Read Online StarCraft II: Devils' Due by Christie Golden - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christie Golden
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“Sweet or
not, girl’s got a lockbox for a heart. Al of Wayne’s
girls do. How much did it set you back?”
“Not a single cred.”
Jim was so surprised, he found himself drifting, and
pul ed on the yoke to resume a straight course.
“Real y?”
“Mmm-hmmm. Told her I’d pay her when I got
back.”
“And she agreed to that?” Jim was surprised.
“Again?”
“Told ya, Jimmy boy. Tychus Findlay has charm.”
“Wel , then you better be putting it to good use,
because we’re going to need to get permission to
land.”
“Don’t need charm, Jim. Daisy did a bit more than
delay ol’ Butler. I told her exactly how to disable a
certain part of their communication grid while she was
waiting for him. It’s gonna take them a while to figure it
out and then replace it. Until then, no official
messages going out, and in the meantime, we got us
two official law enforcement vehicles. Watch this.”
Tychus’s voice took on a calm tone. “Horley Barton
Space Station, this is Officer Tyler Whitley and my
partner, Officer John Tanner. Here for the routine
inspection. Requesting permission to dock.”
“You guys are early. Hasn’t been a ful month since
last time.”
“Vacation time coming up,” Tychus said.
An understanding chuckle. “I understand, sir. We
are ready to receive code.”
Code?
Shit …
Tychus’s voice came over the private channel. “You
better rustle up a code, Jimmy, or we need to beat
one hasty retreat….”
Frantical y Jim started searching the planet-
hopper’s computer. A disturbing number of codes
began to scrol across the viewscreen. Jim cross-
referenced them with the name of the station.
“Any time now, Jimmy,” came Tychus’s laconic
voice.
“I am going as fast as I can,” snarled Jim.
“Officer Whitley? Is there a problem?”
“Not at al ,” Tychus said, his voice smooth and
calm.
Jim’s heart was racing. There. That one looked
promising, and he stabbed a finger down to transmit it
to the station.
There was a long pause.
Jim blinked. “They gotta be onto us. I told you we
shouldn’t have sent Daisy in. Butler’s probably already
notified them.”
“Keep your panties on, Jimmy. Butler’s fast, but he
ain’t that fast. And sometimes the easiest way to get
into a place is just to walk through the front door.
These are legit planet-hoppers. The numbers
checked out just fine.”
“Yeah, hot legitimate planet-hoppers. They’re going
to be reported as stolen within ten seconds if this
code doesn’t—”
“Transit beta four-zero-five-two, you’re clear to
dock, Officers. Please proceed to docking bay 39,
ports A and B. Enjoy your stay.”
Jim closed his eyes and exhaled in relief.
“Thank you kindly,” Tychus said, as if there never
had been any doubt of anything at al .
Jim flanked Tychus as they headed for the space
station. He could see docking bay 39 and ports A and
B directly ahead, on the second tier of the slowly
spinning station. There certainly didn’t seem to be
anything amiss.
“So far, so good,” Jim remarked.
“That’s true enough. But within about five minutes,
you and I wil be mixing with the populace of the
station and heading for our freighter loaded down with
crystals,” Tychus pointed out.
Jim relaxed. It wasn’t like they’d never done things
like this before. They’d just never done it in stolen law-
enforcement vessels. A furrow creased his brow for a
moment as the thought came, unbidden, of the one-
way conversation with Myles. About how his mother
wouldn’t accept her son’s money because of where it
had come from. She would have a few choice words,
he was sure, about him being in a stolen law-
enforcement vehicle.
Raynor punched a couple of buttons with
unnecessary vigor before he found the right one and a
map of the station appeared. It was extremely basic,
laid out on an easy-to-fol ow circular grid. Public
docking bays formed the outer, widest layer,
not, girl’s got a lockbox for a heart. Al of Wayne’s
girls do. How much did it set you back?”
“Not a single cred.”
Jim was so surprised, he found himself drifting, and
pul ed on the yoke to resume a straight course.
“Real y?”
“Mmm-hmmm. Told her I’d pay her when I got
back.”
“And she agreed to that?” Jim was surprised.
“Again?”
“Told ya, Jimmy boy. Tychus Findlay has charm.”
“Wel , then you better be putting it to good use,
because we’re going to need to get permission to
land.”
“Don’t need charm, Jim. Daisy did a bit more than
delay ol’ Butler. I told her exactly how to disable a
certain part of their communication grid while she was
waiting for him. It’s gonna take them a while to figure it
out and then replace it. Until then, no official
messages going out, and in the meantime, we got us
two official law enforcement vehicles. Watch this.”
Tychus’s voice took on a calm tone. “Horley Barton
Space Station, this is Officer Tyler Whitley and my
partner, Officer John Tanner. Here for the routine
inspection. Requesting permission to dock.”
“You guys are early. Hasn’t been a ful month since
last time.”
“Vacation time coming up,” Tychus said.
An understanding chuckle. “I understand, sir. We
are ready to receive code.”
Code?
Shit …
Tychus’s voice came over the private channel. “You
better rustle up a code, Jimmy, or we need to beat
one hasty retreat….”
Frantical y Jim started searching the planet-
hopper’s computer. A disturbing number of codes
began to scrol across the viewscreen. Jim cross-
referenced them with the name of the station.
“Any time now, Jimmy,” came Tychus’s laconic
voice.
“I am going as fast as I can,” snarled Jim.
“Officer Whitley? Is there a problem?”
“Not at al ,” Tychus said, his voice smooth and
calm.
Jim’s heart was racing. There. That one looked
promising, and he stabbed a finger down to transmit it
to the station.
There was a long pause.
Jim blinked. “They gotta be onto us. I told you we
shouldn’t have sent Daisy in. Butler’s probably already
notified them.”
“Keep your panties on, Jimmy. Butler’s fast, but he
ain’t that fast. And sometimes the easiest way to get
into a place is just to walk through the front door.
These are legit planet-hoppers. The numbers
checked out just fine.”
“Yeah, hot legitimate planet-hoppers. They’re going
to be reported as stolen within ten seconds if this
code doesn’t—”
“Transit beta four-zero-five-two, you’re clear to
dock, Officers. Please proceed to docking bay 39,
ports A and B. Enjoy your stay.”
Jim closed his eyes and exhaled in relief.
“Thank you kindly,” Tychus said, as if there never
had been any doubt of anything at al .
Jim flanked Tychus as they headed for the space
station. He could see docking bay 39 and ports A and
B directly ahead, on the second tier of the slowly
spinning station. There certainly didn’t seem to be
anything amiss.
“So far, so good,” Jim remarked.
“That’s true enough. But within about five minutes,
you and I wil be mixing with the populace of the
station and heading for our freighter loaded down with
crystals,” Tychus pointed out.
Jim relaxed. It wasn’t like they’d never done things
like this before. They’d just never done it in stolen law-
enforcement vessels. A furrow creased his brow for a
moment as the thought came, unbidden, of the one-
way conversation with Myles. About how his mother
wouldn’t accept her son’s money because of where it
had come from. She would have a few choice words,
he was sure, about him being in a stolen law-
enforcement vehicle.
Raynor punched a couple of buttons with
unnecessary vigor before he found the right one and a
map of the station appeared. It was extremely basic,
laid out on an easy-to-fol ow circular grid. Public
docking bays formed the outer, widest layer,
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