Capital Offence
The ship hummed with an excitement that Ral Durston didn't feel.
He'd only taken the new intercraft on two cross-galaxy trips, and though it had performed well above his expectations, the fun in both journeys had been lost as he scanned his data-plates for any sign of Capital ships and zealous captains who had discovered just how he had paid for his new travel arrangements.
The theft had been a massive success by any definition, with Ral and the others each walking away a king's fortune richer. The visi-nets had been abuzz with the news since last week, many experts saying that it was the biggest heist ever seen in a single sector. Such praise inflated Ral's ego, especially since he had been the security tech for the job, and getting them in and or undetected had been his responsibility.
Still, the fact that what they had done had made such an impression meant that the Capitals were looking as hard as they could for anyone connected to the crime. He had no record in the sector or beyond it – he hardly looked the part of a hardened criminal – but that didn't mean he could escape suspicion altogether.
Pulling hard on the altitude lever, Ral hovered the ship two hundred feet above the landing pad and considered his options. Another quick flight was tempting, perhaps to a world with even less Capital presence. Of course, if they came looking for him, the fact that he was hiding out on a planet with very little security access would not work in his favor.
He could zip to Gentrea, and take up residence on the Capital homeworld, but that seemed overly aggressive to prove his supposed innocence. It might take the authorities a while to find him there, but if they did he would have nowhere to run.
Ral let the ship drift downward back to its landing pad. The truth was that he believed he'd eventually be caught, that the system would eventually catch up with him. Though others – crew leaders, bruisers and light-fingers alike – had been captured in previous jobs he'd been a part of, his involvement had never been discovered, and he'd never even been questioned about any of the matters he was involved in.
He was sure this time would be different.
The stakes were too high, the amount of credits too great for the Capitals to simply let the matter go. He couldn't enjoy what he'd earned because he was sure he wouldn't have long to enjoy it, sure he would be warming the inside of a cold Capital prison soon enough.
As soon as the ship was settled, Ral popped the cockpit and jumped out. Tanis VI was a fine world, one with vast tracts of unexplored mountain-scape just south of the equator. With the right tools and equipment, he could make a decent life for himself there, at least for the next few years. Once the heat had passed and the sector had largely forgotten about the heist, he could get back to his real life. Ral hated the wilderness, but found it immensely preferable to prison.
“Ral Durston?” A voice from behind startled him as he engaged the ship's locking system. The tone carried a question, but the confidence in the voice made him sure the asker already knew the answer.
“Maybe,” he replied shortly, but didn't turn around, instead fiddling with several controls on the side of his ship, “or maybe not. Why?”
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and stepped forward to get out of the grasp.
“Convalent Mitor, Capital Defense. You are Ral Durston, and I have questions for you.” There it was. He'd known a Convalent would be coming sooner or later, and he had to admit to being slightly impressed that it was actually sooner. Ral knew that his manipulation of the systems in the vault had been nearly perfect; he should have left no trace.
Turning to face the man, Ral found exactly what he expected. Tall and broad-shouldered, Convalent Mitor was exactly like all of the others that Ral had come in contact with. Their training was very tightly focused, and the Convalents took only those who met certain basic criteria – brute strength being one of them.
“Of course, Convalent,” Ral said quickly, “how can I be of use to the Capitals?”
“You are a known tech of some skill, Durston,” Mitor said. “I'm sure you've heard about the recent theft two sectors over?”
Ral nodded. “Hell of a piece of work, that. Their tech must have been incredibly talented.” If he was going to go to prison, the least he could do was have fun on his way there.
“He was good enough, Durston, good enough to get them in – but no so good that he didn't leave traces behind.” Mitor's eyes narrowed.
Here it comes, Ral thought, straightening, maybe I should trying running? No. He'd just shoot me in the back.
“Unfortunately,” Mitor went on, “we can't make heads or tails of them. Whoever broke in made tiny errors, but no one in Capital Defense has been able to order them into anything useful.” The man loomed over Ral. “You will accompany me, Ral Durston, and you will help me track down those responsible for this left. Under Article 56 of the Capital Convention, you are bound to do so as a citizen.”
Ral laughed; he couldn't help it. It actually wasn't out of the realm of possibility that they would come to him for help, but the audacity of it, the notion that he would be helping to catch himself made the whole thing seem surreal.
“Of course, Mitor,” he said brightly, nodding, “I'd be more than happy to lend my skills to your investigation. Together, we'll find the man you're looking for.” Though it won't be me.
Ral was already brainstorming as they moved away from the spaceport. There were a few techs he could think of that he wouldn't mind putting behind bars. This was going to be fun.
- D
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