I hit the switch on the hull that opened the doors. They swung open, the retention field shimmered a soft blue over the circular port. I stepped out and fell toward the pad. I absorbed the impact with my knees, maintaining the angle of the tractor beam behind me. I looked over my shoulder to check for the power supply. It was still there! Fuck, yes!
I headed toward the ‘borrowed’ 300i. It’s hatch door was still open, just as I’d set it for before I left. I shoved the Power Supply through the hatchway with the tractor beam, and then I climbed up the ladder in pursuit. No one had been here. That much was obvious. Jenz’s body was still against the wall of his hab. Right where I left him.
The trip back to the Corsair, up the ramp, into the component room, and back out the docking port was uneventful. It went off just as planned. I settled the second power supply next to Jenz’s body. I took a moment to speak to his corpse, not that he could hear me, “Such a fucking tool.” With those two items secured, it was time for part three of my plan. Almost home free!
After making sure my loot was secure aboard the 300i, I exited the ship once again. I stepped calmly toward the elevator from Pad Three. I’d memorized the route in my head earlier during my prep. I’d been going over it all day. A few hitches. However, oddly, I was still on schedule. Even with the Jenz detour and the boxes having been in my way. Time had been on my side, apparently. I wasn’t going to look a gifted Kopion in the maw.
As soon as the doors to the elevator opened, I exited into the lobby. I walked calmly to the security office. I slid the key card in the door, not bothering to check my flanks. It would make me look suspicious. If I acted like I belonged, I wouldn’t even be questioned. It was not uncommon for Security Officials to wear their own armors. The door beeped, and then opened.
I walked into the security office, a lone officer was sitting at a grouping of monitors. Of course, that meant that I’d been on camera for my little escapade. It wasn’t likely he’d caught what I was doing though. I had, according to what I saw on his monitor, landed at exactly the right spot to hide my movements. I was glad I’d taken the time to learn where the station’s cameras were over the last three weeks.
I crept up behind him, still holding the tractor beam in my hand. It was solid metal. It wasn’t like I was going to hurt it. I was showing on his monitors. He did notice me, however, it was far too late. I slammed the Multi-Tool into the back of his neck. He crumpled like a cheap ship panel against a torpedo.
Just unconscious from what I could tell. His breathing was even and deep. I smirked and looked around the security console for a key card access port. I found it on the left hand side. I slid Braxton’s access card in. The system let me in immediately.
I began to delete records of my stay and alter some records. For example, I placed Jenz Hoffman as wanted by station security. I decided heavy handed was better after a few moments of anxiety laden paranoia. I didn’t have time to delete things one by one, and screw around. Fuck it. I reached down to my leg armor and pulled up another Tiger’s Claw. It would open every hangar door and finish what I started. Would it set off alarms? Most likely. Maybe it would look just like a malfunction? It would take forever to figure out where it came from no matter what. This wasn’t something that was easily dealt with.
Once the Tiger’s Claw was done with its upload, I removed it, and left the security office. I’d have about forty minutes before it activated. My insurance policy against being stuck here if I got caught. Though, that was looking less likely by the moment. I left Braxton’s card in the access port. It wasn’t likely that I’d need it. Although for this to work, I’d need one more step.
I made my way down to the Admin Office. It was on the way to the Pads, luckily enough. I slid Haley’s card into the access slot. It beeped, just like the other one, and let me in. I removed it from the slot and took it with me as I stepped into the administration area. Unlike the security office, there was no one here. It was after hours. I crept to the terminal and accessed financial transactions. I transferred all the hangar and docking fees to the account of one Jenz Hoffman.
Having finished with that, I left. I was glad I didn’t have to frame Haley for this. It was my original plan, after all. Jenz had made this easy for me. Well… kind of. I wouldn’t soon forget what his touch felt like. I suddenly felt the need for a shower. It would have to wait though.
I walked a bit more hurriedly toward the landing pads this time. I took the elevator to Pad Three. The Corsair was still there, just as I’d left it, as was the 300i. The hatch was still open, no one investigating, no people or ships. I climbed aboard the 300i, Jenz’s body was still laying in the Hab where I’d left it, too. I don’t know why I expected it to move. He still looked very, very dead.
I left the hatch open and traveled the few steps to the pilot seat again. I grabbed the controls, and lifted off the pad. I flew the 300i over to my hangar door. Hangar Six, was a less than welcome sight, however it was still where I’d been for three weeks. It was a moment that felt a little safer than most. I was almost free of this shithole of a station.
I hovered the 300i just below the station, very close to the hull of the station itself. The power was still set very, very low. Not even life support was powered on. I didn’t want to be detected. I checked the time on my mobiGlas. I had only five more minutes.
Leave a Reply