Night Traveller (Gay Romantic Sci-Fi)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven 

The five of them crowded into the small transit bay, making sure that the door to the ship closed securely behind them. Oliver could see that a small panel on the wall next to the external hatch, was glowing an angry red. 

"Masks everyone," called Callan grimly. "Looks like there's a problem with the other ship's air supply." Silently, one of the crew pulled five masks from a nearby storage unit and handed them around. This didn't bode well for any survivors. 

Still cautious, Callan stepped through the hatch into the other vessel, fanning his weapon in front of him. The corresponding transit room was empty, dimly lit by emergency lighting. He waited until the rest of the team was all through before opening the door into the main part of the ship. 

He was greeted by silence and more emergency lighting. Carefully feeling his way, Callan proceeded through what was evidently the storage cabin. Boxes and crates of varying descriptions were packed securely against the walls, leaving a narrow path through to the next cabin. He recognised the ship as a type three trader, small and compact, consisting of a tiny bridge or control room, a passenger cabin and the storage section they had just come through.  

They found the first body in the passenger cabin, face down on the floor, pointed in their direction as if he had been trying to make for the rear of the ship. The second was on the floor in front of the bridge and they had to move it to get through. The two men inside the bridge were still seated at the controls, slumped forward, looking as if they were resting their heads on the control panel for a brief nap. Oliver knew they both had to be dead, but he checked anyway. 

Callan was busy scanning the control panel. "Looks like the hit from Argos took out their life support as well as damaging the space drive. Without masks they didn't have a chance." Both the Argos and the pirate vessel, if that's what it was, were fitted with the latest sonic weapons. Instead of firing an impact missile, a sonic torp fired a wave of energy which penetrated the ship's hull to target the energy fields within, usually the engines or the space drive. It was the pirates' bad luck that the Argos' missile had hit the life support unit as well. 

"Lieutenant?" One of the men, Talyor, called out from the back. "You may want to have a look at this. I'm pretty sure this man is carrying a laser gun." 

Frowning, Oliver went back to check. Everyone knew laser guns were illegal, just being found in possession of one was enough for a prison sentence. Not that these men would have to worry about that now. He bent down and carefully withdrew the weapon from the utility belt fastened around the man's waist. "You're right," he agreed, giving Talyor a quick glance. "I'd better check the others." 

He found a further two guns, the pilot was the only man not carrying. Carefully disarming each weapon, Oliver stored them away in his own utility belt. He would record their destruction in the disposal unit when he returned to Asra. The presence of the weapons made him think the assailants had been more than thieves, most criminals carried stunners if anything, laser guns were only carried by people intending to kill. Had the men on the Sprite been their target or the Argos? Just then he felt the floor move under his feet a fraction and froze. Had the ship hit something, surely they weren't still drifting?  

Perhaps it was time to return to the Rover. He wondered if the miner's trawler would be prepared to take this ship back to Asra as well, if it could manage two at once. It would probably cost an arm and a leg but once he had searched it for evidence he could sell it as salvage to offset the cost, maybe it would even be repairable, he couldn't tell. 

"Excuse me, Ser Callan? Who should I speak to about transporting this ship to Asra?" 

Callan looked up from his wristcom and linked him through to the trawler's pilot. After some discussion, they agreed that the Argos would be brought on board the Hummer, along with the four bodies, and the ship would be collected on a second trip. There wasn't room for both inside and the pilot was reluctant to risk a tow unless it was an emergency. Oliver wasn't exactly happy but he understood. 

The five of them carried the bodies back through the ship to the transit bay, ready for transport to the Rover and from there to the Hummer. Callan spoke briefly on his wristcom and the hatches opened between the two vessels. Talyor and Vinh manoeuvred the first body through the hatch into waiting hands, then turned back for the second, the rest of them helping by holding the bodies up, ready to pass forward. The entire job took less than five minutes and then they were all back inside the Rover, except that ... it wasn't the Rover. 

Oliver hadn't even noticed until he followed Callan out of the transit bay into the main cabin and saw Pele at the controls instead of Trenwith. They were on the Argos. He turned to Callan for an explanation unsure yet whether he should be concerned or very angry. 

Callan met his eyes steadily, "I'm sorry Lieutenant. The Sprite couldn't wait, Ser Chang had an urgent commitment on Burra and the Rover left with him. I'm sure Pele and the rest of the Argos crew will be able to tell you what happened, once we get the Argos on board the Hummer."  

"You knew I wanted to speak to him!" Oliver was coldly furious. 

"I'm sorry," Callan apologised again. "I did convey your request, but he couldn't wait. He said he'll make a statement later." 

Oliver felt like placing Callan under immediate arrest for hindering his enquiries, but he could hardly do that since he had been accompanying him the whole time. Maybe he could arrest Trenwith instead. 

"We only have a contract to escort Ser Chang to Burra, Lieutenant," Callan reminded him. "He's a business man, we're not in any position to dictate his movements." 

Oliver tightened his lips. He realised he could hardly have expected Trenwith to hold Chang captive, but he was still angry, he couldn't help feeling that the two partners had pulled a fast one on him. Just who was this 'Jian Chang' they'd been escorting? What sort of businessman was he that three assassins and a fighter ship had been sent to kill him?