“That’s…” the older MacMillan brother started. He stopped and rubbed a scar running across his cheek. “Week ago, we were starvin’ on the Toxic Coast. Now we’re in a lift goin’ down to family quarters. All respect, Lady, but I think I’m already dreamin’. Ask us again when that passes.”
“I will,” Ayan said. “We’re short on qualified machinists and shipwrights, so I’m afraid you’ll be working in our main hangar starting the day after tomorrow.” They stepped out of the lift and were welcomed into the family quarters by the thick smell of hot food coming from the cafeteria. They passed the double doors leading there and Ayan was thoroughly glad to see about thirty people from that section of the building eating a variety of fresh dishes that wouldn’t have been possible if they didn’t have something left in storage. The most important thing about what she was seeing in that room as she passed wasn’t the food on the table, it was the atmosphere. She’d seen it before on ships she’d served on, that wonderful, mild euphoria shared by the crew after a crisis had been overcome and they felt safe once more. “This cafeteria is communal, every section of the building has one,” Lacey was explaining. “Haven Shore and Triton Fleet provide the food, but you’ll have to join the schedule for cleaning and food preparation. You’ll have to participate in three meals a week until the section is filled, then it’ll be down to one. You’ll help prepare a meal under a cook that directs the kitchens and clean up afterwards. The rest of the week, you won’t have to worry about it.”
“So there’s a cook who will show us what we’re to do?” the younger brother asked. “We won’t have to muck around on our own, try to concoct something in a pot?”
“No,” Ayan said. “I’m no cook myself, but when I was on shift for my section I just followed directions, that’s all you have to do.”
“You were on the schedule?”
“Everyone who lives in the Everin Building is. Rank doesn’t exclude you from eating, so I wasn’t exempt from a bit of work once a week. I don’t think I would have gotten to know the people in my section at all if I didn’t work in the kitchen,” Ayan said. It had been a couple of weeks since she’d thought about it, and she couldn’t help but wonder how Alaka would make out when he took her place on the schedule. She would have to check in on him, even if it was just to see him working in the kitchen.
“You’re probably wondering why we don’t use automated food preparation,” Lacey added, “And the answer is fairly simple. We don’t have the machinery right now, and even when we do, we’ll still maintain a living kitchen, where the people who live here make their own dishes. The two hours a week you spend cooking is important partially because you will get to know the people you’re working with, and you’ll have an opportunity to do something for your neighbours. It makes all the difference, you’ll see.”
They turned a corner and came to a freshly made set of sliding double doors. “Here it is,” Ayan said, gesturing towards the door. “This is your apartment, here. Besides you, only security can enter, and they have to log their reasons for entry with their superiors, so you shouldn’t expect a visit from them. There’s a reasonable common room, a private room for both of you and, since you’re both technicians, there’s a spare room that you can use for personal projects. Oh, and there’s a bathroom. There are other rules to the Everin Building, but since you passed all our checks during the recruitment process, I doubt you’ll conflict with any of them. You should look them over anyway, just so you’re aware of the laws here.” She fixed both brothers with a big smile and watched as the door slid open and the brothers looked inside. “You can drop your things here and join the others in the cafeteria. You’re on your own from here, if you need any advice or direction on where you have to be for work, the Crewcast system will tell you everything you need to know, including your credit rate. Like you were told before, you maintain your position in the Everin Building by working consistently, and over time earn luxury credits that you can convert to cash, give to people for services and goods, or use to buy extras from our shop. There’s not much there now because we’re using most of our resources to build and trade, but it’ll get better.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” one brother said. The older brother embraced her abruptly and enthusiastically.
“That’ll do,” Ayan said after she enjoyed the embrace for a moment. “Good luck, and welcome to the family.”
“Thank you,” said the older brother, nodding and wiping a tear away.
Ayan led her group back to the lift, leaving the MacMillan brothers behind. “Just like that,” she told the pair of recruiting managers walking behind her. “Be warm, show them the essentials, remind them of their responsibilities, answer their questions, and direct them to Crewcast, but make sure that everyone you’re bringing into the Everin Building feels like they’re joining a family. They are, that’s what this is, and it’s not just a family, it’s your family that you’re welcoming them into. If you don’t feel confident about someone after a few days, make your supervisor aware and try to find a solution. In most cases, it’ll be an information problem, you’ll have to find out why someone isn’t fitting in from them, from the people they’ve had friction with, and your job won’t be finished until you’ve gotten them settled in. Your supervisor will make sure you aren’t overwhelmed, and you’ll have the help of the Section Elders, too. If any part of the system fails, make sure you address it right away with your supervisor. This is going to take time, and you’ll run into problems, but this lifestyle works, it just requires patience, thought, and respect.”
“I understand,” said Placement Officer Stillwell, a tall, fit gentleman with a friendly face. “I never got a chance to thank you for this job, I would have never guessed I’d end up doing social work after fighting on the Triton a year ago.”
“Lacey placed you,” Ayan replied. “But you’re welcome.”
“You’re welcome,” Lacey said. “Either of you have any questions?”
Placement Officer Foucot, a shorter dark haired woman who had a similar history to her comrade’s. smiled at them both. She could light a room with her grins. “Thank you for, well, everything, Commander. I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for you and all your friends, er, crew. Maybe still on the Palamo? Who knows?” She hugged Lacey, then Ayan. “Doesn’t matter now,” she said. “Here I am.”
“Here you are,” Ayan repeated with a smile. The first lift arrived and Ayan said, “I’m going down, you should take the next to the roof. There are six groups waiting to be escorted. Your security teams are up there, too.”
The lift doors slid closed, leaving Ayan alone with Lacey. Ayan took a deep breath before telling her what she’d been holding off all day. “I’m moving to the Triton, my father is taking over operations on Tamber.”
“I know,” Lacey said. “And you’re going to ask me to stay here to take care of the Everin Building.”
“I’m sorry,” Ayan said. “You’ve been an amazing second, a wonderful friend. I just think they need you here more.”
“You’re right,” Lacey said, looking at Ayan with a straight face. “I am an astonishingly good friend,” she said with a dramatic flair.
Ayan couldn’t help but laugh, and she was joined by Lacey for a chuckle. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I won’t miss you, because I’ll make sure my apartment has a spare bedroom, and you’ll be visiting. If you don’t, I’ll just have to go up there.”
“Fair enough,” Ayan replied, relieved that it had gone well. “You’re really all right with this?”
“I’ve had my taste of action,” Lacey replied. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t recognize you when you were in command – you were stony, cold. I respect that, and I understand that emotions get in the way when you’re in that situation, but I can’t do that. Logistics, making a home for people, that’s me. And as for watching you in command, I’d rather take a piece of your off time, if there’s any left after Jacob comes back.”
&nbs
p; “Why do you say that?” Ayan asked.
“You miss him, I see it all the time,” Lacey said. “The Warlord is tops on your watch list, and not just because you know they’ll probably bring supplies that’ll trickle down here. Even though he didn’t fight for you, probably doesn’t deserve you, you’ve been leaning back towards him for all the time I’ve known you.”
“I didn’t give him a chance to fight for me, my mess with Liam got in the way, sent him running, I’m sure,” Ayan said. “Still can’t believe that all that happened because I took the advice of an oracle machine. Should have never listened. He stays away and I don’t blame him.”
“Still,” Lacey said. “I would have fought for you.”
Ayan couldn’t help but blush at the unexpected compliment, “I know.”
“But you and he are two halves, and all that,” Lacey said. “I wouldn’t get in the way, because I am such a good friend, yeah?”
“You are,” Ayan said.
“He’ll forgive you,” Lacey said. “But you might have to be quiet and listen to him when he tells you how that felt, watching you with Liam.”
“Yeah,” Ayan said, feeling the weight of her need to atone. “I owe him that.”
“Then I bet you’ll be far away. Just remember to visit,” Lacey told her. “Or else.”
“I’d sooner forget the entire Everin Building,” Ayan replied.
“Oh, speaking of which,” Lacey said, “You have to address Haven Shore and the new recruits in the other centres. They’re uneasy, and there’s a little trickle of people leaving from the new bases.”
“If I weren’t so tired,” Ayan said with a sigh.
“You’re the one who told me to watch for this sort of thing,” Lacey replied with a wink. “It can wait until mid-morning tomorrow, but I have to schedule something soon so they know they’re not being treated like baggage.”
“That’s not the attitude you’re seeing, is it?” Ayan asked.
“Not in the majority, but I can see it happening. So, late tomorrow morning?”
“Mid-afternoon?” Ayan bargained.
“I’ll schedule it now.”
“Can’t believe I have to write a speech,” Ayan said.
“You’ll be fine, I can help if you like,” Lacey replied.
“I know, and thanks much, but I’m so much better with ships. Putting an engine together is so much easier than pulling people together.”
CHAPTER 46
Wheeler Interrupted
At long last, Lucius Wheeler had found a transport the right size, headed in the right direction. Nine sectors away from Rega Gain and even further from the Order of Eden, he felt he could finally sleep easy. He dropped his old-fashioned American duster onto the narrow chair in his small passenger cabin and checked the energy level on his disintegration pistol. The reading said he had six hundred and twenty three shots, but that was only because most of the circuitry thought it was still a medium range stun pistol. He actually only had eighty-nine; the disintegration system hidden in the pistol required a lot more power than a stunner.
He made sure the safety was on and slid it under his pillow. The bed was clean and fresh. The small, high speed transit ship was in great shape as far as he could tell. It had better be, he paid enough for the trip to Visalee. There was a shipyard there, it was where he stole the Cold Reaver, a ship he used as his personal armed shuttle when he couldn’t take the Triton somewhere. He’d heard encouraging news: the place was a graveyard. Well, it was good news for him, perhaps not the thousands of people who were torn apart by machines infected with the Holocaust Virus.
There was a new aid station opening near the shipyards for the survivors, and he knew it would be his way in to the Visalee storage complex. Finding a crew would be a different proposition altogether, but he could cross that bridge when he came to it. A tactical alarm went off in his mind, drawing his attention to two armed crewmembers on the other side of his closed door.
“D’you think it’s really him? Travelling in the open?” he heard the short one say through the ship’s comm system.
“Why not? He probably doesn’t even know about the bounty,” said the tall woman beside him. “We take him quick and bring him to the captain.”
“No, we’ll hide him, why should the cap-“
It was all Wheeler had to hear. He snatched his sidearm out from under his pillow, put his armoured duster back on and came through his cabin door kicking the tall one in the knee and shooting several rounds at the short one. The deadly bolts cut through the short crewmember’s uniform after a few shots, his last volley reducing the flesh around his collarbone and neck to flaming sludge.
Before his taller assailant could recover and take aim, Wheeler trained his sidearm on her. “Why are you morons trying to take me down?”
“It’s a bounty! The Brits are offering millions for you, even more if you’re delivered alive,” her screeching reply barely cut through the gurgling and flailing of her partner in crime.
“Well, thank you,” he said, shooting her in the face until there was nothing recognizable left. Another crewmember came along with a sludge rifle at the ready and Wheeler was already firing in the man’s direction before he fired his first shot. The tactical map was as clear as the world around him as it kept him informed of all motion on the ship.
The cabin door across the hall opened, revealing a drowsy young woman who eyed the corpses, then him. “Just a minor social turbulence,” Wheeler said. “We’ll arrive at our destination on time.”
He left her there, agape, as he strode towards the bridge, taking the long way around so he could avoid three crewmembers. The hatch to the bridge was locked, and he unlocked it with a mental command using his connection with the computer. “Hello, Sir,” he said as he levelled his smouldering handgun at the captain’s head. He and the five crewmembers on the small bridge all turned toward him with surprise. “While this is technically a hijacking, I really only want to make sure that I make it to my destination on time. So, I’ll point this nasty little disintegration weapon at you for the next six hours while you make sure no one sends a message to Visalee Harbour telling them that you have a wanted man aboard.”
The captain raised his hands slowly. His look of confusion almost made the whole ordeal worth it. “So you want us to continue on our course as normal, and to keep mum about your presence aboard?”
“Exactly. It’s going to be harder than you think, though, especially if you have a lot of below-average intelligence crewmembers. I’m jacked into your computer system, so I’ll notice if someone tries to send a message about me, and I’ll block it. Then I’ll kill you, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill everyone between me and that person, who I won’t kill right away. I’ll probably use them to properly calibrate this weapon here; I haven’t had a chance to do a proper job of it since I built it. That’s the problem with custom jobs, you’re never really done tinkering. Do you understand?”
“About custom jobs, or keeping quiet?” asked the captain.
“About keeping quiet, for now. We can have a conversation about custom jobs later if you like. We need to pass the time somehow.”
“I understand. I’ll put a communications block in place right now, if you’ll promise not to harm my crew.”
“Sure. Aside from the three I’ve already killed, I won’t shoot anyone if we all play nice and get the ship where it’s going. When we get there, I leave, and you wait two days before reporting me to the authorities. I should be well on my way by then.”
“All right. Is there anything else you want, Mister Collins?” asked the captain.
“No, just a quick trip and a head start,” Wheeler replied. He had momentarily forgotten that he’d used the name David Collins to buy his ticket. “I am going to borrow your main hologram projector, though.”
“Sorry, we only have screens on this ship, they’re more durable,” the captain said.
“So they are,” Wheeler replied. “I’ll borrow your biggest, then.
” He mentally searched their data storage for the bounty on him and sent the images to the main screen at the front of the bridge. His original face, chiselled and roguishly handsome, rotated in the middle under the title “WANTED BY THE BRITISH ALLIANCE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.” Beneath were the raw particulars in a less alarming font.
Any means of retrieval are permitted, with the exception of any methods that may break British Alliance or Common Galactic Laws. If the subject is presented to a British Alliance outpost dead or in an un-revivable state, the bounty to be paid will be no more than four million Universal Currency Units. If presented alive and mentally intact, the transporter and detainer of the subject will be paid ten million Universal Currency Units. A DNA and neural scan match will be used to verify the capture.
“And I was trying so hard to start over, to reformat the old historical memory storage system and get on with things, but they just won’t let me leave,” Wheeler said to no one in particular.
“It says you’re a war criminal and a thief,” the helmsman said. “I hope they get you.”
Wheeler fired a shot without looking, narrowly missing the crewman’s leg. “Sorry, it does that whenever I hear an idiot,” he said. “Captain, if you can speed things up and get us to our destination, I’d be grateful. I have a ship to steal and a war to join.”
CHAPTER 47
The Rush
Minh-Chu Buu hadn’t realized how much his memories of being an infantry grunt had dulled until he felt like one all over again following Jacob Valent and Moira McFadden aboard the Barricade. He still made the transition from lead pilot in the operation to backup in one of the boarding teams well, and was relieved he wasn’t running any part of that operation.
Randolph Lalonde - Spinward Fringe Broadcast 08 - Renegades Page 37
