Bruno's Wanderings

Chapter 1 Not Discharged

Bruno stepped into the brightly lit office and blinked. The Hefry office was much smaller than the Regina office he was used to, but the same odd collection of star charts, weird animals, and bizarre geographic features hung on the walls.

The reception desk was much smaller and only one man sat behind it. Bruno’s fuel was free now base. The man behind the desk was the Detached Duty watch officer on Hefry. Normally it would have been a young bureaucrat but this older man had a horrific facial scar that spoke of a battle that had ended a field career.

“Bruno, I don’t know if you’re going to like this,” began the older man behind the desk. “I have to recall you. Right away.”

The man did not receive a reaction so he hurried to continue. “Report to Exploration around the corner. It’s a War Mission. I know you’ve only been out two weeks,…but welcome back.” He stuck a tentative handshake out, not sure if it would be taken.

Bruno smiled. “Really? I couldn’t draw one of those to save my life six months ago. I resign, and then get picked? What’s you name, new best friend?”

Prague laughed, tightening his wounded face as his handshake was firmly accepted. “A real Scout. I should have guessed. Prague. Prague Zeekaw.”

Bruno became serious. “Another real Scout. I’ve heard of you, Prague. It’s an honor. You’ll make a fine new best friend. Thanks for this. I’ll head over to Exploration. Anything more you need from me?”

“No.” Prague shook his head. “I’ll handle the activation and tell them you’re coming. Your pay hasn’t even stopped. Be alert.”

“You too. Be alert.” It wasn’t an honorific shared with bureaucrats in the Scouts, only among field personnel and it brought a misty eye to Prague who gave him a thumbs up as he headed around the corner to the closed door of a small Exploration Office.

“Wait,” he heard. He stood outside waiting…and thinking. A wartime mission? They weren’t at war. A mission that could cause a war? A mission that would anger potential belligerents? Why him? “Scan in.”

Bruno placed his right hand over a back lit plate and prepared to step back. But the door immediately popped open and caught him off guard.

A big man sat inside the office surrounded by displays, computers, and status boards with systems in motion - planets, moons, and asteroids. This man didn’t look like a bureaucrat either. He wore a shoulder holster, and a brown cloth ballistic jacket was draped over the chair in front of him. He grabbed it and tossed it into the corner indicating that Bruno should sit as the door latched firmly behind.

“Prague is efficient. He found you, cleared you, and activated you in ten minutes. Nice.”

“Bruno Wan.” Bruno stuck out his hand.

“Tai Kenahgen. Head of Exploration in this hole. Your skills are average and your record is average, but it says here that you’re tough and aggressive. Quit out of boredom and poor assignments.”

“You have that much out of my record already?”

Tai smiled. “I’m efficient too.” Clearly he was enjoying the moment. Then he turned and pointed to a screen behind him.

“You know this world?”

“Memorized the basics. Never been there.”

“Right. And no one will know you were there afterward. As a Scout anyway. This mission is Secret. All your notes will and reports must be logged as such on your ship and encoded and transmitted appropriately. You will update the Universal World Profile. Everything. Including the politics and the progress of the civil war. And you’ll scan the whole system, not just the primary world. Afterward you come straight here. Questions?”

“Do you care a great deal about distribution of forces in the local war?”

“Not really.”

That answer spoke volumes. Tai, and by extension the Imperial Navy, was not worried about keeping the peace in a local civil war. The threat was bigger. It was external. The threat must be the Zhodani fleet on the other side of the neutral zone from the Imperium. And Ruie was closer to the Imperium than not; in fact it was very close. And, not just to backwater worlds in the Imperium.

Bruno was about to step in between the two biggest powers in known space. Ruie was not an unknown. You wouldn’t survey it again unless trouble was threatening.

“Okay. I understand. I’ll need a few things. And I’ll need the data from the last survey. Am I going in under corporate cover?”

“Yes. That’s Intelligence in Detached Duty. Se Prague for details on the way out. If you’re captured, you were never re-activated and your family doesn’t get paid.” Tai frowned and scanned his computer.

“No family yet.”

“Right,” he stopped scanning. Don’t get captured. Come back and get paid. If you do get captured, Prague will work with your corporate cover for any ransom or legal backing. Good luck, Scout. Be alert.”

Bruno nodded. He was dismissed. He let himself out of the office and headed back to Prague’s desk.

“I've been briefed. Which corporation do I work for?”

Prague nodded. “Not many choices on Hefry. It’ll be Hutchins Mining and Transport. Zeeth Hutchins is at The Breakfast Bar. She’s expecting a new agent. Go now. She starts drinking early. After lunch you won’t get good information.”

“The Breakfast Bar?”

“Yeah,” Prague laughed. Twice in one day. “Eggs and a Bloody Mary…if you want the eggs too. Ask for Alice, the owner, if you can’t find Zeeth. Tell either one of them that I sent you.”

“If I’m still there at lunch will you be joining us?”

“Maybe. Alice is good people. Zeeth? Not so much.”

“After this meeting and returning to BLUE CAT to close out the refueling, I have to buy a few things. And, I’ll need the data Tai is sending. Don’t be late for lunch. I hope to lift tomorrow morning. No sense waiting..”

“I guessed that. My relief gets in at 1000 and turnover takes an hour. If I can make it, it’ll be then.”

Bruno nodded, readjusted his gun belt, and headed toward the space port. It shouldn’t be hard to find the place. He’d never heard of a bar opening at breakfast.

Chapter 2 The Breakfast Bar

The Breakfast Bar was near the space port. It looked like a small rundown diner from the outside. Inside it was noisy, gaudily decorated with space debris and broken weapons, and the place was busy with fourteen patrons and one large elderly serving woman moving table to table and back to the bar or an out-of-sight kitchen. Drinks were flowing even at this hour.

Bruno had already eaten breakfast and lunch was an hour away, but he was suddenly hungry. And one Bloody Mary wouldn’t hurt. He looked around to see if he could locate a woman who was obviously Zeeth Hutchins (an older woman in the mining and transport business who was likely to be drinking).

He scanned the tables looking for one with an older woman, perhaps sitting alone. Instead he immediately saw several men shoving and pushing angrily. An elderly server stepped in the middle and tried to restore peace, but was herself pushed. Bruno frowned.

Suddenly a weapon was drawn and a shot hurt everyone’s ears. One of the men doubled up and fell. The shooter grabbed the server and yelled, “Get back!”

Bruno was already closing. The man on the ground moaned and his two friends backed up against the wall, hands raised. The shooter dragged the server back with him but his buddy looked shocked and confused, his gun staying holstered. He shouted something distant like, “Wait. I’m not part of this….”

Bruno crouched and fired at the man holding the server. The man seemed to know Bruno was there and twisted, firing at Bruno. Neither shot hit and now Bruno was completely deaf…and in the open.

Bruno readied his next shot, but two men seated near the commotion fired from under their table. The guns didn’t so much bang as thump but their shots were real. The hostage taker collapsed and died as he fell sending the server stumbling back.

It was over and there was only silence. People seemed slow to move. Bruno holstered his revolver and tried to pop is ears.

“Are you okay?” he asked the large gray-haired server. She nodded.

“I am thanks to you.” She gave him a big hug, shaky as she was. She smelled of cinnamon and bacon. Bruno was aware of her kissing his cheek.

A large cook came running from around the corner. The shotgun would have looked bigger in another man’s hands. He fetched up and blinked, covering everyone with the huge barrel.

“I don’t know if I was much help. I missed,” admitted Bruno sheepishly. “These two got him.” He was slowly recovering some of his hearing.

But the two stood up, holstered, and shook his hand. “No. That was you. We couldn’t do anything staring into a barrel. You stood in the open and drew his attention. I’m Stan Coldman. This is Gus. Thanks for saving Alice.”

“Bruno,” he replied. He returned the handshake and blushed as the server continued to hold his arm and pressed her large chest against him.

“You sure you’re okay, Alice?” asked the big cook lowering his shotgun a bit but continuing to cover the men on the floor.

“Yes.” Alice’s teeth chattered a bit and Bruno could still feel her tremble.

The next few minutes were a blur. Police arrived, the shooter’s body and his moaning victim were carted out on gurneys, and the man who was “not part of this” was handcuffed and taken away. Bruno needed to sit and joined Stan and Gus at their table with Alice. The cook returned to his duties but ferried platters out and even began serving drinks.

“Place always this rough?” Bruno smiled to take the edge off of that.

“No,” laughed Stan. “First shooting in months.”

“They weren’t even locals,” added Gus. “Not miners and not travelers. Passengers from the capitol of all places.”

“Regina? I just came from there. Left the Scouts two weeks ago. A freind said I should come here to meet a job contact named Zeeth Hutchins.” Bruno grinned. “Or Alice here if I couldn’t find Zeeth.”

“You found me, Bruno. And you’ll never pay in my place again. Stan or Gus neither.” Alice had finally let go of his arm and now it was cold. “Zeeth is at the bar over there. Still. Watching you. Can I get you a breakfast? Bring it to the bar? Maybe my special Bloody Mary?”

“I’ve already eaten and I’m a bit queasy right now. I’ll talk to Zeeth and wait around for any more questions.”

Alice got up. “Say no more. Let me get Zeeth another whiskey so she’ll be happy when you chat. I’ll bring you something special.”

Gus and Stan stood too. “I guess we don’t have to wait for a bill,” observed Gus. “Free food and drink for life at my favorite bar.”

Stan shook his head. “This day went from worst to best the moment you walked in, Bruno. We’re on LUCKY STRIKE and head back out this afternoon. You ever need anything, you radio us. I mean that. A job, a lift, a friend, whatever.”

The men shook hands again and Bruno headed for the bar. He tried to walk normally but felt his legs were wobbly and everyone was watching. But he looked around and they weren’t. Gus and Stan left and new people were coming in.

At the bar sat a sixty-something woman with tousled hair and a slumped back. SHe was dressed in dirty coveralls, a faded red shirt, and no weapon. There was no food in front of her but Alice placed a whiskey on ice before her as he approached.

”Drink’s on Bruno here,” said Alice. It wasn’t strictly true but Bruno appreciated the gesture.

“Ma’am, Prague said you might need a new agent.”

“That pirate? How’d he know that? I can’t hire anybody here who’ll fly to Ruie for me. Guess the word is out.” She did not slur her words or spill as she raised her glass.

“I’ll do it. Never been there. Always wanted to see it.”

“Then you’re crazy. And hired. I mine and I haul. Mostly iron. I need somtone with a strong stomach to find some contacts on Ruie to get shipments started. It’s Amber Zone, but I guess you know that.”

“I do. I’m a careful man. I’ll take my time.”

“Could have fooled me. Careful men shoot behind a corner. Do you need a stake?”

“Two thousand,” he lied. Zeeth probably knew Prague was paying his expenses. But a good cover story would help with the mission.

Zeeth grabbed a clean paper napkin and started writing on it as Alice brought a big Bloody Mary with real vegetables sticking out of it and what looked to be a real piece of bacon standing in the glass. A pickled egg and some peppers on a wooden skewer topped the drink off. Bruno had never seen anything like it and Alice was enjoying his reaction. She winked.

“Here,” sighed Zeeth pushing the napkin at Bruno careful to miss the condensation around the base of his drink. He sipped it his Bloody Mary. It was the best drink on Hefry…or Regina for that matter.

The contract was short, scrawled in barely legible ink, and offered him 8,000 credits per month plus a signing bonus of 3,000 credits. It guaranteed six months employment as a minimum. He didn’t know if a napkin contract was real or not but it was 25% more than he’s ever made even before the bonus.

“Take this to Shareeth. Tell her to cut the transferss and to plan on going with you.”

“I was a Scout. I’m used to working alone.”

“Guessed that. But she knows the company and how I do business. She’s also a pain in the ass and I want her out of my office for awhile.”

She leaned forward. “But be a gentleman. My daughter is a better shot than you.”

The old lady shrieked in laughter. “No offense.”

“None taken, boss.” Bruno clinked her glass being careful not to spill a drop or damage his toppings.

As if on cue Alice showed up with the bill. He turned it over. It was a comms ID number and a note that said simply, “Thank you.” It listed his drink and Zeeth’s but the total was zero. At the bottom it said, “Bruno. Free for life.” He put a generous tip on it.

Chapter 3 Shareeth

Bruno asked directions and walked across the starport to a small hangar and office identified by a single sign as Hutchins Mining and Transport. He stepped inside intending to pickup a starting bonus and look for a woman named Shareeth….

“Wait!” There was something about the tone of the command and the physique of the woman who shouted it that froze him in place. It was not the revolver she wore or the three big men standing beside her.

A huge motorized lift spun through the spot where he had intended to step. It was loaded with over a thousand pounds of heavy ore and moved quickly and silently without any warning beep at all. His heart beat a little faster as he looked around for any other speeding monstrosities of death.

“Now.” The woman and three men spun and followed the lift full of ore. It pushed the cargo into a parked 400-ton Subsidized Merchant and disappeared into the large cargo hold. The three men followed it but the woman broke off and headed to an office. Bruno followed her.

As he did, he noticed that she was very fit and that he had to hustle to keep up.

“What do you need?” She sat and did not offer a seat. He handed over the napkin.

“Prague sent you,” she frowned. “I see you met Zeeth. I heard about the shooting. Were you there?”

“Yes. Some men shot it out and jumped Alice so I shot at one.”

“Shot at. So you missed?”

“Yes.” He decided that her demeanor did not encourage long-winded details.

She frowned and waited. He looked around the small office. A desk, a status board, a coffee pot, and a good view of the hangar. It offered little else.

When she realized he wasn’t going to go into details she smiled. “Coffee?”

He nodded and she poured. It was thick but not burned or rancid.

“So you’re reactivated by Prague and headed to Ruie. I’ve been trying to go there but someone has to run this damn company.”

“Are you Shareeth?”

“Yes.” She stuck out her hand, still seated, and he shook it. It was a firm handshake.

He decided not to beat around the bush. “Zeeth says you’ll be accompanying me. I’m not used to that.”

She flinched. “Hell I am. Someone has to keep ore moving.”

“I told her I usually work alone. She says you know the company and how she does business.”

“Dammit” She stood back up and began pacing the small office. Bruno had to occasionally step aside to avoid being run over.

“The woman is a drunk. She’s never here. I don’t know if she even remembers how to run this place. How am I gonna be gone for a month? I shouldn’t have to put up with this.” She stopped pacing.

“Do you know anything about mining? Transport?”

“I know a little about everything. I know how to find out who needs ore and how much they pay for it.”

“Can you fly better than you shoot?”

She had heard the story and only now spoke of it. He grinned. “No. But, I rarely get lost. And I’m not dead yet.”

Shareeth laughed. “Well, you’re not a braggart. I’ll give you that. And Prague speaks highly of you. That’s something.”

He drank his coffee and watched the lift exit, pull another ore crate, and speed to another ship.

“Have you been to Ruie?”

“Not yet,” he shrugged. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“It’s a war zone. Civil war. They have flying lizards big enough to eat small starships. It’s right between the Zhodani Consulate and the Imperium. The place is crawling with pirates, I hear.”

“Yet you want to do business there,” he observed without arguing.

She sighed. “It’s practically next door.”

“So come with me. You’ve talked me into it. Let’s go see it. Your boss already said yes.”

“Mom. She’s a drunk, but she’s my mom. My last name is Hutchins.”

He nodded…and waited.

“I’ll need a day to get ready. Your ship stinks?”

“Me too. It’s a Type S.” All Type S Scout ships had air purification challenges.

“What’s your ship?”

“BLUE CAT. We lift at 1000. Be there at 0900?” He was about to spend a month with the daughter of an alcoholic in a ship the size of a small apartment.

She nodded. “I hope this project isn’t doomed. You’re a Scout, right? Prague said you were.”

“Yes. I was. Am.” Bruno left. He had to get ready. He didn’t look back.

(Continued....)

There are additional chapters to this story. If you like it and want to read further, let me know and I'll post them.