Extortion, Trickery and Skulduggery

‘Idon't want you to leave you,' Katya whispered.

The couple stood close to a private berth on Eden II's spaceport, arms around each other.

Behind them, a Zanyria-bound luxury transport loomed, a stark reminder of their impending separation.

Xion gazed down at his woman, eyes hot on her. ‘We've planned as much as we can for every possible eventuality. I'll be right with you, stealthed. When you arrive, I'll be on your tail, albeit not looking like I do now. I'll change my appearance. But I'll always be with you, even if you won't see me.'

Katya gave him a slight pout, leaned in for a long kiss, and resisted pushing away from him.

‘I'll keep a discreet eye out for you,' she whispered as she finally pulled away, her eyes filled with concern.

Xion smiled. ‘You won't see me, khaliya, but if you do, don't break cover.'

She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘No chance. I know how this game is played. Also, please don't come to rescue me at the smallest provocation. I'm a big girl, and I've done this before.'

He smirked. ‘Wouldn't dare. Got something for you, beautiful,' he drawled, slipping a small jewellery box from his pocket.

Her eyebrows rose, and she gave him the sweetest smile, a teasing glint in her eye. ‘Really? A proposal at a spaceport runway? You shouldn't have.'

He huffed and opened the box to reveal a set of sparkling xentium earrings. ‘These are priceless khaliya because they're how we'll comm each during this op.'

‘I couldn't,' she teased.

‘But they go so well with your eyes, I insist,' Xion rumbled, tucking them into her ear holes. ‘And your hair, too.'

He finished with a long kiss that left her panting.

Patting her behind, he pushed her towards the waiting vessel.

Xion's gaze lingered until Katya boarded, the doors shut, and the sleek craft ascended into the sky until it vanished.

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs, then turned and jogged to his awaiting ship.

The Tachy was primed for takeoff, with Mirage's node at the controls.

‘Ready?' the Sable AI murmured, jade eyes flicking over him as he swung into the seat beside them.

‘Naam,' he rasped, heart aching. ‘Follow Katya, but keep a safe distance and plot a course that's not matched to hers.'

‘Noted.'

With untraceable discretion, Mirage guided the corvette through Eden II's chaotic skies, leaving its metropolitan horizon behind as it raced towards Zanyria.

‘I'm checking in on our job ads.'

A few days earlier, Xion had asked Mirage to seed Sysnet with listings for a secret op.

‘I'm getting every shifty pirate, shady buccaneer and moonlighting operator applying. The dangled reward is doing the trick.'

‘It fokkin should; we're offering each several emeralds, a cluster of neo orbs, a black onyx xentium stone and one hundred thousand schills. Are you still acting as a broker for the consortium we've faked?'

‘Naam,' Mirage confirmed with a smirk.

Between Mirage, Xion, and Katya, they'd spent the last two weeks on Eden II planning an elaborate stitch-up.

It hinged around twofold threads.

The first was based on rumours Xion and Mirage had seeded.

They stated that the Sable Riders were auctioning a vast bounty of ancient artefacts found within the two Shards of the Eye of Elysium and more from the archaic Paladian sites, allegedly stored in the Sable vaults. Other relics would be donated to leading museums and galleries throughout Pegasi.

The combined worth of the items they'd teased was in the billions of schills.

The second thread was a fake operation that Katya had devised, one financed by a shadowy religious entity needing a top-notch crew for a covert heist.

The task for a daring scoundrel crew was to retrieve said coveted Sable treasures from inside the Sable Vault before they went to auction and do so without any trace of their involvement.

Katya had added the flair of language and secret phrases used by her ilk on the Dark Net to signal that it was a legit job.

They'd also tapped into a Dark Net broker's account and used untraceable accounts to pay a few other genuine dealers to advertise the roles, making the job even more credible.

The initial response was overwhelming. The bait of emeralds, black onyx, xentium stone, and millions of schills as payment for pulling off the heist was too alluring to resist.

Mirage smirked, ‘It's going fokkin' wild on Dark Net.'

‘Damn,' the Rider murmured. ‘I'm staggered by the number of applicants. I'd imagined some scepticism and disbelief, but they're eating this all up despite it being a Sable establishment. Looks like we do have plenty of haters willing to take potshots at us.'

They'd received over a thousand submissions from swindlers, bandits, pillagers and pirates from all over the galaxy, and the number was still rising.

Mirage raised an eyebrow as they parsed over the applications. ‘I've devised a series of fake job descriptions. To be sent to our final applicants when ready.'

‘Sawa, I hope we've made this as believable as possible to attract the kinais we're after.'

Xion and Mirage scanned through the applicants.

Less than half an hour later, Xion's eyes fell on the names and files of a trio who'd applied together under one crew.

‘Got ‘em,' he growled with a sense of satisfaction. ‘The lure worked. K'Sumi has taken the bait and set his D'Hanna lackeys on the job. Please send word to Duke and Khosana DKRT. Let them know of the op so they're not in the dark. Tell them that we're working on preventing House ALMQ access to the Viper's Eye. Also, explain how its potential manipulation of the geomagnetic field could endanger all life on Iccythria. Give them as much intel as possible so they're pre-warned and prepared to go after K'Sumi when the time comes.'

‘Like the stray monster that he is,' Mirage said.

‘That he is, and the sooner I can get Katya away from this op, the better, but I need to let it play out.' Xion leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, trying to ease the sudden onset of worry for his woman.

‘She'll be fine,' the ever-prescient Sable AI murmured.

‘She'd better be. She's the best thing that's happened to me since the Riders and, later, you came into my life.'

Mirage, ever the pragmatist, reassured him. ‘Katya's a survivor. She can handle herself.'

Xion sighed and sat back in his chair as the Tachy carved a path through the expansive stellar region surrounding the B145x Nebula, aiming for the inner rim of Pegasi where the Zanyria lay.

On Iccythria, a comm link was initiated.

The House ALMQ's AI announced itself to the recipient on a ship in hyperspace millions of klicks away.

The receiver took the call with haste.

On Iccythria, their face shimmered into view.

His Highness K'Sumi Hinata Alamaq of House ALMQ turned in his chair to face the man he'd reached out to.

‘Your Highness,' Akira Claw exclaimed. ‘Good to see you. Are you calling about our recent haulage operation?'

‘Nada. Akira, I require your support in a different matter altogether.'

The roguish individual leaned forward. ‘Please, share.'

Akira's face screwed into distaste. ‘It is true you're acquainted with House D'Hanna?'

‘I'm familiar with the lot.'

The King rubbed his hands together. ‘Good, I need you to babysit them.'

The buccaneer raised a brow. ‘May I ask why?'

‘Well, for one, I've got the three D'Hanna brothers on a mission for me. However, they've proven less skilled than they made me think. They've dropped the ball once before, and I can't allow that to happen again.'

‘I see. What can I expect in return?'

‘Ah, payment. Always the pirate, always about profit,' the King sniped. ‘I can make it worth your while, my friend. You'll be cared for and rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.'

‘What's the job?'

The King proceeded to outline his request.

‘It sounds too good to be true,' Akira mused.

‘The job has been vetted. My team has looked into it, and the consortium backing the infil job has been verified. They're called the Justians, a group of religious nut jobs who have made billions of schills in the resource markets, selling agricultural seeds, food and on Dunia and Galicia. They worship the Paladian Gods, and any chance the artefacts in the Sable Vault coming up for auction are Paladian, they want first dibs. They're outraged that the Sable Riders are handing them to museums and art galleries and want them for themselves. However, if we secure the job, it gives us access to those vaults first. And to the one thing I need in it.'

‘Audacious. The Riders are not to be played with.'

The King leaned forward, eyes flashing. ‘Neither am I. Just imagine the wealth the ALMQ House will offer you if I claim the Viper's Eye. I promise you won't regret this.'

Akira stroked his jaw, unconvinced.

The King pushed his face closer to the camera and dropped his voice into a sotto whisper. ‘I'll make this even sweeter for you. You know of Katya D'Hanna?'

Akira's lips twisted. ‘Naam. I'm well acquainted with her.'

‘I hear you had a dalliance with her.'

The pirate jerked his chin, nostrils flaring. ‘I did.'

‘Have you been having problems with your shops on Enia and Galicia?' the King asked with a wicked glint.

Akira lurched. ‘I've had millions of schills worth of goods stolen. Whoever it is leaves a hack that distorts all our recordings before, during and after each heist.'

K'Sumi flicked a holo file through the link to the pirate.

It downloaded almost at once, and the images played out on the screen.

They showed a woman walking in and out of a store on Enia. The footage had been taken from a camera further down the same street.

Akira scowled. ‘Fokk, it's her!'

‘Naam. The images are from a few weeks ago. They're proof she's been stealing from you. My people had followed her for some time to ensure she captured the Serpent's Iris as we'd agreed.'

Akira's left eyebrow rose. ‘She nabbed the Iris? I didn't hear a peep about that.'

‘You haven't heard it still,' the King warned. ‘But now you know who owes you thousands of schills in lost earnings, and if I were you, I'd use it as leverage. Given she might be an ultrahigh probable addition to the D'Hanna crew for this op.'

Akira's eyes glistened. ‘How can you guarantee I'll cross paths with Katya? She's wily that one.'

‘I have it on good authority that she's reached out to her brothers to form the crew needed for this gig. Join them and make sure they complete what I've tasked them with. Whatever else you decide to do with her or them afterwards is up to you.'

Akira's lips curled. ‘It'll be my delight.'

The King of Iccythria furrowed his brow at the enduring anger under Akira's facade. ‘What did she ever do to you?'

‘She escaped me. No one escapes me, and I was waiting for the right moment to get reacquainted with her, but she was proving too slippery to pin down.' Akira growled, a glint in his eyes. ‘Your Highness, you've sold me. I'm in.'

The King rubbed his hands in delight. ‘Excellent. Get to Zanyria and ensure this pack of idiots make things happen. This plan has got to fokkin' succeed. I want that Viper's Eye, and I want it now.'

Zanyria glimmered, its surface covered in shimmering white sand and crystal-clear blue waters.

The view from Katya's ship as it came to land from above was breathtaking.

The planet was made up of continents, which were, by definition, a series of islands studded around the stunning world like a necklace.

They were dotted with luxurious resorts, each more grand and extravagant than the last, hugging the endless stretches of coastline. They sparkled through the expansive palm trees, resembling shining gems in vibrant hues of bright blues and greens against the vast expanse of blue water.

It was a paradise of decadence and escape, where the sun was never too hot, and the waves were always gentle and inviting. A place where time seemed to slow down, and one's worries drifted away on the soft sea breeze.

The pleasure planet, however, had its underbelly, with links to organised crime groups who used the Zanyrian Riviera as a place to oversee and orchestrate criminal activities.

Its lax rules on the drug trade, illicit gambling, and the ability to fly in and out anonymously made it a massive draw card for Pegasi's fugitives, who found it a favourable environment to camouflage their presence.

This was why her brothers had insisted on meeting here, hoping that, unlike most other planets in the system, they'd not be flagged for their past sins at entry.

A sweet, tropical scent filled her nostrils as Katya stepped out of her ship and into her waiting shuttle flyer.

The pilot of the smaller vessel left the top down, letting in the delicious scents that evoked a utopia of indulgence and opulence.

On arrival at her hotel, she was welcomed with a bouquet of lush flowers and a box of candy made from indigenous fruit trees.

The Zanyria Luxury Resort, famed for its state-of-the-art amenities and extravagant suites, was bustling with life yet discreet enough for its high-end guests.

Besides its pristine beachfront, the hotel's draw card was its restaurants, which boasted the finest cuisine from all corners of the universe, including its local bounty of fresh shellfish.

After she unpacked in her room, Katya ventured outside to the beach, which beckoned her to relax and unwind.

She dipped in the sea, sunbathed on the coastline, and afterwards had dinner. Seated alone on a stunning table looking out to the ocean, luxuriating in a tangy grilled seafood platter and a tropical fruit cocktail.

Later, Katya returned to her exquisite suite, with her balcony overlooking the twinkling lights of the resort and the endless expanse of the ocean,

Hit with a pang of longing, she initiated a holo link with her mother, Kiko, at House DKRT.

‘Mada, I miss you and the kids,' she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Kiko's familiar and comforting tone responded on the other end of the line. ‘You have a purpose to accomplish my love. We'll be together after you're done.'

Katya nodded to herself, even though her mother couldn't see her.

‘Yes, I do. But sometimes, I wish we could all be together for a little while.'

Kiko sighed. ‘I know you've got a ton of weight on your shoulders, but honey, if anyone can ride this out, you can. You have the resilience and strength to get us all out of this pickle. You're making a difference, and I'm proud of you. Just remember to take care of yourself, too.'

Her mother's wisdom helped, but they did little to ease Katya's tension about her upcoming mission.

Still, she needed to look like a carefree resort guest, so she spent the following day in the ocean.

The sand was soft and warm underfoot, and she basked and indulged in the rare sensation of sun on her skin.

All the while, wishing Xion was with her, walking the length of the beach alongside her as they talked about their plans for the future, watching the sunset together, hand in hand, or just sitting on the shore.

But he wasn't with her.

He was somewhere close, eyes on her, waiting for their marks to arrive.

With little to do but wait, she lay back on her chaise lounge, an island-inspired cocktail in hand.

Closing her eyes, she let the warm breeze wash over her, losing herself in the soothing sound of the waves and the sweet fragrance of the tropical flowers.

But it was only a reprieve.

Soon, it would be time to go back into the fray.