Calan - The Immortality Paradox

Chapter Eighteen: Agents of the Empress, Part Two

Harpain was ready to be rid of the asteroid, but the Universe had already moulded her twisted fate.

As the unlikely trinity approached the dishevelled platform that vaguely passed as a parking stop for foolish visitors, it became immediately apparent of a possible shortcoming in the former Penumbra agent's plan.

A new spaceship had joined the growing graveyard of rusted metal and abandoned flotsam. But this latest addition had far more flash than its predecessors. With a rich, beige hull, double-storeyed and eight overall accelerators fitted on the rear, Serpetine recognised the possession of a wealthy, narcissistic arsehole. She'd assassinated enough of them to know. It resembled the body of a cetacean; the camber shape of the ship's exterior clashed unrepentantly with its neighbour; a boxy, dimunitive transporter. Judging by her newfound colleagues, she guessed that was their soon-to-be escape vessel. She was already reconsidering.

Only when Serpentine had taken her second glance, did she truly realise who had arrived. Emblazoned on the side like a charred mark beneath a bright strip of light was the depiction of a planet hollowed out and its core replaced with credit chips. The planet was set into the centre of the capitalised letter 'A', as if ensnared by its lines. Anyone with a single token to their identity knew its origin. The Ayad Banking Conglomerate.

As if to confirm her fears, a section of the seamless spaceship peeled away from the rest, like a protruding mandible. It curved meticulously from the hull and oriented to the platform. At the end of the protrusion stood a group of four individuals - one more distinguishable from the rest. Chancellor Rajab Ayad, notorious banker and undisputed ruler of Cadillac.

Serpentine heard an audible gasp from over her shoulder. She almost reached around to grab the young Draconian by the throat.

'Quiet!' she warned in a lowered voice. They were concealed from view in the shadow of an unloading crane, which had definitely seen better days. 'You do not want these visitors to know you're here.'

'Neither do you.' The wiser one said. Something about the detective annoyed Harpain for some reason. Perhaps it was the condascension she held in her tone. Or the subtle way she could immbolise the bounty hunter's threats with a glance. 'He's the father of those children, after all.'

'Moments ago you were professing my innocence.'

'I'm hardly likely to convince the Chancellor of Cadillac.' The Detective was practically amused by the situation. Harpain almost missed the stale, objective drone of PT.

On the platform, Serpentine watched the Ayad patriarch disembark his monument to luxury and approach another figure who was standing a distance away with a loyal pet sat at their side. The Chancellor oozed conceit as he swallowed the gap between them; dressed head to foot in a matching beige uniform, rounded off with a long, macabre overcoat that clung loosely at his shoulders and billowed behind him like a cape. When he came to a halt in front of the security guard, Harpain could easily make out his self-assertive grin. His supposed protective guard were still standing at the edge of the ramp. Even in their nonchalant observation, Serpentine caught the hints of several weapons secreted on their persons.

'Does this quaint domain have any lighting?' Despite his temperate voice, it carried across the asteroid without any trouble. The place was almost deserted. 'One might wonder what the appeal of a place plunged into such deafening darkness might have to the average interloper.'

'Welcome to the Cunniculum Asteroid, Chancellor Ayad!' Chuckling in between his greeting, the security guard could not have been more slavish. 'As you can see, our humble hub has not been so popular since the....incident.'

'Yes, yes, that is to be expected,' the Chancellor was noticeably impatient in his conversation. 'Come now, you witless buffoon, have you searched the debris for my missing data?'