The Toll Road Between the Stars (Perseus Gate Book 5) Read online

Jessica looked out and smiled at the beautiful view.

  For two long years they had taken the winding path through the Stillwater Nebula, and were nearly at the far side. But they had come to a choke point. Here the tunnel through the nebula narrowed down to a single point. And at that point was a star.

  When they had first entered the nebula, they had expected it to be empty, devoid of settlements and interstellar traffic. What they had found was quite the opposite.

  It turned out that there were many populated star systems. Isolated locations where people had built small, simple civilizations, far from FTL routes and the interstellar society that thrummed beyond the nebula’s glowing borders.

  While most stars born in Stillwater were large, hot blue stars, spewing radiation and inhospitable light, some were smaller—G or K spectrum—giving off moderate light, while still possessing enough of a stellar wind to push back the clouds and create a shield around their planets. From what they had seen, some of those stars even possessed marginally habitable worlds.

  While saying sub-light trade ‘flourished’ in the nebula would be a stretch, it did exist, centered along the few systems in the narrow FTL corridor Sabrina traversed.

  Somehow—except for a few leaks over the years—few outsiders knew of the corridor, and those who did were not inclined to share in the bounty that trade with the nebula brought.

  In fact, from what they had learned, people who spilled the beans about the path through the clouds often did not live long enough to enjoy whatever reward they received for sharing the information.

  That secrecy had caused Sabrina’s crew some amount of trouble during their journey, but not much more than they were used to encountering.

  The Perry System would be the hardest test yet. Known as The Perry Strait, it sat in the center of a quarter-light-year stretch where no FTL was possible. Two months in, two months out. Following the portage, there was just a final ten-light-year hop and they’d be out of the nebula and back in open space.

  Ahead, the Perry star—a young, angry, blue-tinged thing—thrashed in space, frequently ejecting coronal mass and blasting its radiation-laden winds in all directions.

  Around the star system, the nebula was thick, drawn in by the star’s gravity, in turn then repulsed by its winds. Jessica often found herself watching the nebula’s clouds as they roiled, forming beautiful swirls that took millennia to take shape and then dissipate.

  From Sabrina’s current vantage point, it looked as though the star was fighting against a death grip that the clouds had on it. And though it appeared dire for the Perry star, it would eventually prevail. It would take at least another five million years, but the star would eventually die a spectacular death, detonating in a supernova. When that happened, the blast would push the nebula back for light years, clearing a wide, open space through the clouds.

  Of course, by then they’d all be long dead and humanity—and maybe even the AIs—would be long gone.

  Trevor gave a languid stretch. “I’d best recheck our tags. We have two holds worth of stuff bound for Perry. What’s our first target, Viceroy Station, or Ellis Reach?”

  “Based on their current positions, I think we should hit Ellis first,” Cheeky said before turning to look over her shoulder at Cargo. “Captain?”

  “I agree,” Cargo said. “Ellis is just a couple days out; Viceroy is at least four.”

  Jessica nodded and sat back at her console. “Then I’d best get us our lane into Ellis, it’s first up on the outskirts.” She pulled the frequencies for Ellis off the closest broadcast beacon and sent in a standard docking request.

  Trevor leant over and kissed her on the head and Jessica smiled as she watched his broad figure turn and leave the bridge.

  Jessica said privately to Iris.

 

  Jessica said as she prepared a message of docking intent, as the locals called it, for Ellis.

 

  Jessica replied.

 

  With twenty minutes of light-lag, it took a few hours of back-and-forth with the station to establish an inbound lane to Ellis Reach. Once she had it set, and Cheeky got Sabrina’s burns plotted out, Jessica begged off bridge duty and called it a night.

  The next morning, she had just started her second cup of coffee when Sabrina interrupted her thoughts.

 

  Jessica replied with a heavy sigh.

  Sabrina replied.

  Jessica replied.

 

  Jessica rose and walked to the coffee pot, topping off her cup.

  Sabrina asked.

  Jessica chuckled.

  Sabrina sighed.

  Jessica asked.

 

  Jessica paused half way up the ladder to the command deck. She was surprised that Sabrina had run sims on that rescue; even more surprised that she hadn’t successfully saved Cheeky in those sims.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

 

  Jessica replied as she resumed her climb.

  Sabrina asked.

  Jessica nodded absently as she walked onto the empty bridge.

  Sabrina replied.

  Jessica sat in the pilot’s seat and watched as Sabrina altered their burn to lower their delta-v and move them into a parking lane. The burns were textbook, but they lacked finesse.

  Jessica asked.

  Sabrina replied.

  Jessica shook her head.

 

  .>

  Sabrina sighed.

  Jessica laughed aloud.

 

 

  BOARDED

  STELLAR DATE: 04.20.8940 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Sabrina

  REGION: Perry System, Stillwater Nebula, Perseus Arm

  “Nice little bird you have here,” the tall, rail-thin woman said as she stepped through the airlock.

  “I’m Captain Cargo. You must be Inspector Brooke,” Cargo said as he offered his hand.

  Brooke looked at it like it may as well have been a snake and didn’t offer hers in response. “I am, and I’m here to make sure you’re not hauling any contraband and that all the tariffs are paid.”

  “Let us know what we owe,” Cargo said in even tones, “and we’ll have no problem making payment. We’ve already secured a local system account and have registered a store of platinum as collateral.”

  Brooke nodded. “Yes, I see that you’ve registered that with Stillwater Stellar Bank. I’ll check it over as well to ensure you have the amount you said you did, and let them know to pick it up when you dock.”

  “You work for the bank too?” Cargo asked.

  Brooke winked and flipped a lock of her azure hair over her shoulder. “I take care of all sorts of odds and ends.”

  “That’s good to hear. Sounds efficient,” Cargo replied, not exactly happy to hear it, but it did make the whole extortion racket easy if he only had to deal with one person.

  Sabrina commented privately.

  Cargo replied.

  It was unusual, however, for a woman like Brooke to come onto a ship alone. Usually there was a troop of soldiers stomping around looking menacing and generally getting in the way. For some reason Brooke seemed to think she was perfectly safe boarding strange ships on her own.

  Either she was very dangerous, brave, stupid, or the Perry System’s reputation of ruthlessness was strong enough that Brooke believed no one would mess with her and risk retribution.

  He found her confidence and bravado rather alluring.

  Hank said privately.

  Cargo grunted.

  Hank asked.

  Cargo didn’t reply, and led Brooke to the holds containing the shipments bound for Ellis Reach and Viceroy Station.

  When they reached Cargo Hold 3—where the platinum was stored—she cracked open the crates of ingots and rummaged through them, pulling out random samples and testing their quality.

  “Looks like you’re on the up and up here,” she commented. “Given this stuff’s quality, and the current exchange rates, you’ll need to set aside three hundred and eleven kilograms for the bank. I’ll let them know that you’ll have it ready when you dock.

  Cargo almost swore at the number, but drew a deep breath. “Are you certain? That seems…like a lot.”

  “Lot of platinum on the market lately; drives the value down,” Brooke replied with a shrug as she scooped out a fistful of ingots. “Let’s see now…this feels a like about the right amount.”

  “For what?” Cargo asked.

  Brooke laughed. “Seriously? You have to ask.”

  Cargo sighed. “No, I suppose not.”

  Sabrina commented.

  Cargo replied.

  Hank added.

  Jessica chimed in.

  Cargo didn’t have a chance to say it was intentional before Brooke straightened and gave him a sharp nod.

  “I just need to meet your crew to ensure that your roster matches and get DNA samples from each, and we’ll be all set.”

  Hank commented.

  Cargo frowned. “What do you mean ‘get DNA samples’. Don’t you have security arches that do that when we dock?”

  “Yeah,” Brooke nodded. “But you’re not docked, and you don’t get to dock till I clear you, so get your crew assembled in your main bay or wherever you hang out so that I can check them over.”

  Sabrina said.

  Five minutes later Cargo led Brooke into the galley where the crew was sitting at the table, except Nance who was leaning up against the counter. Without a hazsuit on, to Cargo’s surprise. Her DNA sample, however, was already collected in a trio of vials on the counter beside her.

  The moment Brooke entered the galley her eyes locked onto Jessica. “You’re…”

  “Jessica,” she offered her hand. “I’m the first mate here aboard the Sacred Retribution.”

  Brooke took a step closer, bending her willowy form over as she peered into Jessica’s face. “You look familiar, have you ever passed through the Perry Strait before?”

  “No,” Jessica said with a laugh. “Not even close.”

  “Huh,” Brooke said as she straightened. “Coulda sworn.”

  “I guess I have one of those faces,” Jessica replied with a shrug.

  “You?” Brooke laughed, a strange warbling sound. “No, you most certainly do not have one of those faces. You have the exact opposite of one of those faces.”

  “Uhh…OK.”

  Cargo watched as Brooke took DNA samples from the crew. They had no need to worry about what she collected, their nanotech would make sure that Brooke’s scanner saw only what they wanted it to.

  Brooke took her time with Jessica, taking three separate samples before announcing herself satisfied and turning to Misha.

  Once Brooke was facing away, Jessica made a rather rude gesture at the inspector. The gesture turned into a series of full body motions that nearly had Cheeky laughing aloud while Cargo motioned for her to stop.

  Done with Misha, Brooke spun about to take a sample from Trevor and Jessica was caught in a rather awkward position with one leg up on the table, and a banana in her mouth. Her recovery was less than smooth as she placed her other leg on the table and pretended to smoke the banana nonchalantly.

  Cargo commented privately.

 

  Cargo shook his head.

 

  Cargo snorted aloud and Brooke’s sharp gaze darted to him. “Something on your mind, Captain?”

  “Lot’s, actually,” Cargo replied. “Like, what’s the best food joint on Ellis Reach? I’m dying for a good burger and we’ve been out of meat for three weeks.”

  “You’re a real funny crew,” Brooke said, scowling at them all. She turned and approached Nance. “And you. I’m not using your sample; I have to take my own.”

  “No,” Nance replied with a shake of her head as she stared down Brooke. “You’re not taking your own sample. You’ll use mine.”

  “Another comedian, great,” Brook said as she reached out with her sample extractor.

  Nance caught her wrist and shook her head again. “No, you’ll use my sample. Pick it up.”

  Brooke stared into Nance’s eyes for several long seconds before nodding. “Fine. I’ll use your sample.”

  Jessica said
on the crew’s private channel.

  Nance’s net avatar shrugged.

  “OK, I’m all set here,” Brooke said. “If you’ll escort me to the airlock, Captain Cargo, I’ll be on my way.”

  “Gladly,” Cargo replied.

  Hank asked.

 

  Hank laughed.

 

 

 

  ELLIS REACH

  STELLAR DATE: 04.20.8940 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Ellis Reach

  REGION: Perry System, Stillwater Nebula, Perseus Arm

  Ellis Reach was a curious station. For starters, it had a local ordinance against referring to it as a ‘station’. It had to be referenced properly as ‘Ellis Reach’, or just ‘The Reach’.

  From what Jessica had picked up on the local feeds during their approach, the denizens tended to call it ‘The Reach’, which was fine by her. Ellis was the name of a boyfriend she’d had back in Athabasca who had been a complete dickhead.

  The Reach was a large V-shaped station that orbited Seaway, a 12Mj gas giant fifteen AU from the Perry star. The station was a gas miner, utilizing massive graviton emitters on the ends of its fifty-kilometer-long arms to draw gasses off the planet below. Those gasses then pooled in a roiling mass within the center of the station’s ‘V’.

  The gasses were held in place by a powerful grav field, and the station extracted useful isotopes before dumping the rest of the gas out in a long stream trailing behind the station.

  Normally a trail like that would become a ring around the planet, and a hazard for the station itself. But a smaller outpost—called The Pup—trailed behind The Reach, shifting the waste gasses and pushing them back down to the planet below.