The service corridors were quiet this time of day, which suited Ash fine.
He moved through them with his hood up, keeping to the less travelled routes, checking corners out of habit. He thought about Zhao as he walked.
He didn't know the man that well. Shipments came in every few months and their interactions had always been brief, a handoff, some conversations. But he'd watched Zhao and Han Wei together enough times to get a read on it. The way they spoke to each other, like men who had been through things together and didn't need to explain the details anymore. Han Wei didn't have many people he trusted like that. The fact that Zhao was one of them was enough for Ash.
He rounded a corner and stopped.
Two of Zhao's guards stood at the entrance to the service bay, watching the corridor. Both were armoured, one of them had a short recurve launcher strapped across his back, compact enough to carry easily but capable enough to make a point. The other stood with his hands loose at his sides.
Ash kept his pace easy and approached without hesitating.
The one with the launcher stepped forward. "Move on."
"Hey, ah I'm here for Han Wei's order," Ash said.
The guard looked him over without expression. The other one hadn't moved, he just stood there watching.
Then a third man appeared from just inside the bay entrance. Older, broad across the shoulders, a scar running from his jaw to his collarbone. He took one look at Ash and his expression shifted.
"Ash." He jerked his head toward the bay. "Let him through. The boss knows him."
The guard with the launcher stepped aside without a word. Ash gave the older man a nod as he passed.
"Been a while," Ash said.
"It definitely was," the man said.
Inside, the bay was busy. Zhao's ship sat at the centre, a large hauler, clearly well maintained. Cargo was being unloaded in organised rows, crates stacked and catalogued by a small crew moving back and forth. Two more guards stood at the far end and Ash clocked another one up on the elevated walkway above, watching the floor.
He also noticed not all of them were just guards with guns. Some of Zhao's personal guards were Tier 2 and Tier 3 with mostly offensive type abilities. That's why even the Hounds don't dare to sniff around here.
Zhao was talking to one of his crew with a datapad in hand, gesturing at something on the screen. He was a big man, somewhere in his late forties. He laughed at something his crew member said, loud.
Then he looked up and saw Ash.
It was brief. A fraction of a second, so fast Ash almost missed it. Zhao's expression shifted, the laugh not quite finished on his face, something passing behind his eyes. His gaze dropped to Ash's chest for just a moment, then came back up.Then the grin was back and he was already moving.
"Ash!" He crossed the bay in long strides and grabbed both of Ash's shoulders with both hands, squeezing once. "My boy. It's been too long. How long has it been, four months? Five?"
"Something like that," Ash said.
"Too long either way." Zhao released him and stepped back, looking him over. "You look tired. Is Han working you too hard?"
"Just a rough few days."
"Mm." Zhao's eyes held his for a moment, something unreadable sitting just behind the warmth. Then he clapped his hands together. "Come on then. I've got your order pulled already."
Zhao led him across the bay toward a separate stack of crates set apart from the rest. "Check it over if you want. Everything should be there."
Ash started going through the crates, running down the list Han had given him. Zhao stood nearby, talking easily with passing crew members, making small adjustments to the unloading operation without it ever looking like work. That was always how he was. Easy going, friendly with everyone, the kind of man who made every room feel a little looser. But Ash had always thought there was more to him than just being a merchant.
Ash reached the end of the inventory and straightened up.
"All good," he said.
"Good." Zhao leaned against the nearest crate, arms crossed loosely. "So anything I should know about? The station feels tense."
"When doesn't it," Ash said.
Zhao smiled. "Fair."
"Hey, what's the market looking like for Arc Shells these days?" Ash kept his voice easy.
Zhao tilted his head slightly. "Depends on grade and condition. Low grade, maybe four hundred a unit at the right place. High grade, unprocessed, you're looking at three times that easy. Sometimes more if the buyer's specific." He paused. "Good business if you know what you're doing and moving through the right channels. Wrong channels though and it gets complicated fast." He looked at Ash. "Why, you got some?" He grinned.
"No, just heard someone mention it," Ash said. "Didn't know if it was worth following up."
"Could be worth a lot depending on what you've got. Stuff like this doesn't usually come up in casual conversation."
"Right," Ash said, throwing all caution to the wind. "What about Luminar Capsules?"
Zhao looked at him for a second. Then he laughed.
"Are you going into business, boy?" He shook his head, still smiling. "That's not a small haul you're describing."
Ash said nothing.
Zhao's smile stayed, then he shrugged. "Look, I'm not going to ask where any of this is coming from. That's not my business right now." He pushed off the crate. "But if you need to talk about business properly, you just need to call me. That's all." Another shrug. "We'll figure the rest out."
Ash nodded slowly. "Appreciate it."
"Don't mention it." Zhao looked around the bay at his crew working through the last of the unload. Then he looked back at Ash.
"Hey. It's been a while since I've been on this station. Once we're done here let's head to the bar yeah? My guards can take your crates over."
"Works for me," Ash said. "I need to meet someone first though. Won't take long."
"Take your time. I'll be here when you're back."
Ash nodded and stepped back into the service corridor. That hadn't gone badly at all.
A while later Ash picked Rhea up from Seli's bay, after making sure Luna and their loot were safe and sound. fell into step beside him without a word and he started filling her in on his conversation with Zhao as they walked. Rhea listened without interrupting.
Zhao had caught up with them a few minutes later, his guards trailing behind with the crates. He immediately turned his charm on Rhea.
"Hey, Rhea is as pretty as always. I hope Ash here isn't boring you too much."
Rhea laughed. "Sometimes. But I'm used to it."
Ash walked a little ahead, lost in his own head. He was thinking about Han Wei. What he was going to say, how much he was going to tell him. They had few secrets between them but everyone kept some. He was so far into his own thoughts that he almost missed the footsteps.
Almost.
He looked up.
Jackal Draven stood right in front of him with two Hound lackeys flanking him, looking menacing.
"Well," Jackal said. "Funny running into you here. I don't know how you sneaked past me but thought you'd be smarter than to just walk around in the open after—"
He stopped.
His eyes had moved past Ash.
The expression didn't fall off his face so much as it evaporated. Whatever he'd been about to say dissolved somewhere between his brain and his mouth. His gaze moved from Ash to Rhea, to the guards, and then landed on Zhao, who had just come around behind Ash with a wide easy grin.
The two lackeys were still standing with their chests out trying to look threatening.
Jackal looked at them like he'd never seen them before in his life.
"What are you two doing?" His voice shifted so fast it almost gave Ash whiplash. He stepped away from them with a long suffering sigh, shaking his head. "I swear these brutes are always blocking the corridors. I don't know where they get it from."
The two lackeys turned to look at him with expressions of pure bewilderment.
Zhao looked at the lackeys. Then at Jackal. Then back at the lackeys. His grin hadn't moved an inch.
"Jackal," he said warmly. "It's been a while. Nice company you're keeping. How's it going?"
"Good, good," Jackal said. "Busy. You know how it is. Always something to deal with." He laughed, short and hollow.
The lackeys were still staring at him.
"Bos..." one of them started.
"Don't," Jackal said quietly.
Zhao clasped his hands together. "Well it's good to see you." He glanced at the two lackeys then back at Jackal. "Don't let us keep you though. Sounds like you've got your hands full."
"Right," Jackal agreed, already moving. He looked at Ash for exactly one second then looked away just as fast. "We'll be off then." He snapped his fingers at the lackeys. "Come on."
He walked away at a pace that was technically not running.
The lackeys followed, one of them glancing back over his shoulder with an expression of complete confusion.
The three of them disappeared around the corner.
Zhao watched the empty corridor for a moment. Then he looked at Ash.
"Friends of yours?" he said.
"Not exactly," Ash said.
Zhao made a small sound and started walking again, hands in his pockets.
Rhea fell into step beside Ash. She waited until Zhao was a few paces ahead then leaned slightly toward him.
"He nearly shat his pants," she giggled quietly.
"Yeah," Ash said. "When did he even come back?"
"Who knows. He won't bother us for a while at least," Rhea replied.
They kept walking. After a moment Zhao glanced back at them.
"So you two went out for a run?" he asked casually.
"Yeah," Ash said. "There was a freighter nearby. Figured it was worth checking out."
Zhao raised an eyebrow. "A freighter? Whereabouts?"
"Deep belt"
Zhao made a small sound. Something in his expression shifted briefly, the same way it had back in the bay, then settled again. "Find anything good?"
Ash and Rhea glanced at each other.
"Some stuff," Ash said.
Zhao nodded slowly. "Well you know the rule of scavenging." He grinned. "Finders keepers. Whatever you pulled, you keep it. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
"We're working on that," Rhea said.
Zhao laughed. "In my younger days I did plenty of runs myself. Different times." He shook his head. "Ah, good old days. Nothing quite like it."
They reached the Jade lantern a few minutes later. The bar was quiet, only a handful of people scattered at the far tables.
Han Wei was behind the bar, bent over something, his back to the door. He didn't look up when they came in.
"Ah, Ash. Wondered where you'd gone. My old bones can't carry it a—"
He turned around.
His eyes found Ash. Stayed there. Something moved across his face, it was the look of a man who recognised something he had never expected to see.
"Oh boy," Han Wei said.