Riding on a Pale Horse - Part Two

Posted on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 5:20am by Celeste Rockford

Mission: Mission 93: Home Grown Fear and Terror
Location: Various Locations - Planet Barrinor
Timeline: 0600Hrs - July 1st, 2392

Four hours later Ryst had ditched the car, accessed a reserve bank account under the name Celeste Rockford, purchased clothing and had her hair done. It was now cut shorter and was blonde. The thought of altering her hair colour had never occurred to Ryst until today. It would take a constable at least a second look to make her and by then she would have the situation under control.

Ryst carried her bags to a local 5 star hotel and booked a room. Taking her purchases to the room, she left and went to the luggage store in the lobby. Ordering a set of bags, she had them sent to her room. Next, she stepped into the café in the lobby and ordered lunch.

Having finished her meal, she hailed a cab and ordered it to the shuttleport. It arrived and she asked the driver to keep the meter running and wait for her. Stepping out, she headed for the local sales office.

Upon seeing a woman dressed in an expensive business suit, Harl Edgely smelled money. He quickly sized her up and approached, "Can I help you?"

"I want to buy a ship. A recent model runabout if you have them or a shuttle if you've nothing better." Ryst said in a matter of fact tone.

"Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to book a flight or charter a service?"

Ryst chuckled darkly, "I know the travel lines give you a higher commission but I want a ship and I want it now."

Edgely blinked but said nothing for a moment, "I have something you might appreciate. It's out of most travellers' price range but if I've guessed correctly, price is no object."

"You've guessed correctly." Ryst's lips curved into a smile.

"Follow me." Edgely proceeded to lead her out the back door, Ryst followed and he manoeuvred around several parked shuttles. Coming around a larger shuttle he stopped and beamed.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Sitting before them was a black metallic capsule with two warp nacelles. Ryst looked dubious, "How fast can she move?"

"She's capable of .7 c at sublight and she can get up to warp 4.75 for twelve hours. Her normal cruising speed is warp 3.6." Edgely explained and then went on to describe the ship's capabilities, "She is fully computer driven with manual override available. She sports a full living suite with a dining area and a bedroom suite as well."

"What are her defensive capabilities?" Ryst wondered.

"She has merchant marine issue defensive shields." Edgely described, "As well as Type II phasers."

"Those would barely pulverise an asteroid." Ryst snorted.

"But they will give the stray pirate or rogue the fright of his life." Edgely chuckled.

"I'll take it." Ryst declared.

"Without seeing the interior?" Edgely squawked.

"If it doesn't satisfy me I'll simply return and kill you." Ryst warned him.

It took Edgely a moment to realise that she wasn't joking. Taking it as a foible of the wealthy, he walked her back to the office where she transferred the latinum to the corporate coffers. She also authorised a fifty strip gratuity for Edgely. He gratefully promised to oversee the ship's detailing himself. Her business concluded, Ryst returned to the waiting cabbie who was greedily watching the meter climb.

Later that evening, after dinner, Ryst used the comm unit in her room to contact the Orion Syndicate. After two hours of being foisted off on increasingly higher-ups, she finally spoke to Robhurt B'nner's lieutenant. She, in turn, rerouted the call to B'nner himself.

The grizzled old Orion calmly studied Ryst, "You're looking well for someone who's just broken jail."

"And you're well informed." Ryst commented.

"I keep an eye on our top assets." B'nner informed her, "That independent job you did for the Solarian Security Systems was sloppy work. I would have expected more from you."

"I was careless." Ryst admitted, "I underestimated the targets."

B'nner smiled, showing yellow teeth, "Good. Very good. You didn't try and shift the blame. I respect that."

"Thank you." Ryst said, it was more a statement of fact then anything else.

"And now you want me to place a contract on Macen's life so that you can slay him." B'nner stated.

"Yes." Ryst coolly confirmed it.

"No." B'nner registered Ryst's disappointment and elaborated, "I have another target in mind. One that will lead Macen's lackeys into a trap that will avenge Daveed's death."

"Your son was my patron." Ryst confided, "I would do anything to repay his murder."

"Excellent." B'nner chuckled without humour, "Join me on Orion and we shall plot our vengeance together."

Ryst bowed her head, "It will be done."

"Which alias are you employing?" B'nner inquired.

"Celeste Rockford." Ryst answered.

"I will transfer five thousand bars of latinum to that account." B'nner announced, "That should cover your expenses."

"I'm grateful." Ryst replied.

"Don't be grateful. Be successful." B'nner admonished, "If you are, you will have a life of comfort and leisure."

"Maybe later in life." Ryst retorted, "I still have good years ahead of me."

"As do I." B'nner assured her, "When can you set out for Orion?"

"I secured a ship today." Ryst informed him, "I should be able to leave tomorrow."

"Good." B'nner smiled again. It was a ghastly sight, "Our vengeance has waited for too long."