For the next 3 days, Eirik was like a man possessed. spending every waking moment training, only interrupted for food or sleep. His command staff was getting worried and even the regular crew had started mumbling between themselves about what was going on with the Captain. The moment they docked at the station, he handed over control of the ship to David and left the ship.

As Eirik prowled through the station, looking for the little bar that was his destination, he thought about his choice to do this without anyone knowing. Sure, meeting a weapons dealer was infinitely more dangerous when you went alone and without backup nearby, but what was life without a little risk? Besides, by keeping his brother out of this, he would be the only one committing a serious crime. The weapons and ammunition he was out to purchase were highly regulated and controlled, despite being basically ancient relics at this point.

Squeezing his left arm tightly to his body, he felt the sawed-off shotgun securely in its concealed holster. in the pocket of his jacket, he could feel the credit cube containing the payment. Credit cubes were a wonderful invention. completely anonymous, able to be transferred into your account by any payment station, and because of the nature of the cubes, the holder of the cube was considered the legal owner.

Finally spotting the faded wooden door, he made his way across the square and entered the bar. Just as expected, it was a sleazy place, bad lighting over the tables and bar, the air heavy with smoke, and the heat of gathered bodies, He walked up to the bar and rapped his knuckles 3 times on the bar.

"What'll it be?" The bartender, a heavy set Terran with a nasty scar running across his cheek had lumbered over.

"Rum, on the rocks. And a large beer" Eirik turned and leaned against the bar as he waited for his drink. Scanning the room he spotted who he was looking for. Grabbing both glasses, he slithered through the crowd and sat down across from the old man who was staring at an empty beer bottle.

"A drink for your time??" Eirik sat down the large glass of beer on the table as he spoke.

" Hopefully, it's a Tuborg" The old man answered with his part of the security phrase.

"I got a specialty request" Eirik slid a piece of paper across the table and the old man picked it up and started reading while drinking from the beer. Suddenly he sputtered all over the table, drawing quite a bit of attention from the other patrons in the bar. Quickly faking a coughing fit, the old man managed to play it off.

"Were you born stupid or did you learn as you went through life?" The old man whispered angrily while jabbing the paper towards Eirik, "Getting hold of a single one of those babies is difficult enough, but 9 of them?"

"Relax old man. I understand that such an order would be impossible to fulfill in one delivery. One at a time will be just fine. The ammunition, however, will have to be delivered at once. That cannot be negotiated."

"That is still a tall order, but I have made more difficult things work before. Now, there is the matter of payment??"

Eirik took out the credit cube and put it on the table, but as the old man reached out to take it, Eirik clamped a hand down on his wrist before speaking. "Old man, you have a reputation for being fair and honest in your dealings, which is why I came to you with an order that will earn you more profit than 10 years on this station would otherwise make you. While I trust you to keep to your end of the bargain, you mind me now. My reach is further than you can run and my eyes are good enough that no hole will hide you. So, please, do not disappoint me."

The old man just nodded a single time and Eirik let go of his wrist. "You are an aggressive one, aren't you young man?" The old man chuckled, "The goods will be there, have no worry. God willing, this will be another perfect delivery on a perfect record."

Eirik was about to sneer at the Christian expression but caught himself before it happened. The old man saw something, however. "What was that, you look down on faith young man?"

"Not at all old man, but our faiths differ greatly from one another." As Eirik spoke, he pulled out the hammer that he always had hanging around his neck.

"So I see, but don't blame me for the mistakes of the past" The old man was chuckling again and as Eirik was about to retort, he stopped for a moment and thought it over.

"You are right, old man, I should not judge you for the mistakes of the predecessors. But surely you can understand my feeling on the subject."

"I can, so let us leave it be and finish this business"

_____________________________________

Later, Eirik knocked on the door of his brother's office. When no immediate answer came, he opened the door and walked in. His brother was leaned over a datapad, reading intently.

"Greetings brother!!" Eirik's words shook his brother out of his reading and he quickly rose to embrace him.

"What brings you back so soon Eirik? What happened?" Lasse was curious. Something big must have happened to summon Eirik back so soon.

"I'm meeting with granddad There are questions I must ask. Depending on the answers, I will tell you the questions afterward. For now, you must settle with not knowing."

"You know I do not like that Eirik, but I will trust you on this. How can you be sure granddad will not just draft you for military service??"

"Because, Lasse, the questions I have for him are questions that he does not want anyone else to hear. He will meet me alone."

"If you say so Eirik. By the way, the Infiltrators arrived yesterday and are waiting for you. Can you please go take care of them?? there have been no less than 29 infiltration attempts into restricted areas within the last 12 hours. My crew is being run ragged,"

"Right away Lasse, Take me to them."

Lasse led Eirik to an office that had several beings in it, mostly Terran. They all looked up as he entered the room.

"I have asked you all here for a very specific assignment. I want you to track down 4 Terran soldiers that have been prisoners of the Plyxii since the Plyxii offensive ended. They are trying to keep these soldiers from being discovered. I want you to discover them and return to me with the information needed to go there. I will double your usual fee for this assignment. Whether or not you are the one to find it. But only AFTER they have been located. That will be all, get to work!"

Without further prompting, the average-looking beings left the office and headed straight towards the hangar area.

"There, that should get me the answers I need fairly soon. Screw the expense." Eirik mumbled to himself.

When he left the office himself, his brother was waiting for him. "I am happy to see you got them focused on work instead of trying to crack my security. Should I expect them to report back here?"

"You should indeed, Lasse. Now, how about one of Old Pan's meals? I think it's chili con carne tonight.

The 2 brothers started walking towards the hangar with an arm around each other's shoulders.