Read [01] Elite: Wanted for Free Online

everyone from Darkwater looked roughly the same.
    ‘Didn’t take you long,’ said the illusion sourly.
    ‘I’m good at what I do,’ shrugged Ziva. ‘You got my credentials?’
    ‘We’ve had them for a long time, Eschel.’
    Ziva watched as the illusion looked her over – not, since it was an illusion, that that meant anything.
    ‘You know the deal – first come, first served. The opening bounty has been set at ten thousand credits, but that’s likely to rise. First respondent gets twenty-four hours before we open it up. You’re flagged, though. You were a bit too damn quick for my liking.’
    Which meant they’d lodged a query with the Pilots’ Federation indicating her possible involvement in the attack, and it would stick to her like a dark cloud until they took it away again. ‘Flagged? Fuck off!’
    ‘Get the scum who did this, Eschel, and we’ll clear it. Unless you’d like to come and work for us. Corporate are setting up their own show against
Federation’s Most Wanted
.’
    Ziva’s eyes narrowed. The avatar was an illusion and its expression conveyed nothing, but there was something in the voice … ‘Do I know you?’
    ‘You’ve been through here enough times, Eschel. We all know you’re trouble.’ The illusion had hesitated, though, which as good as told her that she did. She racked her memory for anyone from Darkwater she might have pissed off. It was a long list. Then a grin spread over her face.
    ‘I
do
know you! You’re that Viper pilot! The one who took a pot-shot!’ That had been five years ago and she remembered what fun she’d had playing with him afterwards, sitting right on his arse for twenty solid minutes through rings and around moons and in and out of the gas giant atmosphere, keeping a lock on him no matter what he did. ‘Still sore because they made you apologise, or is it just because you know I’m the better pilot? I made it up to you.’
    ‘Yeah, if by that you mean you let me pay for you to get steaming drunk. You’re still flagged, Eschel.’
    ‘I was quick because I’m already after someone. He’s near.’ She sent Newman’s history across. ‘So how about you double your bounty and drop your flag before I shove it up your arse?’
    ‘How about I send a dozen Vipers to bring you in?’
    ‘If you think you can, Darkwater. I flew Vipers for five years before I turned private so I might feel sentimental and let you keep a few. And of course, I do have enough fuel to jump straight back to La Rochelle if I feel like it; then maybe I might flag you right back for being a clusterfuck of shit-eating butt-plugs and we can see who else turns up to take your bounty. Corporate are setting up against
Federation’s Most Wanted
? How long do you reckon it’ll be between me putting the news absolutely everywhere and a hunter sponsored by Radall Martic coming this way? Hey – maybe they might send two or three and make a Christmas Special out of it.’
    The illusion hesitated again. ‘You’re bluffing, Eschel.’
    Which she had been, right until he said that. She shrugged and told the
Dragon Queen
to turn about.
    ‘Eschel! Wait! There were two ships. What they did was beyond the pale. Fifteen thousand for each captain. Not the ships, Eschel, the people. We’re not the Pilots’ Federation here. Another thousand for each crewman you bring in.’
    Ziva stopped the
Dragon Queen
. ‘Two ships? How big?’
    ‘One corvette or cutter size, one smaller. We don’t know.’
    ‘You don’t
know
? Where did they go?’
    ‘We don’t know that either.’
    Ziva burst out laughing. ‘You didn’t get a trace on their trail after they jumped out? I hope whoever got bounced out there didn’t pay their twenty credits or you’re going to be looking at a very embarrassing compensation suit.’
    The algorithm behind the illusion managed to look annoyed and abashed at the same time. It sighed. ‘The victim was an Orca, the
Pandora
. She stayed right at the edge of the system.