OMEGA Guardian Read Online Free Page B

in two days than with the previous three detectives I was assigned to."
    As we lifted out of the docking bay, I spoke. "Previous three detectives?"
    Go nodded. "Yeah. There was Dave Mitchell. He was my first. He disappeared about six months after I started. Ship and all, just gone. Then there was Manitel. She was a Magonia like Meli and Mr. Boglio. She quit and moved away. And then Hal. He got his throat cut while on an inspection. The recorders had been scrubbed, but there was residual from a docking bay on the landing gear. He had definitely been on another ship when it happened. Plus, there was the fact that there was no blood here in the cockpit. They let him bleed out, then moved his body back onto the ship and set it afloat in free space."
    I replied, "This is not a very friendly sector, is it."
    Go shook his head. "As my mom always said, ‘When the AMP died, Omega lost its soul.’"
    We moved the ship to one of the busier shipping lanes and scanned for other ships that belonged to the Governor of SS241. Each ship we encountered was carrying stolen goods. The Governor’s theft ring was one of the largest I had ever encountered. And nothing was being done to hide it. It seemed the slavers were content with allowing him to raid some of the wealthier citizens in the Omega sector, as long as he stayed out of their business. With the amount of contraband we had seen on the first day, I imagined the Governor was already a very wealthy man.
    When we set down on the deck in Bay-68, I placed a comm call through to Ogu on SS5.
    Ogu answered. "Hello, my friend. How is life in the Omega sector? Are you settled in yet?"
    I replied, "This place is a mess. No one follows the rules, and the government officials all seem to be corrupt. My new captain just keeps his head down in the paperwork to keep himself out of trouble."
    Ogu laughed. "Paperwork?"
    I nodded. "Yes, paperwork. Literally. There are no computers in the office, no terminals, no networks. I don’t even have an arm pad or a blaster. I suspect, if I would like either of those, I will have to get them myself."
    Ogu raised an eyebrow. "I can get you arm pads. A blaster is much harder to come by."
    I continued, "This sector is overrun with slavers as well. They control the Governor of SS241, and I would imagine it’s the same with the other colonies out here. The Governor is a thief as well and is robbing the people blind. His deal with the slavers is to turn a blind eye to them if they allow him his vice."
    Ogu replied, "Let me send you an arm pad or two. And I will look into finding you a blaster. That is insane for you to go aboard ships without protection."
    I nodded. "That would be appreciated. Just make sure you include an invoice for the cost. You have your own family to feed."
    Ogu laughed. "Don’t worry about me. The business has been picking up. I have almost doubled last year’s income, and we are only seven months into the fiscal year. It seems a little revolution is good for the salvage business."
    After closing the comm, I stood, hunching over, and exited the Mabel . Go was working on her exterior.
    I said, "Why don’t you take the rest of the day off. I think we accomplished more than I expected today. I'm going to go down to check out my new quarters on level 99."
    Go stood. "What? Why would you go down there? It's not safe!"
    I half smiled. "I need to get some sleep, and that bunk on the ship is too short."
    Go looked into the hatch and then turned back. "I think there is room to extend it behind my seat. Give me an hour, and I might have something worked up for you."
    I smiled. "Take some time off. Go out and get rested or refreshed. The bunk project will still be there tomorrow."
    Go shook his head. "Go out? Are you crazy? If I leave this ship unattended for fifteen minutes, Roger will have her stripped bare! I’ll just hang around here, if that’s OK with you."
    I gave a single nod as I turned toward the bay door. To my surprise, Malcom was standing