The Cattle Farm
Chapter 6
Josh docked back at HQ as Rock and left Mimi with her brother. The Rock told Mimi he needed to leave and get a few things done. Before he left he wished Mimi and Samna good fortune and undocked.
Mimi sat a while before she realized Rock had just said goodbye and left. “Computer where is the Rock?”
“The person you refer to as Rock has left the sector.” The station computer replied.
Mimi sat with her brother thinking. “It’s the two of us again at least we have enough credits to buy a good fighter and freighter.”
Josh had jumped and docked to pick up the Exaireo and see Director Moa and think her for her business.
Josh had the Falcon and Demeter painted and sent them back to be stored at HQ.
Director Moa grumbled and complained to Josh about everything. The second corvette at the other gate or the destruction of the ship with her spy onboard was never brought up.
At the end of the show the Director had but on she agreed to the original contract saying.
“That despite the great incompetence of Alpha Security the Shredder Clan was gone and trading was up and the sector was safe to travel.”
She transferred Josh the final payment and an increase in status for him and the company.
Josh thanked the Director and left her office.
As Josh exited the station he saw the ship he sold the freelancer in escort of the freighter. Josh hailed the man to say hello. The man was pleased with his new prized ship and thanked Josh for his help as he flew out of COM range.
Josh checked on the status of the TL. The Chief said they were available and ready.
“Chief go to the Argon Prime Shipyard and pick up a Cattle Farm they have ready for the company.
Take it to The Wall to this position and start deployment.” Josh stated, as he was about to dock at HQ.
“Understood Sir.” The Chief replied as the TL headed for the Argon Prime Gate.
Josh went to Samna’s room to offer him and Mimi a job on the new station. “Hello my name is Josh Galen.
Rock told me about the two of your losing your business. I have a large list of positions I need to fill for the new station please consider taking one. Or if you’re willing to open a shop or pub I’ll be glade to listen to your plan.”
Josh talked to the two fore a while and asked that they tell him within the next two days if they are interested. After that the company will start filling the positions.
Samna was to be released after his last treatment and final checkup within the next 25 hours.
Josh could see the frown behind the fake smile on Samna’s face as he offered the jobs to him. Mimi seamed interested at the offers but would go along with her brother’s decision.
Josh left the two alone to decide their future. As Rock he would offer advice as a friend but Rock was gone and Josh had did all he could. Josh checked Samna’s rank with the Argon all he could get was a M5 or freighter. The Boron rank was better a M4 and below.
The Mako was a good ship and he could order one from the station and have it delivered.
Josh left medical and checked in on the woman from the Pirate station. The mother and son had adapted well to living on their own and being able to do what she wanted for a change.
After checking in on the status of the other company ventures all were doing excellent.
The big profits had slowed down for Rious Shipping after the jump-drives hit the market. But business was still excellent for the shipping company having turned a good profit week after week. Ann and Elk had added three more freighters to the company running fixed routes for customers.
Rose had picked out and trained a plaint manager and assistant managers for the cattle farm.
In less than two days they would be hiring a whole work force for the cattle farm.
The station was ordered special with a section for poultry and feed. The waist and scrap from the birds could be used for fertilizer and many other uses. The stations main product was beef, leather and poultry. The feed part of the station was a mix of grains for the animals making the station nearly self-sufficient.
The embryo division of the farm had all ready been raising and perfecting the stock for the farm and were ready to go into full production as soon as the station was completed.
The three divisions of the of the farm was isolated from each other as a precaution for health and safety. Each division was designed for expansion if we needed to add on later.
The plaint had special power units for each division along with solar collectors.
The station was larger than normal and the Argon Government had examined the design and decided to ok the construction. The station was to be a prototype for station complexes sometime in the future.
The design had room for the addition of another department if needed. All the sections were tied together at a central distribution section with living quarters above with a small secure docking bay.
A docking bay and hub below for shipping and receiving isolated for safety incase someone tried to blow up the station with a ship.
After seeing a few station destroyed Josh felt it was a good safety measure for a station. Argon Security liked the design. If a ship blew up a part of the station would be badly damaged but the station could be repaired. And the number of life’s lost if any would be minor compared to the old docking bay design.
Josh looked through the listings for a job to keep him busy for a few days.
There was one a missing persons and ship. A married couple and ship disappeared after leaving a station.
A station owner’s daughter and her husband were gone and no ransom has been asked. Sector Security believed it to be a random hijacking. 2 Million credit reward for the return of them or their bodies and the capture of those involved in the abduction.
A note from the father. “Please find them! They have a 4-year-old daughter that cries for her mother and father every day. Please bring them back to us!”
Josh felt a lump in his throat as he read the request and remembered the lose of his parents.
“Sarah contact the family and tell them I’ll do my best to find they’re lost loved ones.” Josh replied as he looked at all the existing material about the disappearance.
Josh told a team of his agents go to the station where they were abducted.
“Take a heavy fighter and set up surveillance out of range of traffic. Use a freighter to drop the bug interface then have it take the long way home. Pull their video records and logs and review them and collect all the info you can on the abduction. I’ll contact you when I dock for an update. Work fast they have been missing for over two days. The ship may be the link to finding them one of you run with that.”
The team saluted Josh as they left the briefing room. Josh went to his room and put on a disguise.
This time Josh would be an older freelancer flying a Disco trying to find that last big adventure before he retires. He should look to be an easy mark for hijackers. When they make their move Josh would stun them with a new stun gun the company designed that would stop anything alive in its tracks.
Josh was eager to try out his new toy on a deserving character or two.
The station was in Presidents End so the trip would be quick. The fighter with the team had all ready jumped to the east gate and took up position. The freighter left ahead of Josh and jumped while Josh headed out in the Disco and docked at the trading station for an hour before heading for the station.
Josh headed out in the Disco for the station. Giving time for the team to come up with some leads to go on. The ship had maximized everything and was fast making the trip quickly.
Josh had loaded the hole full of energy cells to sell when he landed. So he would look like a passing freelance merchant looking for work and a easy credit.
Josh timed his docking at the station so the price on energy cells would be high. After docking and selling the energy cells Josh looked over the teams findings. Some of the security video had been altered into a loop.
After searching the independent security video files from the shop owners they had come up with two young men following the couple.
One of the men was the son of a security supervisor. The other man was the son of a long hall freighter pilot. The two had records of a few petty crimes. But they had juvenile records that were sealed.
That was like a red flag to Josh saying I have something to hide!
Josh agreed the men were the ones but his gut filling was someone else had told them about the couple. A bill for a pair of APA cannons showed up on the missing mans company credit card and a cash advance of 10,000 credits before the card was canceled. The charges showed up only hours after the abduction on an floating account meaning untraceable that flagged the company to cancel the card.
The couple stopped at a vender and talked for a while buying a small idem. The vender left not long after and called someone. A few minuets later the two men showed up and talked with the vender.
“He’s informing the other two about potential targets to hijack. Keep digging and find the ship if you can and any others they done this to. I’m going to make myself look like an easy target and draw them out be ready to move if I need you to.” Josh ordered.
Josh left the ship and slowly made his way to the vender. Josh talked to the vender asking questions and telling how he had only came to this sector because sector security was fighting some Pirates at the north gate to Argon Prime and he wanted to dodge the battle.
Josh added to the appeal by adding he had a new Disco and wanted to finish out his lonely life flying.
Josh reached down to pick up a box asking how much it was telling the vender to forget it. It weighted too much to carry. As he trembled getting up making himself look frail and weak. Josh then stopped at a food counter and waited on the two men to show up.
Records showed they were on station so Josh sit waiting while enjoying a drink and snack.
The team had discovered the ship with the codes to the hidden recognition chips.
It was docked on the station. It had been repainted and was registered to one of the men.
Josh thought as he sat. “These boys are not too bright. Steal a ship and bring it home with their name on it. Good thing they don’t have to pass a test to become a Pirate these two would not make it.”
Josh smiled at the ridiculous act thinking. “The security supervisors’ boy has gotten away with so much he thinks he can do anything and that makes him really dangerous and unpredictable!”
Josh got a heads up from Sarah about the men headed his way. “Sir we have a problem the paint on your ship has been scratched in a loading accident. Please follow us you need to look over the damage first. Then the company will have to repair and repaint your ship.”
The two men were wearing station uniforms as they escorted Josh to an vacant storage room used by dockworkers. The room had direct access to the landing bays. One of the men went in first and said ok as the other grabbed hold of Joshes’ arm saying.
“Get on in there old man.” As he pushed Josh into the room.
The room was empty except for the men. Then Josh turned and said. “Look boys I just cleaned my shoes and I don’t want to mess them up kicking you butts.” As Josh turned ready to fight.
The man that pushed Josh into the room lunged at Josh with a punch for his face. The other was all ready to join in the beating till Josh took his friend down to the floor in the first pass. He was reaching for his pistol when Josh shot him with the stunner.
As the man fell back Josh shot the other man as he tried to get up off the floor. Josh watched the other man quivering as he fell to the floor from the shot.
Josh informed the team he had the two men and was all right. The team downloaded the files on three other missing people the men had robbed. Josh ordered a drone on his ship to bring a shock stick and detaining belts for three men.
Josh shot the men once more as he moved to the door and took the belts and shock stick from the drone.
Josh put the belts on the men and said with the shock stick in his hand.
“I got a few questions for you two. I know you can’t move or talk well but you can hear just fine. And just so you understand better!” Josh shocked both of the men one at a time then sat them against the wall.
Sarah had the drone in the room monitoring the men and telling Josh when they could talk.
“Ok boys I want to know what you did with the these two first.” As Josh showed them the couples picture.
The two refused to talk so Josh shocked them two times each causing them to scream while one wet his paints. Josh looked down at the two with the shock stick saying.
“That's bad! It hurts worse when you’re wet. Now lets try again, we got plenty time to spend together if you like. I know this room is closed off and isn’t going to be checked for at least 48 more hours. So look once more and try to remember!”
“How do we know you won't just kill us if we talk?” One of the men asked Josh.
“I’m here for the couple you kidnapped. And I don’t kill unless I have to. But I will make you wish I had killed you both if I don’t get some answers.” Josh replied as he shook his head yes slapping the shock stick in his hand.
“Ok man we’ll talk just relax and but the shocker down.” One of the men said as the other shook his head in agreement.
The two men told Josh where they took the couple and the others and all about there partner the vender. He had worked for Pirates as a hacker till his team got killed. He escaped in a ship he hijacked. He was the mastermind of the three hand picking their victims. He was the one that altered the video and used his hacker skills when needed.
Josh checked the feeds in the section they were in was on a loop along with the area leading to the bays and his ship. The clean get away they planed was going to be used by Josh now.
“Get up boys we’re going for a ride.” Josh ordered.
“I thought you said you wasn’t going to kill us man!” One of the men said.
“I’m not going to kill you. And I’m not leaving you here so your dad can let you escape.
Get up and get on the ship or I’ll have the drone drag you limp unconscious bodies to the ship!”
Josh demanded as he reached for his stunner pistol.
The two started moving after that. Josh stored them in the hole as he thought one more. Josh got the codes for the stolen ship and had Sarah hack the computer and gain control. Josh then sent a drone from the other ship to sanitize and clean the storeroom they were in removing all traces of them being there.
“Sarah copy the voice of the one that did all the talking and call the hacker and tell him there‘s a problem with the electrical system on the ship you need his help with.” Josh ordered.
After a several minutes passed the hacker came to the ship opened the hatch saying. “What’s wrong now!”
Josh shot him with the stunner saying. “Someone fired a stunner pistol onboard.”
Josh placed a belt on him and put him in the hole with the others.
Alpha Security Chapter 6
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