Ep.#1 - "Escalation" (The Frontiers Saga: Rogue Castes) Read Online Free

need the extra funds to repair the boxcar.”
    “I’d much rather be in a straight-up shooting war,” Jessica said, “with someone worth killing.”
    “I hear you, Lieutenant,” the sergeant agreed.
    Jessica handed the credit chip to the girl in the outer office.
    “Preferred currency?” the girl asked as she inserted the credit chip into the reader on her desk.
    “PEUs, please,” Jessica replied.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Jessica tapped her comm-set. “We’ll be out in a few minutes,” she called. “How long do you need?”
    “ We’ll be topped off in five, ” Sergeant Torwell replied. “ We’ll be there to pick you up in ten minutes. ”
    “Here you are,” the girl said as she handed the credit chip back to Jessica.
    Jessica pressed the chip between her thumb and forefinger. The chip recognized her prints and displayed a balance sheet in the air directly in front of her. Jessica smiled. “Pleasure doing business with you.” She placed the chip back in her pocket and headed out the door, with Sergeant Todd close behind.
    “It’s still not enough,” the sergeant mentioned as they left the office and headed down the hallway.
    “It’s a start,” Jessica said.
    “Hey, I saw a glopsy cart on the corner when we came in. Can we stop and get something to eat? I’m starving.”
    “You like that shit?”
    “Are you kidding? Have you tried it with the sweet and sour sauce?”
    “Fine, as long as we’re off this world and jumping our way back to Sherma in ten minutes.”
    * * *
    The limousine rolled across the tarmac, passing by several private shuttles before finally arriving at its destination. Itpulled up next to a shuttle that was not the largest on the line at the spaceport, but was impressive nonetheless. It had clean lines, a black hull with gold trim, and the logo for Ranni Enterprises next to the boarding hatch. Unlike most of the other corporate shuttles, this ship was not a conversion. She was built from the ground up as a corporate jump shuttle.
    Loki stood proudly at the boarding hatch. He had been serving as the sole pilot for this shuttle since it began its service life five years ago, and he loved every minute of it. The ship was a joy to operate, with more automation and safety features than one could imagine. For something to go wrong with this ship, you had to make it go wrong.
    The ship was small, with a passenger capacity of only four, plus the two seats in the cockpit. Although it was comfortable, it was still cramped inside. However, their trips were always short, lasting no more than thirty minutes to an hour at the most. All in all, it was an easy, low-stress job that paid well, and allowed him to be home every night with his wife and daughter. It wasn’t exciting by any stretch of the imagination, but it was safe. And he was doing what he loved to do. He was a pilot.
    The limousine door opened, and Deliza and her assistant Biarra stepped out.
    “Miss Ta’Akar,” Loki greeted.
    Deliza smiled. After all these years, Loki still insisted on playing the role of a polite, corporate shuttle pilot. She had told him time and again that he didn’t need to be so formal, as they had been friends for nearly a decade, ever since Loki and Josh had rescued her and her family from Haven. But Loki insisted on the formalities, at least in public. “Everything ready to go?” she asked as she approached.
    “Yes, ma’am. We already have our departure clearance, and can be wheels up in five minutes.”
    “Excellent. I’m starving.”
    “We should be on the ground at Aitkenna in thirty minutes,” Loki assured her. “I trust your negotiations went well?”
    “Well enough,” Deliza replied as she stepped up into the shuttle, and disappeared through the hatch.
    “She was amazing,” Biarra whispered as she followed Deliza.
    Loki smiled as he followed them inside and closed the hatch. Biarra had only been serving as Deliza’s personal assistant for a few months now, and this was her fourth