Stealing Coal
Page 3
Hot tears burned behind her eyelids when she closed them. Aunt Mary had given her life to save Jill’s. None of her father’s crew had survived to spread the word that Big Jim had died. All she’d been left with was the shuttle she now lived on, her father’s reputation, and the trading schedule on the onboard computer. She’d opened up an account with a space bank, used the cargo she’d found secured in the shuttle’s hold to make her first trade, and her new life had begun.
The doors to the interior section of the shuttle opened and it pulled her from self pity. She turned at the loud noise to stare at Roid. His forest-green, artificial skin drew her attention first—not her favorite color but beggars couldn’t be picky. She’d salvaged him from a dead ship she’d come across a year before.
“You are safe and we have another successful trade.” His speech came out high pitched, almost feminine, but it had been the best she’d been able to do with her limited knowledge. “They paid?”
“Yes. I’m safe and the transaction went smoothly. We’ll be set for a while.”
The android stood there, unmoving, waiting for orders.
“Prepare for takeoff, please. You’re better at navigating so you’re in the hot seat this time. I don’t want us to hit the sides of the freighter on our way out of the docking section. Wait for my order before we separate from them.”
He turned, moved through the doors, and she knew he’d head for the pilot’s seat. His programming included flying small shuttles, to her immense luck. Her head turned and she stared at the closed exterior door toward the freight ship’s cargo area. Though she couldn’t see the cyborg, she still imagined him struggling against his chains in a frantic attempt to break free before they hurt him more.
The door opened behind her again and she turned to face it. Fray, one of the three androids aboard her shuttle, entered and stopped, his head tilted a tiny bit to the left, making him appear thoughtful. “Do you require assistance?”
“No. Strap in and recharge.”
The android turned away to do as she’d ordered. Jill opened her mouth before she even thought about it. “Tell Arm to come to me.”
“Of course,” Fray confirmed, leaving the cargo area.
“Fuck,” she muttered, shaking her head, and fought the disgust that rose in her. She walked to the cabinet by the door, jerked it open, and looked hard at the weapons stored inside. “What are you thinking, Jill?”
She sighed and after only hesitating for a few seconds, reached in to grab the gas-ball shooter. “Stupid, really insane, and pathetic,” she muttered, hoping that hearing her voice aloud would make her reconsider her actions. Instead she spun around to glare at the exterior door. “Dumb, Jill. Really dumb. He’s not your problem. You’re a hardened trader, a bitch, just like your ex-husband said. Remember? Heartless shrew, cold-blooded hag. And don’t forget frigid.”
The doors opened and she winced when Arm entered the room. He squeaked badly as he came forward. She turned her head to watch him advance. He had extensive damage to his face and chest that she hadn’t known how to repair. He looked hellish but there wasn’t much she could do about it. The only thing on him not messed up in some way had been his left arm, hence the name she’d given him after she’d pulled him from a scrap pile on a distant junk moon when she’d discovered the android while searching for spare parts compatible with her shuttle.
“Orders, Sir?”
She’d given up on asking him to stop calling her that. He was military issue and had proven to her yet again that Earth Government wasted money by throwing great assets into the trash.
She took a few breaths and then blinked back tears that blinded her. “I’m a sucker,” she announced to Arm. “You should call me that instead of Sir. Yeah, man down, Arm. He’s male, gray-skinned, and the enemy has him in the cargo area just outside. What is it you always tell me about a man down when we talk about what happened to you?”
“We don’t leave them behind the way they did me.” Arm turned his big frame toward the weapons cabinet, and studied the contents. “How hostile is the threat?”
“They aren’t military but they are hardened criminals. No kills, okay? Chase them out of the cargo bay since we need to blow the seal. I don’t want them dying when the air vents out.”
“Understood. Advanced scare tactics, grab our man, and retreat.”
“Exactly.” Jill wanted to smack herself over her hasty, stupid decision. The cyborg wasn’t her problem but that didn’t change her mind. “Um, he’s injured so do not free him from the restraints. He’s on a flatbed freight table so bring him inside on it. Repeat that order. It’s important. Do not unchain him.”
“I don’t understand. He’s our man.” Arm spun to stare at her with his strange glowing eyes. They didn’t match since she hadn’t been able to find two lenses the same color but they were better than leaving him without cover for his sight sensors.
“He’s been tortured and I’m afraid he’ll hurt me,” she admitted softly. “He needs to learn that we’re not the enemy before I can trust him not to attack. Is that clear enough?”
“Protecting Sir is my number-one priority. Order is understood.” Arm spun around, grabbed weapons from the locker, and then faced her again. “You provide cover while I retrieve our man down. That plan puts you in the least danger.”
“Got it.” She moved to the wall and hit the com. “Roid?”
“Yes, Jill?”
“We’re undocking hot once we retrieve some additional cargo.” She paused, pushing back the fear that gripped her. “You may have to blast through their docking sleeves to shake us loose. Monitor Arm and me. As soon as we’re back inside the cargo hold with the freight, get us clear. Don’t wait for me to order you to start engines. They have cannon flares so heads up and try to avoid allowing them to hit us if they open fire.”
“Understood. I will get us free from this ship and full blast with evasive maneuvers. I haven’t failed to do that yet.”
Yeah, we’ve been in this situation a few times before, she remembered with a flinch. She took a deep breath, released the com, and then ground her teeth together. She ripped a breathing mask from the wall near the door and tossed it to Arm then grabbed another and tugged it over her face. Her gaze locked on Arm while she gripped the gas-ball shooter with trembling hands. “Let’s do it. Make sure you put that mask on him so he doesn’t choke. You are in charge of this mission. I’m a green soldier.”
“I have taken remote control of the doors.” He moved forward. “I will take incoming fire until you’re able to lay down gas cover safely. I will retrieve our man. Stay behind me to shield yourself, Sir.”
She moved behind the big defense model android and said a silent prayer that this wasn’t going to be suicide. It was crazy, stupid, and flat-out insane to steal a cyborg from a ship the size of the freighter. She didn’t want to think about losing an opportunity to make more money from dealings with this ship in the future, but she figured if she just left, knowing what the fate of that poor bastard would be, she could never face herself in a mirror. Even Jillian Maris still had moral lines she wouldn’t cross.
“Go,” she whispered. “Before I chicken out or remember I don’t have a set of balls.”
The exterior doors opened and the ramp slammed down hard when Arm hit the fast release. The loud noise made Jill’s ears ring. Damn Arm and his military tactics. He’d wanted to make an entrance and he certainly had. She opened fire, the gas balls whistling through the air and exploding into the deck across the large cargo bay as she turned the gun to spread them out. The smoke rose instantly, spread fast, and shouted alarm came from the surprised men who found themselves in the midst of the unexpected attack.
Arm ran down the ramp and took careful aim to spread out more gas pellets near his perceived enemy without hitting them. Jill’s gaze darted around, happy to see only four crew members in the cargo bay, all of whom rushed for the exit doors to escape the smoke that quickly filled the room. The retreating men hopefully mistook the harmless yellow, smelly smoke as poisonous when it temporarily blinded, disorientated, and choked them.
Arm moved forward quickly, tearing across the cargo bay toward his target. Jill glanced at the cyborg, his expression openly shocked while he watched the android rush toward him to shove the breathing mask over his face. Arm grabbed hold of both sides of the freight table and then sped back toward the ramp, dragging the cyborg and freight carrier into the cargo hold of Jill’s shuttle.
Jill jumped out of the way and backed up as the door across the large bay opened. The captain who had flirted with her rushed forward with gun in hand. Their gazes locked before the smoke doubled him over in a fit of coughs. Jill fired again, laying down more gas balls between the captain and her shuttle to prevent him from shooting at her.
“We’re in. Go!”
Jill dropped her weapon, tore off her mask, and grabbed for the wall to find a handhold. The sound of the ramp retracting and the doors slamming closed assured her that Roid heard her. Something pinged on the exterior of the shuttle and she flinched, hoping nothing would breach the outer hull. They would have no choice but to leave the freighter, leaking air or not.
The engines roared to life, making the floor vibrate hard. Jill flinched at the thought of the damage that could be done to the old shuttle by forcing such a cold start but knew there were no other options. She heard when Roid opened fire on the docking sleeves to force them to release the sealed grip they kept between shuttle and freighter. The room lurched, nearly sending Jill to the floor as they moved, a loud metallic groan reverberating throughout the cargo hold. She turned her head to stare at Arm, gripping the mute cyborg who remained motionless while he gaped in obvious astonishment at Arm’s face just a few feet above his. The android carefully lifted the mask off him.
“Dig in and hold him,” Jill yelled.
Two popping noises assured her that Arm followed her order. Jill winced again. Floor panels were difficult to fix but then the shuttle shot forward fast and the engines powered to maximum. Pain tore up both Jill’s arms as she clung to the wall to avoid being thrown around. Arm didn’t move and he kept hold of the cyborg. Jill’s weapon wasn’t so lucky. Metal scraped the deck before it slammed into a far wall. Once again she wished for better gravity stabilizers.
“We are clear, evasive maneuvers, and full burn.” Roid’s girlish voice could barely be heard over the racket the engines made. “I’m not reading any hull breaches.”
As soon as the vibrations were manageable Jill released the wall and turned to face her guest. He’d recovered from the astonishment of Arm, his attention now fixed on Jill when she moved forward.
“Hi. I’m Jill.” She paused, not sure what exactly to say to the cyborg since she hadn’t planned to steal him in the first place. “In three days we’re going to reach Hixton Station in the Gambit system. When we get there I’ll set you free and give you enough money to shuttle you wherever you want to go.”
The cyborg had really beautiful but frightening dark eyes. He gave her a chilly stare but said nothing though his full lips pressed tightly together. He took a deep breath but didn’t speak as seconds ticked by.
“Okay, I guess you don’t want to share your name. That’s all right. You’re aboard my shuttle. I’m a trader, and against my better judgment I couldn’t leave you behind after I heard what they were planning to do to you.”
He still didn’t respond but instead watched her until it made her nervous. She knew he could speak and that he understood English since she’d heard him make threats. The silence grew uncomfortable. Jill backed away a few steps since she could practically feel the angry vibes coming off the big gray guy. She shifted her gaze to Arm.
The doors to the interior section of the shuttle opened and it pulled her from self pity. She turned at the loud noise to stare at Roid. His forest-green, artificial skin drew her attention first—not her favorite color but beggars couldn’t be picky. She’d salvaged him from a dead ship she’d come across a year before.
“You are safe and we have another successful trade.” His speech came out high pitched, almost feminine, but it had been the best she’d been able to do with her limited knowledge. “They paid?”
“Yes. I’m safe and the transaction went smoothly. We’ll be set for a while.”
The android stood there, unmoving, waiting for orders.
“Prepare for takeoff, please. You’re better at navigating so you’re in the hot seat this time. I don’t want us to hit the sides of the freighter on our way out of the docking section. Wait for my order before we separate from them.”
He turned, moved through the doors, and she knew he’d head for the pilot’s seat. His programming included flying small shuttles, to her immense luck. Her head turned and she stared at the closed exterior door toward the freight ship’s cargo area. Though she couldn’t see the cyborg, she still imagined him struggling against his chains in a frantic attempt to break free before they hurt him more.
The door opened behind her again and she turned to face it. Fray, one of the three androids aboard her shuttle, entered and stopped, his head tilted a tiny bit to the left, making him appear thoughtful. “Do you require assistance?”
“No. Strap in and recharge.”
The android turned away to do as she’d ordered. Jill opened her mouth before she even thought about it. “Tell Arm to come to me.”
“Of course,” Fray confirmed, leaving the cargo area.
“Fuck,” she muttered, shaking her head, and fought the disgust that rose in her. She walked to the cabinet by the door, jerked it open, and looked hard at the weapons stored inside. “What are you thinking, Jill?”
She sighed and after only hesitating for a few seconds, reached in to grab the gas-ball shooter. “Stupid, really insane, and pathetic,” she muttered, hoping that hearing her voice aloud would make her reconsider her actions. Instead she spun around to glare at the exterior door. “Dumb, Jill. Really dumb. He’s not your problem. You’re a hardened trader, a bitch, just like your ex-husband said. Remember? Heartless shrew, cold-blooded hag. And don’t forget frigid.”
The doors opened and she winced when Arm entered the room. He squeaked badly as he came forward. She turned her head to watch him advance. He had extensive damage to his face and chest that she hadn’t known how to repair. He looked hellish but there wasn’t much she could do about it. The only thing on him not messed up in some way had been his left arm, hence the name she’d given him after she’d pulled him from a scrap pile on a distant junk moon when she’d discovered the android while searching for spare parts compatible with her shuttle.
“Orders, Sir?”
She’d given up on asking him to stop calling her that. He was military issue and had proven to her yet again that Earth Government wasted money by throwing great assets into the trash.
She took a few breaths and then blinked back tears that blinded her. “I’m a sucker,” she announced to Arm. “You should call me that instead of Sir. Yeah, man down, Arm. He’s male, gray-skinned, and the enemy has him in the cargo area just outside. What is it you always tell me about a man down when we talk about what happened to you?”
“We don’t leave them behind the way they did me.” Arm turned his big frame toward the weapons cabinet, and studied the contents. “How hostile is the threat?”
“They aren’t military but they are hardened criminals. No kills, okay? Chase them out of the cargo bay since we need to blow the seal. I don’t want them dying when the air vents out.”
“Understood. Advanced scare tactics, grab our man, and retreat.”
“Exactly.” Jill wanted to smack herself over her hasty, stupid decision. The cyborg wasn’t her problem but that didn’t change her mind. “Um, he’s injured so do not free him from the restraints. He’s on a flatbed freight table so bring him inside on it. Repeat that order. It’s important. Do not unchain him.”
“I don’t understand. He’s our man.” Arm spun to stare at her with his strange glowing eyes. They didn’t match since she hadn’t been able to find two lenses the same color but they were better than leaving him without cover for his sight sensors.
“He’s been tortured and I’m afraid he’ll hurt me,” she admitted softly. “He needs to learn that we’re not the enemy before I can trust him not to attack. Is that clear enough?”
“Protecting Sir is my number-one priority. Order is understood.” Arm spun around, grabbed weapons from the locker, and then faced her again. “You provide cover while I retrieve our man down. That plan puts you in the least danger.”
“Got it.” She moved to the wall and hit the com. “Roid?”
“Yes, Jill?”
“We’re undocking hot once we retrieve some additional cargo.” She paused, pushing back the fear that gripped her. “You may have to blast through their docking sleeves to shake us loose. Monitor Arm and me. As soon as we’re back inside the cargo hold with the freight, get us clear. Don’t wait for me to order you to start engines. They have cannon flares so heads up and try to avoid allowing them to hit us if they open fire.”
“Understood. I will get us free from this ship and full blast with evasive maneuvers. I haven’t failed to do that yet.”
Yeah, we’ve been in this situation a few times before, she remembered with a flinch. She took a deep breath, released the com, and then ground her teeth together. She ripped a breathing mask from the wall near the door and tossed it to Arm then grabbed another and tugged it over her face. Her gaze locked on Arm while she gripped the gas-ball shooter with trembling hands. “Let’s do it. Make sure you put that mask on him so he doesn’t choke. You are in charge of this mission. I’m a green soldier.”
“I have taken remote control of the doors.” He moved forward. “I will take incoming fire until you’re able to lay down gas cover safely. I will retrieve our man. Stay behind me to shield yourself, Sir.”
She moved behind the big defense model android and said a silent prayer that this wasn’t going to be suicide. It was crazy, stupid, and flat-out insane to steal a cyborg from a ship the size of the freighter. She didn’t want to think about losing an opportunity to make more money from dealings with this ship in the future, but she figured if she just left, knowing what the fate of that poor bastard would be, she could never face herself in a mirror. Even Jillian Maris still had moral lines she wouldn’t cross.
“Go,” she whispered. “Before I chicken out or remember I don’t have a set of balls.”
The exterior doors opened and the ramp slammed down hard when Arm hit the fast release. The loud noise made Jill’s ears ring. Damn Arm and his military tactics. He’d wanted to make an entrance and he certainly had. She opened fire, the gas balls whistling through the air and exploding into the deck across the large cargo bay as she turned the gun to spread them out. The smoke rose instantly, spread fast, and shouted alarm came from the surprised men who found themselves in the midst of the unexpected attack.
Arm ran down the ramp and took careful aim to spread out more gas pellets near his perceived enemy without hitting them. Jill’s gaze darted around, happy to see only four crew members in the cargo bay, all of whom rushed for the exit doors to escape the smoke that quickly filled the room. The retreating men hopefully mistook the harmless yellow, smelly smoke as poisonous when it temporarily blinded, disorientated, and choked them.
Arm moved forward quickly, tearing across the cargo bay toward his target. Jill glanced at the cyborg, his expression openly shocked while he watched the android rush toward him to shove the breathing mask over his face. Arm grabbed hold of both sides of the freight table and then sped back toward the ramp, dragging the cyborg and freight carrier into the cargo hold of Jill’s shuttle.
Jill jumped out of the way and backed up as the door across the large bay opened. The captain who had flirted with her rushed forward with gun in hand. Their gazes locked before the smoke doubled him over in a fit of coughs. Jill fired again, laying down more gas balls between the captain and her shuttle to prevent him from shooting at her.
“We’re in. Go!”
Jill dropped her weapon, tore off her mask, and grabbed for the wall to find a handhold. The sound of the ramp retracting and the doors slamming closed assured her that Roid heard her. Something pinged on the exterior of the shuttle and she flinched, hoping nothing would breach the outer hull. They would have no choice but to leave the freighter, leaking air or not.
The engines roared to life, making the floor vibrate hard. Jill flinched at the thought of the damage that could be done to the old shuttle by forcing such a cold start but knew there were no other options. She heard when Roid opened fire on the docking sleeves to force them to release the sealed grip they kept between shuttle and freighter. The room lurched, nearly sending Jill to the floor as they moved, a loud metallic groan reverberating throughout the cargo hold. She turned her head to stare at Arm, gripping the mute cyborg who remained motionless while he gaped in obvious astonishment at Arm’s face just a few feet above his. The android carefully lifted the mask off him.
“Dig in and hold him,” Jill yelled.
Two popping noises assured her that Arm followed her order. Jill winced again. Floor panels were difficult to fix but then the shuttle shot forward fast and the engines powered to maximum. Pain tore up both Jill’s arms as she clung to the wall to avoid being thrown around. Arm didn’t move and he kept hold of the cyborg. Jill’s weapon wasn’t so lucky. Metal scraped the deck before it slammed into a far wall. Once again she wished for better gravity stabilizers.
“We are clear, evasive maneuvers, and full burn.” Roid’s girlish voice could barely be heard over the racket the engines made. “I’m not reading any hull breaches.”
As soon as the vibrations were manageable Jill released the wall and turned to face her guest. He’d recovered from the astonishment of Arm, his attention now fixed on Jill when she moved forward.
“Hi. I’m Jill.” She paused, not sure what exactly to say to the cyborg since she hadn’t planned to steal him in the first place. “In three days we’re going to reach Hixton Station in the Gambit system. When we get there I’ll set you free and give you enough money to shuttle you wherever you want to go.”
The cyborg had really beautiful but frightening dark eyes. He gave her a chilly stare but said nothing though his full lips pressed tightly together. He took a deep breath but didn’t speak as seconds ticked by.
“Okay, I guess you don’t want to share your name. That’s all right. You’re aboard my shuttle. I’m a trader, and against my better judgment I couldn’t leave you behind after I heard what they were planning to do to you.”
He still didn’t respond but instead watched her until it made her nervous. She knew he could speak and that he understood English since she’d heard him make threats. The silence grew uncomfortable. Jill backed away a few steps since she could practically feel the angry vibes coming off the big gray guy. She shifted her gaze to Arm.
