HAWK

CHAPTER FIVE: TRANSMISSION (4/5)

The remainder of the journey lasted five days.

During their last meal together, the bounty hunter and child mechanic ate their rehydrated micro-meals in silence while Hik watched over them like the galaxy's most expensive waiter. Kas had given the kid her choice of any meal she wanted, and she'd chosen a cheesecake. Nevermind that it was meant for four people - Worm devoured the lot. Kas did her best to suppress a smile.

Worm's gonna be a slug by the time we reach port...

They finished eating just as the Calista started its deceleration on its approach to Chantos.

'OK kid,' Kas said, collecting the empty plates. 'Time's almost up. You can think of me what you want, but we both know you can't stay here. I'm sorry that hurts your feelings but I don't have much choice.'

She paused, hoping Worm might at least return her a look, but the child just remained looking down at the spot on the trunk where her cheesecake had been.

'You gonna at least look at me before we dock?'

Worm raised her hands above her head and made a couple of gestures so that Hik could see, then lowered her hands again.

Kas turned to Hik. 'What did she say?'

Hik paused before responding. 'It is rather obscene. Would you still like me to translate?'

'No,' Kas said, showing Worm what leering was. 'I can use my imagination.'

Kas went back to the cockpit, tossing the used plates into the hygiene chute on the way. She took her seat at the command panel and began arrival procedure, taking back control of the Calista from the autopilot. When she heard the sound of the engine hatch sealing shut she knew Worm was back in her den.

I'm not sure even the Black Chains hate me this much...

As the Calista's speed plummeted, Kas saw the distant specks of stars begin to materialise in the viewport, surrounding the large disc that was Chantos at their heart. Then other shapes began to emerge - hundreds at first, and then thousands.

They were ships, she realised, packed together outside Chantos's atmosphere like a frenzy of hungry fish waiting to be fed. Many of them had chain-docked with one another, creating huge floating space centipedes. Kas located the drag and saw it was filled to bursting. Nobody was moving an inch. She turned to the comms-relay and selected Chantos atmos-control and hit connect, but the line came back busy.

Surprise surprise...

She looked around at the other ships and picked out one of the smaller centipedes a little further ahead. She teased the throttle forwards and cruised to the front, pulling up next to a freighter ship simply called, CSC-832, which formed the head of the dock-chain. Kas typed the ship's name into the comms-relay and hit connect. The answer came barely twenty seconds later.

'CSC-832,' a man's voice said.

'Hi 832, this is the Calista. I've just pulled into orbit... what's going on out here?'

'Didn't you get the transmission?'

'From Mantana? Yeah, I got it.'

'So then you know. Chantos is locked down. Been like this for nearly a week.'

'You've been out here for a week?'

'Yup. Welcome to limbo, Calista.'

Kas didn't need to ask what the cause was - that was obvious. Every federally controlled world in the Primi system was required to maintain constant contact with Selva and no ship could touch down or take off without approval from the space station.

Kas had foreseen something like this on her journey, but she'd figured by the time she got there the moon would have come up with a temporary solution. Instead, a week's worth of traffic had built up and formed a shell of armour around Chantos that would be nearly impossible to pierce.

'They not letting anyone in at all?' Kas asked.

'Oh, they're letting people in. Just one at a time. Trouble is, the port's full. No-one can go down til someone else comes up, and of course, no-one wants to leave surface in case they get stuck out here like the rest of us.'

'What's Chantos telling everyone?'

'Diddly squat. Not much they can tell us till they've got things up and running again - whoever they are. Man, I still can't get my head around it... Selva gone... it's crazy... just crazy...' He trailed off.

'And it's like this everywhere?'

'The whole system. I've seen plenty of ships turn around and try their luck other places, but all they'll be doing is jumping straight to the back of the next queue. I figure it's best to just put your feet up and wait your turn. Chantos has got one of the biggest ports in Primi so chances of making it down are as good here as anywhere.'

'Alright. Thanks 832.'

'No problem,' the man said, before adding, 'Oh, and Calista?'

'Yeah?'

'I don't know how much longer we're gonna be out here, but you're welcome to join the back of our dock-chain and come aboard. We've got a pretty good crowd on here and our freighter stocks some decent food.'

'Thanks for the offer, I'll talk to my crew and let you know.'

'Tell them we run card games every night. No money, just for fun.'

'I will, thanks.'

'Take it easy, Calista.'

Kas turned off the relay and reclined in her seat.

What a mess...