Douglas Walker

[Toaster]

// And yet another story that I will probably abandon in a week. Meh.

"This is Universal Black Nine. I am hauling robotic components to Toronto Station."

"Roger that, Universal Black Nine. Safe flying out there."

Douglas sighed and closed the channel. The times when LPI pilots would offer free escorts through the more dangerous sectors of Liberty were long over.

Must be the pay, he thought. Economy's going down with this war going on.

Carefully he maneuvered his Rhino freighter in between two Ageira Technologies transports that were heading towards the trade lane he had just exited. With a side-way glance, he got a glimpse of the left ship's name stenciled onto its hull: Merrimack.

Douglas grinned. He hadn't seen that ship around for a while. In fact, not ever since it had saved his ass from a wing of Rogues near Mojave.

"Watch out, will you!" A high-pitched voice blared through his helmet-speakers. "I don't want to die out here just 'cause you're daydreaming!"

A fighter jerked past him, barely two meters separating it from the Rhino's hull. The unusual shape with the two "wings" swerving forward around the craft's cockpit identified it as a Hammerhead heavy fighter, commonly used by the Bounty Hunters Guild these days.

"Sorry, didn't see you approaching," Douglas muttered into his mic.

"You'd better see me next time, jerk!" The pilot replied before cutting the connection.
Arsehole, Douglas thought to himself.

Not wanting to get into the heavier transport-traffic, he edged his ship closer to West Point where only a few other freighters were. One of them flashed its headlight at him as he passed. Douglas returned the gesture, identifying the ship as a fellow Universal freighter.

"Heading to Toronto?" The freighter's pilot asked over a secure channel.

"That's right," Douglas replied while reading over the ship's transponder. "Green Six, eh? Aren't you guys flying around in Kusari?"

"We are, but I was supposed to return to Liberty for some reason." There was a short pause. "Probably some VIP wants to be ferried 'inconspicuously'," the pilot whispered, chuckling.

Douglas grinned and said, "Well, I'd best get on my way now. A wing of LPI fighters is waiting for me at Los Angelas."

"Roger that, good luck!"

A short burst of static washed through the channel as it was closed.

---

Olivia Sable