Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 546: Unexpectedly Straightforward

The next few days passed at a snail’s pace. Jace had forged a single container with the Gators and used his tattoo tech to keep it in a separate space. The contents of the box went with it. But unlike what he said, he only provided the Gators with a primitive version of the chemi-metal.

It was a starting point. But far beyond anything that they could make without his help. He was sure it would catch both the Mortella and Daemon’s attention though. Which would allow his own galaxy some extra time since they would be distracted. Especially with a galaxy they do not even consider worthy enough to provide their name with.

He was not the only one waiting these last few days. Nor the only one quietly making moves in the shadows. While he looked for his people and tracked the rebellion’s movements. He knew he was being watched as well.

Just yesterday the surveillance from the local government increased with assistance from what he only assumed was the people from the spacecraft that was in orbit above the island. They were better organized and equipped than the local people. He could tell because of the high definition video surveillance equipment they were using to watch him.

He also knew that they had managed to track most of his people to three locations. The first was him landing near the southern islands. The second was a pair of individuals who crashed on the Northern Continent. That must be the signal he picked up on and where he sent Liz. Speaking of Liz, she managed to find a smuggler who was halfway to the Northern Continent.

Then there was the third location. The moon of Prima Terra, which was also called Luna. Luna was a primary trading port in the solar system. The partially hollowed out moon had a number of environmental domes where life and cities were running the trade for not just this system, but for a quarter of the Empire it was a crucial route for food.

There used to be a secondary trade station. Mars. But they were still under military control because of the rebellion that occurred years ago. So free trade could not easily move through there. Instead, all that potential trade went through Luna. Making it a primary asset for the empire as a whole. But somewhere along the way they seemed to have forgotten that fact. Or it just slipped them by.

Especially now that a potential rebellion on Prima Terra was on the rise. A rebellion on this planet would destabilize the entire empire. Especially if said rebellion had an effect on Luna. Someone would realize soon, but he was guessing the group that arranged this was moving things along exactly for that reason.

"Gladiator," Jace looked to the source of the voice and saw a barely dressed Anna. She was in a white crop top and a pair of short shorts. Neither of which really disguised how turned on she was right now. But her facial expression showed her extreme annoyance. "My government stooge of a brother is here to pick you up. Apparently someone really important wants to meet you up in the city above."

"Perfect." Jace leaned back and stepped away from the computer setup he had been using for the last few days. The basilisks had acquired all of the goods, in exchange he had been supplying them with information and resources to expand their reach beyond the southern islands.

As he walked over to the door he grabbed the coat she had gotten for him and went to put it on. But she stopped him by grabbing him by the junk. "You are coming back tonight, aren’t you?"

Jace smirked, "do you really like what I do for you that much?"

"I do. So come back." She told him before walking past. "Is this the intel on the schematics?"

"It is." Jace answered as he walked out the door after making sure he was properly clothed. He walked through the hall past rooms even chuckling as he passed a room with the door open and a pair of women moaning. After a few minutes he arrived down at the lobby where Pliro and the woman from before who flirted with him, West, were waiting. Pliro was looking uncomfortable but West was not.

"Gladiator. I hope you are ready to go." West told him. "Because you know you might not be coming back here if they manage to catch you."

"Hey-" Pliro blurted out in a panic but was interrupted as Jace burst into laughter.

"I know." He answered as he laughed. "I have a plan." He arrived at the bottom of the stairs. "Now then, are you walking there or..."

"There is an armored humvee out front waiting for us." West explained before turning around and walking toward the door where a pair of female guards watched them as they walked past.

Jace walked out with them and to the courtyard where it looked like there was a standoff between local military personnel and the Basilisk gang. "Do not worry ladies!" Jace called out as he walked to the open back door of the armored humvee. "I will be back in a few hours!"

"Please do!" "Yeah tight ass!" There was a chorus of catcalling and lewd expressions shouted out as he stepped into the rear of the vehicle.

He sat in the chair behind the driver as Pliro jumped into the passenger seat and West sat in the seat behind him. "They must really like you here." West pointed out as she pulled out a communicator. "We have him and are on our way to the surface city. We will meet you at the hotel bar in approximately ten minutes." After a moment she nodded. "Understood." She then put away the communicator.

"Good news? Or bad news?" Jace asked as he relaxed. The seat he was so unceremoniously directed to had electricity barely running underneath it. He could tell with a flip of a switch it would electrocute him. Or at least they would try to electrocute him.

"Good news. Everything is on schedule. You will meet with two VIPs at a hotel bar where they will be staying. The entire building is being evacuated." West explained.

Jace smirked. "Let me guess, first a nice quiet talk. Then we will move on to the fighting and trap part where you attempt to capture me and I escape in a brutal fashion that ends up with several people dead."

"We know. They know. You know. Yet it is likely to happen anyways. We are just going to have to deal with it when it happens." West answered with a grunt. "More importantly... Are you single?"

There was a moment of silence before he answered. "Nope." Jace chuckled. "Married, I have multiple lovers, and I am basically a male slut. I get around."

"I think that is called a player." The driver for the first time spoke up.

"No he is right." West shook her head. "That is considered a male slut. There are a few other terms." She then tilted her head. "Did you seduce them?"

"I seduced some of them. Others, who clearly think like you, wanted children or offspring without the need for connection and I did not mind providing it." Jace answered with a shrug thinking back on the events leading up to his departure from his galaxy with a smirk.

"What about your wife?" West asked as the humvee entered the main road that would lead them out of here.

"Oh... well..." Jace shrugged. "She knows. But that is going to end up being a conversation we are going to have when I get back." He told her as he noticed more shops that were closed. It seems everyone except the government knew what was coming.

"What about having offspring with me?" West offered and both men in the front seats began coughing and hacking. The driver nearly veered off the road and a radio crackled to life that he immediately spoke into, explaining that he just lost control of the vehicle for a moment.

"Chances of that happening are next to negligible." Jace declared.

West puffed up her cheeks and looked down at her body. "Am I not desirable?"

"Oh you are very desirable and given the opportunity, I will definitely sleep with you. But I am saying it is unlikely because our physiology might not be different but-" Jace stopped as he saw the light of understanding cross her eyes.

"Your genetics are far stronger. Making it next to impossible to have combined offspring. But then... How were the others you talked about able to have them? Or planned to have them?" West asked suddenly.

Jace was about to respond but closed his mouth. "That is a set of information that would cost you." He told them and watched West frown.

"The streets are empty. Isn’t it the middle of the workday on this planet?" West asked as she looked out the window.

Jace smirked. "Someone finally noticed." He then stared out the window the rest of the trip. Ignoring the questions that Pliro started asking him in a panic as they realized that something was wrong.