The Gazers: Part 1, Chapter 1

“Confirmed Omega Circle Smuggling Ring ship, enter drift immediately. All weapons and other energy signatures must now go to zero.”1

The voice booms through the comm with such force that I lean back in my seat to try to lessen the deafening noise. I would simply switch I off, but the Patrol has hijacked the system. The only thing that prevents them from doing the same to the rest of the ship is the special chip I had illegally installed in Wanderer’s Haven, encrypting my control signals with an infinite cipher.2

“I repeat, all energy signatures must be reduced to zero. You have one minute to comply.”3

So they’re giving me a minute? I'll use that well.4

I disable my weapons arrays, slowly, creating the illusion of compliance. I certainly have no thoughts of giving myself up, and am saving a course into the ship’s memory. One that I know will bring me into the waiting arms of some friendlies.5

“Illegal activity detected aboard ship. Escape attempt taking place-“6

The computerized drone cuts out.7

“Listen friend. I’m not gonna lie. You’re in some big trouble. The order for your capture came down from the Emperor himself.”8

Shit!9

“But here’s the deal. I’m giving you a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Drop your cargo, and I’ll let you off. The order states that return of the stolen goods is the first priority, but the pilot’s life is up for negotiation.”10

Ha! As if they’ll let me go. They just don’t want to damage their precious cargo.11

“Don’t believe me? I’ll take a binding oath. Right now.”12

The screen lights up. I see a man in his thirties, but with incredibly gray hair looking seriously back at me. He snaps his fingers, and someone lowers a helmet over his eyes. 13

No way. He’s actually going to give a binding oath. It will be unbreakable, encoded electronically into his brain. He raises his arm and switches the helmet on.14

“Let it be now imprinted that the life of the pilot of the Old Maid become the highest of my priorities, upon successful ejection of all the contents of his ship.15

“There friend. Trust me here. You’re not getting a better deal.”16

He did it! He actually did it! 17

I reach for the controls, ready to eject the cargo bay, but stop. Something is bothering me. The stripes! The man had 4 red stripes on his uniform. Red! He’s a major of the Advance Guard! The Emperor’s closest men. They aren’t too fond of mercy. 18

I play back the oath in my mind. A-ha!19

“Sorry, friend," I say mockingly, "I understand that you’d love to recover whatever it is I’m transporting, and kill me under the pretext of not ejecting absolutely everything out of my entire ship, but it’s not happening.”20

My hands fly back to plotting my course.21

“Poor choice laddie,” the man’s face has become stone cold. I see now that he’s actually not a year younger than fifty.22

“We can see every move you make. It’ll be easy to track your jump. Even easier to kill you as you’re decelerating. You know that we’ll be there before you.”23

It’s true. My ship is state-of-the-art, but they have things that have left state-of-the-art far behind. And if they can see everything I do…24

I cut cabin and panel lighting. I guess I’ll have to try a blind jump.25

“Stop!” shouts the man, “Your life will be forfeit and a duty kill ordered on you!”26

It’s too late though. I’ve activated the drive. The Patrol ship starts to power up its weapons, but it isn’t fast enough. I’m already gone by the time it manages to fire.27