Right down the middle of the planet ran a narrow band of twilight where neither extreme ruled completely.
That was where Galactic Gulag XkR-9 had been built.
Jack sat forward in the pilot’s chair and shook his head. “Who looks at a planet like this and thinks, ‘Yep, perfect. Let’s build a prison here.’”
Madelaine smiled without looking up from the navigation console.
“The same people who think putting dangerous criminals on an isolated world with limited places to escape to is a good idea.”
“A prison with criminals wanting to escape is expected.” Jack pointed through the viewport. “That planet itself looks criminal.”
A laugh escaped her. “I don’t disagree. There’s a reason it’s labeled the worst gulag in all of the known galaxies.”
“I’ve also heard that said. Now I truly understand why.”
For days, they’d traveled from one bizarre world to another chasing these far-flung packages. At this point, Jack wasn’t sure if the mysterious quest was brilliant or insane. Possibly, it was both. He likely wouldn’t find out for certain until the end of Madelaine’s errand.
Ahead, the prison facility appeared through their front viewing screen.
It stretched for miles along the twilight belt separating fire and ice. Towering walls of dark alloy or possibly weathered stone followed the curve of the planet.
On one side, scorching desert winds blasted the barriers.
On the other, frozen storms hurled snow and ice.
The prison sat directly between both extremes as though daring nature itself to make an escape attempt. They could seefrom here that there were not many walls or fences on either side of the hot or cold areas between the buildings.
It was clear even from orbit that running away from the gulag in either direction, hot or cold, would be a foolish idea and lead, ultimately, to a quick, painful death sentence.
Lights flashed from a control tower and a transmission crackled through the speakers. “Unidentified vessel, this is Galactic Gulag XkR-9 Control. State your business.”
Madelaine activated the comm. “This is Madelaine Archer Grey. I am the Paladin Courier. With me I have an escort, Jack Grey. We have authorization Tango-Kilo-Seven-Prime for landing here for the retrieval of a package.”
There was a long pause.
Jack imagined someone checking enough databases to make his head hurt.
Finally, the voice returned. “Authorization confirmed. Proceed to Landing Pad Twelve. Your weapons will remain secured aboard your vessel. Once you disembark from your ship, follow the marked path until you walk through the archway, where you will meet your escort.”
Jack exchanged a glance with Madelaine.
“That’s certainly specific. Well, I wasn’tgoingto bring any weapons, but now I really want to,” Jack joked.
“Prison planets are always specific. And while I also want to bring weapons, I don’t think it would be a good idea on this planet.”
“I’m going on record with a prediction that states there’s going to come a time when we will wish we had weapons while visiting this gulag.”
“Yes, yes. Your prediction is noted and while I also agree, we still are not bringing any weapons with us, right?”
Jack made a petulant face, then grinned and nodded. “Right. For sure. No weapons, not even my Swiss Army Knife.”
The landing pad rose from the center of a heavily fortified compound resting between both of the weather extremes. It had a hot side and a cold side. Gun emplacements lined the surrounding walls.
Several aircraft sat on neighboring platforms. Most looked military. A few looked as though they had survived several wars and lost all of them.
Jack carefully guided their ship down. The moment the landing gear touched the platform, he felt the wind. Even through the hull. The prison sat in perpetual atmospheric conflict. Hot air from the desert collided constantly with freezing currents from the ice fields.
The result was a never-ending storm system.
