The Weaponsmith & Glaive was a dark and dingy bar in the city's heart on Asteroid Juewa 139. The owner vaporised incense cubes in the attempt to cover the stench of its clientele. Coupled with faulty air conditioning, the synthetic wood resins only added to the feeling of claustrophobia. At least the underground location was warmer than above the ground and under Jewa 139’s dome. It was the kind of place deals were made and secrets were kept.
As Jaxon Orion strode in, his sharp eyes scanned for his contact. He spotted her at the back, nursing a drink in a booth. Her string of five eyes glanced at him from a green face, and she nodded.
Jaxon slid in across from her, the leather creaking beneath him. “What’s the job?”
His contact handed him a data chip. “Transport an ancient artefact across the galaxy. Safe delivery guaranteed. The client is offering a substantial sum for prompt delivery.”
Jaxon raised an eyebrow at the amount on the chip. It was enough to set up him and his crew for life. “Seems too good to be true. Why the rush?”
She shrugged. “The client didn’t specify. But the money is good, and the job is easy. Just deliver the artefact to its final destination and collect the payment.”
Jaxon’s gut told him there was more to the story, but the allure of the wealth was too much to resist. “We’ll take the job.” He pocketed the data chip.
As he made his way back to the Manticore, Jaxon wondered who the client was. What was their interest in this artefact? And why were they willing to pay so much?
But Jaxon reminded himself that his job was to transport the artefact safely and efficiently, without asking too many questions. He made a mental note to keep his guard up and stay alert.
When he boarded the Manticore, he viewed the data chip as ordered. It stated that during that night, a cyborg would bring him the object and guard it during its transportation with his crew and on his starship.
He still had a few hours until the cyborg came with the cargo. As he waited, he and his co-pilot, Seth Foxwell, checked over the ship’s systems to make sure everything was in working order. The Manticore was a sturdy vessel, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and a crew of skilled individuals. They had been through their fair share of dangerous missions, and Jaxon trusted them to get the job done. They were making their way through the ship’s systems check, each manning a console and checking every gauge and readout.
Jaxon whistled as he worked, his fingers flying over the controls. “Man, this ship is purring like a kitten. You sure you did nothing to it while I was gone?”
Seth shot him a withering look from a dark brown face, under electric blue eyebrows and a matching afro. “I’m a pilot, not a mechanic, Jaxon. I know how to fly this thing, not fix it.”
“You’re a good mechanic. What’re you talking about?”
“You know what I mean. I don’t work in the engine room with Rally.”
Jaxon chuckled.
Seth shook his head and smirked. “So, what exactly are we delivering this time?”
Jaxon shrugged. “I don’t know. Some kind of ancient artefact. But the client’s paying big bucks, so I’m not asking questions.”
Seth raised a blue eyebrow. “Sounds like the setup for a heist movie. You sure we’re not getting ourselves into trouble?”
“Relax. We’ll be fine. And if we do get into trouble, we’ll just fly faster than whoever’s chasing us.”
They shared a grin before getting back to the systems check. Everything seemed in order, except for one thing.
“Hey, Seth. Can you give the dark matter haul engine a once-over? It’s been acting up a bit lately.”
His co-pilot nodded and headed to the engine room. After half an hour, he returned with a thumbs-up. “Looks like it just needed a minor tweak. It’s ready now.”
“Great.” Jaxon clapped him on the back. “That’s one less thing to worry about on our fifty-light-year journey to hand over this mystery object.”
“Fifty light-years? That’s gonna be a long trip. You got any music lined up?”
“Oh, you know it. I’ve got a whole playlist of space-themed tunes ready to go. And I even threw in some classical music for when we want to get fancy.”
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Seth shook his head in mock-disgust. “You and your classical music. You know, you’re not fooling anyone, Jaxon. We all know you’re just trying to look cultured.”
“Hey, it’s good for the soul.” Jaxon slapped his knee and snorted. “And who knows, maybe we’ll learn something on this trip. Like how to appreciate the finer things in life.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Captain. Let’s just hope this artefact we’re delivering doesn’t turn out to be cursed or something.”
Jaxon chuckled. “Don’t worry, Seth. We’ve faced worse things than a little curse. And with you by my side, we can handle anything.”
***
After a meal and a nap, Jaxon waited in the cargo bay for the cyborg to arrive with the artefact.
He rubbed sweaty palms on his all-in-one black uniform, wondering what this cyborg would be like. Did he need a cyborg’s backup for this delivery? A shiver ran up his spine. It would be better without her. He had his mercenary, Damien, for backup. He liked his team of nine on his Manticore and had refused cyborgs and droids in the past. Stories of cyborgs malfunctioning and turning on their human counterparts swelled at the forefront of his mind. But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.
The cargo bay doors opened with a hiss, and the cyborg entered. His eyes were drawn to a petite East-Asian cyborg woman, a foot shorter than him. She was clad in a sleek, form-fitting bodysuit. Holographic accents played across her attire, and hints of cybernetic enhancements peeked through, blending seamlessly with her graceful form.
He blinked rapidly. The mix of technology and elegance intrigued him. He extended a hand while worrying about the intensity of her grip.
Her metal hand was cold in his. “Captain Orion?”
“Jaxon will do.”
She tilted her head. “Are you Captain Orion?”
“Sure. Captain Jaxon Orion’s my name.”
Her black-eyed stare softened, and she released her hand. “Jaxon, my name’s Kaida Takahashi. And as I can call you by your first name, you can call me Kaida, too.”
There was a tightness in his gut as he smiled at her, wondering what her cyborg assemblages could do.
But Kaida didn’t seem to notice his unease. She trailed a metal finger along her other arm and opened a small compartment in the location of her biceps. She extracted an intricately designed box the size of his thumb.
“This is the artefact,” she said in a smooth voice. “We must keep it safe. I will store it here.” She slipped it back into her arm.
Jaxon nodded. “We’ll make sure it’s delivered to its final destination without incident.”
The cyborg nodded.
He slipped a mechanical device from his pocket and cleared his throat. “And this is a tracking beacon I’m supposed to give you to wear for a worst-case scenario such as abduction.”
“Yes.” She slotted it into a tiny gap behind her ear.
His mouth went dry. His muscles strained. “Doesn’t that hurt?”
“A little. But I can control adrenalin and dopamine levels to make it less painful. I was told that this is where the tracking beacon should go.”
“Okay.” He winced. “Do you eat? Are you hungry?”
“I just ate, thank you. Please, will you show me to my room? I would like to meditate.”
He flinched. “Meditate?”
“I might be a cyborg, but it doesn’t mean I am not human.”
“Sorry. Of course.”
As they strolled out of the cargo bay and along a passageway in level three, Jaxon swallowed. “I have a question. Who is the client, and why is this artefact so important?”
Kaida turned back to him. “That information is not relevant to the job. Your only concern is the safe delivery of the artefact.”
Jaxon sighed, knowing he wouldn’t get any answers.
After giving Kaida a comp band and showing her how to contact him and unlock her door, he opened the door to her apartment.
She gasped when she stepped in and stared through the transparent wall. “That’s my view?”
“Of course.”
“This is all mine?” She pivoted on the spot, taking in the large living room with a shiny black floor and red sofas and cushions. “It’s bigger than I imagined. Where is the public bathroom?”
“Public?” He chuckled. “You have everything you need here.”
She gaped at him.
“May I?” He extended a hand into the space.
She nodded and stepped back.
He entered and strolled across the red and black living area, opening the three doors along the left side. “Bathroom, gym, and kitchen.”
“Wow.” She poked her head into the bathroom. “Where does that door at the end lead?”
“The glass door? Oh, that’s just your sauna.”
“Just?” She blinked up at him.
“Oh.” He covered his mouth as heat flooded his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. Would your cyborg parts overheat?”
“Of course not. Espyx only heats at three-hundred degrees Celsius.”
He clasped his hands together and pasted on a smile. “Great.”
“Where’s the gym?”
“Right this way.”
The windowless black and metallic room was bare.
“Where’s the equipment?”
“You’ll have an AirOrb and VR.”
Her lips parted into a wide smile. “I can’t believe all this luxury.” She opened her arms for a hug. “Thank you.”
He shuffled on his feet and gave her a quick and tight embrace, unsure whether such contact was appropriate. He pulled away and skimmed her pretty face. She looked young. Perhaps in her early twenties.
After he showed her the food and drink dispenser, AirOrb remote, and how to access the VR games, he left her to settle in.
As he walked back to the bridge, Captain Orion chewed on a fingernail. Was there more to this job than he had originally thought? He’d have to keep his guard up and stay vigilant.
His insides quivered, and he twisted his comp band again. Hopefully, the artefact was secure with such a young cyborg.
When he entered the Bridge, he gave the order to set a course for their next destination. The Manticore hummed to life as it lifted off the asteroid and soared into space, ready to begin its journey across the galaxy.