Complications arise as the gang get ready to leave…
Jan felt happier having his old fixer on the team. Back in the days after the war they had made quite the formidable team and had made themselves quite rich before things went bad and Rai had to get out, and it was good to know she would be on hand should things get difficult.
They couldn’t get off-world straight away, Rai had a few affairs to settle before she could leave, including finding someone to watch the store for her. She was intent on holding Jan to his promise of returning her to the little Martian community should their adventure prove to be a complete bust.
Rai chose fourteen year old Sophie Allen, the daughter of local research scientists, as her temporary replacement. Sophie was a born engineer and had become like Rai in miniature form, copying her short, self-cut, hairstyle and utilitarian yet quirky dress sense. She had even found an ancient biro at one of the old First Landing sites and kept it tucked behind her left ear. The only thing the old pen ever marked was her neck where it had traced a spider-like tattoo.
Rai had already spent a full day running Sophie through the intricacies of the three-hundred year old cash register and, the following day planned on starting her on the equally antiquated stock-picking system. Jan took this as a cue for a day off which is why he was, at eleven o’clock, sill in the cramped bathroom of his equally uncomfortable cabin when he noticed a low rumbling noise which instantly had him worried.
He reached out and stabbed the intercom button. “Alan, what are you doing?”
“Nothing, sir.” came the response a moment later. Alan had taken to calling Jan ‘Sir’ in what Jan presumed was an attempt to curry favour with him. As cloyingly annoying as it was, Jan was willing to let it slide for the time being, he had received an ominously cryptic message from Mr. Graves about ‘playing nice’ and didn’t want to get on the wrong side of his new boss again.
“Then what’s that noise? Are the engines on?”
“Not ours, sir. Another ship.”
“I’m on my way up.”
There was another pause from the other end. “Yes, sir.”
By the time Jan reached the cockpit the ship was just hitting the dirt. He instantly recognised the ship’s purple paint-job and the garish crest on the side. The ship belonged to The Countess. He turned to Alan. “If I find out you had anything to do with this, I swear I will kill you.” Jan stormed off the deck and headed for the back of the ship.
He ran through the settlement as fast as he could, the thin Martian air burning his lungs. When he reached Rai’s store he flung the door open and dived through, locking it behind him. “Rai, we’ve got trouble.” He panted.
Rai looked up. “I heard the ship. Is it her?” Sophie looked on in confusion.
“More likely one of her men. Looks like a scout ship.”
“But, how?”
“Alan.”
“You sure?”
“Who else could it have been? I knew I shouldn’t have left that little green bastard.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Rai reached under the counter and produced a small, odd-looking, pistol “This wont be the first of her men I’ve dealt with and it sure won’t be the last.” She began to move toward the door.
“Need any help?” asked Jan, pulling his own pistol from the holster on his thigh.
Rai unlocked the door and smiled back at the two of them. “I’ll let you know.” She opened the door and headed out into the street.
