Read Online [05] Elite: Reclamation by Drew Wagar - Free Book Online Page A

him blow it out of his face. The simple motion took him back to their childhood. Hassan had always worn his hair long, much to the annoyance of his parents.
    ‘Stupid piece of crap actuator blew again,’ Hassan replied, giving the nearby landing strut a kick.
    Sushil spared the ship a glance. Close up it was easy to see it was old and timeworn; the hull was pockmarked and tarnished. He saw evidence of cheap and less than perfect repairs; uneven welding lines, panels that didn’t quite line up parallel to each other. The technology was basic even by the standards of the agri-site.
    ‘Gramps always said this old bird was a deathtrap.’ He smiled to himself at the reminiscence. It had to be twenty turns since their grandfather had flown this ship. His brother had been working on it for years, hoping to make it space worthy again.
    ‘You here for a reason or just to bug me?’
    Sushil grinned. ‘Just checking up on you, little brother. Dad …’
    ‘I know, chores. I’ll do them alright? It’s not like the farm is going anywhere.’
    Sushil hunkered down beside him. ‘Done ‘em for you. Figured you’d need the time.’
    Hassan looked up in surprise and then held up his hand and Sushil grasped it, giving it a firm clasp.
    ‘Means a lot to you this old piece of junk, doesn’t it?’ Sushil said.
    ‘She’s called the Talon , remember?’ Hassan rocked on his backside, throwing his feet forward and stretching his legs out. ‘I’m not a farmer, Sush.’
    Sushil laughed. ‘We figured that out a long time ago. Remember when you stuck that fork in your foot and you got a grub infection? I nearly died laughing.’
    ‘I was in the fucking medbay for a week!’
    ‘Was funny though. You with that stupid massive bandage around your foot. And just before your hot date, what was her name?’
    Hassan grinned. ‘Can’t remember. Don’t think she was all that impressed by the whole “infectious grub boy” look I had going.’
    Sushil grew serious. ‘I guessed you just wanted this old thing to get a little private time with the girls, didn’t figure you as a spacer.’
    Hassan smiled. ‘Gramps fault. Remember those bedtime stories? The theme park on Epsilon Eridani? The hall of ancients on Achenar. Earth … birthplace of humanity.’
    Sushil shrugged. ‘Different people, same old bureaucratic shit. That’s why we came out here, to get away from that. Taxes, permits, tolls, papers … that what you want? Gramps said it was murder nowadays, not like his good ol’ times way back when.’
    Hassan shook his head. ‘I want to see it for myself. I want to get to the edge of the frontier. Find a new world, maybe get it named after me.’
    Sushil looked around at the tatty old ship. ‘And you think you can do it in this old wreck?’
    ‘Don’t be a stupe. This is just the start. Few trading runs, up the spec, trade her in for something better. Won’t take me long.’
    ‘Takes money, bro. It’s dangerous up there. You know it is. Gramps said folks would sooner shoot you than shake your hand. I know you got good sim scores, but fighting a mech is one thing, real folks with real guns …’
    ‘I can handle it.’
    ‘Oh yeah? How’s that then?’ Sushil eyed his brother suspiciously.
    ‘Got myself a plan.’
    ‘You going to tell me?’  
    ‘I’m gonna apply to the guild.’
    ‘The traders’ guild?’ Sushil replied. ‘They don’t take rookies.’
    ‘I won’t be a rookie.’
    ‘You’ve got no rating. Harmless, isn’t that what they call it?’ Sushil caught his brother’s knowing look. ‘You’d better tell me the rest of your plan.’
    ‘No,’ Hassan replied. ‘You’ll only try to talk me out of it like you always do.’
    ‘That’s because your plans are always crazy and someone ends up getting hurt. Usually me.’
    ‘Like when?’
    ‘Like when we were kids, pretty much every rest day?’
    Hassan grinned.
    ‘This one is going to work.’
    ‘Fame and glory, eh?’ Sushil put on an affected