by S. E. Smith
Maeve spoke next. “I am unable to identify any anomaly in my systems. There was no command given or received to alter the air pressure flow on Level Five, other than the time boxed kite event, which occurred early in the day and ended as scheduled. I’m currently devoting extra ganglions to controlling all systems in the ship which affect life support. I’m also running specialized analysis, drilling into the available data for any clue or predictor of the problem.”
Fleming nodded, rotating his chair to face Juli. “Anything to add?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes, sir, I believe I do.” Steve flashed her an encouraging smile, raising his eyebrows. The captain is either going to believe my wild tale or write my career off for being space happy. “Sir, do you remember the special assignment I took on? Retrieving a rock that a now deceased passenger had taken from Tahumaroa Two and returning it to the planet on his behalf? I found the rock in the sand on Level Five right before the winds started blowing.”
Jake made a quickly suppressed sound of surprise. The Executive Officer was staring at her with his mouth open. Fleming raised his eyebrows but was stoic. “Did anyone else see the rock? Maeve?”
“I had a ganglion in the general area but the picture was fuzzy.” The AI projected a miniature trideo on the burnished conference table and Juli saw herself and Charli on the beach, but the quality was grainy and broke up into fragments. There was no sign of the rock and from all appearances she and the dog were playing.
“My aunt said Charrli agreed the rock was there,” Steve said. “They’re a former Z Corps team. The dog has unusual capabilities and an enhanced IQ and has been used in the past for gathering intel. If he told Dian he observed the rock, there’s no doubt. A causal link to the malfunction has yet to be established of course. ”
“Do you have a theory, Juli?” the captain asked.
“I can’t even begin to guess, sir, unless the rock contains an unknown type of alien sentience and has the ability to teleport, and to affect systems in its vicinity.” She blushed as she heard how ridiculous she sounded. Like I’m reciting the plot of a bad trideo action movie. “My groundcar did break down shortly after I took the rock from the lawyer’s office but I realize that’s not conclusive.” And the diva lost her voice right when I was going to stick the rock in my safe. She remembered how ill at ease Cilla the lawyer had been the whole time Juli had been in the office, as well as the several odd instances of minor damage in the vicinity.
“Could be a series of coincidences,” Jake said as if he was reading her mind.
“I’ve seen countless unbelievable things in my years traveling through the Sectors and outside the fence on missions,” Fleming said after a moment’s silence. “Where is the rock now?”
“It’s supposed to be in my office,” she said. “I haven’t been back there to check since the beach incident. And Maeve didn’t see it when she scanned at my request.”
“All right. We’ll have a status update meeting tomorrow at noon, to hear from Chief Tanaka. I’ll issue a statement to the passengers tonight and you can draft a note from me to put in the daily bulletin tomorrow.” He looked at Juli and she murmured her agreement, making notes on her handheld as he talked. “I want you to go see if the rock is in your office and if it is, I want it transported to the Ship’s safe and locked up, as if it was explosive. Jake, go with her.” Fleming turned to Steve. “Good job handling the situation.” Now he glanced up and down the table. “I’m proud of all of you and the crew. Pass the word along on my behalf tonight.”
Since he hadn’t dismissed the meeting yet, Juli stayed put in her chair.
“I’d like to speak to your aunt tomorrow,” the captain said to Steve. “I’ll schedule a meeting. Dismissed.” Fleming left the room.
“I don’t know whether to hope the damn rock is in my office or not,” Juli said to Steve.
“I’ll go with you,” he offered.
“As ordered, I’ll come too,” Jake Dilon said, walking around the end of the table to stand beside them. “This thing seems to have the potential for causing major problems.”
“I’d actually appreciate the company,” Juli said, a sense of relief making it easier to breathe. “I’m a bit freaked out by the whole thing.” As she and her escorts left the bridge level and took the gravlift toward the deck where her office was located, she said, “Assuming Charrli and I weren’t hallucinating, this rock can teleport. Can it go anywhere? How does it decide? What if it shows up in the engine room?” She shivered.
Steve touched her elbow as they got off at the admin level. “Let’s don’t get too far ahead of ourselves here. We may find the lump of whatever it is sitting on your desk tame as can be. Even if it does have the power to transport itself, there may be no connection between it being on the beach and the subsequent air handler issues.”
“Good advice.” Jake nodded his approval as they came to the door of Juli’s office. “Anyone care to make a bet whether we find the rock here or not?”
As the portal slid open, Juli took two steps into her office and stared at her desk, where there was no rock, only a scattering of sand from the beach deck. Her head spun and she was grateful for Steve’s arm at her back, helping her to the desk chair. “I was hoping we were wrong,” she said. “I wanted it to be here.”
Jake notified the captain and then he said, “I’m putting out an all hands alert to the crew to keep an eye out for our mysterious rock, but not to touch it if it’s seen. The captain doesn’t want to alarm the passengers. Maeve, can you do a sweep of all decks and spaces as well?”
“Affirmative although I have to admit the rock has a dangerous ability to evade my scanners and vids.” The AI’s voice was definitely disgruntled. “I’ll send out my repair mini robos too.”
“How can this be happening?” Juli said, rubbing her right temple to ease the headache which had sprung up. “It’s a rock. Maybe with traces of carving on one side but I swear to you, no sign of life. I’d never have brought a dangerous creature on board.”
“We believe you.” Steve was firm and reassuring and Jake added his concurrence. Sticking close to Juli’s side, Steve finished his thought. “The lawyers who handed this problem off to us have a responsibility here. The captain may want to follow up the liability aspect with the Line’s lawyers.”
“What do we do next?” Juli asked, resisting the urge to sag against the nearest bulkhead in relief. Or else to throw herself into Steve’s strong arms for a hug.
“I don’t think there’s much we can do, until the rock is found,” Jake said, fortunately unaware of Juli’s private musing. “I suggest a good night’s sleep. See you at the captain’s noon meeting.” He left.
“Is there anything else you need to do here tonight?” Steve asked.
Juli was happy he couldn’t read her mind or she’d probably have to die from embarrassment on the spot, as much as she wanted him to hold her. She forced herself to shake her head. “I have to draft a statement for the captain, to put in the daily briefing, but I can do that in my cabin.” Glancing around, Juli said, “I’d rather not be here right now. I keep expecting the rock to reappear.” She touched the grains of glittering sand. “Obviously it came here after disrupting Level Five and before going anywhere else.”
He waited in the corridor while she dusted off her desk and then locked the office again. As she strolled toward the gravlift with him, Steve said, “Try not to worry. For all we know, the rock is done traveling, done causing trouble. Or hey, here’s an idea—maybe it teleported itself right off the ship.”
She made herself smile although it took an effort. Juli had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach the episode wasn’t going to end so easily.
Chapter Six
After a few hours of restless sleep, Juli breakfasted on ration bars and coffee in her cabin, while drafting a statement for the captain, and then got dressed and forced herself to start her morning inspection of the passenger decks. She checked on the scheduled activities, fended
off a few questions from people who’d heard about the incident on the beach deck and her mood was much more cheerful by the time of the meeting with the captain. There’d been no new sightings of the rock and no problems on the ship, aside from the usual thousand and one minor problems that came with running a hotel in outer space. She never allowed those challenges to impair her mood—it was the essence of her job after all—and today the minor but normal glitches and complaints were reassuring. She could resolve those.
It was a surprise to see Dian and Charrli waiting in the captain’s conference room because the pair seemed so out of place. Dian wore her usual bright pink—an embellished tunic and slacks today—and held the dog in her lap. He had his ears perked out to the sides in a highly alert pose. Juli wished she felt that awake, after the bad night she’d endured.
“Thanks again for getting us off the beach deck in one piece last night,” Dian said as Juli sat next to her. “I was glad to read in the daily bulletin no one was killed, or even seriously injured.”
“I think we were lucky,” Juli said.
“I’ve been doing research—” Before Dian could get any further on whatever new information she had to share, Steve came in. As usual Juli’s heart beat faster in response to his presence anywhere near her. He came over to them and kissed Dian on the cheek.
“Can I get you ladies any coffee?” he asked, giving Juli a smile that warmed her.
“I could use a second cup today,” she said, stifling a yawn and wishing her eyelids weren’t so heavy from lack of sleep. Cosmetics could only do so much, although Steve’s appreciative look was encouraging.
Head tilted, he checked her preferences for the hot drink he’d offered. “Black, three sugars, one cinna spice, right?”
Surprised, she nodded.
“I’ve seen how you make it for yourself in staff meetings for the last three years,” he said. “But I’m not a stalker, I promise. Just trained to be observant.”
Laughing, pleased to know he’d been paying as much attention to her as she’d paid to him— because she could recite his coffee choice every bit as accurately— she said, “Bring me a cup of coffee as you described in the next two minutes and I don’t care how you know what I usually take.”
Dian shook her head. “None for me, thanks.”
Steve slid into the chair next to Juli a moment later, as Captain Fleming strode through the door.
Sipping her coffee gratefully, Juli realized she was holding her breath for whatever the captain was going to say. Fleming got his own beverage, prepared to his liking, and sat at the head of the table. “I appreciate your joining us this morning, Ms. Beymarr.”
“Call me Dian,” she said. “Happy to help.”
“Reports first.” Fleming keyed the com and Chief Tanaka’s face came into focus on the com screen. “Are we on schedule for re-opening the beach deck?”
The chief didn’t hesitate. “Yes, sir. We’re testing the air regulators now and Maeve will bring the full set of amenities online in Level Five next, so we can run an integrated test. So far no anomalies and none anywhere else in the ship.”
Fleming was a man of few words but Juli saw the weathered lines on his face relax a bit, which told her a lot about his mood. “Good. Maeve, anything to add?”
“I’ve been keeping a close eye on ship operations,” the AI said. “No anomalies. No sign of the alleged rock.”
Dian opened her mouth as if to chime in and Fleming glanced at her, which was all it took for the elderly woman to subside. Old military habits must die hard, Juli thought. The captain wasn’t unpleasant or upset but he clearly had an agenda in mind for the meeting and didn’t want to deviate.
“Juli? Status of passengers?”
Happy to have good news to report, Juli spoke up. “The injured have all been treated in sickbay and released. Mrs. Holquin and her son, the final two passengers rescued, have been comped by the Line for their cabin and their round trip tickets. I spoke with her this morning and also offered her a voucher for unlimited travel on CLC ships anywhere in the Sectors for the next five years. She accepted and signed a waiver, witnessed by the Ship and the Purser. I think we’re in the clear on this.”
“Your item on the mishap for the daily bulletin was tone perfect,” Fleming said. “Thank you.”
Outright praise from the captain was rare and Juli filed his words away gratefully. “One other item to report, sir. The diva Azlaya has offered to sing a special, brief concert for a select audience tonight. In her mind this has become the private concert she’s offered to Ms. Beymarr, to you and to various other people. I’ve got her guest list.” Juli tapped her handheld. “She’s willing to invite the passengers who were caught in the uh incident on the beach deck as well. To calm their nerves, she said.”
“Generous of her.” Fleming’s voice was dry. “I assume you agreed?”
“Provisionally, pending your permission, yes. Meg Thomsill is coordinating the arrangements and the refreshments now.” Anything to do with the mercurial diva was fraught with potential pitfalls and the knot of tension in her gut tightened a bit.
“Proceed with the evening as planned then.” Now Fleming addressed Dian with respect in his voice. “I understand you and your dog are former Z Corps Special Forces?”
Dian nodded. “Of course much of the information about our specific missions is still classified, as I’m sure you can appreciate, captain, given your own background. As to last night’s incident, I didn’t see the rock in question on the beach myself but Charrli was emphatic he did see it and went to fetch Juli to show it to her. He knew she had a connection to it from our ride together in the groundcar, when he scented it in her purse.”
Charrli barked once, as if in agreement. He was staring at the captain and Juli pondered again exactly how high the dog’s IQ was.
Head tilted, as if listening to something only she could hear, Dian said, “Charrli says the rock has a unique scent and he can locate the rock again, should you wish him to search the ship.”
“I may call upon you both, thank you.” Fleming treated the suggestion with utmost seriousness. “I conducted more than one mission with Z Corps personnel so I have no doubts as to your team’s capabilities.”
“You said you’d been doing some digging?” Juli asked, startling herself. She didn’t normally interrupt the captain’s agenda so carelessly.
“Yes, I found the explanation you received from Perkimier, the Tahumaroa PR flack, annoyingly disingenuous,” Dian said with a sniff of disdain. “I have confidential sources I often consult while researching my next destinations and writing my blogs. I reached out to two people last night. Maeve was kind enough to send the transmissions for me, even though we’re in hyperspace.”
“No charge,” Maeve said. “Ship’s business.”
“I learned there was an extensive ancient indigenous civilization on Tahumaroa Two eons ago. Portions appear to have sunk beneath the sea at some point. No one knows why the nation died out planetwide but there have been recorded instances of problems arising from people handling items washed up from the ocean depths. Quite serious, classified incidents.” She stared at each of them in turn to emphasize her point. “This was early in the initial development of the planet as a massive resort by a combined Tahumaroan and offworld enterprise. Substantial credits had been invested by both parties and the momentum of the development was virtually unstoppable. A disinformation campaign regarding bad luck and curses was created and spread among the tourists in particular, to prevent people from doing precisely what Rodrimueller did, which was pick up a souvenir and take it home.” Pinching the bridge of her nose and frowning, Dian appeared reluctant to divulge the next part of her findings. “Unfortunately the opposite side of the legend reveals there were also reported incidences of extraordinary good fortune occurring, which created a sort of gold rush mentality. All the legends center around Two Goddesses beach. Apparently there was a large temple complex built by the ancients, which over time was swallowe
d by the ocean. Artifacts or even pieces of rock associated with this shrine are quite hotly collectible. Pieces with the white and violet stripe such as the one Juli had, are rare and highly coveted. Supposedly they come from a statue or altar devoted to what archaeologists deem to be goddesses, although no one can really be sure.”
“So we have legends and myths and rumors,” Fleming said, “And possibly very real consequences on my ship. We need to find this rock or idol, put it in a safe place and get it the hell off the Zephyr as soon as possible.”
“The curse or blessing seems to end once the rock or artifact has been returned to the beach,” Dian said. “Of course again, it’s all hearsay and guesswork.”
“Number one priority is finding the rock,” the captain said. “If you and your dog can survey the ship from stem to stern, just in case, I’d be grateful. Maeve, you’re scanning everywhere as well, right?”
“Yes, captain, although the rock appears to be able to block my vidcams when it wishes. I’m checking now for areas where the vid feed is compromised, if any.”
“If the rock is found anywhere, then I expect you to retrieve it,” Fleming said to Juli. “Accompanied by Jake and however many of his officers he deems necessary.”
“Yes, sir.” Had Rodrimueller known what would happen when his stolen good luck charm was taken aboard a ship? No wonder he included a large bequest for the poor sucker of an employee who got assigned the deceptively simple task. And she was the stuckee. “When I was given the rock, it was in a woven basket from the planet. There were minor incidents before I removed it from the casing but the major ones have occurred since. When—if—we find it, I think I’ll put it into the basket and hope the packaging helps.”