No Safe Harbor: The Silver Liner

by Daniel Sullivan

  The Phantasm accelerated in pursuit of the Liberty, which was making for Mars. At least, that is what Lorgen assumed. Nothing else easily reached was in that direction. The Liberty would slow down and likely stop at some point; unlike the Phantasm, the Liberty could not just land; she was too large and had been built in an orbital shipyard. Lorgen could camp out and wait for her to leave orbit, then attack before she could get away.

  Dinner had ended only ten minutes earlier and now Selene’s new crew was assembled for the first time at Kendrick’s behest. Only Fiona would be absent. The doctor was frail, a mere shell of her former self. She had insisted on being here, but Lena forbade it. He was amazed at her newfound resolve and could not help but admire her; but Fiona needed to be in bed, recovering her strength. The crew was soon filing in, Lena entering first, taking the seat on his right. Ronan took the seat to Kendrick’s left and Cyrus took the seat to the left of the priest. Heather and Mun sat to Lena’s right respectively. Keyes was the last to enter, taking a seat next to Mun.

  “A round table, Captain,” Cyrus noted. “Symbolic? Or coincidence?”

  “A bit of both, I suppose,” the captain confessed. “Though the symbolism, that we’re a crew of equals is particularly relevant today.” The crew all quieted down when he said this. “First of all, Amanda Keyes has served as our communications officer since coming aboard. Amanda, if you’re willing, I’d like to make the post permanent; or for your duration aboard this ship.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” Keyes replied. “I’d like that very much.”

  Everyone voiced approval, Mun even clapping. Kendrick let them go on for a few seconds, but then motioned for quiet.

  “Which brings me to the purpose of this meeting; ladies and gentlemen, we’re goin’ back to Earth.”

  “Earth?” Heather raised her eyebrows. “What the fuck?”

  “Captain,” Keyes reminded him, “Earth is home to everyone who wants us dead! The United States, the Alliance, Gemini VanHorn. It would be … crazy to go there!”

  “I concur,” Cyrus said.

  “Also, Earth is moving away from Mars,” Ronan added.

  “Which is only a problem if we’re trying to chase Earth,” Kendrick explained. “We’ll take a retrograde course and meet Earth as she comes around the other way. It’s another full year in space and that’s assuming nothing goes wrong. Given our track record, it’s probably not a good idea to assume that.”

  “I am with you there,” Ronan agreed with a chuckle. “But Earth? It’s risky.”

  “Father, I’m out of options,” Kendrick said flatly. “Without picking up any work on Mars, I don’t have the resources to stay in space and bounce around. The human body ain’t made to stay in space for extended periods of time either and we’ve been out for almost two years, with our only stops being the moon, an asteroid, a couple of hours on Venus and about a day and a half on Mars. We’ve got to spend some time on an actual planet with one G; and unless y’all want to go to Venus to hang out in a wrecked station on a planet with no magnetosphere, Earth’s the only option.”

  Everyone agreed. The need to be on an earth-like planet for a while was something that none of them had thought about. However, now that Kendrick had brought it up, the crew all realized that he was right.

  “You should all know that the Alliance is probably going to brand me a pirate, or a terrorist, or some such nonsense,” the captain reminded them. “And as you’ve all pointed out, heading to Earth means we’re heading right into strongholds of everyone who want us dead, with Lorgen breathing down our necks the whole way. I’ve had Heather turn off our transponder and after settling the hospital bill and refueling, disbursed what remained of the sale of the last of my cargo amongst each of you; equal amounts. It ain’t much, but it’s the best I could do. So I need to know something now: who’s going? If you wish to disembark, now’s the time.”

  Then Lena stood. “I am with you, Captain. It is my honor to join you.”

  The rest looked at each other, but said nothing, then looked back at the captain, waiting for him to continue. He nodded in acknowledgement, finishing his preamble.

  “We’re still in orbit around Mars and the launch window is now open. A year is a long time and some of you have already given up more than a year of your lives aboard this ship. If you do not feel that you can make that commitment, tell me now. I will thank you for your service and dismiss you from the meeting. If any of you are disembarking, then I’ll get you to Phoenix or Columbia for transport out.” He paused to allow it to sink in, then added, “If not, then you’re locked in for a year; and except for living to see another day, there’s no payoff at the end of this. So let’s have it.”

  Of the remaining crew, Ronan stood first. “Selene needs her chaplain. I wrote to the cardinal last year and while we were on Mars, I received permission to remain here in that capacity.”

  Keyes and Terri stood hand in hand. “We’re with you, Captain,” Keyes declared, though she still wore her Alliance uniform. “I’m an all-in kind of girl and I just burned my bridges with everyone in my old life except Terri.” She laughed. “Always wanted to be a pirate girl.”

  “I’m in,” Kang declared, though it took him a few moments to stand. “This is way better than the Fujin and a lot more exciting than Mall of America.”

  “Captain, I’m practically a fixture,” Heather reminded him as she stood. “This ship is a dream and you’re all like family.”

  “A year plus to lay low and get a little cash,” Cyrus said, still seated. “Even with the paltry fee and returning to Earth, I’ve done worse; and unlike my jobs over the past two years, I actually like the people I’m working with. I shall remain.” He looked up at Heather, who was glaring at him. “What? We’re all staying and everyone is just going to return to their seats anyway.”

  “Yeah, but we’re having an epic moment,” Mun exclaimed.

  “That we are, Mister Mun,” Cyrus said, issuing a deep, hearty laugh and standing. “That we are.”

  “Then it’s settled,” the captain declared. “We’re in this together, all for one and one for all.”

  “Aye,” they all shouted in unison.

  Chapter 11

  Rest and Recovery

  Two weeks after leaving Mars, the Selene sped steadily towards Earth. It would be a full year to get to Earth, plenty of time for Fiona, Kang and himself to fully recover, before taking on whatever awaited them at the end of their journey; or on it. Keyes was acting as the communications officer and Lena was manning the Med Bay when not on the bridge. He expected Mun would be back at his post within a month and hoped that Fiona would be back on her feet just as quickly. Today marked Kendrick’s return to the bridge. Keyes’ shift had not yet started, so for the moment, Kendrick and Lena had the bridge all to themselves.

  The captain had left piloting duties to Lena since Mars, unable to plug in without pain, but today, he was piloting in person. He hoped that his injury had not permanently disabled his ability to connect, though with both wired and wireless connection now impossible, it would render him useless to the U.P.A. and likely to their United States counterparts for whatever it was they were after. He held the cable for a few moments, staring at it, wary of the pain it brought the last time he plugged in.

  “Welcome back, Captain,” Lena said as he took his seat. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Got my equilibrium back,” he replied. “My back is still sore and I’m a bit stiff.”

  “I am glad that you are recovering, Captain. I was anxious for you and even more so for Fiona.”

  “You saved her, Lena. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Of course, Captain, though I must warn you; she may never fully recover from this,” Lena cautioned. “Doctor Kinsale experienced severe oxygen deprivation and was clinically dead. Her aphasia is only one symptom of this.”

  “So, there will be other symptoms.”

  Lena nodded. “I have done scans; her brain has suffered severe tra
uma. So far, it seems as though her knowledge and personality are intact, but she is having difficulty doing the most basic of things. She needs help eating and has only partial use of her limbs. As she tries to reenter her life aboard the Selene, other symptoms will manifest. I would be remiss in my duties not to inform you that she may never be able to perform her duties as ship’s doctor again.”

  Kendrick touched her arm and smiled. “She’s alive, Lena. Thanks to you, she’s alive and that’s all that matters.”

  Lena smiled, but then her expression took on a more serious tone. “For you, it may be all that matters, but for us, as a collective, it is not. Also, Fiona and Kang are not the only ones recovering from serious injury.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Captain, you suffered a head injury and now cannot fly the ship at even half-speed,” she reminded him. “Though, I did have a thought; what about wireless connection? If not, can you even plug in for data retrieval?”

  He sighed. “It’s all through that box; with it damaged, I can’t do either without so much pain that I black out.”

  “I can fly the ship,” she offered. “Let me be the helmsman. Then you can be the captain.”

  “I don’t have much choice,” he said with resignation. “But I still need to feel my hands on the controls sometimes.”

  Now that Kendrick was resuming his duties again, he noticed that Lena had moved away from the role of a junior, treating him now as more of a peer. He was not sure if this was because of the gynoid temporarily taking on Fiona’s role of ship’s doctor, or if it was a new pattern. Either way, he liked it.

  Father Ronan depressed the button at Fiona’s cabin door, sounding the chime. The doctor had requested his presence about a “matter of faith.” He had visited her several times since her waking, but she had been too weak for any lengthy conversation. In their previous conversations, she had thanked God for her recovery, with no indication of any crisis of faith. The door opened and the priest entered, seeing Fiona in her bed, monitoring equipment hooked up to her. Her normally slender body was emaciated, but her eyes sparkled and a smile graced her gaunt face.

  “Good morning, Fiona. How are you feeling today?”

  “Tired,” she said softly as he pulled up a chair next to the bed, sitting to face her. Though still weak, her voice had become more than just a raspy whisper, finally sounding more like Fiona had before her ordeal. “Speaking … difficult.” She paused for a moment to gather her strength and then exclaimed, “I saw Him!”

  “Saw him?” Ronan suspected where this was going, but did not wish to presume.

  “Jesus … I met Him.” The once articulate Fiona struggled to speak simple words, the effort clearly taxing her. After a momentary rest, she continued. “Guided me back … gave me new life. Joyce Keane … dead. Only Fiona.”

  He could not help feeling elated at the words, even though part of him still questioned near death experiences. “Fiona, that’s miraculous!”

  “Very … humbling. Unlike … anything I imagined! I felt … loved ... most wonderful feeling. My … resurrection … was for Ken.”

  “Your… resurrection?”

  She nodded, a peaceful smile on her face. “Like Lazarus. Free ... at last. Born again … free to be … to be my true self.”

  “Fiona, this is an amazing testimony,” Ronan said. “And I am happy to finally meet the real you.”

  “Thank you, Father. Kendrick … not sure. He was happy, but perplexed. Don’t … understand.”

  Ronan nodded knowingly. Not everyone could take in a revelation like Fiona’s and the captain had already been through an ordeal of his own, one that had ongoing consequences for not only him, but for the entire crew. Then, he wondered just how much Fiona knew.

  “Fiona, has he told you the entire story of what happened after we left the hospital?”

  “I think … said Alliance wants him to do a job. Captured him … his port was damaged … Lena was immobilized … Keyes helped him escape.”

  “That’s the gist of it,” Ronan agreed. “They were holding you, Lena and the ship over his head, threatening to disassemble Lena, kill you and break the ship apart and sell it as scrap if he did not cooperate. More than that, he thinks, and Cyrus, Amanda and I agree, that the United States probably wants him for the same job, only in their service. It seems that he is unique in his ability to interface with a ship’s Ai and regardless of which entity is involved, they need him specifically for this, whatever ‘this’ is.”

  “So that was … offer Lorgen supposed to make,” Fiona realized.

  He nodded. “That’s the theory. We won’t know until they make another move. Meanwhile, the U.P.A. is still after him. You living means that they will try to leverage you against him if they learn you’re not dead. They’ll also be after Amanda, since she’s technically committed treason by aiding us.”

  “I will be his strength,” Fiona declared, her words suddenly clear. “Kendrick … will need more than … himself.” She was now short of breath. “I … I’m sorry … need to rest. Thank you.”

  “Of course, Fiona.”

  A month had passed since Selene left Mars’ orbit and Kang had been working out regularly, eating like a horse. He had recovered physically and his endurance and energy levels were nearly back to what they had been. With the captain caring for Fiona during his off hours, the sparring mix had changed, with Amanda Keyes, Father Ronan and Cyrus Freeman joining him for regular training. All three were highly capable and having been out of it for months, Kang had a lot of catching up to do.

  He knew Ronan was tough and Cyrus proved to be as tough as he looked, which meant that the big merc was more than a serious challenge. Keyes, however, reminded him a lot of Captain Royce. Both were American Kenpo exponents and both were lighter and faster than the priest or the merc. The three of them took it easy on the gunner, knowing that he was recovering, but pushed enough that he made regular progress. All three had been willing to receive for Kang so that he could practice his Hapkido and he had been regularly training in rolls and falls.

  When he was not sparring or training, he lifted weights and did calisthenics to build up his strength. He was nearly back to his pre-injury level of fitness. He looked at himself in the mirror and realized that his convalescence had eaten away any his excess fat and he saw muscle definition that he had not had since he was a teen. Damn, he thought, exclaiming, “I got abs! Booyah!”

  Today, instead of Ronan, Cyrus, or Keyes, it was Terri who entered the gym. She had apparently included in her things gym shorts and a halter top. Unlike the crew, Terri was a plump girl, though pleasantly so in Mun’s opinion. She looked with puzzlement at the work out equipment, none of which was particularly complex. He suspected that she knew how to use it, but had no idea where to begin.

  “Try the five pound weights if you’re new to this,” he offered.

  “But … what do I do with them? I swore I’d start getting into shape earlier this year and I packed work-out clothes thinking I’d have time while I was on Mars; but I never got the chance.”

  “I don’t know; start with curls,” Kang offered. “That’s always good. You could work out with me if you want; I’m just doing punches and kicks. I could start you off on something you could handle if you’ve never done that before.”

  Terri looked at the weights, then back at him. “If you think it’ll help, sure. I just want to look good for Amanda.”

  “If you just want to look good, mission accomplished,” the gunner said encouragingly. “She really digs you and you are pretty.”

  Terri let out a heavy sigh. “Glad you think so, but I know what I see in the mirror.”

  “You look fine to me,” Kang assured. “But hey, if you want, let’s do some kicks.”

  Terri looked down at her legs, her expression filled with doubt. Her legs were plump with cellulite and her thick calves came down to her feet with almost no indication of ankles. But Kang had seen women like her excel in the martial arts an
d saw no reason why Terri could not do some kicking with him.

  “It’ll be easy,” he encouraged. “Let’s warm up, and then we’ll get started.”

  Mun helped her warm up; instead of deep stretches, the two of them did jumping jacks before he had her lean against the wall and simply move her legs in a kicking-like motion to stretch them out.

  “Easy; we’re just warming up,” he directed.

  Terri worked both legs, then they did light stretching for a few minutes. Finally, he decided that she was ready. “You left or right handed?”

  “Right,” she replied.

  “All right, stand like this.” Kang assumed a fighting stance, with his right foot back and his guard up. “Now bring your right knee up to about waist level, or as high as you can get it, and then snap the foot forward from the knee. Point the toes back; you’re kicking to the solar plexus.”

  Terri did as he asked and executed a fairly decent front snap kick. She did not kick high enough to strike the solar plexus of anything but a midget, however, it was far from bad for a first effort.

  “Good,” he encouraged. “Now, just kick with me on my count. I’ll keep it slow. Then, we’ll switch legs.”

  The two practiced front kicks for about ten minutes and Terri took to it fairly well. She had never been given any real instruction in fighting, which was probably why she had never liked any of the cardio-kick classes that she had tried. All of those instructors seemed to assume that you could already kick. Mister Mun, on the other hand, was encouraging and took her through front kicks, right and left foot. Soon, she was kicking above waist level. Now that she had a handle on front kicking, he showed her a roundhouse kick. This was harder, but she was able to do it. They went through roundhouse kicks for about ten minutes and finally, he showed her a stepping side-kick. Every step and movement that he had her take put her body in the appropriate orientation for the kick. She was amazed at how well she was doing.