The Fringe Wars

1.5

Infinite Problems

Even after Boden worked miracles in patching the hull, the Gryphon docked at Ice Port on Playa three hours after their delivery deadline. No matter how fast Reyne hustled from the docks, he knew he was in for a penalty. He hadn't even stepped through Kason's door before his usually stoic handler jumped to his feet.

"You're late. In all the years we've worked together, you've never missed a deadline. Not once. Please tell me it's not what I think it is."

"Well," Reyne drawled. "If you're thinking I no longer have the package, then yeah, it's exactly what you're thinking."

Kason fell back into his seat and dropped his head into his hands. After a string of curses, he leaned back and sighed. "What happened?"

"Our friends in the CUF are what happened," Reyne said before taking a seat across from Kason. "What I've been trying to figure out is how they even knew about the package. The contract was privately negotiated through Genics Corp, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Nobody knew about the contract except for us. Genics put out feelers for anyone who had a hauler in that sector, and I signed us up. You sure the CUF stopped you for the package? After all, they had no reason to care about a private package, let alone have it show up on their radar."

"Oh, they cared all right. They cared enough to divert a warship to intercept it."

Kason's jaw loosened as he stared at Reyne.

Reyne's lips thinned. "Tell me what was in that crate, Kason."

The Alluvian shrugged. "I have no idea. It was no-questions-asked contract. A simple grab-and-go." After a moment, he sighed. "But I guess it's out of our hands now. The CUF never returns anything they take. I'll tell Genics Corp that you weren't able to reach the hauler before the star swarm hit. Better they think their property was destroyed than sitting in a CUF cargo hold. Best-case scenario, we don't get paid. Worst-case scenario, they blacklist us."

Reyne winked. "I'm sure you can sweet-talk Genics Corp into giving us another shot. After all, you're a citizen."

His handler chortled. "I'm an Alluvian citizen. Genics Corp is a Myrad corporation. In case you haven't gotten the memo, Myrads think Alluvians are beneath them."

"They think everyone's beneath them. At least you have your citizenship. Colonists rank lower than the mud on their boots."

Kason smirked. "A proper Myrad would never have mud on their boots. They'd ride the backs of tenureds across anything not paved with silver."

Reyne chuckled. "Good point." He pushed to his feet. "Now, back to business. Tell me you got an after-hours pass for me. I need to get my regular cargo dropped off before a penalty kicks in."

Kason held up a hand. "Sorry, mate. You'll have to unload in the morning."

"But that'll put me at a thirty percent penalty. I'll be taking a loss."

"I know. I tried everything I could to get you in tonight, but Vym called me personally. She said in no uncertain terms that the stationhouse would not reopen for—and I quote— 'some ne'er-do-well who thinks the rules don't apply to him'."

Reyne gave a crooked grin. "Sounds like she missed me."

"I was paraphrasing." Kason's gaze narrowed. "You're not thinking about talking to her tonight to get her to change her mind, are you? She'll put your nuts into a vise just for knocking on her door at this hour."