comm transmitters throughout the quadrant to all Republic security stations located in major ports, out of the way outposts, and military bases. Since Thomas Martin wasn’t wanted for any known criminal charges in the Republic and wasn’t found to be smuggling any contraband, had no illegal implants and wasn’t a security risk, he was released after a two thousand credit fine was paid. Twenty-five hours before Eli was released a quantum sub-artificial intelligence program created for the Vortex mercenary group had been scanning zettabytes of information searching for anything with a ninety-five percent or higher match linking to Bowman. The program lit up like a fireworks display when it correlated that Eli Bowman was currently located in or around the Lutenko Port above Algol B-3 and using the pseudonym Thomas Martin. A Vortex strike team was dispatched to Algol and would arrive one hour after he was released. A similar program had been in place, though much more sophisticated, by a clandestine group within the Dynamic Space Development Corporation. Teams from both groups would converge on his location soon after he was released from detention.
Eli felt much better. The twenty-four hours he had been detained had helped his leg to recover. A port doctor had seen him an hour after he’d been taken off the Restov Kal. The doctor had made sure that his leg was healing adequately, even applying some new therapeutic nano-gel to bolster the process. Held in a cell complete with a comfortable bed to sleep on and a shower was luxury compared with the cramped space of a two meter by two meter cargo container. He had not been idle during his confinement – using his ability, he had been reaching out through databases to erase any information that could identify him. He had also set in motion a new identity which he would pick up soon after leaving the cell, and had also booked passage on a small vessel that would take him out of Republic space and into the Verge. The Algol station was a major commercial hub and dated back to the founding of Earth’s Republic; it was large enough to accommodate two hundred and fifty thousand sentients. The main thoroughfare, complete with shopping malls, hotels, food courts and high-priced condominiums was busy at all times, with thousands of people, aliens included, constantly moving about at all times. A station in space did not have a ‘day’ or a ‘night’ as the artificial lighting wasn’t ever turned off and people arrived from all over the galaxy at every minute of the hour. Eli was passing time gambling; playing the slot machines in a small casino not far from his departure hub. He had been watching people ebb and flow as he waited to board the passenger ship Zheng He which was scheduled to leave in thirty minutes, but the casino drew him in. All of the machines were hard-lines, not connected to any network that he could discern, but that didn’t matter to him. After ten minutes, he had accumulated over twelve thousand credits. He especially liked this casino, the Tail Wind , because it had panoramic windows looking out over the planet below.
“Nice view, isn’t it?” A scantily dressed blonde haired woman had walked next to where Eli was gambling. She was gesturing at the reinforced plasteel windows across from him. She was dressed provocatively, with a low cut and extremely tight fighting white and gold dress that barely covered her breasts. She looked like a prostitute to him, but he wasn’t sure. More than a dozen ships could be seen in the distance maneuvering into position as they prepared to dock. The planet Algol B1 spun lazily below, yellow-white clouds blanketing the surface of the large world.
Eli was not shocked at all when she leaned over , rubbing against him and whispered, “You’re a good looking guy…want to have a good time? I’m just a few hubs down the main corridor staying at the Hauptman Hotel.” Her breasts were practically popping out of her dress
Eli felt much better. The twenty-four hours he had been detained had helped his leg to recover. A port doctor had seen him an hour after he’d been taken off the Restov Kal. The doctor had made sure that his leg was healing adequately, even applying some new therapeutic nano-gel to bolster the process. Held in a cell complete with a comfortable bed to sleep on and a shower was luxury compared with the cramped space of a two meter by two meter cargo container. He had not been idle during his confinement – using his ability, he had been reaching out through databases to erase any information that could identify him. He had also set in motion a new identity which he would pick up soon after leaving the cell, and had also booked passage on a small vessel that would take him out of Republic space and into the Verge. The Algol station was a major commercial hub and dated back to the founding of Earth’s Republic; it was large enough to accommodate two hundred and fifty thousand sentients. The main thoroughfare, complete with shopping malls, hotels, food courts and high-priced condominiums was busy at all times, with thousands of people, aliens included, constantly moving about at all times. A station in space did not have a ‘day’ or a ‘night’ as the artificial lighting wasn’t ever turned off and people arrived from all over the galaxy at every minute of the hour. Eli was passing time gambling; playing the slot machines in a small casino not far from his departure hub. He had been watching people ebb and flow as he waited to board the passenger ship Zheng He which was scheduled to leave in thirty minutes, but the casino drew him in. All of the machines were hard-lines, not connected to any network that he could discern, but that didn’t matter to him. After ten minutes, he had accumulated over twelve thousand credits. He especially liked this casino, the Tail Wind , because it had panoramic windows looking out over the planet below.
“Nice view, isn’t it?” A scantily dressed blonde haired woman had walked next to where Eli was gambling. She was gesturing at the reinforced plasteel windows across from him. She was dressed provocatively, with a low cut and extremely tight fighting white and gold dress that barely covered her breasts. She looked like a prostitute to him, but he wasn’t sure. More than a dozen ships could be seen in the distance maneuvering into position as they prepared to dock. The planet Algol B1 spun lazily below, yellow-white clouds blanketing the surface of the large world.
Eli was not shocked at all when she leaned over , rubbing against him and whispered, “You’re a good looking guy…want to have a good time? I’m just a few hubs down the main corridor staying at the Hauptman Hotel.” Her breasts were practically popping out of her dress
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