Inktober #21: Treasure

"Echo four nine seven hollerin' at the black, holler back."

"Frankie seven seven five on the toad road, nice to hear ya Echo."
"Milly eight four three, just waved at a Rocky Raccoon going round Zeus and his ladies if you're up this way."
"Phillip nine two three, drone on the throne."
"Aaah, Phillip you're no fun. Tulsa triple three, must've just missed you Milly, I'm gassin' up at Io. Thanks for the blip."
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"Echo in, anyone else? Holler back."
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"Echo in. Y'all I need your advice, I'm uh...I've been truckin a-"
"KELLY NINE THREE SHOUTING BACK FROM THE BLACK BITCHES, HOW ARE YOU?!"
"OOOOOH DAAAAAMN KELLY!"
"KELLY HOLY SHIT!"
"HAHAAAAA! Damn it's good to hear ya Kelly! Thought you'd've drifted long ago!"
"Echo in, alright, alright y'all let's let Kelly catch her breath."
"Kelly in, I'm assuming everyone's hollerin' for me but I've got a hell of a slowdown on comms from this far out so pardon the delay."
"Echo in, well whenever you get this Kelly, let us know your road."
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"Kelly in, you old sweethearts. I'm almost at drift point, figured I'd be going out without a goodbye but then I heard you holler, Echo, and thought, ah hell, last time for sentimentals."
"Echo in, glad you did Kelly. I uh, I was just gettin bored on the toad road home...but it's damn good to hear from you before...well before we don't. I'll drone and let the others have their say. Gonna miss you, Kelis. Echo out."
"Frankie in, damn Echo you're on the toad road too? Shout me your stick when Kelly's out, I'll try to spot you. Otherwise, AAAAHHH KELLY! Where in the Spill they sending you anyways?"
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"Kelly in, I love you too Echo. I'm off to the new stamp on Tiryns, delivering one hell of a treasure. Quite the story if I had time to tell it. Going to drop off the haul, serve the rest of my time, and who knows, maybe I'll even get to come back and flaunt my pretty young self after y'all have upgraded to tin."
"Frankie in, damn right you will Kelly, I've got a nice chrome case in my retirement package, gotta show it off!"
"Milly in, Frankie you liar we all know you're just going to steal it from your rich aunt."
"Frankie in, yeah, WHEN I'M RETIRED!"
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"Kelly in, FRANKIE YOU LIAR!"
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"HAAAAAA!"
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"Frankie in, ah hell, we're gonna miss you Kelly. Good luck on the stamp. Milly, you in?"
"Milly in, but not for long, gotta keep an eye out, this route is so swarmed with Rockys and I can't get pulled over. Best to you, Kelly. Drift well. Drone on the throne."
"Frankie in, Phillip, care to join?"
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"Kelly in, thanks Mil. I'll send you over the prints I found for tracking the blips. And heeeey Phillip, I miss you too, so so much my secret lover. I know it's hard for you to pipe in, don't want us to hear you cry, I get it."
"HA! Frankie in. Tulsa? Anything to add?"
"Tulsa in, ah, you all said it all anyways. Trouble with having a call sign towards the end. Miss you Kelly. I might end up on a drift myself soon, hopefully over your way. I'll holler if I do. Tulsa out."
"Oops, Frankie in, gotta say my goodbyes too Kelly. Toads are croaking. Good luck to you. Frankie out."
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"Kelly in, oh Tulsa you'll get your chance someday. And please do. Oh, bye Frankie!"
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"Kelly in, well...into the drift I go. Thanks for the holler, Echo. Kisses. Back in a millennia. Kelly out!"
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"Phillip, you still there?"
"Course, Echo."
"You, uh, know about my situation?"
"Helps to be a drone. Yeah, Echo, I'm aware."

Phyllis Senter, aka Trucker Echo 497, was parked on Pluto. Carefully she looked into the screen showing the cargo in her hold. She knew not to meet the eyes of what waited there lest it become enraged. Somehow, it knew when she was watching.

"I don't think I can do this to them, Phillip. Kelis is a friend, and a good one. I never should've hollered, I swore they were drifting."
"But you know what happens if you don't."
"Yeah...and I know what happens if I do. What the hell did Kelis do anyways to piss these people off?"
"You didn't hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Echo, Kelis...Kelis had a family."
"...What?"
"Something tweaked in her implant and..."
"Oh no...I...I had heard about that, but never thought...that was her?"
"Yeah. So now she's serving time throughout the Spill, killing, capturing, whatever they ask her to do."

Phyllis stared out the window, knowing Kelis Alcides, aka Trucker Kelly 93, was just beyond her sensors, out in the black, going to sleep for the long journey. And now that she knew the crime, and knew the full extent of the power of her employers, Phyllis booted up her rig and set a course to follow.

"Thanks, Phillip. Maybe I'll see you in tin. Echo out."
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"No, Echo. You won't."
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"You'll see me there."