CHAPTER TWO: ARTIS (1/6)

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Time was warped in the Black. It didn't really have any meaning until you found your way to ground. For interplanetary travel, usual practice was to set the ship's temporal conformer to whatever planet or moon or satellite you were heading to—in Kas's case, Chantos.

Chantos was a modestly sized moon, the largest of three in orbit around Holgar, the dusty green planet where Kas was raised. Though she visited Chantos regularly, she hardly ever stopped by her home rock. There was no reason to. It was a dull, nothing world filled with pleasant, simple-minded miners, contented to live the same thirty-eight hour day over and over, making little money and living small. As soon as she'd turned sixteen, Kas submitted her long perfected application for the ICE program and was duly accepted.

On the face of it, the Interplanetary Culture and Education program was a remarkable opportunity, allowing anyone, regardless of their background, to access a top quality education while visiting other inhabited planets and moons in their own solar system. It was also free.

But Kas knew the ICE program was nothing if not a thinly disguised way to lure young and dumb kids with zero aspirations into the cattle market that was the GFA: the Galactic Federal Army. This was the main byproduct of the Federation and recruitment for it was a big deal. ICE's attendants could and would be moulded into whatever the Federation needed, all the way into adulthood, and probably the rest of their lives.

Kas was alright with that so long as it got her off that dull, slow turning rock. She wanted to live, to see new things and make cool alien friends. It tortured her knowing there was a much larger life out there, plainly visible to her but just beyond her reach.

Things turned out a little differently, of course.

By the time Kas reached Chantos's outer atmosphere, the sun was setting on her landing destination - the city of Artis. With a little luck, she'd make it there in time to contact Overhaul, but it'd be close. Her ship, the Calista, had been making weird noises and she was concerned Vima's booter had done more damage than she'd first thought. 'Booters' were illegally modified ships that could crudely attach themselves to other ships and enable them to force their way inside. A pirate ship, basically. And until she could land, it would stay attached to Kas's ship like a monstrous barnacle.

Kas pulled into the 'drag' - the invisible artery that linked Chantos to the outer atmosphere - and the Calista slowed to a crawl. She could do nothing now but wait. There were other more direct ways to the moon's surface, but the drag was the only legal one. To take any other route was to risk being harpooned, and with her current haul, that was out of the question. No, she'd just have to put her feet up and let the current bring her in.

She was busy chewing her fingers when a soft bing sounded and the heads-up display materialised in the viewport showing a three-dimensional view of Chantos. A long tube was extended from its surface, at the other end of which was the Calista with booter attached.

A female voice spoke over the ship's tannoy.

'Calista, this is Chantos atmos-control. Please state the purpose of your visit.'

'I'm a trader,' Kas replied. 'I'm heading to Artis.'

'Purchasing or selling?'

'Selling.'

'What are the details of your sales inventory?'

'Three Class-2 fugitives and a booter ship.'

A short pause, then: 'Three Class-2's? What's your trade, exactly?'

'I'm a bounty hunter.'

'I see...' The woman went quiet for a moment, apparently unsure what to do in this event. 'Uh... fugitives of that class are supposed to be handed over to the Federation.'

'The Federation will have their chance to purchase them at auction.'

'I... don't think you can auction Class-2 fugitives...'

'Do you have a copy of the Federal Trade Agreement in front of you?'

'Yes.'

'Would you mind reading me section D, part five, paragraph three?'

Kas sat back and bit her cuticles while she waited. The woman cleared her voice and read back the answer.

'In the event of multiple bounties being in effect, the capturing enforcer has the choice of escorting said fugitive to a Federal prison or to any F-1 licensed trade site.'

'Thank you. If you need to know, I will be taking the three fugitives to the Artisseum which I'm sure you're already aware is F-1 licensed.'

'What are the identities of your fugitives?'

'They're the Black Chains.'

'Y-you captured the Black Chains?'

'Yup.'

'I'm processing your details. Upon landing, I need to make you aware that you are required to submit yourself to disarmament law.'

'This isn't my first time in Artis.'

'Do you have anything which might be considered contraband in accordance with local customs?'

'Not unless X1's count.'

There was a long pause during which Kas wondered if she should have just kept her mouth shut. She couldn't sell the X1, but there was nothing in Chantos's customs laws about bringing it to surface. This would be a new one on her.

'Are you saying you're also travelling with an X1?' the woman asked.

'That's right, captured it from the Chains.'

'Retrieved X1's must be returned to the Federation without delay.'

'And as soon as I'm done here, I'll be heading straight to Selva to hand it in and claim my reward. I'd be on my way there now but my ship is badly damaged. I need to make repairs before I can continue on, or would you rather my ship break apart on the way to Selva?'

'One moment please.' This time the silence lasted several minutes. Kas was getting itchy fingers and considering pulling the Calista out of there when the woman returned. 'I have logged your claim. Upon landing, please ensure the X1 is disarmed and presentable for inspection. If there is any reason to believe it is dangerous, said unit will be seized. In the event of confiscation, you will forfeit reimbursement and no longer be eligible for reward. If the unit is deemed to be safe, it will be tagged and returned to you for immediate transport to Selva. Your details are being forwarded to the Federation for future processing. Do you agree to these terms?'

'Sure.'

'Thank you. You are cleared for landing. Welcome to Chantos.' The bing chimed again and the female voice disappeared for good.

'About time,' Kas said, cracking her knuckles. She took the controls and began her descent towards the surface.

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