Part 5: Byron's Bargain

Alex was not having a good week. So far, he’d had one business deal go bad, been shot at, been attacked by pirates while salvaging, discovered a crazy person alive in the salvage, threatened in his own docking bay, and had his ship and crew bought and sold with no input from him. Now, he had a new set of problems. Namely, the fact that he did not own the Bucephalus anymore. If he had kept up with the events as they played out here in the cargo bay, apparently his ship was now owned by the grinning man standing in front of him.

“I never wanted to secure your services like this, Alex, I promise,” Byron started, “but I can’t say I’m not pleased to have you and your crew in my employ.”

Alex glared at Jade, who, for her part, was studying a supply crate that had suddenly become absolutely fascinating. He turned to Byron. “I’m afraid to disappoint you, but you haven’t acquired anything. I appreciate what you did here, and believe me, I will pay you back. But I take orders only from me.” With that, Alex turned to John. “Keep our gear stowed; we need to get back into space if we are going to get another job. Kwame, get the ship prepped. I’ll see what I can do to get us some fuel. My credit is still good with Carter’s Supply. Jade-”

Byron cut him off. “I don’t think you understand, Alex. You aren’t in any position to call the shots here.” Byron never dropped his smile, but now it was much colder. His gaze cut right into Alex’s core. John and Kwame stopped what they were doing. “The way I see it, you only have two choices. Choice one, you work for me. I retrofit your ship with,” he looked around disdainfully, “modern accruements. I fix your artgrav system. I upgrade the engines. I add that to what you owe me, and over time you can pay that back by working for me. Couple of years, tops.”

“What is the other choice?”

“Choice two? I take your ship to cover your debt, and take you on as an indentured servant to pay back the difference, because, let’s face it, this ship ain’t worth 50. Once I feel I have been satisfactorily compensated, I’ll give you your freedom.”

“I like choice three. I refuel, get another job, and pay you back when I can.”

“Alex, let’s be reasonable, I’ve made you an offer that’s more than fair. By the end of it, you’ll be free and clear and have a better ship, all while fighting for your planet and people.”

“Look, I want no part of your ‘fight’ for Earth. I just want to make my way in this galaxy, same as any man.”

Byron laughed. John and Kwame, quietly watching until now, exchanged glances. Jade perched on a supply crate. Alex was visibly annoyed. “What’s so damned funny?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing.” Byron replied, “Just that I can see right through you. I know you, Alex. You’re a decorated veteran of the Kilos liberation. Even with the new regime on Earth, you could be a legit courier tomorrow if you wanted to. A well paid one. Hell, the Kilon Business Development Council would trip over themselves to get someone like you grants and assistance, just to show how they support Human self-reliance. Unlike some of your crew…” Byron paused long enough to let that last sentence sink in, “You don’t need to be out here.”

“I like the life I’ve made here. Who are you to say otherwise? Who do you think you are, walk into my ship…”

“Just stop, Alex. I know you believe. I know you don’t buy the lies the media tells us, about how the Kilons helped us recover from the Venusian Crisis, about how dismantling the White Fleet was removing a threat to Earth, and letting the Kilon Expeditionary Force police space is for the best for all galactic citizens. Do you even believe the official report on the Crisis, that the Sons of Abraham acted independently, that a previously loosely organized religious group pulled off one of the most destructive terrorist attacks in history? I can’t believe that, I know deep down that you don’t either.”

“That might be true, Byron, but my issue here is that I don’t trust you. From where I stand, you’re just another guy preying on people’s fears to build your own little empire on the fringe.” Alex was turning red. Byron was still smiling, but the effort was showing.

Jade had enough. She stood up, pulling the towel down from her hair, letting it drop down her back. She walked to Alex, laid a hand on his shoulder. “I know you don’t trust him, Alex, but I do. Doesn’t that count for something?” She turned to Kwame. “What do you think?”

Kwame answered, “He makes a good offer, Alex. The ship needs the repairs, and it will be good to know when our next payday is coming.”

The warmth returned to Byron’s face. “You see? It’s a win-win.”

Alex looked at Jade. He knew where she stood in this, but to hear Kwame support it too… he relented. “Fine. But no one works on my ship without my OK.”

“I’d never assume otherwise,” Byron agreed.

“And I want to be able to refuse an assignment if I don’t agree with it.”

“Absolutely, of course, whatever you need, Alex.”

Alex sighed. “When do we get started?”

“Let’s have your ship over in my docks for a retrofit now. We’ll add shielding to the cargo bay so you don’t need to depressurize every time you open the doors in space. And get that artgrav fixed. I heard it’s been a problem.”

Alex hadn’t forgotten the capsule he and Kwame secured in the smuggling compartment below his feet. While he might not be able to sell it right away, he needed to get it hidden somewhere else before anyone touched the ship. “Can we make it, say, two hours? I have a few things here I need to attend to.”

Just then, the compartment that John used to hide the insane astronaut began to open. Michael rolled out, stood up and stretched. In a surprisingly non crazy way, he looked around, and calmly said, “What’d I miss?”

Byron didn’t miss a beat. “Who is this? I didn’t know you picked up a new crewman.”

Alex’s eyes darted to Jade, then to Kwame, then to John, who just shrugged. He looked at Michael, who appeared to be doing a full stretching routine. Then he looked back a Byron, standing there looking puzzled. “New crewman…. New crewman…” Alex turned the words over in his mind.

“Oh, yes,” Alex said, “We picked him up just before that nasty business in the mining town. Byron, I’d like you to meet… Newman…. Cruz.”

Alex held his breath as Michael walked to Byron. “Newman Cruz, pleased to meet you,” he said, extending a hand. “Sorry I wasn’t here, I was trying to grab a quick nap, you know, adjusting to life in space is taking some getting used to.”

Byron shook his hand. “That it does.” He turned to Alex. “I am glad you came around, see you in two hours. I’m looking forward to working with you and your crew.” With that, he turned and walked out of the ship.

There was an audible sigh as the crew relaxed, then all turned to stare at Michael. He smiled at them and said, “Sorry for that business earlier. I’m feeling much better now. Where is my ship?”

“Well, “ Alex started, “that’s a long story.”