Fade sighed with relief at the unusual intruder. Taking point was an obviously unarmed woman in a golden suit coat; it complemented the knee length skirt of a lighter shade, which wrapped tightly around her thighs. Barely visible nylons enhanced her smooth oblong calves. A flashy armband rested around her sleeve. It depicted an ancient model camera on the foreground, with three purple circles arranged as the points of a triangle in the background. Long, wavy, blonde hair rested on her shoulder. It spun over a large bust restrained by her uniform.

“Hello, is anyone in here?” she called, “I’m not hostile, but I’m very uncomfortable.”

The woman shivered from exposure to extreme cold. It was only a little warmer in the hanger, but she braced herself and fought against discomfort to stand brazenly. From behind his cover, Fade motioned Bert to hold his fire with a hand signal. They kept hidden. Whoever she was, launching an anti-armor rocket at her was probably unnecessary.

Two dark haired young men followed behind the woman, each carrying two large black cases. They struggled to push them through the door, then slammed it shut once inside. They propped the cinder block up against it after the wind blew it back open. Fade stayed behind cover and motioned for Bert to see what they wanted. Sure they looked harmless, but that could be deceptive.

With a firm and demanding voice, the woman hailed Bert as soon as he appeared in her line of sight. She also gave the model forty-two in his right hand little notice. A dead stub of a cigarette dangled from Bert’s left sided smirk. Bert enjoyed examining her features, going from head to toe and then in reverse. The blonde woman pulled a palmtop computer from her coat pocket.

“I’m searching for Imperial Mercenary Harry Defacto. Are you that man, sir?” she asked, rather impatiently, “I’ve been given permission by the Imperial Information Bureau to board his ship and report live on the upcoming battle.”

“Well no, I’m not the one you’re lookin’ for, sweet cakes. He doesn’t answer to that name anyways, sort of dead to him. Now, aren’t you a fine dame, sure you’re not a spy?”

Bert extended his free hand and she reluctantly offered hers, but when his pistol’s barrel found its way against her chest she smacked it without hesitation. Bert smirked.

“Would you kindly put that thing away?” she asked, giving his pistol a quick glance. “Do you consider me a threat? Pulling a gun on an unarmed woman exposes some deep insecurities. And as you can see my assistants are not disposed to fight you, they are carrying my equipment, nothing threatening. You can search it.”

Bert winked with a smile that revealed brown teeth and scarce sore gums.

“Names Lieutenant Slemgut, I’m the... technical expert, and second in command. I’m Fade’s right hand man. In fact, I’m the Captain’s only crew, everything else is run by Horace, ship’s computer. The bastard is completely automated, well, almost completely, we could use more gunners and runners,” he said, feeling safe enough to slip his gun back into his overalls.

He pulled another cigarette out of his back pocket and tossed it between his palms while clenching the dead stub in his teeth.

“Right,” she said. “Then tell me how to find Captain Defacto, I have important business to discuss with him.”

“Fade? Well, it’s kind of, complicated. I might be able to help you out, but I have work tonight, so how bout we discuss this over some grub once I get back from the next job. I hear Weift is a hot spot for couples,” Bert said with a lewd smile and a raise of his eyebrows as he leaned in close, “Got nice mud spas.”

She grabbed him by the collar, and shook him so fiercely that both his cigarettes fell to the floor, trampled to a mixture of ash and raw tobacco by golden loafers.

“You’re going to tell me where he is right now, or you’ll regret it,” she said.

“All right, All right,” he said, taking a step back. “You’re awfully strong for such a...”

Bert pointed behind her, as if she should look, and grumbled the rest of his sentences, “He’s been watchin’ ya the whole time. The way ya burst in here, I’m surprised he didn’t skewer you on the spot. Fortunately for you, he hasn’t been himself lately.”

The woman ignored Bert and focused her attention on Fade, who was already questioning her camera men. She raised her eyebrows when she saw him, she had pictured someone taller.

“That’s the same man who demolished five pirate destroyer squads in one battle, without reinforcements? The same man who, if the underground claims can be believed, saved Weift from being overrun by rebels when two imperial interstellar fleets were essentially destroyed.”

“Yah so, I was there too ya know!” Bert spat, “Every word of it is true!”

Karen simply ignored him and began walking towards Fade; Bert turned a bit red in the face.

“Nothing but a pack of shrews. The whole lot of ya,” he grumbled.

“Captain Defacto, or so I’ve been told,” she said, inspecting him.

Fade squinted as blue sunlight from a portal above hit his face when he looked up, she was seven inches taller than he was.

“I hope you don’t mind explaining what allows you to barge into my hanger when I have to launch within the next half hour,” he snapped, “Not to mention getting physical with my mechanic. I have a battle to prepare for, and in case you don’t know, that would mean you’re interfering with military business. I don’t care what media organization you’re with, get out.”

Her facial expression changed from a serious frown to a courteous, congenial smile. She looked a bit nervous.

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“I’m very sorry Captain Defacto. I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Karen Howards of Imperial News Service. I’d like your permission to broadcast live from the Imminent Destruction. We’ll be no bother, and I’m sure you can spare the space. My crew will work behind the scenes. All the required permissions are here for your review along with standard compensation.”

“Let me guess, the Dorian is taken so you’ve sought out the first available ship, which so happens to be a mercenary ship. Look, I’m not going to risk the lives of civilians,” Fade said, “Take your filming elsewhere.”

Karen followed him into the pressurization chamber of the main entrance to his cruiser, bouncing up the stairs effortlessly.

“Captain Defacto……..”

“Don’t!” Fade yelled, turning away and heading toward the steps, entering his ship “Don’t call me by that name. Everyone else calls me Fade, stick with that.”

“Captain Fade then, don’t you think the world should know how important the Imminent Destruction is to the Imperial Fleet? Would you deny the world a chance to see Fade, the mercenary, the hero, in action? All your previous exploits have been debated for lack of footage. What about recording your role in the upcoming battle for posterity’s sake?”

“Independent contractor. Mercenary is considered a term of derision,” Fade said. Then he realized she was inside the ship with him. “Miss Howards, I need to set up the anti-gravitational launch sequence without distraction. Hence, get out of my hangar.”

She refused to budge, instead she unbuttoned the top of her blouse, picking out a hundred Haricon note. Fade turned toward the ship’s inner hall, checking the sensors and gauges without noticing the money.

“As much as I appreciate the gesture,” Fade said, “Sleeping with me isn’t going to get you on this ship.”

Karen laughed.

“Not in your wildest dreams fly boy. I don’t work that way either. I was hoping Senator Frogatu could persuade you to let me report from your ship, maybe him and five hundred of his clones. Carlos has the case with the money, we can leave it in your ship and forget all about it. This is above and beyond standard compensation you’ll receive from the Imperial News Service for your accommodation.”

Fade pushed the money away.

“You just tried to bribe a contracted military officer. That carries a five year prison term,” he said.

Karen put the money back and buttoned the top of her blouse. She started sniveling, then backed down the steps using the railing as her crutch. Tears fell from her cheek, leaving misshapen blots of moisture on the steps. Fade threw her a clean handkerchief from his pocket. The coldness of the step made Karen jump up, but she sat back down and continued crying.

“B-but, I could lose my job…. I took the expense of coming all the way out to this god forsaken frontier planet for nothing. And the expense of fixing the money so it could be reactivated without being traced. Y-y…”

At that Bert burst from the shed and up the steps, “Are you nuts, ya just refused 50,000 credits. We need the money! Look here, ya have the poor thing cryin’ her eyes out. It’s a shame ya’d be so cruel hearted to a simple dame like herself. No wonder she’s upset, ya just single handily ruined her job as a reporter.”

Bert knelt down with her, patting her shoulder. The lonely tear drop found itself holding a salt water convention. Fade sighed as he continued to make adjustments to various panels.

“If it means this much to her, I might as well let her report onboard, but I’m not taking a bribe,” Fade said, “Standard compensation is enough.”

Karen covered her face to hide a smugly cynical smile. She wiped off the remaining moisture annoying her eyes with the handkerchief. Then she stuffed the sodden cloth into Bert’s shirt pocket. She approached Fade and wrapped her arms lightly around his neck from behind.

“You’re quite the noble gentlemen aren’t you?” she said, “I bet your girl loves you to death.”

Bert jumped down the steps backward, three at once, looking back like a mad heckler as he shook his fist, “Free of Charge! Now were runnin’ a welfare clinic. Damn you Fade! You’re doin’ this just to piss me off. That damn shrew could at least pay me four Haricons for a new smoke!”

Bert slammed the shed door, causing the crowbar in the hole to fall with a clatter against the cement. It made a lone spark; then fell sideways and vibrated before quieting down. Karen remained pressed against Fade’s back with her arms around him as he continued to adjust the launch sequence.

"The guest room is toward the back of the ship,” Fade said, “It’s the blue room beside the mess. I’m afraid you won’t find it too accommodating. As for your equipment, set it up in the front observation deck, and don’t disturb my crew.”

She broke her grasp, giving him the freedom to look at a screen displaying the time, “You have the next twenty five minutes to get ready. I don’t want trouble.”

Fade turned the handle for the inner hatch on the top console. The metal plates separated and Karen walked inside, feeling the smooth rubber insulation over the edge of the doorway with her right hand.

“Have you ever been in space before?” Fade asked.

“Of course, my father is one of the wealthiest men in the empire,” she snapped. “Besides, I made it to this tin pot outpost.”

“Fine, follow the rules and we’ll get along,” Fade groaned.

Karen called to her camera men from the top of the hatch, “Carlos, Adritah, bring in the equipment and let’s get set up so Captain Defacto and his big hairy chimp can get underway.”

The two men grabbed the cases and began to struggle up the steps. Fade blocked their path.

“My offer only extended to Miss Howards,” Fade said, “You two will have to stay behind.”

Karen frowned, “These men are my crew. It’s crucial that you allow them onboard; otherwise, I’ll never be able to set up my equipment.”

“I’ll have to confer with my mechanic about the other passengers,” Fade said. “Might be tough to accommodate the extra men. If one of you could be so kind as to call him out of the office, I’ll see what we can work out.”

Carlos put down his case and banged on the door to the shed. Bert came out quickly.

“What is it?” he called.

“Karen insists these two men board despite the extra trouble for us,” Fade said, “They’re covered by her company compensation, but let’s face it, that’s peanuts.”

“Let them bunk with her,” said Bert, quite angrily.

Fade rubbed his forehead, “Would that take care of the financial aspect. How much do think it’ll cost to adjust the engines for this extra capacity. Not mention feeding, transporting, stowage, and use of the computer system for their broadcasting time.”

“Who cares,” Bert said, “You’re given’ them a free ride.”

“I never said the men could board without a little palm grease,” Fade explained with a groan.

“That’s right. Ya didn’t say they could board free,” Bert smiled, “I think the extra resources will cost twenty five thousand Haricons per person.”

“Adritah put the case on the steps,” Karen said, digging the hundred Haricon note out of her blouse and throwing it to the hanger floor, “Oh my, looks like we might have to just forget about one of our supply cases.”

“Open it,” Fade said. Adritah complied. The case was filled with one hundred Haricon notes. “Horace, scan the package please.”

A tube descended from the top of the ship, and motioned over the case.

“Everything normal captain. Testing for chemicals, explosives, and biohazards all negative. The money is not counterfeit; however, the tracking devices have been temporarily interfered with as such that they can be reactivated to make the bill legitimate. Do you wish me to reactivate the currency?”

“No, not at this time, that will be all Horace.”

Fade allowed the men to pass, while Bert pulled the case into his arms. He hugged it and fell onto his back.

“Ha, I knew ya wouldn’t let me down,” Bert said, joyfully fingering the money. “By the way, what’s a chimp?”

Fade shook his head, “Just put that somewhere safe.”