Cleaning House
Chapter 4
Ted set full speed for Light of Heart and the station. After he entered Thuruk’s Beard he noticed some action going on above the South Gate. The closer he got the worst he felt as he zoomed in on the ships.
His guts knotted up when he seen Dolly under attack! Two mercenaries in M3s were pounding her ship.
Split Security had been lured away by a runner so Dolly could slip past and into Pirate space with her load.
Ted headed for the South Gate not knowing if the two would turn on him or not. The battle was all but over for Dolly her shields were about gone.
Dolly was setting still her ship was disabled her shields were gone her hull had taken serious damage.
Ted slowed as he reached Com range steering clear of the battle. The mercenaries showed no interest in attacking Ted.
One of the mercenaries moved his ship in front of the cockpit to look at Dolly, as she set strapped in her seat. Backed his ship up and fired a small weapon right on Dolly!
The Com was flooded with the screams as Dolly was burnt from the blast.
When the screaming stopped the mercenary laughed as he told he partner to finish it. He turned his ship firing till the ship exploded sending peaces of the ship and Dolly flying through space.
Ted set the ship on autopilot. “Computer take a visual picture of the two mercenary ships and record their ID codes and marking.”
Ted was overcome with emotion as he sit trying to calm down. Anger, rage, fear, sorrow and regret all at the same time.
Ted thought one thing at a time. Remember the job take Bob to his Station don’t get side tracked and calm down.
Ted had calmed down when they entered Argon space as soon as Bob was on his Station Ted was going to check out the Lifter and the bomb and any loot she had stashed. If she had enough credits to buy a special ship from their Teladi friend. Ted was going to deliver the bomb and as a bonus explode the ship and half the station along with it and their new mercenary friends. Drop a satellite and wait for all the rats to be in their nest.
Ted thought a man’s got to have a goal in life! And my new goal is to kill them all!
Ted reached the Station as Bob hurried of with the drone telling Ted he would contact him as soon as he found anything.
Ted went to the Trading Station and bought a satellite and placed it in Hatikvah’s Faith to monitor the station. And went to check on the Lifter.
The Lifter had mines placed around it for protection. Without the code to the mines the Lifter was off limits. And without the security code for the Lifter you can’t dock. And if you space walked onboard the security drones onboard would kill you.
Ted turned the mines off sent the code to the lifter. All was a green. Ted entered the ship and turned the drones off. Had his ship computer register the Lifter to him and restart the drones as his. While scanning and checking the ship for traps and bombs Ted found a lockbox with a note.
[If you’re reading this note I’m all ready dead enjoy the gold Ted the box is unlocked.]
Ted opened the box there was over 250,000 in gold tokens.
As he finished the search he found a weapons locker with a few handguns and an assault rifle and the drugs Dolly used to control her toys.
Ted looked at the drugs thinking trash them. Then he remembered Helen. If Bob needed to know a code or account number these would get it for a price of course.
Ted entered the information on the mercenaries into the Lifters computer if they entered the sector a message would be sent in 5-minute intervals telling their position through the satellite. Ted had bought access to a communications network for the Lifter he had so they could monitor prices in the neighboring sectors.
Ted headed back to Teladi space as he passed the spot where Dolly was killed the anxiety returned as he thoughts replayed the unpleasant incident over again. A cold sweat came over Ted as the thoughts played over and over.
Ted made his mind up that he was going to become an honest businessman after this job. All his friends were dead and the rest he knew on the station were about to be. Time to turn over a new leaf. As he docked his ship on the Pirate Base. But first his enemies or ex friends had to die.
The Teladi was the best at bomb designs and system overrides to see her you seen her bodyguard first.
Ted left a message with the barkeeper and went to a table to wait on the contact.
The guard came to the door and motioned for Ted to come on. Ted thought about the first time he came to this station was with Dolly and now it was for Dolly.
Ted told the Teladi female he needed a M5 bomb that would take out a dock and part of the station.
[Teladi] “I have one ship it cost 300,000 credits.” [Ted] “All I have is 250,000. It’s for the ones that killed Dolly.”
“Teladi no need to know anything Human! Teladi like Dolly she have special drone here all paid for. Take drone and ship for 250,000 credits Dolly was good business for Teladi. No come back here no more or do business with you human!”
The guard took the credits and showed Ted the ship and the codes to blow it up. Loaded the drone into his ship and asked Ted to leave and never return.
Ted set the Mandalay to autopilot and follow and left the station. As soon as they hit open space Ted scanned the ship. It showed no signs of a bomb onboard or explosives. The Teladi was good at her work docking the ship would not be a problem. The case onboard the lifter was the same it showed clean. Remote dock the ship through the satellite a drone delivers the crate and boom then big boom.
Station Security and the bar owner wouldn’t even know what hit them.
Ted had just disabled the mines around the Lifter when he received a message from Bob asking for his return. Ted docked the Mandalay to the Lifter and ordered one of the drones to transfer the crate to the Mandalay and remain onboard and secure the ship.
With the satellite Ted could deactivate the mines from the Lifter or Mandalay. Then send the Mandalay to the station to do its work from any sector in his network.
Ted smiled as he flew of thinking he was ready now, he just wanted to be in another sector with a good alibi when it went off.
Bob was a good alibi so he set full speed for the station and a good explanation of his whereabouts.
Bob was frantic, the drone discovered Helen had placed a program in the mainframe that deducted 1% of all transactions and placed them in a secured account. So far the drone had discovered 875,000 credits gone in the 9 months she was here.
“I got to get the funds back! The station can’t take a loss like that! Ted can you help?” Bob asked.
“I know someone who can get the credits back. But it will cost 20% of all funds reclaimed. And the woman will have to disappear.” Ted replied.
“What do you mean disappear!” Bob asked.
“It means she has to die and you’ll pay to have it done Bob!” Ted replied.
Bob was getting very upset over having to kill someone.
“I’ll contact the Argon Security and let them take care of it!” Bob stated.
“You go ahead Bob but kiss the credits by when you do. They pick her up. Appoint someone to investigate the crime. They’ll set her bond and it will be low because there is no proof she’s the one other than you think so or they’ll just let her go and ask her to stay around. Either way she will be out and gone with the credits. Never seeing her! Our your credits again! So go ahead Bob make the call!”
“Look Ted I’m mad but I don’t want to kill anyone. I want my credits back! But I don’t want to kill to do it I’m not a killer. Get the codes to get the credits back and we’ll have her.”
“Bob to get the codes they’ll be a lot of laws broke! Kidnapping and using truth drugs just to name a few.
You can't have it both ways Bob. I think I have an answer to the problem if someone slips a drug in her drink to make it look like a robbery or assault. Then drugs her to get the information then turns her lose. The only problem is she’ll know she told someone. The good thing is she won’t know who did it.” Ted explained.
“Ok Ted you might think I’m stupid but I know you’re the man! So let me tell you how were doing it!” Bob explained.
“Stop now Bob! You’re getting away to involved. Don’t make a simple job a death sentence for both of us! Back off and let me do this. Or just let her go! I can get the credits back and she’ll never bother you again for 200,000 credits. And I won’t kill her or have her killed or sell her into slavery. And I’ll dump her in one of Argons core sectors.” Ted explained.
Bob liked the idea. The two worked out the details of their scheme and set it into motion.
Ted rushed to Split space to meet up with Helen at the Trading Station.
“And why was it so important that you had to meet with me her? My business trip is finished I could have just flew back as planed.” Helen replied mockingly.
“On our way back there was Pirates attacking a ship and Mr. Vent wanted the added protection for you.”
Ted replied.
Helen smiled filling a little more secure thinking Bob was still under her charm. Ted followed Helen back to the ships. As Helen entered the Pegasus Ted moved in behind her and sprayed a knockout spray it her face. As she staggered around Ted pushed her down in a seat watching her eyes close as the spray did its work. Ted quickly had a drone place her in a crate and placed her into his ship. Ted undocked and made full speed for the Lifter and docked placing Helen in a holding cell tied up with a hood over her head. Ted docked back at the Split Trading Station and filled missing persons report on Helen.
Ted took the Pegasus as he headed for the Lifter at full speed. Things were falling into place the drugs Ted gave Helen would be working when he returned. She would tell him anything he asked and would do anything he wanted as long as he keep her drugged.
Ted docked at the Lifter and had just got the codes and checked the account. Helen had been a busy girl there was over 3.5 million credits in the account. Ted transferred Bob his credits and placed the rest in a hidden account.
The two mercenaries’ were coming through the West Gate the computed announced. “No not now you stupid //////!” Ted yelled!
Ted looked down at the deck of the Lifter as devious inspiration hit him.
Ted docked the Mandalay took Helen restrained her and locked her up inside the Mandalay.
The Mercenaries’ were headed for the Station. Time to move Ted set the Mandalay to follow his Pegasus and moved out for the Station.
Ted watched out of sensor range on the satellite feed as the Mercenaries’ docked. Now to finish this! Ted thought.
Ted set the Mandalay full speed to come in behind the Gate looking like it came through. Changed the codes over to the Mercenaries’ so when it docked it would show as theirs. Armed the ship and watched his plan fall into place as he set course for his Piranha heading for the East Gate.
Ted was well within Aladna Hill as the drone delivered the case to the bar. Ted had turned the satellite off so no signals going to or from his ship could be traced back to the sector the Station was in.
Ted waited for someone to come through the Gate telling of a station getting blown up.
The COM opened from a Disco heading full speed at him. “Ted did you get Helen?” Bob asked.
“No she didn’t show up sir. I filed a missing person’s report with the Split. The ship was docked but no sign of her anywhere.” Ted replied so Argon Security could hear.
“Dock at the Trading Station we need to talk!” Bob replied.
Just then a ship came through the Gate telling about a Station blowing up. A video of the explosion flooded the sector. Ted watched the video with satisfaction knowing his plan worked flawlessly seeing the demolished station.
Ted docked as Bob came onboard telling to stop everything. “Return the money and let Helen go the credits were not missing they were placed in a new company savings program. My Wife started a savings account so we can build stations for our children.”
Ted replied. “It’s a little too late for that. The credits have been transferred! I gave a Mandalay as payment so two Mercenaries would take Helen and drop her off in one of the Argon Prime sectors unharmed but drugged. There is no stop it’s done Bob!”
Bob boil with rage saying. “She was innocent and we took her credits! Had her drugged and gave her to Pirates! What the ///// is next!”
Ted reached in his coat pocket placing his hand on his pistol. “Calm down Bob she was still setting you up! Don’t lose focus she was a blackmailer and you was her next mark. I checked her records after a year or so she leaves with a 500,000-credit bonus after her last three jobs. You would have been number 4 on the list! That I could find. Place her as missing and fill her position. When she shows up send her a small bonus and leave her alone. She’ll start all over with someone else. She’ll keep going until she retires or gets killed. Just let it go and never contact her again!”
Bob calmed down as Ted poured them a drink before heading out. The whole sector was in an uproar about the station blowing up. Ships were rushing to look others were rushing to get back to base or home.
Taxi Man Chapter 4
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blazermick
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Tue, 31. Jan 06, 03:47
Good chapter,