Attan pushed the cargo container containing the tridelium torch along with the other items up the landing ramp while Traynor pulled. “Just be thankful that this is the smaller version of the torch,” Attan said as he and Traynor struggled to get the containers into the cargo bay. When they finally managed to get into the bay, they placed the containers along side of the raptor. Traynor began to open them up to take a look at its contents. “It’s all there, the torch, the body armor, four cartridges, the demo paks and the…” “What’s the time delay on the paks?” “Ten microts,” Atttan replied catching his breath. Traynor took out a long metallic box that was hidden among the containers in the bay. “Here,” Traynor said as he handed the box to Attan. “Payment for my items.” Attan took the box and opened it up, counted the currency and looked puzzled. “It’s more than what I told you.” “No its not. You’re forgetting about the information I asked about the freighter.” Attan closed the box and held it under his right arm. “I almost forgot,” he replied. “The Takayi arrived four days before you did,” Traynor grew curious, “Go on.” “The funny thing is that the freighter did not register with the control port when it arrived. It registered with the port the same day you arrived. Judging by the port’s arrival log…” “Hold a microt. How the frell did you manage to get an arrival log?” Traynor asked. “You know what?” he continued, “I don’t want to know.” Attan couldn’t help but to laugh out loud. “The log has the Takayi arriving exactly the same time the port had your ship in a holding pattern because of the so called traffic.” “So they were stalling. Why?” “I don’t know. It’s possible that they were buying time,” Attan offering an answer albeit an incomplete one. “When you were with me at the bay where the freighter was docked, did you notice any ground crew?” Traynor asked. “No I didn’t” “Neither did I. Was there ever a crew assigned? What did the log show?” Attan looked at him, “I didn’t look at that…FRELL! Come to the bar later this evening. I’ll have what you need.” Attan turned around and abruptly left the cargo bay. Traynor was left alone to store the cargo and try to figure out what was going on.

“Hurry up will you?” the waiter said to Elantras who was working behind the bar. “Attan is much more faster than this.” She stopped dead in her tracks and slammed a bottle of alcohol that she had in her left hand. “FRELL YOU! If you think that you can do a better job then you do it!” she shouted out and walked away from the bar. “All right! All right! I’m sorry. Its just that I’ve been running all over the place tonight and I just can’t seem to get ahead.” “I know, I’m trying,” she replied walking back to the bar. She placed some more drinks on the waiter’s tray and he walked away in a hurry. Traynor couldn’t help but smile when he looked at her. She had this look, this mannerism when she got upset or was frustrated that he found extremely attractive. “Need some help?” he said as he approached the bar. “Yes,” she said with a sigh of relief, “Yes I do.” He reached for a glass that was on the bar top, then for the bottle of ococno that was in her left hand. He continued to look at her as he opened the bottle and poured the drink into his glass. He placed the top back on the bottle and put the bottle on the bar. He took the glass and raised it to his mouth and took a sip. He smiled when he was finished. She stood there shaking her head and biting her lower lip smiling, “Thanks Traynor. And all this time I thought you were a nerfer.” “Where’s Attan?” “We ran out of rasklak so he went to the back to bring some more crates of the stuff. He should be back in a few microts.” “Uh… thanks for the other day,” he said shyly. “Your welcome. Besides you still owe me money from the bet you lost.” “Is that it? Is that why you helped?” She stopped and looked directly at him, “YOU should know better.” Upset at what he said she started to walk towards the other end of the bar. Traynor quickly grabbed her arm before she left. She jumped, startled by his touch surprised at his reaction his show of affection. “I’m sorry…all I can offer you now is my thanks,” he said lowering his eyes then his head. She placed a hand on his face, “For now?” “…For now,” he said softly looking directly into her eyes. Shaking her head, “…I don’t know why I put myself through this.” He looked at her not knowing what to do or what to say. His feelings and thoughts meshed, he couldn’t think. He did not what he was feeling and if it he should let in. She placed a kiss on his cheek, “Hurry back.” she whispered into his ear and went off to do her work not looking at him.

Attan made his way forward carrying two crates of rasklak fighting the crowd for some space. “Well, you were right,” handing the crates over to a waiter who happened to walk by. “There was no crew assigned to the Takayi and there still isn’t. Looks like our guests want to keep their arrival a secret.” “It’s not them,” Traynor replied. Attan looked confused. “Who has the authority to view the port’s arrival and crew assignment log?” “Other than the control port officer the only other person is…U’ave!” “Consider your source compromised. It’s a sure thing that he knows that you were looking for information.” “You don’t know that.” “How many blue plants do you know that can talk and own a bar?” Traynor deadpanned. Attan ignored his sarcasm, instead choosing to focus on the waiter who entered the bar. “What did you find out?” Attan said. Traynor turned around and saw it was the young delvian that had served him. He turned around and faced Attan. “What? Do you think that talking blue plants can only own a bar?” Traynor smiled. “I looked for the ground crew as you requested, I did not see any.” “Had to be sure,” Attan said cutting in, “Go on.” “Two tavleks approached the bay and made their way to the freighter.” “The tavleks that were in your bar,” Traynor said to Attan. “Wait, I’m not finished. There was someone else on board. I was too far away to hear what was being said to the tavleks.” “The tavleks say anything?” Traynor asked. “Something like “we don’t have to worry about the rasklak,” then they laughed and went on board.” “Good work. Thank you,” Attan said. The waiter nodded and left to prepare for his busy night ahead of him. “What do you think?” Attan asked. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense. Why bother to broker a job, than try to kill me. It just doesn’t fit.” “You think he’s setting you up?” “No it’s not his way of doing business. For him it’s about power. I’m nothing to him except a tool to get things done.” Traynor laughed out loud as he said this. He never realized that U’ave and everyone else that he had done business with were using him. He always felt that he had the advantage over all of them but now he wasn’t so sure. “What?” Attan asked. “Nothing…forget about it. U’ave is making sure that no one gets near whoever’s on board.” “Want me to send him again?” Traynor shook his head no. “It’s to dangerous. U’ave knows that you were looking around. I don’t want anything coming back to you.” Traynor turned around and looked over at the usual table were U’ave was sitting. He began to feel the pain again in his left hand. He felt it go numb. “What’s next?” Traynor turned back and faced Attan. “For you? Nothing. Just go on running the bar. And STAY OUT OF THIS.” “Traynor it’s a setup, back out now.” He knew that he couldn’t do this. If he did he’d be lucky if he got a job picking tannot roots. “I can’t,” Traynor replied as he turned around and left the bar deciding to go to the bay where the mysterious freighter was. Attan looked at him, his eyes expressing deep concern. He knew Traynor was right he had to stay out of this he had too much at stake.

Traynor made his way to the bay where the Takayi was docked. He knew this was a gamble but one he was willing to take. He looked around and saw cargo containers several stacked four and five high. He didn’t see any ground crew but he did notice a figure near the back of the freighter. He thought the figure might be scavengers that try to pry apart a ship’s hull then melting it down and selling the metal. They sometimes manage to sneak on board ships taking their cargo and ripping out anything of value. Part of the ground crew’s job was to keep them away as well as to attend to the ship’s needs. As he approached the rear the figure grew closer and it looked familiar to him. Suddenly the figure turned around. It was a tavlek. Traynor drew both of his pulse pistols and began to fire. The tavlek fired his gauntlet and missed instead hitting the side of the freighter. Traynor dove to his left behind some containers. He got up from the ground and pressed his back up against a container with his pistols still drawn, he stood there for several microts trying to figure out what the tavlek was going to do next. He poked his head around the container, the tavlek fired again this time hitting the container forcing Traynor to dive and roll to his right to avoid the second consecutive blast that the tavlek fired. The freighter’s landing ramp began to retract and the engines came on. “NO… WAIT! … STOP!” the tavlek shouted as he ran towards the landing ramp in the hopes that he would be able to grab it before it was fully retracted. When Traynor came out of the roll he was on one knee and fired both pulse pistols at his enemy hitting him in the back. The tavlek went down after the seventh shot. The freighter’s engines powered up to full and he could feel the heat as well seeing the bluish-green light that the engines emanated. “Wonderful.” Traynor ran over to where the tavlek lay, picked him up, and flung his limp body over cargo containers. He ran trying to find cover leaping over containers just in time landing hard on his left arm. The engines roared as it lifted off spewing debris in the air, throwing empty containers in all directions. He could feel the heat as the Takayi left the docking bay. Lying on his stomach he looked over his shoulder but quickly shut his eyes the intense light hurting him that was coming from the ship’s engines. Once he felt the air cool around him he opened his eyes and looked up and saw the Takayi was some 500 metras away. He stood up and moved towards the tavlek and drew his pistol and began shouting at him “…WHO’S ON THAT FREIGHTER? WHO SENT YOU?” But it was no use the tavlek was dead. He picked up the gauntlet that had fallen off his arm and threw it screaming in frustration. He looked at the body briefly then dragged it over to an empty container and dumped it inside and closed it. He grabbed his left arm and headed back to his ship.

A member of the ground crew demanding payment greeted Traynor. He quickly paid and proceeded to the landing ramp. He stopped and turned around, “HEY YOU,” he shouted back. Traynor walked over to him and said something. He took out some money and paid him. The crewmember nodded his head and left. He turned around and walked to the landing ramp. As he walked up the ramp it began to retract. Once inside he made his way to the command deck.

He signaled the control port for permission to leave and waited for their acknowledgement. “Sperian transport, permission granted. Thank you for visiting Siecom and we hope that your stay was enjoyable. We look forward to seeing you again.” The engines turned on and she lifted off and proceeded to leave the planet. Once the ship left orbit, Traynor sat back and grabbed his left hand and began to massage it trying to stop the pain. He looked out the cockpit window and wondered where she was and how long it was going to take to find her. He entered the coordinates and waited for the ship’s computer to confirm them still rubbing his hand. After a few microts they were confirmed. He headed for the Uncharted Territories.

Chapter 6 | Epilogue