THIRTEEN

The face of an Aekoi wasn't exactly conducive to expressing shock or surprise. Their eyes were small, narrow, and set significantly further apart than those of a human. Two dramatic, diagonal creases in their slightly bulbous, greyish heads created the look of elongated, permanently furrowed eyebrows. In place of a nose, there was only a flat space with three narrow slits that converged on each other in the vague shape of a triangle. Lastly, their cheekbones and jaws took on a lean, almost skeletal form, all coming together to form a small mouth with ends that turned downward when resting.

All of these headwinds made the look on Jaeek's face that much more impressive when he saw Jack. The bounty hunter and mercenary were thrown into the same cell as Jaeek, no doubt a blessing from Talia's fiddling with the ship's records. Jaeek sniffed the air, no doubt even further confused by the fact that both of the men seemed to have been freshly washed. Jack always got a kick out of the fact that the slits of the Aekoi nose resembled the corporate logo of Mercedes Galactic.

"Jack?" Jaeek asked. "Did you have something to do with this mess? Don't bother. I already know the answer. The real question is, do I have to do with your mess? No. Let me rephrase again. What do you want to me?"

"Hi Jaeek. This is my buddy Kane."

Jaeek shook the mercenary's hand out of reflex without taking his eyes off of Jack, then repeated himself. "What do you want, Jack?"

An enormous man who, thankfully, was one cell over, shouted out. "Is that Jack Fox?" After another moment, he answered his own question. "It is!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, pal." Jack turned away from the man. Kane leaned close.

"How many of these guys did you help catch?"

"Hey!" The belligerent man yelled for the entire block to hear. "Who here got put away by Jack Fox?"

An army worth of angry shouts answered. Jack wasn't sure if he should hang his head low or bring it up with pride. He ignored the fury and shouting and focused in on his Aekoi friend.

"We're here to help you win the race."

"I see," Jaeek said. "And I suppose this has something to do with the fact that I'm the only Aekoi you know and you're terrible at making new friends."

Jack grinned. "I was thinking if we helped you survive the race, a little Aekoi magic would seem like a small price to pay."

"We don't like it when you call it that."

"I know. Just being playful." Jack noticed a prisoner that was one head taller than him creeping on their conversation. He looked the man in his eyes. "Do you mind?" The inmate backed off, and Jack proceeded to the less legal part of the conversation, quietly. "We've got an A.I. that can dial in remote. Give us an edge."

"Afterlife is quite the target for hacking."

"Exactly. She's that good."

The Gunder's power and systems suddenly sprung back to full life. The hum of unseen machinery returned, the lights turned uncomfortably bright, and the energy fields that covered each cell's iron bars reactivated.

"And I suppose," Jaeek said, suddenly sounding more upbeat and inspired. "And I suppose this A.I. was responsible for the recent theatrics."

Kane gave the appropriate answer. "We can neither confirm nor deny our involvement."

"No, of course not. Now what will I be fingerprinting for you in the unlikely event that your plan succeeds?"

"We'll leave that as a surprise," Jack replied, holding out a hand. "Deal?"

Jaeek sneered. "Obviously. My alternatives are rather unappealing. Could you do me a favor, though?"

"Name it."

"I get the impression that a friendship with you puts a target on my back in this place. Do you have any acting ability?"

Jack caught on immediately, then shared a nod with Kane to signal, "ready." He leapt forth and wrapped his hands around Jaeek's throat, then pulled out a minor slur.

"You ache rat! I'm going to wring my money out of your throat!"

Pretending to be off guard, Kane took a moment before rushing in to break up the fight. Jack overpowered his accomplice, got a good hold on Jaeek, and hurled him across the cell. The cheering that suddenly bloomed on the block was indistinguishable, but it was safe to assume everyone was rooting for the Aekoi.

Jack rushed Jaeek, who was now sprawled out on the floor. He moved in for some more faux choking, then gave his opponent a rather realistic backhand.

"Ok, stop. Enough acting," Jaeek said.

Jack assumed his alien friend had been speaking out of self-preservation, but realized that to be incorrect when he heard the cell's field drop and its gate swing open. Two sets of heavy boots were making their way towards him, and he turned just in time to see a prison guard swinging a stun-stick.

It struck the base of Jack's neck, and soon after, he took a bow on his performance and was unconscious before he hit the ground.