A Transporter's Guide to the Galaxy: Family Drama

Chapter 3

The hanger was silent, to the point where it made Maze uneasy. After three days of nonstop preparation, Maze and Jett finally stood on the boarding ramp of their ship with everything set and ready to go for the voyage. Until a few hours before, the hanger had been filled with a flurry of activity and noise. Now, the only thing that could be heard were the distant sounds coming from the workers in the neighboring hangers. The eerie sound of their voices bouncing around the nearly empty hanger was making setting Maze on edge.

Again, the woman had wanted to meet at an ungodly hour in the morning, so both Maze and Jett were leaning against some rigging on the ramp and nursing their mutual mugs of coffee. Both men had been up all night finishing the long list of things the woman had wanted for her granddaughter's trip. Maze groaned inwardly as he thought of having to deal with a spoiled rich child for the whole of the trip, running on the few hours of sleep he was able to grab.

Jett sensed Maze's glare and Maze watched as he grinned, looking off toward the hanger wall, and asked, "What is it princess? Coffee a bit too strong for your delicate stomach?" The half-filled mug of coffee thrown in his direction that the question earned him broke on the metal panel right where his head had been seconds before. Jett brushed the ceramic chips off his shoulder as he casually sipped his coffee and snickered at Maze.

"You never could make a decent cup to save your life Jett." Maze said as he stretched and made his way down from the ramp. "When the hell are they supposed to be coming again?" Maze was not one to stand and do nothing for long, even less so when he was waiting to start a job. He could practically hear his ship calling him to the helm. He enjoyed few things more than flying out of the atmosphere and into the vast openness of space. Ever since Jett first taught him to fly, he couldn't stand being on planet for more than a few days without becoming an irritable asshole.

"I believe I told you I would arrive with my granddaughter promptly at five o'clock in the morning, Mr.....You know I do not remember catching your last name." The woman was walking up to the ship with a small entourage behind her. Today she was wearing a suit of pale blue and a small scowl decorated her face. Maze scanned the rest of the group, his only answer to her evident question was a smirk. Maze's real name belonged to a child who died alongside his sister many years ago, or that's how it was reflected in the intergalactic database. Jett had given Maze his new name, keeping him out of any official records. That's how they both wanted it to stay. There was a figure trailing behind the older woman, roughly the same size and build. The person wore a hood low over their face and their traveling clothes, although made of expensive material, seemed simply cut and tailored to cover every inch of exposed skin. The other members of the small band seemed to be made of hired soldiers, all were wearing matching uniforms and stood straight with their arms firmly set in a resting stance as the group came to stop at the end of the ramp in front of Maze.

Jett came to stand by Maze, coffee mug still in hand. "I don't recall catching your name during our dealings either my dear." He said with a smile that usually made any of the woman who normally dealt with Jett melt. The woman pinned Jett with her steely gaze and responded, "I suppose now that everything is settled, and I am about to give my granddaughter over to you and your protection, you might as well know. I am Lady Irene Cydna and, as you may have surmised, this is my granddaughter and heir to mine and my companies fortune." Maze and Jett exchanged a glance that spoke all their surprise and sudden trepidation in the undertaking of the job, during which Lady Irene paused for a breath and continued. "Please introduce yourself dearest." Lady Irene turned and motioned her granddaughter forward. Maze was, as well as everyone in the galaxy, aware of the Cydna family name. They controlled all the mining as well as most of the commerce on the planet of Izael. They had their hands in a vast majority of the galaxy's trade and invested a great deal into science industry as well. Though the name was widely known, the face of the company was more elusive. The Cydna family was very secretive, their lives were in constant threat from various enemies they had during their more lucrative dealings. To meet one face to face was unheard of and Maze cursed to himself, wondering what the hell they had gotten themselves into.

The girl came to stand next to her grandmother, slowly removing her hood as she did so. She blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the light outside of her hood. Maze studied her face as she likewise studied his and then Jett's in turn. She had pale blue eyes and some of her hair had fallen from the intricate braids that held them to frame and curl around them. Her hair was the color of honey, a golden brown with auburn highlights wherever the light hit it. She had an elegant face with high cheek bones and a warm complexion. Her expression was a mixture of curiosity and skepticism as she spoke, "It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am Ana Cydna, your charge for this voyage."

"A pleasure to meet you Lady Ana," Jett's voice was filled with warmth as he spoke to the girl, but Maze saw the look that entered his eyes as he turned to Lady Irene, "But I believe I have to finish some business with your Grandmother. Maze, would you be a gentleman and show Lady Ana around the ship?" Maze scoffed at Jett, but knew that look in his eyes well enough not to put up any resistance. Jett was pissed. They had not been given all the intel for the job which, with this specific passenger's last name, could easily spell death for them both. Jett had planned on coming along for this mission, just because of the shear amount they were paid upfront and were guaranteed to receive upon delivery of the spoiled space princess. The amount of metrics they were going to get alone for the bag of Izael stones Lady Irene had paid as a deposit should have clued them in to the real danger of the job.

Maze turned and motioned for Ana to follow him up the ramp. He heard her light steps, followed by heavier ones a second later, and knew that one of the guards was accompanying them on the tour as well. As soon as all three had entered the craft, Maze's earlier feeling of unease came back. His gut was screaming at him, warning him of something he couldn't pinpoint. He led them to the small common room, which doubled as the ships kitchen. He opened his mouth to speak as he turned to face his audience, only to be met with the reason his instincts had been going haywire. The guard was behind Lady Ana, unseen, hands no longer locked behind his back. Instead he was holding a gun, bringing it up to level with the girl's head. His eyes were focused on his target, until he realized Maze had turned around.

"Shit." Was all Maze could get out before they all sprang in to action.