.....
Later in the day and after we were able to watch more drone battles, we walked in comfortable silence as we made our way back to the Waylay. I knew my control hadn't slipped all day, and I was proud of myself. I also admitted that my enjoyment of today was due in large part to having Kendric as one of my companions. But the reality of getting closer to Kendric frightened me.
The last people I had been close to were my parents, and I had hurt them. I'm the reason they were killed. If I hadn't been angry with them that day, I wouldn’t have stayed away from home, and they would never have gone out looking for me. In turn, they would never have been on the street when the turf feud between two rival cartels broke out. If I had been a better daughter, they wouldn't have died that day. It was truly terrifying to think of getting too close to anyone again. I already knew enough about Kendric to do him and the Coalition harm. Until I knew I wouldn't accidentally hurt them, I needed to stay where I was and not make any rash decisions, especially where emotions were involved.
Kendric must have sensed the change in my mood. "I hope you enjoyed today, that I didn't do anything to ruin it for you." Then he grinned saying, "The fact that I can't tell must mean you are a good student."
I had to laugh at that. "I did have a good time. I think I'm just tired."
Jakodi Station and Droneplex Arena -Day 362- Damian
It felt strange to be on a space station and not be on a Coalition assignment. I hadn't wanted to stay cooped up on the ship, and just seemed to gravitate toward Gabriel. Somehow we ended up accompanying Aria as she looked in the shops in the outer ring of the arena.
"Oh, a bot shop! I've wanted to tinker with bots, but the ones on the Waylay never break down." She exclaimed.
Gabriel just smiled like an indulgent parent as we followed her. Aria was so intent on reaching the shop that she didn’t even notice the peddler promoting “The Essence of Respect.” She walked directly into the cloud he had just sprayed to demonstrate the perfume. Suddenly Aria started coughing, exclaiming, “It got in my mouth! It tastes like tears!”
“Why yes…The tear of your enemies!” The peddler announced loudly, drawing even more attention of those around us.
Taking Aria’s arm, Gabe directed her to the nearby bot shop, saying, “Look at that shiny gold bot.” Aria immediately refocused on her original destination.
“It looks whiney. Let’s see if they have anything better inside!” Aria excitedly said.
Inside the shop we were greeted by every kind of bot imaginable. Huge ones were represented in holograms.
Aria walked right past all the shiny, new displays, to a small corner which seemed to contain the discarded items. Suddenly she clapped her hands and said, "He is perfect." She bent down and hauled up a little, gray bot. One eye was larger than the other. It had a square body and was missing a leg. Not the most appealing to look at.
The proprietor came over with a look of disgust on his face. "That's not for sale."
"But, why not?" Aria cried out, she gave off an air of utter disappointment.
"It is scrap. Obsolete. It is literally on its last leg. No replacement is available." He replied, briskly; most likely trying to get her to move on.
"Well then I'll pay you the scrap price for him." Aria countered.
The proprietor became flustered and upset. "I don't sell scrap! I have a reputation to uphold. D'angelo's only sells quality bots!" He declared.
"Well then you can give him to me. That way your reputation remains intact." Aria countered again.
I was trying not to laugh at this exchange over a silly broken bot, with the proprietor looking almost apoplectic. Gabriel calmly spoke, "Sir, I know this determined little lady."
"Lady!?" The proprietor exclaimed.
Gabriel's face hardened, "Yes. Lady…” he paused, and let his displeasure at the proprietor attitude really show in his eyes for a moment, “As I was saying, unless you intend to forcibly remove her, she won't leave without the bot. What will be best for your business?"
"Fine, take it and leave. And don't come back!" The upset proprietor commanded.
"Oh, Gabby, thank you!" Aria said exclaimed as we left, I was fairly sure that she had missed the unspoken interaction that happened in the shop and had only caught the words that had been spoken.
"Don't thank me. I was saving the proprietor from more of a scene." But Gabriel said it with such a grin as to remove any sting from his words. "I want to try some of the wonderful cuisine I have been smelling. I'd like your opinion too, Damian. You know what you and your brother would like. And while you are with us, I'd like to make sure you are well fed."
"Thank you. Though what I've sampled of your cooking has been excellent." I replied, but was touched he thought of me at all.
"Gabby must be the best cook ever! No one turns down his food." Aria exclaimed.
"That's not true. That fellow from Mondragon Industries who searched the ship did. He made some comment about it not being right for decent people to eat it." Gabriel said, obviously hurt.
"What!? I hadn't thought he was so bad, but now I don't like him; even if he is Echo's uncle." Aria said, defensively.
"I'm sorry Gabriel, he just doesn't know something good when he sees it." I said.
"Well, enough about him. He's not here to spoil our taste testing. Where shall we start first?" Gabriel said cheerfully.
We decided to work our way from one end of the food area to the other. As we ate, Gabriel commented on the various dishes, and what he tasted in them. There was food from a vast array of cultures. He asked how we liked items as we tried them. I enjoyed a highly spiced potato dish that Gabe said had turmeric, cumin and just a touch of cardamom. Gabe declared his favorite to be a bean curd marinated in soy sauce and garlic, then fried. Aria ate as she fiddled with her bot, obviously more interested in it than the food.
"The bot looks like he's been battered and bruised, but I'll fix him up." Aria muttered. I wasn't sure if she even remembered we were here, until she looked up with a smile and said, "I know, I'll name him Bruiser, because when I'm done no one will mess with him."
After we had eaten our fill, we decided to return to the Waylay. All in all, I was glad I had decided to venture out.
Jakodi Station -Day 362- Ell Singer
Once we had the EMP shield device retrofitted with a manual only control center and had stowed it safely aboard the Waylay, I contacted Patrice, the head of the Coalition, to find out what location she wanted to retrieve her people from.
"Patrice. I'm happy to tell you that all of your people are safe." I greeted her.
"I'm glad to be getting good news from you. I haven't had any from anywhere else lately. We had just finished another mission, when one of our ships was tracked back to our base of operations. We were subsequently attacked by mercenaries. We successfully fought back, with relatively few losses, but we are now scattered about without a safe harbor due to our location being exposed." Patrice said with obvious dismay.
"I have a place that you could use as a base while you gather the things you need for your new world. It has safety measures in place. We could meet you there, if you’re interested." I offered. Hopefully something good could come from the ruin Talia had become.
"We would all greatly appreciate that. It is taking far longer to acquire what is needed for terraforming a new planet, because of the discretion that we must use. We thought it would take us much longer to get the Teragene, than to acquire all of the specimens needed to craft a complete ecosystem; just another miscalculation." Patrice replied; she was obviously taking her loss harder than she realized.
"I'm sending the coordinates now. If you or any of your people get there before I do contact me so I can deactivate the planetary shield." I instructed her.
"See you on the next world," she signed off.
I turned to Jason who had been sitting quietly with me during the vid call. "Are you ok with this?" I asked.
"I think it's what we need to do
. Although, it could bring more trouble to our door in the future," He paused. "But we can only tackle what is in front of us. And we need to do what we can to help a good cause, like the Coalition. We’ll just need to keep an eye out for trouble on the horizon."
"You are a good man." I hugged him to try and drive my point home.
"I'm glad you think so." Jason mumbled into my hair.
As he held me close, I thought to myself whatever troubles this could bring down on us may end up being the least of our concerns.
…..
When everyone returned from their exploring, I sent a ping to Quinn. She came onto our vid screen a few minutes later.
"It looks as if you finished sooner than the boys would have liked. They have gotten carried away by their designs again." She informed me.
"Let them play. We can pick up their new contraption the next time we come through. We both know whatever they are making will be better with the extra time put into it." I told her.
"I will give them your love, safe travels." Quinn bid us farewell and opened the hangar without experiencing any of the earlier problems that Cube had run into.
I was once again departing their station on a rescue mission of sorts. I hoped that this time I could help more people on Talia. I want Talia to become a place that Echo could be proud of, a place which will hold good memories for her when she grows up.
The Waylay in Route to Talia -Day 362- Bree Reiter
Back in my room aboard the Waylay, I had just finished freshening up after a long day on Jakodi Station, when unexpectedly; there was a chime on the console. It was a vid message from Neil, "Bree, I hope you are recovering well since we last met. I must admit to feeling responsible for your condition. If I had handled the security issue in a timely manner, you never would have been exposed to Teragene. Then again, we might never have had the opportunity to meet.
“Hopefully, you will take a moment to consider the offer I am about to make to you. Upon looking at Mondragon Industries security staff needs, I would like to offer you a position to actively test our security preparedness. With your knowledge of the cartels which operate on Fell, it could help me uproot unwanted threats to my business.
“Regarding the cartels, I thought you would be interested to know that I was contacted by the Port Arthur City Watch. Apparently, there was another cartel drop off to be made to the guard which you met on my ship. The actual criminal who was to make the drop was apprehended and sent to Gallworth Prison. I'm just thankful you were not mistaken for a cartel operative.
“But I digress. About the matter at hand, it would make me more comfortable to know you were well provided for, by having reputable employment. I know they must mean well, however a bounty hunter's ship cannot be the safest place for you. Also, I did not think it proper to tell you when we first met, but I wish to be open and honest with you now. My concern for you is due to the fact that you resemble my sister Lydia, who was taken from me many years ago. It must seem strange, but I find that it is a happy coincidence.
“I have arranged to meet with Ell and Captain Singer on Mecca Prime in the near future, and I would like to invite you to attend. You now have my contact information. Please think over my offer and let me know what you decide, or if I can be of any further assistance to you." The message then ended.
I felt honored to be remembered. It hadn't been just kind words in the med suite. When he abruptly left, I had been sure the words had meant nothing.
Again I got the impression that he was somehow vulnerable. Losing a sister he cared for must have left some scars. I still had some from losing my parents.
While, I would think about the job, I would need to see that Natasha, Damian and Kendric were safe first. I owed them that much.
…..
All night I had thought of the job offer from Neil. I wasn't ready to leave the Waylay, but I wanted to know what a security job would entail. So I decided to talk to Aria and Mark about what they did. I found Aria first.
"Morning," Aria greeted in her bubbly way. She still seemed like a mix of opposites.
"Good morning, I wondered if I could ask a favor of you." I said.
"Sure, you just can't have any of my special babies. I am still working out bugs on some of them." Aria replied.
I laughed, "I know better than to ask you to part with your creations. I was just hoping you could teach me something about security. "
"Oh, is that all? That's simple. You check and double check all your defenses. You learn all you can about what you are going into. Keep your eyes open. Think like you were trying to get in, if you want people out, or out if you want them in." She stated.
"You do make it sound simple, but can you show me what some of that checking looks like. Do you talk through scenarios with others?" I asked.
"I usually dream up new gadgets. Mark is more of the tactician. How about I show you what I'm working on, then we can find Mark and he can show you how he uses what I come up with?" She suggested.
"That sounds good." I agreed.
"I'm working on a non-lethal foam restraint. It still has a few bugs..." She said patting what looked like a fire suppressing canister. “But have you ever even used a weapon?"
"No," I replied.
"Well, then let me show you our basic kit." She said with excitement.
For the next hour, I learned all about the weapons they kept. Most were non-lethal. I was impressed that they always took their bounties alive. I doubted many other bounty hunters would bother. By the time we had explored the armory, my mind was reeling. "How do you keep it all straight? And how do you know when to use what?" I asked.
"I keep it all straight, because I handle them every day. It is my job to make sure that every piece is in working order. So I check them daily. As to knowing what to use, that is where Mark comes in. Also the intel we gather helps us to narrow down our selections." Aria replied.
"I see." I mused.
"Maybe some lunch before talking to Mark would be good." She suggested.
"I do think that would be good idea and maybe some coffee too. My brain feels sluggish." I replied.
"Well I have thrown a lot of information at you in a short time. When I first met Jason, I only knew the invention side of things. He and Mark taught me all I know about implementation. I'm still learning. It will come with time." Then she gave me a big smile, "Besides, you can spend more time with me as we both learn."
"Thank you," was all I could say, since I was overwhelmed by her desire to help me. Since coming on the Waylay, I had been repeatedly surprised by the open welcome I was receiving. It was a nice feeling, but still a foreign one.
…..
"Hey Mark, we have a new recruit." Aria said as we came into the kitchen.
"What has she dragged you into Bree?" Mark asked, without his usual quotes.
"I received a job offer, in security. Aria has been helping me see what it might entail. She said you are more tactical and she is more supplies." I replied.
"’When one teaches, two learn.’ (Robert Heinreic) I will be happy to help." Mark replied. "Is there anything in particular you want to learn first?"
"Well, prisoner transport and keeping the ship secure while planet side come to mind. Something tells me that I would never have been able to stow away on the Waylay." I said.
Mark nodded. "I thought a tour after lunch would be helpful." Aria added.
We enjoyed another of Gabriel's delicious meals and then started our tour. Mark showed me the cryo chambers they used to transport criminals. They were simple to use and kept both the crew and the prisoners safe.
“’Show respect to even those who don't deserve it. It is a reflection on your character, not theirs.’" (Dave Willis) Mark quoted. "We always strive to treat our bounties, or ‘marks’, humanely, which is good for me." He said, using a pun to show a different side of his personality.
I laughed at the pun, as did Aria. As we continued, Mark and Aria showed me areas where they had reinforced their s
ecurity, and explained why. Every action they took was based on reason. Well, unless it was simply to see what one of Aria's inventions would do, then it was simple curiosity. I admired Mark for encouraging her to experiment, even though some went awry. I respected Aria for not giving up. So many of the devices I was seeing were designs she had created on her own. Along with the pride of them working, I was told of the many attempts it took to reach the working prototype.
Mark asked about how I had gotten aboard Neil's ship. When I recounted the adventure he just shook his head at the rampant corruption. "While most spaceports are relatively safe, security should always be maintained. If not, you run the risk of missing something when it is important." Mark explained.
Aria chimed in, "Simply locking the ship would have been better than posting a guard, no matter his loyalty or fitness. Both would be better."
“You both have given me a lot to think about. If I could follow you around while you do your checks for the next few days, I'd appreciate it." I stated.
They both said I would be a welcome addition.
The Planet of Talia -Day 369- Bree Reiter
Stepping out of the Waylay, I stood on Talia for the first time. It was a desert world, yet there was plenty of life. Buttes dotted the landscape, along with scraggly shrubs. Insects and small animals could be heard. Already several of the ships the Coalition had were arriving. It seemed everyone was eager to settle into a routine. I wondered what Kendric and Damian would normally have been tasked to do.
A beautiful woman, all pink and white, ran towards us, calling out to Damian. For the first time since meeting him, I saw him truly smile. "Suha!" he said as he folded her in an embrace.
Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles Page 21
