Dragon's Bargain Page 4

  Hard Black Slang for outer space, especially as it relates to the vast expanse of vacuum between solar systems.

  Heads Up Display Any display type that overlays instrumentation across a user’s field of view, removing the need to check auxiliary readouts. The most common types utilize augmented reality to highlight items of interest in the user’s field of view. Normally they are projected light onto visors within helmets or on starship windscreens, but holo designs are not uncommon.

  Heavy Lifter A freight starship capable of atmospheric drops. They derive their name from “lifting heavy” loads from crusts into orbit. They can be used to ferry items to orbiting craft such as freighters or destroyers that are not atmosphere-capable. They can also be used for direct runs to other systems, although their small cargo bay (as compared to freighters) makes them less efficient. Captains using them for this purpose would prefer the term, “boutique.”

  Holo Slang for items such as shows and movies displayed on holo stages.

  Holo Stage A 3D projection stage. These are common across the known universe as they provide a more natural method of content consumption than older 2D display styles. 2D displays are still prevalent especially in HUDs.

  HUD See Heads Up Display.

  Hypo Slang for a jet injector, a type of medical injecting syringe that uses high pressure instead of a hypodermic needle.

  KG Kilogram.

  Kilo Abbreviation for kilogram.

  Kinetic A type of weapon that fires physical rounds. Many PDCs use kinetic rounds as opposed to lasers, masers, or particle beams, due to their efficacy against most types of object.

  Klick Slang for kilometer.

  Laser A type of directed energy weapon using coherent light. Ship-mounted lasers tend to be used for carving through ablative shielding or surgical strikes against critical systems. Hand-held laser weapons are designed to superheat the liquid inside humans into steam very quickly, causing an explosion of the remaining tissue.

  LIDAR Acronym for LIght Detection And Ranging. LIDAR uses coherent light to make digital 3D representations of objects.

  Luna Latin name for the Moon.

  Maser A type of directed energy weapon using microwave radiation. Ship-mounted masers are most effective at disrupting enemy comm arrays and personnel in equal measure. They are out of favor as hand-held weapons due to a longer time to death as compared to blasters.

  Navy The Empire space fleet. The Navy patrol human space to protect against threats like pirates.

  Nuke A thermonuclear weapon of mass destruction. Very old but reliable technology, used in configurable payloads for ship-to-ship combat, city assaults, and the destruction of entire worlds (ref: crustbuster).

  Organics Slang for organic life, but most typically referring to intelligent life. Humans are ‘organics.’

  Particle Beam A type of directed energy weapon that fires particles with minuscule mass.

  Plasma Cannon see Blaster.

  Point Defense Cannon (PDC) PDCs are installed on almost every starship to protect hulls from impacts from things like meteoroids. They are also useful defense against torpedoes, although generally ineffective against railguns due to the high velocity of railgun rounds. PDCs can be kinetic or directed energy weapons.

  Power Armor Armor that is motor-assisted, often used for deployments on high-G worlds. Configuration often includes vehicle weapon mounts, allowing a higher degree of flexibility for infantry deployment.

  Prirene Dynasty The Prirene Dynasty has stretched back over two hundred years. It holds the ruling seat of the Empire.

  RADAR Acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. RADAR uses radio waves to determine the range, angle, and velocity of objects.

  Radiation Sickness A constant hazard of space. Many crews take daily medication to ward off radiation sickness. It’s as much a part of shipboard life as making sure your O2 is topped up. This means that a mild dose of radiation is unlikely to kill you if treated in time, but massive doses are still dangerous.

  Railgun A kinetic weapon that fires high velocity rounds by way of a pair of conductive rails. They are often mounted on larger ships and make a dramatic statement when fired against enemy vessels.

  Reactor Starships use fusion reactors. The most common design is the ICF (Internal Confinement Fusion) style of reactor. These have a variety of safety functions that make them suitable for spacefaring needs, including containment fields in case of malfunction. Larger starships can eject faulty reactors into the hard black.

  Rig Slang for maintenance equipment commonly worn by Guild Engineers about starships. These double as space suits for zero atmosphere maintenance on the exterior of a starship’s hull. The design incorporates a visor with configurable HUD for instrumentation and telemetry, and a set of programmable servitor arms for complex manipulation of equipment.

  Shingle A guild badge of practice, allowing the holder to a) claim they are Guild certified and b) ply their trade as a Guild craftsperson. They are notoriously hard to get, requiring years of study and excellence in your field.

  Ship Suit Slang for spacesuit. Generally denotes a space suit for a specific ship carrying crew logograms and/or color themes.

  Sol Latin name for the Sun. Often used to describe Earth’s solar system (e.g., “The Sol system”).

  Space Suit Clothing worn to keep humans alive in the hard black. They provide protection against vacuum, temperature extremes, and radiation. Military models are often fitted with armor to protect against blasters, lasers, masers, and kinetic rounds. They often provide additional protection against high-G maneuvers.

  Spacer Slang for those who crew on a starship, civilian or military.

  Terra Latin name for Earth.

  Tonne Metric ton, equivalent to 1,000 kilograms.

  EXCERPT: GANYMEDE PLAGUE

  Waking the Dead

  It was difficult to know the precise moment everything went to hell. Nate figured it was when he and Dom sat opposite each other in the Triage Tearoom. The owner, Vera, pretended not to know they were planning a heist. They in turn pretended her beer was excellent. Dom paid with good Empire coin, so they were square.

  They sat without Valerie Flare, on account of Val locking herself in the room upstairs she shared with Nate. It meant he had no bed, and no privacy, as he turned the Triage Tearoom into an office with ears. Vera’s glowers kept the worst vermin from their table, but it wasn’t a peace destined to last. Even her muscled bulk, hidden beneath her trademark apron, wouldn’t keep dedicated gangsters at bay.

  A scream from outside drew Nate’s attention. He squinted at the bright light streaming in the doorway, the door itself a wreckage from Pearl’s thugs and their indelicate handling of the previous day’s … situation. Screams weren’t too unusual since the Cataphract crashed and blew her reactor. Still, a scream here wasn’t expected, and it made Nate curious. The single scream turned into a couple, then a handful, and by the time more than ten voices joined in the ruckus Nate found his feet, thinking, Everything’s about to go to hell.

  Through the doorway burst Old Parker. The man’s eyes were wild like a crazed stallion’s. Parker’s mouth was agape, a desperate keening coming from deep in his chest. His normally combed hair was a wild white shock atop his head, and his eyes were bloodshot.

  Parker, prior to today’s transformation into a crazed lunatic, was a sometime friend of Nate’s, because Nate arranged for his son to be shipped out of Cadence Starport back a spell. Parker’s boy was light on intellect and heavy on rash action, leading to all manner of inquisitive interest in his comings and goings from the Ganymede Guard and pirate syndicates alike. The berth hadn’t been cheap, but Parker paid with good Empire coin. Since then, Parker stood firm against those who called Nate a lying thief, counted him a friend, and often lent Nate money when he found his reserves running low.

  This history gave Nate a due level of surprise at Old Parker’s entrance. For a man many summers past Nate’s anticipated life expectancy, he moved with vigor, leaping
on Big Kent by the door. Big Kent worked for Pearl sometimes, but not today, because Kent had been drinking. Drinking didn’t slow him much, because he wasn’t fast to begin with. Kent was strong, like a cargo loader, and not many people took a swing at a fellow two meters tall with hair all over their body. Nate likened Big Kent to apes he’d seen in holos, except without their manners. Old Parker leaping on Big Kent was the kind of situation that demanded investigation.

  Big Kent spilled his beer as Parker clawed at his face. “Get off me, you crazy old coot!” For emphasis, he tossed Parker aside, the old man landing on the floor.

  Parker bounced to his feet like he trained with gymnasts, eyes rolling, looking for targets. They settled on Vera. This isn’t going to end well. Before his brain could corral his actions, Nate moved, heading toward Old Parker. He grabbed Parker from behind in a bear hug. “Settle, Parker. Settle!” Nate figured on asking Parker what was going on but missed his chance on account of taking one of the man’s elbows in the face. Nate sprawled to the floor, falling onto Big Kent’s spilled beer.

  Dom was only a few steps behind Nate. He reached Old Parker, taking a swing. It was a good swing, no clumsy haymaker but rather a straight jab. His fist connected, and Dom followed up with a gut punch, then an uppercut. All three strikes seemed full of emphasis, but Old Parker didn’t even blink, despite blood gushing from his nose. He gave a blood-chilling howl like a dog, then tackled Dom to the floor.

  Get up, Chevell. Nate got to a knee, then slipped on beer, going down a second time. Dom had his hands up to protect his face as Old Parker clawed for his eyes. Nate got to his feet, then stumbled as his legs tangled with his sword. He bounced off Kent, the big man appearing to take no notice as he lumbered toward Parker. Nate collided with the counter next to Vera, knocking his head on the old faux wood.

  Kent hauled Parker from Dom, hammering him with meaty fists. It didn’t have the perfect, practiced motions of Dom’s strikes, but Kent made up for technique with his work ethic. He laid into Parker like the old man was a heavy bag, slamming in head and gut punches with enthusiasm and gusto.

  Parker took at least ten hits before stumbling back. Ten hits. Old Parker took ten hits from Big Kent. You couldn’t take two.

  Nate might not be able to take one.

  Old Parker fell back against a bench, stumbling. Vera came out from behind the counter, looking like she meant to take issue with someone starting a ruckus. Parker grabbed the bench, hauling it around in an arc. Big Kent ducked back, but Vera walked right into it, taking a heavy hit on the chin. She collapsed into the beer spill on the floor.

  Parker lunged for her, but Kent grabbed him again. The giant tossed his opponent away, but Parker wasn’t done. He roared, running for Kent. Big Kent took the charge, lifting Old Parker into the air and tossing him like a toy into a back body drop. Nate, recovering from his head-on with the counter, winced as Old Parker’s body hit the floor with a crunch.

  Hell. He’s still going. Parker clambered to his feet, bringing a broken piece of Kent’s beer bottle with him. He swung, slicing Big Kent’s gut. Blood sprayed, Old Parker howling glee. Parker turned, eyed the unconscious Vera, and readied his makeshift knife.

  Old Parker might be a sometime friend, but the man’s ill. Nate clambered up, drawing street steel. “Parker, drop the weapon.”

  Parker leered, running for Nate. Nate tried for a disarm but slipped on spilled beer. His sword point dropped as he stumbled. Parker didn’t slow his charge, running himself through on Nate’s sword. Old Parker’s eyes widened, the bottle tumbling from his hand, before he slid from Nate’s sword to the ground.

  Nate looked at his sword, then stared at the wreckage of the Triage Tearoom. Big Kent sat, clutching his belly. Dom stood upright, but unsteady, one eye already swelling shut, his face a haven for scratches. Vera was out, and Old Parker was dead by Nate’s hand. Blood dripped from Nate’s sword. I didn’t mean to kill him. The words didn’t come out, because he’d bared his blade, and things got ugly when weapons saw the light.

  Dom approached. “You okay, Nate?”

  “I just killed a friend.” Nate crouched by Old Parker. “I’ve known this man forever. He’s kind and gentle.”

  “He’s crazy,” croaked Big Kent.

  “He’s sick, is what he is.” Dom knelt beside Nate, touching Old Parker’s hair. It came away in his hands. “This look familiar to you?”

  Nate thought about the coffin and the bald kid inside. “It does, and not in a good way.”

  Dom stood, Nate following suit. Dom sighed. “I figure this is like the Cataphract. In a few hours, or days, people will go missing. They’ll be stacked near the infected.”

  “Right,” agreed Nate. Valerie was right by the coffin when it opened. “I’m done killing my friends.”

  “I understand.” Dom peered out the doorway. “The Ganymede Guard will be here soon.”

  “They will. We have a pirate treasure to rob, and the Guard won’t help with that.” Nate gave a quick glance toward the stairs at the back. Atop those stairs Valerie Flare waited, and if sickness brought madness, they had to hurry. No telling what would happen if Cadence Dome got the plague.

  Treat yourself to Ganymede Plague today!

  [https://www.books2read.com/GanymedePlague]