Fugitives by J. W. Murison

Author:J. W. Murison [Murison, J. W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Tapper and Howe stayed back with Steven. Steven went aboard and looked around.

‘It’s quite a ship, isn’t it?’ They both agreed. ‘Was this thing any use?’

Howe looked to Tapper. ‘There was a guy there who knew his mining stuff, he could hardly take his eyes off it. I think it served its purpose.’

‘How did it go?’

‘I would say masterfully.’ He turned to Howe. ‘What say you old boy?’

‘Charlie was like a marionette. He had them all dancing. I think he also won a new admirer.’

‘Tapper laughed, ‘I think she pranced all the way back to their ship.’

‘Now you have to tell me everything.’

They filled Steven in on exactly what happened.

‘It sounds like they bought it.’

Howe nodded, ‘I think so. You should try and relax a little. You’re wound up tighter than a drum.’

‘I am finding it very hard to do so.’

Tapper grasped him by the shoulder, ‘Then we need to get you drunk old boy.’

‘I don’t think I can risk getting drunk.’

‘Babes can sober you up if she requires you. We have had a nice dinner. We can keep watch for a couple of days while you let loose.’

‘Maybe. How did you get rid of that dangerous stuff?’

‘Sold it to another dealer for a hundred grand local currency.’

‘Seriously?’

‘That was a third of the going price. The chap almost snapped our arms off for it. Where did you get it?’

‘Old abandoned mines, on the other side of the planet.’

Tapper thought it over for a moment. ‘That might explain a lot. At that price it might well have been worth the expense to terraform this planet. Of course, that is just today’s market prices. Who knows what it was when they first began to develop this world. Good job sir, good find.’

Steven gave his scalp a scratch, ‘It is such a pity we will never get the opportunity to spend it all.’

‘You might want to look at it another way. When we first joined the Federation we had a hellava job getting a bank account, now we have near a dozen.’

‘I’m not coming back here.’

‘I wasn’t talking about us. I have a feeling we will be hearing more from this grand Empire. If our forces move into this area, we may well need those resources. I for one would like to return.’

Steven was surprised, ‘I didn’t see that one coming.’

Tapper shook his head, ‘I like it here, the people I find easier to deal with. In the Federation we always get people running away from us. Bad karma because we are meat eaters. Here no one gives a hoot.’

Steven sighed, ‘Maybe you’re right. You won’t be coming back on this ship though. We might make it through the blockade, but I doubt that she will.’

Howe looked around, ‘Did you complete the fuel cells?’

‘We did, and a bomb just in case.’

‘A Komoru special?’

‘There will be nothing left of the ship but dust.’

‘I hope it doesn’t come to that.’ Howe sighed.

‘You all seem to have become very fond of the ship.’

Howe thought it over, ‘It isn’t just the ship, it was the way of life as well.

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