As I finished with my meal, Gabriel came around the table and handed Echo back to me. He then started to pick up the used dishes, taking them across the room to the kitchen.
"If you ladies will excuse me, I should be getting back to my duties." Mark said as he left the room. "Thanks Gabe."
Aria looked at Ell very seriously, and leaned in to her as she spoke in the first hushed tones I had heard from her, "I talked to you like you were my diary. Your voice was the only female around. I even thought of you as my friend." Aria looked as though tears were welling up in her eyes.
"I've never had a female friend. I thought of you in much the same way. I wouldn't betray your confidence, unless it was for yours or the crew’s safety." Ell reassured her.
"Alright then, why don't we start on the hold of Willow's ship today? It will be a bonding experience for us girls." Aria quickly shifted back to her bright and happy self.
The Waylay Docking Bay -Day 337- Gabriel Carter
After I had finished cleaning up the kitchen I headed down to the docking bay. The women had gone down earlier to start going through the isolation ship’s cargo. I wanted to see if I could lend a hand.
When I came through the hatchway I saw Aria holding baby Echo. She was a natural with her. She was doing a small bouncing dance and humming to keep Echo entertained. When Aria saw me she gifted me with one of her blinding smiles. I really appreciated that she tried to stay as positive as possible. It always made it easier for me to focus on the good things when she was so upbeat.
Ell and Willow were in the cargo hold of the isolation ship tagging crates as to what they held. Willow was moving some of the smaller ones to the top of the loading ramp. "Can I lend a hand?" I asked.
"It looks like Echo’s father, William, and my father both sent most of our respective family's possessions with us. We will need help with the larger things. Thank you." Willow said.
"Jason and Peter will be down soon, also." Ell added.
"What's in these?" I asked indicating the smaller crates that they were moving out first.
"Those are my things from when I lived with my brother." Ell said. "I'll go through them with Jason later."
"Do you want me to take them to your quarters?" I offered.
"Wait for Jason. It's up to him. For now maybe we can set them out of the way." Ell instructed.
"Yes ma'am." I put her boxes under the stairs, near the opening of the cryo bay. As I put down the last of them, I heard the other men coming down the stairs. Jason and Peter seemed to have smoothed things over, at least for the time being.
"What did you do with the other bot?" Jason asked Ell.
"I sent it to the Peregrine’s hold. I didn't think it was a good idea to have a blasting bot under foot. The two dock bots should be useful though." Ell indicated the two bots stationed by the shuttle bay doors.
"So what are we looking at here?" Jason asked Ell.
"Most of it is household items, but these six here need to go into the vault." Ell motioned to the largest crates close to the door.
"Alright, you handle them with the bots help. It looks like you have everything fairly well tagged. We’ll take care of offloading the rest." Jason told Ell.
The bots were in motion before Jason had finished talking. They each lifted up a crate and followed Ell down the ramp straight for the cryo chamber, under the stairs. As Ell approached, the two center cryo units swung out like double doors. A panel slipped open to reveal a scanner. It lit up as if it had scanned something and then the wall slid open to the left, revealing a room behind. The bots very precisely lined up the crates in the rear of the hidden vault and started back to collect the others. They maneuvered around Peter as he moved another crate off of the isolation ship. I wondered how much Ell was controlling the bots and how much was just good programming. They looked to be high end models to my untrained eye.
"Captain, Ell said to ask you where you wanted her crates from her brother put." I conveyed.
"How many are there?" Jason asked, glancing back at the large crates still in the ship's hold.
"We moved all of Ell’s crates, out of the way, under the stairs." I reassured him.
"You can move them into our room." Jason replied after appraising their size.
"I'll come help you." Aria volunteered, as she returned Echo to Willow.
We each collected what we could comfortably take and headed for the captain’s quarters.
"You seem to really be enjoying the new additions to our crew." I commented to Aria.
"For the longest time it's been just me with all of you men. Now overnight the numbers are even. We have a baby on board and the captain is married. With what's brewing between Willow and the Doc it's like there is love and new beginnings all around. How could I not enjoy it?" Aria bubbly responded. "I don't really feel all that comfortable with the idea of downloading my romance vids though, now that I know Ell can see everything." Aria said turning a bit somber.
"I have some books I could lend to you that I think you would enjoy." I offered.
"Thanks. I'll give them a try. You can’t go wrong with the original, right?" She asked, brightening once again. "What did you think of the way Ell controlled those bots? Impressive! Right and we have a vault. I didn't know we had a vault. Did you know we had a vault?" Aria asked, excitedly.
"No I didn't, and yes it was." I couldn't help but smile as her speech sped up in time with her excitement.
"What do you think is in the crates in the vault? It must be something really valuable. I mean we've never needed to use it before, right?" She speculated.
"It didn't look as if anything else was in there, but then again it didn't look as if there was a vault there either." I added playfully. I could see the wheels turning in Aria’s mind with all of the ideas of what else may be hidden out of sight.
When we got back to the docking bay the vault was closed and out of sight once again. We got the last of the crates and started back to the captain’s quarters. "Do you have everything ready for Shangri-La?" I asked Aria.
"I have my usual toys ready, and a few new ones to try out. That net launcher I've been working on is going for a test run." Aria got a twinkle in her eye whenever she talked about the new toys she was crafting.
"Just watch your backs out there. Shangri-La is the worst planet I've ever been to." I cautioned.
"I researched it when we first received the bounty order. Did you know that on Old Earth, Shangri-La was a mythical paradise? It’s sad that it's now a world so polluted that it is only populated by the poor; and people that want to take advantage of their desperation. At least we will be taking some trash off of their world for them." Aria informed me.
"There isn't much that can be more dangerous than a desperate person. Just stay safe." I reiterated.
"We have this all tied up. Don't worry." Aria responded cheerfully.
No matter how much she reassured me, and how capable I knew they all were, I could never help but worry about her when she’s out on a job.
The Waylay Captain’s Quarters -Day 337- Ell Singer
After we got all of the crates offloaded, most of us went our separate ways. Willow said that she needed to get Echo down for her nap, when Peter had offered to help her to start going through her crates. He looked disappointed, but said he would be doing inventory in the med suite, if she changed her mind. Once Gabriel and Aria were finished with their part, they had both headed off to care for their regular duties. Jason and I went to our quarters to start going through my items.
Once we were in the privacy of our room Jason asked, "What was in the unlabeled crates that you put into the vault?" I appreciated that he had waited to ask me in private; I was not happy about what I had to tell him.
"William decided that he should send some Teragene along as payment for Echo and Willow's care. He could be such a fool. He knew full well that money was not an issue for me. Now we have a vault full of highly unstable, radioactive material that half the universe woul
d happily kill every one of us to get to." I was so upset my hands were shaking.
"Ell, breathe." Jason instructed me. I took a deep breath and realized that I had said all of that without taking a breath. "No one knows it's there. It was packed into containment crates, right?" Jason asked, calmly.
I took another deep breath, “Yes, the Teragene is in reinforced containment crates, so at least no radiation can escape, but it's still dangerous. If I had gone over the manifest before liftoff I would have had the bots remove them. If we had to make a hard landing... we both know how incendiary Teragene can be… William could have killed us all."
"The first chance we get to sell them, we will. Why don't you see if you can find a buyer? Before we start going through your things, I need to move my stuff around to make more room anyway." He led me to a chair and kissed my forehead. Then he walked into the closet. I could hear him moving things to the upper shelves. I sat and leaned my head back against the wall, closing my eyes. I focused on finding a buyer that wouldn't have had anything to do with the tragedy on Talia.
"What do you think of New Ireland, for a drop point after this bounty is done?" I asked Jason. "There is some promising interest out in that sector."
Jason popped his head out around the door. "The Beta Sector is relatively safe. Not much pirate activity. It’s a good place to give everyone some ship leave too. Make the drop for three weeks out, which should give us enough time. If there’s any problem we can always break away for the drop if we need to. How do you feel about unloading the isolation ship on Shangri-La? There should be plenty of shipyards there that would be glad for the parts." Jason said.
"It will give us more room in the docking bay. We will need to have Willow go through the ship and make sure that there is nothing else that she wants out of it." I added.
"Good idea. Are you up to going through your things now?" Jason asked.
I had to smile at the concern he showed whenever I used my talents. Everyone else that I had ever used them around either saw me as a tool to be used or as a nuisance that they had to care for. Jason looked at me and saw me; my talents were just a part of who I was to him.
"I'm good. Let's get this taken care of." I told him.
After we had gone through my things, I realized there was very little that I would want to keep. Most of it had been clothing that I had grown out of years ago. I was surprised that Lydia had kept it around.
While we had unpacked and repacked my old things Jason told me about his discussion with his brother. I suggested that the three of us spend some time alone after dinner tonight. Maybe it would help Peter to feel closer to his family.
…..
Dinner that night had a more relaxed feeling to it. As we all finished up, Jason asked Mark to help Willow go through the isolation ship and help her get anything she wanted off of it. Jason then asked Peter to join him on the bridge.
I went back to our quarters and got the bottle of spirits and two glasses that Jason kept there. When I got to the bridge they were both sitting at the helm stargazing. "We thought it would be a good idea if you helped Willow go through her things while the group is off ship on Shangri-La." I said to Peter, trying to break the ice.
"I'm sure she will be more than happy for the help." Jason added.
"She may just want to wait until Mark gets back." Peter said morosely.
"I know you like her. Everyone on this ship knows that you like her. Mark would never move on a woman that a friend showed interest in. If you had really gotten to know him, you would know that." Jason reassured Peter.
"Jason explained to me that Mark had a fairly grim past." I added as I handed them both a glass of spirits. "It makes sense to have the engineer help her remove anything that may have been intended to be a permanent fixture. He can also be the one to tell her “no” if it's something that is not feasible. You helping her go through her things will be a better way to get to know her. It's more personal." I wanted Peter to know that Jason and I were on his side.
"I'm sorry for the way that I have been handling things." Peter apologized.
"We have all gone through an upheaval. Some of us are dealing with loss, the rest are trying to find their way now that we have all of these new additions. We all need to have extra patience with one another." Jason said, concluding Peter’s topic on an understanding note.
The rest of the evening passed by more smoothly, with talk about Jason’s and my partnership and what my abilities entailed. As the time passed I found myself moving closer to Jason as if our bodies had magnets drawing each other closer and closer. When we were finally touching, it was as if something I didn't know was tight in the first place loosened, and I was able to truly start to relax.
AlliedCorp Zeta Sector Station- Day 338-
The office smelled of leather, wood polish, and old books. The room alone exuded a sense of power and wealth. The man behind the desk had selected his surroundings with that purpose in mind. When his surroundings reinforced his power, he was able to interact with his subordinates in such a way that they felt honored by the attention he extended to them. When the subconscious fears you, but the conscious mind admires you: it breeds devotion.
"Enter." He projected in a commanding voice; when an entrance tone from the door sounded. Lieutenant Commander Jenkins, the second in command of Zeta Sector Station, entered carrying a data screen.
"Sir the final reports have arrived from Talia. It appears that the Electro Magnetic Pulse shield must be submerged below ground. The Frigate, D-373-446-XF which you had dispatched to observe the planet was not able to identify where the source of the EMP shield was originating from. Barring extensive bombing of the surface, Captain Watts of the frigate contacted me seeking alternatives on how to proceed.”
The man behind the desk stared coldly at his subordinate who had provided him with the report. Then responding with condescendence and a hint of anger in his voice, he replied. “I would think that any of my captains would have better sense than to propose an orbital bombardment on a planet so rich with Teragene. Though it would make quite the spectacular light show, even tearing the planet apart… does he consider for one second that such a display would amuse me?” The man behind the desk now stood and walked towards Lieutenant Commander Jenkins, his eyes still locked on his subordinate, continuing with, “Are you amused with the Captain’s proposal? Are you?”
The Lieutenant Commander found himself with no words to respond, out of fear of escalating the situation.
Now standing so close that Lieutenant Commander Jenkins could almost feel the fuming of his superior’s breath, his superior with jaws clenched stated, “No? I didn’t think so. This discussion is pointless…”
To the Lieutenant Commander’s relief and confusion, his superior abruptly turned away, looking towards the view ports as if he was seeing something that the Lieutenant Commander couldn’t, and disclosed, “I will be departing to explore other options. I'm leaving command of the station to you. However, I will be in contact with you remotely, to issue further orders when I see fit.”
The Waylay Bridge -Day 346- Mark Driver
With us landing on Shangri-La this morning, the ship has been full of activity. Jason and Ell have been at the helm all morning. Gabriel is keeping himself occupied with baking all kinds of things until he has to take over security; coming here puts him on edge. Aria has had the gear she wants to take out on her workbench in the armory, and is going through it all for the tenth time. Peter and Willow had gone to her quarters, with the baby, after the morning meal to start sorting through her crates; which left me floating between each of them, checking on their progress, and offering a helping hand where I could.
I made my way onto the bridge. Jason seemed to be waiting for Ell to complete something; he was watching her intently as she sat across from him with her eyes closed and her left hand moving in the air in front of her; as if brushing some invisible strands away from before her.
"Finding him won't be a problem. Gett
ing to him while he is still alive might be. I'm sending a message to the head of the Zhang Clan. Liu stepped on the wrong toes when he arrived on Shangri-La. If we pay them a finder’s fee they may not finish what they started with him. Peter will have some work to do, if we are going to keep Liu stable for transport." Ell said. As she finished speaking there was an alert from the vid screen. She opened her eyes and told Jason, "That is them now. Be respectful to the Zufu."
"Zufu, ok got it." He switched the screen on and an old man appeared. Jason did a small sitting bow and then said, "Hello. Are you the Zufu of the Zhang Clan?"
"Yes. For what purpose do you request an audience with me?" The old man answered.
"I am seeking a man that goes by the name of Liu. I'm sending his picture to you now." Jason forwarded Liu's picture from his warrant to the Zufu. "I understand that he has given you an insult. I wish to remove him from your world, and see that he serves a life term on the penal colony of Avichi. They will be waiting for him with open arms."
"I do have this man and knowing that he is in the arms of Avichi would be of comfort to me; but for me to give up one who has wronged me would make me appear weak." The old man was fishing for a bribe.
"For your troubles and your help I would like to give you a token of our appreciation, a finder’s fee to show your men that you know how to get your revenge and make a profit at the same time." Jason offered.
"He will be delivered to your ship breathing. He will remain that way if your token is generous." With that the screen went black.
"What do you think generous entails?" I asked from my spot in the doorway.
"I don't really feel like paying a crime lord more than a quarter of the bounty. What do you think Ell?” Jason asked.
"Three quarters would not be enough to keep Liu alive, after what he did here. If you pay the quarter of the live bounty Peter will not need to waste medical supplies on a corpse; and you can collect the dead price from Diyu instead of the live one from Avichi. I know you don't kill your bounties but I feel allowing someone else to execute a murdering, rapist and then delivering his body to authorities that wish it, is a different kind of thing altogether." Ell said in a calculating tone.
Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles Page 7