Contracts & Terminations Complete Series Boxed Set (Tyrus Rechs: Contracts & Terminations) by Jason Anspach & Nick Cole

Author:Jason Anspach & Nick Cole [Anspach, Jason & Cole, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B08WHBJLB9
Goodreads: 57696582
Publisher: #PrB.rating#3.0
Published: 2021-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

2 7

“ What’s Shangri-La like?” asked Jacobson. “And

no more tricks.”

“What’s it like, mate?” repeated the pilot. “It’s crazy pants. It’s Sinasia five hundred years ago and yesterday. It’s half circus of freaks and carnival of nightmares, and half… I don’t know. Something out of our shared history from way back. Earth. If you believe that place ever existed.”

The pilot held out a hand. “I’m Shurrigan. Hence the name of the ship. It’s my goose. I’m also a businessman and occasional raconteur when stories are needed.”

“And someone I can’t trust,” Rechs said, gripping his rifle. He’d relaxed to the ready position, no longer aiming the weapon at Shurrigan’s head, but that was as far as he would go.

The pilot winked, which surprised Rechs. “You kidnap me and try to justify it by offering me far too few credits to give up Shangri-La. I try to turn you in to the Repub for a bounty. I’d say we’ve canceled each other out.”

Jacobson leaned back in her seat. “Getting to Shangri-La was too important to take no for an answer.”

“Well, we’re on our way there now,” said the pilot, sounding like he’d adjusted to the situation.

Rechs didn’t figure the pilot would risk crossing him again. That would be an instant death warrant.

He got down to business. “We need to get on-planet without being noticed.”

“Oh, trust me, I have no intention of letting anyone know that I brought you there.”

“And we need to know what the situation is like on the ground.”

“The trick is this. There’s only one field I’m allowed to set down on. And that’s the only one I’d chance. What’s going on right now? I don’t know. I’ve seen things. Things out there in the mist. But… ah… that doesn’t mean I know what’s going on.”

“Explain,” said Jacobson.

The pilot rubbed his stubbly, nobby chin, then massaged his gangly neck with long, piano player’s fingers. “How about I tell you a story.”

Rechs sighed. But he shrugged and indicated the pilot should proceed.

“Follow me,” said Shurrigan. “Lounge is more comfortable.”

Jacobson led the way, blocking the pilot’s path should he want to make any sudden breaks. Rechs followed behind with his blaster rifle ready.

“It’s like this…” Shurrigan began, spinning around to look at Rechs and alternating between walking backward, forward, and sideways as they moved toward the lounge. “About five years ago there was this bigwig hotshot pilot who had the exclusive deal on running out the best shipments to Shangri-La. Ebaar Hum. A Tarrakoan with a real nice ship. One of those Bendetto blockade-runners with big holds and all the gear and tricks. He was bringing back sled loads of jade lotus. The pure uncut stuff that usually only sees the inside of the party palaces around Utopion. Illegal for the rest of us, look the other way for them. Makes ya think when I put it that way, don’t it?

“Anyway, he was the guy who had the main contract. The rest of us only got called out for special runs. No return cargo, but sometimes, if you were really lucky, they’d load you with black lotus.

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