With the added responsibility, Kendrick had begun conducting himself much more as a captain than as a pilot. He preferred flying alone, seated in the cockpit with the controls in his hands. This was true even though he could pilot from anywhere on the ship via wireless or plugging in. But now, he had Selena at the helm, Tanaka in the communications seat and Mun at the gunner’s chair. Nozaki sat just ahead of him in the science officer’s chair. Kendrick flew the ship through subordinates now, rather than on his own and he hated that. Though, even he had to admit that he had grown to enjoy the company, particularly of Selena. On the plus side, Kendrick could take control of the ship anytime he wished.
“Sir,” said Tanaka, distracting the captain from his coffee. “I’m picking up a station on our long range scanners.”
“Must be Atlas,” Kendrick said, pulling up the star charts on the screen. “Seems our new course is gonna take us fairly close to it since we’ve been delayed and rerouted.”
“Captain,” said Selena aloud, “We should be able to refuel the ship and purchase new power couplings. We should also be able to make repairs if our time there is uninterrupted.”
“We might even be able to get transport home,” observed Nozaki. “No need to go to Mars without the race.”
“We’ll miss you. I was just startin’ to get used to havin’ people around,” said Kendrick, “But, that makes sense. Atlas also has an actual hospital that you can get Fujita to.”
“Hai,” replied Nozaki. “We will not forget your kindness to us.”
Kendrick was inwardly relieved. He genuinely liked the Fujin crew, but Kendrick did not like to spend extended periods around large groups. People who knew him well enough to realize this thought it odd, as he was a performer. Kendrick did not dislike being around people, however; he simply preferred small groups of close friends to larger groups and he hated managing people. When he performed, he was still separated from the crowd by some distance. Kendrick did not have to interact with them individually. He did not have to contend with their actions, manage their comings and goings, or account for their needs. He simply shared his music, told a few stories, got paid and left.
“We’ll make for Atlas,” Kendrick declared. “I’ve got a few contacts there still and none of them care what the Alliance or U.S. thinks. Just be careful, guys. Atlas can be rough.”
Kendrick then sent the announcement to the rest of the crew and passengers via e-mail. He assumed that the Fujin crew would probably meet in private to discuss the possibility of disembarking at Atlas and finding either another ship to serve aboard or transport home. He included his warning that Atlas could be rough. While the possibility of running into U.S. or UPA agents did exist, a large force was unlikely. The real problem was that the possibility of a bounty being put out on the Selene crew meant that denizens of the station could also prove to be troublesome. It was risky, but they had little choice due to needing repairs and supplies and Fujita needing medical attention.
With their course locked in, it would be a matter of hours before they arrived. Kendrick needed to be ready for the possibility of hostiles and that meant leaving the ship with more than just a leather suit and an EM pistol. Preparations needed to be made and now was the time to make them.
“Mister Nozaki, you have the bridge.” Kendrick stood to leave. “I have preparations to make prior to our arrival. I’ll be back in roughly an hour, at which point you can take some downtime before we arrive.”
“Hai.”
Kendrick returned to his cabin and went into his foot locker. Inside were a lightweight suit of black body armor and a selection of pistols. The black body armor looked like motorcycle riding gear, was comfortable and would not attract overly much attention. More importantly, it was bullet resistant, plasma resistant and shock resistant, as well as providing protection if things got rough and tumble. The pistols were traditional ones that fired bullets instead of plasma. On board a ship, bullets were a bad idea; shooting through your own hull could have catastrophic consequences and EM pistols would not do that. But on Atlas, he would have no such concern. Kendrick soon found the piece he was looking for, a 10mm Colt pistol. It was old, but it was reliable. He began checking it, cleaning it and readying it for use, but hoping it would need do nothing more than adorn his hip and look intimidating.
Atlas Station was built into a hollowed-out asteroid. It orbited between Earth and Mars and was set up for travelers who wanted to break up a trip to Mars or who, as Kendrick did, needed to make repairs to their ships. The station had become more popular as space gypsies and vagabonds had become more common, and it was also a popular place for shady people to either set up shop or to make use of services to help them disappear, reappearing under a new identity. The station was also home to mechanics and salvage yards who would work with customers without asking questions. Many illegal goods and services passed through or were conducted on Atlas Station.
The station was operated by a retired mercenary/security contractor named Xander Cain. After losing the contract with Sanngi-Gupta Mineral Works, the original administrators of the station, Cain and his men forcibly evicted the corporate masters and took it over, keeping the mining staff for themselves. It proved too costly to try to retake the station, though S.G. Mineral Works did hire a mercenary group to attempt it. Their ship was blown up before landing and no further attempts were made to retake Atlas. S.G. Mineral Works went bankrupt as a result.
The station was tough; commercial vessels tended to avoid the place, while pirates, mercs and smugglers sought it out. Kendrick was armed and armored, and advised the rest to do the same. He gave Fiona strict orders to stay on the ship with Selena, while he and Heather went out to examine the ship and get the needed parts. He found Heather waiting at the airlock, attired in her usual mechanic’s coveralls and hat.
“You ready to go shopping?” Kendrick asked her.
“Sure,” Heather answered cheerfully. “It’ll be nice to get out for a while. You think we can find what we need?”
“Here? Absolutely,” he laughed. “That, and a whole lotta trouble if we’re not careful.”
“When am I not careful?”
“Just an expression, Heather. I ordered Fiona to stay aboard no matter what, and Selena is keeping an eye on our new crewmembers.”
“Don’t you trust them?”
“Don’t know ’em,” he said casually. “Haven’t decided if I trust ’em yet.”
“What about me?”
“What about you, Heather?”
“Do you trust me?”
Kendrick was surprised by the question. In truth, he had not given the matter much thought, but since she was asking, he considered it. The captain was sure that Heather had been looking to get off of the Moon when they had met, but he was not sure why. Heather was a mystery, more so than Fiona in some ways. Conversations with her never yielded anything that would lead to a sordid past, but there was just … something about her that did not fit. Kendrick did not think that it was like Fiona, but Heather was out of place. In a brotherly sort of way, Kendrick cared about the young engineer and trusted her enough to let her tinker with his ship. “Yeah, I trust you. Why?”
“Well, you don’t really know me all that well either, you know.”
“True,” he conceded, “but so far, you’ve been an asset. Besides, I had a good feeling about you when we met and I trust my feelings.”
“That’s fair,” she replied. “So, where’re we going?”
“We’re meeting a parts dealer in the wards and then we need to get the parts to the ship, and I need to find Jasper.”
“Jasper?” She looked at him questioningly.
“Jasper; he’s a bit of a weirdo, but he’s the best with repairing hull plating, and we need that taken care of badly.”
“You know, I’m no slouch,” Heather said indignantly, stopping and putting her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you just have me do it?”
“Because we don’t have time; I need you on the eng
ines,” Kendrick explained. “Jasper can take care of the hull plating while you’re working your magic. I plan to leave by tomorrow evening, the following morning at the latest. This is all about efficiency, so don’t get your panties in a bind.”
“Oh,” she replied apologetically. “Sorry.”
Kendrick laughed. This was the most time he had spent with Heather and he found it enlightening. She was an easygoing girl, but the engineer definitely had a little bit of a complex about people not respecting her ability. Kendrick had noticed it a couple of times previously, but this was the first time she had gotten indignant with him over a perceived slight. Most of their conversation was small talk, unless the topic waxed mechanical, at which point, Heather was a font of deep knowledge. He did not press her on personal details; he figured that she would share those as time went by, but he noticed that the girl talked about almost none of the things that a typical girl in her early twenties would normally talk about. No mention of her high school or college experience and very little mention of her family. Only past engineering jobs received any real treatment. This in itself was odd, out of place.
It did not take them long to find the dealer Kendrick was seeking: Hangar 18. Named for the location at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base that allegedly housed the Roswell UFO, Hangar 18 was essentially an old hangar that was too full of old parts and partial ships to be used for its original purpose. They were greeted by a black-haired woman of medium height who spoke with the diction of a literary major.
“Greetings, Captain Royce,” the merchant said cheerfully. “What can we do for you?”
“You know me?” he asked, a little surprised.
“Captain, I had posters of you all over my bedroom when I was a girl,” she boasted. “I also have kept up with your career. I’d know you anywhere!”
“Posters?” Heather looked at Kendrick uncomprehendingly.
“Posters,” Kendrick confirmed. “They’re large paper pictures of …”
“I know what posters are, silly!” Heather playfully punched him in the shoulder. “I meant posters of you!”
“He was the biggest pop star in the solar system for about three years,” explained the woman. “You’re too young to remember, but I was in high school when Ken here was big. Had my room literally wallpapered with posters of Ken Royce.” Then, she turned to Kendrick and extended her hand. “I’m Abigail Rhoads, by the way. But you can call me Abby.”
“Good to meet you, Abby,” the captain said. “Now, Heather, give her the shopping list.”
Heather did as she was asked and Abby took the list. Abby had a staff of men to do the heavy lifting and handed the list to one who looked more senior than the rest. Abby made flirtatious small talk with Kendrick, while Heather stood rolling her eyes at the two of them. Before long, a large cart was brought to them, filled with all of the items they needed, including the power couplings.
“All right, Miss Dalrymple,” said Abby, “Here’s the invoice. As you can see, we had everything.”
“What?! That’s fuckin’ crazy!” exclaimed Heather when she saw the total. The price was at least twenty percent too high, if not higher. “Not only is this way too high, but this last item … ISBN7778256/T-15 - Silencer? Ain’t even on my list!”
“That’s my offer, Ken,” said Abby, looking intently at Kendrick and ignoring Heather’s objections. “Take it or leave it.”
“Take it,” said Kendrick.
Heather began to protest, but Kendrick shook his head.
“We need the parts, she has the parts, and I ain’t got time to scour the station huntin’ down a bargain.”
“A wise man,” said Abby, winking at him. “These couplings are hard to find these days. Nobody else here will have them. Also, you’ll notice that last item that your mechanic mentioned; it’s the most important one.”
“Yeah, I saw that,” he said. “If you deliver, it’s worth its weight in gold.”
“Well, if you need anything else,” she said, “Again, I’m Abby. Here’s my card.” Then she winked at Kendrick, adding, “And don’t be late.”
“Late for what?” Heather asked as they walked away.
“Private gig; back of the card made that fairly clear.” He handed Heather the card, prompting her to roll her eyes when she read the back.
“We’ll get a rebate afterward,” Kendrick explained. “Normally, I wouldn’t consider it, but given the circumstances …”
“I … don’t follow. And what was that last item on the list?”
“The code for one of my rock and roll collections,” he explained. “Track fifteen is the song, ‘I Need Your Love Tonight.’ Silencer is what my showing up for a ‘private gig’ gets me; her silence.”
“Silence? On what?”
“Our presence here,” Kendrick said. “And whether or not she’s seen me.”
“Oh … OH! Oh my,” Heather exclaimed. “Boy, must I sound dense.”
“Yeah, it’s blackmail essentially. And no, you’re not dense; your mind just hadn’t gone there.”
“You’re not gonna do it, are you?” Heather was incredulous.
“You’re not gonna mind being ratted out to Lorgen, are you?” Kendrick countered.
“Yeah, but … Kendrick, she said her bedroom was wallpapered with pictures of you? Kinda … creepy, doncha think?”
Kendrick laughed. “Her, and every other teenaged girl back then, though in Abby’s case, hers probably still is. Come on; let’s get this back to the ship. The sooner we’re back, the sooner it’s installed.”
Atlas Station; Fiona had heard it mentioned, but had never expected to travel there herself. This opened up new possibilities. She still had the stolen biotech and with everything that had happened, the captain seemed to have forgotten about it. A little attraction had developed between herself and the captain, making her hopeful that he would be sympathetic to her when the subject finally came up again. After they found out about clone soldiers, Kendrick had expressed quite a bit of sympathy for her cause, but sympathy would only go so far if he found out that Fiona had continued to hold out on him. Attraction, on the other hand, may count for something, but she had to be careful. If she ended up on his bad side, that attraction could backfire and make him more resentful.
With their landing on Atlas, Fiona now had the opportunity to do as she had promised Kendrick; she would leave her old life behind. Doctor Kinsale knew that there was a contact from her faction here, a contact who would know the importance of her cargo. Fiona could make the drop here, then sever her ties to her old life.
The doctor found it interesting that she had come to think of herself as Fiona and no longer as Joyce. She had chosen the name because Fiona was her middle name: Joyce Fiona Keane. As a child, her aunts and uncles all called her Fiona because her grandmother was also Joyce. Because of that, she still reflexively answered to the name. Kinsale she had come up with at O’Malley’s.
Fiona entertained the idea of leaving the Selene after meeting her contact, thus freeing Ken from the albatross that she had become, but quickly dismissed it. Not only did it feel right to be here, Fiona felt certain that Ken would need her. Not to mention that she was hopelessly smitten with him. Doctor Kinsale discreetly left the ship and found a public terminal in the space port. Time to make contact, she thought.
Kendrick and Heather walked their cart back, filled to bursting with the parts that they needed. The power couplings were expensive, but Kendrick had the cash. He had spent more in the past, but these were not cheap by any means. But they would be able to get on their way quickly. He paid the docking fees for three days. As they arrived at the ship, they encountered the Fujin crew disembarking.
“Captain Royce,” said Mister Nozaki, “We have found transport back to Earth. We leave in three hours. Doctor Yori and the nurses have already taken Captain Fujita to the hospital. It has been an honor.” He then saluted Kendrick. Kendrick returned his salute and extended his hand.
“Likewise, Mister Nozaki.”
“Fumio,” replied Nozaki. “You have earned it. Until we meet again, Captain.”
“Kendrick; you’ve earned it too. Take care, my friend.”
“Hai.”
With that, the two men bowed and the crew of the Fujin walked off to the docks where they would board a ship for Earth. Heather went to work on the couplings almost immediately, while Kendrick enlisted Mun to go with him to see Jasper.
“Captain Fujita hated coming here,” offered Mun as they walked.
“Oh?” That surprised Kendrick. “He’s pretty well known here.”
“Yeah,” said Mun, “He came here a lot, but only because he had to. He really hated the element. He said that ‘the denizens of this ghetto are without honor or purpose’ verbatim.”
“Ah, it ain’t as bad as that,” laughed Kendrick. “But, he’s not entirely wrong, either and that’s the problem. The Alliance and the U.S. have their pick of people who would sell us out for the right price and both groups can move an awful lot of credits.”
“Heather said you have a … private gig?” Mun asked, worry in his voice.
“You could say that,” said Kendrick.
“Um … does that mean what I think it means?”
“Undoubtedly. I’ll find out the specifics when I get there.”
“Are you sure you want to … do that?”
“Mun, I just got a bunch of people to worry about that I didn’t have a month ago,” Kendrick explained with some exasperation. “At least one of them is being chased by the Alliance, the U.S. government, and an assortment of bounty hunters. So now, I’m being chased as well. For all I know, you’re being chased and Tanaka probably is too, and our gynoid savior was supposed to be dead. Five will get you ten that whoever spaced Selena will soon know she’s not dead, unless they already know, in which case they’ll be chasing us too. Abby can collect big by rattin’ us out; this was her fee for keeping quiet. I’ve never been in this position before, so what’s that phrase? Do what you gotta do? I still have the cash and credits to get the shit we need. Credits could be frozen soon, if they ain’t already, and cash will be spent quickly on the kind of things we need. You getting the picture?”
The Silver Liner: Takes Flight! Page 18