One Hell of a Place to Stay
p>Belzero Karmail sat in the admiral's chair, eyes fixed on the star chart floating across the hologram screen.
"Hmmm."
She tilted her head and hummed under her breath.
"Admiral."
A man who looked to be her adjutant approached carefully and bowed at the waist.
"We've just received a report from Blackfang, captain of the Warp Hound."
A smile touched the corner of Belzero's mouth.
Without taking her eyes off the screen, she said, "Report."
"Yes, Admiral. He says they have successfully seized the target — the Nova Seed."
The hologram switched, and a short combat recording sent by the Warp Hound began to play.
The moment the transport that had taken custody of the container lifted off, dozens of energy barrages streaked in from off-screen and engulfed it. A violent explosion sent the ship plummeting. The footage ended with Warp Hound units recovering the container.
"Everything's going according to plan."
Belzero nodded, satisfied.
"So where is the Nova Seed now? Heading straight for the auction house?"
"Yes. Captain Blackfang intends to put it up for auction himself."
The adjutant was about to continue when Belzero raised a hand and cut him off.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied the earlier combat footage in detail.
What is that unit?
She rewound to the opening of the recording and zoomed in.
A dark crimson machine. And on its right arm — that absurdly oversized thing. A pile bunker?
Unusual armament.
"Any other irregularities? An unexpected interloper, for instance."
"I was just about to mention that. Immediately before they wiped out the recovery team, there was reportedly a single dark crimson custom mecha engaged with Nesis Corporation units."
"Hmph. Is that so?"
It matched the machine in the footage.
"No combat recording of that engagement?"
"My apologies, but nothing that far…"
The adjutant looked uncomfortable.
Don't tell me it's him.
Belzero's brow twitched ever so slightly.
She hadn't forgotten the incident at the Titan's Grave.
The one who'd taken down an Aegis in a third-generation mass-produced Bugbear.
It had happened in the same region, so the guess was reasonable enough.
"According to Blackfang, that unit annihilated the Nesis force. But the moment the Warp Hound hit the transport, it disengaged and quietly left the battlefield."
Belzero was silent for a moment.
"We're operating under the assumption that it was either a third party hostile to Nesis, or another mercenary hired by Valentine."
"Detailed intel on the unit?"
"Still under investigation."
Belzero traced her slender fingers along her jaw. The corner of her red lips curved upward.
"Interesting."
She murmured it softly.
"Very interesting. So Valentine, that corporate lackey, was holding a useful card up his sleeve. And the Bugbear that interfered with us before — any word yet?"
The adjutant answered carefully.
"Ah — yes, Admiral. The intelligence team and pursuit units are concentrating their search on its last estimated destination."
He added quickly, anxious not to sour her mood.
"We're simply unfamiliar with this planet's geography, so progress has been slow for the moment. I expect we'll have good news for you soon."
"Is that so."
Belzero's reply was brief, but her mind was anything but simple.
"Good work. That'll be all. I'll take the auction house report from Blackfang directly."
"Understood."
I lit Asura's boosters at the bare minimum and pulled away from the battlefield, leaving behind the flaming wreck of the falling transport and the pirates circling it, picking through the debris.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed. Once I judged I'd put enough distance between myself and the combat zone, an urgent call came through from Valentine.
His voice shook with anxiety and agitation.
I've completely lost contact with the recovery team. Did something happen out there?
I was quiet for a moment.
Should I tell him the truth?
If I mentioned the Warp Hound ambush, he'd almost certainly try to pin the blame on me — or hit me with some unreasonable demand. He'd just watched the goods slip through his fingers. Of course he'd lose his head and start barking orders.
Even if he offered a massive bonus, I planned to refuse. Pushing my machine any further in its current state would be suicide.
"I wouldn't know, Mr. Valentine. I handed the package over to the recovery team exactly as agreed."
Why can't I reach them? Why?! They were men I could trust! Are you hiding something from me?
"Mr. Valentine, I completed my mission. On top of that, I had to deal with Nesis forces I never saw coming, and my machine took more damage than expected."
Valentine's ragged breathing came through the line. He sounded like he wanted to keep arguing, but after a long sigh his voice settled into something resigned.
Very well. I may have gotten a bit carried away. A pilot of your caliber wouldn't lie to me. You'll be paid for completing the contract. That said… I'd like to speak with you face-to-face about everything that happened.
Face-to-face? In this situation? He definitely had something up his sleeve.
I'm not looking to hold you responsible, Mr. Kang Jinwoo. I have another job I'd like to entrust to a man of your skill.
"Understood. We'll do it your way."
A bad feeling lingered, but I accepted his proposal.
I didn't make it back to Terminus Station until after the sun had gone down and night had fallen.
It had been a long day. The mess at Icarus hadn't even been a full week ago, and I'd already been put through the wringer again.
I could use some rest.
My whole body ached from the aftermath of the brutal fighting. I needed downtime. Aunt Judy's greasy cooking and a cold beer sounded like heaven.
I parked Asura in the assigned hangar and hauled my stiff body down out of the cockpit. I was heading for the admin office to pay the hangar fees when a man in uniform approached and saluted.
"Kang Jinwoo, correct?"
"That's me. And you are?"
"I'm here on Director Kaien's orders."
He pulled something that looked like a mercenary ID card from his jacket and held it out.
"A modest gift from Director Kaien. You've been registered as an official Terminus mercenary. She also said you won't need to pay hangar fees here for the time being."
"Is that right?"
Surprised by the unexpected kindness, I took the card.
What is Kaien thinking?
Nothing in this world came free.
"Tell her I said thanks."
The man bowed politely and left. I headed straight for Scarlet's workshop.
The blaring rock music was the same as ever. She was deep into work on another machine. She waved cheerfully from the lift the moment I stepped inside, as if she'd known I was coming.
"Oh, look who made it back alive! So? How's the machine I souped up for you? Performance good?"
She climbed down from the lift, already patting herself on the back.
"Performance was incredible. Have you eaten yet, by the way?"
"Nah, not yet."
Scarlet wiped the sweat from her face.
"Then let's go grab some food."
"What? Looking at that face of yours, you've got something you want to say."
She snorted and looked me up and down.
"Kaien gave me a mercenary ID card."
"Ah, that? Yeah, she already told me."
"I'm curious about Kaien."
"What? That's your type? An older lady with one eye missing—"
My words had come out clipped and incomplete, and Scarlet clearly took them the wrong way.
"Not like that. I mean information about this place. Kaien knows this side of the underworld inside and out."
"Yeah. She's a lifer. Bone-deep."
She nodded, then said, "So you want me to call Kaien over?"
"Something like that. She even waived the hangar fees as a courtesy. I should return the favor."
"Hmmm. Alright."
Scarlet pulled the tie from her red hair and let it fall loose.
"Gonna go wash up."
"Ah. Sure."
A few dozen minutes later, Scarlet reappeared in a relatively clean sleeveless outfit. The only real difference was the missing grease on her face; otherwise she looked exactly the same.
"Kaien's already there."
"Aunt Judy's?"
"Where else would it be?"
We headed straight for Aunt Judy's place.
"Welcome. I didn't expect you to reach out first. Quite the gentleman, aren't you?"
Kaien said it with a sly smile.
Auntie?
Looking at her sitting there with her legs crossed, Scarlet's earlier comment came back to me. She looked awfully young to be called that.
"You're going to burn a hole through my face staring like that."
Kaien propped her chin on her hand and smirked at me.
"Ah — sorry."
I must have been staring without realizing it.
"For real?"
Scarlet jabbed a finger into my side, sounding vaguely disappointed.
"It's not like that."
"You don't go hitting on someone who's already married."
Oh. She's married?
So that was why Scarlet called her auntie. Even if she looked young, marriage apparently bumped you straight into auntie territory.
"I already ordered the food."
No sooner had Kaien finished speaking than Aunt Judy brought the dishes to our table. A thick steak still sizzling, mouthwatering handmade sausages, and a mountain of fries. A chocolate shake landed in front of Scarlet, as always, while beers appeared in front of Kaien and me.
"Let's talk while we eat. You didn't invite me to a meal out of pure goodwill."
Kaien's instincts were sharp. That was the experience of Terminus's security director talking.
"Busted."
Over the meal, I gave her a condensed version of the day's events — Alexander Valentine's contract, the Nesis Stinger squad I'd run into out there, and the pirate group called the Warp Hound that had shown up at the last second and shot down the transport.
"…Did I hear that right? You wiped out Nesis units in the middle of that chaos and still made it back alive?"
Kaien clicked her tongue in disbelief.
"I let one get away, for the record."
"Scarlet was right. You really are a complete lunatic."
"Whoa, you survived that mess? That's all thanks to my mods, you know. Heh."
Scarlet said it around a long pull of her chocolate shake.
"Anyway, not sticking around to tangle with the Hound and getting yourself home was the right call."
Kaien nodded.
"Alexander… that old man is going to be suffering. Watching the goods get snatched right in front of him."
There wasn't a shred of sympathy in her voice.
"The Warp Hound. Even among the Red Veil's subordinates, they're a nasty bunch."
"I see."
"Their intel network is ridiculous, those Red Veil bastards."
Kaien's face tightened, like there was history behind the words.
"They mostly hit transports from independent planets with weak security, or goods from secret corporate deals, then flip the loot at illegal auction houses for profit. Odds are high this job ends the same way."
She set down her beer glass.
"Is Valentine someone I can trust? He wants to talk face-to-face."
"Hmmm."
Kaien rolled her one good eye, looking like she didn't want to give a clean answer.
"Hard to pin him down with a single word. He's an extremely calculating old man. If he decides you're weak, he'll crush you. If he decides you're strong, he'll cling to you by any means necessary."
"A materialist, then."
"Exactly. Anyway, he called you because he already decided you're strong, so don't get too paranoid. That said, don't get too deeply involved either. With his type, the smart play is to use them and walk away."
"I appreciate the advice."
We finished the meal and stood. Of course, I picked up the check.
Kaien said she'd see us around and left. That left Scarlet and me alone in front of the restaurant.
"I've got money now. Time to sleep somewhere amazing."
"Yeah? Want me to recommend one hell of a place to stay?"
Scarlet grinned.
"Oh yeah? Sounds good."
A local's recommendation. Who was I to turn that down?
"Follow me."
And the place we arrived at was—
"Scarlet? This is your workshop."
"Yep! One hell of a place to stay!"
She planted her hands on her hips, looking thoroughly proud of herself.