{"data":{"id":16942,"title":"Brothers In Arms: Part One","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/16942-Brothers-In-Arms-Part-One","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/16942","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/16942","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Brothers In Arms","images":[],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part One was published originally in Jump Point 3.5.\nThe heads-up display on Gavin Rhedd\u2019s Cutlass dimmed at the edges. Green triangles representing the members of his security team distorted to form horizontal spikes of flickering static. He smacked the side of his helmet. It was a practiced move, and one that had snapped the HUD back into focus in the past. This time, the display flickered, faded and then died.\n\nA heavy breath sent a thin veil of vapor climbing the visor of his helmet. Condensation obscured the view of black, empty space ahead.\n\nEmpty like the dead heads-up display.\n\nEmpty just like it had been for weeks.\n\nThere were brigands and marauders plaguing every planet in the \u2019verse and he couldn\u2019t find one damned gang. Nothing was working out like he\u2019d planned.\n\nOn the navsat, the other three members of Rhedd Alert Security fanned out to either side. His brother Walt was locked into position directly to port. Jazza and Boomer were painfully out of position.\n\nSloppy.\n\nEveryone was getting bored and careless.\n\nBoomer was the first to break radio silence this time.\n\n\u201cHey, guys?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Boomer?\u201d Walt was the first to respond.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m cold.\u201d\n\nJazza didn\u2019t follow orders better than any of the others, and her banter had the comfortable cadence of friendly rivalry. \u201cThen put on a sweater.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey, Jazz?\u201d Boomer fired back at her.\n\n\u201cYeah?\u201d\n\n\u201cTake your helmet off for a tick.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019s that, old man? You want a kiss?\u201d\n\n\u201cNope. I\u2019m hoping you get sucked out and die when I shoot a hole through your cockpit.\u201d\n\nGavin sighed into his helmet before triggering his mic. \u201cCome on, gang. I want comms dark. The miners on Oberon hired us to take care of their pirate problem. And the three of you chattering on an open channel won\u2019t help us find them any faster.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m starting to hate this system,\u201d Walt muttered.\n\nThey were all tired and strung out from weeks of long hours and no action. But Walt was killing their morale by giving voice to that frustration. This whole thing \u2014 Rhedd Alert Security, abandoning smuggling to go clean, applying for Citizenship \u2014 was something they\u2019d agreed to do together. Gavin and Walt. Brothers. Going legit and starting a business.\n\nIt seemed a good idea when they were dodging system alerts and dumping a fortune into forged tags. But some things don\u2019t change, and Walt was the same old Walt \u2014 all talk and no follow through. It wouldn\u2019t be long before he came up with some excuse to move on to clearer skies.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Boomer?\u201d\n\n\u201cCold, Gavin. Think the heat\u2019s out.\u201d\n\nWonderful. Something else to fix. Maybe Walt wouldn\u2019t be the first to quit after all. Dell would leave if Gavin let her father freeze to death over this rock.\n\nJazza barked a laugh, \u201cYep. That sounds about right for this outfit.\u201d\n\n\u201cJazza, will you shut up already? Which part are you having trouble with? Comms or dark?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes sir, Big Boss Man.\u201d\n\n\u201cJesus. I got more respect from you guys when we were criminals. Boomer, by all the Banu gods, why didn\u2019t you tell me you were having trouble before we left the hangar?\u201d\n\n\u201cI, uh . . . I figured to keep quiet until after the mission. Until we got paid, you know?\u201d\n\nThis should have been a quick in and out job. But after weeks of fruitless hunting, even if they eventually drove off the pirates, the job would be a net loss.\n\n\u201cHey, guys?\u201d Jazza was really starting to get on his nerves. He told her as much. \u201cShut your hole, Gavin. I just wanted to let you know I found something.\u201d\n\nGavin quickly studied the navsat console. The area looked empty other than the four of them, so whatever she\u2019d found wasn\u2019t showing up on any of his feeds. He smacked his helmet again in mute hope that the HUD would spring back to life.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a hull,\u201d Jazza said. \u201cBig one. Looks like a stripped Idris. Looks dead.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not seeing you on . . . crap,\u201d Walt said. \u201cThere you are. How\u2019d you get way the hell out there?\u201d\n\n\u201cEasy, folks,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cBoomer? You head toward Jazza. Walt and I will hold position.\u201d\n\n\u201cCopy that.\u201d\n\nAn Idris represented a fair chunk of creds as salvage. Strange that no one had claimed it. They were in Oberon to chase off pirates, but a little scrap job on the side was a welcome bonus.\n\n\u201cJazza,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cI\u2019ve got nothing near you on sensors. You think it\u2019s just some floating junk?\u201d\n\n\u201cI think so,\u201d she spoke slowly, uncertain. \u201cI thought I saw a heat trace, but I\u2019m not seeing it now. Going in for a closer \u2014 Jesus!\u201d\n\n\u201cJazz,\u201d Boomer\u2019s voice was flat. The old man was all business. \u201cBreak right, I\u2019ll pull this one off you and lead them back to the boys.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan\u2019t shake him.\u201d\n\nThe navsat showed three new ships. A 325a with scrambled tags closed in on Jazza. Walt streaked past, already accelerating toward the fray, and Gavin turned to follow.\n\n\u201cPull up hard,\u201d Boomer said. \u201cBring him back around \u2014 Damn it.\u201d\n\n\u201cTalk to us, Boomer,\u201d Walt said.\n\n\u201cJazza took a big hit. These guys are each sporting a Tarantula \u2014 the big one.\u201d\n\n\u201cHold tight,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cWe\u2019re nearly there. Walt, my HUD\u2019s out. I need visual to fight, can you engage?\u201d\n\n\u201cOn it.\u201d\n\n\u201cHold on, Boomer. We\u2019re coming.\u201d\n\nWalt was an incandescent streak ahead of him. The nearby space seemed deceptively empty without the visualizations that his HUD instrumentation would normally project. Only Oberon IV, looming beneath them, gave him any sense of perspective.\n\nWalt\u2019s voice crackled into the oppressive silence. \u201cBoomer. I\u2019m coming in low at your three o\u2019clock.\u201d\n\n\u201cCopy that.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m going to strafe with the repeaters to get their attention. You give that 325 a broadside he can\u2019t resist. I\u2019ll shove a missile somewhere the sun don\u2019t shine.\u201d\n\n\u201cHurry, Walt. I\u2019m too old for a three-on-one.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn you in five. Four. Three. Break now!\u201d\n\nUp ahead, razor thin beams of red slashed across space. The lasers streaked straight and then abruptly fanned out as Walt yawed around a pirate ship.\n\n\u201cBoomer!\u201d Walt\u2019s words tumbled out in a rush. \u201cI can\u2019t take a missile shot with you between us.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan\u2019t shake him.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell that Tarantula is going to shake you plenty if you don\u2019t.\u201d\n\nA missile streaked toward one of the pirate ships. Gavin saw a stuttering series of small flashes inside the cockpit, then the 325a vented a blazing ball of burning oxygen and went dark.\n\nGavin dropped into the swirling tangle of ships and added his own laser fire to the melee. Rippling blossoms of dispersed energy glowed against a pirate\u2019s shields.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s done it,\u201d Walt said, \u201cthey\u2019re gonna run.\u201d\n\nHe was right. Realizing they were outnumbered, the remaining pirates turned together and accelerated past Jazza\u2019s drifting ship.\n\nAnd with them would go any hope of a profitable job. \u201cPen them in and stitch them up, guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cScrew that,\u201d Walt pulled up, quickly falling behind. \u201cLet them run. They won\u2019t operate here once we steal their hideout. We win, Gav.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis job won\u2019t even cover our fuel costs, Walt. We need those ships.\u201d\n\n\u201cI got \u2019em.\u201d Boomer yawed around to pin the fleeing ships between them.\n\n\u201cBoomer,\u201d Walt cried, \u201cdon\u2019t!\u201d\n\nThe pirate pair turned nose to nose with Boomer. Their guns sparked twice, muzzles flashing, and Boomer\u2019s Avenger bucked from the impact. Most of the starboard wing spun away in a blaze of erupting oxygen. The pirates flew straight through the floating wreckage and streaked away at full acceleration.\n\nGavin cursed and slowed. Without his HUD, the fleeing pirates quickly faded from view. \u201cBoomer? Talk to me, buddy.\u201d\n\nBoomer\u2019s Avenger drifted slowly away toward the black. Then it burped, venting air and Boomer\u2019s survival suit out into open space.\n\nA new, flashing red icon reflected up and off the canopy of Gavin\u2019s cockpit. He didn\u2019t have to check the console to know it was Boomer\u2019s recovery beacon.\n\nHe let his hands fall away from the controls, closed his eyes and let his head slump backwards. His helmet struck the headrest with an audible clunk. Colored lights sprang up to swim in front of his closed eyes.\n\nResigned, he cracked one heavy lid to peek out at the intruding light source. His HUD had decided to grace him with a reappearance.\n\n\u201cWhat. The hell. Was that?\u201d Walt pronounced his words biting precision.\n\n\u201cTarantula GT-870 Mk3,\u201d Gavin recited in detail.\n\n\u201cI know about the damn guns, Gavin. I mean sending Boomer after them. We won. We had them on the run.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese ships don\u2019t repair themselves, Walt. Maybe you haven\u2019t done the math, but we\u2019re broke. We need the salvage.\u201d\n\n\u201cSalvage is nice, but Dell is going to kill you if Boomer is hurt again.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll deal with Dell.\u201d Gavin rolled his shoulders and settled his hands back on the controls. \u201cPut a call in to Oberon. Let them know we took care of their pest problem and that we\u2019ll tow away the clever little base the pests were hiding in to block scans. Then get Jazza patched up. Assuming the pirate survived, the two of you can drop him off before towing the salvage home.\u201d\n\n\u201cGot it,\u201d Walt\u2019s voice was caustic, \u201cmoney first. Good job keeping our priorities straight\u201d\n\n\u201cDamn it, Walt. Will you stow the lip for two minutes so we can pack up and get everyone home.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll get Boomer. Can you please go see if you can get Jazza back up and running?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re the boss, little brother.\u201d\n\nGavin pushed his family troubles to the back of his mind. Prioritize. First things first, take care of the crew. Get Boomer home. Repair the ships. Pay down some debt. He rattled off a painfully long list of critical next steps and one item kept rapidly, forcefully climbing its way to the top.\n\nThey really needed to get another job.\n\nWalt beat the others back to the hangar. He matched rotation with Goss system\u2019s Vista Landing and drifted along its length until he reached the Rhedd Alert hangar. He slowed and then stopped at three sets of wide double doors, each painted an alarming shade of red.\n\nHazard beacons floated in front of the first set of doors. Short bursts from tiny thrusters kept them in place a dozen meters out while a work crew applied high-pressure, ghost-grey paint over stencils of the Rhedd Alert logo.\n\nWalt drew in a proud breath that pressed his chest against the confines of his flight suit. It looked cool having their name up in big letters on the side of the complex.\n\nThen the moment soured.\n\nThe hangar and support staff were dead weight around their necks. The painting crew and logo were all part of the lease agreement with the station, but they served as a pointed reminder of the permanence of the commitment. Walt gnawed at his bottom lip, uncomfortable with the weight of the obligation.\n\nHe tried to put the sense of buyer\u2019s remorse aside, but it sat heavy and rekindled his anger at Gavin. His brother wanted this company so much. Dell did, too.\n\nSuccess \u2014 legit success \u2014 meant they could leave the old routines behind, forever. No more hiding. No more flipping tags every couple weeks to stay ahead of the Advocacy. Starting a company and working toward Citizenship was a big deal, but at what price?\n\nEmploying folks and applying for Citizenship was fine, but it started to lose luster in a hurry if success meant getting someone killed. Walt had to make sure Gavin saw that. They were all tired, but this was too important to wait.\n\n\u201cKnock knock, Dell,\u201d Walt said. \u201cOpen up.\u201d\n\nD\u2019lilah\u2019s voice came over the comm immediately. She\u2019d been waiting. \u201cBay 3, Walt. And mind the paint crew.\u201d\n\n\u201cI see \u2019em. Glad to be home, Dell.\u201d\n\nGavin touched down last, and Walt was waiting at the foot of the ladder when his brother slid down to the deck.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t start with me,\u201d were the first words out of Gavin\u2019s mouth.\n\n\u201cListen,\u201d Walt said, \u201cMaybe I was out of line to second guess you during a fight, but we need to talk about what happened out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe won, okay? Right now I need to get Boomer to the med techs, and then contact Barry about another job.\u201d\n\n\u201cBarry got us this job, Gav. I\u2019m not sure if you noticed, but it really didn\u2019t end so well.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe got sucker-punched by some thugs. That\u2019s what happens when you get sloppy.\u201d\n\nHe was talking about procedures and performance. Two of their ships got shot up, Boomer wounded and Gavin was grumbling about tight flight formations. Walt stretched his fingers, willing them not to form fists. His brother tucked his helmet under one arm and stepped to the side to move around him.\n\n\u201cDamn it, Gavin,\u201d Walt grabbed the shorter man\u2019s shoulder and pressed him back against the ladder. \u201cWould you slow down for two seconds?\u201d\n\nHe\u2019d caught Gavin by surprise, but his younger brother was fast. Gavin slapped the hand from his shoulder, threw his helmet to the hangar deck and planted a two-handed shove of his own into Walt\u2019s chest. \u201cWhat\u2019s your problem, Walt?\u201d\n\nThe hangar grew quiet. A quick glance to either side showed the rest of the staff looking very hard for something productive to do, as far from the brothers as possible. Walt leaned in and hissed, \u201cI\u2019m trying to keep you from getting someone hurt. What\u2019s the point of Rhedd Alert if we get everyone killed for one crappy job?\u201d\n\n\u201cOne crappy . . . ?\u201d Gavin\u2019s eyes were wide, showing white all around the edges. \u201cYou need to wake up, Walt. This was our only job. I got half the ships in the squad with parts falling off. I got Boomer freezing his junk off in nothing more than his flight suit. We can\u2019t jump systems to hijack the next ship that comes along any more. This is what we signed up for, man.\u201d\n\nWalt was getting hot again. He knew he should walk away, but Gavin was still missing his point. \u201cI know what I signed up for.\u201d He knew that they had to make good on jobs, but why die trying just to pay the bill collectors? \u201cAnd I remember why I signed up, too.\u201d\n\nGavin stepped in again. Closer. \u201cOh yeah? And why\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou, Gavin.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo everything\u2019s my fault? Because I made you join up.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not what I mean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know I screwed up the bid on this job. I should have priced it higher. But guess what? I didn\u2019t. And this is all we had.\u201d\n\nWalt lowered his voice, getting right in Gavin\u2019s face. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant and you know it. I\u2019m here because you want this.\u201d He jabbed a stiff finger into Gavin\u2019s chest. \u201cYou want it for Dell. Because you\u2019re afraid she\u2019ll leave if you can\u2019t pull it off.\u201d\n\nAnd then Gavin was on him.\n\nThey went down hard and Walt\u2019s head cracked against the deck when they landed. Gavin was compact and built like a Sataball defenseman, but Walt had length and leverage. It was a dichotomy they had put to the test a hundred times since they were boys, with nearly uniform results. But Gavin just didn\u2019t know when to give up.\n\nThe tussle was short and ugly. In seconds, Walt had one forearm jammed into the back of his brother\u2019s neck, with the other propping himself up off the deck. Gavin\u2019s face was pressed into the cold steel of the hangar floor.\n\nThen the scuffed toe of a black work boot crunched down painfully on Walt\u2019s fingers. His stranglehold on Gavin relaxed, and the smaller man started to squirm free. That was, at least, until the socketed head of a heavy wrench dropped on Gavin\u2019s shoulder, pushing him back down, face first and flat onto the deck.\n\n\u201cOomph.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, now, boys,\u201d Dell said. \u201cWhat are the neighbors gonna think?\u201d\n\nWalt winced, gritting his teeth as she ground his fingers against the steel deck. He craned his neck around to look at her. D\u2019lilah\u2019s boots were cinched tight by pink laces with a white skull-and-crossbones pattern stitched into them. She wore worn, canvas coveralls that hugged strong legs, pockets bulging with tools and spare parts. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail that hung over one shoulder, and she\u2019d dyed the last couple inches a bright, electric blue. The color was new since they\u2019d left for Oberon. It was a playful accent that wasn\u2019t echoed in the angry blue of her eyes.\n\n\u201cOh. Hey there, Dell.\u201d Walt struggled to keep a pinched note of pain from his voice. \u201cHello to you, too.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnless the next words out of your mouth tell me where my dad is, you\u2019re going to be working your stick left-handed.\u201d\n\nGavin answered her. \u201cEase up, Dell.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho\u2019s got him?\u201d\n\n\u201cI do.\u201d Gavin nodded back toward his ship.\n\n\u201cWell then.\u201d She lifted her foot and Walt yanked his hand back to rub at aching knuckles. He glared at her, as sour a look as he could manage while kneeling on the deck. Her smile feigned a sweetness that did nothing to thaw the frozen fury in her eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll fetch the buggy. If you two are done snuggling, it sounds like my dad has a date with the techs in the med center.\u201d\n\nDell swung the wrench up to rest over one shoulder, spun on the balls of her feet, and strode away.\n\nGavin rolled over onto his back with a groan. \u201cThat woman is going to kill us one of these days.\u201d\n\n\u201cThink we could outrun her?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou, maybe. There\u2019s not a dark enough hole in the \u2019verse for me to hide.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, well,\u201d Walt pushed himself to his feet with a grunt, \u201cthat\u2019s your own damn fault for marrying her.\u201d\n\nSeveral systems away, on a station much larger and better appointed than Vista Landing, Morgan Brock scowled at a set of numbers on her mobiGlas. She lifted her eyes, shifting her gaze over the top edge of the screen to stare at Riebeld. The salesman sprawled casually in what Brock knew to be an uncomfortable chair. She made sure that it was uncomfortable, so no one felt confident when sitting opposite her desk.\n\nRiebeld somehow pulled it off, though. It was that braggadocio that made him such a good breadwinner for her company. Irritating, yes. But good for business.\n\nShe powered down the mobiGlas. \u201cThe net profits on this estimate are based off a twelve percent commission.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think we both know that your negotiated commission is ten, Riebeld.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I think we also both know that this job could double the size of the company within two years.\u201d He sat forward then and leaned on her desk. \u201cI want twelve if I bring it in.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd you think I\u2019m going to just give it to you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI know you will.\u201d\n\nIt was her turn to lean forward. It put her too close to him, and he should have backed off. He didn\u2019t. \u201cAnd why,\u201d she asked, \u201cis that?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause I know that you\u2019re not going to let principle stand in the way of profit.\u201d His toothy grin was bright enough to deflect lasers. She was used to predatory smiles from men, but with men like Riebeld, it only meant there was money on the line. His mobiGlas chirped beside them. Riebeld had an incoming call.\n\nHe ignored it.\n\nShe waited for the incoming alert to stop.\n\nIt did.\n\n\u201cYou get twelve,\u201d she said. \u201cBut anyone who helps bring it in gets paid out of your cut, not mine. And I want three options for one-year extensions. Not one. Bring it to me with three or I won\u2019t sign it.\u201d\n\n\u201cDone.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine. Now get out.\u201d\n\nHe did and Brock leaned back in her chair. She was going to need more ships. Riebeld would get the extensions or he wouldn\u2019t. They gave him something to work toward, and he\u2019d get sloppy if he didn\u2019t have a challenge.\n\nGood sales guys were like racehorses, high maintenance and temperamental. Most days, they were nothing more than a pain in the ass. Come race day, though \u2013 you always wanted one in your stable.\n\nThere was a quick knock on her door. Riebeld didn\u2019t wait for her to answer before he shoved his head in.\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t budge on the options, Riebeld. I want three or no deal.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not that. Navy SysCom just put our Tyrol contract up for rebid.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah. We\u2019re allowed to rebid, but they\u2019re putting it out for open competition.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy the hell would they do that?\u201d Escorting UEE scientists to the research facilities in Tyrol wasn\u2019t their biggest job, but she\u2019d put a lot of work into it. They\u2019d spent years clearing the shipping lanes in the Nexus system \u2014 lucrative years, admittedly \u2014 and now the missions were pure profit and promised future growth.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t have the full story yet, but apparently they are trying to push low-risk contract work out to local companies. Some brainiac in accounting identified the Tyrol run as a candidate and boom, Major Greely pulled the contract.\u201d\n\n\u201cSee what you can find out,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd get to work on the rebid.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlready got it covered.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd Riebeld?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah?\u201d\n\n\u201cFind me the name of that accountant.\u201d\n\nIt was late when Gavin left the station. By way of apology, he invited Walt to join him on the short trip to Cassel to meet with Barry Lidst. Whether Walt came along as reconciliation or simply to avoid another run-in with Dell was unclear. Regardless, he didn\u2019t seem inclined to talk about the argument as they flew, and Gavin saw no reason to bring it up.\n\nBarry, a Navy SysCom accountant by trade and freelance rainmaker by inclination, had grown up with the brothers. He had left Goss to join the Navy while the Rhedd boys stayed to work the smuggling routes with Boomer and their father before he passed.\n\nOfficially, Barry was responsible for negotiating contracts between the UEE Navy and private vendors, but he also managed to broker a few off-the-record jobs on the side. He was, if anything, an opportunist, and Gavin trusted him about as much as he trusted any of the shady characters they\u2019d worked with in the past. Which is to say, not at all.\n\nThe fact that Barry was involved with Dell before leaving to join the Navy didn\u2019t factor into his opinion at all. Nope, not in the slightest. Still, Barry had come through with their first legitimate job. With luck, he\u2019d have more.\n\nGavin swallowed hard, focusing on the fact that they needed work. Walt kept quiet. By the time Cassel swelled, massive, blue and inviting against the gold and turquoise bands of the Olympus Pool, Gavin could feel his brows drawing down into a scowl.\n\nThe brothers landed and made their way to a club that catered to the resort world\u2019s local crowd. It was busy, of course, but Barry was waiting and had managed to find an open table.\n\n\u201cI was beginning to think you two bought it in Oberon.\u201d Barry\u2019s naval uniform was cut from some shiny material that was either freshly pressed or engineered to be wrinkle-free. It looked tragically uncomfortable, but did a reasonable job of hiding a rounded gut.\n\n\u201cOberon took a bit longer than we thought,\u201d Gavin forced a smile, \u201cbut we got them.\u201d\n\n\u201cEverything go okay?\u201d\n\n\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d He injected confidence into his words and hoped it sounded genuine. Walt looked at him sharply, but Gavin ignored him. They had to appear capable or better jobs were going to be in short supply. \u201cPirates are not a problem.\u201d\n\nBarry motioned them to sit and his voice took on a somber note. \u201cWord is that Dell\u2019s dad got busted up. He okay?\u201d\n\n\u201cJesus, Barry,\u201d Walt said. \u201cHow\u2019d you even hear about that?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m the government. We\u2019ve got our eyes and ears everywhere.\u201d Gavin stared at him and raised an eyebrow, waiting. \u201cYeah. Well,\u201d Barry shrugged and took a sip of his drink, \u201cthose miners on Oberon might have mentioned something.\u201d\n\n\u201cBoomer\u2019s fine. Our ships took more of a beating than he did,\u201d Gavin turned the subject away from his team getting shot up on the job. \u201cI was surprised to hear you were in Goss system.\u201d\n\n\u201cMom retired here on Cassel,\u201d Barry cast a sour glare around the room when he said it. \u201cI\u2019m just here visiting. Can\u2019t stand it with all the tourist traffic, but she loves the shows and exhibits and stuff. Anyway, I\u2019m glad you guys were able to help out in Oberon.\u201d\n\n\u201cHappy to.\u201d\n\n\u201cStuff like this comes up from time to time,\u201d Barry said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like we don\u2019t want to take care of it ourselves or anything. We do. But the Navy can\u2019t send troops after every brigand and thug in the \u2019verse, you know? Particularly when they\u2019re camped out in an unclaimed system. So, yeah. No one minds if we feed these jobs to indies like you guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cwe\u2019re light on work right now. Got anything for us?\u201d\n\n\u201cI might have something \u2014 not UEE work, but still a decent job. And I know the client will be happy with your rates.\u201d\n\nGavin\u2019s heart sank a bit, but maybe they could increase their price without chasing Barry away. He encouraged the accountant to keep talking.\n\n\u201cThe job is close, just a couple hops away. It\u2019s hard work, but I can hook you up if you\u2019re interested.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s the job?\u201d Walt asked.\n\n\u201cYou ever heard of molybdenum?\u201d Gavin\u2019s face must have looked as blank as Walt\u2019s. \u201cNo? It\u2019s a rare metal used in electronics and stuff. You find it near copper deposits. You know what? Doesn\u2019t matter. A friend of mine knows a guy who just got his hands on the mining rights to a moon.\u201d\n\n\u201cMining,\u201d Walt muttered. \u201cWhy is it always mining?\u201d\n\n\u201cI guess the whole moon is riddled with tunnels and caverns. Apparently there used to be a bunch of copper there, but now all that stuff is gone. The only thing left is the molybdenum. This guy, he\u2019s got three weeks to start producing or he loses his lease to the next prospector in line.\u201d\n\n\u201cBarry,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cif you\u2019re looking for a team to wear hardhats and swing pickaxes, you\u2019ve got the wrong guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cNaw, it\u2019s nothing like that. They\u2019re empty now, but someone set the caves up as a fortified base. Smugglers, probably. They put auto-targeting turrets in there. My guy told me they\u2019re all over the place. Around every corner. Anyway, it\u2019s all Banu tech. A group of them must have hopped over from Bacchus.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo what\u2019s the job?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey need someone to comb through the whole thing and take out the turrets. They can\u2019t send mining equipment and operators in there until it\u2019s clear. Those guys don\u2019t have shields.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d Gavin asked.\n\n\u201cYup. That\u2019s it.\u201d\n\nWalt watched Barry across the table with a bemused tilt to one eyebrow. \u201cThat\u2019s the most boring job I\u2019ve ever heard of.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey,\u201d Barry said, \u201cif you want something with a little higher chance of combat, I\u2019ve got a UEE escort contract up for bid. We were getting absolutely fleeced by the incumbent contractor. I finally convinced the major to rebid the job.\u201d\n\nNow that sounded exactly like the job Rhedd Alert needed.\n\n\u201cTell me more about that,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cAbout the escort job, I mean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI, uh listen,\u201d Barry said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t really serious about that. No offense, but that is an armed escort through some pretty rough systems.\u201d\n\nThis was it. The chance they needed. \u201cOur guys can do it,\u201d Gavin said.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a small job now, but it\u2019s scheduled to mature into something big. I don\u2019t even know if you have enough ships to meet the contract requirements.\u201d\n\n\u201cGive us a shot. If we perform, I\u2019ll find the extra ships and pilots.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe outfits that sign on for gigs like this are generally ex-military. Highly trained. Lots of contacts in Navy SysCom. Most of the contractors we use are actually based right next to the Navy in Kilian system. I was joking, guys. Forget I mentioned it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, we can do this. What\u2019s the run? How many \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cGav,\u201d Walt interrupted, \u201cwe\u2019re talking naval flight formations and tactics. Superior weapons systems. Maybe we should get more info on the turret thing in the mulberry mine.\u201d\n\n\u201cMolybdenum.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhatever.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome on, Walt. This sounds perfect for us. And I\u2019d put you or Jazza up against an ex-Navy pilot in a heartbeat. Any system, any time.\u201d\n\n\u201cFellas . . . hey, listen,\u201d Barry said. \u201cThe UEE is trying to push local work to local contractors. The big defense companies are fighting it. If you feel like sticking your hand in the middle of that fire, I\u2019ll forward you the RFP. Good enough? In the meantime . . . about my buddy with the moon mine?\u201d\n\nGavin half-heartedly followed along while Walt and Barry discussed the turret job, but in his mind they were already escorting UEE ships through hostile space. Walt startled him out of his reverie when he hushed a surprised Barry into silence.\n\n\u201cWait,\u201d Walt said, \u201cback up a second. These Banu weapon systems. Did you say this stuff came out of Bacchus?\u201d\n\n\u201cProbably. Why?\u201d\n\n\u201cThis moon . . . Barry, where is it?\u201d\n\n\u201cOberon VI, why?\u201d\n\nGavin\u2019s heart sank again. A glance at Walt did nothing to reassure him. His brother\u2019s smile looked fantastically strained.\n\n\u201cAh, come on,\u201d Barry said. \u201cYou\u2019ve already done good work for these guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ll kill us,\u201d Walt said.\n\n\u201cNaw,\u201d Barry waved at them dismissively, \u201cThey love Rhedd Alert.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d Walt said, \u201cnot the miners.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho?\u201d Barry looked concerned now. \u201cWho\u2019ll kill you?\u201d\n\nGavin answered. \u201cOur team is going to kill us if we drag them back to Oberon.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey,\u201d Barry relaxed, \u201cit\u2019s a small \u2019verse. You\u2019re going to end up passing through there sooner or later. Might as well get paid for it. Am I right?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Walt said, \u201cbut Oberon?\u201d\n\n\u201cI did mention it pays, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Barry keyed something up on his mobiGlas. He turned it so they could read the projected display. At the bottom was a number. A not-insignificant number. Gavin stared at his hands as Walt absorbed the figures.\n\nWalt\u2019s head made an audible clunk when it struck the table. He groaned something muffled and to the effect of, \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re going back to Oberon.\u201d\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026","de_DE":"Writer's Note: Brothers In Arms: Part One wurde urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 3.5 ver\u00f6ffentlicht.\nDas Heads-up-Display auf Gavin Rhedd's Entermesser ist an den R\u00e4ndern abgedunkelt. Gr\u00fcne Dreiecke, die die Mitglieder seines Sicherheitsteams repr\u00e4sentieren, verzogen sich zu horizontalen Spitzen aus flackerndem statischem Material. Er schlug auf die Seite seines Helmes. Es war ein ge\u00fcbter Zug, der das HUD in der Vergangenheit wieder in den Fokus ger\u00fcckt hatte. Diesmal flackerte das Display, verblasste und starb dann.\n\nEin schwerer Atemzug schickte einen d\u00fcnnen Schleier aus Dampf, der das Visier seines Helmes kletterte. Kondenswasser verdunkelte den Blick auf den schwarzen, leeren Raum vor sich.\n\nLeer wie die tote Warn-up-Anzeige.\n\nLeer, genau wie seit Wochen.\n\nEs gab R\u00e4uber und Pl\u00fcnderer, die jeden Planeten im Vers plagten, und er konnte keine einzige verdammte Bande finden. Nichts lief so gut, wie er es geplant hatte.\n\nAuf dem Navsat st\u00fcrzten sich die anderen drei Mitglieder der Rhedd Alert Security auf beide Seiten. Sein Bruder Walt wurde direkt am Hafen in Position gebracht. Jazza und Boomer waren schmerzhaft aus der Position.\n\nSchlampig.\n\nAlle langweilten sich und wurden leichtsinnig.\n\nBoomer war der erste, der diesmal die Funkstille durchbrach.\n\n\"Hey, Leute?\"\n\n\"Was ist los, Boomer?\" Walt war der erste, der geantwortet hat.\n\n\"Mir ist kalt.\"\n\nJazza folgte keinen Befehlen besser als die anderen, und ihr Scherz hatte die angenehme Kadenz freundlicher Rivalit\u00e4t. \"Dann zieh einen Pullover an.\"\n\n\"Hey, Jazz?\" Boomer feuerte auf sie zur\u00fcck.\n\n\" Ja?\"\n\n\"Nimm den Helm f\u00fcr eine Zecke ab.\"\n\n\"Warum das, alter Mann? Willst du einen Kuss?\"\n\n\"Nein. Ich hoffe, du wirst rausgelutscht und stirbst, wenn ich ein Loch durch dein Cockpit schie\u00dfe.\"\n\nGavin seufzte in seinen Helm, bevor er sein Mikrofon ausl\u00f6ste. \" Kommt schon, Leute. Ich will, dass die Kommunikation dunkel wird. Die Bergleute auf Oberon haben uns angeheuert, um sich um ihr Piratenproblem zu k\u00fcmmern. Und ihr drei, die ihr auf einem offenen Kanal plaudert, wird uns nicht helfen, sie schneller zu finden.\"\n\n\"Ich fange an, dieses System zu hassen\", murmelte Walt.\n\nSie waren alle m\u00fcde und ersch\u00f6pft von wochenlangen langen Stunden und ohne Action. Aber Walt t\u00f6tete ihre Moral, indem er dieser Frustration eine Stimme gab. Diese ganze Sache - Rhedd Alert Security, die Aufgabe des Schmuggels, um sauber zu werden, die Beantragung der Staatsb\u00fcrgerschaft - war etwas, das sie gemeinsam beschlossen hatten. Gavin und Walt. Br\u00fcder. Sich legalisieren und ein Unternehmen gr\u00fcnden.\n\nEs schien eine gute Idee zu sein, als sie den Systemmeldungen ausweichen und ein Verm\u00f6gen in gef\u00e4lschte Tags werfen wollten. Aber einige Dinge \u00e4ndern sich nicht, und Walt war derselbe alte Walt - alle reden und nicht durchziehen. Es dauerte nicht lange, bis er sich eine Ausrede ausdachte, um zu einem klareren Himmel \u00fcberzugehen.\n\n\"Was ist los, Boomer?\"\n\n\"Kalt, Gavin. Ich denke, die Hitze ist aus.\"\n\nWunderbar. Etwas anderes zu reparieren. Vielleicht w\u00e4re Walt nicht der erste, der nach allem aufh\u00f6rt. Dell w\u00fcrde gehen, wenn Gavin ihren Vater \u00fcber diesem Felsen erfrieren lassen w\u00fcrde.\n\nJazza bellte lachend, \"Ja. Das klingt ungef\u00e4hr richtig f\u00fcr dieses Outfit.\"\n\n\"Jazza, w\u00fcrdest du jetzt endlich die Klappe halten? Mit welchem Teil hast du Probleme? Komm oder dunkel?\"\n\n\"Ja, Sir, Big Boss Man.\"\n\n\"Jesus. Ich habe mehr Respekt von euch bekommen, als wir Kriminelle waren. Boomer, bei allen Banu-G\u00f6ttern, warum hast du mir nicht gesagt, dass du Probleme hast, bevor wir den Hangar verlassen haben?\"\n\n\"Ich, \u00e4hm.... Ich dachte, ich sollte bis nach der Mission schweigen. Bis wir bezahlt wurden, wei\u00dft du?\"\n\nDas h\u00e4tte ein schneller In- und Out Job sein sollen. Aber nach wochenlanger erfolgloser Jagd, auch wenn sie die Piraten schlie\u00dflich vertrieben haben, w\u00e4re der Job ein Reinverlust.\n\n\"Hey, Leute?\" Jazza fing wirklich an, ihm auf die Nerven zu gehen. Das hat er ihr gesagt. \"Halt die Klappe, Gavin. Ich wollte dich nur wissen lassen, dass ich etwas gefunden habe.\"\n\nGavin studierte schnell die Navsat-Konsole. Das Gebiet sah leer aus, au\u00dfer den vier, also tauchte das, was sie gefunden hatte, auf keinem seiner Feeds auf. Er schlug seinen Helm wieder in der stummen Hoffnung, dass das HUD wieder zum Leben erwachen w\u00fcrde.\n\n\"Es ist ein Rumpf\", sagte Jazza. \"Der Gro\u00dfe. Sieht aus wie ein ausgezogener Idris. Sieht tot aus.\"\n\n\"Ich sehe dich nicht bei.... Schei\u00dfe\", sagte Walt. \"Da bist du ja. Wie bist du da rausgekommen?\"\n\n\"Ruhig, Leute\", sagte Gavin. \"Boomer? Du gehst in Richtung Jazza. Walt und ich werden die Position halten.\"\n\n\" Verstanden.\"\n\nEin Idris stellte einen fairen Teil der Creds als Bergung dar. Seltsam, dass niemand es behauptet hatte. Sie waren in Oberon, um Piraten zu vertreiben, aber ein kleiner Schrottjob nebenbei war ein willkommener Bonus.\n\n\"Jazza\", sagte Gavin, \"Ich habe nichts in deiner N\u00e4he \u00fcber Sensoren. Denkst du, es ist nur ein schwimmender M\u00fcll?\"\n\n\"Ich glaube schon\", sprach sie langsam, unsicher. \"Ich dachte, ich h\u00e4tte eine W\u00e4rmespur gesehen, aber ich sehe sie jetzt nicht. Ich gehe n\u00e4her ran - Jesus!\"\n\n\"Jazz\", Boomer's Stimme war flach. Der alte Mann war nur ein Gesch\u00e4ft. \"Brich rechts ab, ich ziehe das von dir ab und f\u00fchre sie zu den Jungs zur\u00fcck.\"\n\n\"Ich kann ihn nicht absch\u00fctteln.\"\n\nDas Navsat zeigte drei neue Schiffe. Ein 325a mit verschl\u00fcsselten Tags, der auf der Jazza geschlossen ist. Walt zog vorbei und beschleunigte sich bereits auf den Kampf zu, und Gavin drehte sich um, um zu folgen.\n\n\"Zieh hart hoch\", sagte Boomer. \"Bring ihn wieder her - verdammt.\"\n\n\"Rede mit uns, Boomer\", sagte Walt.\n\n\"Jazza wurde stark getroffen. Diese Typen tragen jeweils eine Tarantel - die gro\u00dfe.\"\n\n\"Halt dich fest\", sagte Gavin. \"Wir sind fast da. Walt, mein HUD ist raus. Ich brauche Sichtkontakt, um zu k\u00e4mpfen, kannst du k\u00e4mpfen?\"\n\n\" Da drauf.\"\n\n\"Warte mal, Boomer. Wir kommen.\"\n\nWalt war eine Gl\u00fchlampe vor ihm. Der nahe gelegene Raum schien t\u00e4uschend leer zu sein, ohne die Visualisierungen, die seine HUD-Instrumentierung normalerweise projizieren w\u00fcrde. Erst Oberon IV, der unter ihnen auftauchte, gab ihm einen Eindruck von Perspektive.\n\nWalts Stimme knisterte in die bedr\u00fcckende Stille. \"Boomer. Ich komme um drei Uhr tief rein.\"\n\n\" Verstanden.\"\n\n\"Ich werde mich mit den Repeatern herumschlagen, um ihre Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen. Sie geben der 325 eine Breitseite, der er nicht widerstehen kann. Ich schiebe eine Rakete irgendwo hin, wo die Sonne nicht scheint.\"\n\n\"Beeil dich, Walt. Ich bin zu alt f\u00fcr ein Dreiergespr\u00e4ch.\"\n\n\"Bei dir in f\u00fcnf Minuten. Vier. Drei. Brecht jetzt!\"\n\nDa vorne schlugen rasiermesserscharfe d\u00fcnne rote Strahlen durch den Raum. Die Laser streiften gerade und dann pl\u00f6tzlich aufgef\u00e4chert, als Walt um ein Piratenschiff herum gierte.\n\n\" Boomer!\" Walts Worte fielen schnell heraus. \"Ich kann keinen Raketenschuss mit euch machen, zwischen uns.\"\n\n\"Ich kann ihn nicht absch\u00fctteln.\"\n\n\"Nun, diese Tarantel wird dich reichlich ersch\u00fcttern, wenn du es nicht tust.\"\n\nEine Rakete streifte auf eines der Piratenschiffe zu. Gavin sah eine stotternde Serie von kleinen Blitzen im Cockpit, dann entl\u00fcftete der 325a eine lodernde Kugel aus brennendem Sauerstoff und wurde dunkel.\n\nGavin fiel in das wirbelnde Gewirr von Schiffen und f\u00fcgte dem Nahkampf sein eigenes Laserfeuer hinzu. Rippende Bl\u00fcten mit verstreuter Energie leuchteten gegen die Schilde eines Piraten.\n\n\"Das war's\", sagte Walt, \"sie werden weglaufen.\"\n\nEr hatte Recht. Als sie erkannten, dass sie in der Unterzahl waren, drehten sich die verbleibenden Piraten zusammen und beschleunigten an Jazzas treibendem Schiff vorbei.\n\nUnd mit ihnen w\u00fcrde jede Hoffnung auf einen profitablen Job gehen. \"Steckt sie ein und n\u00e4ht sie zusammen, Leute.\"\n\n\"Schei\u00df drauf\", fuhr Walt hoch und fiel schnell zur\u00fcck. \"Lass sie laufen. Sie werden hier nicht mehr operieren, sobald wir ihr Versteck gestohlen haben. Wir gewinnen, Gav.\"\n\n\"Dieser Job wird nicht einmal unsere Treibstoffkosten decken, Walt. Wir brauchen diese Schiffe.\"\n\n\"Ich habe sie.\" Boomer gierte herum, um die fliehenden Schiffe zwischen sich zu halten.\n\n\"Boomer\", schrie Walt, \"nicht!\"\n\nDas Piratenpaar drehte Nase an Nase mit Boomer. Ihre Waffen funkelten zweimal, Maulk\u00f6rbe blinkten, und Boomer's R\u00e4cher bockte vom Aufprall ab. Der gr\u00f6\u00dfte Teil des Steuerbordfl\u00fcgels wurde in einem Feuer ausbrechendem Sauerstoff weggesponnen. Die Piraten flogen direkt durch das schwimmende Wrack und streiften mit voller Beschleunigung davon.\n\nGavin verfluchte und verlangsamte. Ohne sein HUD verblassten die fliehenden Piraten schnell aus den Augen. \"Boomer? Rede mit mir, Kumpel.\"\n\nBoomer's R\u00e4cher trieb langsam weg in Richtung Schwarz. Dann r\u00fclpste es, entl\u00fcftete Luft und Boomers \u00dcberlebensanzug ins Freie.\n\nEin neues, blinkendes rotes Symbol spiegelte sich auf und von der Haube von Gavins Cockpit wider. Er musste die Konsole nicht \u00fcberpr\u00fcfen, um zu wissen, dass es Boomers Rettungszeichen war.\n\nEr lie\u00df seine H\u00e4nde von der Steuerung fallen, schloss die Augen und lie\u00df seinen Kopf nach hinten fallen. Sein Helm traf mit einem h\u00f6rbaren Klopfen auf die Kopfst\u00fctze. Farbige Lichter sprangen auf, um vor seinen geschlossenen Augen zu schwimmen.\n\nResigniert, knackte er einen schweren Deckel, um auf die eindringende Lichtquelle zu schauen. Sein HUD hatte beschlossen, ihn mit einem Wiederauftauchen zu beehren.\n\n\"Was. Zur H\u00f6lle. War das so?\" Walt sprach seine Worte aus, bei\u00dfend pr\u00e4zise.\n\n\"Tarantel GT-870 Mk3\", rezitierte Gavin ausf\u00fchrlich.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df von den verdammten Waffen, Gavin. Ich meine, Boomer hinter ihnen her schicken. Wir haben gewonnen. Wir hatten sie auf der Flucht.\"\n\n\"Diese Schiffe reparieren sich nicht von selbst, Walt. Vielleicht hast du noch nicht gerechnet, aber wir sind pleite. Wir brauchen die Bergung.\"\n\n\"Bergung ist sch\u00f6n, aber Dell wird dich t\u00f6ten, wenn Boomer wieder verletzt wird.\"\n\n\"Ich k\u00fcmmere mich um Dell.\" Gavin rollte die Schultern und legte seine H\u00e4nde wieder auf die Bedienelemente. \"Rufen Sie Oberon an. Lassen Sie sie wissen, dass wir uns um ihr Sch\u00e4dlingsproblem gek\u00fcmmert haben und dass wir die clevere kleine Basis, in der sich die Sch\u00e4dlinge versteckt haben, abschleppen werden, um Scans zu verhindern. Dann lass Jazza zusammenflicken. Angenommen, der Pirat hat \u00fcberlebt, k\u00f6nnen Sie ihn absetzen, bevor Sie die Bergung nach Hause schleppen.\"\n\n\"Verstanden\", Walts Stimme war \u00e4tzend, \"Geld zuerst\". Gute Arbeit, um unsere Priorit\u00e4ten klar zu setzen\".\n\n\"Verdammt, Walt. W\u00fcrdest du die Lippe f\u00fcr zwei Minuten verstauen, damit wir zusammenpacken und alle nach Hause bringen k\u00f6nnen?\"\n\n\"Gut.\"\n\n\"Ich hole Boomer. Kannst du bitte sehen, ob du Jazza wieder zum Laufen bringen kannst?\"\n\n\"Du bist der Boss, kleiner Bruder.\"\n\nGavin schob die Probleme seiner Familie in den Hintergrund. Priorisieren. Das Wichtigste zuerst, k\u00fcmmere dich um die Crew. Hol Boomer nach Hause. Reparieren Sie die Schiffe. Zahlen Sie ein paar Schulden zur\u00fcck. Er rasselte von einer schmerzhaft langen Liste kritischer n\u00e4chster Schritte, und ein Gegenstand hielt sich schnell und kletterte energisch an die Spitze.\n\nSie brauchten wirklich einen neuen Job.\n\nWalt schlug die anderen zur\u00fcck zum Hangar. Er passte die Rotation mit der Vista-Landung des Goss-Systems an und driftete \u00fcber deren L\u00e4nge, bis er den Rhedd Alert Hangar erreichte. Er verlangsamte und hielt dann an drei breiten Doppelt\u00fcren an, die jeweils einen alarmierenden Rotton annahmen.\n\nVor dem ersten T\u00fcrensatz schwebten Gefahrenmelder. Kurze Ausbr\u00fcche von winzigen Triebwerken hielten sie ein Dutzend Meter entfernt an Ort und Stelle, w\u00e4hrend eine Arbeitsgruppe Hochdruck- und geistergraue Farbe auf Schablonen des Rhedd Alert Logos auftrug.\n\nWalt holte einen stolzen Atemzug ein, der seine Brust gegen die Grenzen seines Fluganzuges dr\u00fcckte. Es sah cool aus, ihren Namen in gro\u00dfen Buchstaben auf der Seite des Komplexes zu tragen.\n\nDann sauerte der Moment.\n\nDer Hangar und das Hilfspersonal hatten ein Eigengewicht um den Hals. Die Malcrew und das Logo waren alle Teil des Mietvertrages mit der Station, aber sie dienten als gezielte Erinnerung an die Dauerhaftigkeit des Engagements. Walt nagte an seiner Unterlippe, unbequem mit dem Gewicht der Verpflichtung.\n\nEr versuchte, das Gef\u00fchl der Reue des K\u00e4ufers beiseite zu legen, aber es sa\u00df schwer und entfachte seine Wut auf Gavin. Sein Bruder wollte diese Firma so sehr. Dell auch.\n\nErfolg - echter Erfolg - bedeutete, dass sie die alten Routinen f\u00fcr immer hinter sich lassen konnten. Kein Verstecken mehr. Kein Umlegen von Tags mehr alle paar Wochen, um der Advocacy voraus zu sein. Eine Firma zu gr\u00fcnden und auf dem Weg zur Staatsb\u00fcrgerschaft zu arbeiten, war eine gro\u00dfe Sache, aber zu welchem Preis?\n\nDie Besch\u00e4ftigung von Menschen und die Beantragung der Staatsb\u00fcrgerschaft war in Ordnung, aber es begann in Eile an Glanz zu verlieren, wenn der Erfolg bedeutete, jemanden zu t\u00f6ten. Walt musste sicherstellen, dass Gavin das sah. Sie waren alle m\u00fcde, aber das war zu wichtig, um zu warten.\n\n\"Klopf, klopf, Dell\", sagte Walt. \" Mach auf.\"\n\nD'lilahs Stimme kam sofort \u00fcber den Funk. Sie hatte gewartet. \"Bucht 3, Walt. Und achtet auf die Lackierer.\"\n\n\"Ich sehe sie. Sch\u00f6n, zu Hause zu sein, Dell.\"\n\nGavin landete zuletzt, und Walt wartete am Fu\u00df der Leiter, als sein Bruder zum Deck hinunterrutschte.\n\n\"Fang nicht mit mir an\", waren die ersten Worte aus Gavins Mund.\n\n\"H\u00f6r zu\", sagte Walt, \"Vielleicht war ich unangebracht, um dich w\u00e4hrend eines Kampfes zu erraten, aber wir m\u00fcssen dar\u00fcber reden, was da drau\u00dfen passiert ist.\"\n\n\"Wir haben gewonnen, okay? Im Moment muss ich Boomer zu den Medizinern bringen und dann Barry wegen eines anderen Jobs kontaktieren.\"\n\n\"Barry hat uns diesen Job besorgt, Gav. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob du es bemerkt hast, aber es hat wirklich nicht so gut geendet.\"\n\n\"Wir wurden von ein paar Schl\u00e4gern verpr\u00fcgelt. Das passiert, wenn man schlampig wird.\"\n\nEr sprach von Verfahren und Leistung. Zwei ihrer Schiffe wurden erschossen, Boomer verwundet und Gavin meckerte \u00fcber enge Flugformationen. Walt streckte seine Finger aus und wollte, dass sie keine F\u00e4uste bildeten. Sein Bruder steckte seinen Helm unter einen Arm und trat zur Seite, um sich um ihn herum zu bewegen.\n\n\"Verdammt, Gavin\", packte Walt die Schulter des kleineren Mannes und dr\u00fcckte ihn zur\u00fcck gegen die Leiter. \"W\u00fcrdest du zwei Sekunden langsamer werden?\"\n\nEr hatte Gavin \u00fcberrascht erwischt, aber sein j\u00fcngerer Bruder war schnell. Gavin schlug ihm die Hand von der Schulter, warf seinen Helm auf das Hangardeck und pflanzte einen eigenen Zweihandsto\u00df in Walts Brust. \"Was ist dein Problem, Walt?\"\n\nDer Hangar wurde ruhig. Ein kurzer Blick auf beide Seiten zeigte, dass der Rest der Belegschaft sehr intensiv nach etwas Produktivem suchte, so weit weg von den Br\u00fcdern wie m\u00f6glich. Walt lehnte sich hinein und zischte: \"Ich versuche, dich davon abzuhalten, jemanden zu verletzen. Was n\u00fctzt Rhedd Alert, wenn wir alle f\u00fcr einen beschissenen Job t\u00f6ten lassen?\"\n\n\"Eine beschissene.... ?\u201d Gavins Augen waren breit und zeigten Wei\u00df an allen R\u00e4ndern. \"Du musst aufwachen, Walt. Das war unsere einzige Aufgabe. Ich habe die H\u00e4lfte der Schiffe in der Gruppe mit herunterfallenden Teilen. Ich habe Boomer dazu gebracht, seinen M\u00fcll in nichts anderem als seinem Fluganzug einzufrieren. Wir k\u00f6nnen keine Systeme springen, um das n\u00e4chste Schiff zu entf\u00fchren, das vorbeikommt. Daf\u00fcr haben wir uns angemeldet, Mann.\"\n\nWalt wurde wieder hei\u00df. Er wusste, dass er gehen sollte, aber Gavin verfehlte immer noch seinen Standpunkt. \"Ich wei\u00df, wof\u00fcr ich mich angemeldet habe.\" Er wusste, dass sie ihre Jobs wieder gutmachen mussten, aber warum sterben, wenn sie versuchten, nur die Rechnungssammler zu bezahlen? \"Und ich erinnere mich, warum ich mich auch angemeldet habe.\"\n\nGavin trat wieder ein. N\u00e4her. \"Oh ja? Und warum ist das so?\"\n\n\"Du, Gavin.\"\n\n\"Also ist alles meine Schuld? Weil ich dich dazu gebracht habe, mitzumachen.\"\n\n\"Das ist nicht das, was ich meine.\"\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df, dass ich das Angebot f\u00fcr diesen Job vermasselt habe. Ich h\u00e4tte es teurer machen sollen. Aber wei\u00dft du was? Das habe ich nicht. Und das ist alles, was wir hatten.\"\n\nWalt senkte seine Stimme und bekam direkt in Gavins Gesicht. \"Das ist nicht das, was ich meinte, und das wei\u00dft du. Ich bin hier, weil du das willst.\" Er stie\u00df einen steifen Finger in Gavins Brust. \"Du willst es f\u00fcr Dell. Weil du Angst hast, dass sie geht, wenn du es nicht schaffst.\"\n\nUnd dann war Gavin an ihm dran.\n\nSie gingen hart hinunter und Walts Kopf schlug gegen das Deck, als sie landeten. Gavin war kompakt und baute wie ein Sataball Verteidiger, aber Walt hatte L\u00e4nge und Hebelwirkung. Es war eine Dichotomie, die sie seit ihrer Kindheit hundertmal auf die Probe gestellt hatten, mit nahezu einheitlichen Ergebnissen. Aber Gavin wusste einfach nicht, wann er aufgeben sollte.\n\nDas Gerangel war kurz und h\u00e4sslich. In Sekundenschnelle hatte Walt einen Unterarm in die R\u00fcckseite des Halses seines Bruders gesteckt, w\u00e4hrend der andere sich vom Deck st\u00fctzte. Gavins Gesicht wurde in den kalten Stahl des Hangarbodens gedr\u00fcckt.\n\nDann knirschte der geschabte Zeh eines schwarzen Arbeitsstiefels schmerzhaft auf Walts Finger. Sein W\u00fcrgegriff an Gavin entspannte sich, und der kleinere Mann begann sich frei zu winden. Das war zumindest so lange, bis der gesockelte Kopf eines schweren Schl\u00fcssels auf Gavins Schulter fiel und ihn wieder nach unten dr\u00fcckte, mit dem Gesicht nach vorne und flach auf das Deck.\n\n\" Oomph.\"\n\n\"Jetzt, jetzt, Jungs\", sagte Dell. \"Was werden die Nachbarn denken?\"\n\nWalt zuckte zusammen und knirschte mit den Z\u00e4hnen, als sie seine Finger gegen das Stahldeck dr\u00fcckte. Er drehte seinen Hals um, um sie anzusehen. Die Stiefel von D'lilah wurden durch rosa Schn\u00fcrsenkel mit einem wei\u00dfen Totenkopfmuster eng umschlossen. Sie trug getragene Leinenoveralls, die starke Beine umarmten, Taschen, die mit Werkzeugen und Ersatzteilen gef\u00fcllt waren. Ihr dunkles Haar wurde zu einem Pferdeschwanz zur\u00fcckgezogen, der \u00fcber einer Schulter hing, und sie hatte die letzten paar Zentimeter in einem hellen, elektrischen Blau gef\u00e4rbt. Die Farbe war neu, seit sie nach Oberon aufgebrochen waren. Es war ein spielerischer Akzent, der nicht im w\u00fctenden Blau ihrer Augen widerhallt.\n\n\"Oh. Hey, Dell.\" Walt k\u00e4mpfte darum, eine gekniffene Schmerznote von seiner Stimme fernzuhalten. \"Hallo auch an dich.\"\n\n\"Wenn die n\u00e4chsten Worte aus deinem Mund mir nicht sagen, wo mein Vater ist, wirst du deinen Stock mit der linken Hand bearbeiten.\"\n\nGavin antwortete ihr. \" Immer mit der Ruhe, Dell.\"\n\n\"Wer hat ihn?\"\n\n\"Das tue ich.\" Gavin nickte zur\u00fcck zu seinem Schiff.\n\n\"Nun denn.\" Sie hob ihren Fu\u00df an und Walt zog seine Hand zur\u00fcck, um an schmerzenden Kn\u00f6cheln zu reiben. Er starrte sie an, so sauer ein Blick, wie er es beim Knien auf dem Deck schaffen konnte. Ihr L\u00e4cheln t\u00e4uschte eine S\u00fc\u00dfe vor, die nichts tat, um die gefrorene Wut in ihren Augen aufzutauen. \"Ich hole den Buggy. Wenn ihr beide mit dem Kuscheln fertig seid, klingt es, als h\u00e4tte mein Vater ein Date mit den Technikern im Krankenhaus.\"\n\nDell schwang den Schraubenschl\u00fcssel hoch, um sich \u00fcber eine Schulter zu legen, drehte sich auf die Ballen ihrer F\u00fc\u00dfe und ging davon.\n\nGavin rollte sich mit einem St\u00f6hnen auf den R\u00fccken. \"Diese Frau wird uns eines Tages umbringen.\"\n\n\"Denkst du, wir k\u00f6nnten ihr entkommen?\"\n\n\"Du, vielleicht. Es gibt kein dunkles Loch im Vers, das ich verstecken k\u00f6nnte.\"\n\n\"Ja, nun,\" Walt dr\u00fcckte sich mit einem Grunzen auf die Beine, \"das ist deine eigene verdammte Schuld, weil du sie geheiratet hast.\"\n\nMehrere Systeme entfernt, auf einer Station, die viel gr\u00f6\u00dfer und besser ausgestattet war als Vista Landing, starrte Morgan Brock eine Reihe von Zahlen auf ihrem mobiGlas an. Sie hob ihre Augen an und schob ihren Blick \u00fcber den oberen Rand des Bildschirms, um Riebeld anzustarren. Der Verk\u00e4ufer spreizte sich beil\u00e4ufig in einem, wie Brock wusste, unbequemen Stuhl. Sie stellte sicher, dass es unangenehm war, so dass sich niemand sicher f\u00fchlte, wenn er gegen\u00fcber ihrem Schreibtisch sa\u00df.\n\nAber Riebeld hat es irgendwie geschafft. Es war dieser Prahlerei, die ihn zu einem so guten Ern\u00e4hrer f\u00fcr ihre Firma machte. Reizend, ja. Aber gut f\u00fcr das Gesch\u00e4ft.\n\nSie hat das mobiGlas ausgeschaltet. \"Der Reingewinn basiert auf dieser Sch\u00e4tzung auf einer zw\u00f6lfprozentigen Provision.\"\n\n\"Ja, Ma'am.\"\n\n\"Ich denke, wir beide wissen, dass deine ausgehandelte Provision zehn betr\u00e4gt, Riebeld.\"\n\n\"Und ich denke, wir wissen auch beide, dass dieser Job die Gr\u00f6\u00dfe des Unternehmens innerhalb von zwei Jahren verdoppeln k\u00f6nnte.\" Er setzte sich dann nach vorne und lehnte sich auf ihren Schreibtisch. \"Ich will zw\u00f6lf, wenn ich es reinbringe.\"\n\n\"Und du denkst, ich werde es dir einfach geben?\"\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df, dass du das wirst.\"\n\nSie war an der Reihe, sich nach vorne zu lehnen. Es brachte sie zu nahe an ihn heran, und er h\u00e4tte sich zur\u00fcckziehen sollen. Das hat er nicht. \"Und warum\", fragte sie, \"ist das so?\"\n\n\"Weil ich wei\u00df, dass du nicht zulassen wirst, dass das Prinzip dem Profit im Wege steht.\" Sein z\u00e4hes Grinsen war hell genug, um Laser abzulenken. Sie war an das r\u00e4uberische L\u00e4cheln von M\u00e4nnern gew\u00f6hnt, aber bei M\u00e4nnern wie Riebeld bedeutete das nur, dass Geld auf dem Spiel stand. Sein MobiGlas zwitscherte neben ihnen. Riebeld hatte einen eingehenden Anruf.\n\nEr ignorierte es.\n\nSie wartete darauf, dass der eingehende Alarm aufh\u00f6rte.\n\nDas hat es.\n\n\"Du bekommst zw\u00f6lf\", sagte sie. \"Aber jeder, der hilft, es einzubringen, wird von deinem Anteil bezahlt, nicht von meinem. Und ich will drei Optionen f\u00fcr eine einj\u00e4hrige Verl\u00e4ngerung. Nicht eine. Bring es mir mit drei oder ich unterschreibe es nicht.\"\n\n\" Erledigt.\"\n\n\"Gut. Und jetzt raus hier.\"\n\nDas tat er und Brock lehnte sich in ihrem Stuhl zur\u00fcck. Sie w\u00fcrde mehr Schiffe brauchen. Riebeld w\u00fcrde die Erweiterungen bekommen oder nicht. Sie gaben ihm etwas, auf das er hinarbeiten konnte, und er w\u00fcrde schlampig werden, wenn er nicht eine Herausforderung h\u00e4tte.\n\nGute Verk\u00e4ufer waren wie Rennpferde, pflegeintensiv und temperamentvoll. Meistens waren sie nichts anderes als eine Nervens\u00e4ge. Kommen Sie zum Renntag - Sie wollten schon immer einen in Ihrem Stall.\n\nEs klopfte schnell an ihre T\u00fcr. Riebeld wartete nicht darauf, dass sie antwortete, bevor er seinen Kopf hineinschob.\n\n\"Ich werde mich nicht auf die Optionen festlegen, Riebeld. Ich will drei oder gar keinen Deal.\"\n\n\"Nein\", sagte er. \"Das ist es nicht. Die Navy SysCom hat gerade unseren Tiroler Vertrag zur R\u00fcckgabe freigegeben.\"\n\n\" Was?\"\n\n\"Ja. Wir d\u00fcrfen rebidieren, aber sie stellen es f\u00fcr einen offenen Wettbewerb aus.\"\n\n\"Warum zum Teufel sollten sie das tun?\" Die Begleitung von UEE-Wissenschaftlern zu den Forschungseinrichtungen in Tirol war nicht ihre gr\u00f6\u00dfte Aufgabe, aber sie hatte viel Arbeit in sie investiert. Sie hatten Jahre damit verbracht, die Schifffahrtswege im Charon-System zu r\u00e4umen - lukrative Jahre, zugegebenerma\u00dfen - und jetzt waren die Missionen reiner Gewinn und versprachen zuk\u00fcnftiges Wachstum.\n\n\"Ich habe noch nicht die ganze Geschichte, aber anscheinend versuchen sie, die risikoarme Vertragsgestaltung f\u00fcr lokale Unternehmen voranzutreiben. Ein Verstand in der Buchhaltung identifizierte den Tiroler Lauf als Kandidat und Boom, Major Greely zog den Vertrag.\"\n\n\"Sieh, was du herausfinden kannst\", sagte sie. \"Und mach dich an die Arbeit mit dem R\u00fcckkauf.\"\n\n\"Ich habe es bereits abgedeckt.\"\n\n\"Und Riebeld?\"\n\n\" Ja?\"\n\n\"Finde den Namen des Buchhalters.\"\n\nEs war sp\u00e4t, als Gavin den Bahnhof verlie\u00df. Zur Entschuldigung lud er Walt ein, sich ihm auf dem kurzen Weg nach Cassel anzuschlie\u00dfen, um sich mit Barry Lidst zu treffen. Ob Walt als Vers\u00f6hnung oder einfach nur, um einen weiteren Zusammensto\u00df mit Dell zu vermeiden, kam, war unklar. Unabh\u00e4ngig davon schien er nicht geneigt, \u00fcber das Argument zu sprechen, als sie flogen, und Gavin sah keinen Grund, es zur Sprache zu bringen.\n\nBarry, ein Navy SysCom Buchhalter von Beruf und freiberuflicher Regenmacher von Neigung, war mit den Br\u00fcdern aufgewachsen. Er hatte Goss verlassen, um der Marine beizutreten, w\u00e4hrend die Rhedd-Jungs blieben, um die Schmuggelrouten mit Boomer und ihrem Vater zu bearbeiten, bevor er starb.\n\nOffiziell war Barry f\u00fcr die Aushandlung von Vertr\u00e4gen zwischen der UEE Navy und privaten Verk\u00e4ufern verantwortlich, aber er schaffte es auch, ein paar Off-the-Record-Auftr\u00e4ge zu vermitteln. Er war, wenn \u00fcberhaupt, ein Opportunist, und Gavin vertraute ihm etwa so sehr wie er einem der zwielichtigen Gestalten vertraute, mit denen sie in der Vergangenheit gearbeitet hatten. Das hei\u00dft, \u00fcberhaupt nicht.\n\nDie Tatsache, dass Barry mit Dell zu tun hatte, bevor er ging, um der Marine beizutreten, spielte in seiner Meinung \u00fcberhaupt keine Rolle. Nein, nicht im Geringsten. Dennoch hatte Barry ihren ersten legitimen Job erledigt. Mit etwas Gl\u00fcck h\u00e4tte er mehr.\n\nGavin schluckte hart und konzentrierte sich auf die Tatsache, dass sie Arbeit brauchten. Walt schwieg. Als Cassel anschwoll, massiv, blau und einladend gegen die goldenen und t\u00fcrkisfarbenen B\u00e4nder des Olympus-Pools, sp\u00fcrte Gavin, wie seine Augenbrauen in einen finsteren Blick \u00fcbergingen.\n\nDie Br\u00fcder landeten und machten sich auf den Weg zu einem Club, der f\u00fcr die lokale Bev\u00f6lkerung des Resorts sorgte. Es war nat\u00fcrlich besetzt, aber Barry wartete und hatte es geschafft, einen offenen Tisch zu finden.\n\n\"Ich hatte schon gedacht, dass ihr beide es in Oberon gekauft habt.\" Barrys Marineuniform wurde aus gl\u00e4nzendem Material geschnitten, das entweder frisch gepresst oder faltenfrei hergestellt wurde. Es sah tragisch unbequem aus, aber es leistete eine angemessene Arbeit, einen runden Darm zu verstecken.\n\n\"Oberon hat etwas l\u00e4nger gebraucht, als wir dachten\", zwang Gavin ein L\u00e4cheln, \"aber wir haben sie.\"\n\n\"Alles in Ordnung?\"\n\n\" Auf jeden Fall.\" Er injizierte Vertrauen in seine Worte und hoffte, dass es echt klang. Walt sah ihn scharf an, aber Gavin ignorierte ihn. Sie mussten den Anschein erwecken, dass es an leistungsf\u00e4higen oder besseren Arbeitspl\u00e4tzen mangeln w\u00fcrde. \"Piraten sind kein Problem.\"\n\nBarry bewegte sie zum Sitzen und seine Stimme nahm eine d\u00fcstere Note an. \"Es hei\u00dft, dass Dells Vater verhaftet wurde. Geht es ihm gut?\"\n\n\"Jesus, Barry\", sagte Walt. \"Woher wei\u00dft du \u00fcberhaupt davon?\"\n\n\"Ich bin die Regierung. Wir haben \u00fcberall unsere Augen und Ohren.\" Gavin starrte ihn an und hob eine Augenbraue und wartete. \"Ja. Nun,\" zuckte Barry mit den Achseln und nahm einen Schluck von seinem Drink, \"diese Bergleute auf Oberon k\u00f6nnten etwas erw\u00e4hnt haben.\"\n\n\"Boomer ist in Ordnung. Unsere Schiffe haben mehr Pr\u00fcgel als er erlitten\", wandte Gavin das Thema von seinem Team ab, das bei der Arbeit erschossen wurde. \"Ich war \u00fcberrascht zu h\u00f6ren, dass Sie im Goss-System sind.\"\n\n\"Mom zog sich hier wegen Cassel zur\u00fcck\", Barry warf einen sauren Blick durch den Raum, als er es sagte. \"Ich bin nur zu Besuch hier. Kann es mit dem ganzen Touristenverkehr nicht aushalten, aber sie liebt die Shows und Ausstellungen und so. Wie auch immer, ich bin froh, dass ihr in Oberon helfen konntet.\"\n\n\" Das freut mich.\"\n\n\"Solche Dinge kommen von Zeit zu Zeit vor\", sagte Barry. \"Es ist ja nicht so, dass wir uns nicht selbst darum k\u00fcmmern wollen oder so. Das tun wir. Aber die Marine kann keine Truppen nach jedem R\u00e4uber und Schl\u00e4ger im Vers schicken, wei\u00dft du? Vor allem, wenn sie in einem nicht beanspruchten System unterwegs sind. Also, ja. Es st\u00f6rt niemanden, wenn wir diese Jobs an Indies wie euch weitergeben.\"\n\n\"Nun,\" sagte Gavin, \"wir haben gerade wenig Arbeit. Hast du etwas f\u00fcr uns?\"\n\n\"Ich habe vielleicht etwas - keine UEE-Arbeit, aber trotzdem einen anst\u00e4ndigen Job. Und ich wei\u00df, dass der Kunde mit deinen Preisen zufrieden sein wird.\"\n\nGavins Herz sank ein wenig, aber vielleicht konnten sie ihren Preis erh\u00f6hen, ohne Barry zu verjagen. Er ermutigte den Buchhalter, weiter zu reden.\n\n\"Der Job ist knapp, nur ein paar Schritte entfernt. Es ist harte Arbeit, aber ich kann dir helfen, wenn du interessiert bist.\"\n\n\"Was ist der Job?\" fragte Walt.\n\n\"Hast du schon mal von Molybd\u00e4n geh\u00f6rt?\" Gavins Gesicht muss genauso leer ausgesehen haben wie das von Walt. \"Nein? Es ist ein seltenes Metall, das in der Elektronik und so verwendet wird. Sie finden es in der N\u00e4he von Kupferlagerst\u00e4tten. Wei\u00dft du was? Das spielt keine Rolle. Ein Freund von mir kennt einen Kerl, der gerade die Minenrechte an einem Mond in die Finger bekommen hat.\"\n\n\"Mining\", murmelte Walt. \"Warum wird es immer abgebaut?\"\n\n\"Ich sch\u00e4tze, der ganze Mond ist voller Tunnel und H\u00f6hlen. Anscheinend gab es dort fr\u00fcher einen Haufen Kupfer, aber jetzt ist das ganze Zeug weg. Das Einzige, was \u00fcbrig bleibt, ist das Molybd\u00e4n. Dieser Kerl, er hat drei Wochen Zeit, um mit der Produktion zu beginnen, oder er verliert seinen Mietvertrag an den n\u00e4chsten Goldsucher in der Reihe.\"\n\n\"Barry\", sagte Gavin, \"wenn du ein Team suchst, das Schutzhelme und Pickel tr\u00e4gt, hast du die falschen Leute.\"\n\n\"Nein, so ist es nicht. Sie sind jetzt leer, aber jemand hat die H\u00f6hlen als befestigte Basis eingerichtet. Schmuggler, wahrscheinlich. Sie haben da drin Auto-Targeting-T\u00fcrme eingebaut. Mein Typ hat mir gesagt, dass sie \u00fcberall sind. Um jede Ecke. Wie auch immer, es ist alles Banu-Tech. Eine Gruppe von ihnen muss von Bacchus her\u00fcbergesprungen sein.\"\n\n\"Also, was ist der Job?\"\n\n\"Sie brauchen jemanden, der die ganze Sache durchk\u00e4mmt und die Gesch\u00fctzt\u00fcrme ausschaltet. Sie k\u00f6nnen keine Bergbauger\u00e4te und -betreiber da reinschicken, bis es klar ist. Diese Typen haben keine Schilde.\"\n\n\"Das ist alles?\" fragte Gavin.\n\n\"Jawohl. Das ist es.\"\n\nWalt beobachtete Barry \u00fcber den Tisch mit einer verwirrten Neigung zu einer Augenbraue. \"Das ist der langweiligste Job, von dem ich je geh\u00f6rt habe.\"\n\n\"Hey,\" sagte Barry, \"wenn du etwas mit etwas h\u00f6herer Kampfchance willst, habe ich einen UEE Escort Vertrag zur Ausschreibung. Wir wurden von dem etablierten Auftragnehmer absolut geschr\u00f6pft. Ich habe den Major endlich davon \u00fcberzeugt, den Job zu revidieren.\"\n\nDas klang jetzt genau so, wie es der Job war, den Rhedd Alert brauchte.\n\n\"Erz\u00e4hl mir mehr dar\u00fcber\", sagte Gavin. \"Wegen des Escortjobs, meine ich.\"\n\n\"Ich, \u00e4h, h\u00f6r zu\", sagte Barry. \"Das war mir nicht wirklich ernst gemeint. Nichts f\u00fcr ungut, aber das ist eine bewaffnete Eskorte durch einige ziemlich raue Systeme.\"\n\nDas war's dann. Die Chance, die sie brauchten. \"Unsere Jungs k\u00f6nnen das\", sagte Gavin.\n\n\"Es ist jetzt ein kleiner Job, aber er soll zu etwas Gro\u00dfem werden. Ich wei\u00df nicht mal, ob du genug Schiffe hast, um die Vertragsbedingungen zu erf\u00fcllen.\"\n\n\"Gib uns eine Chance. Wenn wir auftreten, finde ich die zus\u00e4tzlichen Schiffe und Lotsen.\"\n\n\"Die Outfits, die sich f\u00fcr solche Auftritte anmelden, sind in der Regel Ex-Milit\u00e4rs. Hervorragend ausgebildet. Viele Kontakte in Navy SysCom. Die meisten der von uns eingesetzten Auftragnehmer haben ihren Sitz direkt neben der Marine im Kilian-System. Ich habe nur Spa\u00df gemacht, Leute. Vergiss, dass ich es erw\u00e4hnt habe.\"\n\n\"Nein, wir k\u00f6nnen das schaffen. Was ist der Lauf? Wie viele -\"\n\n\"Gav\", unterbrach Walt, \"wir sprechen hier von Marineflugformationen und Taktiken. \u00dcberlegene Waffensysteme. Vielleicht sollten wir mehr Informationen \u00fcber das Turm-Ding in der Maulbeer-Mine bekommen.\"\n\n\" Molybd\u00e4n.\"\n\n\" Was auch immer.\"\n\n\"Komm schon, Walt. Das klingt f\u00fcr uns perfekt. Und ich w\u00fcrde dich oder Jazza bei einem Herzschlag gegen einen Ex-Navy-Piloten antreten lassen. Jedes System, jede Zeit.\"\n\n\" Freunde. . hey, h\u00f6r zu\", sagte Barry. \"Die UEE versucht, die lokale Arbeit auf lokale Auftragnehmer zu \u00fcbertragen. Die gro\u00dfen Verteidigungsunternehmen k\u00e4mpfen dagegen an. Wenn du Lust hast, deine Hand in die Mitte des Feuers zu stecken, leite ich dir das RFP weiter. Gut genug? In der Zwischenzeit.... \u00fcber meinen Kumpel mit der Mondmine?\"\n\nGavin folgte halbherzig, w\u00e4hrend Walt und Barry den Turmjob diskutierten, aber in seinem Kopf eskortierten sie bereits UEE-Schiffe durch den feindlichen Raum. Walt erschreckte ihn aus seiner Tr\u00e4umerei, als er einen \u00fcberraschten Barry zum Schweigen brachte.\n\n\"Warte\", sagte Walt, \"eine Sekunde zur\u00fcck. Diese Banu-Waffensysteme. Hast du gesagt, dass dieses Zeug aus Bacchus kam?\"\n\n\"Wahrscheinlich. Warum?\"\n\n\"Diesen Mond. . . Barry, wo ist es?\"\n\n\"Oberon VI., warum?\"\n\nGavins Herz sank wieder. Ein Blick auf Walt tat nichts, um ihn zu beruhigen. Das L\u00e4cheln seines Bruders sah fantastisch angespannt aus.\n\n\"Ah, komm schon\", sagte Barry. \"Du hast bereits gute Arbeit f\u00fcr diese Jungs geleistet.\"\n\n\"Sie werden uns t\u00f6ten\", sagte Walt.\n\n\"Nein\", winkte Barry ihnen abweisend zu, \"Sie lieben Rhedd Alert.\"\n\n\"Nein\", sagte Walt, \"nicht die Bergleute.\"\n\n\" Wer?\" Barry sah jetzt besorgt aus. \"Wer wird dich t\u00f6ten?\"\n\nantwortete Gavin. \"Unser Team wird uns umbringen, wenn wir sie nach Oberon zur\u00fcckbringen.\"\n\n\"Hey\", entspannte sich Barry, \"es ist ein kleiner Vers. Fr\u00fcher oder sp\u00e4ter wirst du dort durchkommen. Ich k\u00f6nnte genauso gut daf\u00fcr bezahlt werden. Habe ich Recht?\"\n\n\"Ja\", sagte Walt, \"aber Oberon?\"\n\n\"Ich habe erw\u00e4hnt, dass es sich lohnt, nicht wahr?\" Barry hat etwas auf seinem mobiGlas eingeklebt. Er drehte es so, dass sie die projizierte Anzeige lesen konnten. Unten war eine Zahl. Eine nicht unbedeutende Zahl. Gavin starrte auf seine H\u00e4nde, als Walt die Figuren aufnahm.\n\nWalts Kopf machte ein h\u00f6rbares Klopfen, als er auf den Tisch traf. Er st\u00f6hnte etwas ged\u00e4mpftes und mit dem Effekt: \"Ich kann nicht glauben, dass wir zur\u00fcck nach Oberon gehen.\"\n\nWIRD FORTGESETZT......","zh_CN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Brothers In Arms: Part One was published originally in Jump Point 3.5.\nThe heads-up display on Gavin Rhedd\u2019s Cutlass dimmed at the edges. Green triangles representing the members of his security team distorted to form horizontal spikes of flickering static. He smacked the side of his helmet. It was a practiced move, and one that had snapped the HUD back into focus in the past. This time, the display flickered, faded and then died.\n\nA heavy breath sent a thin veil of vapor climbing the visor of his helmet. Condensation obscured the view of black, empty space ahead.\n\nEmpty like the dead heads-up display.\n\nEmpty just like it had been for weeks.\n\nThere were brigands and marauders plaguing every planet in the \u2019verse and he couldn\u2019t find one damned gang. Nothing was working out like he\u2019d planned.\n\nOn the navsat, the other three members of Rhedd Alert Security fanned out to either side. His brother Walt was locked into position directly to port. Jazza and Boomer were painfully out of position.\n\nSloppy.\n\nEveryone was getting bored and careless.\n\nBoomer was the first to break radio silence this time.\n\n\u201cHey, guys?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s up, Boomer?\u201d Walt was the first to respond.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m cold.\u201d\n\nJazza didn\u2019t follow orders better than any of the others, and her banter had the comfortable cadence of friendly rivalry. \u201cThen put on a sweater.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey, Jazz?\u201d Boomer fired back at her.\n\n\u201cYeah?\u201d\n\n\u201cTake your helmet off for a tick.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019s that, old man? You want a kiss?\u201d\n\n\u201cNope. I\u2019m hoping you get sucked out and die when I shoot a hole through your cockpit.\u201d\n\nGavin sighed into his helmet before triggering his mic. \u201cCome on, gang. I want comms dark. The miners on Oberon hired us to take care of their pirate problem. And the three of you chattering on an open channel won\u2019t help us find them any faster.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m starting to hate this system,\u201d Walt muttered.\n\nThey were all tired and strung out from weeks of long hours and no action. But Walt was killing their morale by giving voice to that frustration. This whole thing \u2014 Rhedd Alert Security, abandoning smuggling to go clean, applying for Citizenship \u2014 was something they\u2019d agreed to do together. Gavin and Walt. Brothers. Going legit and starting a business.\n\nIt seemed a good idea when they were dodging system alerts and dumping a fortune into forged tags. But some things don\u2019t change, and Walt was the same old Walt \u2014 all talk and no follow through. It wouldn\u2019t be long before he came up with some excuse to move on to clearer skies.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Boomer?\u201d\n\n\u201cCold, Gavin. Think the heat\u2019s out.\u201d\n\nWonderful. Something else to fix. Maybe Walt wouldn\u2019t be the first to quit after all. Dell would leave if Gavin let her father freeze to death over this rock.\n\nJazza barked a laugh, \u201cYep. That sounds about right for this outfit.\u201d\n\n\u201cJazza, will you shut up already? Which part are you having trouble with? Comms or dark?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes sir, Big Boss Man.\u201d\n\n\u201cJesus. I got more respect from you guys when we were criminals. Boomer, by all the Banu gods, why didn\u2019t you tell me you were having trouble before we left the hangar?\u201d\n\n\u201cI, uh . . . I figured to keep quiet until after the mission. Until we got paid, you know?\u201d\n\nThis should have been a quick in and out job. But after weeks of fruitless hunting, even if they eventually drove off the pirates, the job would be a net loss.\n\n\u201cHey, guys?\u201d Jazza was really starting to get on his nerves. He told her as much. \u201cShut your hole, Gavin. I just wanted to let you know I found something.\u201d\n\nGavin quickly studied the navsat console. The area looked empty other than the four of them, so whatever she\u2019d found wasn\u2019t showing up on any of his feeds. He smacked his helmet again in mute hope that the HUD would spring back to life.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a hull,\u201d Jazza said. \u201cBig one. Looks like a stripped Idris. Looks dead.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not seeing you on . . . crap,\u201d Walt said. \u201cThere you are. How\u2019d you get way the hell out there?\u201d\n\n\u201cEasy, folks,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cBoomer? You head toward Jazza. Walt and I will hold position.\u201d\n\n\u201cCopy that.\u201d\n\nAn Idris represented a fair chunk of creds as salvage. Strange that no one had claimed it. They were in Oberon to chase off pirates, but a little scrap job on the side was a welcome bonus.\n\n\u201cJazza,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cI\u2019ve got nothing near you on sensors. You think it\u2019s just some floating junk?\u201d\n\n\u201cI think so,\u201d she spoke slowly, uncertain. \u201cI thought I saw a heat trace, but I\u2019m not seeing it now. Going in for a closer \u2014 Jesus!\u201d\n\n\u201cJazz,\u201d Boomer\u2019s voice was flat. The old man was all business. \u201cBreak right, I\u2019ll pull this one off you and lead them back to the boys.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan\u2019t shake him.\u201d\n\nThe navsat showed three new ships. A 325a with scrambled tags closed in on Jazza. Walt streaked past, already accelerating toward the fray, and Gavin turned to follow.\n\n\u201cPull up hard,\u201d Boomer said. \u201cBring him back around \u2014 Damn it.\u201d\n\n\u201cTalk to us, Boomer,\u201d Walt said.\n\n\u201cJazza took a big hit. These guys are each sporting a Tarantula \u2014 the big one.\u201d\n\n\u201cHold tight,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cWe\u2019re nearly there. Walt, my HUD\u2019s out. I need visual to fight, can you engage?\u201d\n\n\u201cOn it.\u201d\n\n\u201cHold on, Boomer. We\u2019re coming.\u201d\n\nWalt was an incandescent streak ahead of him. The nearby space seemed deceptively empty without the visualizations that his HUD instrumentation would normally project. Only Oberon IV, looming beneath them, gave him any sense of perspective.\n\nWalt\u2019s voice crackled into the oppressive silence. \u201cBoomer. I\u2019m coming in low at your three o\u2019clock.\u201d\n\n\u201cCopy that.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m going to strafe with the repeaters to get their attention. You give that 325 a broadside he can\u2019t resist. I\u2019ll shove a missile somewhere the sun don\u2019t shine.\u201d\n\n\u201cHurry, Walt. I\u2019m too old for a three-on-one.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn you in five. Four. Three. Break now!\u201d\n\nUp ahead, razor thin beams of red slashed across space. The lasers streaked straight and then abruptly fanned out as Walt yawed around a pirate ship.\n\n\u201cBoomer!\u201d Walt\u2019s words tumbled out in a rush. \u201cI can\u2019t take a missile shot with you between us.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan\u2019t shake him.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell that Tarantula is going to shake you plenty if you don\u2019t.\u201d\n\nA missile streaked toward one of the pirate ships. Gavin saw a stuttering series of small flashes inside the cockpit, then the 325a vented a blazing ball of burning oxygen and went dark.\n\nGavin dropped into the swirling tangle of ships and added his own laser fire to the melee. Rippling blossoms of dispersed energy glowed against a pirate\u2019s shields.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s done it,\u201d Walt said, \u201cthey\u2019re gonna run.\u201d\n\nHe was right. Realizing they were outnumbered, the remaining pirates turned together and accelerated past Jazza\u2019s drifting ship.\n\nAnd with them would go any hope of a profitable job. \u201cPen them in and stitch them up, guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cScrew that,\u201d Walt pulled up, quickly falling behind. \u201cLet them run. They won\u2019t operate here once we steal their hideout. We win, Gav.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis job won\u2019t even cover our fuel costs, Walt. We need those ships.\u201d\n\n\u201cI got \u2019em.\u201d Boomer yawed around to pin the fleeing ships between them.\n\n\u201cBoomer,\u201d Walt cried, \u201cdon\u2019t!\u201d\n\nThe pirate pair turned nose to nose with Boomer. Their guns sparked twice, muzzles flashing, and Boomer\u2019s Avenger bucked from the impact. Most of the starboard wing spun away in a blaze of erupting oxygen. The pirates flew straight through the floating wreckage and streaked away at full acceleration.\n\nGavin cursed and slowed. Without his HUD, the fleeing pirates quickly faded from view. \u201cBoomer? Talk to me, buddy.\u201d\n\nBoomer\u2019s Avenger drifted slowly away toward the black. Then it burped, venting air and Boomer\u2019s survival suit out into open space.\n\nA new, flashing red icon reflected up and off the canopy of Gavin\u2019s cockpit. He didn\u2019t have to check the console to know it was Boomer\u2019s recovery beacon.\n\nHe let his hands fall away from the controls, closed his eyes and let his head slump backwards. His helmet struck the headrest with an audible clunk. Colored lights sprang up to swim in front of his closed eyes.\n\nResigned, he cracked one heavy lid to peek out at the intruding light source. His HUD had decided to grace him with a reappearance.\n\n\u201cWhat. The hell. Was that?\u201d Walt pronounced his words biting precision.\n\n\u201cTarantula GT-870 Mk3,\u201d Gavin recited in detail.\n\n\u201cI know about the damn guns, Gavin. I mean sending Boomer after them. We won. We had them on the run.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese ships don\u2019t repair themselves, Walt. Maybe you haven\u2019t done the math, but we\u2019re broke. We need the salvage.\u201d\n\n\u201cSalvage is nice, but Dell is going to kill you if Boomer is hurt again.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll deal with Dell.\u201d Gavin rolled his shoulders and settled his hands back on the controls. \u201cPut a call in to Oberon. Let them know we took care of their pest problem and that we\u2019ll tow away the clever little base the pests were hiding in to block scans. Then get Jazza patched up. Assuming the pirate survived, the two of you can drop him off before towing the salvage home.\u201d\n\n\u201cGot it,\u201d Walt\u2019s voice was caustic, \u201cmoney first. Good job keeping our priorities straight\u201d\n\n\u201cDamn it, Walt. Will you stow the lip for two minutes so we can pack up and get everyone home.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll get Boomer. Can you please go see if you can get Jazza back up and running?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re the boss, little brother.\u201d\n\nGavin pushed his family troubles to the back of his mind. Prioritize. First things first, take care of the crew. Get Boomer home. Repair the ships. Pay down some debt. He rattled off a painfully long list of critical next steps and one item kept rapidly, forcefully climbing its way to the top.\n\nThey really needed to get another job.\n\nWalt beat the others back to the hangar. He matched rotation with Goss system\u2019s Vista Landing and drifted along its length until he reached the Rhedd Alert hangar. He slowed and then stopped at three sets of wide double doors, each painted an alarming shade of red.\n\nHazard beacons floated in front of the first set of doors. Short bursts from tiny thrusters kept them in place a dozen meters out while a work crew applied high-pressure, ghost-grey paint over stencils of the Rhedd Alert logo.\n\nWalt drew in a proud breath that pressed his chest against the confines of his flight suit. It looked cool having their name up in big letters on the side of the complex.\n\nThen the moment soured.\n\nThe hangar and support staff were dead weight around their necks. The painting crew and logo were all part of the lease agreement with the station, but they served as a pointed reminder of the permanence of the commitment. Walt gnawed at his bottom lip, uncomfortable with the weight of the obligation.\n\nHe tried to put the sense of buyer\u2019s remorse aside, but it sat heavy and rekindled his anger at Gavin. His brother wanted this company so much. Dell did, too.\n\nSuccess \u2014 legit success \u2014 meant they could leave the old routines behind, forever. No more hiding. No more flipping tags every couple weeks to stay ahead of the Advocacy. Starting a company and working toward Citizenship was a big deal, but at what price?\n\nEmploying folks and applying for Citizenship was fine, but it started to lose luster in a hurry if success meant getting someone killed. Walt had to make sure Gavin saw that. They were all tired, but this was too important to wait.\n\n\u201cKnock knock, Dell,\u201d Walt said. \u201cOpen up.\u201d\n\nD\u2019lilah\u2019s voice came over the comm immediately. She\u2019d been waiting. \u201cBay 3, Walt. And mind the paint crew.\u201d\n\n\u201cI see \u2019em. Glad to be home, Dell.\u201d\n\nGavin touched down last, and Walt was waiting at the foot of the ladder when his brother slid down to the deck.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t start with me,\u201d were the first words out of Gavin\u2019s mouth.\n\n\u201cListen,\u201d Walt said, \u201cMaybe I was out of line to second guess you during a fight, but we need to talk about what happened out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe won, okay? Right now I need to get Boomer to the med techs, and then contact Barry about another job.\u201d\n\n\u201cBarry got us this job, Gav. I\u2019m not sure if you noticed, but it really didn\u2019t end so well.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe got sucker-punched by some thugs. That\u2019s what happens when you get sloppy.\u201d\n\nHe was talking about procedures and performance. Two of their ships got shot up, Boomer wounded and Gavin was grumbling about tight flight formations. Walt stretched his fingers, willing them not to form fists. His brother tucked his helmet under one arm and stepped to the side to move around him.\n\n\u201cDamn it, Gavin,\u201d Walt grabbed the shorter man\u2019s shoulder and pressed him back against the ladder. \u201cWould you slow down for two seconds?\u201d\n\nHe\u2019d caught Gavin by surprise, but his younger brother was fast. Gavin slapped the hand from his shoulder, threw his helmet to the hangar deck and planted a two-handed shove of his own into Walt\u2019s chest. \u201cWhat\u2019s your problem, Walt?\u201d\n\nThe hangar grew quiet. A quick glance to either side showed the rest of the staff looking very hard for something productive to do, as far from the brothers as possible. Walt leaned in and hissed, \u201cI\u2019m trying to keep you from getting someone hurt. What\u2019s the point of Rhedd Alert if we get everyone killed for one crappy job?\u201d\n\n\u201cOne crappy . . . ?\u201d Gavin\u2019s eyes were wide, showing white all around the edges. \u201cYou need to wake up, Walt. This was our only job. I got half the ships in the squad with parts falling off. I got Boomer freezing his junk off in nothing more than his flight suit. We can\u2019t jump systems to hijack the next ship that comes along any more. This is what we signed up for, man.\u201d\n\nWalt was getting hot again. He knew he should walk away, but Gavin was still missing his point. \u201cI know what I signed up for.\u201d He knew that they had to make good on jobs, but why die trying just to pay the bill collectors? \u201cAnd I remember why I signed up, too.\u201d\n\nGavin stepped in again. Closer. \u201cOh yeah? And why\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou, Gavin.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo everything\u2019s my fault? Because I made you join up.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not what I mean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know I screwed up the bid on this job. I should have priced it higher. But guess what? I didn\u2019t. And this is all we had.\u201d\n\nWalt lowered his voice, getting right in Gavin\u2019s face. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant and you know it. I\u2019m here because you want this.\u201d He jabbed a stiff finger into Gavin\u2019s chest. \u201cYou want it for Dell. Because you\u2019re afraid she\u2019ll leave if you can\u2019t pull it off.\u201d\n\nAnd then Gavin was on him.\n\nThey went down hard and Walt\u2019s head cracked against the deck when they landed. Gavin was compact and built like a Sataball defenseman, but Walt had length and leverage. It was a dichotomy they had put to the test a hundred times since they were boys, with nearly uniform results. But Gavin just didn\u2019t know when to give up.\n\nThe tussle was short and ugly. In seconds, Walt had one forearm jammed into the back of his brother\u2019s neck, with the other propping himself up off the deck. Gavin\u2019s face was pressed into the cold steel of the hangar floor.\n\nThen the scuffed toe of a black work boot crunched down painfully on Walt\u2019s fingers. His stranglehold on Gavin relaxed, and the smaller man started to squirm free. That was, at least, until the socketed head of a heavy wrench dropped on Gavin\u2019s shoulder, pushing him back down, face first and flat onto the deck.\n\n\u201cOomph.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, now, boys,\u201d Dell said. \u201cWhat are the neighbors gonna think?\u201d\n\nWalt winced, gritting his teeth as she ground his fingers against the steel deck. He craned his neck around to look at her. D\u2019lilah\u2019s boots were cinched tight by pink laces with a white skull-and-crossbones pattern stitched into them. She wore worn, canvas coveralls that hugged strong legs, pockets bulging with tools and spare parts. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail that hung over one shoulder, and she\u2019d dyed the last couple inches a bright, electric blue. The color was new since they\u2019d left for Oberon. It was a playful accent that wasn\u2019t echoed in the angry blue of her eyes.\n\n\u201cOh. Hey there, Dell.\u201d Walt struggled to keep a pinched note of pain from his voice. \u201cHello to you, too.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnless the next words out of your mouth tell me where my dad is, you\u2019re going to be working your stick left-handed.\u201d\n\nGavin answered her. \u201cEase up, Dell.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho\u2019s got him?\u201d\n\n\u201cI do.\u201d Gavin nodded back toward his ship.\n\n\u201cWell then.\u201d She lifted her foot and Walt yanked his hand back to rub at aching knuckles. He glared at her, as sour a look as he could manage while kneeling on the deck. Her smile feigned a sweetness that did nothing to thaw the frozen fury in her eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll fetch the buggy. If you two are done snuggling, it sounds like my dad has a date with the techs in the med center.\u201d\n\nDell swung the wrench up to rest over one shoulder, spun on the balls of her feet, and strode away.\n\nGavin rolled over onto his back with a groan. \u201cThat woman is going to kill us one of these days.\u201d\n\n\u201cThink we could outrun her?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou, maybe. There\u2019s not a dark enough hole in the \u2019verse for me to hide.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, well,\u201d Walt pushed himself to his feet with a grunt, \u201cthat\u2019s your own damn fault for marrying her.\u201d\n\nSeveral systems away, on a station much larger and better appointed than Vista Landing, Morgan Brock scowled at a set of numbers on her mobiGlas. She lifted her eyes, shifting her gaze over the top edge of the screen to stare at Riebeld. The salesman sprawled casually in what Brock knew to be an uncomfortable chair. She made sure that it was uncomfortable, so no one felt confident when sitting opposite her desk.\n\nRiebeld somehow pulled it off, though. It was that braggadocio that made him such a good breadwinner for her company. Irritating, yes. But good for business.\n\nShe powered down the mobiGlas. \u201cThe net profits on this estimate are based off a twelve percent commission.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think we both know that your negotiated commission is ten, Riebeld.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I think we also both know that this job could double the size of the company within two years.\u201d He sat forward then and leaned on her desk. \u201cI want twelve if I bring it in.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd you think I\u2019m going to just give it to you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI know you will.\u201d\n\nIt was her turn to lean forward. It put her too close to him, and he should have backed off. He didn\u2019t. \u201cAnd why,\u201d she asked, \u201cis that?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause I know that you\u2019re not going to let principle stand in the way of profit.\u201d His toothy grin was bright enough to deflect lasers. She was used to predatory smiles from men, but with men like Riebeld, it only meant there was money on the line. His mobiGlas chirped beside them. Riebeld had an incoming call.\n\nHe ignored it.\n\nShe waited for the incoming alert to stop.\n\nIt did.\n\n\u201cYou get twelve,\u201d she said. \u201cBut anyone who helps bring it in gets paid out of your cut, not mine. And I want three options for one-year extensions. Not one. Bring it to me with three or I won\u2019t sign it.\u201d\n\n\u201cDone.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine. Now get out.\u201d\n\nHe did and Brock leaned back in her chair. She was going to need more ships. Riebeld would get the extensions or he wouldn\u2019t. They gave him something to work toward, and he\u2019d get sloppy if he didn\u2019t have a challenge.\n\nGood sales guys were like racehorses, high maintenance and temperamental. Most days, they were nothing more than a pain in the ass. Come race day, though \u2013 you always wanted one in your stable.\n\nThere was a quick knock on her door. Riebeld didn\u2019t wait for her to answer before he shoved his head in.\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t budge on the options, Riebeld. I want three or no deal.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not that. Navy SysCom just put our Tyrol contract up for rebid.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah. We\u2019re allowed to rebid, but they\u2019re putting it out for open competition.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy the hell would they do that?\u201d Escorting UEE scientists to the research facilities in Tyrol wasn\u2019t their biggest job, but she\u2019d put a lot of work into it. They\u2019d spent years clearing the shipping lanes in the Nexus system \u2014 lucrative years, admittedly \u2014 and now the missions were pure profit and promised future growth.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t have the full story yet, but apparently they are trying to push low-risk contract work out to local companies. Some brainiac in accounting identified the Tyrol run as a candidate and boom, Major Greely pulled the contract.\u201d\n\n\u201cSee what you can find out,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd get to work on the rebid.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlready got it covered.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd Riebeld?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah?\u201d\n\n\u201cFind me the name of that accountant.\u201d\n\nIt was late when Gavin left the station. By way of apology, he invited Walt to join him on the short trip to Cassel to meet with Barry Lidst. Whether Walt came along as reconciliation or simply to avoid another run-in with Dell was unclear. Regardless, he didn\u2019t seem inclined to talk about the argument as they flew, and Gavin saw no reason to bring it up.\n\nBarry, a Navy SysCom accountant by trade and freelance rainmaker by inclination, had grown up with the brothers. He had left Goss to join the Navy while the Rhedd boys stayed to work the smuggling routes with Boomer and their father before he passed.\n\nOfficially, Barry was responsible for negotiating contracts between the UEE Navy and private vendors, but he also managed to broker a few off-the-record jobs on the side. He was, if anything, an opportunist, and Gavin trusted him about as much as he trusted any of the shady characters they\u2019d worked with in the past. Which is to say, not at all.\n\nThe fact that Barry was involved with Dell before leaving to join the Navy didn\u2019t factor into his opinion at all. Nope, not in the slightest. Still, Barry had come through with their first legitimate job. With luck, he\u2019d have more.\n\nGavin swallowed hard, focusing on the fact that they needed work. Walt kept quiet. By the time Cassel swelled, massive, blue and inviting against the gold and turquoise bands of the Olympus Pool, Gavin could feel his brows drawing down into a scowl.\n\nThe brothers landed and made their way to a club that catered to the resort world\u2019s local crowd. It was busy, of course, but Barry was waiting and had managed to find an open table.\n\n\u201cI was beginning to think you two bought it in Oberon.\u201d Barry\u2019s naval uniform was cut from some shiny material that was either freshly pressed or engineered to be wrinkle-free. It looked tragically uncomfortable, but did a reasonable job of hiding a rounded gut.\n\n\u201cOberon took a bit longer than we thought,\u201d Gavin forced a smile, \u201cbut we got them.\u201d\n\n\u201cEverything go okay?\u201d\n\n\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d He injected confidence into his words and hoped it sounded genuine. Walt looked at him sharply, but Gavin ignored him. They had to appear capable or better jobs were going to be in short supply. \u201cPirates are not a problem.\u201d\n\nBarry motioned them to sit and his voice took on a somber note. \u201cWord is that Dell\u2019s dad got busted up. He okay?\u201d\n\n\u201cJesus, Barry,\u201d Walt said. \u201cHow\u2019d you even hear about that?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m the government. We\u2019ve got our eyes and ears everywhere.\u201d Gavin stared at him and raised an eyebrow, waiting. \u201cYeah. Well,\u201d Barry shrugged and took a sip of his drink, \u201cthose miners on Oberon might have mentioned something.\u201d\n\n\u201cBoomer\u2019s fine. Our ships took more of a beating than he did,\u201d Gavin turned the subject away from his team getting shot up on the job. \u201cI was surprised to hear you were in Goss system.\u201d\n\n\u201cMom retired here on Cassel,\u201d Barry cast a sour glare around the room when he said it. \u201cI\u2019m just here visiting. Can\u2019t stand it with all the tourist traffic, but she loves the shows and exhibits and stuff. Anyway, I\u2019m glad you guys were able to help out in Oberon.\u201d\n\n\u201cHappy to.\u201d\n\n\u201cStuff like this comes up from time to time,\u201d Barry said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like we don\u2019t want to take care of it ourselves or anything. We do. But the Navy can\u2019t send troops after every brigand and thug in the \u2019verse, you know? Particularly when they\u2019re camped out in an unclaimed system. So, yeah. No one minds if we feed these jobs to indies like you guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cwe\u2019re light on work right now. Got anything for us?\u201d\n\n\u201cI might have something \u2014 not UEE work, but still a decent job. And I know the client will be happy with your rates.\u201d\n\nGavin\u2019s heart sank a bit, but maybe they could increase their price without chasing Barry away. He encouraged the accountant to keep talking.\n\n\u201cThe job is close, just a couple hops away. It\u2019s hard work, but I can hook you up if you\u2019re interested.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s the job?\u201d Walt asked.\n\n\u201cYou ever heard of molybdenum?\u201d Gavin\u2019s face must have looked as blank as Walt\u2019s. \u201cNo? It\u2019s a rare metal used in electronics and stuff. You find it near copper deposits. You know what? Doesn\u2019t matter. A friend of mine knows a guy who just got his hands on the mining rights to a moon.\u201d\n\n\u201cMining,\u201d Walt muttered. \u201cWhy is it always mining?\u201d\n\n\u201cI guess the whole moon is riddled with tunnels and caverns. Apparently there used to be a bunch of copper there, but now all that stuff is gone. The only thing left is the molybdenum. This guy, he\u2019s got three weeks to start producing or he loses his lease to the next prospector in line.\u201d\n\n\u201cBarry,\u201d Gavin said, \u201cif you\u2019re looking for a team to wear hardhats and swing pickaxes, you\u2019ve got the wrong guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cNaw, it\u2019s nothing like that. They\u2019re empty now, but someone set the caves up as a fortified base. Smugglers, probably. They put auto-targeting turrets in there. My guy told me they\u2019re all over the place. Around every corner. Anyway, it\u2019s all Banu tech. A group of them must have hopped over from Bacchus.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo what\u2019s the job?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey need someone to comb through the whole thing and take out the turrets. They can\u2019t send mining equipment and operators in there until it\u2019s clear. Those guys don\u2019t have shields.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d Gavin asked.\n\n\u201cYup. That\u2019s it.\u201d\n\nWalt watched Barry across the table with a bemused tilt to one eyebrow. \u201cThat\u2019s the most boring job I\u2019ve ever heard of.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey,\u201d Barry said, \u201cif you want something with a little higher chance of combat, I\u2019ve got a UEE escort contract up for bid. We were getting absolutely fleeced by the incumbent contractor. I finally convinced the major to rebid the job.\u201d\n\nNow that sounded exactly like the job Rhedd Alert needed.\n\n\u201cTell me more about that,\u201d Gavin said. \u201cAbout the escort job, I mean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI, uh listen,\u201d Barry said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t really serious about that. No offense, but that is an armed escort through some pretty rough systems.\u201d\n\nThis was it. The chance they needed. \u201cOur guys can do it,\u201d Gavin said.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a small job now, but it\u2019s scheduled to mature into something big. I don\u2019t even know if you have enough ships to meet the contract requirements.\u201d\n\n\u201cGive us a shot. If we perform, I\u2019ll find the extra ships and pilots.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe outfits that sign on for gigs like this are generally ex-military. Highly trained. Lots of contacts in Navy SysCom. Most of the contractors we use are actually based right next to the Navy in Kilian system. I was joking, guys. Forget I mentioned it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, we can do this. What\u2019s the run? How many \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cGav,\u201d Walt interrupted, \u201cwe\u2019re talking naval flight formations and tactics. Superior weapons systems. Maybe we should get more info on the turret thing in the mulberry mine.\u201d\n\n\u201cMolybdenum.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhatever.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome on, Walt. This sounds perfect for us. And I\u2019d put you or Jazza up against an ex-Navy pilot in a heartbeat. Any system, any time.\u201d\n\n\u201cFellas . . . hey, listen,\u201d Barry said. \u201cThe UEE is trying to push local work to local contractors. The big defense companies are fighting it. If you feel like sticking your hand in the middle of that fire, I\u2019ll forward you the RFP. Good enough? In the meantime . . . about my buddy with the moon mine?\u201d\n\nGavin half-heartedly followed along while Walt and Barry discussed the turret job, but in his mind they were already escorting UEE ships through hostile space. Walt startled him out of his reverie when he hushed a surprised Barry into silence.\n\n\u201cWait,\u201d Walt said, \u201cback up a second. These Banu weapon systems. Did you say this stuff came out of Bacchus?\u201d\n\n\u201cProbably. Why?\u201d\n\n\u201cThis moon . . . Barry, where is it?\u201d\n\n\u201cOberon VI, why?\u201d\n\nGavin\u2019s heart sank again. A glance at Walt did nothing to reassure him. His brother\u2019s smile looked fantastically strained.\n\n\u201cAh, come on,\u201d Barry said. \u201cYou\u2019ve already done good work for these guys.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ll kill us,\u201d Walt said.\n\n\u201cNaw,\u201d Barry waved at them dismissively, \u201cThey love Rhedd Alert.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d Walt said, \u201cnot the miners.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho?\u201d Barry looked concerned now. \u201cWho\u2019ll kill you?\u201d\n\nGavin answered. \u201cOur team is going to kill us if we drag them back to Oberon.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey,\u201d Barry relaxed, \u201cit\u2019s a small \u2019verse. You\u2019re going to end up passing through there sooner or later. Might as well get paid for it. Am I right?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Walt said, \u201cbut Oberon?\u201d\n\n\u201cI did mention it pays, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Barry keyed something up on his mobiGlas. He turned it so they could read the projected display. At the bottom was a number. A not-insignificant number. Gavin stared at his hands as Walt absorbed the figures.\n\nWalt\u2019s head made an audible clunk when it struck the table. He groaned something muffled and to the effect of, \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re going back to Oberon.\u201d\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":19,"created_at":"2019-01-23T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"7 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-08 12:02:11","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":16941,"next_id":16943}}