Burning Suns: Conflagration, Issue 1 - Flint and Tinder

JENNIFER

Hel's Market, Hel, Asgard System, Neutral Space

Shan'Chael ran his recruitment brokerage from a rather classy residential district of Hel's Market, not quite over the line into Highmarket, but close enough to it to give a façade of respectability. Jennifer, relaxed and recharged after her delayed lazy morning in bed, arrived promptly (Shan hated people to be late, and staying on his good side when you needed something from him was simply common sense).

The reception attendant showed her into the office, and Shan'Chael beamed at her as he gestured to the seat opposite his. The broker was an odd-looking fellow; though he was mostly human in appearance, his bald head was ornamented with stubby, thick little spikes of bone, almost like little devil horns, and his eyes were so dark as to be almost black. Jennifer had always suspected that it was simply some custom body modification, not too different from the tattoos that decorated her own skin here and there, but she'd never quite worked up the nerve to pry. He was wearing a pale green hooded tunic and a neural network interface, a thin strip of flextronics bonded to his skin that ran across most of his forehead and round to his right ear. "Delighted to see you again, my dear Captain Bronwen," he greeted her, his voice lilting with the local Market accent. "Please make yourself comfortable. May I offer you some coffee? Just black, correct?"

"Absolutely. That would be lovely, Shan, thank you," Jennifer accepted gratefully as she took the seat and looked around the clean, crisp office. "Have you redecorated since I was here last?"

"Mmm. An unexpected outgoing, I have to say – there was a... regrettable incident involving a client who had double-crossed me. I did try to reason with him, but once the dust settled from the disagreement, well," Shan waved airily at the walls, "leviathan blood does leave an indelible impression on the décor."

"I can imagine," Jennifer agreed wryly, fighting the temptation to fidget at the not-so-subtle reminder than Shan was not someone to be taken lightly. Killing a leviathan was no easy feat. "So, thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"As I said, I can make time for my good customers and my reliable agents, my dear, and you have the happy distinction of being both of those things. How may I assist you with your endeavours?"

Shan's attendant set a mug of coffee down in front of Jennifer then withdrew, giving them privacy. "I've been contracted to obtain a package from a secure location," she began obliquely, "and I need some people with some fairly specific skill sets to fulfil the contract."

"I see." Shan'Chael activated his terminal display and opened a search interface simply by looking at the emitter. "Do you need the personnel in question to rendezvous in-system, or are you able to offer transportation?"

"I can go get them, and I'll drop them in a neutral system on completion of the job, probably Ice Serpent."

"Very good. All right, what skill sets do you need?"

"I need a datarat, a high-end one with expertise in cracking security systems at a government or military level."

Shan sucked his breath in through his teeth. "That'll cost you."

"Understood," Jen agreed. "I'll also need a couple of all-rounders who can think on their feet, a confidence man, and, if you can find me one, a thief. Jewellery or artwork experience if that's possible."

"Oh, I shouldn't think that will be a big problem."

"Well, I've got one last requirement to make it more of a challenge for you," Jen grinned as she took a sip from her coffee, closing her eyes to savour the moment as the rich, bitter beverage spread across her tongue. "Oh, man, where do you get coffee this good around here?"