Slingers (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 1)

Chapter 7

Director Gottlieb looked out the viewport over the star-filled emptiness that stretched out before him. This particular quadrant that they were in was uninhabited, but had since become a popular hiding spot and ambush point for members of the Resistance. Now that the GDF had knowledge of their activities, they had been posted their around the clock, ready to pop off any Resistance fighters or cruisers that appeared on their scopes. Gottlieb stood at attention, his formal training always apparent to anyone who looked at him. It made him intimidating to the rest of his fellow Federation colleagues, and he didn't mind it. Fear promoted increased work ethics, and made him someone anyone would take orders from without question or a second thought. He had worked for far too long at the Academy and the Naval Centre to be someone who could be easily stepped over. To his right, he saw the sleek white hull of the ship he was currently on. Nirvana Alpha was the flagship of the GDF Navy, and was the fastest and most well-armed ship in the galaxy. Nothing could outrun it. And nothing ever had. It was his ship now, and he intended to run it to the best of it's and his abilities. The steady hum of the warship's ion engines were broken by the sound of footsteps behind him. "Director Gottlieb." He didn't need to turn around to know that this was his First Mate, and if he had interrupted him during his time alone in his office, it had to be important. "What is it, Mr. Marston?" "There has been a slight...issue on Rykkak." "Resistance?" "Not exactly, Director. You see...there has been reports of...a AU Prerogative."

Gottlieb turned around, now intrigued. "Is this confirmed?" "We believe so...but the individuals carrying it have escaped GDF custody and are...now fugitives. We've managed to identify at least a few of them." Marston tapped a few buttons on his tablet, and moved them to the viewport which doubled as a screen. Gottlieb looked over the names. Metreo, Nolun. Wavery, Edvard. Wavery, Elicia. Mackey, Bronson. Lovecraft, Andress. "Those last two are..." "Yes, I know. The ones from the Matchbox Incident, almost five years ago." The last subject appeared to be unidentified. "What about him?" "We haven't figured that out yet sir, but what we do know is this." Marston zoomed in on a symbol on the man's coat. "We ran that through the database. This came up." The data files produced the images of the fugitive known as the Inferno. Gottlieb began to crease his forehead. "What do you suggest we do, sir?" Gottlieb turned around to face Marston. "Contact the Council. I need clearance to activate Project EO." Marston nodded and walked out of the office. Gottlieb sat down in his chair. Things were beginning to get interesting for once.

"Alright, first off, you're gonna tell me why you're on my ship. Your friend with the black outfit explained a little, but not enough. So start talking." Andress was sitting in front of the two who she had been forced to pick up on Rykkak. The boy in the aviator's jacket introduced himself as Nolun, and the man in black refused to give his name. Nolun finally sighed and spoke up. "If I'm gonna say anything, would you mind not pointing that gun at me? I have this thing about people pointing guns at me." Andress gave him a withering look, but holstered her rifle over her back. "Thank you. Now, as for me, I had a certain...cargo, that my friend here just so happened to want as well. He decided to keep me alive in exchange for information. But we got in a fight with some friends...former friends of mine, and then got chased down by the GDF. Then, those two idiots in the cargo bay tried to steal what was rightfully mine, and we had to find a way to get off the planet, and now here we are." "We had every right to steal that!" Edvard shouted from the cargo hold. "Shut up, or I'll put the gag back on!" Andress yelled back at them. She turned back to Nolun and the man in black. "What's his story? Why does he want to protect you?" Nolun looked at Andress incredulously. "Do you not know who this is?" Andress didn't look impressed. "Should I?" The man in black seemed to sigh, and showed a symbol of a flame on his back. Andress and Bunker's eyes widened in shock. "You're...the Inferno? You brought the Inferno onto my ship?!" "Hey, it's not like I had a choice!" Nolun stared over at the Inferno. "And while we're on the subject, what do I exactly call you? We can't just keep calling you the Inferno." Andress rolled her eyes. "Forget it. I already tried, and he clearly doesn't-" "Dante." The cabin went silent as the man in black finally spoke up. "Call me Dante." He said with his gravelly voice.

"Ok then, Dante and Nolun. As soon as we get to the nearest spaceport, we'll be dropping you two off." "Wait what? You can't be serious! The GDF will be all over this sector in hours! As soon as we land, we'll be arrested!" "You'll be arrested. We won't. We have a ship, you don't." Andress walked out of the cabin, sighing and shaking her head. "Wait! I can make it worth your while!" Andress turned around and looked back at Nolun, putting her hand on her hip. "How? What could you possibly have that I want?" Nolun looked at her and smirked, rather annoyingly. "Something that everyone in the universe wants." Dante stood up and stared at him. "No." "What other choice do we have?" Nolun slipped off the bag he'd had on his shoulder since they had jumped on. He opened it up, and pulled out something that Andress wasn't expecting at all. It was a golden sphere which tapered off into little cubes at the end. Something that Andress had seen only in her dreams. A Dorado Piece. She stole a glance at Bunker, and saw that he was just as wide-eyed as she was. She looked back at Nolun, who was still smiling that annoying smirk. She realized she was staring and turned her face back into a neutral one. "I'm listening."