose. I can’t believe I didn’t think to check it after the collision, but I was so focused on just getting to Alcira.
There was no time to waste. I looked outside the front viewport. Two NightHawks had been deployed from one of the Interceptors in order to detain us, and were quickly heading our way. We only had three options: We could gun it full speed towards Alcira, hoping to make our delivery before the entire Dominion Armada blasted us out of the sky (no thanks), stay where we were and try to explain why we were delivering a banned substance to the Dominion Capital, or get the hell out of there.
Need less to say, I went with the third option.
I shifted the Jackyl into overdrive, rocketing us away from the Scanning Probes and the pair of approaching NightHawks. Fresno had to grip the sides of his seat to keep from falling off. I checked the radar: Only the two NightHawks were following us. I wasn’t sure if the move had caught the Dominion off guard, or if they just didn’t perceive us as enough of a threat to deploy more ships. Three additional Interceptors suddenly appeared in the distance, answering my question. The Dominion was obviously not taking any chances this close to the capital city.
I told Fresno to grab a gun and keep the NightHawks off our tail. As mad as I could tell Fresno was, he just nodded and quickly ran to the back of the ship. I then shifted the shields to stern. It slowed us a bit, but I couldn’t take the chance of having one of our thrusters disabled. Dominion Interceptors could shoot the beak off a Gizar from a half a starfield away. I shifted the ship to full throttle, hoping we could outrun the NightHawks. The Jackyl bucked momentarily before accelerating, and we quickly distanced ourselves from the pursuing cruisers. But the victory was short lived. In seconds the NightHawks had made up the difference, and had begun firing upon us. Shots bounced off of the rear shields, shaking the Jackyl, but I somehow managed to steady it.
I banked the ship hard to the right as another volley of laser fire whizzed past. I noticed one of the NightHawks had broken formation in an attempt to flank us. I forced the Jackyl hard to the left, hoping to give us some breathing room, but instead found ourselves staring straight at one of the three Interceptors that had quickly moved into position. They were trying to box us in. Gunfire from the Interceptors zipped by on all sides. We were in trouble — flanked on either side. Fresno was doing his best to distract the pursuing ships, but was having minimal success slowing the NightHawks. I knew we didn’t have much time. We needed to get out of there, fast. The jumpers were 90% charged. I just needed to buy us another minute and we were home free.
Just then a shot from one of the Interceptors slammed the ship. I scrambled to check the damage. A flashing red panel on the cockpit dashboard told me all I needed to know – the jumpers were fried. The Interceptor had now closed the gap between us (they may be big, but those things are quick). I yelled to Fresno to forget the guns and to instead try and fix the jumpers. With the jumpers busted, it was just a matter of time before the Dominion either captured us or blasted us out of the sky.
We needed to do something quick.
I activated the holomap and pulled up the immediate area. I saw there was a small asteroid field a few starlines away, and I quickly steered the Jackyl towards it. The Interceptors wouldn’t follow us into the floating mess, and it’d buy us some time to get the jumpers fixed, granted we didn’t get smashed by any of the asteroids. As I suspected, the Interceptors didn’t follow, which only left our two friends. I zigzagged through the maze of floating rock and ice, doing my best to dodge the NightHawk’s gunfire. I noticed one of the NightHawks had disappeared from my radar. They were trying to flank us again. I guided the Jackyl around a large asteroid and across another field strewn with more of the same. The pursuing NightHawk, however, had somehow managed to gain on me, despite all of my efforts to put some space between us. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the other NightHawk off to the right before it vanished behind a large ice chunk. Another large asteroid shifted my attention back to the front viewport, and it took all of my strength to steer the Jackyl clear of it. The plan to lose the NightHawks hadn’t worked, the shields were practically drained, and we were close to exiting the asteroid field.
I called to Fresno to give me a status on the jumpers and, thankfully, he yelled back that they were fixed. Without wasting another second, I punched the jump button. A large wormhole appeared before us, and we passed through it. There was no time for calculations. A second later a flash of light engulfed us, and the NightHawks and Interceptors disappeared.
We had escaped. Barely.
Once we were in hyperspace Fresno stormed to the front and gave me a piece of his mind. He pretty much reiterated what I already knew: Not only would we not be millionaires, but we had also bankrupted ourselves. Fresno and I yelled back and forth for a few minutes before he finally told me to go to hell. He then stormed out of the cockpit. I was half tempted to yell a nasty reply, but I knew Fresno was right. I promised him we’d pull this off. I planted the idea of early retirement in his head. Now, because of me, we’re both back to square one.
Maybe Sun was right. Maybe I should just give up this cargo running business and find myself a real job. Settle down. Go work for my father in the Void, far away from the Dominion’s curfews, ridiculous laws, high taxes, and death squads. Maybe that’s what I should do. Fresno would figure things out. He’d probably be better off without me, anyway.
I just checked the NaviComputer’s course. Seems we’re currently heading to Antoich, in the Void. Should be there in about 30 minutes. Not the most optimal destination, but we really didn’t have a choice with those two NightHawks in hot pursuit.
Going to contact Pitt now and let him know the delivery failed. He’s not going to be happy. I’ll deal with Fresno later. I don’t have the energy for another argument.
- C
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