Neighbors Of The Stars I

[GhothaAyala]

First time she met him she had been searching through an asteroid field for Liberty Rogues, excited and alert as she was the tedious search made her drop her guard. He had caught her with her panties down when his heavy fighter slowly drifted into her view, the interference allowed him to slip right under her nose making her heart almost jump out of her chest.

A tight beam transmission was sent to her, Dayayra took a few shaky breaths before opening the channel. It was audio only and both sides stepped on each other during the first contact. “Hail officer, how does it go?” She spoke nervously trying to sound friendly.

“You're not carrying any contraband.” The tone was neutral but the voice carried a certain gravity. The officer made a short pause before answering her hail. “It is going very slow.” The formalities where quickly set aside for something more casual.

CitlaTzin smiled and it was noticeable in her voice. “Quite the thrill eh? Scanning cargo.”

“Not really but excitement has a way of rearing its head everytime I say that.”

Burgos's smile grew wider. “Speaking about excitement... Liberty Rogues are setting up somewhere in this field.”

That apparently got the Navy Pilot's attention. “Again? Navy Intel had nothing about this.”

“Interspace Commerce knew about it.” She shrugged in her seat a gesture he obviously missed.

A brief silence came from the other side. “Since I am in the area I could be of assistance.”

Assistance was an understatement, her light fighter had no where near as much firepower as what he had, and despite the fact that she was tasked to only destroy the logistics and the construction going on, the officer took it onto himself to destroy everything including the dozen Rogue Pilots guarding it.

As they flew away from the scene the freelancer opened a new channel to her impromptu wing man to thank him.

“Here is your part.” She said as she transferred one hundred thousand credits over to him.

“I don't require payment for doing my duty.” He declined politely.

Burgos would not be dissuaded so easily. “You pretty much did my job for me, I won't sleep right if you don't accept.” She tried to use her most convincing tone.

She thought the man on her screen had somehow been offended by her cheap attempt. “But...” He finally smiled. “I can't say no to credits.”

A round of laughter came from the light fighter. “Ain't that a nice bonus for a slow day?” She beamed him a smile.

Meeting people in space like this was a routine thing, Thomas Cromwell was his name, and he was a captain in the navy. The sheer size of space left little chance for people to meet each other again, specially someone with a nomadic lifestyle such as hers.

But life had a knack for surprises and taking unexpected turns.

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