As a young girl Ailey had wanted to sail between the stars. Drifting between the Freeports, boldly cruising across the void, she had wanted a life of adventure and excitement. From the viewing ports of Freeport 6 she had seen the ships, of all shapes and sizes, cutting their paths across the vast reaches of space. A glamorous life she had dreamed, for herself and those who would follow. Jump forward 18 years and she'd done it, commander of her own spaceship, a captain. Captain Ailey Madison. She nodded, satisfied with the sound of her new title as she toyed with her pineal amulet. Looking out of the cabin of her ship she could feel the rush and excitement of the possibilities before her. She could feel… the sharp pain as a roll of duck tape collided with her skull. Shaking her head, trying to clear her vision, she rounded angrily on her attacker.
“Best get your head back with the living, nina” teased Enrico, her engineer. Fifteen years her senior, Enrico was the closest thing she had to an uncle. A Corsair engineer, he had worked with her father for years. maintaining and building spacecraft for Zoners throughout Sirius. When Ailey had broken the news to her mother that she was going to captain a spaceship, her mother had insisted Enrico go with her. Much to her surprise, Enrico had needed no persuading.
“You bastard Enrico! What is it now?” snarled Ailey, rubbing her temple.
“Well, nina, your ship here is busted.” Enrico grinned watching her expression change. “No need to sulk, you didn’t think a ship won in a card game would be without it problems?”
“But he said it was new!”
“And you said you didn’t cheat” chimed in Enrico “Oh I can fix her, but you’d best make sure those escape pods are in working order. I know your old man taught you how to use these, make yourself useful… Captain”
She snatched the tools his outstretched hand, without saying a word she stormed off into the aft of the ship, the sound of Enrico’s laughter filling the air behind her. A smile slowly spread across her face as she turned the corner, she was a captain…
The bar was a dive. From the grim derelict exterior to the filthy beer soaked floor, it was clear this place had seen better days. But it was within walking distance of the spaceport. A man lay with his head on the bar, snoring contently, obviously there was no one on hand to excuse him from the premises or nobody cared. Ailey seemed to think it was the latter. Her gaze wandered over the other vermin who filed the hovel; surely there was somewhere else to find crew for her ship. These people looked like they'd slit her throat as soon as they were on her ship. She skulked back into the corner of the booth, looking for refuge in the shadows.
"Nina, your scowl is making your potential crew nervous" said Enrico as be clambered into the booth across from her, as he gestured towards the grizzled bartender "I think the bar keep is a little worried your going to kill someone"
"How are the repairs and the refitting going?"
"Oh they've patched her up good, but are you sure we'll only need 2 turrets. You need to start thinking of ways to survive out here other then praying to your Goddess"
He was right, her foolish decision not to equip their ship with any weaponary had almost cost them both of their lives. If it wasn't for Enrico they'd both probably still be drifting in space. He had taken control of the ship, from her panic striken hands, drifting and dropping countermeasure in an attempt to re-engage their cruise engines. All the while she had sat, frozen on the floor. Unable to think, unable to act.
"Don't pat my head you condescending pig!" spat Ailey, as the Corsair withdrew his hand, chuckling.
"Its ok nina, you live and you learn. What’s on your mind?"
"We need to find ourselves a gunner"
"Si Captain"
"Not that one! That doesn't look a thing like mouldy cheese, try again." Ailey lounged back in her chair, the young man swearing to himself as he rapidly adjusted the targeting system. The twin cannons coming to life in a muted roar, shaking the ship. Ailey whooped loudly as the large chuck of ice in front of them was vaporised, lounging back, giggling to herself.
"You got it! Death to the ice chunks!"
"Ahhh... are you ok?....... Captain" the young man added hastily, he had quickly learned to address the odd young woman as Captain, or suffer a lashing from her barbed tongue.
"Oh I'm fine Mr Connor. I'm taking us back to the Freeport, go get some rest"
Ailey watched the latest addition to her crew retire, an amused look on her face. They had found two street urchins on Leeds, roaming the area around the spaceport, scraping a living on the war torn world. They were starved and filthy but yet to be broken by despair. So when she offered them an alternative to their meagre existence on the streets they had leapt at the chance. Thus her crew had doubled in size. Connor and Murphy were the names they gave, both claiming to know spaceships, but how they wouldn't say. Enrico believed they were the children of Molly's, and given their accents she was inclined to agree.
During their first week aboard the Skeleton Tiger they had embraced whatever tasks there were assigned, with a disturbing level of enthusiasm. Murphy, according to Enrico, showed potential as a mechanic. His assistance drastically shortening the time to complete a seemingly endless list of repairs. Connor had claimed to know how to operate weapon systems, though Ailey suspected he only knew they went 'boom'.
The approach of Enrico's steady confident footsteps told her both of the brothers had retired for the night.
"Hi Hi Enrico, fancy seeing you here." said Ailey spinning on the chair.
"Hola nina, I thought you were going to have Connor firing those cannons until we shook apart. What was that? 6 hours straight?" he queried, his eyes searching her face.
The ship had been in motion the entire time, obviously the brothers werent the only ones honing their skills.
"It was 5 hours and 43 minutes. I can't help it if he doesn't know what mouldy cheese looks like"
"I dont know if those two scarecrows know what food looks like Nina.
Well if they keep eating like how they are Im going to end up broke and theyre going to both be the size of small moons
You realise you saved those two Nina? said Enrico his face suddenly turning serious They hadnt been there long, two boys like that, still with all there teeth, they would have been taken long ago. Prime mechanise for slavers.
I needed crew and they were there. The Goddess provides dear Uncle Ailey replied fliappantly. So, Are we all patched up?
Say the word and your ship is ready to get underway Are you?"
The look of concern on Enricos face was enough to make her look away; she wouldnt let panic take her again. She wouldn't let the fears or self doubt toy with her mind, dooming her crew fledgling to oblivion. Not now, not ever.
"Always
It was obvious even from outside, that the bar was a hole, a haven for the scum of the universe. The air stank of stale booze and evil musings. A man of average hieght, average features and average build walked to entrance. A smirk slid arcoss his features as he strode across the threshold, his kind of bar. He stood in the door way, the midday sun silhoutting his form. The mole of barman shielded his eyes from the light, attempting to glipse his newest patron as he approached the bar.
"What can I get you stranger?" asked the bar man
The man eyed the bartender, his peicing gaze seeming to bore through him. A long jagged scar ran down his right cheek... he looked... grizzled the man thought.
"Rum" grunted the newcomer, his eyes surveying his surroundings. The bar was long and narrow with booths to one side, only one way in and out. The cesspool passing a fire inspection probably coincided with the bump in the inspectors pay. The barman put down a dirty glass infront of him, as he pulled out a photo, sliding it onto the bar.
"Have you seen this girl?" he said swilling the rum in the glass, his finger tapping the picture.
The barman studied the picture. A young woman woman with dark hair and blue eyes looked back at him, a Zoner judging by of the stupid looking amulet she wore. She was covered in grease but she was a looker, even in all that filth. He'd seen her. Her eyes were different, changed in someway. But she'd been here, tipped poorly and death stared anyone smiling her way. Not a woman he'd like to cross.
"Where is she?" snapped the newcomer
"I haven't seen her" dismissed the bartender
"Yes, you have. And you'll tell me when she was here"
"And why would I do a thing like that?"
The man leapt out of his seat, grabbing a handful of hair. Before he could react his head was slammed into the countertop. He groaned in pain as he slide from the bar collapsing onto the floor. He shook his head struggling to clear stars, closing his eyes to sto pthe room spinning. Glass showered him, as he reached up to his brow, his hand coming away warm and sticky. He'd need stitches. The noise had stopped, panic set in. He could feel someone close to him, he knew it was the stranger, but he still couldn't open his eyes. A warm metal circle pressed against his forehead.
"Now then, When was she here?"