Rita asked, “Why doesn’t anyone else know about this? It sounds like news people should know. Especially if there are humans out there too, maybe descendants of spacers who got lost in space.”
Phillipe spread his hands at that, and said, “When I asked those questions I was told to be quiet. The Caravel missions are secret, all the data is kept by the Agency. When I didn’t shut up, they tried to make it seem as though I was crazy, that I’d been in deep space too long. I realized there was more going on than we were being told. So I deserted.”
Hands spoke up then and said, “That is when Phillipe contacted me. We’d known each other when we were younger, and I knew if we could liberate the Caravel Data that we could both get something out of it. I’m no altruist, but that data would be worth millions of credits to the right buyers. Meanwhile, Phillipe could clear his name and get back out there to explore again.”
Phillipe nodded and said, “Then I got caught with my hand on their data cube. I thought I was done for and told Hands as much. He swore he’d do anything he could to get me out of there. I didn’t expect him to show up piloting a suit of powered armor. He led me up from the detention level to the Carrack. He had that silly drone pilot programmed to detach from the annex and jump away from Utopia Station as soon as we were on board. On the way here he explained how you ended up in the system and what he hoped you would decide to do next.”
The Captain said, “That about sums up how we got here. We have a few things to talk bout still. We haven’t decided if going out into the great unknown is what we’ll do yet. If we do go, we have to decide if we’ll all go together or if some of us just can’t make that leap of faith. Damon here was a captive on the station we stole the Carrack from. Although he has no business with any of us, he has decided to stay and travel with us into the unknown. We do need to discuss an actual flight plan with jump coordinates and travel times.”
Phillipe’s eyebrows went up at the mention of slavers but he said nothing. He only turned back to the Captain and waited for her to continue. She looked from Rita to Dr. Ezra to Daiyu who hadn’t spoken since she entered the galley.
The Captain said, “Daiyu, you are part of this crew and I need to hear what you think about our options. I know you seldom speak up but now is not a time for you to stay quiet.”
Daiyu looked at the table in front of her when she began to speak but raised her eyes to look at the Captain as she went on. She said, “I know what it’s like to be alone. I was alone with my family on Orion, then I was alone in crowds as a technician at Paramount City. After the ambush, I finally found a place here on the ship that I didn’t feel alone. I would prefer not to leave this place or any of you. Hiding in plain view is something I know a lot about, but I don’t think this ship is meant for that. If we go out there, I’m going.”
The Captain nodded at that and said, “Hands and Phillipe we already know both of you want to go. Doc, what are your thoughts.”
He gently cleared his throat and said, “When we met Hands, and the idea first came up, I was firmly against going into the great unknown as you called it. Since then I have seen the remarkable turn around our ship has undergone, helped save this young man from a fate worse than any of us has faced, and seen Hands risk his life to save his friend. That same friend sits here now with the only option on the table for us to stay together and make a new life. Like Daiyu, I too have grown rather fond of you all. It isn’t a life I would choose, but it is a life and perhaps, as Damon said, there is more than coincidence at work here. If we go, I will go too.”
The Captain was surprised at that, but turned to Rita at last and said, “Alright, Rita, let’s hear it.”
Rita rolled her eyes before she said, “Humans are either the worst scum imaginable or the highest form of life we know. We’ve seen both from the North Americans that built this ship and oppressed our people back home, to the slavers that held Damon for almost a year, to Hands, who has earned my respect between his work on the Artemis and rescuing his friend. Maybe humanity is overrated, or maybe I just don’t want to stay behind while the rest of you go off on another adventure. If we go, you can’t go without me.”
The Captain turned to Damon and said, “This is your only chance to change your mind. Once we jump out of Utopia, there is no going back. Are you certain you want to join us?”
The smile on Damon’s face was all the answer she needed, but he still managed to say, “Yes, Captain.”
Finally, she looked back at Phillipe and said, “Let’s hear more about these neutral systems. We need to plan our jumps, make sure our supplies will last, and decide what to do once we get there. Remember, we’re not a survey ship, the Artemis and the Carrack were built to fight.”
Phillipe shrugged at that and said, “I’ve never been a pirate before, let me tell you about Corderra.”
To be continued in “The Pirates of Corderra”
I hope you enjoyed this story, but if you are hungry for more, do not worry! There is so much more to tell! If you would like to keep up with the Renegade Galaxy, join us here:
https://renegade-galaxy.com/
Or join our Renegade Galaxy Group on Facebook!
Renegade Galaxy Facebook Page
If you enjoyed Vicky’s story, please add a review for other readers. I would be grateful if you would post a short comment on Amazon. Your support really does make a difference and I read every review so I can get your feedback and make the next story even better!
Thanks again for your support! The next installment in the series, “The Pirates of Corderra” will be out soon.
About the Author:
Steve Anderson has been telling stories of one kind or another as long as he could string together coherent thoughts. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, he has traveled around the world, and has lived all over the United States, from Virginia to Wisconsin. He now calls the small town of Ottumwa, Iowa home. Steve has had a variety of jobs, from his enlistment in the U.S. Navy after high school, to managing a bar in his adopted hometown. You can often find him telling stories about his travels, embarrassing situations and other tall tales where ever he may be. Steve’s hobbies include world history, gaming, watching movies, listening to music, reading, and writing (especially science fiction and fantasy). His favorite authors include Robert A. Heinlein, Piers Anthony, Frank Herbert, Leo Frankowski, L.E. Modesitt Jr. and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Escaping Utopia: Part two of the Renegade Galaxy series. Page 6