“You’re not planning a rescue, are you? I cared for Ari a lot too, John, but I doubt the rest of the crew is going to sign off on such a dangerous mission, even with incontrovertible evidence that Ari is still alive. They’re certainly not going to be thrilled about gallivanting around enemy territory chasing a ghost.”
“I know. That’s why I want this kept between us. We’ll do what research we can on it on the down-low while we’re hiding out. We’ll worry about what action to take after we confirm the efficacy of the virus mission. If the virus doesn’t work, we’ll be too busy concocting another plan to worry about Ari’s fate.”
“Okay.”
“Sounds good,” said Fernwyn.
John nodded. “Thanks.”
“You should really get that wound checked out.”
“Fine. Grab the first aid kit and meet me in the galley.”
Fernwyn nodded and exited to the hallway.
“Do you want to check on the others?” asked Aldebaran.
“Yeah,” said John, reaching for the intercom. “John to all crew, meet in the galley as soon as possible.”
John and Aldebaran headed for the galley.
“We came pretty close to getting wiped out this time,” said Aldebaran. “I hope the virus works. I’m getting a little tired of all this action.”
“It’s not the action that bothers me, it’s all the peril and pain. I do agree, though. I don’t think anyone was expecting this much of a challenge.”
Arriving at the galley, John and Aldebaran joined the others. The sultry tang of blood, sweat, and tobacco smoke again met their noses. Water and other refreshments were being passed around, and soon all available seats were taken. John gazed with pride at the members of the original crew as well as the four newcomers. With a twinge of both sadness and guilt he remembered those that had been lost. Byron and Nathalier didn’t have to die, and Ari’s unknown status made her absence all the more troubling.
Fernwyn approached John with the first aid kit. John allowed her to begin working on his injury.
“Excellent piloting, Dana,” he said. “You’ve probably exceeded me in that regard.”
“It’s your design, I only adapted to it,” Dana said. “Thank you.”
“So where are we going to hide out?” asked Talvan.
“I think Residere Delta is a good choice,” said Fernwyn. “We should be able to land at the same coordinates where we first met and stay there without being detected. It will also give us a good connection to the net.”
“Perhaps we could set up a proxy transmitter and use it to contact the SPF,” said Aldebaran. “We should see about negotiating a peace agreement now that we have more leverage on our side.”
“That’s a good idea, but where are you going to get one of those?”
“What about your ship?” asked John. “That way if they try to arrest us, they’ll only find it and the pilot. Then they’d have to catch it, which I doubt they could do.”
Fernwyn shrugged. “It’s a fast ship, but it’s not that fast. It’s certainly not as fast as the Faith. I’m not sure the situation has changed enough to warrant contacting the SPF, but we can test the waters when we get there. I suggest hacking into a transmitter aboard a satellite remotely and using it to broadcast. That will decrease our chances of being detected to almost nil.”
“What about the invisibility shield?” queried Christie. “Is it still inoperable?”
“Good question,” said Ray.
“Shit, that’s right,” replied Dana. “We’ll have to fix it before we enter the Residere system. We might make it to the surface of Delta without it, but before we risk that we should try and repair the shield.”
“Okay,” said John. “Start the diagnosis as soon as you’re ready. We have thirty-six hours, so don’t feel rushed. I don’t know about you lot, but I need a long rest.”
Epilogue
Aldebaran sat alone on the bridge of the Faith, his eyes almost closed. He was in the pilot’s seat, but the ship wasn’t moving. The crew had spent three weeks hiding out on the surface of Delta, biding their time and listening to net chatter regarding the Zendreen. They’d also been keeping up on their own status as wanted men, which so far hadn’t changed.
The bridge was the best place for Aldebaran to feel at peace. Reunited with Seth, anywhere on the ship was comfortable, but the bridge was particularly relaxing for him. Since the crew could monitor the net from any room on the ship with a computer console, the bridge had often been deserted over the past three weeks. Aldebaran had become interested in John’s extensive techno and trance collection after Seth breezed by some of it while linked with his brain back on Earth. John liked to listen to that sort of music while designing experimental aircraft, so it made sense that Seth would have noticed it.
Their time on Delta had allowed him to listen to just about every mp3 file that the crew had placed on the computer before leaving Earth. While one might have learned a lot about the humans by the kind of music they liked, Aldebaran was simply looking for a distraction. The memories of his years as a pirate continued to weigh heavily on his mind.
The rest of the crew hadn’t been as morose and they certainly weren’t being reclusive. Aldebaran would often hear laughter coming from the galley or the lounge area. Talvan and Cab were getting along with their liberators quite well, and while Fernwyn would occasionally complain about their isolation from the rest of the solar system, she was generally satisfied with the outcome of her involvement. While as Ray and Christie had ceased trying to hide their affection, Fernwyn and John hadn’t admitted to the others to any sort of attraction for each other. Regardless of their stealth, such close quarters made it plainly obvious to anyone not hiding out on the bridge listening to techno.
Aldebaran put his legs up on the console. The only thing he didn’t like about being on the bridge was the lack of direct contact with fresh air; no matter how efficient the ship’s ventilation system was, it couldn’t replicate the gloriously sweet evening air of Residere Delta. As such, Aldebaran’s second favorite place to hang out was at the bottom of the ramp. John and Ray had offered him a chance to try out their pipes, so he had become fond of sitting in the cool forest glade and puffing on tobacco smoke. He could do so anywhere on the ship, but it wasn’t the same as in the open air.
His nightly smokes weren’t as isolated as his time on the bridge, as Dana would often join him. At first she claimed she was taking breaks from her efforts to repair the invisibility shield, but her visits continued after she did so. Dana didn’t smoke, but she seemed to prefer company with whom conversation wasn’t popular. Aldebaran didn’t mind her presence for the same reason, although he would have entertained some dialogue if it had been offered. Dana would give him a brief update of the day’s activities and research, and lapse into silence. Only the sound of the woods and her subconscious tapping on the handguard of her rifle commenced after that. Aldebaran knew Dana through Seth, but interacting with her as a flesh-and-blood Umberian was much more satisfying. Dana had always had a strong personality, and it was easier to appreciate in person. She may have had her differences about the way the others tackled the mission, but it hadn’t dampened her spirit.
Looking over his shoulder, Aldebaran noticed that Richter had joined him on the bridge. It wasn’t surprising that Richter was able to enter without being detected. The hardened human gazed casually out of the windows, disregarding Aldebaran in mannerism but not in fact. Apt to let someone else initiate conversation, Aldebaran instead addressed an issue that tugged at his rarely-apparent sympathy.
“How’s your hand?” he asked.
Richter gave Aldebaran a half-smile. “Hurts like hell, but it’s stable.”
“Good.”
“A penny for your thoughts.”
“What? Oh, right. A human phrase. Actually, I’ve been thinking about the three layers of my personality.”
“You mean Seth, Aldebaran, and... what?”
“The shared memori
es I picked up while Seth was linked with the crew’s minds. John’s memories are particularly strong, for obvious reasons.”
“I keep forgetting that you’ve been inside my head. I hope you can disregard anything embarrassing.”
“I never got anything like that from you.”
“That’s fortunate, I suppose.”
“There were other things, though. More random thoughts. Like the fact that Devonai is Jewish but he carries a German pistol, and you‘re German but you carry an Israeli pistol. It means little to me, but you find it... what’s the word?”
“Ironic.”
“Right, ironic. Why?”
Richter folded his arms. “The Jews and the Germans didn’t get along too well for a couple of decades on Earth. Devonai and I were best friends.”
“I see. I remember all of those World War Two battles that John and Ray liked so much.”
“Now that’s irony. Surrounded by all this advanced technology, and they entertain themselves with sixty-year-old historical campaigns.”
One of the computer consoles began to beep. Aldebaran swung around in his chair to look at it while Richter crossed to his side.
“What’s up?” asked Richter.
“I programmed the computer to alert me to any SUF news broadcasts that mentioned the Zendreen and Umber. So far they’ve been unhelpful. There’s two more coming in now.”
“Cool.”
“Let’s see... ‘Zendreen Fleet requests parlay with the Solar United Faction for a renegotiation of the peace treaty. Westra Janrei, SUF News Agency. Residere Beta: A representative of the Zendreen contacted the SUF command today requesting a new summit to renegotiate the terms of the ten-year-old peace treaty signed when the Zendreen annexed the Umberian system.’ Nice term for it. ‘At the heart of the request is a desire for the Zendreen to access SUF medical resources. Shortly thereafter, unidentified sources within the SUF leaked rumors of a serious virus or disease effecting the Zendreen...’ It goes on.”
Richter snapped his fingers. “Son of a bitch, I think we got it. I’ll get the others.”
Minutes later, the entire crew of the Faith less Cab was gathered on the bridge. Aldebaran had just finished reading the news report. After a moment of silence, cheers broke out. Hugs and high-fives were exchanged, but John quickly called for quiet.
“Is that the whole report?” he asked.
“That’s the only one we’ve received,” replied Aldebaran.
“So there’s no mention of what’s happening on Umber?”
“No, but if the report is true, the virus must be widespread by now. The Zendreen wouldn’t go cap-in-hand to the SUF unless it was damn serious.”
“I agree,” said Talvan. “We should go back to Umber and do some recon.”
“That may be hasty,” said Ray. “This is just the first report. We’ve been waiting three weeks, a couple more days isn’t going to hurt.”
John nodded. “Yeah. This is good news, but we should wait and see what transpires over the next few days. I’m eager to go check it out, too, but if the Zendreen fleet is still strong it would be too risky. Don’t forget that we still haven’t figured out how they compromised our invisibility shield.”
“Not entirely, anyway,” said Dana.
“I thought you said you got two reports, Aldebaran,” said Richter.
Aldebaran looked at Richter, then at John. “I need to discuss that with John and Fernwyn alone.”
“Since when do we have two levels of clearance on this ship?” asked Christie.
“We don’t,” began John, “it’s just, well...”
“With the info that I have, John,” said Aldebaran, “you might as well tell everyone.”
John looked at Aldebaran. His expression became grave. The crew waited for John’s reply in muted surprise.
“I have reason to believe that Ari may still be alive.”
“No way,” said Christie.
“Are you serious?” asked Dana.
Ray said nothing, but the shock on his face spoke for him.
John sighed. “The Zendreen commander told me. It’s possible that Ari was in an escape vessel that was captured by them after they blew up the way station. It was a pretty flimsy story, but I decided to research it. I asked Aldebaran and Fernwyn to help me because I thought they’d be impartial and because they know the neighborhood. I also didn’t want the rest of you to think I’d gone completely insane. Aldebaran, I hope your news doesn’t make me look so.”
“I received a report that was intercepted by the SPF from a pirate vessel operating near the Misrere system. The message was sent to a fence based off of Vastus that I used to deal with, and indicated that they’d just attacked and plundered a Zendreen ship. They’re looking to sell some of their captures wares, and a contingent of what they called ‘unidentified humanoid captives’ was among them.”
“That could be anyone, though, right?” asked Ray.
“We’d previously learned that the Zendreen have a research facility somewhere in the Misrere system,” replied Fernwyn. “Ari was supposedly taken to such a place.”
“If the pirates are coming back here,” began John, “we might be able to intercept them and see if Ari is among the captives.”
Aldebaran shook his head. “The fence refuses to deal in slave trafficking, and told them so. The pirates said they’ll find a local buyer instead.”
“Then we haven’t a moment to lose,” said John.
“Wait a minute,” interjected Talvan. “It’s a longshot, at best, and we may be needed on Umber soon.”
“You’re not forgetting our first mission, are you John?” asked Christie.
“No, of course not,” John said, “but if Ari’s alive, I’ve got to find her. I’ll have to make my own travel arrangements.”
“Are you crazy?” Ray said. “You’re wanted by the SPF. Who is going to give you berth? Another pirate ship? Even if they would, I doubt we’ve got the money to cover your expenses.”
“I think you need to look at this more realistically,” said Dana. “It’s unlikely that Ari is still alive. Even if she is, we don’t owe her jack squat. You’re needed here, and you should accept that. Frankly, I’m astonished you would so quickly abandon us.”
“It’s my choice to make,” said John. “Ari is still my friend and I have to try.”
“Then I’ll take you,” said Fernwyn.
Once again, the room lapsed into silence.
“What?”
“I said, I’ll take you. My ship seats two, and I can get us to the Misrere system under the radar. You’ve become my friend, too, and I can’t let you run off on your own. You may be familiar enough with the Residere system, but you don’t know shit about the rest of the nebula.”
“We can handle mopping up the Zendreen on Umber,” said Aldebaran.
“Fernwyn’s ship wouldn’t hurt that,” said Talvan.
“If the Zendreen fleet has been effected by the virus, we will probably be able to enlist some others to help us out. Mercs may have been our bane so far, but they know a winner when they see one. Right now, word of that successful pirate raid is spreading like a wildfire. The tide has turned.”
“I understand perfectly, John,” said Richter. “If you can find her, you should go.”
“Just don’t get yourself killed in the process, old friend,” said Ray.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” asked Talvan.
John shook his head. A tear escaped his eye. “I’m sorry, Professor. I’m still in love with her.”
“So that’s it, then?” said Dana. “We’re splitting up?”
“Only temporarily,” began Fernwyn. “Somehow I doubt this is the end of this crew.”
FACILITIES: DECK ONE
FACILITIES: DECK TWO
FACILITIES: DECK THREE
1. Bridge: The nerve center of the ship, the bridge consists of five computer consoles, one of which is also a dedicated piloting station. Each station can be used for any pu
rpose, but they are usually configured, counter-clockwise from right to left: navigation, communications, pilot's station, remote weapons operation, and systems monitoring. The forward-facing window is also capable of projecting a wide-angle Heads-Up Display (HUD).
2. Conference Room: A room with eight chairs around an oval table, with a large wall-mounted monitor for demonstrations.
3. Lounge Area: An open area with several couches.
4. Secondary Server Room: This room contains two of the twelve computer servers, and is also used for spare storage.
5. Dorsal and Ventral Gun Rooms: These rooms provide gunner stations for and access to the dorsal and ventral GAU 19/A turrets. A limited amount of spare ammunition can also be stored here.
6. Living Quarters: Six nearly identical quarters, each with a private lavatory. The lavatory can also be used as a shower stall.
7. Zero-G Room/Airlock: A variable gravity area, this room can be used for Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) and for docking with other vessels while in space. It is also used for spare storage and occasionally for recreational purposes.
8. Forward Gun Room: This area houses the GAU 8/A weapon system and magazine.
9. Cargo Bay and Cargo Hold: These areas are used for storage. The cargo hold has also occasionally served as a brig or spare quarters. The cargo bay has a ramp (outlined in gray) for accessing the exterior of the ship and loading large pieces of cargo. The cargo bay is double height, with the armory overhanging the rear portion of the bay.
10. Armory: All small arms used by the crew are stored here, along with ammunition, spare parts, and cleaning supplies.
11. Orb Room/Primary Computer Server Room: The Quasi-Actualized Intraspace Quantum Grid is stored here, along with ten of the twelve computer servers.
12: Storage Room
The Tarantula Nebula Page 42