TW: This chapter contains descriptions of child abuse that may not be suitable for all audiences.

“What are we looking at?”

Searin inspected the giant metal box three meters in length and half that in width.

“This is the package you’ll be delivering,” said The Earl.

“For how expensive it is, I would have expected it to look a little more fancy,” said Curly, rubbing his finger along the surface of the box.

The Earl looked at his fingernails as he replied, “It is prudent in my business not to flaunt the value of the contents of any delivery. Any unnecessary attention paid to the package by dock inspectors or passing thieves is… undesirable.”

“So what’s inside?” asked Searin.

“That would be none of your business, Mr. Searin,” said The Earl. “As far as you are concerned, you are delivering a box to an individual on Charon. That is the extent of the information that you require for your employment.”

Wrynn watched Searin twitch uncomfortably, but ultimately the Panserra went silent.

“I think it might be a little our business,” said Wrynn, unprovoked. Searin shot him a dirty look. The Earl turned to face the insubordinate delivery boy. Wrynn finished, “Seeing as we’re expected to keep it in proper order.”

The Earl stroked his chin as he studied Wrynn carefully. He did not seem angry, rather intrigued at the sudden dissension.

“You don’t have to answer him, Earl,” said Searin. “The boy’s got a bit of a curious mind. Has trouble knowing when to shut up.”

The Earl raised a hand. “It’s no matter. I suppose it might help you to understand the severity of the job. Inside this box is a body: the remains of a prominent individual. For the purpose of the job, you might frame it that you are simply delivering the remains of a loved one.”

“A body?” asked Curly. “What is this person we’re delivering to planning to do with it?”

“It is not my position to speculate or care,” said The Earl. “And I would advise you to take a similar approach.” He looked over the crew and handed Searin a slip of paper. “Here is the address for delivery. You’ll find I’ve submitted half of the payment to your account, Mr. Searin, with the other half to be issued on completion. Now, if you’ll kindly get this box off of my ship. I would like to make it to Kilgore before my favorite coffee shop closes.”

The Earl motioned for the dockmaster to help the crew carry the box back to their skiff. The container was extremely heavy, Wrynn found as he helped load it onto the mag-lift. It would not be easy to get through the streets unnoticed.

As they made their way back to their ship, Searin let out a whistle.

“Well, look-ee here,” said the Panserra. “Thirty-seven thou right on cue.”

“We’ll drink good tonight,” said Curly.

“Next couple nights,” added Vic.

While the others were distracted by the numbers in their credit wallets, Wrynn took the opportunity to lag behind and slip behind some shipping containers. He slipped the metal card from his pocket and reviewed the instructions the Trescan girl, Rose, had written to him the previous night.

Aft deck, Midnight Hold, slip this card in one of the containers marked for Temper-Fides.

Half an hour with The Earl told Wrynn that his new employer was not someone he wanted to have as an enemy, but the extra payday the Trescan girl had offered for such a simple task was irresistible. He knew he did not have long before the others noticed he was missing, so he hurried along following a crude drawing Rose had provided him.

The full scale of the E4-Kinkaid was something one could only appreciate from the inside. Wrynn had been aboard a number of giant spacecruisers in the past, but the amount of cargo this vessel was carrying was almost immeasurable. Beyond that, everything was meticulously organized, labeled, and stacked in such a way that reflected the appearance of a well-oiled operation.

Wrynn walked past several dock workers who paid him no mind so that he was able to arrive at the adjoining junction without trouble. Up the narrow hall Wrynn finally came to a door with a nameplate that noted it as the Midnight Hold. He pushed open the heavy door and was greeted by a cold, dank room that stank of musty smells. The distant rattling of chains set a tingle down his spine, and there was a soft whimpering coming from deeper in the room.

Turning on his wristlight, Wrynn stepped down into the hold to see more boxes stacked high. Skittering pads on cold metal and the screeching of a disturbed creature told him there were live creatures caged in here. As he shone his light around the room the beam landed on the frail forms of animals large and small. A pair of Ellestrin spider monkeys, an Ochre crocodile, a Proust panda, these were some of the rarest species in the galaxy caged in this lightless hole.

“Best turn out that light, ol’ chap.” A voice came from the darkness deeper into the room.

“Who’s there.” Wrynn flashed his light in the direction to see a short man, human, with a scruffy beard who put his hands up and squinted against the bright light.

“’S all right, fella.” The man raised his hands. “I mean ya no harm. I’m the caretaker of these beasties so you might say. But they get mighty disturbed with the lights on. So if ya’d kindly.”

Wrynn gave the man a hard look and decided he was telling the truth. He kept a hand on his pistol and switched on low-light visibility on his holo-sight before turning off his wristlight. The room went dark and the sounds of the caged animals faded.

“It’s your first time down here, eh?” asked the man in the dark. A dull cracking sound and the soft, red glow of a lumo-ring illuminated the space between Wrynn and the stranger.

“Yeah,” replied Wrynn after a beat. He assumed this person thought he was a new crew member. “What is this place?”

“According to our Earl, it’s just another cargo hold to keep our goods.” The man went over to one of the nearby animals and spray some aerosol to calm it down. “But here be some of the greatest wonders of the Sixteen Realms.”

Wrynn looked over the creatures trapped in their tiny cells. Feeling the temperature of the room and seeing the pressure nozzles on the walls, he understood this hold was designed to go minor cryo during their journey through the nebulae and keep the animals sedated. He was reminded of lobsters in a fish tank at one of those fancy seafood restaurants.

“I guess that’s fine,” said Wrynn. He did not want to spend more time than necessary in this place. “Do you have a shipment for Temper-Fides in here? Boss asked me to check up on it.”

“The special delivery, eh?” The keeper gave Wrynn a look over before motioning for him to follow. “Come on then, it’s over here.”

Past the cacophony of dozens of drowsy breathings, Wrynn followed the man to a series of cages stacked three high. As they approached, he could see small forms in the three cages. Naked, pink flesh on tiny, emaciated bodies with unkempt heads of hair and barely enough strength to stir in their sleep. They couldn’t be more than ten years old. Wrynn’s brow furrowed.

“You’re transporting children of Umbris?” He almost could not believe the words coming out of his mouth. These were a noble tribe of people, highly respected for their efforts to lift lesser worlds out of poverty. Moving live animals was unseemly. This was horrific.

“Earl says they’ll get a good home,” said the man, lifting the light up to each of the cages. “They’re like to have a better fate than most in here, ‘specially seeing how much the folks on Temper-Fi paid for ‘em.”

“How long have they been in here?” asked Wrynn, impudently.

“Well, with all this stopping between ports and whatnot it’s been two, maybe three months?”

Wrynn could feel his heartbeat start to spike. He knew he did not have time to waste here and there was nothing he could do for these children right now. He would have to have a word with Rose who set him on this mission. Focus on what to say when you get back and finish the job, he commanded himself.

“Right, well I just need to look over their condition.” Wrynn looked at the keeper who stepped back to let him inspect the cages closer. Pressing his nose to the glass, he tried not to focus on their bony figures, cloudy eyes as he slipped the card from his pocket. With a glance behind him, he concealed his motion with a turn and slipped the card through one of the vents on the side of the middle box. He gave the glass a quick tap with his other hand to hide the sound.

“Everything looks in order,” said Wrynn, smiling. “I’ll let The Earl know.”

The man nodded. “Suppose that’ll do. I’ll see you out, then. That door is a right pain to open from this side.”

They walked back to the entrance but before Wrynn could leave, the small man grabbed his arm with a weighty hand. Wrynn made to grab for his weapon, but the stranger got in close and spoke in a hushed whisper.

“I know what you’re here for.” His voice was earnest, quiet, and cautious. “You might think you’re doing the right thing, but there won’t be no peace ‘less these people get what they want.”

“What you’re doing here is wrong,” hissed Wrynn, sternly. “Taking children from their homes? And what the hell are these people going to do with them?”

“Three kids for the sake of that entire planet,” the man rationalized. “One croc to feed the hunger of a mad poacher, two monkeys to save an entire rainforest. Way I see it, we’re delivering peace and bringing real special life to places that never would see it.”

“You know for a fact these animals are not going to some loving zoo,” said Wrynn. “And those kids are not going to be treated well where they land. They’ll have miserable little existences wherever they end up. How is that any shadow of what these lives are supposed to be?”

The man shook his head and let go of Wrynn’s arm. “’S easy for you to say on your little crusader mission. But if it’s not us, then it’ll be someone else. And I can at least show ‘em a scrap o’ kindness while they’re here.” He shoved the door open with a grunt and held it for Wrynn. “Go on, now. I won’t tell anyone ‘bout what you’ve done. ‘S long as you wait ‘til we get to Temper-Fi to do what you’re gonna do, it’s not my problem no more.”

Wrynn exited the Midnight Hold, mind swirling. This was meant to be a side quest. A little favor for a pretty girl with pretty pockets. Seeing the state of those children, though, it set off something inside of him.

Something dangerous. Something liable to get him killed.