The Fringe Wars

5.15

Vacation Getaways

Tulan Port, Playa

Four hours.

That was how long Simon Tate stayed in jail before Hadley showed up with papers from Legacy Star showing Simon's diplomatic immunity. Reyne couldn't say he was surprised. Wealthy citizens had always found ways to weasel around justice. He'd just hoped that it would've taken Simon Tate a bit longer to work the system.

Hadley shook her head. "I'm sorry. I absolutely believe Simon should face consequences for what he's done, but it's out of my hands. Legacy Star considers any public disgrace directed at one of their staff as a public disgrace to them. I suspect I have just choked my own career with them by not sequestering Simon away from security forces."

"They shouldn't punish you for Simon's actions."

She pursed her lips. "You've not spent much time in a corporation, have you?"

"Not a single day."

"You're fortunate." She glanced down at the papers and held them out toward him. "I suppose you should have these."

Reyne eyed them. "As soon as you hand those to me, I'm required by law to give those to the authorities."

She shrugged. "I assume that is the case."

He cocked his head. "Would you help if you could?"

"Of course."

"Then hold on to those papers for thirty minutes, at which time you can bring them back to my office."

"How will that help?"

"Just trust me."

She eyed him for a moment before she tucked the papers into her jacket. "Okay." She turned to leave his office, then paused, looking at him again. "I wasn't involved in Simon's schemes, though I should've known something was up. Even though he had nothing to do with the war, it changed him. He became short-tempered and distant. Looking back, I suppose it all happened when his good friend died. I wish I would've figured it out before your friend and Betts were hurt. We're so lucky no one died as a result of his actions. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks."

She turned to leave.

"Hadley?"

She stopped and looked back at him.

"Would you like to go out sometime?"

She pursed her lips, fighting a smile that won, anyway. "I'd like that." She turned to go.

He grinned and watched her leave. After she was gone, his smile faded, and he tapped his wrist comm. "I'm on my way. Are we all set?"

"We're ready," returned Sixx's voice.

Reyne hustled from the stationhouse and directly to the private docks where the Gryphon waited. He jogged up the ramp, even though his arthritic joints were aching from the bot attack the night before. As soon as he was on board, he closed the door and headed straight for the bridge.

Sixx jumped up from the captain's seat as soon as Reyne entered the bridge. "Flightplan's booked, and we've got clearance from dock control."

"Good," Reyne said as he took the pilot's seat. He'd piloted the Gryphon the first fifteen years, but then he'd turned the controls over to Throttle to build her skills. She'd quickly acclimated to the controls and within five years had exceeded Reyne's skill. She'd always been a natural when it came to piloting a ship. He wondered if she was still alive.

"You okay, boss?"

"Yeah. Just appreciating being back with the old girl again." He switched focus to the instruments. He powered up the nav engines and ran system checks. He tapped Boden's comm. "Everything's showing green up here. How's it look back there?"

"Everything's green, but the right nav engine is within a few hundred hours of needing an overhaul."

"She has a few trips left in her then." Reyne glanced over at Sixx. "Lily?"

"Bree's with her in her bunk."

"Good." He then transmitted to the ship. "Buckle in everyone. We're taking off momentarily for a nice little vacation getaway to Nova Colony."

After one final glance over the system checks, Reyne transmitted to Tulan Port's dockmaster. "Dock Control, this is Phantom cruiserPlaya-Seven-Five-Five-One-Bravo. Ready for departure."

"Phantom cruiser Five-One-Bravo. You are cleared for immediate launch from launchpad Charlie Zero Four. Control has been transferred to you. Have a nice flight."

"Thank you, Dock Control. Have a good day." He applied power to the engines and tapped the launchpad release. With a roaring rumble, the Gryphon shot upward from the tube and into Playa's atmosphere. The ship rocked as it climbed through the air and smoothed out as soon as it broke through and entered the black.

He glanced at the instruments and noticed the time. Hadley would be returning to his office, and instead of finding Reyne, she'd meet his assistant, who would tell her that he was now on a business trip for at least a week. He hoped Hadley would understand.

Reyne knew that the moment they returned, Simon Tate would be marching straight into his office with a court order granting him custody of Lily. He could only hope he'd have something figured out by then.

***

The three-day flight to Nova Colony was uneventful, which felt strange after being hunted for so long. Nova Colony, a large asteroid within the Space Coast asteroid belt, always required the pilot's focus to navigate, and Reyne found himself enjoying a little back-to-basics flying.

By the time they docked and passed through the airlock, Seda Faulk was waiting for them.

"You're the last to arrive," Seda said. "I heard you've been giving Legacy Star a bit of trouble."

Reyne grunted. "If surviving assassination attempts is giving them trouble, then sure."

They smiled then, and clasped each other's forearms in the standard colonist greeting.

"That sounds exactly like the Legacy Star I'm familiar with," Seda said. Upon seeing the young girl, he bent down. "We haven't met before. Are you on Reyne's crew?"

"Yup!" She smiled. "I'm Lily Sixx, and I'm Uncle Aramis's computer expert."

"Really? That's a tough job, I bet."

She blew out a breath. "It is. I don't get paid enough."

Seda smirked and returned to full height. He held out a key to Sixx. "It's an apartment on level G. It's under the name of one of my corporations, so no one should track you to it."

"Thanks," Sixx said. "Hopefully we won't need it very long."

"It's yours as long as you need it."

Seda embraced Bree. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise," she said.

Seda turned back to Reyne. "Is that your entire crew?"

"Boden's taking care of post-flight checks. And you already know about Throttle..."

"How's the trip going?"

"Good," Reyne answered too quickly.

Seda eyed him. "I see. Well, make yourself comfortable. The meeting starts in two hours."