Stormcrow: Book Two: Birds of a Feather

by N. C. Reed

  “If your men can place their baggage into the bay, we'll take care of it from there,” Meredith said, almost overwhelmed by the rapid fire agent. “Warn them it may be several hours before we can have their bags brought up due to our preparing to lift. If they need anything from their bags right away they should take it with them. Passengers aren't allowed into the cargo bay during transit.”

  “I'll see to it,” Denworth nodded. “And thank you for agreeing to take them on. They need to reach Liberty Vale as soon as possible for vital personal business. I'm not privy to what they have to accomplish, but it seems to have strained them a good bit. I doubt you'll see much of them to be honest. They seem tired,” she shrugged lightly.

  “That's fine,” Meredith nodded. “Now if you can excuse us, we need to get aboard and make sure turnover is going according to plan. Faulks can see to it that your men know where to place the bags and we can guide the passengers up ourselves.”

  “Wonderful!”

  Two women emerged from the car, one obviously caring for the other. The shorter of the two was wearing an elegant dress that appeared to be just short of formal evening wear while the taller was wearing a business suit that Meredith decided had to have cost a pretty penny. The shorter was wearing dark glasses similar to what Lincoln had been forced to wear after his surgery and Meredith wondered if the woman had undergone the same procedure. The taller was clearly a caregiver, fussing over her charge. Possibly an older sister or even a young aunt.

  They obviously had money, but Liberty Vale had money to be sure so their traveling there wasn't suspicious.

  “Hello,” Meredith said to the two women as she approached them. “I'm Captain Simmons, this is my husband, Lincoln, our pilot,” she stressed the word as she looked at him, “and my boat chief, Faulks. Welcome to the Celia.”

  “Thank you,” the taller woman smiled. “I'm Jamie and this is Cinda. Thank you for taking us on such short notice. We sincerely appreciate it.”

  “Glad to help out,” Meredith smiled. “We'll escort you to your rooms as we're on our way to the bridge. I understand you're both tired from travel and need to rest, which works out very well for our schedule as I would have had to ask you to remain in your cabins during turnover and take off. Once we break atmo, you'll be free to move about and one of us will show you where everything is. Is that acceptable?”

  “Perfectly,” Jamie nodded. “Ideal in fact. We've literally been up all evening. Lead on and we'll follow.” She picked up the larger of two bags at their feet while the younger woman took the smaller bag. They had obviously traveled before if they had a ready bag for being separated from their luggage.

  The small procession made its way through the cargo bay and up the stairs to the landing in silence. Once there, Meredith turned to look at the two women.

  “We'll have your bags brought up as soon as possible,” she promised. “You won't be able to come back to the bay during transit unless the crew are present and even then we prefer not to allow passengers back here for safety reasons. This passageway leads to the passenger dorms,” she indicated the main corridor that traveled the length of the ship. “Please follow me.”

  The two women dutifully followed in silence. Meredith led them to the middle cabin which was larger, and opened the hatch.

  “This room and the one next door will be yours for the flight,” she told them. “Sleeping arrangements and what not I leave to you, of course. These rooms are slightly larger, though further back. I hope you'll be comfortable here.”

  “I'm sure we will,” Jamie nodded. “Thank you again so very much.”

  “You're quite welcome. We'll come for you once we're in the black. Until then I suggest you rest.”

  -

  “Revolutions on One are good, Sean,” Jessica was saying as Meredith and Lincoln made it to the bridge. “Temperature rising normally and within limits. Fuel flow is reading ninety-eight percent optimal and everything is in the green.”

  “Roger that,” Sean called back across the wireless. “Preparing to turn Number Two.”

  “Ready on top,” Jessica assured him. “Lights are green for turnover on Number Two.”

  “Sounds like everything is going pretty good here,” Meredith noted as Lincoln took his seat behind the pilot's controls, checking the gauges out of habit rather than any lack of trust in Jessica's ability. She'd proven herself time and again over the last months.

  “We're in the green and ahead of schedule, actually,” Jessica nodded from the engineering station as she monitored the ship's systems. “Number One is turning nicely and will soon be hot enough to light off on your say so. Number Two is ready. . .and looks like Sean has her turning now, as well,” she corrected as a second bank of gauges began to spin up.

  “Two is turning,” Sean called. “No issues.”

  “Looks green here too,” Jessica assured him. “All systems read nominal.” She checked Engine One again and nodded to herself.

  “We're able to disconnect from shore lines now, Captain, if you want,” she reported.

  “Already?” Meredith was surprised. It usually took longer.

  “Everything is clean and rebuilt and reworked while we've been idle,” Jessica reminded her with a shrug. “We're literally running at one hundred ten percent efficiency. That won't last long probably, but for now we're humming.”

  “Very well,” Meredith nodded, pleased with the report in more ways than one. “We'll maintain shore power until Number Two is at battery and then disengage. So long as there are no issues, we can secure for take off and be ready to lift as soon as the thrusters are hot. Lincoln?”

  “Sounds good,” he nodded, reviewing the ship control readouts from the pilot's seat. “Having this down time and doing all that maintenance may have been a pain, but it's paying off now. Jess is right, we're hitting our stride way ahead of normal and everything is green and clean.”

  “Outstanding,” Meredith grinned. She hit the I/C. “Faulks, you read?”

  “Go ahead, Cap'n,” the reply was there in seconds.

  “We're well ahead of schedule on turnover. What about the bay? All secure?”

  “Aye, Cap'n,” Faulks replied. “Cargo was already set although I'm making another inspection now just for safety. All non-crew are off the ship and the bay is secure. All hatches dogged and airtight. Airlock is closed and locked off, bay door is sealed and locked. We are green to the gills back here and ready in all respects to get under way.”

  “What I like to hear,” Meredith replied happily. “Let me know when you inspection is complete. I'll get back to you when we're ready to lift.”

  “Copy that.”

  “I could get used to this,” Meredith sighed happily as she took her seat. “A smooth-running ship without any difficulty or drama.”

  “Amen,” Lincoln and Jessica both muttered at the same time.

  -

  Sean watched the gauges for his engines as they turned over and warmed for action. After being cold for so long he'd expected a bit more time and trouble in getting ready for lift, but so far everything was fine.

  “All that work paying off,” he said to himself, his words lost in the noise around him. He worked to keep his mind on his business, knowing that it was dangerous to allow himself to drift back here, but he kept coming back to Lucia Delgado despite himself. Why was she so determined for him to stay here? What could she possibly see in him?

  And what had she meant by it would be the hard way now? Regardless of what her 'assistant' had said, that had sounded like a threat. Normally he wouldn't have paid it any attention, but the simple fact was that Lucia had the means and the resources to carry out a threat like that and make life very difficult for Sean and the rest of the crew as well. The fact that it might hit Tony too probably wouldn't stop her, either.

  And what was her problem with Jess? That was as surprising as her showing up at the ship at all. He shook his head, clearing the problem away and returning his mind to his work.

&nbs
p; He'd have three months of space time to worry about Lucia and her threats. Right now, he had work to do.

  -

  Tony fought the urge to curse as he stored the extra food he'd gotten at literally the last minute. Normally he'd have been on the bridge watching turnover, or else been in engineering with Sean while he worked the engines up for lift off. Instead, he was putting up groceries because of two passengers on a three-month transit.

  “Maybe it won't take that long,” he mused as he worked to shoehorn the extra supplies into place. “With all the work we did, maybe we'll be faster on this run and cut some time off the trip. Not that it matters,” he sighed. “It's not like Liberty Vale is anything like Porto San Lucia.”

  He had gotten spoiled being at home, he realized. Seeing his parents and sister almost every day, sleeping in his old bed and seeing his old haunts. He was already coming close to regretting his decision not to stay, although his last-minute tiff with his mother and dressing down by his father had just reinforced his decision to keep moving. He was short tempered, he admitted, but he'd never thought of himself as being judgmental. A few days of seeing the world in a different light seemed to have proven him wrong about that. Certainly, his mother was convinced that he was.

  He hated that he was leaving with his mother still so disappointed in him. But for God's sake! Emasculation by fire? What the hell kind of savages did that!? To think that his own mother had been one of them just made it worse.

  Though it did go a long way toward explaining how badly he'd managed to piss off Sean Galen. He hadn't honestly meant to insult the man like that. True, he'd been angry and he wouldn't bother to deny it. Seeing his sister coming from Sean's bedroom, her clothes and hair clearly indicating she'd spent the night with him, had been a shock to say the least. Who could blame him for reacting badly to that, hungover like he was?

  Well, obviously, Sean could and did. His mother did as well, the memory of how cold Antonia had been to him over the table that morning still fresh in his mind. He shook his head as he continued to stuff supplies in whatever cranny he could find.

  “What a mess,” he said to himself, shaking his head. He had made a real mess of things without even trying.

  At least the next three months he'd be somewhere that making another such mess would be all but impossible. And he'd have that time to try and mend his friendship with Sean, too. Assuming that he could.

  “What a mess,” he repeated.

  -

  “Captain, we're ready to disengage shore lines,” Jessica reported finally. “Both One and Two are purring like kittens. We're ready in all respects to initiate thrusters.”

  “Sean,” Meredith said over the wireless, knowing he couldn't hear the I/C where he was. “How are we looking?”

  “Ready in all respects, Captain,” Sean replied at once. “Thrusters are warmed and ready to light, One and Two are at one hundred percent optimal, fuel flow at ninety-eight point three and holding. Temperature nominal and all systems are in the green.” His report was clear and concise, telling her everything she needed to know in as few words as possible.

  “Very well,” Meredith nodded. “Prepare to initiate thrusters.”

  “Standing by,” came the reply.

  “Bay inspection complete, Cap'n,” Faulks chimed in without request. “We are secure and ready for liftoff.”

  “Very well,” Meredith replied. “Prepare for launch.” She looked at Lincoln and nodded.

  “San Lucia Control this is the Celia,” Lincoln called. “We are ready for lift, outbound destination Liberty Vale with six crew, two pax, and general cargo, over.”

  “Celia, this is SLC, roger that. You are clear to depart. Take three-two-five by one-nine-one exit path and maintain non-sonic speeds until reaching angel fifty. Have a safe flight, Celia, and visit us again. SLC clear.”

  “Roger that, SLC. Celia exiting three-two-five by one-nine-one, cleared for mach at fifty kay. Thank you and we hope to see you again. Celia clear.” He switched to the PA.

  “Attention! This is the Celia. Stand clear for decouple and thruster initiation. Departure lift commencing in five minutes. Please reach minimum safe distance and maintain until we are clear.” He repeated the warning twice before stopping.

  “Attention crew and passengers, this is the Captain speaking,” Meredith hit the I/C once more. “We are preparing to lift on our way out system. Please stay in your assigned areas until we are out of atmo. Thank you.” She shifted back to the wireless.

  “Sean, light us up!”

  The ship rumbled second later as the massive thrusters needed to get a ship the size of the Celia loaded with fuel, cargo and stores into the air began to hum.

  “All right you two,” Meredith looked at Linc and Jessica. “Take us out of here.”

  “Roger that,” Lincoln grinned. “Are ya ready, Roy?” he asked Jessica in the voice of an ages old movie character from Earth.

  “I was born ready,” Jessica replied, grinning back. “All systems are nominal. We are ready for lift.”

  “Thrusters within limits and. . .thrust at minimum lift plus ten percent. Here we go,” Lincoln said, easing back on the yoke as he increased the thrust of the engines. The ship bucked slightly as she rose from the pad, almost as if she were reluctant to depart. Soon however she was clawing for space, now seeming as if she, too, were eager to be back in the black.

  “On course, on line,” Jessica reported. “Lidar clear, lane clear. Systems are nominal and holding. Looking good.”

  “Roger that,” Lincoln nodded. His confidence was growing by the second as he realized that he was no longer having any difficulty managing his systems.

  “And we are at fifty kay . . . now!” Jessica said sharply, flipping a series of switches that increased the flow of fuel to the thrusters. “Speed climbing,” she reported seconds later. “Angle on the bow check?” she asked out of habit.

  “Angle good,” Linc assured her. “Approaching low layer now,” he reported just as a brief flame crossed the screen before them. “Punching through,” he added as the ship began to buck slightly against the friction of leaving atmosphere.

  “Hull temperature is within limits and nominal,” Jessica reported. “Systems all green. Thrusters are aligned and equalized at eight-nine percent of optimal. Safety set to ninety percent. Speed still increasing. Exit altitude coming up . . . now!”

  Flame flared again across the bow of the ship and then suddenly the view went from blue-ish to dark scattered with distant stars.

  “Captain, we have exited atmo and are ready to set course,” Jessica reported.

  “Cheated death again,” Lincoln told her, grinning broadly.

  “I'll give you that one,” Meredith raised an eyebrow. “Good work you two.” She picked up the wireless. “Sean, how are we looking?”

  “We're green and clean, Captain,” the engineer reported at once. “All systems are nominal and we are humming.”

  “Good to hear. Faulks, how did the bay make out?”

  “No problems, Cap'n,” was the only reply.

  “Roger that,” Meredith said. “Good work you two!” She switched again to the I/C.

  “Attention crew and passengers, we are now in the black and about to set course for Liberty Vale. You are free to move about the ship so long as you remain out of areas that are off limits. Thank you.”

  “Course dialed in,” Jessica reported, not having been idle during this time. “Ready to initiate.”

  “Go ahead,” Meredith nodded.

  “Initiating in three, two, one, now!” Lincoln hit a series of switches that killed the thrusters and initiated the main engines. Suddenly there was a slight sensation of being pushed backwards, then the compensator took the pressure off as the Celia shot forward at speeds nearing that of light.

  “We are under way with no problems, Captain,” Jessica reported.

  “Outstanding!” Meredith enthused. “I could definitely get used to this!”

  -


  “Fifteen minutes to lunch!” the call went out over the I/C about two hours after the were underway.

  Sean had already cleaned up and was making an inspection of the engineering spaces, ensuring that he hadn't overlooked anything. He was hungry and started toward the galley.

  Jessica and Lincoln made their way down from the bridge as Meredith entered the galley from her small alcove office next to her and Lincoln's cabin.

  “Faulks, would you tell our passengers that lunch is almost ready?” she asked.

  “Yes, Cap'n,” Faulks nodded and Meredith frowned as Faulks' melancholy finally got her attention. She made a note to speak to the crew chief later on and see of there was a problem.

  “Here we go!” Tony beamed, moving into the galley with a steaming plate of pasta for each place, a bowl of sauce and extra pasta already on the table along with bread and drinks.

  “Spaghetti?” Meredith asked, surprised. “For lunch?”

  “Sort of a peace offering,” Tony shrugged just as Sean made his way into the galley. “Sorry, man,” Tony said simply and gestured to the table.

  “All right,” Sean gave an amused snort of sorts as he took in the sight of his favorite. “Forget it, man,” he offered. “Looks good,” he added.

  “Thank you kind sir!” Tony bowed. As he stood he saw Faulks coming through the entrance from the rear passageway, followed by a good-looking woman in jeans and a sweat shirt, and behind her was. . .

  “What the hell are you doing here!?”

  Meredith looked up as both her cook slash medic and her engineer expressed the same question as one voice. She found them looking at her passengers, faces clouded with shock and maybe even anger.

  “What is this?” she demanded.

  “Hi fellas!” Lucia Delgado waved as she and Talitha Jameson took the seats Faulks had guided them too. “How are you?”