impressive."
"And dangerous sir."
"Yes of course. No doubt. But they're still kids. We'll get far more information from watching them, then we ever will from interrogating them." Brandberd watched Nayaa and Andee as they search. "Did they find anything. I thought all the parts were recovered."
"Unfortunately not all the parts. Scavengers got to them before us."
"And no footage?"
"After the crash we had to move those recorders elsewhere. Sir, we need more recorders. Half the ones we have don't work... To be perfectly blunt sir, I don't understand. These things are cheap mass produced devices. Why is it so hard to get resupplied?"
"We're low priority according to the Board. Other worlds are facing much bigger problems."
"But recorders sir?"
"I know, it's ridiculous, but we're off the radar. My board meetings are a complete waste of time. They nod, agree with me, and ignore every request I make. We're having all kinds of supply issues. This is why I'm thinking of re-initializing the old factories. We might have to start building our own supplies."
"Are you sure you want to open that can of worms again? You remember how it ended last time?"
"It was poorly managed. Too much corruption. Not enough division of labor. We can do better."
"And the Board is willing to allow this?"
"Of course not. But what the board doesn't know won't hurt them." Brandberd then moves his eyes to watch Andee and Nayaa, live. It looks like Nayaa found something down at the bottom of the crevice.
"What's that in her hand?"
"I can't tell. I'll move in closer."
"What you got there?" Andee asks leaping from a large boulder down next to Nayaa.
"I don't know. But look how nice and smooth it is. And it's almost transparent." She hands it to Andee. He lifts it up to the sun. He brings it back down and rubs it between his palms. It's smooth, hard and sturdy, but flexible. It is a rectangular white plastic card. He looks at it back and forth and then hands it back to Nayaa.
"Hold on to it. Maybe Mykee can figure out what it is...." But Andee's words fade as he quickly looks up. He starts squinting his eyes staring at the sky.
"What are you...."
"Shhh-shhh-shhh, listen." Andee snaps silencing her.
"For?"
"A buzz, like a flying insect. Look. Right where I'm looking." Nayaa tries to follow his eye line. She squints, looks at Andee again, than back following his eye line.
"OK, I think I hear something, but I don't see it." Nayaa responds still squinting at the sky. "Why are we looking for a stupid flying bug?"
But instead of answering Andee suddenly lunges like a sprinter, jumping up from one boulder to the next, than leaps off the last boulder up into the air catching a spot that was buzzing about three to four meters away from them.
"Are you serious? Did you just catch a bug? I though you got over than when you were twelve. And I'm the crazy one." Nayaa scoffs at him disgusted.
Brandberd jumps back in his seat. "Did he just?"
"It looks like he did sir. He captured our micro-recorder."
"So he knows about them too? Well that proves it. He's being trained. And we can both guess by who."
"I'm not ready to throw the gavel down yet sir. I need more evidence."
"Who catches a recorder like that, out of the air? Why is he searching the wreckage? Too many things... add up."
"There is the issue of his name. His citizen card is issued as Andee Star. And of course the DNA, it's not a match. It could all be just a coincidence."
"No, I don't think so. How come we don't have new DNA tests done yet? It's been three weeks."
"Our operative encountered some difficulties, but it will be done."
"Under normal circumstances I would say your operative isn't living up to the hype, but with these two..." But Brandberd seems to lose himself in deep thought watching Andee and Nayaa searching the stones.
"He'll get it. We'll have our samples." The Commander responds.
"We've waited for this moment so long, it better be sooner than later. And from now on keep those dammed recorders at a distance."
"Yes Governor."
"Look!" Andee rushes to Nayaa excited.
"I don't want to see your disgusting bug. Those things are gross. You used to shove them down my blouse you dork. You think I'm torturing you now? Try being me when you were twelve." Nayaa is backing away disgusted and a bit saddened by her memory.
"Ok, point taken. I was pretty mean to you, but this is not a bug."
"Then what is it?"
"Look at it."
"If this is a trick and that's some nasty bug, I'll kick you in the bells so hard they'll be ringing your ears deaf into tomorrow."
"I'm serious, look." Nayaa cautiously leans forward, big terrified eyes, and takes a quick glance at Andee's palm. It's a little sky-blue sphere, the size of a finger tip, with two sets of transparent little propellers around its diameter. They look like tiny counter rotating bee wings.
"That's the strangest looking insect I've ever seen."
"That's because it is not an insect."
Nayaa gets closer. She picks it up and inspects it.
"You're right. It's a little machine. And it was just flying?"
"Let me see it." She hands it back to Andee. He places it on a boulder, then with another, he smashes it.
"Why did you do that?"
"To see what's inside. I have a suspicion." He looks at the cracked and bent ball. It has one eye below the counter rotating little propellers, that's busted now.
"So, what do you think?" Nayaa asks awaiting Andee's decision.
"I'm not sure, exactly, but I think this is a recorder. It would explain how they recorded me during the rescue. It's so small, and the blue color makes it vanish against sky."
"If that's a recorder, do you think someone was watching us."
"Probably."
"Why?"
"Dun'no. But, lets go."
Nayaa starts to head up.
"Wrong way. We're going to Old Tom's." Pointing to the sheds he showed her earlier at the edge of the township.
"Cool, we'll be there in no time. So you happy now?"
"Happy why?"
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I don't know."
"I helped. I found this card. Maybe it's important." Nayaa holds it up with a proud smirk.
"I doubt it. It's jut a piece of plastic."
Nayaa pouts, folding her arms, turning her happy smile into a glare at Andee. He takes off. She follows a few steps behind.
They walk quietly for a while. She is inspecting the rectangular card. It's smooth but has some horizontal groves on the left side. On the right, near the edge, it has a four pointed diamond-shaped notch. She runs her thumb round the edges of the notch, than places the flat part of the thumb it in it. It feels comfortable, like the notch is a little grip handle. Satisfied, she places the card in her satchel and once again starts staring at Andee from behind, but this time she looks angry. She skips ahead a few steps till she's next to him.
"What's your problem?" She snaps at him out of the blue.
"Great." Andee's face drops. "I'm really not interested in another one of you moody-moods."
"It not me. It's you." She snaps at him with an accusatory tone.
"OK, so what did I do now?"
"It's not what you did, it's... there's something wrong with you."
"Whatever is going on in your head, I'm not interested." Andee counters dismissively without looking at her.
"I know what's wrong with you." But Andee ignores her. "I know the truth."
"Good for you."
"I'm serious."
"It was so much better when you were quiet. I don't want to hear it." Andee speeds up and leaves her behind. They walk this way for a minute or so, but then Nayaa leaps forward and rejoins Andee. She looks at h
im casually and...
"Are you gay?"
Confused, Andee looks around for a moment, then at Nayaa. "Are you talking to me?"
"No, I was asking than boulder right here, of course I'm talking to you. Are you gay?"
Andee scrunches his face and shakes his head in disbelief but does not respond.
"Hello, gay? Are you gay?"
"Got it. I heard you the first three times."
"Well?"
"Well?" Andee repeats with a mocking intonation.
"I'm serious."
"No you're not."
"You don't like girls. You only hang out with older ones because they remind you of your mom."
"Wha... what is wrong with you?"
"It's a simple question, yes or no. Or-or... are you confused? Not really sure.... hummm.... maybe, you want to..."
"No! Hell no! I'm not gay, damned it!" He finally yells infuriated.
"Hey relax, it doesn't matter to me. But, most gay guys have a girl best friend, and we're besties. So I was hopping you'd come shopping with me. I still have some credits left, and I need to make a new jacket, and you could help me find good leather and accessories..."
"Shut up! I don't give a punk about your god damned jacket. I am not gay. What the hell? Where's this coming from now?"
"Oh, well, I really thought you were. It would explain a few things tho."
"Explain what?"
"Never mind. You're fragile right now. Coming out is always difficult."
Andee shakes her off, looks away towards the far away Crags, distancing himself from her as much as he can.
"OK, I guess I'll tell you if you really want to know." Nayaa tries to coax him back into conversation after a moment of silence.
"I don't."
"Maybe you're not that gay. Just a little gay."
"Fine. What about me is... a little gay?"
"Well, first of all your mom said you were gay."
"Wha-wut-wah... ah-shut the punk up. You're stupid. My mom would never say that."
"OK then, it's other things."
"Like what?"
"Lots of things."
"Lots
Lightship Chronicles Chapter 5 : Gay Sex Page 4
