"Estimated time to atmosphere entering of the Ramidia planet, 30 minutes, sir" responded the intercom.
I looked out of my window in my cabin. The glass was tinted black, but I could still see the great blue planet, which was our destination. I was carrying cargo from Earth to here, and now I was need to get a new freight job to get home, but knowing, what there is most of on this planet, I will not get a clean straight job back to Earth.
I pressed the intercom button. "Yes, thank you, Jurgenzen. I will return to the bridge ASAP" the words was said like an automated reply machine used on abandoned satellites around the galaxy. I removed my hand from the intercom and took my grey shirt which was hanging of my lounge chair and put it on. I then left my cabin for the bridge.
"Morning, Captain" answered Jurgenzen when I entered the bridge. She was sitting in the second-in-command chair in the left side of the bridge as always. I sat in the Commander chair in the right side of the bridge. "Morning, Jurgenzen, Was it a calm time here in the space?" I asked. "yeah, it was just the usual things happening, Vanduuls attack a military escort, Pirates was spotted and destroyed and there was a freighter looking for an escort and found 3 explorers and has since gone quiet." she replied. I took my headset on and reconnected my Pilot Comm-Link Microcomputer to the ship. The Head-up display was turned on immediately and I could see we had Atmospheric Entering Permission, valid for 3 hours local time, but no landing permission. I turned my head and made eye contact with Jurgenzen who was by the looks of it, leaving her post to get some sleep at her cabin.
"Why is there no LP? We have the AEP but not the LP, why?" I asked her. She look tired at me. "Remember that they have the new law sat in place, where we have to be in the Atmosphere to seek the LP, you don´t remember?" she replied tired, and disconnected her PC-LM. I looked at the date on my HUD. The 21st March 2944, two days ago was the date for the new law on Ramidia. " Ah, okay, thanks for the info. You can go now". She was out of the bridge, faster than a single Vanduul that is being chased by a explorer group.
"Kashmir Freight Control tower responding on Landing Permission Request to Ship WEF33256, come in Ship WEF33256"
"Ship WEF33256 is ready for the response, Control Tower"
"Landing Permission is being given to you for landing pod number 324"
"Affirmative, Control Tower"
The HUD popped up with the number 324 as the destination. I slowed the ship down to the slowest speed I could and found the landing pod. I fold the landing gear out and began lowering the altitude. Then the little bump was felt and I turned of the engines and turned on the intercom.
"We are now landed guys, so be free to browse the city, but be back here in exactly twelve hours, I may have more work for you. You will be payed, when I get back". The intercom replied immediately, from the cargo bay area:" Two questions Capt´n? One, When will you be back? and two, I forgot how much was it you was going to pay us?". "Number one, Hopefully in two hours, and two it was one grand UEE credits per crew member" I responded and left the bridge with my PC-ML and the freight dossier, headed for my cabin. When I got inside my cabin, my private Comm-link buzzed. I picked it up and answered the call.
"um, Hello?" I replied.
"Captain Thruehart, I presume?" sounded the calm voice slowly.
"Yeah, it is. I assume this is Mr. Pi Suulat?"
"Yes, Captain. I heard that you are landed in Kashmir, yes?"
"Yes, in landing pod 324"
"Okay, Captain. I also heard you both need money and reason to return to Earth, yes?"
He was knowing things that few people knew. "Maybe"
"I may have a job for you. Not totally legit however"
I was silent.
"Captain Thruehart? You still there?" The voice asked.
I sighed. "Yeah I´m still here, but it have been a long time since I last was a smuggler, okay, what would I be smuggling?"
"A ship"
"A ship? You can usual find a pilot and order him to fly the ship to the buyer"
"The buyer is a Vanduul and the ship is a Origin 300I"
"And the Vanduuls is under an embargo by UEE"
"Yes"
"And this Vanduul needs a 300I for what exactly? They have their own ships"
"The buyer needs it for his own enjoyment and he is a clan-leader so he needs a ship more extravagant than the others"
"And I can´t see the problem with having a pilot flying it"
"There is both military patrols and Vanduul patrols that both want to shot down a lonely ship"
"Now, I see the problem" I began to think. Will the Cargo bay hold a 300I?
"We will however not pay you full price when you arrive, but pay you 50% now and the rest when delivering"
"And how much was it you will pay me?" I was not doing it for 15K or under.
"We think 80 thousand total is the price"
That was a hell of lot more that I thought, they was going to pay. "May I think about it? I need to consult my crew before. Maybe I don´t even have the space for a 300I in my ship"
There was a short break. "Yes, you have 24 hours"
"Thank you. I need to go now"
"Okay, I contact you in 24 hours"
I turned of the comm-link, took my trench coat and my sunglasses and leaved my ship.