Elite: Dangerous

Covert Operations

Aisling slowly rose up, stretching her legs. The bunk in the Chrysaor was made for very short people, that much was clear.

The bunk was so small, that one person could lie in it with their legs tucked up. To sleep in it with two people, one needed to stack on top of each other. As it turned out it meant Anwen was on top. Not that Aisling had any complaints. Although they rolled out on the metal floor once and it took a while before they made it back in.

Now the bunk was empty, and through the small corridor Aisling could hear Anwen rustling in the cockpit. She wrapped herself into the sheets and walked the 10 feet into the small cockpit. The cockpit had only room for the pilot’s seat and the princess could just barely stand upright behind the it. Anwen sat in the pilot’s seat fully dressed, which alarmed Aisling a little. They had both worn the standard space-overalls most pilot’s preferred when they didn’t need a life-suit. But that had lasted exactly until they had jumped out of Colwyn Point and laid a course to the next jump point.

The two had to cover three days in space and Anwen did everything she could to make sure the princess wasn’t bored. At some point she even disabled the artificial gravity on board, insisting that love-making in zero gravity was the best way to do it.

Aisling felt a little less comfortable with it, because she had no experience in moving in zero-G, but she had to agree that it was very exciting. Mostly because it was delightful to watch her girlfriend float around with the grace of a ballet-dancer. In zero-G Anwen was undoubtedly in her natural habitat.

She put her arms around the pilot, and gently kissed her temples.

Anwen grinned. “Don’t kiss the pilot during flight manoeuvres.”

“Sorry, are we about to jump?” Aisling asked.

“As we speak. You maybe want to get dressed and make yourself presentable.” Anwen told her.

The princess grinned. “Why, do I make you uncomforable?”

“If it were for me, you could go naked all the time.” The commander returned. “But you don’t want to stand before the Auserid-counsel wrapped in bedsheets, do you?”

Aisling pouted. “That means were there?”

“I’m afraid so. Do you want me to take a detour?” Anwen asked.

Aisling sighed. “Better not. Politics await me. You will stay with me until this is over though, will you?”

“Of course.”

“Good. That makes me feel safer.”

“I’d bring a gun, if that helps further.”

The princess leaned over the backrest and kissed Anwen on the mouth. Then she turned back to the tiny cabin to get dressed.

“Abe Landing, this is shuttle Faulcon AWN on route from Coldwyn Point. Request docking permission.” Anwen spoke routinely into the intercom.

She turned to Aisling: “Hey, you want me to announce your presence?”

Aisling shook her head.

The intercom crackled. “Copy that, Faulcon AWN. Anything to declare?”

“One passenger, no cargo.”

“Copy that. Please prepare for scan.”

The ship’s computer flashed a few lights. The words Scan detected flashed on the HUD. Something that usually made Anwen nervous. “Don’t worry,” she thought. “Everything on board is legal today.”

“You’re OK?” Aisling asked.

“Just hoping, the Chrysaor doesn’t raise any suspicion. After all, we’re flying a military class ship that has no current registration in imperial space.”

It took a while until an answer came. “It’s been a while commander, since we’ve seen the Chrysaor in imperial space, but your papers are in order. Proceed to docking bay 21.”

“Thank you control. Over and out!” Anwen sighed. “Phew. I was afraid, they’d ask questions.”

“Anything I should know about?” The princess looked a bit worried.

“Not really. Let’s say, not everyone would approve of the way Meredith got hold of this ship.”

“It’s stolen?”

“Not by us.”

“I’d better ask no further.”

“That’ll be best, yes.”

As they approached the space station, they passed a small fleet of battleships and imperial destroyers.

“So they’re still here.” Aisling pointed to the fleet.

“Yours?” Anwen asked.

“Not really. I think this is Lord Beadford-Ferron’s flagship. He insisted on accompanying our delegation. I didn’t want him here in the first place. His motives are as questionable as are his morals.”

Anwen couldn’t help but laugh. “Why don’t you say that he’s an arsehole?”

“My education forbids that” was the princesses dignified answer.

“You’re weird” Anwen said, “But also: cute.”

“Don’t say that out loud once we’re inside.”

The Chrysaor slid through the port bay of Abe Landing and Anwen’s attention was focused on the docking procedure. The princess went to the back, and grabbed her small bag, which contained everything she could salvage from the wreck of the Merope. Most of her clothes, the papers and the prepared speeches where scattered around some nameless star, so all she had on her were some essentials, which luckily included the royal signet ring which had her genetic fingerprint imprinted on it. So she did not fear to have any trouble to identify herself. Thank the goddess for small mercies.

The ship suddenly rocked, and she heard a metallic sound resonate to the hull.

“Docking complete. We’re on external life support.” Anwen shutdown the ship’s systems, and hopped off the pilot’s seat.

“Where first?” She asked.

“High Street.” The princess decided. “I need something more official to wear, if I’d barge in on the Auseridians unannounced.”

“High Street it is.”

But first they had to get through customs. A huge station like Abe Landing has a very tight security network. And while smaller outposts usually didn’t give much about following imperial regulations, places like this were wrapped in red tape. When they approached the immigration officer, Aisling held her friend back.

“Let me handle this please.”

“But…”

“Just trust me.”

She approached the officer with a polite smile.

“Good day to you, officer. Isn’t it a lovely day?” She said.

The officer didn’t seem to be in a mood for chit-chat.

“Papers.” He just said.

“Well, technically, I don’t have papers,” she said sweetly. “But I hope this will suffice.”

She presented the ring to him. He looked at it confused.

“What? Is that a joke?” His hand moved to his blaster.

“Scan it, if you please.” Aisling didn’t seem to be alarmed in the slightest.

Reluctantly, he picked up his scanner, and held it over the ring on Aisling’s hand. Information flashed on the screen, and the officers eyes went wide.

“This cannot be!” He cried. “You can’t be her!”

“Shh!” The princess hissed. “I would appreciate, if you did not make my presence known officially. I’m here on an important business for Her Majesty, the Emperor.”

The immigration officer had double checked the readout on the device. He was white as chalk, and his hands were shaking.

“Please, Your Highness, forgive my rudeness. I…, I wasn’t informed about your arrival. I will call the station’s administrator immediately. You shall be greeted with the honours you deserve!”

He bowed.

The princess sighed.

“No, you will not. You will let me and my pilot here,” she pointed to Anwen, “enter the station. And then you will forget that you ever saw us. Understood?”

The guard went even paler. “Yes, yes, of course Your Highness!”

She smiled again. “Thank you very much, soldier!”

And she waved to Anwen. “Come along!”

They arrived on the central corridor, which was a broad street with shops, restaurants, theatres and film decks. Everything here was very posh, and very expensive. There where other places on the station, where you could get cheaper deals and more questionable forms of entertainment. Aisling kept close to her friend and looked to the ground to avoid being recognized, but most people here were too busy with their own affairs to even notice the two women walking down the broad pavement.

Aisling stopped. “Can you get us some credits?”

Anwen laughed. “What, are you broke?”

“Not exactly, but it’s hard to stay under the radar, if I have to tell every shop clerk who they’re dealing with.”

“You owe me an entire spaceship anyway, I guess a dress and a hotel room won’t make much of a difference.”

They went to one of the numerous cashpoints, that spit out little plastic chips you could spend in the shops. It was strange that, besides the fact that almost everything could be bought and sold through a computer, cash still was king for many people. And that was not only for those who did not want their business to be traceable.

After checking that her balance was still acceptable -actually, it had grown, since the crew she employed had done a good job over the past days- she withdrew an amount she hoped would not raise suspicion and handed part of the money to Aisling.

They got themselves a room in a reasonably cheap hotel and while the princess went shopping for clothes, Anwen sampled the pleasures of a hot bath with real water.

When Aisling returned, she wore a white dress and her blue hair was no longer tangled.

“Ah, Commander!” She grinned, when she entered their shared room. “How do I look?”

Anwen stared back at the princess: “Beautiful.”

“I was hoping for daunting, but I can live with beautiful. Shall we go?”

Anwen picked up the blaster she had bought from some dubious tradesman, while the princess was having a make-over and nodded.

The two headed for the council halls.

They arrived at the gates just to find them heavily guarded.

“Looks like going undetected is not an option anymore.” Anwen stated.

Aisling pointed towards a guard with a blue uniform and golden chest plating.

“That’s Captain Christopher Bodski. He used to be with the prismatic guard.”

“Used to be?”

“He worked for my father and now he is part of the Royal Vanguard. It’s likely my aunt sent him here.”

The princess pulled the signet ring from her finger and handed it to Anwen.

“Take this. If you show it to him, he’ll recognize you speak on my behalf. Find out why he’s here, and what he knows. I meet you back at the hotel.”

Anwen took the ring and walked towards the soldier.

“Excuse me!” She said.

Captain Bodski turned his head. “Can I help you, miss?”

“That depends. Are you Captain Bodski from the Royal Vanguard?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“I am. How can I be of assistance?” He answered.

He was still friendly, but obviously alarmed.

“I need to be careful.” Anwen thought. “He’s wary. Aisling is right, something’s not right here, and he knows that.”

Loud she said: “I speak for Her Royal Highness, the princess Aisling Duval. She calls for your service.”

She showed him the signet ring.

“Where did you get that?” He asked, his voice now rougher in tone.

“She gave it to me, so you believe that I am not talking nonsense.”

“The princess is dead!” The soldier said through gritted teeth.

“I can assure you, the princess is alive and well. She has been with me for the most parts of the last few days.”

“And you are?”

“Commander Anwen Hunter. I’m Her Royal Highness’s pilot.”

The captain suddenly was a lot friendlier. The idea that this stranger said the truth made him excited. He had served under her father long enough to see the princess grow up and the news of her death had saddened him deeply.

“Show me the ring.” He ordered.

Anwen complied. The soldier took out a small scanner and read out the princesses genetic fingerprint.

“It’s real!” He exclaimed. “So she is alive?”

“She is.” Anwen nodded. “But the situation is dire. There have been several attempts on her life.”

The captain immediately knew who was to blame. “Emperor’s Dawn!” He said darkly.

Anwen nodded. “We do have conclusive proof that they are behind this. Can you give me an update on the situation?’

The captain nodded. “It’s no secret that the Royal Vanguard is here with a few men to have an eye on the talks.”

“The Emperor doesn’t trust this Baron Beadford guy?”

“When the princess disappeared, we were sent here to investigate. The Baron had been trying to get into the talks earlier and the Goddess knows what his plans are. The well-being of the empire is hardly his major concern.”

“Is he acting under the authority of the crown?”

“Hardly.” The captain snorted. “But the empress can hardly stop him from negotiating a trade agreement here.”

“Is that what this is about? Trade?” Anwen wondered.

The soldier laughed. “You’ve been living under a rock? The strategic importance, and the crowns reach towards it, have been all over the news!”

Anwen shrugged. “I’ve been at the rim.”

“Ah, I see.” The soldier chuckled. Then he got serious again. “The princess, is she here?”

“Around.” Anwen said vaguely. “We need a way to get into the council hall without announcing our presence to Lord Beadford.”

“You think he’s conspiring with Emperor’s Dawn?”

“It’s possible.” Anwen nodded. “If he wanted to negotiate an agreement, Aisling, um, the princess would be a serious threat to his plans. If she comes here with the Emperor’s blessing, she’ll be much more interesting to the Auseridians than the Baron.”

“What do we do?” The captain asked.

“Get us into the council. And it might be helpful, if you were armed and ready, just in case we are right about the Baron.”

“I need proof first, of course.” The captain said.

“Of course. Meet me in an hour at the docking bay entrance to the central corridor. I’ll take you to her then. Come alone.”

The captain seemed satisfied, and Anwen said goodbye and headed back to their meeting point. She didn’t take the straight route, to make sure she wasn’t followed, before meeting with the princess again.

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