The Lone Ranger Returns by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing

The ship had apparently come back from a successful mission trading in slaves and contraband. The number of credits in the ship’s accounts was impressive.

“This is Skaine Ship DD-76-PyK3r,” I told the stationmaster. I glanced at Grim, who had grabbed a ship’s tablet.

He looked up. “Meredith still has everyone locked in their rooms, so nobody can mess with the engines, gravity, or environmental.”

“Good to know,” I told him.

The station replied, “Ship DD-76-PyK3r, what is your request?”

“I need to leave, have my ship registry changed, and…” I flicked through the screens on the captain’s display, “be topped off with fuel.” I realized what I had just said and added, “Not necessarily in that order.”

“Request for fuel purchase has been sent. I have your approval to pull from the ship's funds to a maximum of two thousand credits. We have you in the queue for fifteen minutes for fuel, and we also have a request to speak with a Captain Mong’leck relating to a bunch of his people who are now dead or severely wounded. Your marine detachment is making a number of people very annoyed.”

Well, crap. I had forgotten about those guys. “Define ‘very annoyed,’” I requested, checking the locks on the ship.

“They are shooting at each other. We made multiple calls to your ship, but they have been ignored.”

Was that you, Meredith? I asked my internal EI.

Yes. It seemed like a secondary issue when we were dodging organic homing missiles.

Too true.

“I understand, Stationmaster. I will send detailed instructions for them to stand down, but I assure you, they are not out there with instructions to shoot up your station. We were trying to bring back a human female when your bar customers started shooting our people.”

“Your away team was destroying the bar. What did you expect?” he asked.

While he was talking, I confirmed the amount of fuel we would need to safely get to the next logical station that wouldn’t know about an issue here.

Don’t worry, Meredith sent. I’m in their computers and set a flag to re-route any messages about this ship. Further, I’m finished. We have a new download re-flagging this ship as Torcellan.

How the hell? I asked.

Don’t ask, don’t tell, Meredith replied. It’s something we have been able to do since Ranger Two intercepted and stopped a horrible act of piracy a century ago.

How many little cheats do you have?

As of yesterday?

Well, sure.

Twelve thousand, four hundred and thirty-five. Also, I have confirmed we have more than enough fuel for three of the five locations I’d like to go to.

That’s…incredible, I finished. Stop fueling, and I assume, based on your abilities, you can unhook us?

Yes.

Make it happen.

Will do.

I watched the screens to confirm the fuel wasn’t flowing and the locks were disengaged before I replied to the stationmaster.

“I expected…” I ground out in the Skaine language. I rather hated Skaine, to be honest; the language was too guttural for my preference. “…you to allow the Skaine Mercenary Police to do their job and help us, not make me send in multiple groups for support.

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