better than you.”
“Let’s go then,” Doc said, impatient to be off.
They ran hard through the alleys and side streets to put as much distance between the bar and them as they could. Soon they were out of the commercial area and onto what looked like a residential street with tall row houses. They slowed to a walk and tried to look casual as they moved along in the low afternoon light. Doc was panting hard and was holding his side.
“You’re out of shape,” Crusher accused.
“I’m not a tactical asset as you’re so fond of saying,” Doc shot back.
“No, but you could get us all killed by having to wait on your slow ass,” Crusher retorted. “So we’re just getting back to the ship and blasting off this rock, right, Captain?”
“That’s the plan,” Jason said. “Whoever it was that we were supposed to meet will just have to find someone else.” His com unit chirped a moment after he stopped talking. “Go for Burke.”
“ Captain ,” Kage said. “ We’ve got a lot of activity here at the spaceport and it looks like a fire near where you were meeting our contact .”
“I know, Kage,” Jason said. “We’re trying to make our way back to you now. Prep the ship, we’ll be leaving as soon as we get back.”
“ Did you guys have something to do with the fire? ”
“Just have the Phoenix ready to fly when we get there,” Jason said, ignoring the question and closing the channel.
“The authorities will know by now that it was a bunch of outsiders that caused all the trouble,” Crusher said. “They’ll have that spaceport locked down and are likely watching the Phoenix .”
“I’ve thought of that,” Jason said. “Let’s just get a little closer and then we’ll try and figure out how hard it will be to get to the ship.”
Jason’s next words were cut off by a large, boxy ground vehicle screeching around the corner and bearing down on them. Looking around, he couldn’t see anywhere to escape to as there was no alley between any of the houses. He was about to pull his weapons when the vehicle veered away and stopped on the street just in front of them. The side cargo door popped open and lifted up out of the way revealing a well-lit interior with bench seats.
“Get in!” a female alien shouted from the driver’s seat.
“Who are you?” Jason demanded, his hands still on his weapons.
“There is no time! The authorities know you fled this direction and are on the way,” she said. “Unless you want your ship impounded and to find yourselves in a holding cell, I’d suggest you hurry up.” Jason turned to his companions and shrugged before climbing into the vehicle. The rest piled in and the driver was pulling away before the door had completely closed.
“Our contact, I presume,” Jason said as she turned down a side street. “You were late.”
“I was on time,” she argued. “However, I wasn’t aware your plan was to burn the bar to the ground if I didn’t show up in less than an hour.”
“It’s not something we normally do,” Jason deadpanned. “We save it for special occasions.”
“I’m flattered.”
“Don’t be,” Jason said. “You have a short amount of time to explain yourself or we will toss you out of here and take this vehicle back to our ship and be long gone before anyone finds you.” He heard her gasp at his threat, assuming she thought he meant to kill her. He had actually meant they would restrain her and dump her on the side of the road, but he decided not to bother correcting her.
“We’ll talk when we’re safe,” she said and concentrated on driving. Jason looked around at the others and could see they weren’t sure they were in a better position now than when they had been on the run. He shrugged and leaned back. There was nothing to be gained by worrying about things he couldn’t control.
Chapter 5
“It looks like you have the correct confirmation code,” Jason said grudgingly while handing the data pad back to
“Let’s go then,” Doc said, impatient to be off.
They ran hard through the alleys and side streets to put as much distance between the bar and them as they could. Soon they were out of the commercial area and onto what looked like a residential street with tall row houses. They slowed to a walk and tried to look casual as they moved along in the low afternoon light. Doc was panting hard and was holding his side.
“You’re out of shape,” Crusher accused.
“I’m not a tactical asset as you’re so fond of saying,” Doc shot back.
“No, but you could get us all killed by having to wait on your slow ass,” Crusher retorted. “So we’re just getting back to the ship and blasting off this rock, right, Captain?”
“That’s the plan,” Jason said. “Whoever it was that we were supposed to meet will just have to find someone else.” His com unit chirped a moment after he stopped talking. “Go for Burke.”
“ Captain ,” Kage said. “ We’ve got a lot of activity here at the spaceport and it looks like a fire near where you were meeting our contact .”
“I know, Kage,” Jason said. “We’re trying to make our way back to you now. Prep the ship, we’ll be leaving as soon as we get back.”
“ Did you guys have something to do with the fire? ”
“Just have the Phoenix ready to fly when we get there,” Jason said, ignoring the question and closing the channel.
“The authorities will know by now that it was a bunch of outsiders that caused all the trouble,” Crusher said. “They’ll have that spaceport locked down and are likely watching the Phoenix .”
“I’ve thought of that,” Jason said. “Let’s just get a little closer and then we’ll try and figure out how hard it will be to get to the ship.”
Jason’s next words were cut off by a large, boxy ground vehicle screeching around the corner and bearing down on them. Looking around, he couldn’t see anywhere to escape to as there was no alley between any of the houses. He was about to pull his weapons when the vehicle veered away and stopped on the street just in front of them. The side cargo door popped open and lifted up out of the way revealing a well-lit interior with bench seats.
“Get in!” a female alien shouted from the driver’s seat.
“Who are you?” Jason demanded, his hands still on his weapons.
“There is no time! The authorities know you fled this direction and are on the way,” she said. “Unless you want your ship impounded and to find yourselves in a holding cell, I’d suggest you hurry up.” Jason turned to his companions and shrugged before climbing into the vehicle. The rest piled in and the driver was pulling away before the door had completely closed.
“Our contact, I presume,” Jason said as she turned down a side street. “You were late.”
“I was on time,” she argued. “However, I wasn’t aware your plan was to burn the bar to the ground if I didn’t show up in less than an hour.”
“It’s not something we normally do,” Jason deadpanned. “We save it for special occasions.”
“I’m flattered.”
“Don’t be,” Jason said. “You have a short amount of time to explain yourself or we will toss you out of here and take this vehicle back to our ship and be long gone before anyone finds you.” He heard her gasp at his threat, assuming she thought he meant to kill her. He had actually meant they would restrain her and dump her on the side of the road, but he decided not to bother correcting her.
“We’ll talk when we’re safe,” she said and concentrated on driving. Jason looked around at the others and could see they weren’t sure they were in a better position now than when they had been on the run. He shrugged and leaned back. There was nothing to be gained by worrying about things he couldn’t control.
Chapter 5
“It looks like you have the correct confirmation code,” Jason said grudgingly while handing the data pad back to
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