Bypass Gemini by Joseph Lallo

fresh, a steady stream of haulers dumping wreckage from high orbit in exchange for a few spare credits, or just to avoid the fines associated with improperly disposing of hazardous waste. It was a testament to how cheap and easy interstellar travel had become that such a place was even conceivably worthwhile.
    Lex took the ship in close, just outside the fringe of the junk cloud, and let himself drift along for a while, dumping heat from his engines and deciding what course would get him back on track the fastest. While he did, he flipped the slidepad back on to pull in his messages and net content. It finished almost immediately. Evidently the junkyard had a much better network connection than the diner. Go figure. He was still reviewing the list of news and messages when the computer blipped to let him know that another ship had entered the system. Probably one of the haulers with another load... Though it was awfully small for a hauler. In fact, it was just about the same size as-
    “ This is your second warning, Mr. Alexander,” the voice of Agent Fisk droned.
    “ What the- How the- How did you find me?!”
    As an answer, the Agent’s face flicked onto the com screen. Video messages had to be authorized, but considering the fact that this guy had managed to find Lex with the whole universe to hide in, cracking some minor security didn’t seem terribly impressive. The face that stared back at him was an intimidating one. He was built thick and muscular, dirty blond hair sheared into a military cut, the first few strands of gray beginning to thread through it. He had severe brown eyes, the kind you’d expect to see lining up the sights of a rifle in a firing squad. He wasn’t smiling.
    “ I am a VectorCorp Agent. You are using VectorCorp Communications equipment and infrastructure. We know who you are. We know where you are. Always.”
    Lex looked at the little orange and white VC logo on his com system and palmed his face. It wasn’t that he’d had a choice. There literally wasn’t another company that would provide communication service where he needed it. It was just that he was stupid and cocky enough to flip his data connection back on so soon after a run in. Officially, they didn’t monitor and track individuals via their transmissions, but officially they didn’t fire plasma and missiles at people they didn’t have any proof against either. Deep space was great at keeping things off the record.
    “ Third and final warning. Surrender your illegal package and be escorted to the nearest criminal processing facility to be fined and sentenced.”
    “ Well, I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
    The smart thing to do would be to give up and follow orders. True, he was not technically, at the moment, breaking the law. In the few minutes at the beginning of his flight when he was in VC controlled space he was, and in the final few minutes when he entered it again, he would be, but right now he was in the clear. They had no proof of the brief moments of criminality. Thus if he DID get away, though he would look suspicious as hell, there would be no legal action that could be levied against him. He considered his next course of action. The consequences of giving in right now would be a fine that would bankrupt him, a probable permanent suspension of his interstellar flight license and thus livelihood, and a black mark on his record. The consequences of trying to get away and failing were either a bigger fine and jail time, or else a fatal crash. Lex popped a fresh stick of gum in his mouth, cranked the engines back up, and dipped down into the cloud of debris.
    Like he said, he didn’t really have a choice.
    It quickly became clear that navigating the mess of wreckage and trash was nothing like the Briar Patch a few minutes ago. There was literally no way to avoid hitting at least some of the smaller stuff. His weak shields were constantly glittering with their own little fireworks display as he