Everyone was quiet for a moment, as if in silent agreement. I eventually broke the silence, looking to our guests, I asked, "…and what do you know of Bree?"
It was Kendric, the diplomat of the two who now spoke up, "Bree and Natasha happened to stowaway on the same ship. Will she be ok?"
"Yes, she just needs rest." Peter replied between bites of potato.
"We haven't lost anyone that we've helped; I would hate to start now." Kendric said. Damian looked uncomfortable about his brother’s statement.
"I understand, we haven't failed to capture a bounty after we decided to go after them. There is pride in doing something well." I volunteered to keep things moving in a positive direction.
"Of course you are careful to choose deserving bounties?" Damian said, living up to the title of hostile that I had given him.
The faint traces of lash marks peeking out from the edge of Damian’s collar were indicators that he had been treated with cruelty in the past. Still, I couldn't help but stiffen at his words. "Yes. We fully research our bounties. There was one time, when we saw a different side of the story after we made the capture. We took them to a more lenient detention center. What was intended was far too cruel for the actual crime committed. That particular client has never sought us out again."
Kendric caught Damian’s eye and slightly shook his head. He seemed to get Kendric’s signal to back off because he didn't object when Kendric said, "I must apologize, the only times we have interacted with bounty hunters have been when they are after those we are trying to help. You and your crew are a new experience for us."
"Thank you. I don't believe any of us want to be 'run of the mill' hunters, only interested in collecting the bounty." I replied, followed by murmurs of agreement. "I would appreciate it if you would be willing to help out while you are aboard. We won't be asking for any payment from you."
"Of course," Damian said.
Aria leaned over to Natasha and gleefully said, "I claim you, since I think we can be friends!" At her statement Natasha burst out laughing. Damian seemed poised to take offense but Natasha's laughter defused the problem.
"I'll be happy to help if I can. I don't have much in the way of skills." Natasha told Aria.
"That doesn't matter. You can learn." Aria said with her trademark smile.
"I do want to learn something useful. Would you like me to accompany you after the meal?" Natasha asked.
"No, this is actually our sleep cycle. Give me a few hours, and then I'll be bright eyed." Aria said with a slight yawn.
"What? This is you grumpy?" Natasha teased, tentatively.
Aria just let out a peal of laughter, which more of the group joined in with.
As the conversation continued, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Even Damian appeared to be loosening up some.
After our meal was finished, Gabriel started to clean up and Damian volunteered to help him. I was glad of that; Gabriel was the least likely person that Damian could take offense with. I called after them to have Gabriel show Damian to the passenger dorms when they were done.
The Waylay Great Room -Day 356- Gabriel Carter
I had stayed quiet at the meal with our new arrivals. Jason said he expected them to help where they could while on board and I hoped they would be more interested in bounty hunting than my kitchen.
Getting up I said that I needed to start cleaning, only to be followed. Damian apparently decided to take kitchen duty. I just hoped he wouldn't want much conversation.
"What can I do to help?" Damian asked.
"Right now it's just clean up. Do you mind dishes?" I replied.
"No." Was all he responded, giving me hope that I could work in peace. The peace lasted until he finished, when he asked, "Do you allow others to cook?"
"Only Aria is banned, and that is because we are still finding traces of her food explosion." I said with a grin.
He grinned back as I explained the purple goop incident. "What would you like to make?" I asked
"Something Kendric and I had as children. You probably don't have the supplies." He mused.
"You might be surprised, take a look." I offered. I was just finishing up when he came back into the main area.
"I can't believe it; you have everything for candied sweet potatoes. I didn't expect you to have all of the ingredients." He said surprised.
"Why is that?” I asked.
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Because it is mainly the oppressed that are known to use those ingredients." He sounded somewhat defensive.
"Do you think only Hybrids are oppressed?" I couldn't help asking.
He looked taken aback, and then said, "That's all I've ever known."
"Mark was held captive for a couple years by pirates. Ell, Jason and Peter were basically owned by the Fenix Service Program until they went Recreant. Willow and I had our worlds destroyed around us. You might find that you have more in common with the people on this ship than just your taste in food." I informed him.
"All of you must be glad to have the freedom that the Waylay provides." Damian replied.
"Yes, but we all still feel our losses deeply." I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the memories, but they came anyway. Half to myself I said, "A company had been trying for years to buy my father's claim on Halcyon. Finally they hired Fenix to come for our stake. All I remember was one of the soldiers saying my sister was a pretty one and would give him pleasure. I lost it. When I came to, it was to see my whole family lined up. The commander was saying that defiance would be dealt with swiftly. Then they were all shot; even the little ones. I was taken outside the complex and beaten unconscious. I assume they left me for dead, because they didn't shoot me as well. If I could go back in time, I would try to stop myself from reacting."
I had begun to think I was alone when he spoke again, "I am so sorry. I don't know if I could have survived if something had happened to Kendric." I had no more words so I just nodded.
The Waylay Great Room -Day 356- Kendric
All through the meal I enjoyed the sense of camaraderie that the crew exuded. Most of my time was spent with Damian on missions. While I love my brother, he wasn't always the most comfortable of companions. I wanted to know how Jason had gotten a crew that fit so well together. There were underlying tensions, but that didn't affect the overall morale. I decided to ask Jason directly how I could help. If I could work closely with him, maybe I could learn something from his leadership style.
As people started to disperse, I approached him. "I don't know much about your operation, so I'm not sure how to help. Maybe tomorrow we could discuss where I could be the most useful. It seems Damian already claimed kitchen duty." I said smiling.
"Okay, thanks for understanding that we are up very late." Jason and Ell then walked hand in hand out of the dining room.
Peter offered to show me to my room. I asked him if I could go down to check on Bree first. After talking with Jason, I sensed that Bree was awake. I wanted to see her before turning in for the night.
As we came into the med suite, Peter was surprised to find Bree awake.
"Hi Kendric," She greeted me.
"Bree I was sure you would still be asleep." Peter said.
"How are you feeling?" I asked even though I knew she was feeling better.
"Much better; but I am a little nervous. Peter said there were some abnormalities in my brain scans." She said.
I looked at Peter who was concentrating on his display. "Could the Teragene have caused empathic abilities in her?" I asked him.
"She asked almost the same question. Yes, the part of her brain that affects empathy has altered, how did you know?” He asked.
"From the moment I met Bree I could sense her more clearly than I had most others." I replied.
Bree gasped, "So I wasn't imagining things!"
"No. I have been trying to give you mental privacy. But I think I should try to teach you how to shield your thoughts. I doubt I am the only Empath sensitive enough
to hear them at this point." I revealed.
"Oh. So is it like I'm broadcasting my thoughts? And what exactly is an Empath?" She asked.
"Broadcasting your thoughts, that's a good way to describe it." I smiled, and then continued, "Anyone with empathic abilities sensitive enough can tune in. I didn't understand why I could sense you so clearly, but it makes sense now that we know about your exposure to Teragene." I saw that she still had a puzzled look on her face, so I began to explain what Empaths are, "To answer your other question, Empaths can read others feelings, occasionally even their thoughts or see pictures of what others see. Once two Empaths are aware of each other, they can create a strong link of mental communication, as long as both are committed to bridging their minds." I could see that even Peter was becoming interested in what I was sharing, so I continued, "Empaths are rare, but not unheard of. I've known others throughout my life, but there aren't many of us. It has been said that there were Telepaths several hundred years ago."
Bree then spoke up, obviously wanting to know more, "What's the difference between an Empath and a Telepath? They sound the same to me."
"Yes, they do share some similarities. As the story goes the last known Telepath lived hundreds of years ago and looked very different from other Hybrids. Primarily, their eyes had an otherworldly glow, much like the glow that emanates from raw Teragene. They possessed mental powers so strong, they could mind jump, not just reading thoughts of others but actually looking through the eyes of anyone who they chose. They could also project emotions on others, creating a sense of calm over crowds, or even terror in their targets minds." I clarified.
Peter then interjected, "That is so interesting, I had heard of those with abilities to sense or read others, but to actually occupy another person's mind, that is both fascinating and frightening."
Bree then followed up with another direct question, "It sounds so fantastical! Is that a word? Even if it’s not I think it makes my point. Is there really such a thing?" She said with her eyes widening.
I chuckled at how cute she looked in that moment, then responded, "Since Old Earth vanished thousands of years ago, there have been so many myths told about what happened. There are even legends of higher beings in the universe. Humans and Hybrids have reached so far into the stars, colonizing thousands of worlds, yet we know so little of our past. It's not based in fact, but there is a story about Alpha Hybrids. There is no proof that any have ever existed. It is said they were so dreadfully powerful that they could dominate the minds others, even being able to project mental energy in limitless amounts and crushing minds as though they were tiny insects. There are some Hybrid Cults that believe one day there will be an Alpha Dawn, or a new age where there will be a rising to overthrow the Hybrid's human oppressors... whether through one extremely powerful individual, a select group, or by sheer numbers. Personally, I prefer the Coalition's approach."
"What, you don't want a super powered savior?" Bree asked teasingly.
Shaking my head, I replied seriously, "Not really. The closest thing to a Telepath I've seen was monstrous. Fenix came to test all of us who were of age to sell. I was taken into a room where I was confronted by a being completely wired into a terminal. I couldn't tell if they had been man, woman, Normal or Hybrid."
"From what Ell told me, it sounds like something the Phantom Corps would do." Peter said, obviously feeling disgust for those ‘doctors’ who would do such a thing. "Fenix made Ell a Techno path. Fortunately, she was able to use their own laws against them to gain her freedom, before they were able to take their experimentation any further." He said in explanation.
"I hope I never encounter someone who would do that to another person." Bree stated, visibly shuddering.
I then brought the conversation back around to where it had started, "Bree, I'm sorry I went on so much about this subject. Also, please forgive me for the invasion of privacy when I read your feelings and thoughts."
Bree laughed, the image of the human terminal being replaced by one of her throwing her thoughts as I tried to duck. "If I was bombarding you with my thoughts, I wasn't allowing myself privacy. I hope you will forgive my intrusion."
Smiling, I answered, "I think it's safe to say we are both forgiven." I then turned back to Peter, "Do you think she is recovered enough for a little training?"
Peter took one final scan of Bree, and then responded, "The radiation has been neutralized. I think it will be fine, as long as you stop when she tires."
I then started by having Bree imagine a wall between her and others. Practicing sending thoughts and blocking them for fifteen minutes was enough to tire her out, so I said we would practice more the next day.
As the door closed behind us, Peter asked, "Is there a correlation between her being exposed to Teragene and the sedative that I gave her wearing off so fast?"
I thought for a moment as we entered the lift and then said, "Not that I know of, but there are some Hybrids that have a greater immunity to medications."
"That is something else I will have to test her for tomorrow." Peter said.
Once we reached the next level and exited the lift, we walked down some corridors, finally stopping at the door that I assumed was to my room, Peter continued. "Thank you for being careful and not letting her overtire herself."
"I remember how overwhelming it was when I was being taught to control my mind, and I hadn't been sick before that... I also want her to recover. I won't jeopardize that." I replied.
"I take my patient's health seriously, so I’m glad that we are in agreement." Peter concluded.
…..
After breakfast just a few hours later, Jason asked me to come with him to the bridge. "We are on the way to one of Ell's contacts, at Jakodi Station. I thought now would be a good time to talk." He said as he checked the autopilot and navigation. "Is there anything you are skilled at, or that you want to learn?"
He had shown himself trustworthy, even placing himself and his crew between us and our pursuer the day before. So I decided to trust him, "I can read people, Damian can read the land. Between us we always find the people we are sent to meet, even if they are concealed."
Jason raised his brows and let out a low whistle, "I could have used your help on several bounties over the years. That is some skill set."
"Thank you, but I don't see how that helps me be useful on board." I said.
"Yeah," he smiled, "even Echo never gets lost here. Willow would never allow it."
"I have done some piloting, but only small transports like the Latitude." I shared.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about hydroponics, would you?" He asked hopefully.
"No. But I'm willing to learn if that is what you need." I replied.
"I'm looking for a specialist to take care of the hydroponics bay, but anything you could do to tame that jungle would help." Again he chuckled, "and if you get lost, I can send Damian to find you."
…..
I had taken a look at the hydroponics bay. Jungle wasn't the right term. Swamp was more appropriate. It was clear that no one had done much with the setup. I had read up on the basics, but knew I was going to need more help to tackle such a big project. I decided to ask Mark to check the structural systems, before I started disturbing anything.
After he had looked over what he could access, he pointed out a couple of items that needed maintenance. Obviously there were clogs in the filtration system due to overgrowth. He volunteered to help me with it. "'A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.'" (Liberty Hyde Bailey) He said.
"Well, I hope that just expending effort will help this garden thrive. I can't offer expertise." I replied
Mark grinned, "A wise man knows his limitations."
As we worked, we discussed the different changes that we could make. Mark said aquaponics would be interesting. There was obviously enough space, as the bay t
ook up more than half of the top deck of the ship, even extending down to the deck below.
"Gabe would also like having fresh fish as well as produce." Mark said, grinning. "The happier we keep him the better we eat."
The Waylay Great Room -Day 358- Ell Singer
As we all sat around the table for lunch, the overall mood was calmer than it had been since our new arrivals had joined us. There was an odd smell that I had at first thought may have been Gabriel trying out a new dish. It was vaguely reminiscent to stewed greens that had been much better than they had smelled, but I came to discover that it was coming from Mark and Kendric.
Mark was the one to brooch the subject with Jason. "That jungle of yours needs more help than the two of us can give it. I think anyone that is not immediately needed elsewhere needs to pitch in on this. Our girl has been doing a great job with the air quality, but the vegetation is supposed to help her, not make her job harder."
"Ok, I knew it was getting bad but I hadn't realized that it was affecting the Waylay's performance." Glancing around the table Jason addressed the rest of us, "Willow if you are caring for Echo you can get a pass on this, unless you have an urge to play in a swamp; in that case you can save someone else the trouble by having them watch the baby. The rest of us are working in the green bay (hydroponics bay). Gabe and Damian, I will expect you two to pitch in after you have finished with the kitchen. Aria, bring the coveralls I bought to clean up our purple goop nightmare. They should still be under your workbench." Jason said.
Willow had become the focus of anyone that didn't want to be on this detail. I myself wasn't looking forward to it, but knew that there was no way Jason or I could get out of this and expect others to do it for us; that is not how Jason operates his ship. Peter would be dreading it as well but wouldn't ask Willow to trade places with him. "Is there anyone who shouldn't be working on this because of other duties they need to attend to?" Willow asked Jason.
Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles Page 17
