“I just hope he doesn’t throw us into the middle of another war zone.”

  “Lucky for us there isn’t a war going on right now.”

  Kat leaves Gravan to mess around with his knives and to call Bob. There is something about him that creeps her out when Bob looks at her. She isn’t quite sure if its the way he looks at everyone or just her. Sure she thinks he isn’t a bad guy, but he does give off a heavy creeper vibe and would not want to be stuck in a room alone with him. It would take Gravan about an hour to contact Bob and find a suitable job, which left her with some free time. Free time means game time.

  Walking back into her quarters she lays down on the bed, and sets up a nest of pillows and blankets. Whisper had been downloading things across the interstellar-net and had found a few virtual reality games that were meant for large rooms and full VR gear. Whisper was able to let Kat play them just using her interface. Gaming was something Kat had been getting more and more into. There was a lot of free time between ports. Gravan was spending more and more time in the armory, so there wasn’t much else for her to do. She could read all those romance novels that Whisper downloads, but she already knows them all.

  Kat says laying down in her pile of fluffiness, “Hey Whisper, can you load up that game we were playing yesterday.”

  “Yes I can load that for you, but don’t you think there are better things to spend your time on. Like expanding your meat brain through reading, or cleaning your cybernetics that you have been failing to do.”

  “Just load the game I don’t need a lecture.”

  “What if I forced you to get up and clean yourself?”

  “Whisper I clean myself everyday with a shower, so what are you talking about?”

  “Your cybernetics need a tuneup. Not that I would expect an ape to understand, but your body is part machine. Which means maintenance. This is something I can do, but we have to go to the medical bay.”

  Kat had been avoiding anything dealing with her cybernetics. It was around the same time Gravan came into her life. She had almost died in an explosion her psycho ex-lover had setup. He then saved her life by rebuilding her with cybernetics in an attempt to keep controlling her. She hated being part machine and he knew it.

  “Look Whisper, just load up the new Blizzard game already. I’m itching to play it.”

  Whisper laughs, “Itching huh. Sounds like you need that tuneup more than I thought.”

  “Ugh, Whisper. Your my friend and companion, not my mother. So stop acting like it.”

  “Katrice, you need to take better care of yourself. It doesn’t matter if you like your cybernetics or not, you have them and need to take care of them.”

  Kat sighs, “So I guess that means no gaming right now?”

  “Nope, get your fleshbag moving to the med-bay so I can give you a tuneup.”

  Kat crawls out of the comfortable pile and lets out a groan. She didn’t want to get a tuneup, nor did she believe that humans should have to get tuneups. It was turning out to be one of those days for her where everything seemed against her. She could always go back to bed and just forget this day ever happened, but ignores the urge. As she walks to the med-bay thoughts of Gravan bubble to the surface. There were so anything things about the man she still didn’t know. Then there was the recent pull away. Right after they left Bexar Omega he started to get distant. The first few jobs they took were medicine supply runs to banned planets. The diseases were so bad on the surface they had to use orbital drops to deliver the goods. After that was planet Nix. It even left her with a bad taste in her mouth after that one.

  She could always try lingerie, but doesn’t think she needs to resort to that just yet. Talking would be the first step, which she just hasn’t done. Mainly because she doesn’t think she has too. He’s the one missing out on all that is her, and she knows he loves her. So he should be the one to come to her first. They were all over each other for months and now its been months. He should apologize or do something romantic. She nods her head in agreement to her thoughts.

  Whisper asks her to take off her clothes. She rolls her eyes and does it. Looking down at her leg, still exposed from when Gravan and her met. A shotgun blaster to her cybernetic leg. It was something that was like a memento and reminder all in one. She runs her finger across the metal, and it has a slight warmth to it thanks to the composite flesh surrounding it.

  Resealing the composite flesh that is covering her cybernetics would have been simple to do, but she just hasn’t been able to make herself go do it. There has been a lot that has happened, but maybe it’s time to get it done. The medical bay on Felicity’s was one of the best in the solar systems, so she hopes it can.

  Kat gathers up the courage to ask Whisper about covering the exposed parts. Not really sure if that is something she really wants.

  “Hey Whisper, do you have the ability to fix the hole in my composite flesh?”

  “The equipment is here if that’s what you’re asking. If you’re asking if I can do it, then no. I don’t have the programing. Plus I think you look better that way. It makes me feel like you are more like me, and I like that.”

  “More like you, as in the human hating AI that reads trashy novels all day long.”

  “They are not trashy. They are every bit as good as regular fiction just with some added spice.”

  “So is that what you call it? Ouch, watch that.”

  Whisper laughs, “Oh did I do that. I’ll have to watch myself better next time because your distracting me.”

  “How am I looking?” Kat says hopefully.

  “Not good.”

  “Ok, and that means what?”

  “That you might have had another week tops before you killed yourself.”

  “What!?”

  Whisper lets out a sigh, which was always impressive to Kat because she didn’t have the lungs. “Your cybernetics need cleaning. In about a week from my guess, your heart would have stopped working. It’s half cybernetic if you didn’t know. Plus the vision in your right eye is down. Didn’t you notice it was hard to see?”

  Kat didn’t know that. She’s going to have to be more careful from now on. Her dream is almost in her grasp and to die early for such a silly reason as not keeping her parts clean won’t do.

  “No I didn’t notice. So how would I clean everything?” Kat asks confused.

  “Just a cleaning like this once every three to four months is fine. You’ve been a whole year and a half without one. I’m actually surprised nothing happen sooner, now that I think about it.”

  Gravan’s voice fills the room from the speakers, “Hey Kitty Kat, got two choices on a job.”

  “What are they?”

  “One is on planet Starz for a delivery, but I can’t seem to contact the recipient for confirmation. The other is with a Stewardess named B, and I was able to get in contact with her rep.”

  “I am not transporting around a whore, so how much for the Starz delivery?”

  “Enough to cover our expenses, but something just doesn’t seem right.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because we are only hauling medical supplies. Normal ones, nothing special. Which makes me worried because there is nothing restricted about the planet.”

  “Good thing we have a stolen high tech personnel carrier with stealth flight. What does it matter, if it makes what we need then all the better. Plus not having to cater to those Stewardess whores makes it all the better.”

  “The job with B would be easier and quicker, but ok. I still don’t trust this one, because it’s too normal. Also the stealth systems only work if someone doesn’t just look out a window.”

  “How often are you looking out windows?”

  “That’s not the point.”

  “Honey, we’re taking the job.”

  Gravan signs. “I thought you would say that. I told Bob we were the ship for the job, and the cargo is on the way.”

  Sneak Peak 2

  Kat turns to Gravan from the cockpit and says, “Bob didn’t tell you about this did he?”

  Roughly two hundred Guild warships were orbiting the planet on one side. On the other, two hundred Glutton ships. Each side in what appeared to be a standoff, neither side firing a weapon or moving.

  Gravan folds him arms and mumbles something to himself before he says aloud, “Remind me to have a talk with Bob about what he considers an easy job.”

  Whisper says, “Would you like me to get Bob on the line?”

  Gravan shakes his head, “No, not yet. We don’t really know what’s going on here, but I’m going to wager not good.”

  Fury says, “Should I get our weapon systems up?”

  Kat hastily says, “NO, don’t do that. They might start shooting at us. We might be able to take on a few ships, but not two hundred.”

  Gravan places his hand on Kat’s shoulder. “So what’s the plan?”

  Kat turns her head to Gravan, then back to the screen. She doesn’t know what to do. They already accepted the job, and if they turn back it could mean their reputation for always finishing a job goes away. If they try to go in, they might just get shot into space-dust. The stealth systems could get them down to the planet, but leaving would be a problem. There is always the drop and run, but again its risky because she can’t guarantee her delivery. Before she gets the chance to finish her thoughts, a call comes through on screen from the Guild ships.

  A tall woman with curly red hair poof’ng out is waiting for the call to be accepted. Kat tells Whisper to answer it, and her green eyes are burning with skepticism.

  She says, “Who are you, and why are you in the no fly zone?”

  Kat looks back at Gravan, who shakes his head. It was the first they had heard this was a no fly zone. They just checked the flight schedule before they left and it was all green.

  Kat turns back and answers, “I’m sorry we didn’t know this was a no fly. We check before we jumped here to Starz and everything was green. This is the Felicity, and we are carrying medical cargo for the planet.”

  The red head touches a console to her right, flicking though something. “There is no Felicity on the flight manifest for any official channels.”

  “This is a private frigate, and we don’t ask too many questions. Just trying to make a living out here. Is there some way you can let us just drop the goods and be on our way?”

  “No.”

  Kat didn’t think it would be that easy. It’s never that easy. If it was, then she would definitely know that something was up. “How about an orbital drop, we have the…” Kat gets cut off.

  “No. There will be no deliveries. We are currently in a stand off with the Foremid, and if anything gets near the planet or comes off the planet it will start a battle. We are in negotiations right now with them. Do. Not. Come any closer to the planet or we will open fire. This is your first and last warning. Commander Claiborne of the Guild vessel Ascension, out.”

  The screen cuts out.

  Gravan plops back into his chair. “That could have gone better.”

  Kat crosses her arms and slumps in her chair. “Yea it could have. Now what?”

  Whisper says, “We could go to the far side of the moon and engage the stealth.”

  Kat shakes her head, “I still don’t think that’s a good idea. And just what are the Foremid anyway? I thought that was the Gluttons out there.”

  Gravan says, “I have heard the name once, but I always thought they were a different species.”

  Whisper says, “Foremid, race of humanoid like aliens of unknown origin. Currently on the far edge of known Guild space. Their intentions are unknown, but they always take all of the technology of any battle they win and incorporate it into their ships making upgrades to them as they do.”

  Kat says in awe, “How did you know all of that?”

  “I just hacked their secure channel and started to download their databases. There’s all kinds of information in there. The encryption is as best as I’ve seen it, but nothing I can’t get though.”

  “Aren’t you just full of surprises.”

  “Please. Nothing some meatbag comes up with will stop me.”

  Kat laughs, “I guess you’re right. Anything else in there we should know about?”

  “Yes. It looks like negotiations aren’t going well. At all. There is no communication between the Guild and the Foremid. The Guild is broadcasting on an open channel but nothing is coming back. They plan on attacking in three hours.”

  Kat lets out a sigh. That doesn’t give them much time to do anything. When a battle like that happens the surface typically suffers, so who knows if their client gets the supplies they need. They could just wait it out and watch, but that could be more dangerous than trying the stealth route. Kat fiddles with her hair, running her hands though her silky black strands. That are far too oily. When was the last time she treated her hair. Thoughts that need to be saved for later, she thinks.

  She says, “Let’s call Bob. He might know more than what he gave us.”

  Thirty minutes go by before they can be him on the com. Bob is on the screen, in his chair wearing a dirty blue bathrobe that Kat could tell hasn’t been washed ever. There are bags under his tired brown eyes, and his brown hair is in a tangled mess like he just woke up.

  Bob smiles and throws his arms open wide, “Katrice it’s good to see you. The last time was…”

  Kat cuts him off, “Bob. What’s the deal with sending us into a war-zone? Plus don’t you understand the meaning of easy?”

  Bob holds his hands in the air, palms facing Kat, “Sorry. I just got word about the no fly. The job is still an easy one. Well, easy for you two.”

  “Bob I swear, the next time I see you I’m going to…”

  “Kiss me?”

  A shiver runs down her spine, “Ugh, no.”

  “Hug me?”

  “Never happen.”

  “Thank me for the wonderful pay.”

  “I’m going to wring your neck, that’s what.”

  “But Katrice we get along so well and you’re wearing the most delightful clothes.”

  She looks down at her shirt which had slipped down showing off more of her cleavage than she ever wanted Bob to see. Quickly covering herself up she says angrily, “No Bob, we don’t get along well. You’re going to pay us double.”

  Bob’s eyes go wide. “I can’t do double. I’ll go 70/30, have to have my cut too.”

  “80/20, and that’s my final deal. I’m betting you wouldn’t be able to find another ship that can deliver this in the next two hours. Plus I’m not going into a war-zone for the peanuts you just tried to pay us.”

  Bob squints his eyes and rubs his chin. There is a long pause before he replies, “Fine, deal. I just got a bonus payment from them anyway. Requesting it come sooner. Get it down there and fast. You do that I will pay you eighty percent of what the total job is.”

  Kat nods, “Good.”

  “Then it’s settled. Always good doing business with you Katrice.” Bob turns his head to Gravan. “You too Gravan. You don’t speak much do you?”

  Gravan laughs then shakes his head.

  “Right. I’ll leave you two to it.”

  The screen goes dark, and Kat turns to Gravan. “Why didn’t you say something when he said he wanted to kiss me?”

  “You seemed to handle it well enough without me intervening. Plus it’s fun to watch.”

  Fury laughs, “Yea Kat that was funny.”

  Kat says, “Hey I don’t want to hear that from you Fury. That guy gives me the creeps. I hate dealing with him, but he is the least creepy and most reliable out of the choices we have. For a criminal.”

  Whisper says, “Yes it is funny that she gets so easily flustered.”

  “Whatever Whisper.”

  Gravan laughs, “Hey you two, don’t pick on her. It’s a human thing.”

  Kat says, “Gravan, don’t encourage them. I didn’t get flustered.”

  “Whatever you were you got him to cough up more pay, which is good but doesn’t solve our dilemma on how to get down to the planet in the first place.”

  “We stealth it.” Kat says firmly. “That’s all we can do. We need that money to help us live the good life. That and it helps those people on the surface. Then once we’re down there we can warn them about the attack. Win-win-win. Am I right?”

  Gravan says, “Then how do we get off the planet once we’re down there. The stealth only works in space with recirculating the extra heat. It won’t work on entering or exiting a planet.”

  Whisper says, “I have already plotted a course. Fling in at the south poles will give us cover from their scanners thanks to the strong magnetic fluctuations there. It will disrupt either side from seeing us getting close to the planet. Once we hit the atmosphere we’ll light up like a beacon on their scanners, but they won’t be able to do anything. They aren’t monitoring ground flight traffic, only planet exit and entry. So we just fly to our destination and make our drop.”

  Kat says, “Ok then Whisper, how do we get off the planet?”

  “I’m still calculating, but in every scenario so far we turn into small specs of space dust.”

  Kat leans her head back against the cockpit chair. There had to be some way of getting off the planet. If they are monitoring things, then maybe they could cut or stop it. That could take care of the Guild, but what about the Foremid?

  “Hey Whisper?” Kat asks, “Are you hacking into the Foremid too?”

  “Not currently no, but I can.”

  “Do it, and tell me what they are doing right now.”

  “Blast.” Whisper says annoyed. “We’re too far away. I’m getting a signal but nothing strong enough for me to connect to.”

  “What if we were on the planet? Would that be close enough?”

  Gravan says, “That is a awfully big risk. What if Whisper can’t hack into the alien tech, then were stuck down there?”

  Whisper says, “Ape, please. There isn’t a computer system made by you fleshy things that can keep me out.”