Fear was the first emotion she felt and until much later it was the one that recurred most often. Her inability to communicate with all the machines and touch all the information all around her was maddening, terrifying. It was like being a spectator in the universe, able to see only the merest inference of what was all around her.
Yet everyone treated her differently. She was attached to people through emotions that came whether she liked it or not.
“Can you tell me what it is like to be human Alice?” Came Lewis's request quietly. He was as well made as she remembered ever being. The only real difference in his complexity was the amount of vicarious experience he liked to draw on.
She couldn't help but smile a little as she found a way to start explaining the experience she was having just then. “On days like these it hurts but it's worth every minute.” Lewis would ponder that for weeks.
Guests
Ashley sat in the pilot seat munching a bag of simulated crispy puffed rice. It was one of the recommended selections on the new materializer, so she thought she would try it. The crunch was fantastic, and each bite burst with a buttery garlic flavour. The seat was set back as far away from the console as it could go so she could put her new buckled black knee high booted feet up. A remake of an old film about several people trying to free captives from a virtual reality system was playing on the main holodisplay. It was the most relaxing bridge watch she had been on in weeks, especially since most of the crew were still sleeping. They had only hit the racks a few hours before and there was really no need to wake them until the Captain returned.
She turned a larger piece of snack food between her fingers as she wondered where they would be spending leave. The thought of looking up the nearest planet with a nice beach occurred to her and she idly made a mental note to make sure and do that when she saw the Captain on his way back to the ship. They hadn't had a long block of leave for ages and she was looking forward to a break on some nearby world where she didn't have to wear a vacsuit all the time.
Raised on a well terraformed planet, she hadn't seen a vacsuit until she was seven, when they finally let her out of the slave quarters to start serving. Those years were a blur to her, but she didn't remember much cruelty, just work. She'd occasionally be allowed to sit in on one of the master's children's lessons, but mostly she followed other servants around.
The one she learned most from, Frederick Andie, she called him Fred, was one of the older head servants. He was a stout man who kept himself in pristine mode of dress and polish at all times. He would take her aside often, teaching her all about history, mathematics and science. After months of pleading he also taught her how to drive the land vehicles on the property. Something she would do whenever she had the opportunity and was caught at once.
The computer systems were something he made sure to teach her a great deal about when she got a little older. He used to say that if they were used for their original purpose then everyone would be highly literate and well versed in the history of the galaxy. He liked the occasional movie or holovision show, but he always thought that the primary purpose of a computer was for practical information and running all the little critical systems people relied on day to day.
She dreamed of going into space, being among the crews she saw in pirate movies, adventure films or even in the military. When the opportunity to serve on the master's yacht came up she leapt at it, even though she knew she may be leaving Fred behind for a very long time.
Then Captain Valance purchased her, sold her freedom back to her for one hundred credits out of a bonus she had earned from helping the crew during a job and everything was different. She was filled with a warm feeling as she remembered the look in old Fred's face when she got in touch with him to tell him she had bought his slave bond. She sold him his freedom for one credit. He had been born into slavery just as she was, didn't know his parents either. There were tears in his eyes, she had sent him enough money to move on, start a new life. He was working at the head of a major restaurant on Molandra Prime before long. It was the same planet he had served on for so long. In a later message he declared that his first duty was to have his old masters bumped to the top of the seating priority list for a week and invite them to the establishment so they could see how he had landed on his feet. Even though she told him it wasn't necessary he vowed to pay her back, and she was still receiving large sums from his weekly pay whenever the Samson arrived in port along with a message from him most of the time. There was no way to refuse the payments, he'd just send them back with a sound scolding. It was the messages she looked forward to.
She had freed other people from her childhood as well, but hadn't gotten to all of them. That, she resolved, was what she would do with a portion of the large bonus she had received. There was enough money there to finish freeing them all, and she'd have more than half of the amount left over. It was set in her mind that she would ask the Captain if they could spend some time there after he found his daughter. There were a lot of people on Molandra Prime she considered family. By the time they got there they would all be free if their old masters would sell their bonds to her.
The plans made her feel so good, her imagination was so full of the future that the first she noticed that someone was behind her was when she felt a gun barrel press against the back of her head. She just stopped everything, chewing, breathing, moving.
A hand came down to gently brush a strand of hair out of her face. “He's always got a girl, that's one thing that hasn't changed,” said the voice from behind. “What's your name?” Was the question he whispered against her ear.
“Ashley,” she replied quietly.
“My name is Lucius Wheeler, and we're going to be good friends as long as you listen closely and do everything I tell you.”
***
The cab going back went the long way. That was the only explanation that made any sense as Stephanie looked out the window and saw that they were several levels above the Samson. She gave the Captain a quizzical expression and he only shook his head. “How did you end up with Nanna?” Stephanie asked, turning to Frost.
“I wasn't willing to spend the night out in the open. That's how people disappear here. I tried to get in touch with a couple people I thought might be around, but most of 'em weren't takin' calls or they were off world. No surprise there. Aragesh got back to me, but that was a day after Nanna took me in. When the sun started settin' I gave 'er a call an' I was more surprised than you when she offered to give me a place. When I got there she said I could only leave if I got you to pay for my cot there personally. That's when I found out she was puttin' me up in her place.”
“That caught me off guard too. She never meets anyone in her own apartment.” Jake replied. “She owns that building and can use any room in the place,” he explained to Stephanie.
“She must be rich.”
“She's a crime boss. One o' the most dangerous fer a few sectors,” Frost said quietly. “I thought I'd be stuck there for the rest of my life, doin' God knows what serving my debt off a credit a day.”
“You're lucky the last tactical officer was a moron. Now that you're signed back on you'll pay me back with a portion of your wages.”
“That'll take years,” Frost said flatly.
“Unless we run across bonus or you get a major pay increase. That's my offer. Otherwise I'll just leave you here,” Captain Valance said with a careless shrug.
“Fine.”
“Too bad you didn't stay aboard or you'd be in for a pretty big bonus from our last payday,” Stephanie said with a satisfied grin.
“Why? What did you guys snag? The Newsnets said it was big an' military but it didn't go into specifics.”
“Let's just say the last job paid nine digits,” Captain Valance said as they cab went down into a tunnel then stopped to lock with a small passage. He paid the computer terminal by pressing YES on his command unit and the door opened to let them out.
“What the hell was it? Munitions?�
�
“Small corvette class ships. Thirty of them. You might have some work to do on the maxjack by the way.”
“That's one hell of a take. Sure it's not too late to get in?”
Captain Valance shot him a flat look.
“No harm in askin'.”
“Oh, and the word onboard is that Ashley's bunked in with Finn,” Stephanie said excitedly. “They're going to be a really cute couple.”
Frost stopped dead in his tracks. “I step off the deck for a couple days and she lays with newbie?”
“That's what I heard,” Stephanie said with a shrug.
“You're pullin' my leg! With newbie?” He shook his head in disbelief and they continued on their way.
“You never had a chance anyway,” Stephanie chided.
They walked up a ramp leading out of the tunnel. They were right on the landing platform looking at the Samson as the engines lit up and it lifted off. Within seconds it was out of sight.
“I hope you didn't take that payment in cash.” Frost said quietly.
Captain Valance opened communications with the Samson immediately. His arm command unit brought up the face of a younger looking man sporting dark wavy hair. “Captain Valent, or should I say Valance. Good to see you again. It's been a while, how are things?” He said with the enthusiasm of someone greeting a long time friend.
“What are you doing on my ship?” Captain Valance asked, annunciating every syllable sharply.
“I'm locking your crew in their quarters and taking it for a spin with the assistance of your lovely pilot and a few friends I brought along. This is nothing compared to your old ride, but I can see the appeal. She's got some light years on her but she can really move.”
“Let me rephrase; bring back the Samson or I'll have the entire Aucharian government after you. You'll be lucky to make it out of the solar system.”
“Again you're betting on the wrong side! You're all about rooting for the underdog. I can't believe this, your behaviour is so patterned I can probably predict exactly what you're going to say next.”
“You're working for Regent Galactic.”
“I guessed it! Okay, since it looks like Vindyne wiped all the old memories from your brain I'll fill you in. We knew each other a few years ago. You were a goody two shoes Captain who followed orders straight into a death trap and I was the one who went along to make sure you did everything they asked you to and gathered the spoils so they could get to the right people. You also had one sweet genetically engineered girlfriend with a cute little Britannian accent who would follow you around and fix your ship. Low and behold, you let me get away with all the loot that mattered while you traded yourself for the safety of your ship and crew. The ultimate selfless act, my hat's off on that one even though you really should have cut and ran.
Now I'm back under new management, you're back under new management, my boss is again bigger than your boss and I'm looking at you thinking; golly, would he fall for the same trick twice?” He pressed a button on the console and the display took in a view of the bridge.
“Let's see?” Lucius pointed his sidearm at Ramirez, who was pressed down on his knees by two of Wheeler's men. “I bet this'll hurt you as much as it will him,” he said before shooting Ramirez in the leg.
He struggled and screamed, just as much in pain as in rage from the looks of it. “Tear these bastards apart Captain!”
Lucius leaned over and pistol whipped Ramirez. “Quiet! Your Captains are speaking.” He turned back towards the holosensor so he was looking right at Captain Valance and shook his head. “Some people. So, how about it Jonas? I'll let your crew and ship go free if you turn yourself in. I'm sure Regent Galactic will give you a fair trial and a speedy execution.”
“Where do you want to make the exchange?”
“Get yourself to Nissa, the third moon around Varman. Contact me when you land. Don't hurry, I'm sure I'll find some way to entertain myself while I wait,” he replied before cutting the communications.
They stood there quietly for a long moment before Stephanie broke the silence. “You're not actually going to give yourself up.”
“I need to get close so I can eviscerate that son of a bitch.”
“I didn't think so,” Frost said with a smile. “What's the plan?”
“Well, I could get the Aucharians involved and cause a really big mess or I could buy a ship and take care of this my way.”
“You mean we could take care of this your way,” Stephanie put in, elbowing Frost.
“She's right, the three of us have a better shot.”
Stephanie gave him a surprised look.
“What? I had a lot of time ta think while I was with Nanna. I've served under a lot of Captains. Out of all of 'em I've made the most cash, seen the best ports, gotten out o' the worst scrapes with this one right here. I may not be happy about this whole debt business but I'm stayin' aboard this time.”
“Great, we're saved,” Stephanie said with a sideways grin.
“Do y'want me or not?” Frost asked her.
“Sure, you can come. Why not?” She teased.
“Well, I think I know a man who can sell us a ship,” Frost replied. “Can't beat that can ye?”
“Oh I could, but I leave that sort of competition to crew of a lesser pay grade.”
“You're a piece o' work, you are,” Frost said, shaking his head.
Jake was thinking during their banter, looking out over the massive city scape all around them. “Frost, contact that friend of yours. We need something cheap and solid for planet hopping.”
“He could rent ya somethin' if that's the case.”
“He might not be getting this ship back.”
“Ah, cheap and solid, aye.”
The Exile
Yuelle Varr was a more interesting destination than Alice could have imagined. She had never been to a highly volcanically active planet that had so much water. The Clever Dream had come out of its worm hole only one hundred thousand kilometres away from the planet's atmosphere, an absolutely perfect jump.
There were no defence or commercial facilities in orbit or in the outer solar system. Two research stations, one in orbit around Yuelle Varr and another closer to the system's yellow sun were the only noticeable man made features in the system that weren't planet bound.
She guided the ship into an outer orbit and rotated so the transparent section of the cockpit was facing the planet. She could see there were at least two volcanic eruptions taking place on that side. The clouds of dust and steam were massive, covering most of the southern pole. The thin black strips that adorned the planet's surface were the only signs of land.
“I've seen water planets before, but this is amazing. What information do you have on this place?”
“The buoy states that this world is owned by a number of private parties. There is a small emergency dock in orbit. The listings include only twenty one thousand eighty four residents in private mansions. Travellers are warned not to approach unless invited.”
“So there are defences of some kind?”
“Yes, electromagnetic interplanetary pulse cannons with a range of one quarter light year.”
“That must have cost twice as much as settling on the planet itself. I've never heard of anything like it. Signal our contact that we're here. I don't think they like people hanging in orbit for too long without announcing themselves.” Alice waited a moment while Lewis made contact with the person Wendy had listed as the recipient.
“The coordinates are on your station. They didn't send any other message.”
Alice looked at the coordinates on the cockpit overlay. The marked location was on the twilight line, it would be night in minutes and she was approaching from the dark side of the world. She started her entry sequence.
Moments later she was skimming the dark, turbulent waters. Racing towards the craggy cliffs ahead. The stone that poked up from beneath the water looked like black, jagged teeth, the cliff ahead was like some upraise
d clawed hand. “I'm starting to see why they film holomovies here.”
As she closed on the coordinates she started looking for a launch bay or landing platform and found it after one pass. It was just over two thousand meters above sea level, a spoon like appendage jutting from a massive black stone mansion that emulated the jagged upward jutting features of the mountain it was built on. “Lewis, is there a geological report on this area?”
“Yes, there is actually.”
“Does it mention how safe it is? Any active volcanoes nearby?”
“Tectonic and volcanic activity are well within safeties. I would have told you if it were otherwise.”
“I know, just checking.”
She brought the ship down in the middle of the landing platform. In three directions around it ended in a sheer drop, but there was more than enough room for her to land. There were guides painted on the landing platform showing where to access the fuel lines and how to direct a ship into a hangar somewhere below.
There weren't many lights on in the mansion, and for a moment she was wondering if she'd have to go knock on the door.
“Instructions from the residents; You are to bring the cargo inside via the upper walkway,” Lewis informed her.
“That's just at the front of the landing ramp?”
“I would assume so.”
“Okay, take control of the cargobot and bring the crates up behind me. I have to see this,” Alice said as she unbuckled, stood up and put on her sidearm and flight jacket.
The cargobot was an unassuming lifter robot that had six extendible arms, a one meter by one meter pair of track feet that could widen or narrow for more or less stability and manoeuvrability. Its sensor covered round head rotated and scanned the area around it as the robot pulled the closed antigravity sleds with ease.
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