Voyage

Chapter 1

Al Gedrun, Dolphins Voyage's First Mate, stepped onto the winding windowed gantry joining the mediocre merchant vessel with the space station and began the long walk to his continued assignment. Al was arriving several hours before the rest of the crew were due back, he'd rather have spent more time away from the sometimes claustrophobic vessel, but as First Mate, second in command, he had an obligation to return before the majority of the crew in order to check them in on arrival, alongside the security teams. Al's kitbag hung loosely over his shoulder, it contained his civilian clothes and the small number of allowed items that he had picked up on shore leave. The aging merchant vessel was sat securely in its mooring, albeit in one of the less desirable spots a great distance from the centre of the station, and Al could see their new cargo already being maneuvered into its gaping hold ready to be transported to a distant world where it would be sold for a higher price. Al had thought the station's schedule meant they couldn't load until later that day, but the schedule must have been moved up without him receiving word that was the case.
The work of independent licensed merchant trading ships like Dolphins Voyage, often called Rogue Traders, was both dull and dangerous, but also known to be lucrative. Al sighed at the sight of the troubled ship being loaded for another trip, recently the Dolphins Voyage had been struggling in more ways than one. There had been a few risks taken here, and a few crew bonus cuts there, all intended to pump up the profits temporarily so as to afford a full refit. Instead they had ended up with the loss of experienced crew members, poor maintenance, the aging of critical drive components, and eventually engine trouble leading to costly delays. Al Gedrun hadn't not left the crew because it hadn't irked him but simply because he was just getting used to the difficulties, hoped that the promise of future profits came through, and was lazy about finding more stable work.
"You're here, good, good!" came the grumbling low-pitched voice of Wolf Seward from behind Al. Al then heard Wulf's distinctive gait as he stepped onto the gantry. Wolf was a broad grinning portly man with a limp, and had a large head to match his plump body, but most notably he was the ship's Chief Engineer. At some point Wulf had been trained in the engineering arts by the Adeptus Mechanicus, however his overeating and liquor drinking habits, and the other unhealthy activities which Al knew were about to be discussed, were almost certainly developed elsewhere.
"Wulf," said Al, "Where else would I have been?" Al turned and waited for the Chief Engineer to catch-up with him, before continuing toward the Dolphins Voyage.
Wulf continued to grin as he came alongside the First Mate, "I thought this last break-even trip would have finally pushed you over the edge."
Al had been tempted to resign of course, but their Captain had made promises; promises of a greater profit share and promises of big upcoming opportunities that the Captain hadn't elaborated on, which in reality would undoubtedly turn out to be optimistic, or fictional. There was also the potentially risky side-income that Wulf had drawn Al into, the undoubted reason for Wulf's appearance. "I take it you've found another business partner?" said Al.
"Of course, of course." Wulf had been effectively smuggling for several years at least. Only small items though, usually the occasional batch of narcotics that were cheap or legal on one world but not on another. It was low level criminality, barely criminal sometimes and rarely would local authorities look twice at it, but it added nicely to Wulf's contracted salary. Unfortunately for Wulf the Dolphins Voyage's Sergeant-at-Arms, Deveral Sauvage, had formed a dislike of Wulf's boisterous personality, so had taken to watching him like a hawk, and later suspecting he was smuggling made regular 'random checks' of Wulf's baggage. It was a violation of the terms of the crew contracts to smuggle anything illegal onboard, mainly to prevent the vessel being impounded by Imperium's fearsome Arbites or local Police during their own random checks, and the Sergeant was strict in enforcing breaches of the rules. Deveral hadn't caught Wulf, yet.
Naturally Wulf had found someone to carry goods on board for him. Wulf's Mule had been a quiet Maintenance Techadept who kept to himself and never caused trouble, but apparently had a taste for the extra credits Wulf offered despite the danger of being caught by the on-alert Sergeant. That was where Al's role had come in.
During a period of off-duty drinking Wulf had approached Al and after openly explaining his 'sideshow' as Wulf called it, he offered Al a share if he could distract the Sergeant from searching his 'business partner'. The Sergeant didn't suspect Wulf's accomplice so it had been a simple job for Al to subtly direct the Sergeant toward a crew member looking particularly hungover just as the Mule quietly boarded. However, despite the extra dividends Wolf's Mule had finally quit at the end of their last trip due to the conditions on the vessel, leaving Wulf short of a smuggling partner.
"Voidman Ghez, Ferdel Ghez. He's got my new shipment," said Wulf nervously, but, still grinning, he quickly continued, "I promise it's a good earner, just need a new place to stash it as the Sergeant has been sniffing around the ducts in the crew quarters. He's like a Fenrisian Wolf when it comes to finding things."
"Ghez!?" questioned Al, alarmed. He halted and turned to Wulf, his outstretched arm stopping Wulf also.
"Why, you know him?" said Wulf sarcastically. Wulf's perpetual grin dropped temporarily as he dared to be cheeky with the First Mate. Wulf knew that whilst Voidsman Ghez was very much still on contract he had been disciplined for bad behaviour involving a gambling dispute off-duty, and had been written up for being late to shift on two occasions, drawing his attention as the First Mate and the potentially troublesome interference from the Sergeant-at-Arms. On a thriving Trader Voidsman Ferdel Ghez would have been released from his contract, but they just couldn't get enough skilled crew as it was so were expecting him back on board with the rest of the crew later that day.
"Voidsman Ghez is bad news," said Al bluntly, "Even if Sergeant Sauvage wasn't likely to be straight onto him as soon as he steps on board do you think he can be trusted not to steal from your stash, or give you up to the Sergeant next time you kick up a fuss because you think he cheated you at cards?"
Wulf managed a half smile as Al's concerns brought him down to reality, but there was a knowing look on his face as well. "He's not as bad as you think First Mate, he's genuinely competent at his job and most of his problems are gambling related." Al didn't move and Wulf could see plainly Al wasn't convinced. "Look, he's great at cards, so great everyone thinks he cheats, but he's also always gambling on this and that, can't stop himself, so he needs the credits. He won't let us down, if you can do your bit."
"My bit," echoed Al cautiously.
"Yeah, there's two dozen new crew members coming on board, plus a squad of new Armsmen so the Sergeant and his team will be spending their time checking credentials, starting inductions for the Armsmen, just make sure he double checks everyone, he's a diligent sort. I'm sure he'll be too busy."
Al seriously considered ordering Wulf to call off his 'sideshow' but Al did really need the credits himself. "Thank you for your advice, I couldn't have worked out a plan without your help," said Al, returning Wulf's earlier sarcasm.
"Perfect!" said Wulf before attempting to dash off ahead of the First Mate so they didn't arrive together.
"Hold up," said Al, thinking back on what Wulf had said.
"What?"
The planet they were about to leave had had in just a ten year period two different cult uprisings, a civil war and rapid growth in illegal xeno artifact trading. "You said this one could earn us a lot of credits? You've not brought anything highly illegal on board?"
"Of course not!" said Wulf, shaking his head, "It's barely even illegal where we are going, just hard to find."
"Right. Off you go then." Al didn't want to know what Wulf had got his hands on, it was better if he didn't know in case it was discovered. He made a quick Aquila sign and prayed to The Emperor he hadn't just made a big mistake.