Clark Eagle’s Twin Sister. The Elder by a few minutes, she is both protective and proud of her brother. When their Mother had died they were both on the cusp of deciding their future careers. Kara had decided to become a Doctor and studied at New Austin University on Terra, and then went onto train as a Surgeon at the main Nano Neurological Medical Institute in New Austin. Having graduated and become a surgeon she then joined the UEEN and further improved her skills as an advanced trauma surgeon with specialisation in Nano technology and she studied with Mokin Rin who was to go onto be her best friend. After the attack on Vega, she was posted to the Planet to help deal with the Mass Casualty situation and acquitted herself well. Once the situation had stabilises, she like her brother saw her future in the civilian world and taking her Star Citizenship and her Fathers inheritance struck out as a Free Lance Surgeon.
“Sabres Edge”
She was only here for the job. It was not the kind of place that she would ever want to spend time, and certainly not the safest of environments for anyone. Hortle, or Hurl til’ as the locals call it was an asteroid station on the fringes of Banu space. It had a reputation among those that knew about it of being a place to trade in the more illicit things in UEE space, a place to hide, if that is what you needed to do, and a place to pick up work, if you were not too fussy about the clientele.
Unusually for this type of place they had a strong artificial gravity which for someone Terran born and bred was very relaxing. As soon as she left the hangar area the vaguely sweet smell of artificially generated breathable air mix combined with the tang of mined out rock took over from oil and hydrogen fuel. She had left her ship in the obviously capable hands of the ground crew, instructing them to recharge all systems and have her ready for departure. Betelgeuse or Bess as she called her, was a Origin 300i, an unusual ship for these environments, and so she had tipped the crew in advance to ensure she was looked after. Bess, was a luxury Kara could only afford Courtesy of her Father’s legacy, it was one she enjoyed almost as much as her job.
Her contact had said he would meet her in the bar, where else, the exchange of alcohol and other substances were the grease that kept the ‘verse’s trade working. She had not been to Hortle before but the signage in the mined out tunnels past the hangar area made it pretty clear where to find it. Also rented Habs, “Greasers Shop” and other services that she wasn’t sure she recognised.
She followed the signs along the increasingly dark and narrow tunnels, noting the offshoots every now and then to personal accommodation or some of the other service areas. Kara hoped that she would not have to spend the “night” here, Bess would be more comfortable than a Hab with dubious cleaning record, but she knew that the Hangar regulations would not allow her to sleep on board. This was not unusual, and perfectly understandable.
Eventually after about a half an hour of walking she began to hear the throb of undefinable music from ahead, all the signs now showed arrows pointing to one thing “Bar”, original lot, she thought. As the music got louder the smell of spilled alcohol and various savoury (or possible unsavoury) dishes took over from the smell of the air and damp tunnels. The as she turned a sharp corner the tunnel doubled in size opening up into an amphitheatre sized room with a neon sign proclaiming “Bar” above the entrance.
She stopped at the entrance, or to put it more accurately was stopped at the entrance. A large muscle bound individual, human, or once was, barred the entrance, his black T shirt stated Security in bold white letters and the sleeves of it looked in danger of being ripped by his biceps. His face was best described politely as characterful, he had a swollen right cheek which looked to be the result of a long term injury probably smashed cheekbone, his left eye was glazed white with a deep scar leading at 45 degrees across the ocular bone frame. A second scar lead across his left cheek down below his ear onto the neck. He had been lucky to survive that one she thought.
He eyed her up and down, the way she had purposely made her white under-suit ill fitting to avoid. Although irritating it was surprising considering what was clearly on offer behind him on the raised rotating ‘dance’ floor.
“I could probably fix that for you.” She said.
“Whaaa?” His mouth dropped open in surprise, obviously not the reaction to his lewd observation he was expecting.
“Your Eye.” she nodded in the direction of his face and smiled having put him ever so slightly off guard. “I have the technology, depending on the state of you nerves, and of course your bank balance.”
He looked at her curiously with his head canted to one side to favour the examination by his only functioning eye.
“You a Doc?”
Considering she was wearing a white under-suit with a winged staff entwined with two serpents, the Caduesus, above a small vivid Red Cross, known across the human worlds as a symbol for a Doctor or Medical Technician, above her left breast with ‘K Eagle MD’ below it. This was rather an indication of the Security guys observation skills.
“That’s me,” she answered trying not to be sarcastic, although there were days when this was difficult. “I am here to see Corbian Tussler, if that means anything to you.”
“Corby,” the blank expression of the bouncer attempted a grin which somehow made his face a whole lot worse and Kara found herself actually feeling sorry for him. “Yeah, Corby is in at the moment, over in the booth at the far end. So he expectin’ you?”
Kara nodded expecting to be waved through the entrance. The bouncer looked and leered.
“Gotta frisk ya, no weapons allowed.”
She leaned forward until she was about two inches from his face, her blue eyes had turned to steely points and between her teeth she said “You want to loose the other eye.”
He laughed, and stepped aside.
Kara relaxed her left hand from one of the three scalpels concealed within her suit and pushed past into the cavernous room.
The “Bar” was obviously constructed within a natural occurrence an occlusion formed in the asteroid when it came into being. It was way too big to be formed by mining operations. The directed mining drones only drilled two metre round tunnels to get to the precious metals and ores their sensors sought out. This was a cave, roughly 40 metres in height and at it’s widest about 60 metres. She could not see then end of it so it was probably much longer than that.
All along the right hand side from where she stood was a long metal construction bar with what looked like a stainless steel top adorned with various advertisement logos from around the known ‘verse, and every 4 meters a set of taps. Behind the bar at the entrance end was a large circular raised “dance” floor, upon which, presently “danced” five humans and, strangely, one Tevarrin. The dancers were doing little more than displaying, wearing what could be taken for underwear, if your idea did not include having material to cover the relevant proportions. Of the five humans, two were male, two female and one it was apparent the gender could not be specified. After the dance floor, behind the bar several tunnels could be seen disappearing into the rock, presumably to store rooms and the like. In the middle of the bar length was a Galley and serving area, where three appropriately dressed individuals were cooking and serving.
The rest of the space was taken up by high tables and bar stools whilst the left side was divided into booths of varying sizes some cut back into the rock. There was probably upwards of 50 people in the bar with a variety of servers some modestly dressed some not so milling around the clientele.
Kara got quite a few looks from the others in bar as she tried to make her way towards what she assumed was the back. Mostly she surmised because, unlike most of them, she was still dressed in the under-suit, most pilots would take with relief the opportunity to get out of a suit that they had been wearing for however long their journeys had been. Bella though had the luxury of a shower and a comfortable bed, and for this visit she wanted to be in a position to leave as soon as she could.
Corbain’s booth was indeed at the back, and to call it a booth would be to give it a grave disservice it was a large room cut into the left hand wall of the cavern, it had a huge desk along the back with a tunnel leading off behind it, along both sides of the room were animal hide couches with coffee table style tables in front of them. Corbain himself was just as Mokin had described him, a large portly man with a mass of unruly red hair and a pepper and salt beard that reached halfway down his chest and curled over on the protrusion of his stomach, good luck getting that lot into a helmet Kara thought. He was sat in a high backed wing chair, in place of one of the couches on the right closest to the main room. Behind him was a bare chested young man, obviously one of the dancers, who was massaging Corbain’s neck.
As she approached the room two individuals dressed similarly in black peeled away from the groups they had been conversing with and formed a loose barrier across the entrance, these guys were not the same calibre as the bouncer. Kara could recognise military training when she saw it.
“Kara Eagle, Mokin Rin sent me,” She paused hoping the guys could recognise the names, they didn’t. “She said that Mr Tussler had a job that might suit me.”
One of them turned and looked at Corbain, who had not given any indication he had been listening but gave a sharp nod and she was let up the two steps into his domain.
“Kara,” you said, his voice was deep and booming the kind a platoon sergeant would die for. “Moky said someone called Sabre.” He looked quizzically and she wondered how he had heard her introduction over the booming bass coming from the Bar’s music system. She smiled though, she didn’t know anyone who would get away with calling Mokin Rin “Moky”.
“Sabre is my callsign. Sort of a family thing.” He indicated she should come the rest of the way in and sit in the couch opposite him, which she did. His hand touched something on the wing of his chair and suddenly the noise from the cavernous Bar was shut out. Impressive technology, she thought could really do with some of that when her brother’s mates were about.
He turned slightly and flicked his left hand in a dismissive fashion. With a sulk the young man turned away from the chair and left the room.
“I have a problem,” he said, looking straight into Kara’s eyes, she nodded but kept quiet. He realised she wasn’t going to say anything and continued.
“It has potentially medical implications.” She nodded again, obviously other wise she would not be here she thought.
“I have a little facility on a moon, two jumps from here. We have lost touch, and err,” he paused mulling over in his mind what to say, “the last visitors, well they were found dead in their ship not more than 6 million klicks from their destination.”
“Visitors?”
“Couriers.”
“Cargo?”
“Intact.”
“Can I examine the bodies?”
“No, the err investigator I sent to find them thought it prudent to destroy the ship and the dead crew, once the cargo was secured of course.”
“Do you trust him?”
“He delivered and I paid him. Usual levels of trust around here. He was rather nervy though, more than a little scared I think, by what he saw.”
“Can I speak to him?”
“No he has moved on, I have no idea where.”
“The Cargo?”
“Delivered, no issues.”
“To here?”
“No, and I would rather not say.”
“You may have to if it was contaminated. Until we know what we are dealing with it would be sensible to quarantine it.”
“That will not be possible it is now,” He paused again. “Distributed.”
“Shit.”
“So you have an illicit drug lab on a forgotten moon, where they have been contaminated with some form of disease, you had the cargo retrieved the evidence destroyed and then a possibly contaminated cargo distributed around several settlements, with possible catastrophic consequences.”
“Moky said you were the one for the job.” He was smiling.
“Have you considered cutting your losses and destroying the lab?”
“I have, too much investment. Especially if you can solve the problem for me.”
“If it turns out that cargo could be a carrier I will have to inform the UEE.”
“If, if… lets not get into ifs. We can discuss it at the time.”
Kara understood, she did not particularly like it but understood.
“How much?”
“40,000 UEC up front, 60,000 on a satisfactory result.”
“60,000 up front, 100,000 mission complete, whatever the result.”
“You are hurting me.”
Kara looked at him and raised an eyebrow, the investment in this lab must be substantial.
“I will need a team. In case it is a more military solution.”
He nodded, “Already in hand, I am assembling a group of 5 tacticians, they are used to working together and will be here in two days. I also have a Cutlass at your disposal.”
“I will use my own ship.” She did not like the idea of being two jumps and maybe more away from Bess.
“We will discuss it further when the leader of the team gets here.”
“They will report to me, I don’t want any loose cannons.”
“I understand, but you would be cautious to take Eddie’s advice. She is very skilled.”
“I will take that under advisement, Eddie?”
“Eddie Teach, a favoured contractor of mine.”
Kara grinned broadly, “and a student of history with a very dry sense of humour.”
Corbain looked quizzically.
“Blackbeard, Edward Teach 18th Century Earth, a Pirate.”
Corbain roared with laughter and called back his young man to get them all drinks. Kara, leaned back in the couch, it looked like she was going to be staying here for a while after all.
After a few drinks, water for Kara, to seal the deal Corbain sent his contract message out to Eddie and then transferred the agreed down payment to Kara. He then offered her a bed in his Hab area indicating the tunnels behind the enormous desk. She politely declined, and left him to look for a Hab closer to the hangar.
The accommodation manager was most obliging and offered her a range of Hab types from which she chose a simple bunk and private bathroom type, better than most and reasonably secure. He very politely showed her to her room which was conveniently only about 400m down the tunnel and a short lift ride from her ships hangar.
When she got into the room she did a quick scan for listening and visual recording devices, nothing showed up, and then began a cleanliness inspection and correction until she was happy she could stay here for a couple of nights. As she started back towards her ship to pick up some gear her Mobiglas flared:
“Eddie and her team will be here in a week, they have been delayed circumnavigating a UEE carrier group. Hope that is OK?”
A week, damn that’s was too long, both for her to be sitting here but also for any survivors that might be at the Lab. She messaged back straight away:
“I would like to get there as soon as possible, can I take a couple of contract guys from the station and go now?”
The reply was equally quick:
“No Eddie no contract.”
Kara shut down the communications and fumed slightly, she went back on board her ship, having thanked the ground crew for taking care of her and letting them know she would be staying for a few more days. They of course were more than happy more days more credits. Most people using the hangar facilities were only in for a night, maybe two at the most. She slipped out of her Under-suit, if slipped could be the word, and put on a casual T shirt and trousers with auto-laced combat boots, no ordinary combat boots, they had an auto mag boot function, ready for failure of any artificial gravity, and two concealed scalpels in case…
She filled a bag with a change of clothes some nightwear and toiletries, now feeling the need for a proper shower and sleep. Finally she slipped her favoured broad brimmed hat on her grey short haired head and returned to the rented Hab.
She showered for as long as the auto timer would let her feeling some tension release as she did. She was hungry after that but felt that sleep may be more beneficial, after double checking the locking system and placing an obstacle on the path between her and the bed she lay down placed a scalpel under either side of the beds mattress and fell instantly to sleep.
Six hours later she woke with a start, her left hand immediately found the scalpel as she slowly adjusted to her surroundings, realised she was alone and relaxed. She reached across to the alcove on the side of the bed and picked up her Mobiglas, it glowed did a quick retina scan and then opened up.
“Time” She said.
“0530 Hortle time, 1200 UEE Standard time.” The soothing female synthetic voice said.
She shuffled out of the bed and stretched out, doing a variety of Terran Viran Yoga moves to bring her muscles into an optimum state.
Satisfied, she had a quick shower and dressed in the same way as the following evening, only this time she pinned her name badge on the Tee.
Before she left the Hab she opened her Mobiglas and confirmed that her down payment had been transferred, it had, so she immediately sent half the balance to the account she shared with her twin, with a note explaining where she was. It was a little thing they both did to build up some rainy day fund for the future and keep somewhat in touch. Since Clark had left the UEEN he had been out of touch for most of the time. She understood, he was locked in a search for some illusive group he once helped, always the Samaritan, she thought and smiled, proud of her brother.
Now it was time to find some productive way to spend her wait, she hated being idle, and a week was far too long. Especially in this piece of rock that hid good knows what. She almost sent Mokin a sarcastic message, but stopped herself. Mokin’s sense of humour was a little bizarre and did not always coincide with Kara’s sarcasm.
She followed the directions given to her by Corbain’s assistant down one of the many off shoots on the route to the bar, there was no signs to indicate her destination which she found really surprising. Eventually the deck of the tunnel began to slope up and the lighting brightened, at the top of the slope there was a properly constructed poly steel deck and bulkheads and to her surprise on the left hand side was an air lock, she peered through the window in the lock and saw a long straight tunnel heading out through the asteroid. To the surface, she thought.
On the other side of the lobby from the air lock was the room, or rooms she had been looking for, the first sign for it appeared in a sloppily painted fashion, “Sick Bay”, completely at odds with what was otherwise the smartest and most well constructed area in Hortle.
Kara pushed the green entry button not knowing quite what to expect. Inside the clean lines and good construction continued, there were three gurneys locked in position in the large room, there were blood drains on each side of the gurneys and bright lights above them there was one Class three Med pod tucked against the far wall. On the Centre gurney a half dressed miner lay, his bared chest revealing an obvious knife wound sub cutaneous but not penetrating the rib cage. The woman, at least she thought she was a woman, attending to him was using a laser cauteriser to seal the wound obviously without anaesthesia from the profanities coming from the miners mouth.
She watched the Doctor at work, she was clumsy and inconsiderate to her patient but effective, the blood flow ceased and the wound was sealed.
“Yer lucky. Tat blade hit your bone, else yood be taking the tunnel today.” Her voice was hoarse and thick with an accent she didn’t recognise. “Bes yoo na pick a fight wiv Harley agin. ‘E likes that blade.”
The miner obviously still in pain struggled to get off the gurney and Kara moved quickly to help him. He pushed her away in an aggressive macho manner she thought had been lost decades before.
“Thanks Mags.” He growled to the Doctor. “How much I owe you?”
“100 Credits Buster, think ‘bout dat tunnel trip nex’ time you boozin’.”
Buster flipped open his Mobiglas and flipped the credits across to the Doctor as if it was a regular transaction, obviously he was a Hortle resident. Ignoring Kara he pushed past her and left the Sick Bay.
“Kara Eagle.” She introduced herself holding out her hand to the Doctor.
“Heard.” Mags ignored her hand. “Yoo ‘n up straight Doctor me hear. Going to poach ma victims?”
Kara smiled. “No just stuck here for a while and thought I could help.”
“Ain’t overworked.” Mags answered in a little more friendly tone. “Was a while?” She asked.
“Less than a week, I hope.” Kara answered taking the time to observe her fellow medic. Mags was a good foot shorter than Kara with multi coloured died hair she was dressed in a once white lab coat and a pair of plastic loafers Busters blood spattered both. “May I ask why didn’t you use the Class Three for the miner?”
“Dat.” Mags waved dismissively at the standard life preserving Med Pod. “Yoo needs a Doctors qual to get the ting to work. ‘Ministrator ain’t got me no code for it yet. Been four yer’s.”
Kara could not imagine working four years on this rock, let alone dealing with patients with basic med tools, she scanned the instrument tray with surprise.
“Does he keep you up with Meds?” She asked.
“Nah. I makes doo.”
Hence the painful episode for poor Buster, she thought. Mags the Medic looked down at herself and tutted, “Bes get clean.” She muttered and went off towards a room off on the far side of the reception/casualty area and disappeared through the door.
Kara went over to the Med Pod and opened up the input pad, it sprang to life immediately, and asked for the Med license input. She opened her Mobiglas and sent the data.
The Pod flashed a green acceptance sign and spoke in metallic tone. “Welcome Doctor Kara Eagle, you are authorised for use.”
Kara nodded and smiled, she flipped through the menu options and selected self diagnosis, The Pod opened and began a series of tests culminating in a “Please insert test patient.”
At that moment Mags reappeared, she had merely changed her once white lab coat for another cleaner version and obviously washed herself. She looked on with a grin at the functioning Med Pod.
“Can you be my test patient?” Kara asked her. The medic looked doubtful, and almost shied away. “I can’t be Doctor and Patient.” Kara pointed out. Mags nodded, and awkwardly climbed onto the Pod. It’s design was to encapsulate a prone patient on a gurney but the base slab worked without a gurney in place. As she climbed aboard Kara noted her thin and almost translucent legs as the coat road up, more confirming her suspicions.
With Mags in place, Kara hit continue test adding full diagnostic as the parameter. The Pod began a complete scan of the medic visualising the results on the screen on the side for Kara to read and assess.
Kara watched the scan moving across the medics body noticing the two malformed fracture repairs on her left arm, the bloods were also as expected hypovitaminosis D with level of 18 ng/ml a serious deficiency, this had been a common problem in Spacers before the introduction of the Vitamin D screens in all Space stations and rest stops. Her bones were frail the Osteomalacia had taken its toll and the consequently weakened muscles accounted for the clumsiness with the Laser Cauterisers, that and the poorly repaired breaks.
“Physician heal thyself.” Kara muttered. “Why haven’t you been using a Vit D screen?” She asked.
Mags shrugged and started to climb out of the pod. “‘Tis broke, been broke for over a year, ‘ministrator not bothered.”
Kara reached into her bag and dug out a selective med pen, she pushed up the sleeve of the medics lab coat noting the slight deformity from the breaks.
“This is a Vitamin D boost, it is a delayed function and will keep up the levels for a week,” Mags nodded acceptance and Kara injected the dose. “You are at critically low levels though Mags, you must have realised that when you broke your arm. You need an intensive time out on a nice sunny planet. Some people call it a vacation.”
Mags laughed, it was a short choking sound. “Vacation, Yoos need credits to get ofen dis rock. I only gits enough to feed myself.”
Kara smiled at the honesty of the women who was the only resort for medical help on Hortle. She would have to have a word with this Administrator.
She turned back to the panel on the Med Pod, and noted the other ailments of the Medic, nothing serious, all linked to muscle wastage and bone degradation. The Pod could help her with some of it and if the Vitamin D Screen was up again things would improve for all the more permanent residents. She keyed in her authorisation and requested a Medical assistant be added. The screen flashed waiting for an input.
“Mags, link your Mobiglas to the Pod now for me will you.”
The Medic raised her frail arm, opened her Mobiglas and tapped in a code, then directed the ‘glas to the Pod. The Pod beeped and confirmed that Mags Dewitt was now registered as the assistant to Doctor Kara Eagle.
“You can use it now. It will keep your assistant status until it gets powered down or rebooted, so I would watch for that happening.”
“Thanks.” She said, was that a tear Kara saw? Kara turned away to avoid embarrassing her and instead added. “Just promise me you will use it on yourself. Get that arm reset properly and do regular bone and muscle scans.”
“Aye.” Mags answered.
“Now I have a favour to ask from you.”
“Oh?”
“There’s a Security Guard down at the bar. He has lost the use of his left eye, battle scar of some description.”
“Hardy. Hees good man, lil slow, but good.”
“Thought so too. I have an ocular implant in my store that may help him, I would like to use your theatre if I may.”
“Implant, shet dat ‘spensive, Hardy ain’t got dat money.”
“He can repay me in other ways, I have it in my kit and it’s not needed by anyone else right now. So it’s his if he wants it.”
“Yoos an angel?” Mags asked with a smile. “Or afen Hardy’s body?”
Kara shook her head and laughed.
“Goodness no. I have better taste.”
“OK, den, least I can do.”
“Right thanks, I will have a word with him and see if we can’t fit him in tomorrow. In the mean time, I need to have a word with your administrator guy, what’s his name and where do I find him?”
Mags filled her in with the details and after noting the directions in her Mobiglas, it was quite a hike, she set off to see Administrator Hoven.
The Administrator was a small wiry man with a Shubin Mining Uniform on. So really he was just an agent of an almost played out mined asteroid, making money on the side by allowing the likes of Corbain Tussler to set up their rather less than legal enterprises. He quickly promised to get the Vitamin D screen repaired once Kara threatened to report back to the company he was failing in his obligations to their employees. He also agreed, with a bit of arm twisting that Mags Dewitt should be on the payroll of the company and not working for a pittance from the miners and visitors. She explained her activation of the Med Pod temporarily, and explained that a Medical certification waiver could be obtained from the UEE in the instance where no Doctor was on the Scheme of Complement. By the time she left his office Mr Hoven seemed positively grateful, although it could be that he was just glad to get his office back to himself.
Satisfied, Kara made a mental note to check on the progress before she left on the mission, and went in search of Hardy.
Hardy was, at first, suspicious, then grateful and finally terrified. He agreed that he would be free at 1000 the following morning and said he would meet her at the Sick Bay. Kara then returned to the Sick Bay only to find that word had got around that there was a real Doctor on the rock and there was a queue outside. Mags was happy when she entered the room, and between them they rocked through the list of minor ailments with a few more serious problems. The Med Pod was put to good use and Kara only needed to get her scalpels out twice.
That evening, satisfied that she had done a full days work Kara showered, put on a white blouse and black slacks and went for an evening out in ‘The Bar’. Corbain was in his ‘booth’ when she got in there and beckoned her to join him. His boy attended to him and got them both a drink as Kara sat across from Corbain’s large arm chair.
“I hear you have been making yourself useful and annoying in equal measures.” He growled over his mixed drink.
Kara sipped the Martini that had been poured for her, it was one of the best she had ever tasted. “I take it the Administrator has been abitchin’” She smiled.
“He has.” He nodded at her. “Don’t be misled by his manner, he can make things very awkward for me. I need his continued cooperation.”
“I understand,” Kara answered nodding, “but the Vit D screen being down is a serious breach of Health protocol for the more permanent residences. It needs fixed.”
“I have agreed to take that task on for him, and agreed to provide Mags Dewitt with a salary consummate with her skills and usefulness. I honestly thought Hoven was paying her.”
“I think most people did. Instead she was working for scraps and hind tied by the lack of equipment and drugs. I think she must be hiding from something and doesn’t want to draw attention to herself, but what do I know.”
“You are right and I do know.” Corbain said but did not elucidate. “Still I did think she was being properly paid.”
“Did he ask you to sort the licence for the Med Pod too?” Kara added sarcastically.
“No, he was quite pleased about the information you gave him, he put the application in straight away, he has even contacted Mags and told her it will be sorted.”
“My work here is done.” Kara settled back in the couch and sipped the excellent Martini again.
Corbain smiled and sipped his own drink, he settled back into the arm chair and his boy stepped forward and started massaging his shoulders. It looked rather soothing.
“I am sorry you have been delayed here.” He said, and it almost sounded if he meant it.
“You are making it worth my while.” She replied. “No more than a week though, or you may lose your deposit.”
“Don’t push me Doctor.” He growled and looked piercingly into her eyes, she stared back.
“Eddie will get here as soon as she can, and trust me she is the kind of person you want on your team if the chips fall badly.”
Kara nodded, aware that she was dealing with people with different ethics than she was used to. She sipped her drink again, a little more this time and allowed the alcohol to buzz in her system.
Outside of Corbain’s booth there was a similar hum of activity as yesterday, the personalities looked the same, although there was bound to be a change over. The dancers were exactly the same, with the same routines, every now and then they would rotate from the floor and sit at the bar to chat to the the clientele, or take one for a private dance. The bar staff were busy for such a small rock in such an out of the way place, credits changed hands. There must be some lucrative business underlying this economy, she thought. Corbain was a big wheel.
She looked back at him.
“Do I get a brief on what the ‘cargo’ that became contaminated was?” She asked emphasising cargo with a slight sarcastic lilt.
“You don’t,” He said, “but I can tell you it is recreational and unique to this facility. It is also extremely beneficial to my business and would be a sad loss.” He paused, “It is why you are here, and why I am paying you so much. Sort it for me, and you will not only have my credits, but my gratitude.”
Kara nodded. She finished her drink and nodded as the boy reached for her glass to obtain a refill. She turned to look at the bar again, she felt unusually relaxed, and not just from the alcohol, although that helped. One more, she told herself, then back to the Hab. I have a big Op tomorrow.
The operation was a big success. Kara removed what was left of Hardy’s eye, skilfully wove the Optical implant into his optic nerve, which was surprisingly still receptive, carried out some software checks and visual verifications before closing, then tidied up the scar on his cheek, not too much, she left enough for him to feel roguish but not overly ugly. She finished with a nano injection to reduce inflammation and control the pain, and covered with a see through bandage.
Mags assisted throughout, making appreciative murmurs as she worked, when they woke Hardy up she clucked over him like a mother hen, giving him serious warnings about what not to do. Kara nodded in agreement.
Hardy looked around, then looked again, his mouth fell open wide his scarred face contorted into a smile and then back quickly once the pain from the scar surgery hit.
“How are you seeing?” Kara asked.
“Better than I ever have.” He answered. Both the women noticed the tears in his eyes, and looked away.
“Mags, run him through some eye test diagnostics in a few days, once things have settled down. The bandage can come off then. The optical zoom and increased definition will take time to master, I will leave you some documentation on it before I go.”
Mags nodded, Hardy mouthed ‘Zoom’.
Kara, smiled and nodded. She never got tired of the successes, if only they could all be.
Two days later Eddie arrived. Kara was in her Hab at the end of the day, expecting another two days of mindless grind when the flash message came up on her Mobiglas. It was Corbain, Eddies flight was inbound and should be landing in a few minutes. Kara quickly slipped on her jacket and ran down the tunnels toward the Hangars. Instead of looking around. The vast spaces she went up to the Control room which had an overview of all the Hangar entrances, just in time to see the two black Cutlasses land in a synchronised fashion in the hangar next to where her Bess was.
The rear ramp on the Cutlasses also opened in symmetry, from the one on the right appeared three people dressed in black heavy armour carrying military grade helmets and a hold-all each. It was not possible to detect gender at that distance but it quickly became apparent who was in charge, Eddie was almost half a head taller than the rest of her team and was obviously issuing instructions. Two members, peeled off and began to discuss arrangements with the ground crew who had emerged once the ships had powered down. The remaining three with Eddie in the lead headed for the Habs. Eddie was talking into her Mobiglas as she walked.
Kara watched the crew members and the ground crew start to set up refuelling and rearming processes on the Cutlasses. Her Mobiglas pinged. [Eddie is on station meet at my office in one hour for briefing. Corbain.] To the point. Kara returned to her Hab and started to put her gear together.
She turned up at Corbain’s “Office” in her undersuit ready to go. Her bag items were packed into Bess and her travel kit and Medical bag waited in her Hab, she had not booked out yet but was ready to go as soon as she was given the go ahead.
Hardy had been at the entrance to the bar, he gave her a big smile and a firm handshake as a thank you, she could see he was concentrating on moving the zoom function and she had smiled.
When she approached the booth, it became obvious they were not going anywhere soon. Eddies team were sat around on the couches foaming ales in their hands, they were all dressed in casual fatigues, except that was Eddie herself. She was as tall as she had appeared in the Hangar, at least 6 feet six, Kara estimated, she wore a peach sleeveless shirt, her arms were impressive displaying biceps and triceps that would do Hardy proud, her white trousers were tailored tight revealing that the physique was continued. Her back was to Kara as she entered talking earnestly to Corbain.
“Ahh, and here is the Lady in question.” Corbain interrupted her leaning to one side to look around his contractor. Eddie swivelled on her heel and gazed at Kara, her green eyes locking onto hers. Her face was pale, with hard lines a straight nose, a little long for her face and a pointed chin. Her Hair was burnished copper, obviously recently washed and cut in a pixie shape to frame her face perfectly. The eyes swept up and down Kara’s form.
“Looks like she is going somewhere.” Her voice was deep, controlled and without a discernible accent.
“Well I was expecting…” Kara started but tailed off as she saw the smile creep across the woman’s face, it lit up her features in a way that made Kara start to blush.
“I understand,” she said, in an almost sympathetic tone, “Corby told me you are champing at the bit.” Kara saw Corbain wince at the disrespectful nickname. “Me and the boys have been wearing suits and armour for the last two weeks and eating rations. We are in need of some down time tonight.”
Kara nodded disappointed.
“We will head out tomorrow, you will ride with me and Shorty,” she indicated the least short of her team relaxing on the couch beside Corbain swigging deeply on the ale. “Take off at 0700 Local, if that is OK.”
Surprised that she had been asked Kara nodded. She was rarely in awe of anybody of any gender or species, but this woman exuded confidence and competence. She realised she was having a fan girl moment and caught herself.
“Of course,” She said without her voice cracking. “ I understand. I will see you then.”
“Why don’t you go get changed into something more comfortable.” Eddie said indicating her undersuit, and without any indication of intent in that rather hackneyed phrase. “ and come and get to know the team.”
Kara nodded.
“I will.”
She left the booth with the least amount of awkwardness she could muster. Stopped to exchange a few words with Hardy and got his agreement on something, then returned to her Hab to change.