Free OMEGA Exile by Stephen Arseneault Page A

the holo-controls that floated just above my arm pad.
    As we lifted off, I felt a strong pulling sensation. "What was that?"
    Garrett smiled. "I like the sensation of motion. I have the inertial dampeners set to leave a fraction of a percent of natural inertia. I find it helpful when maneuvering through tight places to have a feel for what I am doing."
    I nodded. "Hmm. I’ve never considered doing such."
    Garrett pulled the stick hard left, and the ship spun up on its side as it arced toward a new direction. "The gravity compensates as well to always give you a feeling of down. I used the technique in target practice, earning me the highest rating they had given in centuries during my training. I believe it was what landed me the shadow job. You are the first person I have divulged that little secret to."
    "Your secret is safe with me. I do need to ask a question, though. Why did you bring me? You could have pursued that ship on your own. And why did you wait as long as you did before you revealed yourself?"
    Garrett pulled up a screen on his holo-display. "The sensors on this ship are the best known to us. I had to wait until the Jasmire was out of range because I don’t know if they have sensors that are equally as powerful. I couldn’t risk broadcasting to you either, as that would have been another possible detection point.
    "I brought you along because she knows and trusts you. She doesn’t know me. And, because you have been on that ship. I also believe you to be in the same predicament as I am. If we don’t get her back, there will be repercussions, career-ending repercussions, and possibly imprisonment or worse. It is in both of our best interests to bring her back."
    I nodded. "If those ships remain on the same course, how are we to catch them without being detected?"
    Garrett pulled up a new display. "This ship is made to shadow others without giving away that it’s there. I couldn’t make contact with you without breaking the integrity of my stealth abilities. With no outward broadcasts, I can take this ship within their confines without being seen."
    I pointed to the display. "Can you land us on that ore hauler?"
    Garrett nodded. "I can. Are you considering making an entry from an external hatch? You do realize they will be monitoring those, don’t you? Any external hatch opening will have their full attention."
    I was quiet for a moment as I pulled the structural diagram of the Jasmire up on my arm pad holo-display. "There is one hatch that will not trigger an alert. The bilge port. Smugglers like to use it for that very reason. The bilge is automated to purge when it becomes full or when the gases within become volatile. The port can also be opened from the outside during routine maintenance while in space dock. It is actually a big joke in the inspection service because every few years someone attempts to use it to smuggle goods off or onto a ship. It’s watched closely while in port."
    Garrett brought up the diagram of the bilge system on his display. "So, how do we exploit it?"
    I replied, "Even if you could park us on the hull beside it, I don’t have the passcode required to use the external access point."
    Garrett smiled. "Let’s see, Jasmire , bilge port access. Here, A56JK794B."
    I replied, "How did you do that?"
    Garrett pulled up an image of the Jasmire . "This is a Motlin Corporation ship. I have all the codes."
    I smiled. "You get me to that port, and I can get inside. There is a maintenance and internal disposal hatch that uses the same code. Get me on that boat, and I will bring her out."
    Garrett pulled up his nav display. "If they maintained course, we should be able to overtake them in about three hours."
    As we continued on our way, I took the opportunity to look around the shadow ship. "What’s her name?"
    Garrett replied, "The Jess . When I took this job, I was given the ship right off the construction dock. There are only five ships like it. The Saltons spared no expense on her