Sliding Reality: Chapter 10 Part 2 of 2 (Patreon)

"Auxiliary airlock," Luke muttered and looked down the dock, spotting blue and white warning lines of vaccum. "There you are."

Luke went into the airlock, working the controls. It was a slow process, scanning him, pinging his suit to make sure it was properly fitted and then slowly dialing down the air.

"I hate public airlocks, so damn slow," Luke muttered.

"Hey, better that a few people pass in here than freeze dried out in the dark," An engineer said, float-sitting as he played with his wrist pad, a gear bag hooked over his shoulder and a belt of tools flying at odd angles.

Like a grass dress bent out of shape.

Luke grunted and let his legs relax, pulling up his wrist pad. Where are you two? He pinged his parent's suits, seeing them gliding down the ship.

Sound outside of his suit disappeared, making his breathing louder as the rub of his coveralls against the inside of his suit.

Luke held his finger over the call button and looked up as the airlock lights changed, the outer door opening as everyone readied themselves for the 'jump'.

Luke checked their position and pressed the call button.

"Luke?" his father answered first.

"Hey Dad, mom with you?"

"Yeah, she's talking to your Uncle."

"Okay, well, would you think Mom would be in to help people get to the settled systems and Sphere World?"

Luke disconnected his boots and hooked to the strut that ran from the airlock to the ship. He used his arms, his legs trailing behind him as he scaled 'up' towards the ship.

"You want to smuggle people out of different systems?"

"The factions are closing in on them and they aren't safe."

"Luke?" His mother clicked into the channel."

"Hey Mom."

"Luke was just saying how he wants to ask us if we'd like to smuggle people out of the factions into the settled systems and Sphere World," Stephen had a note of amusement.

"Oh he did did he?" Adeline sounded mock-serious.

"Am I missing something?" Luke asked.

"Well, just that great minds think alike. We were talking to Raffi, the factions are all doing one thing or another to try and assert control over Sphere World through the players. Lots of people getting screwed over for just playing a game." Adeline said.

"Doesn't sit with us right that their hard work would be trampled or taken by others," Stephen's voice just a note above a growl.

Luke reached the ship, changing his clamp from one line to another and moving to the spine walkway. Looks like that's them over there.

"Well I got a buddy in Hydrea system, another in Sol, and there are hundreds of others, was wondering if Uncle Raffi?

Luke slowed himself reaching the steps and switched lines to the spine walkway and pushed off towards the trio.

"I think that he would be in for it." Adeline said, waving to Luke as he got closer.

"Well, that brings me to the next thing. Luke let his momentum carry him and sent them both the same information he sent to Marissa.

"I think I have us a new trade route. I gave this to Marissa, she's looking up the people who are paying people to take their scrap. Seeing what she can get booked on other freighters and get shipped here, then we can sell it off to Sphere world."

"But scrap doesn't pay."

"Well dad, that's cause pulling out all the materials is really hard with our refineries. The factories, they don't have the same problems. They prefer scrap because they don't have to shed the waste rock and compress it."

"The information is fluctuating?"

"It is linked to the Sphere World markets so it will flex on things. So right now buying a factory is all but impossible because the guilds and the corporations backing them are buying them up like crazy."

Luke slowed himself on his jets as he reached the trio, slowing and coming to a halt.

His father reached out, Luke used him to stabilize tapping his boots together and mag-locking to the walkway. "If people are living in Sphere World, they're going to need food, water, net suits, sleeves, clothes. They don't have any of that right now. Sphere World builds war machines, bots, guns ammunition, warships."

"So, you're asking us to support the players of Sphere World?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah." Luke said.

Raffi joined the channel, invited by his parents.

"We were just talking to Raffi about that very thing, there are a lot of people looking to get out of their systems and get somewhere safe, or at least where they won't get persecuted for playing Sphere World." Stephen said.

"Well, I was always up for a challenge." Raffi laughed.

"So I was talking with the others in the Legion, we figured out a way for people to move their assets and claim them afterwards and we can organize the groups that will be leaving different systems." Luke said. "

"Seems that you've put a lot of thought into this."

"We're a close group and we look after one another. Also, that scrapyard you have floating off of your station, how much?"

"How much? Three hundred thousand credits."

"You, give us a hundred thousand." Adeline didn't pause.

Raffi grunted and Luke smiled as Adeline turned on Raffi.

Luke flipped to a channel with just his dad.

"You know how it was weird how Jynx logged off.

"Yeah?"

"Sol agents kidnapped her, her family and Stuart's, Sol has Brad and Stuart over a barrel. We found out where they're keeping the families."

"And you're going to get them?"

"That is the plan. The people that we would be picking up would be in the group that are going to attack the station."

"How are you going to get them?"

"We don't grow plants, or make clothes, but we do build bots, warships and weapons."

"This could be a dangerous road your stepping down."

"If we don't who will?"

Stephen threw up his hands.

"Officially, we will be contracted as mercenaries under OBE, and the family will fall under our protection, allowing us to use whatever means necessary to facilitate their return." Luke shifted his glove around into a more comfortable position.

"Smart, but Luke, are you ready for this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You killed people the other day, its no simple thing." Stephen pulled him away from Raffi and his mother.

"If I didn't then they could have killed Brad and Stuart, hell they tore up Brad, he could have easily died." Luke locked down to the walkway, looking anywhere but at his dad.

"I didn't want to kill them, I don't regret my actions but I wish..."

"You did well, killing is not something that should be done lightly, but you were protecting others. That is at the core of what soldiers do. You shouldn't make these decisions lightly, but they are your decisions to make."

Stephen turned him by the shoulder.

Luke looked up into his dad's eyes.

"I'll be here for you no matter what Luke. We'll get your friends so you can save Jynx and her family. Us weirdos at the fringe have to work together."

Luke nodded, squeezing out a smile.

***

The talking died down as everyone appeared within the conference room, Dana sat with the Legion members, facing Brad and Stuart sat on the other side of the table with Sally standing near them.

“Have you all reviewed our offer?” Brad asked.

“Yes,” Foster said “We agree, but with a suggestion.”

“Go on.” Brad opened his hand and sat back.

“A board of advisors.” Foster touched his chest. “Ground forces,” He indicated to Dana beside him. “Space forces, Air and transit forces, Building department, Resource gathering, Material management,” Foster indicated to Ichika, Minnie, Mitch and Fin.

“And we would suggest another advisor on trade,” Fin said. “Adeline Torjak is a capable trader I have been working with and I think she would be an asset.” He looked to Foster, passing back the talk.

“We bring with us structure, information and ability. We can give you the information you need to make the best decisions and then we can carry it out, or translate your missions into a reality.”

Brad and Stuart looked at one another, speaking by way of facial expressions.

Brad turned back and smiled.

“That works with us, honestly, with just the two of us, things are a little hectic, having some helping hands would be nice. I guess, welcome to Sphere World? Or Orion Belt Enterprises? Sally?”

“I confirm the agreement,” The conference table’s mirror black surface showed screens with the agreement. “If you would read through and sign please?”

People placed their thumbs on the table mirror, adding signatories to the contract.

“Welcome to Sphere World.” Stuart said. “Minnie, Mitch and Fin we have a lot to talk about. Do you have some time to talk now?”

They all nodded.

“Awesome, see you later.” Stuart waved to the others. “Sally?”

The four disappeared from the conference room.

Dana focused on Brad.

“How are things coming?” His brow furrowing and his eyes focused.

“We found your families, they are being held in a supply station in the Maxxel system. We are outfitting the ships that we require for the mission. Forces are being drawn from Sanctorium. We’ve secured transportation aboard a freighter that will take them from Maxxel to Sphere World’s Lagrange point.” Dana said.

“Once they are recovered then the real job starts.” Brad leaned forward on the desk. “We have to unlock Tier One, control seventy percent of Valhalla and Ares. We’re going to have to wage war on the corporations and the factions that have been operating in the dark.”

“That’s hundreds of thousands of bots, dropships, turrets, command posts.” Ichika said. “Ares is only controlled by the Guilds.”

“It’s not possible.”

“It needs to be possible. We need to control seventy percent, then Stuart and I will become full administrators, it will open up more information from Sally.”

“On the aliens?”

“We hope, maybe something about the builders or otherwise.”

“What do you think about the Aliens?” Foster asked, a weight to his words.

“I think that they did attack the Federation as soon as they came out of that wormhole. They sent a message to someone. They know that we’re out here and Sally was made to find us and give us weapons. The fact that the builders aren’t here themselves and fighting these aliens? It means that they can’t or won’t fight these aliens.”