Coffee Cup Dreams (A Redpoint One Romance)

by Marlow, J. A.

  A trip to the kitchen to help with a quick snack, and still their progress continued. A rear view showed several ships lined up behind them of all different sizes and shapes.

  She sighed, looking out the portal. "And how long does this take?"

  "Another hour or so," Captain Jarvid said. "Be thankful Redpoint One has this capability. For normal long jumps we would be waiting days."

  "This is nothing compared to what the pioneers had to do," Mr. Samson said. "Of course, in the early days it was one-way trips only."

  "Today too, if a person gets hit with too much," Tish muttered, having been disturbed by that little fine-print on the travel documents.

  "Again, not a problem with Redpoint One. It's too bad other routes don't have the option." Captain Jarvid motioned to one of the rings. "No scientist has figured out how the space station can neutralize the radiation to such a degree. One of many mysteries."

  Tish swallowed hard. "And I'm supposed to help repair it?"

  She received a grin from Mr. Samson. "Is that what you've come here for? Good luck with that."

  The comment didn't help at all with her nerves.

  The end of the inner hollow of Redpoint One slowly came into view from around the hulking shape of the spaceliner. When the spaceliner moved out of the way as it exited she could see a series of closely-spaced rings with energy arcing back and forth from one side to the other.

  She sat down in the chair and folded her hands in her lap, wondering if it would affect the ship even more than the diminishing light dancing across the portal edges and the exterior of the ship. And the interior. She'd had a bit of a tingle when helping the cook fetch things out of the pantry.

  An alarm sounded from the direction of the pilot console. Her head jerked up, not liking the sound at all. Not when she was so close to disembarking.

  "Mr. Samson, report," Captain Jarvid demanded. His tone of voice, changing from the laid-back deep tones of normal to a sharp and even deeper octave did nothing to reassure her.

  "Hyperspace exit, sir. Very close."

  Tish leaned forward to study the starfield outside the front of the ship, but she couldn't see much through the arcing energy of the rings.

  Another crew-member rushed into the cockpit and took control of one of the other consoles. "What's the situation?"

  Captain Jarvid reached out and touched his console. The speakers came alive.

  "All ships alert for unauthorized approach to Redpoint One," a female voice said.

  "Watch it, it's heading for the transit tube!" someone else said over the same frequency.

  "Inter-Planetary Patrol craft exiting hyperspace. All ships maintain present course and speed," the female voice said again, still sounding cool and calm.

  Tish didn't know how the woman remained so calm. The small ship appeared through the energy arcs, heading straight at them. She grabbed the arms of the chair, squeezing tight, her body tensing as it drew near.

  Another flick at his console and an alarm sounded through the ship. Captain Jarvid said, "Mr. Samson, prepare for evasive maneuvers."

  "Sir, I think it will miss us."

  "I don't want guesses. I want absolutes."

  "The Golden Oriander, this is Redpoint One control. Please remain on course and speed. Do not deviate," the female voice said.

  "Easy for her to say," the Captain said as two more crew-members rushed into the cockpit.

  In a flash the other ship was by them, leaving Tish with only a vague impression of dark colors and long engines. A moment later a lighter colored vessel of sleek lines and flaring engines passed by.

  Mr. Samson switched one of the screens to a rear view. The Patrol ship closed the distance, but not before the other ship attempted to use the wide freighter behind them as a cover.

  A cover blown when the pilot of the fleeing ship misjudged and clipped the corner of a cargo pod. With a cloud of sparks it barreled off at a sharp angle and straight into one of the slots in the side of the transit tube of Redpoint One.

  The Patrol ship veered out of the way of the freighter as the other ship exploded, the ball of fire and smoke emerging from the slot. Parts flew into the transit tube, into the side of the station, and flew towards the ships still in the transit tube.

  The alarms in the cockpit ceased. The woman over the speakers said, "Threat neutralized. All ships continue on current course and speed."

  "See the marking on the side?" one of the crew-members asked.

  "Neptune Krakens?" Captain Jarvid asked.

  The man nodded. "They've been getting braver lately."

  "They're up to something big," Mr. Samson muttered.

  "Aren't pirates always?" Someone else commented.

  Tish's eyes flew back to the monitor displaying the widening bubble of debris. Pirates? She was going to work on a station that might be attacked by pirates?

  With The Golden Oriander out of the transit tube the location of the battle quickly disappeared. Mr. Samson brought the ship back around towards Redpoint One in preparation to dock at one of the many docks along the side.

  She didn't hear what dock they were headed for. It didn't matter. It was time to face her future.

  She returned to her room and packed the last few things not already in her luggage. She stacked the few boxes onto a hover-sled and lay the two suitcases on top of them. She headed towards the main airlock as Mr. Samson announced their arrival over the internal comm-system.

  Tish nervously waited for the main airlock to open. So much waiting, so much travel, and the time had finally come. The start of a new life with a job she didn't know if she could do, in a new place among people she didn't know.

  She must be crazy.

  A gentle mental reminder told her to recall the bottles of pills still at the bottom of her luggage. She could start taking them and head back to Earth.

  No way.

  She straightened up her shoulders and took a deep breath. When Captain Jarvid opened up the airlock she followed him with sure steps, all her belongings trailing behind her on the hoversled.

  And stepped out into the middle of controlled chaos.

  First, it wasn't a standard dock with airlocks and enclosed lengths that could be sealed off in case of depressurization. Instead, it was a long multi-tiered dock with ships lined up along the edges, as if it were a multi-story warf. Nothing was closed in, not even the entry and exit out of the area. The large openings stayed open to space.

  She shivered. It just didn't feel right.

  "Force fields," Captain Jarvid said, having taken note of her shiver.

  Tish shook her head, now wishing she hadn't researched so much about space stations and the things that could go wrong on board them. "Those don't work yet for wide areas. Everything here is open."

  "They do here."

  She mentally thumped her forehead. Of course. Alien space station, alien technology. She needed to get used to such things.

  The Dock Officer talked quietly to Captain Jarvid with many gestures towards the main cargo airlock of The Golden Oriander. A blip in the overhead lighting had everyone looking up.

  "Power problems?" Captain Jarvid asked.

  "Maintenance has been short of people." The Deck Officer looked down at his pad and glanced at Tish. "Tish Douglas?"

  Oh great, here it came.

  She nodded. "Yes, that's me."

  The Officer smiled. "Good. We need more people. And I see your new Supervisor now."

  Her stomach knotted. No more waiting. Time to face her future. She turned her head in the direction he pointed.

  And sucked in her breath.

  Mr. Getty's brother shared the same dark sandy hair and height, but Arthur Getty sported the wide shoulders and muscled arms of someone physically active in life. The tight dark blue tank top accented his physical attributes even more.

  Long strides, a compact belt with multiple pouches around his waist, and a brush of dirt on one cheek completed the image of a man in charge and not afraid to d
ive in to fix things. Of one not afraid to get his hands dirty. He was also completely and devastatingly handsome.

  And furious, and it was all aimed at her.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ARTHUR WASN'T AMUSED. Not a bit.

  A pirate ship causing more damage to a space station that had already sustained far too much in the past two months angered him. Couldn't Director Stemski keep destructive entities away from the station? What was the patrol garrison stationed at Redpoint One for, anyway?

  And the new recruit?

  Arthur stopped in front of her, crossing his arms over his chest as he perused the small creature in front of him.

  Big light-brown eyes stared up at him from a round face with a pert little nose in a mingling of shock and surprise. The stack of boxes and luggage on the hoversled behind her was almost taller than she was. Her smaller stature would be good for getting into some of the smaller nooks and crannies.

  Yet, she had an innocent air around her, and so very young. If he hadn't read her age in the application he would swear she should still be home with her parents.

  Why did he say yes when his brother forwarded her resume? Oh, he knew. Three recruits failing in the last eight months was why. His people stretched too thin, all of them exhausted. They were desperate for more hands and so he'd said yes.

  "You're Tish Douglas?"

  The woman nodded, her ponytail bouncing.

  Oh, good lord, she had holographic hairbands in the ponytail, causing little circles of colored lights to go around the point where it was tied. Like a schoolgirl. The impression of young innocence became reinforced. She looked like she should still be in school, and instead she was out in the wilds of the spacelanes at Redpoint One? She should have never left Earth.

  "I'm Arthur Getty, your new boss. I don't have time to coddle you today so I hope you dressed sensibly." He had doubts about that, considering the hair ties. The pants and shoes looked good enough, but not the fancy jacket.

  He watched her swallow nervously. "I start work today?"

  "No better time than the present. Follow me." He turned and headed back the way he'd come. He heard her quickly saying goodbye to the freighter captain and then quick footsteps as she ran to catch up with him.

  "Are we fixing the damage caused by the pirate ship?" She asked as they avoided a transport on a fast run from one end of the docking bay to the other.

  "I haven't even looked at the report about that damage. We're working on the main power systems today. At least, I will be. I'm pairing you off to help in another area."

  "Um, sir, I should tell you my experience in actual system repair is limited."

  He almost laughed at the remark. Arriving at a main transit platform he moved off to one side away from the main crowds. A smaller car slid up with the words "Redpoint One Employees Only" emblazoned in several spots. Even with the markings he had to forcefully decline several demands for a ride from some of those waiting.

  Tish Douglas pushed through the crowds in her effort to follow him. When the pile on her hoversled almost collapsed he went back for her, using his bulk to open up a path for her to follow. He waited until she'd pulled her hoversled in after her before closing the doors and giving the computer a destination.

  Seating himself on a cushioned bench towards the front of the car he looked up at her. She held a bar along the top of the bench area, bracing her legs against the movement of the car as it moved forward.

  "I can guarantee you are unfamiliar with Redpoint One systems, even if you have a full engineering degree. Which you do not." He slipped a bracelet out of a pouch and handed it to her. "Your clearance and identification band. Wear it at all times."

  She put it on, twisting it slightly when it contracted around her left wrist just under a personal wrist computer. "Are there any manuals I should study?"

  Such a soft voice. That would go away soon, if she stayed. They did too much shouting back and forth down corridors. "Nope, none."

  He almost laughed again at the way her face screwed up in confusion. "Then how do I learn how to repair the station?"

  "You don't. More like you help the station repair itself."

  The confusion increased, and he let his humor come out in a small laugh. "Yes, I know. Confusing. But, not really."

  He gestured at the seat next to him and waited until she sat down. "Here's the deal. This station has an intelligence of its own. The problem is we can't understand it. Well, some of us can, a little bit. Just enough to help."

  Her eyes darted around the car. "Intelligent? Has it ever hurt anyone?"

  "Why can I guess what movie you saw recently?" He asked with a sigh.

  She bit her lip, her eyes dancing. "It was the biggest hit of the spring."

  "This is not an insane computer. It has never attacked anyone. Well, other than in defense." He could see the assurance didn't help very much. His annoyance returned. "This is not a movie."

  She quickly shook her head. "No sir. Just an alien spacecraft that no one knows how it operates."

  Not exactly true, but he didn't have time to argue or explain anything. Not with the car nearing their destination. "Here is what you need to know. Redpoint One has self-repair systems, but they don't always have the raw materials or guidance on how to do it without causing problems for the inhabitants. You not only do what you can to help, but you also help the populace. Sometimes by diverting the automated repair systems to more important functions, sometimes with explanations, sometimes with warnings, sometimes with evacuations."

  He could see the thoughts bubbling up. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was thinking with her expressive face. "No, this isn't the movie! We have never required a station-wide evacuation."

  She jumped at his explosion. "Yes sir!"

  To which he immediately felt bad for. Heck, he even liked the woman, would have been interested in her in a personal way if he'd seen her in the general public.

  He stopped the line of thought. Life for the maintenance department was difficult enough as it was. He ran a hand through his hair. "Neil owes me big for this."

  "I'll do a good job, sir."

  "You better. If I weren't so desperate for more repair crews…" He let the words hang. He best not go there, not with her face mimicking all the emotions the woman was feeling. Emotions she didn't deserve to feel.

  He didn't want her upset. If she worked out, great. He wished he knew what kind of person the station wanted. It would make it much easier to hire the proper personnel and have a hope they would stick around for a while.

  "All I ask is that you pay attention and do your best," Arthur said. "The rest will follow."

  She nodded, the dancing light in her eyes gone, replaced by somber seriousness.

  The car stopped at one of the maintenance platforms. He rose and gestured for her to follow him. Vasiliy Lukin and Rachel Henderkito waited at the entrance into the main maintenance logistical center. Tish followed him quietly, her large eyes darting from one area to the next. Good, at least she appeared to be observant.

  But the serious expressions on his team's faces gave him pause. He stopped in front of them, asking, almost resigned, "What's wrong?"

  "Sector 1157," Vasiliy said. A robot came up behind him, dragging a small hovering cart with tools behind it. "Everything says we have a life-support breach, but Damien can't find it."

  In one of the most populated ring sectors. Not good.

  "I finished my repair. I thought I would go down and help track it down. More eyes," Rachel said. She handed him a flex-paper. "Or would you prefer me elsewhere?"

  Arthur shook his head as he studied the flex-paper. "Go ahead, get down there. I'll follow."

  Rachel nodded, casting the newcomer a curious look. He heard the two leave in a maintenance pod, aware Ms. Douglas still stood silently next to him, her luggage behind her.

  He should be explaining what was happening. Should continue at least a short tour of the area she would be working from. See about p
airing her off with one of his experienced technicians for her first day. At the very least take her to her new apartment long enough so she could drop off her luggage. But, the more he read, the more concerned he became.

  With a long stride, he headed into the maintenance platform. The large circular room with doors and rooms branching off it was empty, as he expected it to be in the middle of the day. Ms. Douglas followed him, stopping at the edge of the door.

  "I need a bot!" He shouted.

  ***

  The yell didn't phase her. She could tell from the way his face changed as he read the flex-paper that something worried him.

  Tish knew her eyes were wide, but she couldn't help it. There was so much to see. The station, the round room with a raised platform in the middle with a variety of consoles and chairs, and a circular tall table in the center. The doorways all around leading in different directions.

  And then Arthur Getty himself. He was a bit, well, overwhelming. What little he'd passed on so far only brought to mind more questions, and she wasn't sure he would be open to questions at the moment.

  "The main maintenance platform. Your new home-base," Mr. Getty said with a wave of his hand without taking his eyes off the flex-paper.

  A domed robot scooted out of one of the doors, hovering only a shadow above the floor. It beeped as it came up to Mr. Getty. Two eyestalks from a bulbed head at the front of the robot swiveled up to look at him.

  "This is Tish Douglas. She will be working here with me," Mr. Getty said, gesturing towards her. The eyestalks swiveled to look her over before returning to him. He took the handle of the small hovercart holding her luggage and angled it down to the robot. "This is her luggage. Take it to her apartment, Tech number 26."

  The robot whistled a cheerful series of notes. A small hatch opened from the top of the robot out of which a multi-jointed arm and hand extended, taking the hovercart handle. With another series of whistles it maneuvered around them and took off out of one of the doors.

  "It understood?" Tish asked, watching all the possessions she owned in the universe disappear.