Deep Six chapter 18

[Ed Man]

Argon Needs Your Help
Chapter 18 Deep Six

Gabe opened the message. “Mr. Lander please come to the Shipyard in Argon Prime alone as soon as possible we need to talk. I‘ll have a man waiting on you.” Signed Ban Danna.
[Gabe] “Bit who is Ban Danna I’ve heard of him before?”
[Bit] “He’s the Commander of Argon One and Senior Director of Argon Security.”

Gabe looked down at the floor of his room knowing exactly what it was about saying. “Bit have the Buzzard prepped and ready to go I need to go to Argon Prime.”

Gabe got ready and was on the Buzzard and gone in a few minutes. Gabe didn’t want to explain to Donna what was going on until he knew himself but most of all he didn’t want to see the worry in her face so he sent her a message. “I’m gone to the Shipyard in Argon Prime be back soon.”

Gabe hoped that would help a little but he knew she was smarter than that. As soon as the Buzzard docked and Gabe stepped off a officer was waiting. “Please come with me Mr. Lander and thank you for being so prompt.” The man escorted Gabe down a few hallways and two different elevators pasting three different Guard checkpoints till he reached a room. “Here we are please step in Commander Danna is waiting.”

Gabe went in as Ban Danna stood up with a smile and held out his hand to shake Gabe’s. “Come on in and have a seat it’s good to finely meet you in person Mr. Lander.”

Gabe set down after shaking hands with Ban Danna thinking how different this meeting was going compared to the other meetings he had been in with government officials most of which acted like they wished he was gone and they hated everyone. This man was actually acting civilized.

Ban Danna looked at Gabe. “I guess you know why I asked you here. It’s about the incident you run into in The Wall and the Buster Pilot. Let me explain it this way Argon needs your help in recovering a ship he placed for us to monitor Pirate traffic and I believe he passed on the location of that ship to you. Can you tell me what happened and don’t skip on any of the details anything he said or did could be important.”

Gabe replied. “I can do better than that he gave me the location of the Nova. How can the location of one ship be so important that the Pirate was willing to take on the whole sector to find out where it was?”

Ban Danna looked a little troubled as he replied. “The ship wasn’t what he was wanting it’s the information that the man on the Buster keep hidden in the ships on a data file. He worked for the Argon Government and that ship was his work place and part time home.
He was a genius at the art of hidden surveillance and his ship is a perfect example. But the reason the pirate was after him was to get back some incriminating data he had on him and his clan. He had already passed that data on to us so I don’t know if it was for revenge or to try and stop the transfer either way the Argon lost a valued friend.
Did you plan on going after the ship? I know that’s your business after all.”

[Gabe] “I don’t know the truth is I was going to try and find out what I would be getting into before I did anything.”
Ban Danna smiled saying. “That was a smart move on your behalf the Pirates are watching the Gates and would have spotted your ships as soon as one of them entered the sector. I could also use your help and I am willing to make it worth your while if you’ll help our team recover three ships. I can make it so no one will ever know you were involved so you and your company will be safe at least hear me out I think you’ll like the offer.”

Gabe nodded his head ok as Ban Danna started explaining. The mission was a three part job.
First hitch a ride with their team on a Pirate TM and transport over with energy cells to the Nova and jump to sector Midnight Star and dock with a TL.
Then wait on them to decode the data showing where the other ships were while touring a outpost the Argon were about to close in Legend’s Home.
Ban Danna was going to sell Gabe the Base and surrounding 3000 acres for Two Million Credits to start a scrap yard if Gabe wanted it and that was going to be Gabe’s cover story to explain where and what he was doing.
At that point Gabe could stop and Ban Danna was going to give Gabe a new maxed out Nova Rader and the base for a million credits or take the million credits and they would take it from there.

The second part was to get a ship out of Loomanckstrat’s Legacy using the Pirate TM once more. Just find the ship dock on the TM and jump away and for that part Gabe was offered a second Nova Rader.

But the third part was the hard one they needed to recover a old Centaur from a Xenon sector. The plan there was to send in decoy ships to draw the Xenon away from the Gate and area near the Centaur.
Then Gabe was going go in on a new Centaur and exit in a special Disco after the location of a safe jump point near the Centaur was located. The Disco had a special point to point jump drive that would put him near the ship. He was to dock and wait on the drones to retrieve the data then jump away to safety if they went undetected if not he was to transfer energy cells onboard and jump the Centaur out of the system.

For his part in that mission Gabe was going to get the second Million credits needed to buy the base and a Centaur Mk1 and a New Disco Hauler.

Gabe thought for few minutes the first offer was good but the thing he needed the most was support ships not a Centaur he would have to hire a crew for and the Eclipse was just what he needed so Gabe come back with a new offer. “Commander I need support ships now more than ever if you could give me two maxed out Eclipse ships and the Base I’ll help you recover all three ships. Can you do that?”

Ban Danna looked at Gabe. “What do you want just for the location of the Nova?”
Gabe laid a data chip on Ban Danna’s disk. “It’s your’s.”

Ban Danna picked up the chip and looked at Gabe. “That was a noble gesture Mr. Lander you know these mission are dangerous and it’s all or nothing now! But as soon as they are completed I’ll have your two new Eclipse ships waiting for you at your new base planet side. You need to go to the base alone as soon as you can and from there your first mission will start here’s the location of the Base.
Mr. Lander your contact will be waiting on you at the Base. She will fly you out to the TM and person in charge of the missions from here on out which will be the Captain of the TM good luck!”

Ban Danna shook Gabe’s hand as the two stood up and Gabe got the don’t tell anyone speech as he left the room. The same officer was still waiting outside and ushered Gabe back to his ship and the meeting was over.

Gabe set headed the Buzzard out as he tried to decide whether to return to the Neptune now or after the first mission was over.
He sent course for the Neptune to get some of his things and to see Donna. He wasn’t in charge now and would be staying at the Base until the whole mission was over and the Base was his.

Gabe sent word for Simon to meet him as soon as he docked. And after Gabe put him in charge explaining he was going away on business he gave Simon a hug.
Simon knew after that Gabe was going off to do something dangerous. Simon just looked at Gabe and asked him to be careful and to check in when he could.

Simon left when he seen Donna come in the room with tears in her eyes asking. “Gabe don’t go what ever they offered it’s not worth it stay here with me please!”
Gabe felt a giant lump in his throat as he helt her tight. “I got some business to take care. I’m trying to buy a old planet side base to turn into a scrap yard. I’ll be fine don’t worry.”

Donna looked up as she held him tight and kissed him on the lips. “Take me with you!”
Gabe looked into Donna’s eyes so full of love and fear and choked out the words. “I can’t. I’ll come and get you when I can.”

Gabe picked up his bag as he pulled himself away from Donna and headed for the transporter. Donna stood watching Gabe as he made his way down the hall and turned looking back before he entered the transporter and smiled at Donna blowing her a kiss then waved goodbye as he disappeared behind the sliding doors and was gone.

Gabe felt like his heart was about to break as he pulled the Buzzard out and engaged the jump drive.
The ship was engulfed into the event horizon then Bit replied . “Entering sector Legend’s Home do you want to auto pilot to the Base Commander?”

“Yes.” Gabe replied as he set looking out into space wishing he had taken the easy road this time not realizing how hard it was going to be. When he had to literally pull himself away from Donna as she held on to his arms, leaving her standing outside his room in the hall. Then she watching him walk away with tears in her eyes.

Gabe tried to shake it off he felt awful but he needed to pull it together before the ship landed. The mission and getting it finished was all he needed to worry about now.

Gabe could see the lights from the Base as he landed on the massive pad that set almost empty except for three Disco’s a TP and a Buster.
A officer was waiting on Gabe as he opened the hatch. “The Base Commander is waiting on you Sir please follow me and bring your things.”

While Gabe was getting briefed about the mission Donna was trying to cope with her own fillings as she tried to stay off to herself in her room doing what she could from there.
Simon was watching the swarm of ships surrounded the Station each one trying to get ahead of the other to dock first as the docking computer only held so many spots ahead.

One of the Stations freighters was returning with a full load of energy cells and had been moved to the top of the list. The Disco Pilot next in line thought the Mercury was trying to cut him off and tried to jump in front of the slower freighter.
The collision caused by the Disco Pilot killed the Disco Pilot instantly. As the Mercury taxied into position it hit the wing of the Disco spinning in around crashing the cockpit of the Disco into the command deck of the Mercury sending both ships out of control.
The Mercury had fired its thrusters trying to avoid the Disco which sent it away from the station and into open space while the safety sytem ejected the Pilot leaving the ship unmanned. The Disco was sent into a spin on a slow but definite collision course for a station.

The race was own as Simon sent the Nova out to try and get a tractor beam on the Disco before it hit the station killing the passengers still onboard screaming for their lives over a open channel the whole sector could hear.
The shields were still up on the Disco and without the codes transporting was impossible. The Nova reached the Disco just before it hit the shields of the Station and locked a tractor onto it stopping the pending collision and opened a channel to the Disco. “This is Deep Six recovery ship one we have you in a tractor beam your safe now. I’ll transport you onboard as soon as we get the codes for your shields.”

Several congratulations came over the COM for the Nova for the daring rescue. The Station Manager refused to send a ship after the Mercury trying to avoid any lawsuits saying the ship wasn’t theres as it slowly drifted into space.
Simon sent a ship to claim the Mercury after the Manager refused. The Nova transported the terrified passengers onboard as soon as he could and claimed the Disco and turned off the systems and clamped onto what was left of the ship and delivered it and the passengers to the Neptune.

The Mercury had been claimed and the freefall stopped. Repair drones and a crew were onboard within a hour after the accident and the sector was back to normal.
The Passengers were picked up by Sector Security and taken to the Trading Station to finish up the reports and end their part in the whole calamity.
The Pilot that had caused the whole thing was dead so no arrest were made or lawsuits filed for the passengers that about lost their lives because of the reckless Pilot they had paid and trusted to get them to their new job.
It would take a while for them to calm down and be able to ride without gritting their teeth and gripping their seats every time they have to fly. Flying out of control in a spaceship has a way of doing that to a person Simon thought as he looked at the sector before he called it a day and turned in.

Simon thoughts turned to Gabe again as he headed for his room. While Donna laid in her bed never able to stop thinking about Gabe and if he was alright or not. Trying to assure herself Gabe was going to be alright and he was coming back to her as she tried to go to sleep and end the turmoil going on in her mind.

Gabe was well on the way into the first part of his mission the Base Commander had loaded Gabe onto the Buster and jumped to Grand Exchange. As the Buster was nearing one of the power plants to restock up on energy cells for the return trip the Commander transported Gabe over onto the Pirate TM that was leaving.

The Captain of the TM was quite and didn’t like using names but just wanted to be called Captain and the two crewmen he had were called Brown like his hair and eyes and Green whose eyes were green. Then there was Thing One and Thing Two a pair of advanced assault and service drones. The TM had a Pirate Buster and Falcon docked to keep the average cut throat Pirates for trying to take the ship.

The mission briefing was quick and simple get to transporter range and sent the codes so Gabe could transport over with energy cells. Then Gabe was to gain control of the ship and lift off the asteroid enough to jump away and meet up with his ride in Midnight Star. While the TM stayed on in the sector for a few hours looking for a ship that wasn’t there.

A pair of Pirets were lurking around the Gate looking for a easy mark to take on their own that was out of place while reporting all other traffic the knew nothing about to there Clan.
The TM cleared the Gate and set out to look for the phantom ship. First they asked the two rats watching the Gate about the ship that they had never seen of course. Then headed out in a basic search pattern that would lead them right by the Nova in a few hours.

The sector was all but empty as the TM reached the Nova and Gabe transported over and then the cells.
The Computer came on asking Gabe about the owner and who he was which was a strange action for an ships computer. Gabe thought he had better answer this one with the truth. “I got the codes from the owner after I tried to help him when his ship fell under attack. He transferred them over to me before he died. The Argon Government want this ship and the location of the other ships to retrieve their data. Can you give me control now?”

The AI asked a stange question again as if it were alive. “What happened to the one who killed My Owner?”
Gabe thought this was getting a little to bizarre for his liking right now. “I made him eject from his ship and your owner fired on him killing him just before he transferred me the codes and told me to get the ship then his ship exploded.”

The AI came on. “You have control please delever me to the Argon Secret Service and contact a man named Ban Danna.”
[Gabe] “He’s the one that sent me here.”
The AI came on again. “The TM you came here in is about to find a holding lot for captured ships that is well guarded do you want me to warn them?”
[Gabe] “Yes of course do it now they’re part of the team to retrieve the other ships we need them!”

[collins50]

Good Job Ed
As usal you are keeping us in susspence with the next part.