Page 82 of Aurelian Prisoner

16

Hadrian

Salcus. A nothing planet in a nothing sector.

As our Reaver approaches orbit, I look through the viewport with scorn.

Salcus is like a dark boil beneath us. Without the Aurelian Empire in control of it, there are few laws – especially not any environmental regulations. It’s a tale as old as humanity. A small, relatively poor planet leads to a desperate people trying to eke every last drop of wealth out of it As such, the profit of factories and industries takes precedence over the quality of air and the control of pollutants.

All planets beyond the Empire seem this way – dirty, and desperate.

There are posh apartments down there – owned by the wealthy elite of this backwards world. They rest high above ground, with air filters and holo-screens instead of window views. For the rest of the population of Salcus – well, they’d draw blood from a stone if it meant food on the table.

Pollution, smog, and rampant worker abuse fills this world.

On this hellish planet, we’ll have barely a full day to search for clues as to the fate of Allie’s little sister, Lilac. The way the men of humanity abuse young women on the outskirts of the Empire makes me sick. I’ll take the balls from whoever hurt Allie’s sister – if we ever find them.

That’s the problem. I’m no fool – I know the odds of finding Lilac alive are slim to none. This will soon become a mission of revenge, pure and simple. I feel like I know Allie – even though I’ve barely spent time with her. Her aura is muted from sleep right now, but at all other times she’s broadcast the aura of a woman out for justice. A woman who’ll fight for what’s right.

She’s already decided that the laws of the Empire are sometimes incompatible with true justice – and that’s a lesson we ourselves are now learning.

If nothing else, I hope Allie will appreciate us bringing the perpetrators of the kidnapping to justice. And, by justice, I meanher.

Yes – I believe Allie herself might want to be the one that wields the executioner’s axe, if we find anybody who deserves it.

During the flight to Salcus, my battle-brothers and I have been studying the different pirate factors in this sector, trying to find anything that could match the profile of the space-pirates who attacked Allie’s mining ship.

In fact, none of us have even slept in two days – but we’re still sharp. Part of that are the combat drugs we’re all taking to keep us alert and steady.

“Look!” Kitos’ voice disrupts my thoughts. He’s pointing frantically towards the holo-screen he’d been studying.

Daccia turns to look. “What is it?”

Kitos grins. He loves to do research – and he’s always the one who finds the key to whatever puzzles hinder our investigations.

“There,” he points proudly. “An unnamed pirate group.Theyfit the modus of operation for that raid. Same scam as the one Allie fell victim to. They hit a small, independent mining corporation or transport ship. Then, they make exorbitant ransom demands – asking for ridiculous sums, leading the loved ones of their victims to commit desperate crimes to try and secure the needed sums. In the rare cases that their exorbitant ransoms are actually paid, the space-pirates never actually return the prisoners.”

Yes, that definitely sounds like them.

“Nothing much is known about them,” Kitos admits, “but at least we have a record in the database.”

“Bring it up,” I grunt, and the AI focuses on the record – which is a rumor, more than anything.

“You see?” Kitos points at the screen. “Apparently theydohave a contact on Salcus. It looks like a private club called The Rhino. That might be linked to them somehow. It’s a thin,thinlead, I know, but…”

Kitos trails off, turning his head toward the door. I follow his line of site.

I didn’t even feel Allie coming.

But suddenly, she’s here – even though her aura gave me no notice of her approach.

That’s bizarre. I always know where my battle brothers are – or, at least, their general location.

Allie’s aura suddenly brightens in my mind. I canfeelher in this room with me. Suddenly, it’s all back to normal.

Allie points at Kitos’ screen.

“So, my little sister might be there?”

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