Defy The Sky, Page 2

  Chapter 2

  The vault

  I strode down the main promenade with a large bag thrown over my shoulder and check out the shops that lined it. In one store there is beautiful clothing from over 300 years ago, in another is some knick knacks. Tee shirts with Golden Sun emblazoned on it. Coffee cups, towels etc. Further on down I find the store I want, the jewelry shop! Of course it is on lockdown and sealed tight. “Navi, do me a favor open up the jewelry shop? I have some shopping to do. I hold my hands up in front of me, act like I am concentrating hard and say “open says a me”

  The bulletproof glass doors magically open. I smile and walk into the shop. Laid out in front of me are rows and rows of jewelry, watches, and precious stones. I open my bag and start grabbing everything in sight and tossing it in my bag. Very shortly my bag is full and rather heavy. I jump on the slideway and started cruising back to my ship; unfortunately my peaceful walk was interrupted. “Captain, Shin here, I found the vault and Navi has just unlocked it. Do you want to check it out?”

  “Of course I want to check it out; I’ll be there in just a minute. Navi, round up the crew and guide them to the vault.”

  “Yes sir captain grandpa sir.” Not even Navi’s jabs are gonna get me down. I run into the Defiance chuck my big bag of goodies down in a chair and head to the Vault.

  Navi lights up glowing arrows in the floor and guides me to the vault. I walk to the main promenade and step into a nearby elevator, it quickly takes me to deck 3. Deck 3 was the lower class cabins and crew quarters. If a passenger couldn’t afford to buy a planet this is where they stayed. I follow a long green hallway to about the middle of the liner and hook a left at the crossroads. The purser’s office is right in front of me, I walk in.

  Inside are several small offices and desks. I could see they are decorated with family pictures and such , a sad reminder that these were living people and not just holo vid characters. In the back of the room I can see the massive vault door and my crew standing in front of it. I strolled up to the group and my legs are quickly smashed into by Loki demanding attention with his ever present smile glued on his face.

  My crew patiently waits for me to give Loki his attention but I could see that not one of them are able to stand still. They all looked like they had to rush to a rush to a toilet. I walk over and greet them. “Hey guys, you ready to pop this cork?” the yeses are resounding. I smile and say “Ok you’ve waited long enough, Dozer turn that wheel and let’s see what’s inside.” Dozer grabs the door’s wheel and leans into it. The wheel gives a deep groan and begins to spin freely. Dozer grabs the handle and pulls the door open. It’s a rather disappointing view we behold, just a lot of safety deposit boxes. Then I hear Kiley gasp, there on the floor is a mummified corpse.

  The mummy had been a man and is wearing a very nice white and blue uniform with chief purser Jayne stenciled on the breast of the jacket and made in Canton under that. I walk forward and check his belt. There on a clip is a large keychain with hundreds of keys. I give a handful of keys to each crew member and tell them to have at it. I set up a trash bin in the middle of the room and bellow “When you use a key, toss it into the bin. This way we don’t waste time.” I start opening boxes myself. The first box I open contains a bottle of brandy; I check the date on the bottle. “Woohoo! 300 year old booze, this bottle is staying with me.” It is like Christmas you hear a box open followed by a shout of joy or a groan of displeasure. I open several other boxes and find ancient earth currency, jewelry and other things of value, but the best box Ice opens , I am opening a box containing more currency when I hear a loud “yahoo!”

  I look over to see Ice dancing about holding a large box in her arms. I know it must be amazing if it gives Ice that much emotion. I walk over and peek in the box. My jaw hits the floor and I join in the dancing. Inside the box are platinum bars. The entire box is filled with platinum bars! “We are rich!” Everyone starts cheering and I decide that now is a good time to open that brandy up. I take a swig and moan with delight, liquid warmth rushes into my belly and spreads to my limbs. I hand the bottle to Dozer who has the same reaction as me.

  The bottle makes a couple victory laps amongst the crew before it is gone. I sit down and am enjoying watching my crew celebrate when Navi’s voice booms over the ship’s P.A. system. “Hey Listen, Captain I have an unknown ship inbound. She is heavily armed and coming in hot!” I jump to my feet, “Kiley and Lars get to the Defiance leave everything but the platinum bars, Loki go with Kiley. Shin, Dozer and Ice on me, let’s move!”

  We rush to the main promenade for another battle. I direct Ice to her nest again for sniper duty. “Dozer set up barricades again, Shin I want you to find a way to sneak around the pirates. With three “yes sirs” they are off and running. I then tell Navi to let me speak to the crew. “Guys we are going to get through whatever is in front of us. I don’t know who these jokers are but the fact they are flying at us at high speed I suspect pirates. Let’s show some defiance to these pirate scum!” Navi contacts me on a secure frequency. “ Anker, the ship is a Grumman wasp and she just docked on the opposite side of the Golden Sun. I have made several attempts to hail the wasp but they are ignoring me, I do believe you are about to encounter pirates.”

  “I figured Navi, but thanks for the update. A wasp huh? Hmm those are worth a pretty penny and are very deadly.”

  “Agreed Anker, I don’t recommend engaging in ship to ship combat, We are outclassed and they are faster. We need to disable their ship in order to escape.”

  “I got it covered Navi, but I need you to delay and discourage them as much as possible. Oh and if you would be so kind please guide Shin to the pirate ship and don’t let him be detected.”

  “Copy that Captain and please stay safe.”

  With that I climb behind a barricade Dozer has beefed up and borrow one of his rifles. With the scope of the rifle against my eye I wait for the arrival of the pirates.