Target acquisition

Slavers are an unsavory lot, operating in a gray underground on the edge of the Law. While slavery is officially illegal on any world of the Alliance, there are a few technical exceptions. There's 'Indentures', where a person basically becomes a contract slave for a set period of time. Sometimes the terms of an indenture make it hard to actually complete the deal, which can leave some folk in that state for years. Same goes for some work contracts. Get hooked up in the wrong contract, and you might find the company literally owns your ass.

If a Slaver is particularly slick, they deal in those sorts of contracts. It lets them skirt the edge of the law and, possibly, avoid complications with the Federals. But most Slavers aren't very slick, and conditions on some of the Rim worlds are such that slavery is still tolerated. In fact, on some colonies, it's an accepted way of life. That's the kind of world Slavers like to ply visit. Worlds like Botany Bay.

When Jai stopped by the office to tell me she'd talked to x0x0 and knew Aurora'd been taken, I couldn't say I was surprised. With all Jai's travels on her trading runs, she'd could turn out to be a valuable asset. She had a fair number of contacts of her own that didn't overlap mine or x0's.

I am a patient woman. I started training in martial arts almost as soon as I could walk. I learned self control and self discipline. When I was a soldier, I was trained, amongst other things, as a sniper. Snipers are precise, patient, killers. Self discipline comes with the territory. Patience comes with the territory. But the waiting was killing me.

The 'Verse is a big place. Finding a little girl in a big 'Verse wasn't going to be easy, or exceptionally quick. But the longer it took me to find her, the more likely it became she'd be hurt. Or worse.

I had to be patient. I had to be disciplined. But I was also preparing. Wave Equation was ready to boost on a moment's notice. Sabrina and General were ready to mount up on equally short notice. When the time came, we'd be ready to go.

Whoever had taken Aurora had made a grave, grave, error. While it was entirely possible that the "Slavers" were merely contractors for some Corporate or Alliance interest who wanted Aurora for their own ends, I didn't really care. As soon as I knew where she was, I was going to get Aurora back.

It didn't matter who they were.

They would never know what hit them.