’Deputy Chief Camila. That’s the sa person that the Storren Corp. execs told about. What’s her stake in this, and why would she go out of her way to target Jasmine?’
Avery could hardly fathom why an upper-ranked officer in the Alliance Police that was stationed in a completely different sector would have it out for him.
The only reasons he could think of were wild and outlandish. Practically conspiracy theories.
’This is certainly annoying, but as long as I the systems she has jurisdiction over, it should be fine. She’ll only have so much sway in other places. Plus, thanks to my Silver Cross of Heroism, I’m pretty highly regarded now. No one in the Alliance Police will want to co at directly unless they’ve got so damning evidence I committed a major cri.’ Avery thought.
He figured that there was no use poking a hornet’s nest without a real reason. All he had was suspicion that a certain deputy chief was targeting him, nothing more. Acting on these suspicions would only lead to trouble.
Still, there was Jasmine to worry about. Avery was uncertain if the harassnt she had been receiving would be the end of it. There was always the possibility she might end up dead in a dark alley within the colony soday.
"You’ve told us your situation, but what are you expecting us to do about it? If you hired us as security, we could probably get rid of the guys following you, but that might not be the end of it. And we can’t stay here and protect you forever. We’re rcenaries. When the profitable jobs dry up in one place, we need to move onto the next." Kasandra said bluntly.
While she was grateful for Jasmine helping Avery by preventing any sort of false accusation of him being in league with the group that attempted to steal the SCXD-011, that was not enough of a reason for them to drop everything and protect her for the rest of their lives.
For several seconds, Jasmine remined silent. She was panicking and racking her mind for so way out of the unfortunate circumstances that had befallen her.
Eventually, she ca to one conclusion. She had desperately co here since she felt she had no one else to rely on. If that was the case, then she might as well leave.
"Please take with you. I’ve lost my reason for being here, and I don’t want to stay if things will just continue as they have. I’m sure that I can be helpful. I know a lot about Alliance Law, and I’m decent in a fight thanks to my training as an officer. I’m begging you, let join your crew."
Jasmine bowed her head so deeply that she nearly hit herself on the table they were sitting around.
To say the least, Avery and Kasandra were surprised. They never expected her to ask to join them. Being a rcenary was not for the light of heart.
The job entailed killing other people. Often ruthlessly. That was how they made their money.
’Well, she was a mber of the police, so I’m sure she already put whatever qualms she had about killing behind her. Still, being a rcenary is vastly different from being a part of the Alliance Police.’
However, despite Avery and Kasandra warning her about the dangers and difficulties of being a rcenary, Jasmine still looked determined.
"I joined the police in the first place because I wanted to uphold the law and make the Alliance a better place for people. If I can’t do that anymore, I can at least help you eliminate space pirates. That’s a large part of what being a rcenary is about, right?" Jasmine said, a righteous fire still burning in her eyes despite how haggard she was.
"What you said is true, but that’s not all rcenary work is. Sotis we might to morally questionable things for money. We’re not heroes of justice or anything. Our goal is simply to make a sizable profit wherever we can."
Kasandra attempted to curb Jasmine’s expectations, but in response, the other woman simply said," Then I’ll be the group’s conscience and keep us on the straight and narrow. I don’t know the exact amount, but the two of you just earned a great deal recently fighting pirates and energy lifeforms. Both major threats to the Alliance and its citizens. I’m sure that we can find plenty of opportunities to help people and make money."
"Okay, just calm down. As the captain of this ship, I’m the one that ultimately gets to decide whether you join or not. I’m certainly indebted to you since you put your life on the line to help . If you just want us to take you sowhere else, that’s easy enough, but joining the crew might be difficult. I have Kasandra onboard already after all." Avery said looking towards his partner.
He was uncertain how she would feel about another woman being on the ship. Even if he had no intention of doing anything.
"It’s fine if she joins us." Kasandra said with a sigh. "This ship is certainly sophisticated enough that another set of eyes and hands could be helpful during battle. And I won’t deny that her being a forr mber of the police isn’t useful. So, if you don’t mind letting her, I think she’ll make a decent addition to the crew. But are you ready for what this entails, Jasmine? You know what it will an for you to join Avery’s crew, right?"
Both Avery and Jasmine wore the sa confused expression for a mont, before Jasmine suddenly looked away and her face turned red.
Avery was still out of the loop but decided to pay whatever was going on little mind. He figured that it was sothing personal that only won needed to worry about and there was no need for him to get involved.
’I’ll let them work it out amongst themselves. That’s what my instincts are telling is best.’ Avery thought, letting the two of them talk while he engrossed himself in the cup of tea in front of him.
Once they seed to be finished, Avery officially welcod Jasmine aboard as a supporter.
"I suppose that you’ll need a room from now on then. We’ve still got one open so you can hav-"
Avery stopped midsentence as he rembered why no one was using the currently unoccupied room. It was where he had stored the seven corpses that had been aboard the vessel when he found it. And since Jasmine was the one that had co out to take them as a mber of the police, obviously she knew about this as well.
"Don’t worry about it. I’ve dealt with worse than what occurred here before. As long as the room has been cleaned, it will be fine by ." Jasmine said, noticing Avery’s hesitancy.
Yet he rely shook his head and turned towards Kasandra with pleading eyes.
"Kasandra, would you let her bunk with you for a couple of days. We were planning on getting the two rooms refurbished to be more accommodating soon anyway. I’d kind of feel bad to make her sleep in there."
"Sure, that’s fine. I bet you’ll feel more comfortable with soone nearby anyway. You haven’t been getting much sleep lately, have you?"
With heavy bags under her eyes, it was apparent to anyone that saw her that Jasmine was sleep deprived.
Naturally, knowing that you were being followed around and suspecting that soone had broken into your apartnt would put anyone on edge.
"Yeah, it’s been over a week since I got a full night’s sleep. For the last couple days, I haven’t been able to fall asleep at all unless I kept my hand on a laser pistol beneath my pillow." Jasmine confessed, a notable exhaustion overtaking her now that things had been settled.
"Well, we’ve got a eting with the other mbers of our group coming up in a few hours. Why don’t you get so rest until then, or if you feel like you need more, you can sleep longer. You don’t need to worry about anyone following you anymore. My ship is as secure as can be, and I promise you that no one will be sneaking onboard."
After receiving Avery’s reassurance, Jasmine felt truly at ease for the first ti since she left the Alliance Police.
"Thank you." Jasmine whispered in a faint and bashful voice before following Kasandra to the room that they would temporarily be sharing.
Now that things regarding his newest crew mber were wrapped up, Avery headed to the cockpit as he originally planned and pulled out his terminal to search the galaxy map for suitable locations for his band of rcenaries to head too next.
’Well, it can be any of these systems anymore.’ Avery thought, eliminating any areas that the deputy chief that had it out for him had jurisdiction of.
He then checked the rcenary Association site for any guard request for traveling rchants. If they were going to be heading sowhere anyway, they might as well get paid along the way.
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