Page 1 of Bound to the Bounty Hunter

ARKON

The hologram flickered to life, resolving into the image of a human woman. Dark hair framed an angular face set in a defiant expression. Something about her struck me - a fire in her eyes that spoke of determination and intelligence.

“Dr. Samira Radu,” Davor continued. “Brilliant xenobotanist. Disappeared three standard months ago.”

“What’s her story?”

Davor’s fingers tapped a staccato rhythm on the console. “Rose from a human labor camp to become one of the most respected researchers in her field. Winner of the Nutara Prize in xenobotany and ecological modeling. Got herself a mentor, did solid work for a couple years. And then she vanished.”

I nodded, waiting for more details. There was always something else.

“There’s another complication,” Davor added. “Multiple factions seem to be interested in Dr. Radu’s whereabouts. Some want her found, others seem to want her to stay lost.”

I frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Davor agreed. “Which is why you need to find her first.”

I absorbed the information, my suspicion growing. There was more to this than a simple retrieval mission.

“Any leads?” I asked.

Davor nodded. “Her old mentor received an odd burst of a comm from Kervant-9. It was too scrambled to understand, but he swears it was her voice. Start there.”

Not much, but at least it was something.

“Arkon,” Davor called. I paused at the foot of the stairs. “Be careful. This one...it feels like something is off. It’s not just bounty hunters that are looking for her. I have reports that mercenaries - both large firms and freelancers - are chasing this contract.”

I took a moment to look at her again. There was something there, something in her eyes.

“Bring her back safe, Arkon,” Davor said. “You can buy her dinner later.”

“Who said anything about dinner?” I asked with a toothy grin. “I usually get them breakfast.”

“Don’t get too cocky,” Davor said. “And take care to stay safe.”

I acknowledged his warning with a nod, then climbed back into the harsh light of Caroma’s giant sun.

The truth was that Dr. Radu was more than just a clever human. Something about her lithe frame and the way that hologram was positioned. She called to me.

Angrily, I shook my head. I had to get it together. I couldn’t be daydreaming about a target.

ThePomocirawaited for me, sleek and deadly. I ran a hand along her hull, admiring the smooth lines that belied her firepower. A sense of anticipation thrummed through me as I climbed aboard.

During the hyperspace jump, I pored over Samira’s file. Her accomplishments were impressive, but it was the gaps that intrigued me. What had driven such a brilliant mind into hiding?

The ship’s AI alerted me as we approached Kervant-9. Excitement built within me as I prepared for atmospheric entry.

The planet sat outside of normal trade routes and so it was lightly populated. It may have been a Consortium planet but even they had to obey the laws of space, which meant that if it was inconvenient to travel back and forth between more populated systems and Kervant-9, it was going to be more sparsely populated.

Which meant, I’d be lucky if I saw very many other beings on this planet unless it was my quarry.

There always was something about the beginning of the hunt. Like lightning, just ready to strike.

Thick cloud cover obscured my view as I descended. When I broke through, a sea of green stretched in every direction. The dense, vibrant jungle pulsed with life.

I landed in a small clearing, powering down the engines. As soon as the hatch opened, humid air assaulted me. The cacophony of wildlife was deafening after the ship’s silence.

Sliding through the green, I warily eyed the unfamiliar insects swarming around me. Their chitinous bodies glowed, compound eyes flashing unnaturally.

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