disc shard on the
deck. “Activate.” The command was accepted and a glowing, flat
circle appeared with a written message.
‘ Jake Dorgen,
We have your daughter, Renee Dorgen. Do not
try to follow. We will tell you our exact location of where she
will be held. Bring 645,883,201,776, 932 credits to coordinates
345620083X, 462991619Y, 003221881Z in the time of one full standard
year starting from this day to trade for the life of your
daughter.
Do not attempt rescue. You know this space
and even if you call all your ships, it will do you no good.
Signed,
The High Chairman’
The vein had pulsed so badly Jake turned to
the still raised docking door and threw a hand out to unleash a
psionic stream that was as tall as himself and packed so much power
it could blow apart an entire moon. The aim thankfully was out in
empty space, firing in a near straight line. His beard and hair
unraveled to fly wild as he yelled in complete outrage. The amount
of power had everyone staggering away as it could have ripped the
ship completely apart without question. His eyes burned murderous
green. The energy was hot and hair stood on end. He poured it all
into the stream. Anger, hate, hopelessness. Put it all in till he
was empty, which took a couple minutes. Enough to get everyone on
the other side of the deck.
Jake Dorgen was utterly spent as he dropped
to his knees and hands to beat his head on the ground a couple
times and leave it there. It was hardly comical that the claymore
sheathed across his back slid out onto the ground.
Seeing the giant cry was heartbreaking.
First to move was Andrea Loke and she came
over to kneel by his head. “That is a lot of credits. I have
sixteen million in my savings. You can have it all, Handsome. It
won’t be much to the nearly six hundred and forty six trillion,
but…”
“ Ye’ve always been a
kindhearted lass, Andrea, but I cannot ask it of ye.”
“ Would it make a difference
if I said yes? I never told you ‘no’ you know. You know the old
saying: Better late than never.” She smiled softly and though he
was gargantuan compared to her, her small hands held his face up by
his bearded cheek.
“ Aye, Lass, but I can’t
accept it. That bastard somehow got hold of me finances. That is
the exact amount I’ve got to me name… scattered around.”
“ Then pick yourself up, dust
yourself off and do it. We both know credits never mattered to you.
I’m now old enough to see why you were like that. I just need
access to the terran network to transfer my funds to the Dorgenox.
Every little bit will help. Why don’t you give it as a sign of good
faith to those horrible people and tell them to keep it so they
don’t send pieces of her to you… make sure they know she is bonded
to that Drake… if I assume correctly. His reactions are out of
character for his kind and they aren’t.”
“ Aye, she and Sparky are
bonded as mount and rider.”
“ Someone tell me what the
hell is going on? If you know where she is why are we still here!
Someone tell me!” Oliver shook badly, ready to snap. Even without
his front teeth, he was barely holding onto reason.
“ Brother…”
“ No, Steven, it would be
better if I explain.” Sparky swung his head
around and moved so he and Oliver were face to face. Sparky’s hiss
rattled in a barely controlled growl and his thoughts were tainted
emotion he could not control or hide. “Those coordinates are in the heart of Merc space where the
Empire holds no jurisdiction. They are home to some of the most
ruthless mercenaries that fled the Empire’s long reach. Only the
desperate or evil hire them. Jake has been a thorn in their side
for centuries, but they are no pushover. Kidnapping, rape, murder,
assassination is just a kind example of what they live for. They
are the absolute worst of humanity and those coordinates are of
their only known fortress that is on par with Earth and Verard’s in
military defense. There are other worlds, but that one is
deck. “Activate.” The command was accepted and a glowing, flat
circle appeared with a written message.
‘ Jake Dorgen,
We have your daughter, Renee Dorgen. Do not
try to follow. We will tell you our exact location of where she
will be held. Bring 645,883,201,776, 932 credits to coordinates
345620083X, 462991619Y, 003221881Z in the time of one full standard
year starting from this day to trade for the life of your
daughter.
Do not attempt rescue. You know this space
and even if you call all your ships, it will do you no good.
Signed,
The High Chairman’
The vein had pulsed so badly Jake turned to
the still raised docking door and threw a hand out to unleash a
psionic stream that was as tall as himself and packed so much power
it could blow apart an entire moon. The aim thankfully was out in
empty space, firing in a near straight line. His beard and hair
unraveled to fly wild as he yelled in complete outrage. The amount
of power had everyone staggering away as it could have ripped the
ship completely apart without question. His eyes burned murderous
green. The energy was hot and hair stood on end. He poured it all
into the stream. Anger, hate, hopelessness. Put it all in till he
was empty, which took a couple minutes. Enough to get everyone on
the other side of the deck.
Jake Dorgen was utterly spent as he dropped
to his knees and hands to beat his head on the ground a couple
times and leave it there. It was hardly comical that the claymore
sheathed across his back slid out onto the ground.
Seeing the giant cry was heartbreaking.
First to move was Andrea Loke and she came
over to kneel by his head. “That is a lot of credits. I have
sixteen million in my savings. You can have it all, Handsome. It
won’t be much to the nearly six hundred and forty six trillion,
but…”
“ Ye’ve always been a
kindhearted lass, Andrea, but I cannot ask it of ye.”
“ Would it make a difference
if I said yes? I never told you ‘no’ you know. You know the old
saying: Better late than never.” She smiled softly and though he
was gargantuan compared to her, her small hands held his face up by
his bearded cheek.
“ Aye, Lass, but I can’t
accept it. That bastard somehow got hold of me finances. That is
the exact amount I’ve got to me name… scattered around.”
“ Then pick yourself up, dust
yourself off and do it. We both know credits never mattered to you.
I’m now old enough to see why you were like that. I just need
access to the terran network to transfer my funds to the Dorgenox.
Every little bit will help. Why don’t you give it as a sign of good
faith to those horrible people and tell them to keep it so they
don’t send pieces of her to you… make sure they know she is bonded
to that Drake… if I assume correctly. His reactions are out of
character for his kind and they aren’t.”
“ Aye, she and Sparky are
bonded as mount and rider.”
“ Someone tell me what the
hell is going on? If you know where she is why are we still here!
Someone tell me!” Oliver shook badly, ready to snap. Even without
his front teeth, he was barely holding onto reason.
“ Brother…”
“ No, Steven, it would be
better if I explain.” Sparky swung his head
around and moved so he and Oliver were face to face. Sparky’s hiss
rattled in a barely controlled growl and his thoughts were tainted
emotion he could not control or hide. “Those coordinates are in the heart of Merc space where the
Empire holds no jurisdiction. They are home to some of the most
ruthless mercenaries that fled the Empire’s long reach. Only the
desperate or evil hire them. Jake has been a thorn in their side
for centuries, but they are no pushover. Kidnapping, rape, murder,
assassination is just a kind example of what they live for. They
are the absolute worst of humanity and those coordinates are of
their only known fortress that is on par with Earth and Verard’s in
military defense. There are other worlds, but that one is
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