The Last Horizon by Anthony Hartig Page A

rifle and turned to Edik, “Cover me. I’m going to pat her down for weapons.”
    She took a step closer and gestured for me to turn around. “Take off the jacket slowly.”
    I removed my bomber jacket, let it fall to the floor, and put my hands back on my head.
    “Look what we’ve got here,” Echo smiled as she grabbed my Cobalt from the shoulder holster, and handed it to Edik.
    “What do you have in the hold?” The older man demanded.
    “Deodorants and skin care products for androgynous, ponytailed male hijackers.”
    “ Wiseass!” He pressed the barrel of his rifle between my eyes. “I otta blow your fu…”
    “Back off Grey.” Echo said calmly as she took my tactical knife from its sheath. “Seinz wants her alive for now.” She continued to pat me down. Echo paused for a second and sighed as she removed the ankle wrap with the spikes and tossed it to Edik. “Why don’t you make yourself useful and see what she’s got in the back?”
    Edik examined the spikes and shook his head.
    “ Yeah, Edik, take the probe and check it out.” Grey ordered. “Echo, can you run a diagnostic on this ship?”
    “I’ll work on access.” Echo said sternly as she stood back up and stared at me. “She’s clean.” Echo nodded then backhanded my left cheek hard. “You’ll do what you’re told if you know what’s good for you.”
    “Grey what’s your status?” A deep voice sounded over the older man’s headset.
    “The ship’s secure, Seinz. It’s just the pilot--no passengers.”
    “ Send someone back to the shuttle and find out what’s going on with Rell.” Seinz said angrily. “I’ve been trying to reach him for the last ten minutes. If he’s asleep at the controls again I’m going to dump his ass out here.”
    “Give us a few more minut es and I’ll have Edik look in on him.”
    “What’ s she hauling?”
    “Don’t know yet. Edik’s checking on the cargo now.”
    “Hurry it up. We just picked something up on the scanners. Something’s heading toward us.”
    “ 10-4, Seinz.” Grey said humorlessly. He put his hand over the left ear piece of his headset. “Rell, you copy?”
    Silence.
    “Rell, you there?” Grey shook his head with disgust. “Bastard!”
    “Seinz is right,” Echo glanced over from the instrument panel, “he probably fell asleep again. You know how he is.”
    A few minutes later, Edik reappeared with a bottle and the duffle bag.
    “What’s that?” Grey asked.
    “First crate I opened is full of this hooch!” Edik beamed as he took a swig of whiskey and belched.”
    “Gimme that!” Grey snagged the bottle out of Edik’s hands and studied it. “Moving alcohol across space.” Grey raised the bottle to his nose and sniffed. “This is the good stuff.”
    “Alcohaulin’!” Edik grinned. “And check this out!” He held up the bag.
    “What’s in it?”
    Edik set the duffle bag on the floor, unzipped it, and stood back up with a huge smile.
    “ Damn!” Grey’s eyes widened as he stared at my money. “Anything else we should know about?” Grey frowned.
    “Yes, the dietary supplements I’ve been taking giv e me a nasty case of the vapors, how does my ass smell?”
    “This one’s trouble, Grey,” Edik glared as he held up my ankle wrap, “I say you let me have at her for a few, then we end her and tell Seinz she tried to pull some shit.”
    “Shut up, Edik!” Grey spat. “ Get back to the shuttle and wake up Rell. We’re bringing her back to the Moria.”
    Edik shouldered his rifle and stomped through the pressure lock. The drone followed him through as the door slid shut and he headed back to their ship…

    S cott moved silently into the shadows of the last stack of containers that stood next to the door of the decon compartment when he heard footsteps coming down the aisle. He stood motionless in the darkness with his back against the wall and his weapon in his left hand.
    The pirates had gotten careless and assumed Nikki was alone. This was a