[Sector 8 - The Forge (Orbit)]
The space above the metal planet was chaotic. Ever since Alex issued the open bounty on the Syndicate , thousands of rogue ships had flocked to Sector 8, waiting to see if the human from the Class-0 mudball would actually pay up.
A single, heavily damaged luxury yacht dropped out of warp and limped toward The Forge.
"System Alert," Dawn's voice echoed in the executive suite. "Incoming vessel identified. It is Lord Orion's personal yacht. Scanning lifeforms... Lord Orion is deceased. The passengers are his former elite security detail."
Alex sat back in his chair, swirling a glass of Earth-imported bourbon. "Let them dock."
[The Verification]
The Captain of the Guard walked into the command center. His white-gold armor was scorched and stained with luminescent blue blood. He looked terrified, surrounded by the towering, silent Praetorian Guards.
He approached the throne of User 006 and placed a glowing, shattered halo of data-crystals on the table. The Data-Crown of Lord Orion.
"The target is eliminated," the Captain said, his voice trembling. He knew he was standing in the presence of a true monster. "We... we came for the bounty. The Void-Cruiser."
Alex didn't look at the blood. He looked at the Crown. "Dawn. Verify the biometric decay."
"Scanning... DNA matches Lord Orion (Heir to User 002). Time of death: Approximately four hours ago. Bounty conditions met."
"Excellent," Alex smiled. "I appreciate prompt service. Dawn, transfer ownership of Void-Cruiser Unit-07 to this man."
[The Red Tape]
"Initiating Transfer Protocol..." Dawn paused. Her holographic avatar flickered yellow. "Error. Transfer blocked by the Intergalactic Banking Guild (IBG) Regulatory Commission."
A secondary holographic screen popped up. A bureaucratic alien in a gray suit adjusted his glasses. [Designation: Auditor Vex - IBG Weapons Control.]
"User 009," Vex said dryly. "Under Guild Law, Article 44, Section B: The transfer of Class-B Warships (Weapons of Mass Destruction) to unlicensed individuals, mercenaries, or known criminals is strictly prohibited. You cannot pay this bounty with a ship. The asset is frozen."
The Captain of the Guard panicked, reaching for his plasma rifle. "You tricked us! It's a setup!"
Luna drew her void blades in a microsecond, pressing the cold steel against the Captain's throat. "Move again, and I take your head for free."
Alex sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Auditor Vex. You people really love your paperwork, don't you?"
"The law is the law, human," Vex replied. "You may be a VIP, but you cannot arm terrorists."
[The Loophole]
"I'm not arming terrorists," Alex opened his System Interface. "Dawn. Draft a standard corporate employment contract."
"Drafting..."
"Captain," Alex looked at the sweating mercenary. "Congratulations. You are no longer a rogue assassin. You are now an 'Independent Security Consultant' for the Pantheon Group."
Alex tapped his Black Card on the console. [Transaction Authorized: PMC Registration Fee (100,000 GC) Paid.]
"Auditor Vex," Alex smiled his coldest corporate smile. "As you can see, the Captain is a registered employee of my corporation. I am not selling him a Class-B Warship. I am issuing him a company vehicle. Does Guild Law prohibit a CEO from assigning fleet assets to his own staff?"
Auditor Vex stared at the screen, his jaw hanging open. He rapidly typed on his terminal, searching for a legal counter. He found none.
"You... you are exploiting a corporate loophole to distribute WMDs!" Vex sputtered.
"I'm operating within the parameters of a free market," Alex corrected him. "Now unfreeze my asset before I file a lawsuit against the IBG for interfering with my internal HR department."
Vex swallowed hard. "Asset... unblocked."
[The Payout]
[System Alert] [Bounty Paid. Void-Cruiser Unit-07 assigned to Pantheon Contractor.]
Outside the window, one of the massive, black-and-gold Precursor warships detached from the orbital dock. Its command codes transferred directly to the Captain's datapad.
The mercenary fell to his knees, staring at the datapad in pure worship. "Thank you... Boss. Thank you!"
"Get off my planet," Alex dismissed him. "And tell the rest of the galaxy that the Pantheon Group always pays its debts."
As the mercenary left, Alex looked out the window at the thousands of rogue ships hovering in the sector. They had all just witnessed the transfer.
"Boss," Admiral Valerius whispered over the comms. "The Galactic Underworld network is going crazy. You actually gave them the ship."
"Yes," Alex smiled, watching the remaining 49 Void-Cruisers on his assembly line. "Seven Heirs left. The market is officially open."