The Orion Interstellar Train station was a buzz with activity, trains were coming and going, huge crowds jostling one another going about their business, porters hauling luggage, merchants hawking fast food or keep souvenirs, pickpockets quietly slipped through the crowd picking up a loose credit card here, a pocket computer there. On track 24 was the Interstellar Express 14, non stop service to Mars and Earth.
" What did this poor guy do?" asked Nicholas Pike, relaxing in a station café, enjoying an Orion Coffee, looking at a picture of a small nervous looking balding man on his pocket computer.
" That is Harold Kraus" said his partner Devon Vickers, devouring his breakfast, " according to the data file he is apparently a corporate spy. Our client is offering 450,000 Terras for him and his case. No case no money so it is vital we get that case."
" 450 blue backs huh" said Nicholas, " guy must have gotten some real good dirt."
" Don't know, don't care" said Devon, " buddy of mine who traffics in less than legal IDCs said a man matching his description purchased two IDCs at 5,000 Terras a piece and proceeded to walk across the street to the public access terminal and purchased a one way ticket on the Express number 14."
" Wow 5,000" said Nicholas, " I think I'm in the wrong business."
" I doubt you have the eye for detail that would be involved in that business and when you get frustrated you can't just pistol whip the id card into working" said Devon.
" That was just once" said Nicholas.
" Yah and we lost half the reward on that one" said Devon, " so remember this guy is a pencil pusher so he won't really put up any resistance."
" Okay dad, want to lecture me about the dangers of the bad girls down the street?" asked Nicholas with a smirk.
" Come on, its time to get on the train" said Devon.
The pair got up from the table and started through the crowded station towards the train.

Space Trains were much larger than their terrestrial counterparts, they were large four story elegant space born art. The ultimate in luxury space travel, the Interstellar Express Trains were among the fastest non-military vessels in space, these sleek silver trains were a perfect symbiosis of style and speed.
Nicholas and Devon slipped their Identity Database Cards into the reader next to one of the doors on the train. The box read their ticket reservations and checked them in. Nicholas hoped on board, Devon started up the steps when someone caught his eye. He turned to look into the slowly moving sea of travelers, he knew he saw her. " Something up?" asked Nicholas.
" Yah, I thought I saw somebody I knew" said Devon.
" She cute and busty?" asked Nicholas.
" Yes, but she isn't your type" said Devon, " huh, must be seeing things."
" When we get to Mars we'll have to the red light district we've been away from fun for too long" said Nicholas.
" I agree" said Devon.
The pair entered the train and found their cabin on the second level of the train. The door to their cabin slid back, it was nothing special, two bunks, a table, closet, a bathroom too small to turn around in, " Ah typical third class accommodations" said Nicholas.
" What you think we can afford anything else on this train, lucky I didn't spring for cargo" said Devon.
" Good, you remember what I said I would do to you if we ever did that again" said Nicholas.
" Last Call For Passengers to board Interstellar Express 14 non-stop service to Mars and Earth" came a loud obnoxious voice over the intercom.
Nicholas and Devon sat in their cabin and waited for the train to start.
The train slowly detached from the platform and slowly began to power its way through the atmosphere and finally into space. They felt the ship shudder just a bit as they entered the Hypergate and started their journey through hyperspace. The door unlocked as a green light came on, " This is your captain speaking" came a voice over the intercom, " we have reached space, ETA to Mars four days, feel free to enjoy the amenities of this fine train and enjoy your ride."
Devon slipped his pocket computer out of his pocket and looked over at the computer console on the wall next to the table. He flipped the maintenance panel on the bottom of the computer screen and slipped a cord into it. Devon tapped a few keys on his lucky beaten up pocket computer and watched as the names on the passenger manifest slowly scrolled by. " Anything?" asked Nicholas.
" There are 461 people on this train, 48 aliens and 60 crew, you think this is going to be quick?" asked Devon.
Nicholas adjusted his jacket, and looked out the window at space as it whizzed by. " Now?" he asked.
" Great" said Devon, " he must be using a new alias and IDC."
" Or that friend of yours was lying" said Nicholas.
" Nope, he knows damn well I would skin his ass if he did" said Devon, " guess we do this the hard way."
" Lucky I have my walking shoes" said Nicholas, " you want the front half or the back?"
" I'll take the front" said Devon, " work from first class down, this guy is probably traveling well."
" I'll keep in touch" said Nicholas.
Nicholas walked out of the cabin and started down the hall. He turned to climb the steps and two bulky guys in poorly tailored suits bumped into him. These guys screamed government secret agents, down to the large bulky Colt Defiant pistols in their coats. " Excuse me" said Nicholas.
The first guy just stared solid icicles at him like they would go straight into him and pin him to the wall. " No problem" he said in a low tone.
Nicholas nodded and let them pass. He started up the steps and stepped back down to see where the two guys were heading. They walked into the cabin directly across the hall from theirs, guess the government travels third class too.

Devon looked across the dining room, the food looked delicious and smelled even better. He felt his stomach growl, mother always told him never to skip breakfast, it always proved troubling. Devon fought the urge to eat as he strolled through the dining room. He noticed three men in one corner taking a great interest in him, they looked very out of place to be eating in a first class dining room, Devon was rather surprised they actually knew how to eat with a knife and fork. One of them was scarred with Neuven Sun Spot, these were New Vegas Enforcers. Probably out to collect a bill and a big one at that. Devon passed into the next room, even more food. Devon passed through the room and came into the casino, at least it wasn't another dining room. Devon slowly adjusted his sunglasses and started to scan from Harold. Harold's profile didn't say anything about gambling but Devon was hoping to avoid scouring every first class cabin. Devon didn't see Harold but he thought he saw her again, she was over the cashier. Devon tried to make this way through the crowd, he knew it was her, nobody else gave him this feeling. Devon almost got a good look at her but found himself trapped in the surge of the crowd as the Proxima Droid Fights started on the main monitor. Devon finally maneuvered his way out of the crowd she had disappeared again. Devon took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, he had a job to do and it didn't involve chasing mystery women.

Nicholas casually walked through the weight room, no way a 120 pound pencil pusher like Kraus would be here unless he knew he had a twenty five year prison sentence waiting for him. Nicholas passed a young woman running on the treadmill and her natural fluid bounce caught his eyes. He was so entranced by her that he didn't see her 6'5" burly boyfriend looking down at him. " You see something you like?" he asked.
Nicholas turned and realized he was looking into a massive neck of muscle. " Nothing that concerns you" said Nicholas.
" I think it does" he said.
" No it doesn't" said Nicholas.
The massive guy tried to grab Nicholas but he simply stepped back and drove his knuckles into the man's sternum. Nicholas manipulated the pressure points of the sternum and reduced the man to a wheezing pile on the floor. The woman rushed over to her boyfriend's side but gave Nicholas an interested look none the less. It was then Nicholas realized who she was, Samantha Greer, a bounty hunter and the hulk must be Wes Gordon. They were a pretty proficient pair, Sam used her natural abilities to lure the bounty into Wes. Guess 450,000 blue backs had brought every bounty hunter out of the wood work. Nicholas adjusted his jacket and straightened his tie before casually walked out of the room.
He walked out of the gym and bumped into a short man, " Excuse me" the man said, clutching his rather large briefcase.
Nicholas realized it was Kraus but before he could wrap his hands around the little man he was already going down a spiral staircase. Nicholas turned and started following, waiting for his chance to grab him. Nicholas rounded the corner on the stairs and saw Kraus had vanished. Nicholas hurried down the rest of the way and found himself in a hallway of the first class cabins but now Kraus. Nicholas looked around, the stairs only went down to this level, and the hallway was empty. Nicholas looked at nearest cabins, little bastard must be in one of these. Nicholas slipped out his universal keycard and looked at the two closest doors. He let his old cop instincts take over and picked the left door, Kraus would have saw it first and would have went there. Nicholas slipped the keycard in the lock and listened to the card find the proper lock combination. It took a little longer than it use to because it was getting a little old. The lock clicked open and Nicholas slipped his Galaga Arms Avenger out. Nicholas carefully opened the door and peeked through a small crack.
The room was empty but extremely luxurious. Nicholas carefully opened the door and went inside. Nicholas started to the search the living room of the suite. Nicholas looked first behind the bar, nothing. He looked next behind the couch, then in the closet, still nothing. Nicholas walked over to the bedroom and opened the door. Nicholas check under the bed, in the closet, in the bathtub, even under the sink with no sign of Kraus. Nicholas holstered his gun, maybe his old instincts were a little rustier than he thought.

Harold Kraus carefully pulled the door open, he'd lost that bounty hunter. Harold carefully exited the maintenance closet that was directly next to the stairway. Thankfully his contact had told him about these hidden closets. He knew this was a mistake to travel on the train but his contact was right that it was the easiest and most direct route to Earth. Harold slipped down the hall, he had to find someplace quiet to hide out while he thought of his next move. Harold slipped into an elevator, he knew a quiet place, he just had to survive the trip.

Devon was sitting at a table enjoying his lunch. He had been up and down the entire entertainment deck with no result other than winning fifty blue backs on a Lanteen Falcon Race which allowed him to enjoy a nice meal. " Dev" came Nicholas' voice from inside Devon's jacket, " Dev you there?"
Devon pulled his mobile phone out, " Yah, what's up?" asked Devon.
" I just spotted Kraus" said Nicholas, " little bastard is slippery I lost him on the first class cabin deck."
" You see where he was going?" asked Devon.
" He disappeared on the stairs, he could be anywhere" said Nicholas.
" Damn, let's meet back in the cabin, no way he's going to hang around first class now that he knows somebody saw him there" said Devon.
" Yah and this place is crawling with bounty hunters, I just ran into Samantha Greer and that ape she partners with" said Nicholas, " and I sorta knocked the wind out of him."
" Lucky you didn't try and hit on her" said Devon, " then I would have to untied you from a bar bell, and speak of the devil. I'm looking right at the Vitto Brothers."
Across the dining hall from Devon entered two of the most violent bounty hunters in the galaxy, Andre and Jorge Vitto. They were mainly outer rim hunters where their run and gun style was more accepted. They were really out of their element here, dressed in long black dusters with big wide brimmed black hats. Rimmers, thought Devon, probably going to bring Kraus' scalp to the Bounty Collection Agency, a centralized group that licenses bounty hunters, collects captured criminals and advertises bounties throughout Earth controlled space. The Vitto brothers sat at a table and shouted over the soft classic music, " Service!"
Clearly these were high class individuals. Devon finished his lunch and made sure to leave a nice tip before heading back down to their quarters. Devon started for the elevator when she saw her again. This time there was no doubting it, there she was coming up the stairs. She saw him too and immediately turned around. Devon wanted to know what she was up to this time and started to follow. She immediately broke into a run, she was in trouble this time. Devon raced down the stairs and saw her still running. Devon followed the tight shaking ass as she rounded corner after corner. Devon finally found himself in a dead-end.
Devon knew she wasn't just a figment of his imagination neither where the three guys that ran into him. Devon spun around and recognized them as the three New Vegas enforcers. " You see the red head that went this way?" asked the leader, the one with the Neuven Sun Spots.
" Nope" said Devon, what a surprise she was in debt to a casino.
" Well there is a 250,000 Terra reward for her return" said the leader.
" Really, I didn't see in on the Net" said Devon.
" Let's just say it is a private reward" said the leader, " keep your eyes open, she is hard to miss."
Devon nodded and watched the three reholster their weapons and leave before walking to the wall and gently pressing one of the wall panels. He heard the magnetic latches click and the door slowly swung open. Devon slipped into a servants' passage and looked about for any signs of his quarry. These passages were meant so that the wealthy passengers wouldn't have to be burdened by seeing the help. Devon walked down the passage stopping at each cabin entrance and checking to see if she was there. After five cabins Devon found himself at the end of the passage, below him was a lift that led down to the second class cabins, and another hidden door at led back into the first class cabin hallway. Devon knew she was smart enough to realize those goons would still be looking for her up here so he stepped on the lift and rode it down to the second class cabin deck. Devon carefully slipped out of the passage and felt the cool barrel of a pistol press against his temple. Devon raised his hands and felt a hand slip inside of his jacket and draw out his Webley Crusader. The barrel of the gun slowly pointed towards a door across the hall. Devon kept his hands up and started across the hall as the gun slowly traveled from his temple to the back of his head. Devon opened the door and they both went inside.